EHX Bass Micro Synth

[Waster]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a bass synth at the minute. From what I've seen the EHX looks like the best around, but does anyone know of a better unit for around the same price, or cheaper? Thanks,

Connor

 

[RickenBoogie]

Not better, different. Many threads on bass synth pedals to be found. The Ehx is analog, if that matters to you.

 

[Unrepresented]

You can buy a used Bass Microsynth for cheaper than a new one.

There are a lot of synth options on the market. I feel that the EHX is in the sweet spot in terms of price/features/tone spectrum. It's the synth I own.

 

[EskimoBassist]

I'd suggest going for an older big box version second hand. Can easily be modded for true bypass which many already will be and IMHO sound better and the resonance control in particular is much more usable than on the newer XO model.

 

[bassbrad]

Not better, different.

They all have their place and the EHX BMS is very unique since it's analog and you can make real time changes with the sliders, I luv mine but it stays in the studio these days.

The other 'synth' pedals do have their own sounds and usefulness but with the exception of the Akai Deep Impact and Korg G5 pale in comparison to the BMS. The Boss, Ibanez, Behringer and Digitech pedals all have cool sounds especially when combined with other pedals.

For my synth needs I am using a Zoom B2, the synth sounds are useful and the other effects really add to the overall sound and i can save/recall my creations.

 

[cloudyorchestra]

I own one and love it but it's pretty hard to use at first when you get it. It's very touchy and settings have to be just right. But you can do a ton with it. It's expensive and is a bit different but analog for sure.

 

[Boot Soul]

If the Bass MicroSynth came with true bypass (which can be modded by Analogman if needed) and a way to save settings for later instant recall, it would be the winner amongst all IMO.

But, without being able to save sounds in a memory, it can be very frustrating to get back to a certain sound that you loved from the day before. The controls are very interactive, and sensitive, and a lot of the time there are interactions and weird cool oscillations that I have no idea how I fell upon. And if you leave the settings alone and switch basses, or even adjust the volume knob on the same bass, the tone can change a lot because the threshold for the filters and sweep has thus changed. Sometimes the box acts like it is possessed by a demon and seems to have a mind of its own. It is sort of the original "bent circuit" device. It is a very fun box overall, and can be used as an octaver, or as a fuzzy/jagged distortion with its square wave slider, and not sound "synthy" at all.

 

[cloudyorchestra]

It does give you little charts to write down your sounds so you can remember them. You just have to be disciplined in writing them down.

 

[RickenBoogie]

It's just like the old timey analog synthesizers. Or, the brand new Moog Minitaur. No presets, but you *can* mark your sliders positions to at least get close to a previous setting. It's part of the deal with an analog device, that has absolutely zero digital control.

 

[permanent_ice]

I've got an old microsynth... it's not true bypass, but that's not fatal. Anyway I plan to mod it - are there any schemes or info available how to do it DIY? Good octave and great autofilter. Also some weird distorted noises for feedback. But not millions of sounds as it was stated by many users - it's pretty easy to tweak it

 

[Funkinthetrunk]

I dig the Markbass Super Synth. Also, the Chunk Octavius Squeezer, but that'll cost you.

 

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

If the Bass MicroSynth came with true bypass...

Product description at the EHX website says it is true bypass. Misinformation?

 

[Eric!]

BMS = Voice and Filter sections

So really, any voice expansions (octaves up or below) into your favorite filter, and boom. You'll find more features and tweaks this way.

Or, just get a BMS, because it is pretty boss at what it does for one unit. I just wish a) they'd have switches independent for each side and b) they'd make the stop frequency available on an expression jack.

 

[bigchiefbc]

Product description at the EHX website says it is true bypass. Misinformation?

That's the new XO one. The older sheet metal BMS was not true bypass. And it was a really sucky bypass, at that.

 

[bigchiefbc]

BMS = Voice and Filter sections

So really, any voice expansions (octaves up or below) into your favorite filter, and boom. You'll find more features and tweaks this way.

Or, just get a BMS, because it is pretty boss at what it does for one unit. I just wish a) they'd have switches independent for each side and b) they'd make the stop frequency available on an expression jack.

Yes and no. The filter section on the BMS is not an envelope filter, it is a triggered filter. IE, it doesn't follow your envelope, it sweeps after being triggered in a standard fixed way depending on how you have the sliders set. I don't know of any standalone filter pedals that sweep the same way. I actually think it would be pretty cool if someone made one.

 

[permanent_ice]

Product description at the EHX website says it is true bypass. Misinformation?

I guess the main interest here is the old one like that. It's much more cool than the new one. Smoother effects, but no true bypass