• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

EHX Enigma QBalls: Review

#24
Ok I can't sleep. I'm still finding cool sounds. maybe I should just do a Bed-In for Filter Freedom!

lame


ok so this is the kind of fun you can have with a quick attack and decay with a LP down filter where the start and stop are almost equal and on the low side of things. the blend is at 2 o clock but can be dialed back for the faint of heart.

P - flats (still yeah I know I'm working on it) - Octabazz - Muffy McClone - Enigma with the Dist on. and a drum track - because I'm tired of playing with myself.
First part all effects MINUS the Enigma - second part - the money shot.
http://www.marysmonster.com/enigma/thumpysynth.mp3
 
#25
BassJunkie730 said:
Ok I can't sleep. I'm still finding cool sounds. maybe I should just do a Bed-In for Filter Freedom!

lame


ok so this is the kind of fun you can have with a quick attack and decay with a LP down filter where the start and stop are almost equal and on the low side of things. the blend is at 2 o clock but can be dialed back for the faint of heart.
Click to expand...

coool :hyper:

That's the exact configuration I wanted to try for straight synthyness... and it sounds awesome!
 
#26
I tried one at a local store, was ready to buy, but... even with a new passive jazz bass it was too sensitive and clipped when playing aggressively. With an active bass, everything made the distort light come on and the resulting distortion wasn't nice... Is there a trim-pot to lower sensitivity? Is there a special AC to use (they just found a stock AC for me to use expecting it to use batteries) I note that in the faltwound clips, esp the slow bass synth, there is clipping. Some attacks are clipped. The tones sounded just like a fancy EH bassballs, which does not thrill me either, and the action of the filter seemed jerky. The distortion is generic. The line level I normally use is even higher...starting with an ESP Viper 404, and including a VT pedal...so I don't see using this as it is. I am still very happy with my Ashdown, it handles everything I throw at it including distorted octave down; it has an input level control as well as output level. If it had a blend, I would be in nirvana. Now the question is, what to do with the liberated cash...maybe a Prunes & Custard?
 
#27
BassBrass said:
I tried one at a local store, was ready to buy, but... even with a new passive jazz bass it was too sensitive and clipped when playing aggressively. With an active bass, everything made the distort light come on. Is there a trim-pot to lower sensitivity? Is there a special AC to use (they just found a stock AC for me to use expecting it to use batteries) The tones sounded just like a fancy EH bassballs, which does not thrill me either, and the action of the filter seemed jerkey. The distortion is useless. The line level I normally use is even higher...starting with an ESP Viper 404...so I don't see using this as it is. I am still very happy with my Ashdown, it handles everything I throw at it including distorted octave down. If it had a blend, I would be in nirvana. Now the question is, what to do with the liberated cash...maybe a Prunes & Custard?
Click to expand...

there's a sensitivity control on TOP

funny, besides having a distortion, I haven't heard anything bassballs-like about the enigma. It's definitely way closer to the q-tron tradition
 
#31
Having listened to the rest of the clips, I now want this even more. My GAS pains are worse than childbirth.



RCCollins said:
funny, besides having a distortion, I haven't heard anything bassballs-like about the enigma. It's definitely way closer to the q-tron tradition
Click to expand...

I think they just like being about to write the word 'balls' on top of pedals...
 
#32
FreaqyFrequency said:
Do you have a bass with rounds? I'd be interested to hear how it responds to some more grindy-activity in the high mids and treble.

Anyway, far and away a better review and demo than Jack Conte gave us. Thank you sir.
Click to expand...

+1 to this, and any chance we could get a couple clips with different attack/decay settings (as well as varied sweep range)?

thanks a bunch

BassJunkie730 said:
http://www.marysmonster.com/enigma/PolyphaseENVcopy.mp3

this clip is in LP mod, fully wet. the first part has the attack and decay at the quickest, the second part opens up the attack and decay to nine oclock. the Start freq is a 9 and the Stop is at 3 o clock. Q and Sens are at noon.


Sounds pretty musical to me.
Click to expand...

edit: i missed this. Great clip, I appreciate it! And I think ehx will appreciate it, too! ;)
 
#33
3toes said:
It's my understanding from the old Q-tron+ that the "Overload" led SHOULD be coming on. I thought that's what indicated that the filter-sweep was actually being triggered.
Click to expand...

It all depends on the sound you want. I found with my qtron+ that on the low setting, if I want a really pronounced filter, I need to turn it up a bit. TO get that really deep whoomp whoomp sound, I needed to bring the sens down. In high mode, especially in combo with my assmaster, I keep it down a bit as the treble spikes can be wicked.
 
#35
RCCollins said:
there's a sensitivity control on TOP

funny, besides having a distortion, I haven't heard anything bassballs-like about the enigma. It's definitely way closer to the q-tron tradition
Click to expand...

Yes, I can read the words placed above the knobs. That's the filter's sensitivity, not the input level. I adjusted the sensitivity so that the filter is triggered...it has no effect on the unwanted distortion. The overload LED lit up on soft notes, no problem, but aggressive notes produced distortion...so it's my ears that are telling me this, not the LED. The LED tells me that the threshold for distorting isn't far away though.
Like when I used to use a Steel Leather when I played a passive bass...it was useful from zero to about 9 o'clock. Above that, it was overboard. Now that I'm playing an active bass, it's too much effect even at zero, but not distortion. On the other hand, the EH Bass Blogger (which I love) handles any level I put through it. I abandoned my mini Q-tron because of the built in volume boost.
(I bought my first EH pedals, Small Stone and Dr.Q around 1978, so EH is familiar to me)
 
#37
FYI to everyone

this pedal was invented by the SAME guy that invented the Mutron III AND the Qtron

so

It's definitely in that vein - which also makes it in the the Meatball clone family as well.

Really the way you operate this pedal should mirror the Qtron - based on the videos I've watched and the comments I'm getting here.

The pedal has the added bonus of a clean blend AND the ability to choose the START and STOP freq ala the BMS. Which is very helpful when you are trying to hone in on the PRECISE way that the pdal works with itself and the bass going in.

I find that I get great whump out of this pedal because my bass having flats gets a lot of 100 to 250hz content - so I keep the Q down - most of those clips have the Q at noon or even further back. The sensitivity is mostly between 3 o clock and noon as well.

the distortion was designed to be generic - think about it - they didn't want to put a muff in there and have a bunch of people say - DARN! pedal sounds great - but I wish they didn't put a muff in there. Plus it makes enough of a difference to matter to the design.

I'm keeping it because - to me - it sounds like a Q-tron shagged a BMS and made this pedal. If you are looking for a wide open performance filter and are OK with the lack of an effects loop, trigger, or master volume (so basically you have to follow the rules of Filterdom) OR you are looking for a great filter to add to your chain for synthesis - then go for it.

At this point - I do not GAS for any other filter - because I feel I can cop the sounds.

If I ditch this its because I probably won't be using a filter in my chain.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back