EHX Vintage Q-Tron

[chumbo73]

Hi guys

A person I know is selling the vintage EHX QTRON for $100, I think it's a very good deal but never had the chance to try one. I haven't found much information in the forum.

I think it works in 24V and haven't found anything about volume drops.

The model is the following:

 

[FilterFunk]

Here's the text from a post I did in another thread:


"UPDATE: The Q-Tron+ is better than I remember!

Big-box Q-Tron+ vs. original Mu-Tron III:

Mu-Tron III: Warmer, grittier, smoother decay - I've said it before and I'll say it again...it's THE sound!!!

Q-Tron+: Brighter, sharper - can get very peaky/"ice-picky", but when dialed in right, the brightness is nice. Also, the Slow/Fast Response switch is very useful. The Slow setting is more like the Mu-Tron III's smooth attack; the Fast setting provides a quick, bubbly sound that sets the Q-Tron+ apart.

In short - I'm happy!!!"


Except for the Slow/Fast Response switch and the effects loop on the Q-Tron+, I assume the vintage Q-Tron/Q-Tron+ circuits are identical, so I assume they sound the same. Also, you don't have to worry about volume drops. Volume peaks, however...

 

[dannybuoy]

It has less control, no down sweep etc, but for me the Mini Q-Tron wipes the floor with the original big box one. I've not tried the plus version, but the pic in the OP is not a plus.

 

[Planespotter]

I like the Qtron+ a lot more due to its effects loop and fast/slow switch. Still the regular Qtron is a great pedal, there's just better options these days. And the mid 90s are considered vintage? Yikes!

 

[Bo0tsy]

As dannybuoy said that's a pic of an original regular Q Tron not the + which I've not tried. The original is a quack machine! Here's a review I wrote previously...I'd just add that the bass boost feature works really well with a low output passive bass....as FilterFunk says though watch out for volume boosts! Q-Trons can be very peaky.

QUOTE="Bo0tsy, post: 17640105, member: 225955"]EHX Q-Tron (original) – This is the old wood boxed trapezoid Q-Tron’s (I’ve not tried the newer XO series, or the Q-Tron+ which has an added effects loop and a fast/slow response switch). In comparison to the Mini or Micro Q-Tron, the original Q-Tron is a bit harder to dial-in, & needs some adjustment to trigger the filter across different basses; (to start with you need to set the gain (sensitivity) low, and the peak (Q) high and then slowly adjust the gain up & peak down). Once you get there though, it sounds absolutely fantastic. On low range, the big box Q-Tron can get really very quacky, and on high range it can get pretty squelchy, (though not as wet as the 3x, Chunk, or as bubbly as the Enigma or MXR). A VERY Mu-tron III-esque filter: If you over-saturate the filter I think it adds a nice distortion too. Additionally, there’s a lovely staccato ‘bwap-bwap’ down-sweep that gets really chewy especially on Mix or BP settings. Sounds great too with a Boss OC-2 and/or a bit of dirt in front in it. Added features of the big box Q-Tron in comparison to the Mini/Micro Q are: down-sweep, bass boost, mix and range controls. It’s a ridiculously retro chunky-sized pedal however, can be overly peaky if you don’t set it right, and needs its own dedicated 24v power supply, so is not at all pedal board friendly.[/QUOTE]

 

[MobileHolmes]

I got A Qtron+ when they first came out. There just weren't many envelope filter options at that time. DOD FX25 (which is actually among my favorites), Boss T wah, and used stuff, which was sort of hard to track down pre- ebay. Still have it. It is sort of mediocre. I think the one I have is my third. The first two had problems. The one I kept still has a busted effects loop, but I was just sick of trying to swap them, though it's a shame, because the loop is a neat idea. I haven't played mine in a while, but I recall it not sounding all that good, or perhaps more correctly, sounding like I want. Just kind of thin at all settings, and the filter sweep is too fast for my taste, even on the slow mode. I don't recall it having much of an impact on volume. As others have mentioned, it is in a stupidly big box and needs its own power supply. I should probably give it another spin at some point and see if it changes my mind, or sell it.

The price for the OP seems pretty average. Perusing reverb, they are 75-100 bucks for a non + model in the big box, although most of them are pretty cosmetically rough.

 

[FilterFunk]

It has less control, no down sweep etc, but for me the Mini Q-Tron wipes the floor with the original big box one. I've not tried the plus version, but the pic in the OP is not a plus.

I've had the Mini (maybe the most underappreciated envelope filter ever), and I currently own the big-box Q-Tron+.

I've never tried the big-box regular Q-Tron, but for me, the Q-Tron+ and the Mini are apples and oranges. The Mini is closer to the original Mu-Tron III, but the Q-Tron+ has a sharpness that I really like, and the Slow/Fast response switch really makes a difference. And the down sweep might actually be the best of all the envelope filters I've tried, including the mighty Mu-Tron III (it was really tough for me to say that!).

All IMO of course.


EDIT: As dannybuoy said, the one in the OP's photo is not the + (Plus) version.

 

[holy ghost]

I had one for a few years, sold it. Kind of regret it. Hard to dial in, HUGE FOOTPRINT and needed tons of maintenance.... busted switch, ground wire came loose, obnoxious adapter, but still a great pedal. If I saw one for under 100 I'd probably buy it again.

 

[chumbo73]

I like the Qtron+ a lot more due to its effects loop and fast/slow switch. Still the regular Qtron is a great pedal, there's just better options these days. And the mid 90s are considered vintage? Yikes!

Indeed! If you compare this big metal box with an iPad for example, it's vintage.

As dannybuoy said that's a pic of an original regular Q Tron not the + which I've not tried. The original is a quack machine! Here's a review I wrote previously...I'd just add that the bass boost feature works really well with a low output passive bass....as FilterFunk says though watch out for volume boosts! Q-Trons can be very peaky.

QUOTE="Bo0tsy, post: 17640105, member: 225955"]EHX Q-Tron (original) – This is the old wood boxed trapezoid Q-Tron’s (I’ve not tried the newer XO series, or the Q-Tron+ which has an added effects loop and a fast/slow response switch). In comparison to the Mini or Micro Q-Tron, the original Q-Tron is a bit harder to dial-in, & needs some adjustment to trigger the filter across different basses; (to start with you need to set the gain (sensitivity) low, and the peak (Q) high and then slowly adjust the gain up & peak down). Once you get there though, it sounds absolutely fantastic. On low range, the big box Q-Tron can get really very quacky, and on high range it can get pretty squelchy, (though not as wet as the 3x, Chunk, or as bubbly as the Enigma or MXR). A VERY Mu-tron III-esque filter: If you over-saturate the filter I think it adds a nice distortion too. Additionally, there’s a lovely staccato ‘bwap-bwap’ down-sweep that gets really chewy especially on Mix or BP settings. Sounds great too with a Boss OC-2 and/or a bit of dirt in front in it. Added features of the big box Q-Tron in comparison to the Mini/Micro Q are: down-sweep, bass boost, mix and range controls. It’s a ridiculously retro chunky-sized pedal however, can be overly peaky if you don’t set it right, and needs its own dedicated 24v power supply, so is not at all pedal board friendly.

[/QUOTE]

Great review!! Very helpful

 

[chumbo73]

I've had the Mini (maybe the most underappreciated envelope filter ever), and I currently own the big-box Q-Tron+.

I've never tried the big-box regular Q-Tron, but for me, the Q-Tron+ and the Mini are apples and oranges. The Mini is closer to the original Mu-Tron III, but the Q-Tron+ has a sharpness that I really like, and the Slow/Fast response switch really makes a difference. And the down sweep might actually be the best of all the envelope filters I've tried, including the mighty Mu-Tron III (it was really tough for me to say that!).

All IMO of course.


EDIT: As dannybuoy said, the one in the OP's photo is not the + (Plus) version.

You are right, it's not the +.

I have tried the Q-Tron+ (the new ones) and I didn't like it, it was too harsh sounding. I think that they may have different circuits and that's what I wanted to check.

I also have the MXR BEF which I love, specially for band settings. So this would be another Filter that I'll have for different purposes maybe, for dialing different voices (maybe soething more similar to a Mutron).

 

[MobileHolmes]

So this finally inspired me to bust out my plus. It is better than I remembered, but pretty user unfriendly. It really only has about 2 sounds I like in it, and a whole lot of awful ones.

 

[vinatkins]

Hi guys

A person I know is selling the vintage EHX QTRON for $100, I think it's a very good deal but never had the chance to try one. I haven't found much information in the forum.

I think it works in 24V and haven't found anything about volume drops.

The model is the following:

View attachment 2522717

not that it matters at this point, but those are one of the best envelope filters, and $100 is an amazing deal

 

[Swift713]

I do miss my old Q-Tron. Yes, it's unwieldy, huge, requires its own wall wart, but once it's dialed in it's the most responsive filter I've played. I swear I could control that thing with my thoughts. I haven't played another filter that has nearly as much aftertouch. If I recall correctly, the trick was to switch on the boost and turn down the gain. I liked the low pass in up mode and band pass in down. So Funky. I sold it in favor of something that would run on 9 volts but never found anything that lived up to it.