Envelope filter choice

[arepa_funk]

Joshwah is great, it's bandpass, so that's important to know. It has built in drive, so that really helps to get it respond. It's a great filter.

Aguilar is very vocal, think the envelope sound on Ginuwine's Pony. If that's the kind of response you want, few can do better than that.

Another readily available filter that's great is the Mr. Black Fwonkbeta. It can be really peaky, so you'd need to run a compressor afterwards.

 

[bass12]

I'm pretty sure I tried the EBS years ago and found it unremarkable - but I'm not 100% certain. I did try an Aguilar (after wanting to try one for a long time) a few months ago and found it did nothing for me. I voted for the Joshwah as I've been using one for several years and have been happy with it.

One of the tricky things about envelope filters is that finding your personal sweet spot with any of them can require a very specific combination of knob settings. Changing one of those settings even a little can make all the difference in the world. A lot of people love the MXR BEF but I was never able to get a sound I liked out of it. Same with the Source Audio C4. But it's possible I missed the ideal settings (for my tastes) on those by just a hair.

 

[darev]

I don't know how to make an envelope filter even sound like one in a band context. Any time I run one it gets lost in the wash of the band. Kinda like chorus on bass. Sounds great on record but like a whole lot of "let's have the bass totally drop out right now" nothing at all live.

Clearly, I don't know what I am doing. But I do own a BassIQ. I can't hear it when it's plugged in but I own one.

edit:typo

 

[mouthmw]

Joshwah is great, it's bandpass, so that's important to know. It has built in drive, so that really helps to get it respond. It's a great filter.

Joshwah is low pass, not band pass. MXR BEF is band pass and utilizes blend to not lose too much low end due to this. BEF always had that "laser" pew pew tone that I couldn't get rid of during hectic live gigs. That annoyed me. Joshwah has a thicker, fuller tone that always works great to me so it gets my vote.

 

[DWBass]

Carrots for me. Having said that, I bought a Flamma Envelope for $30. Works great.

 

[arepa_funk]

Joshwah is low pass, not band pass. MXR BEF is band pass and utilizes blend to not lose too much low end due to this. BEF always had that "laser" pew pew tone that I couldn't get rid of during hectic live gigs. That annoyed me. Joshwah has a thicker, fuller tone that always works great to me so it gets my vote.

I stand corrected! I always thought the Joshwah was bandpass. Agreed re BEF.

 

[BassBrass]

EH Nano Qtron, low pass, Q far left 7 oclock, vol and drive 12:30 (just past noon). I own 17 others but this one is new and they got it right

 

[DJmtd]

I haven't played the options listed, but I have to say the EHX Nano Q Tron and MXR Bass Envelope Filter are both excellent options, especially for the price. I had a Mu Tron Micro IV and it was good, but it wasn't SO much better than the Nano Q that I could justify keeping it around.

 

[Maxi Funkl]

I tried a JoshWah and honestly, unless you don't otherwise run OD, the MXR BEF is just as good, if not better.

The Filter Twin is cool, but neither filter (there is an up sweep and a down sweep) is resonant enough for my taste. If you prefer less audacious, more textural effects sounds then the Aggie is the call.

I also own the EBS and like the Aggie, it might fit the bill if you want less aggressive envelope filtering.

But I want the super quack with some grunt in it. I use the Xero Dlx and MXR BEF on my board.

I absolutely couldn't get a decent sound out of the BFE gave it away Josh Wah has been a mainstay on one of my boards since I got it. But nothing is universal to each their own.

 

[Les Fret]

How about a Bassballs?!?

I love the Bassballs but it doesn't like the options from the TS at all. It has a unique sound but doesn't like a regular envelope filter.

 

[zontar]

I haven't played any of the four listed, but I own a and use a Boss AW-3 Dynamic Wah on bass, works great, lots of flexibility in sound and the Humanizer is cool, although most settings don't sound like a human, other than "OI", but still cool.
I use an EHX Micro Q-Tron for guitar, I prefer them that way, but I am not against switching them.
It depends on what you're doing and what you like, and many great options, but those two work well for me.

 

[zontar]

 

[zontar]

Got both used, this one had a sticker on the top, so there was some residue left

 

[Dave Siff]

Another vote for the Boss AW-3. You can get a used one for $75.
Also fun — Digitech Bass Synth Wah if you can find one.

 

[smeet]

Joshwah is easy to get a decent setting on. I have a Funky Puppy which is incredibly aggressive and expressive, and sounds great for both up and down sweep. Unfortunately it doesn't have expression control and is kind of big. The PX-101 has exp, and it has a beautiful classic dirty sound in a small package.

 

[W Collins]

I've been through:

Mr. Black FwonkBeta
JoshWah
MXR BEF
3LA Proton m4
Iron E Xero D

I still have the MXR, Proton, and IEXD.

The Xero is king, but for general use the MXR is really difficult to beat.

 

[mpdd]

vintage doctor q - old school
brand new spatial delivery - trip hop

 

[HolmeBass]

I don't know how to make an envelope filter even sound like one in a band context. Any time I run one it gets lost in the wash of the band. Kinda like chorus on bass. Sounds great on record but like a whole lot of "let's have the bass totally drop out right now" nothing at all live.

Clearly, I don't know what I am doing. But I do own a BassIQ. I can't hear it when it's plugged in but I own one.

edit:typo

You gotta turn up.

But also this is why I prefer effects that are audacious and make a big splash. Otherwise they just get lost.

Although some effects I want to get lost / be very subtle, overdrive being the principle among them.

 

[HolmeBass]

I've been through:

Mr. Black FwonkBeta
JoshWah
MXR BEF
3LA Proton m4
Iron E Xero D

I still have the MXR, Proton, and IEXD.

The Xero is king, but for general use the MXR is really difficult to beat.

The MXR and Xero Dlx are the ones on my board!

But gas has been simmering for a Mr. Black Fwonkbeta for some time now.

The Proton was cool, I think I had v3, but in the end it was too hard to stay in the sweet spot, and frequently live it ended up not being noticeable.

 

[Mighty Thumb]

The latest version of the Proton and the Emma Discombobulator v2 have been my favorites.