Maybe not then. They look almost identical control wise, but the Funk U Lator looks much cooler
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Envelope filter/follower addict support group
- Thread starter moon-bass
- Start date
Thank you so much for this fantastic thread! I am just getting into the world of envelope filters - right now I have an old Source Audio Manta but looking to pick up a dedicated EF box. My preference would be plug and play, as much as possible. In addition to the Manta, I have several other Source Audio pedals (Nemesis, Ventris, Aftershock) but these days I'm finding the infinite number of options SA offers to be somewhat paralyzing.
So after reading through everything, I'm really interested in the FwonkBeta and the Supa Funk. Any thoughts on a direct comparison between those two?
So after reading through everything, I'm really interested in the FwonkBeta and the Supa Funk. Any thoughts on a direct comparison between those two?
Glad you like it!
Both are great filters! Both are easy to get a great sound of if you're going for that classic EF filter sound - MuTron like, chewy, nice and funky. The fwonk is a little thicker, the Supa a little more vowel-like in response. The Supa, however, goes a step further - you have a second filter to dial I. That gives you more funkaliscious tones, land some more percussive options, more sweeps and the like.
In a nutshell - both are great, the fwonk has a little more booty but the Supa is more flexible and has a little more funk. Hope that helps!
Still pretty fresh on the envelope filter journey, but I've already got about 6 searches saved on Reverb that I check compulsively, like an animal. What's wrong with me?
Anyway, the first filter was whatever -tron reproduction is in the Zoom B1Four. That convinced me I liked playing with filters enough to splurge on an MXR BEF. I really like this guy, and the dry+wet volumes are pretty clutch for some tamer funk. Right now it's on my little main board, but I might try throwing it into the effects loop of the QTron+ and see what happens.
The QTron is my most recent purchase, less than a week old. These sell for about the same price as the Micro or Nano models, presumably because of the power requirements and size, but I wish more builders would pay attention to the effects loop portion. Maybe they are and I'm just (hopefully?) ignorant. I've currently got a line selector within it, with one line running through a Boss OC-5->3Leaf Doom 2 and the other through an MXR VBO->Broughton Sunder Fuzz. It's a pretty gnarly sound, but I think I'm going to try moving both fuzzes after the line selector. I've also been mentally fixated on Future Impacts recently, no idea why, but I bet that'd have some juice for the loop too. I'm open to any and all suggestions.
Anyway, the first filter was whatever -tron reproduction is in the Zoom B1Four. That convinced me I liked playing with filters enough to splurge on an MXR BEF. I really like this guy, and the dry+wet volumes are pretty clutch for some tamer funk. Right now it's on my little main board, but I might try throwing it into the effects loop of the QTron+ and see what happens.
The QTron is my most recent purchase, less than a week old. These sell for about the same price as the Micro or Nano models, presumably because of the power requirements and size, but I wish more builders would pay attention to the effects loop portion. Maybe they are and I'm just (hopefully?) ignorant. I've currently got a line selector within it, with one line running through a Boss OC-5->3Leaf Doom 2 and the other through an MXR VBO->Broughton Sunder Fuzz. It's a pretty gnarly sound, but I think I'm going to try moving both fuzzes after the line selector. I've also been mentally fixated on Future Impacts recently, no idea why, but I bet that'd have some juice for the loop too. I'm open to any and all suggestions.
I firmly believe that any bassist needs to own an MXR BEF at least once to really appreciate and compare envelope filters. Love that thing and kind of regret selling mine despite having a ton of other awesome filters.
Something I used to do with my LS-2 is have parallel fuzz->filter channels, sounded absolutely massive as long as the filters are triggered simultaneously. I actually used two LS-2s back in the day like this:
Bass (Peavey B-Quad at the time) -> LS-2 -> Boss OC-2 -> LS-2 -> Tech21 Bass Boost Chorus
The second LS-2 channels:
Channel A: Sitori Sonics Bass Fuzz (kind of big muffy but bigger) -> MXR BEF
Channel B: CoPilot FX Orbit -> Pigtronix EP-2 Envelope Phaser
for the first LS-2 I pretty much only used to send a dry signal to the Pigtronix EP-2's trigger input.
You could definitely do a similar thing with your BEF and Qtron as they are very different sounding filters, both great
As it turns out, both of them are pretty much the same. Won't be worth it to buy both, they aren't vintage so overall I'm not that curious if they sound differentMaybe not then. They look almost identical control wise, but the Funk U Lator looks much cooler
I've messed with a similar stack of fuzz using the EHX Tri-Parallel Mixer. I might try lining up my octaves and fuzzes to go into separate parallel filters on separate channels though, I hadn't thought of that one. I like to keep the 3rd channel open with the EQ fully CCW as a permanent clean blend, helps everything sound massive.I firmly believe that any bassist needs to own an MXR BEF at least once to really appreciate and compare envelope filters. Love that thing and kind of regret selling mine despite having a ton of other awesome filters.
Something I used to do with my LS-2 is have parallel fuzz->filter channels, sounded absolutely massive as long as the filters are triggered simultaneously. I actually used two LS-2s back in the day like this:
Bass (Peavey B-Quad at the time) -> LS-2 -> Boss OC-2 -> LS-2 -> Tech21 Bass Boost Chorus
The second LS-2 channels:
Channel A: Sitori Sonics Bass Fuzz (kind of big muffy but bigger) -> MXR BEF
Channel B: CoPilot FX Orbit -> Pigtronix EP-2 Envelope Phaser
for the first LS-2 I pretty much only used to send a dry signal to the Pigtronix EP-2's trigger input.
You could definitely do a similar thing with your BEF and Qtron as they are very different sounding filters, both great
I'm trying to brainstorm ways to split the chain within the QTron's filter to also use when the filter is bypassed. I don't think it's possible without a couple ABY pedals, though. Envelope Phasers keep popping up unexpectedly in my life, though, starting to think it's a signal...
Envelope Phaser + envelope filter + copious amounts of fuzz all in parallel signal chains = absolute funky glory!
FWIW I'm using an OBNE Endeavor signal splitter and an EHX Switchblade for my signal splitting needs. I like the EHX because it will do parallel and serial signal paths.
You might be interested in this thread - Synthy analog bass pedals that are designed to work together
Future Impact has some great filter options more in the vein of full function synth operations instead of the usual dumbed down filters for bass and guitar players. Zoom's filter effects are pretty good once you get their particular design and control bent, even better when you combine with the other effects and tools available. FWIW I strongly suggest you check out the Source Audio Spectrum or C4 as both have excellent sound and plenty of choices.
I had an Aftershock, but I hated hooking it up to a computer to change presets, which is also why I'm hesitant on the Future Impact. I don't really have the space I need to involve a laptop or tablet without cluttering my whole space up with cables and devices. I also may be a caveman when it comes to dirt, though, as I really have no desire to move past the green russian for non-synthy fuzz.
I realize what I'm really after is just a synthesizer, but I've never taken to keys like I have strings. The FI seems a decent compromise between usable presets and accessible presets.
I'm familiar with that thread as well, initially in my lurking days it took me a while to put together this thread and that one were separate and that's why I wasn't able to follow a damn conversation from day to day lol. I didn't realize the Switchblade had a dedicated tuner out as well, that's nifty.
I love mine! I've had a handful of filters, some well-respected and/or boutique, but the BEF just works for me. Though I may have to start checking out filters and other effects since my dirt selection has been incredibly solid overall for a while.
This thread has me wanting a Supa Funk or maybe Fwonk Beta. How do they do with dirt in front of them? I'm thinking Geezer Butler-esque wah tones, since I'm not coordinated enough to use a wah as I play without falling into my entire rig...
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Both sound great with dirt before, after, or parallel! The Fwonk is a little more of your typical EF, but a little heavier - fairs well with treble boosted fuzzes IMO. The Supa is more synthy - with that second filter, you can get a little more depth and resonance.
I got stuck in Houston yesterday as a part of that United Airlines outage - my flight was one of the very last to leave.
But, what made it all better was that I had the Past FX101 and the Subdecay Prometheus waiting for me when I got home. I was too tired to play them until the early evening tho ..
Both are great, and both are very different. The PastFX is ... more than what I remember it to be. Very responsive and deep bass - very full as well.
The Prometheus is a different beast altogether - I'm not sure if I can really think of another filter that is like it. It's very, very smooth; it's not like it lacks bass at all, but certainly the Past FX outdoes it on the bass front, but the Prometheus has the really nice lower midrange character to it as well- I would think that it would really stick out in the mix. Like a "singing" quality to it almost. It's quite nice.
More later on both, plus at some point the promised recordings (that might have to wait until I get the Funky Puppy in, as I'm travelling for work next week).
Edit: The Prometheus SLAYS when looking for synthy tones. I thought that the Xerograph Deluxe was the top dog when it came to filters paired with synthy octave fuzz, but I have to rethink that. This is where the Prometheus excels. It's a super cool filter, and the step filter option is a nice feature. I'm having fun playing with this.
On the Past FX - I'm gonna go back to what I said previously - it's a great filter, I really, really like it, but assuming it's an accurate Moog clone, I'm just not sure that I get the hype. My favorite sound so far is something a little poppy and percussive that reminds me of the Supafunk. I'm going to give it the old college try tho!
But, what made it all better was that I had the Past FX101 and the Subdecay Prometheus waiting for me when I got home. I was too tired to play them until the early evening tho ..
Both are great, and both are very different. The PastFX is ... more than what I remember it to be. Very responsive and deep bass - very full as well.
The Prometheus is a different beast altogether - I'm not sure if I can really think of another filter that is like it. It's very, very smooth; it's not like it lacks bass at all, but certainly the Past FX outdoes it on the bass front, but the Prometheus has the really nice lower midrange character to it as well- I would think that it would really stick out in the mix. Like a "singing" quality to it almost. It's quite nice.
More later on both, plus at some point the promised recordings (that might have to wait until I get the Funky Puppy in, as I'm travelling for work next week).
Edit: The Prometheus SLAYS when looking for synthy tones. I thought that the Xerograph Deluxe was the top dog when it came to filters paired with synthy octave fuzz, but I have to rethink that. This is where the Prometheus excels. It's a super cool filter, and the step filter option is a nice feature. I'm having fun playing with this.
On the Past FX - I'm gonna go back to what I said previously - it's a great filter, I really, really like it, but assuming it's an accurate Moog clone, I'm just not sure that I get the hype. My favorite sound so far is something a little poppy and percussive that reminds me of the Supafunk. I'm going to give it the old college try tho!
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That was one of my first filters. I remember it sounding great and being extremely easy to get a good sound out of. I can't remember why I sold it, other than I am fickle....
I'll have to try it with the pedal - and you're right, i dig the dirt and a dirty envelope filter. That's part of what has me so interested in teh Wahvelope - turbe dirt on an EF!!
Also kinda low-key GASsing for a Vongon Paragraphs. Looks pretty unique, and pretty cool as well.
I just need someone to talk me into it (Hint: it won't be hard)
I just need someone to talk me into it
(Hint: it won't be hard)
I've wanted one for eons, the level of control on it looks awesome. Plus a gorgeous pedal, I'm a sucker for that wood grainAlso kinda low-key GASsing for a Vongon Paragraphs. Looks pretty unique, and pretty cool as well.
I just need someone to talk me into it
So, on the topic of envelope phasers.... I remember there being some discussion in here, but I think mostly limited to the Pigtronix one? Anyone have any experience with any others? The Way Huge Attack Vector has been staring me in the face on Reverb, but so has the EP-2, and I'm a weak man. Dissuade me, please.
