A good start, but I'm not really looking for synth - I'm thinking more Geezer Butler tones.and I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I have another thread that discusses this very topic. Lots of good stuff there!
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Envelope filter/follower addict support group
- Thread starter moon-bass
- Start date
As far as I know, it's co-designed by Subdecay and shares many similarities with the latest Prometheus. Have never played it though, so can't comment beyond that.So, dear hivemind, what do we know about this pedal?
okay, so the simulator that we all live in must be broken, because I ended up buying one earlier today almost on a whim ...So, dear hivemind, what do we know about this pedal?
I'll let you know how I like it, but I gotta tell ya that the box is super cool ...
Finally, the real Agent 00 Funk arrived today. I put it thru some of it's paces, and I have to say the clone does a great job of copying the original. Side to side there are some little differences, but overall the clone is very close.
I'll get the rest of the samples of the other filters recorded over the weekend (I hope) and we'll go from there. I have that Macrodose inbound, then I gotta put some up for sale so I can buy for the next batch ...
I'll get the rest of the samples of the other filters recorded over the weekend (I hope) and we'll go from there. I have that Macrodose inbound, then I gotta put some up for sale so I can buy for the next batch ...
Well it seems that my mantra did not work and I ought never go see what @johnk_10 has on offering. This will join my collection soon.
This is why I stay away from the JohnK offerings.
hell, who am I kidding, as soon as I saw this I went and looked.
The Macrodose came today. First impressions - it's smaller than I expected (I don't know why I expected it to be bigger, but I for some reason I did). Not a bad thing at all, in fact quite the opposite - I'll take all the room that I can get.So, dear hivemind, what do we know about this pedal?
It's pretty cool, It's gonna be a bit of a learning curve to use it to it's full potential, but it kinda seems like a next gen Prometheus (which is also cool, this way I don't need to get my hands on a Prometheus).
This definitely falls into a "not a Mutron-alike" camp in case anyone was wondering (and I doubt anyone was).
Full report later.
I also forgot to mention that I have an Emma DiscomBOBulator inbound. I had owned a v1 many, many moons ago, and this is one of those ones that always comes highly recommended, so I figured I'd give it another shot. At the top of my list is the SGFX SupaFunk and a Seamoon Funk Machine.
But I really gotta offload some pedals first!
See that's weird, because all of the demos that I've heard make it sound super, super funky - not subtle at all.
And I'm absolutely not looking for subtle lol. Just ain't my thang!
No, not subtle. I find it really funky, but definitely not a 'tron' type filter. It's a different kind of groove. That may be a turn-off to some.
The Seamoon Funk Machine may be even more of a perplexing conundrum than the SupaFunk. I have a true love hate with this pedal because it takes a bit to dial in and full on love but seems to be in a state of constant flux because the next day it is complete poopie. OTOH it does sound like no other pedal I have when it is "on".
I'm finding the more I play with different filters the further I stray from the MuTron sound.
I have returned to the SupaFunk after a while of drifting away. I also found it hard to dial in and thought it lost a lot of low end. I went through a Proton, a PastFX PX-101 and a FwonkBeta and I am coming back to the SupaFunk. Weirdly, I find it easier to dial in now, and I'm not hearing the low end loss I thought I heard before. I am getting a great quack and still hearing my low end and finding that on multiple settings. Maybe my envelope journey changed things on my end after years spent on an AW-3; or my hearing has gotten much worse 
. I found that I have to put it very first in my chain - before my Night Owl Edison - which is a bit strange since that's been the first pedal on my board for eons, but I find that first in the chain with my passive basses I am really loving it. Haven't tried the funk machine, but its on the list. (All that said, PastFX re-released the PX-101 with a true bypass switch, which I will definitely have to try, so we'll see how long this SupaFunk thing lasts.....)
. I found that I have to put it very first in my chain - before my Night Owl Edison - which is a bit strange since that's been the first pedal on my board for eons, but I find that first in the chain with my passive basses I am really loving it. Haven't tried the funk machine, but its on the list. (All that said, PastFX re-released the PX-101 with a true bypass switch, which I will definitely have to try, so we'll see how long this SupaFunk thing lasts.....)
I made a trade for a FwonkBeta, so I have that inbound. I'm going to get some recordings up, but first gotta figure out this Macrodose
Last edited:
I haven't heard about this yet. Not trying to influence you or anything, but after trying pedals with multiple effects, I'm finding that I prefer a separate filter and fuzz - easier to mix and match.
Edit: thinking about this, I need to qualify the above statement - when a good builder designs pedals (or components of pedals in this case) to sound and work well together, the results can be amazing, i.e. Iron Ether, 3 Leaf, Chunk Systems ... so yeah, when I think about it, it's nice to mix and match, but it's also great when someone that really knows what they are doing design a fuzz and filter that sound great together.
Yes, I just talked myself into having a little GAS lol.
Last edited:
Sigh. Supafunk on the way.
The title of this thread is appropriate.
The title of this thread is appropriate.
I think I mentioned this before, but I was recovering from a hand injury and wasn't able to play bass for awhile, and messing around with all of these pedals helped get me back into shape.
I spent a good amount of time playing with envelope filters of all types today, and I realized that I have learned a lot.
There are two main components of envelope filters IMO - sound and feel/responsiveness. Some filters have great sound, but lousy feel, some have great sound and feel, some have neither. I'm finding that some filters are easy to dial in for a "good" sound, but very hard to get a great sound; I also finding (generally), that some of the filters that are harder to dial in reward you with a fantastic sound once dialed in. The feel/responsiveness varys as well - easier to dial in equals a different feel than those that are harder to dial in, and often times those that are harder to dial in have a more responsive feel. Also, most times when ppl talk about dialing a filter in, they are talking about the sound, but I think that dialing in feel is just as important.
A lot of filters will talk about getting that "old school" (i.e. MuTron) sound, but the feel/responsiveness is something different. A lot of filters cop that tone, but feel/respond differently - and that's a good or bad thing, it's just a thing.
The more I learn each filter, the better they sound and the better I am at getting the right sound and adjusting to the response. It really is like filters are an instrument themselves. I also find that the more filters I play, the less beholden I am to that MuTron sound - although it is still king of the funk IMO.
And say what you will, but components matter. The John K MuTron clone that I have uses the vintage optocouplers and components, and it is the closest to an actual MuTron when talking about sound and feel.
VCA filters (IMO/generally) tend to sound more synthy and have a different feel than optical based filters, which sound more chewy/quacky but tend to have higher peaks and need to be played with a different approach. I'd always thought that I would prefer optical based filters, but the Chunk 00 Funk blew that theory out of the water.
I also think that it's quite amusing when I see posts on the internet from folks that claim the Ibanez and Maxon filters in the same series (i.e. Ibanez AF-9 vs Maxon AF-9) sound completely different when they are literally the exact same pdal in a different enclosure. It's also funny how the Ibanez/Maxon 201 series are prices far, far higher than the next series up (AFL/AF-1) when the AF1/AFL are the exact same pedal as the 201 series, just in a different enclosure.
I'm hoping that when someone else down the road is looking for the same info that I was runs across this thread and is helpful.
And anyone reading this, I'll probably still be looking for a Maxon AF-FL Fireblade filter (even though I'm pretty sure it's exactly the same as the AF-9 inside) ;-)
I spent a good amount of time playing with envelope filters of all types today, and I realized that I have learned a lot.
There are two main components of envelope filters IMO - sound and feel/responsiveness. Some filters have great sound, but lousy feel, some have great sound and feel, some have neither. I'm finding that some filters are easy to dial in for a "good" sound, but very hard to get a great sound; I also finding (generally), that some of the filters that are harder to dial in reward you with a fantastic sound once dialed in. The feel/responsiveness varys as well - easier to dial in equals a different feel than those that are harder to dial in, and often times those that are harder to dial in have a more responsive feel. Also, most times when ppl talk about dialing a filter in, they are talking about the sound, but I think that dialing in feel is just as important.
A lot of filters will talk about getting that "old school" (i.e. MuTron) sound, but the feel/responsiveness is something different. A lot of filters cop that tone, but feel/respond differently - and that's a good or bad thing, it's just a thing.
The more I learn each filter, the better they sound and the better I am at getting the right sound and adjusting to the response. It really is like filters are an instrument themselves. I also find that the more filters I play, the less beholden I am to that MuTron sound - although it is still king of the funk IMO.
And say what you will, but components matter. The John K MuTron clone that I have uses the vintage optocouplers and components, and it is the closest to an actual MuTron when talking about sound and feel.
VCA filters (IMO/generally) tend to sound more synthy and have a different feel than optical based filters, which sound more chewy/quacky but tend to have higher peaks and need to be played with a different approach. I'd always thought that I would prefer optical based filters, but the Chunk 00 Funk blew that theory out of the water.
I also think that it's quite amusing when I see posts on the internet from folks that claim the Ibanez and Maxon filters in the same series (i.e. Ibanez AF-9 vs Maxon AF-9) sound completely different when they are literally the exact same pdal in a different enclosure. It's also funny how the Ibanez/Maxon 201 series are prices far, far higher than the next series up (AFL/AF-1) when the AF1/AFL are the exact same pedal as the 201 series, just in a different enclosure.
I'm hoping that when someone else down the road is looking for the same info that I was runs across this thread and is helpful.
And anyone reading this, I'll probably still be looking for a Maxon AF-FL Fireblade filter (even though I'm pretty sure it's exactly the same as the AF-9 inside) ;-)
Last edited:
I'm not sure if there is something wrong with me or not, but I must be the first bass player to not dig the IE Xerograph Deluxe. I mean, I like it, but I don't love it. It comes very highly recommended a lot, but I'm just not getting along with it.
