Envelope Filters

Bass IQ. I'm very happy with mine - but you should do a search on this subject as it has been beaten to DEATH.

And I agree about the digitech - they just sound nasty to me (and I've had several!)

 

Personally I love my Line 6 FM4 Filter Modeler which has tons of options and presets.

 

the WMD FatMan has been rocking my world lately... XO Bass Balls can be cool, too.

j

 

I've got the BYOC DOD 440 clone, on a shelf in my office... It's just too subtle for me - same goes for the Boomstick Bottom Feeder (another DOD 440 clone), they just aren't wild enough.

If you want a decent funk noise, get a Q-Tron. In terms of bang for buck, the Q-Tron is a great pedal.

If the Q-Tron is too peaky or nutsy for you, try the MXR Bass Auto Q.

The Bassballs that John recommended above, isn't really a "normal" envelope filter but it is very cool if you find a good role for it. I wouldn't recommend it as your first or only envelope-following filter, though.

If you want to spend a lot and get a super-versatile filter, look at the Robot Factory Meatwad, 3Leaf Audio Groove Regulator or the Barge Concepts Grinder. I love my Meatwad.

 

I heart my XO Bassballs.

 

My Barge Concepts Grinder is coming in soon... I'll let you know how much I like it.

 

my favorites

vintage mutron iii
lovetone meatball
ehx bassballs

 

Emma discumBOBulator. The bomb! Surprised to see Emma doesn't get a lot of attention over at Talkbass....

 

Look at the boomstick bottom feeder. There is a review on bassfuzz.com I have one, well a TF 442 red, but they are the same.

 

The mini Qtron is pretty cool - the nano was not ... I actually prefer the mini to the Plus I foujnd the Bass IQ to be kinda sterile - it was solid and consistent with it's triggering - that's saying a lot for an LPF device! There was no grease in it that I could find.

The only one left on my list is Emma. I really don't have call enough to lay down the bread for one though.

If it were more practical live, the MF-101 is the mack daddy - practical it is not though - way too sensitive to control movement for stage use. On the other hand in the studio with endless time for dinking I had the thing doing trombone and tuba like stuff that I've never heard out side of, well a Mini Moog - that thing can be so fat... and so frustrating ...

 

The bassballs is a definate maybe for you. I recommend you try it out before you buy it. It has a unique sound to it. You may like, you may not.

 

+100

My favorite envelope filter. As I've said before, it's the only one that let's my bass still sound like a bass

 

I'm digging the Q-Tron.

 

+1 to this. The first one I tried was the Micro Q-Tron, which I didn't like as much, I found it to be a pain in the rear finding the sweet spot where the filter would open, without screaming into full-blown quack. Then I tried an older, scratched up Mini Q-Tron, and I was immediately able to get a "BWAH" out of it, instead of a "BWAAAKK" like the micro did. (pardon the onomatopoeia, I find it to be useful when describing env filters)

 

I liked the EMMA a lot. But I like it more on guitar than bass, and I wanted something wetter so it now resides on my guitar player's board.

I've heard this from others. I remember trying the mini Q-tron a number of years ago and liking it, but I don't remember anything specific and I didn't have the same reference points that I do now after playing a lot more filters.

But I agree about the micro Q-tron. It is just too quacky for my tastes. I'll have to try the old mini again some time.

 

This. As has been addressed, the microQ-Tron sounds horrible, and I thought the Q-Tron+ didn't sound as good as the regular Q.

I also tried the Moogerfooger Low Pass Filter and, if I had the $300 lying around, I'd be getting that and shielding the inside.

 

The DOD440 and various clones are subtle compared to a Q-Tron, but I like em that way! Works better in a mix and for the music that I do, and sounds like dark drum'n'bass synthiness when placed after a heavy fuzz!