Iron Ether Appreciation Society

[Taylor Livingston]

Hopefully somebody who's not me will give their own answer, for a true player's perspective.

But my take is that you've got it pretty much how I'd do it, although I think you could try FrantaBit before Xero as well - what you say is quite right, about the bit crushing eating up a lot of the subtler details in the signal that precedes it, if you crank the bit depth very low.

With FrantaBit->Xero, FB is working to generate harmonics which are carved up and selectively accentuated by the Xerograph. Because it's a lowpass filter, you have the ability to tame some of the strong high frequencies coming from the FrantaBit in lower bit depth modes. With Xero->FB, you can use the Xero to selectively emphasize certain frequencies going into the bit crusher, which will change the sound, but the effect of the Xerograph will be more subtle. I think it can go either way because the FB can either be used to remove or generate harmonics, so it might depend on which of those angles appeals to you more.

 

[Jared Lash]

to those of you running multiple IE pedals... how would you order them for the best synth chain? I'd say SubT -> Oxide -> Xero -> Frantabit -> Polytope -> Nimbus. Or maybe the Polytope first? What about the Frantabit after the Xero, doesn't it risk eating everything up and spitting crushed bits only? What's your take?

For me it would definitely be SubT-> Oxide -> Polytope -> Xero -> Nimbus

In a synthy chain the Polytope gives the impression of multiple oscillators and simply sounds best between the SubT and Xerograph. The Nimbus is at the end to help create synth pad tones. As for the Frantabit I'd put it either between the Oxide and Polytope or between the Xero and Nimbus. Before the Xero it feeds harmonic content into the filter which I think sounds great. After the Xero it allows you to degrade the whole synth sound and (when set just right) can be used after the Xero (used as an envelope follower) to make Formant filter like vocal sounds.

I switched it back and forth a few times but slightly preferred it before the Xero.

 

[Willy B]

Would it be wise to put a limiter at the end of one's chain if using these pedals?

 

[Jared Lash]

Would it be wise to put a limiter at the end of one's chain if using these pedals?

I sometimes like a compressor in a synthy chain for sustain purposes and/or to affect the note envelope but I've never felt a limiter was a necessity. When used as an envelope follower the Xero puts out volume spikes like any envelope filter but unless you go nuts with the resonance it's actually much better behaved in that aspect than a lot of filter pedals. And when used as a swept LPF for synthy sounds I've never had big volume spikes. But then again when I do synthy stuff the resonance is dialed back to around 9 o'clock or so. Otherwise it's too peaky for the type of sounds I want to get.

 

[Willy B]

I'm going to try it just for peace of mind. I don't have much experience with filters/octavers/bitcrushers and I'm a bit paranoid about blowing a speaker.

Went on an IE binge recently and bought 5 from the shop. Got to mess with the Nimbus a bit during a jam and it sounded incredible- just don't make me choose between it and the SA Dimension (I can have two reverb pedals on my board, right?). Also, my band was covering "Only" by NIN and I wanted to get as close as I could to the synthy part in the intro/chorus, so I used the SubT. Not that close probably but it sounded great when played an octave up on the fretboard.

I also would like to add that these new finishes are amazing- I wish I could collect them all. The newest batch of Polytopes look particularly good, although I really like the speckled-green powder-coated one I bought.

 

[eveilleu]

to those of you running multiple IE pedals... how would you order them for the best synth chain? I'd say SubT -> Oxide -> Xero -> Frantabit -> Polytope -> Nimbus. Or maybe the Polytope first? What about the Frantabit after the Xero, doesn't it risk eating everything up and spitting crushed bits only? What's your take?

I have either SubT -> Oxide -> Xero -> Polytope or sometimes poytope before the xero... even if I know it's wrong

 

[Lebowsky]

w00t. thanks @Super Hans - just checked the shop as you mentioned new Nimbuses. Nimbus + Polytope finally SNAGGED. Can't wait!!!

 

[Lebowsky]

For me it would definitely be SubT-> Oxide -> Polytope -> Xero -> Nimbus

In a synthy chain the Polytope gives the impression of multiple oscillators and simply sounds best between the SubT and Xerograph. The Nimbus is at the end to help create synth pad tones. As for the Frantabit I'd put it either between the Oxide and Polytope or between the Xero and Nimbus. Before the Xero it feeds harmonic content into the filter which I think sounds great. After the Xero it allows you to degrade the whole synth sound and (when set just right) can be used after the Xero (used as an envelope follower) to make Formant filter like vocal sounds.

I switched it back and forth a few times but slightly preferred it before the Xero.

Interesting about the Polytope. I'll defintitely try it before and after the Xero, same with the Frantabit. I actually don't have an Oxide btw, but I fell the SubT is way enough dirty.

I'm going to try it just for peace of mind. I don't have much experience with filters/octavers/bitcrushers and I'm a bit paranoid about blowing a speaker.

I don't really see how you could blow a speaker... those are not Meatboxes!

I have either SubT -> Oxide -> Xero -> Polytope or sometimes poytope before the xero... even if I know it's wrong

why is it wrong?

 

[Willy B]

w00t. thanks @Super Hans - just checked the shop as you mentioned new Nimbuses. Nimbus + Polytope finally SNAGGED. Can't wait!!!

So how do you like them, Lebowsky?

 

[Lebowsky]

So how do you like them, Lebowsky?

haven't been able to play them yet, got a slipped since early june but the little I fiddled with them to test, it seems killer, especially Polytope -> Xero -> Nimbus!!!

 

[chrios]

I've had the subterranea for a while and just recently got a polytope and then jumped on a xeroD when they got in the shop last week and also got a nimbus. These pedals work amazing together. It's so hard to not turn the polytope on every time I use the sub. I've only gotten to use the xeroD for about an hour but that also sounds great with the sub. Excited to play with the nimbus. Here is a picture of my sub. I'll upload the rest later. They are really nice to look at.

 

[Lebowsky]

I've had the subterranea for a while and just recently got a polytope and then jumped on a xeroD when they got in the shop last week and also got a nimbus. These pedals work amazing together. It's so hard to not turn the polytope on every time I use the sub. I've only gotten to use the xeroD for about an hour but that also sounds great with the sub. Excited to play with the nimbus. View attachment 652583 Here is a picture of my sub. I'll upload the rest later. They are really nice to look at.

let us know in which order you prefer to have them!

 

[Willy B]

I haven't tried the Polytope into the XD but the other way around, and into the Nimbus as well. In fact I did this last night and got some very pleasing results. You guys are right that IE pedals work great together. I am still getting acquainted with the IE pedals but it's a lot of fun and I'm liking them more and more, especially the Frantabit. The Polytope is great for chorus but I haven't done anything else with it yet. Wish I could snag one of those Oxides in the shop right now!

 

[chrios]

let us know in which order you prefer to have them!

Right now I have compressor>sub>xeroD>polytope>sansampDI
I'm assuming the nimbus will go right after the polytope and if I put my fuzz back on the board or a new distortion it will either go right before or right after the xeroD. But I would seriously love to hear about other people's chains. Does anybody else find the sub sounds really really good with a compressor before it?

 

[chrios]

I haven't tried the Polytope into the XD but the other way around, and into the Nimbus as well. In fact I did this last night and got some very pleasing results. You guys are right that IE pedals work great together. I am still getting acquainted with the IE pedals but it's a lot of fun and I'm liking them more and more, especially the Frantabit. The Polytope is great for chorus but I haven't done anything else with it yet. Wish I could snag one of those Oxides in the shop right now!

You and me both. The oxide has been on my list for a while (okay let's be real every IE pedal is on my list) but having just bought three in the past three weeks I feel that I must resist.

 

[Willy B]

I'm still experimenting with and implementing compression onto my board but, I'm either running it at the beginning (in front of the subT) as a clean boost/enhancer or at the very end as a peak limiter.

 

[noermaen]

Here's another short demo:

Fender Precision -> FEA OPTI FET -> Subterranea -> Xero DLX controlled with the Moog EP2 -> VT Bass -> Apogee Duett -> Logic with no compression or EQ

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Lebowsky]

Here's another short demo:

Fender Precision -> FEA OPTI FET -> Subterranea -> Xero DLX controlled with the Moog EP2 -> VT Bass -> Apogee Duett -> Logic with no compression or EQ

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Hector_G]

I have finally after all this time, have joined the ranks of the Iron Ether users.
Purchased both my pedals through the classifieds here .
here's a little snippet of me enjoying the heck out of these pedals

 

[pbass6811]

This thread hasn't had much action in a bit...

Just ordered a Polytope and a Xerograph Deluxe! I've been admiring I.E. stuff from afar for quite a while. Since my rig is set(no amp GAS!), my basses are under construction(no bass GAS!), the only thing left to do is to try to "finish" my board(yes, I know...). I'm going to add a Nimbus and I'm trying to decide between a COG T-16 and a SubT as my octave(don't need the SubT's synth capabilities).

We're off this weekend, but I've got a full weekend next week, so I'll hopefully have them on the board and dialed in before then.

I'm really excited about this!