Meris Enzo Synth Pedal

[Alien8]

Awesome, I'd be interested to hear what you come up with. It sounds like there's a crazy number of possibilities with the ES-8. I think I need more hours in the day.

Yeah, me too. I haven't had any pedal time lately, and getting things like TouchOSC and the ES-5 pulling all the trix are on my short to do list.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Yeah, me too. I haven't had any pedal time lately, and getting things like TouchOSC and the ES-5 pulling all the trix are on my short to do list.

Are you able to build a touchosc template by chance?

 

[Alien8]

Are you able to build a touchosc template by chance?

Able, yes, time is limited. But, I will try to do it sooner than later. Not sure I can make it capture sysex dumps, but something out there can. I know TouchOSC can send large sysex messages, and moving them from what reads the to a function in TouchOSC is a copy & paste exercise, that needs to be completed on desktop computer (TouchOSC editor is not on mobile devices yet).

Maybe I'm missing something simple here too that someone can chime in about. @_Angelo_ mentiond m few fav software apps too for collecting sysex dumps.

 

[GisserD]

Yup.

Edit: BUT, because you have the ES-8, you can do all sorts of smart things to "trigger" different sounds. The ES-8 (and 5) have automation built in you can send to the Enzo via midi. At the simplist use of this, you could use your expression pedal to sweep the EXP parameter, giving you 32 different sounds at the extremes, plus a bunch in the middle. At the most complex, you could use one of the LFOs (and split or kill dry in Enzo) to control the Mix, giving you a synth sound with a post tremolo, or triggered changes with other buttons, etc. I'm excited to try this stuff with Enzo.

So how would that work?
the boss es8 has a standard 9 pin midi out. the meris has a trs in?

am i missing something here?

 

[Alien8]

So how would that work?
the boss es8 has a standard 9 pin midi out. the meris has a trs in?

am i missing something here?

Yes. (MIDI is 5 pin). As mentioned on just about every page of this thread, Enzo need a Meris MIDI I/O (Empress MIdiBox2, Disaster Area MIDIBox, and a few other options exist) to convert 5pin MIDI to 4 TRS connections. One of those 4 can control the Enzo.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Able, yes, time is limited. But, I will try to do it sooner than later. Not sure I can make it capture sysex dumps, but something out there can. I know TouchOSC can send large sysex messages, and moving them from what reads the to a function in TouchOSC is a copy & paste exercise, that needs to be completed on desktop computer (TouchOSC editor is not on mobile devices yet).

Maybe I'm missing something simple here too that someone can chime in about. @_Angelo_ mentiond m few fav software apps too for collecting sysex dumps.

If mididesigner captures sysex dumps i may get it. There is already an enzo template built for it so its almost plug and play.

 

[GisserD]

Yes. (MIDI is 5 pin). As mentioned on just about every page of this thread, Enzo need a Meris MIDI I/O (Empress MIdiBox2, Disaster Area MIDIBox, and a few other options exist) to convert 5pin MIDI to 4 TRS connections. One of those 4 can control the Enzo.

yes i was aware of that, but the video you posted a couple of pages back shows an enzo directly connected (via TRS i assume) to a disaster area DMC. (no midi box)

when another user asked if the ES8 could effectively mimic the DMC for patch control, you replied
"yes".

see below...

I recently picked up a Boss ES-8 to try and tame my synth board setup, which includes a few MIDI capable pedals including the yet to be unboxed Enzo. I have zero experience with MIDI controllers but I assume the ES-8 would work with the Enzo in the same way as the DMC? 16 presets accessible but stored in the Enzo?

Yup.

Edit: BUT, because you have the ES-8, you can do all sorts of smart things to "trigger" different sounds. The ES-8 (and 5) have automation built in you can send to the Enzo via midi. At the simplist use of this, you could use your expression pedal to sweep the EXP parameter, giving you 32 different sounds at the extremes, plus a bunch in the middle. At the most complex, you could use one of the LFOs (and split or kill dry in Enzo) to control the Mix, giving you a synth sound with a post tremolo, or triggered changes with other buttons, etc. I'm excited to try this stuff with Enzo.

so which is it?

 

[ole Jason]

so which is it?

DMC uses a regular 1/4" cable from the multi-jack to the Expression input on the Enzo.

ES8 (or any MIDI cable based design) needs an extra gadget in between to convert the MIDI cable to TRS.

It is a pretty frustrating implementation for presets on a pedal that 100% absolutely needs presets.

 

[Alien8]

yes i was aware of that, but the video you posted a couple of pages back shows an enzo directly connected (via TRS i assume) to a disaster area DMC. (no midi box)

when another user asked if the ES8 could effectively mimic the DMC for patch control, you replied
"yes".

see below...





so which is it?

It's Yes - there are two questions: The ES-8 can recall the 16 presets in the Enzo, like the DMC. The implementation, however requires the MIDI I/O to do it.

 

[Alien8]

DMC uses a regular 1/4" cable from the multi-jack to the Expression input on the Enzo.

ES8 (or any MIDI cable based design) needs an extra gadget in between to convert the MIDI cable to TRS.

It is a pretty frustrating implementation for presets on a pedal that 100% absolutely needs presets.

I'm sure Meris has a smart butt reply about their implementation choices in all of their boxes - notice the radio silence about firmware updates? I guess we just have to choose to deal with them or not, which is something I'm happy about finding after purchase either. At the same time I have gone to far greater lengths (desiging CV control boxes, clever routing) for other pedals before.

The number of other builders going this way (using a flexible TRS connection for MIDI, EXP, Add on buttons, and in the best implementations, Control Voltage) is growing, and honestly, once you begin to use it, it makes sense. Sure, added cost, but most of these pedals live on boards with multiple $300+ pedals and power supplies worth 3-4 times the box cost (well 1-2 times the Meris).

 

[-Asdfgh-]

All 16 presets are actually stored on the Enzo itself. You just need to send MIDI Program Change (PC) messages to the unit to make it switch presets. That's what the DMC is doing, it simply sends MIDI messages to whatever it is connected to. With the DMC you can just use a normal cable from the multi-jack on the DMC to the Expression input on the Enzo. A computer isn't necessary however using a computer also isn't possible so there is no way to back up your presets.

The MIDI I/O with bluetooth actually allows you to have "unlimited" presets because presets can be stored on your phone and sent to the pedal. The pedal can only have 16 presets at a time but you could have additional ones on your phone. I'm guessing there is a way to download other people's presets but I don't know that for a fact. With the MIDI I/O I think it uses a TRS cable? I'm actually not sure.[/QUOTE ]

Sounds like the same sort of cable as comes with the novation Circuit (which I have misplaced one of). So it should work with another midi controller, e. g. I could put this in the loop of my Zoom B9 and have that change patch and open the loop, although I can't remember if I can get a patch on the Zoom to send a Midi patch change in 1..16 from any zoom patch, which might limit options. I have no idea if my B3n sends out patch changes over MIDI and would require a host to convert from USB to traditional MIDI in any case, and it doesn't have a loop.

Honestly as much as I like the pedal the way they've implemented presets on their products is ridiculous when you compare it to something like the DD-500, Strymon pedals, or Zoom CDR.

Ridiculous in what way?

 

[smeet]

All 16 presets are actually stored on the Enzo itself. You just need to send MIDI Program Change (PC) messages to the unit to make it switch presets.

So the Enzo can store 16 presets? Where did you find this information? I don't see anything about that online.
Is there a way to store/recall these 16 presets without external hardware?

 

[Quatschmacher]

So the Enzo can store 16 presets? Where did you find this information? I don't see anything about that online.
Is there a way to store/recall these 16 presets without external hardware?

It’s in the manual which is on the Meris website. You need to be able to send MIDI program change messages to the pedal, via the Meris MIDI I/O box.

It’s similar to the source audio pedals in that regard (they have two internal presets but can have 128 with the Hub connected).

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Yes. (MIDI is 5 pin). As mentioned on just about every page of this thread, Enzo need a Meris MIDI I/O (Empress MIdiBox2, Disaster Area MIDIBox, and a few other options exist) to convert 5pin MIDI to 4 TRS connections. One of those 4 can control the Enzo.

I'm surprised as my Novation doesn't need anything extra.

 

[smeet]

It’s in the manual which is on the Meris website. You need to be able to send MIDI program change messages to the pedal, via the Meris MIDI I/O box.

It’s similar to the source audio pedals in that regard (they have two internal presets but can have 128 with the Hub connected).

Thanks.

The SA pedals let you access the internal presets without having to use the Hub. It seems really strange to have internal presets that you can't use without external hardware. What's the point of having them in the Enzo?

 

[_Angelo_]

@_Angelo_ , are envelope response times and behaviours something that could be tweaked via future firmware updates if the need were to arise?

Hi! We do not have firmware updates planned. I designed the settings for the Triggered Envelope and Envelope Follower to have a broad range of response times, but you can always control the Filter cutoff (and every parameter) externally with the Expression pedal of MIDI. Additionally, the expression pedal works by using a control voltage, we have had adventurous users control our pedals with the control voltage signals generated by their modular synths.

 

[_Angelo_]

I'm sure Meris has a smart butt reply about their implementation choices in all of their boxes - notice the radio silence about firmware updates? I guess we just have to choose to deal with them or not, which is something I'm happy about finding after purchase either. At the same time I have gone to far greater lengths (desiging CV control boxes, clever routing) for other pedals before.

The number of other builders going this way (using a flexible TRS connection for MIDI, EXP, Add on buttons, and in the best implementations, Control Voltage) is growing, and honestly, once you begin to use it, it makes sense. Sure, added cost, but most of these pedals live on boards with multiple $300+ pedals and power supplies worth 3-4 times the box cost (well 1-2 times the Meris).

Thanks for supporting us Alien8! We strive to make the best choices possible, and our pedals truly come from our hearts. Don't take any meaning from radio silence other than we are swamped. I can't always post on all of the forums as quickly as I would like. There are only 3 of us, and I spend nearly half my work time physically driving boxes of pedals to the office from the production floor and personally packing and shipping out individual orders on our site. Not glamorous for sure, considering my true talent and life calling is crafting the sounds and algorithms that give our pedals a unique voice, but it is a honest labor of love. Good thing I am a night owl!

And yes, or expression pedal works by using a control voltage.

 

[Alien8]

Thanks for supporting us Alien8! We strive to make the best choices possible, and our pedals truly come from our hearts. Don't take any meaning from radio silence other than we are swamped. I can't always post on all of the forums as quickly as I would like. There are only 3 of us, and I spend nearly half my work time physically driving boxes of pedals to the office from the production floor and personally packing and shipping out individual orders on our site. Not glamorous for sure, considering my true talent and life calling is crafting the sounds and algorithms that give our pedals a unique voice, but it is a honest labor of love. Good thing I am a night owl!

And yes, or expression pedal works by using a control voltage.

I get it, I really do. Just keep up with releasing killer sounding pedals, and then listen to your users for polishing the bumps is something I'm looking forward too! Your experience shows in the sounds in each of these boxes, and I'm hoping Meris continues to succeed so we can have more toys!

 

[AngelCrusher]

Is it possible to use an expression pedal to modulate an LFO and get a vibrato effect like a synth mod wheel does? That would be incredibly awesome.

 

[Alien8]

I'm surprised as my Novation doesn't need anything extra.

You can your plug your bass into that and get it to track notes? Cool, how do you do that!?