NPD: Terrible Design

[DaveParker39]

The idea/placement of two footswitches on the pedal is a bit silly. But if you want a pedal in that form factor, it's either that or you put another jack on the pedal and have an external footswitch.

Would I prefer the DC in between the jacks or offset down? Yes.

That said, I can't imagine universally using pancake jacks on a pedalboard.

SLKIT01

 

[HelpImaRock]

I have the same issue with an old Source Audio Multiwave pedal. If the power were between the two jacks it wouldn't be an issue. I ended up using a different cable, and it's fine, but I'm glad they changed the design on later iterations.

 

[Lenny JG]

I'm thinking that's more guitar players than bass players....

I fail to see the difference in what cables you'd be using as a guitarist compared to bass. Pretty sure they're the exact same ones.

 

[Grahams Groove]

AND THEY DONT SOUND THAT GREAT. If I can't plug it in and it make sounds good then back they go...

Learning more about these pedals as I continue to mess with them. They react pretty differently to almost every bass used. They don't like actives, so I'll probably just use my passives...also it's doesn't have a very wide spread meaning once you find the best setting for the particular vbass you're using, that's it, that's my experience so far..

They do sound great, but you need to adjust the gain (input gain) per your bass. If you're trying to switch between passive basses and active basses without adjusting the MuTron's gain, you're gonna have a bad time.

The more you slam the input of the pedal with a hot signal, the faster you're opening the filter. That's going to make it sound way more 'vanilla' and transparent. If you adjust the gain down for the output level on the bass, you'll be able to make it quack more/less based on how hard you dig in. If you've got anything thing else in front of the pedal that is further pumping up your signal beyond the active electronics/EQ on the bass, you may struggle to get the gain low enough. So it's also worth considering your active bass EQ and pickup/master volume. Boosting the EQ and maxing the master on a hot active bass is going to give the MuTron some spicy stuff to deal with.

 

[dfreeland83]

Not really. All they had to do was to stick the 9V input between the input and output jacks, like most other pedal manufacturers do, and it would have been fine. However, the footswitches are ridiculously close to each other as well. @odarellmc is right. This thing is a design train wreck.

I’d argue this isn’t necessarily true, either. On EQD pedals, you can’t use the standard pancake jacks and are forced to use solderless / EBS cables.

On mine, the pancake plug hits the 9v connector.

 

[JakobT]

I’d argue this isn’t necessarily true, either. On EQD pedals, you can’t use the standard pancake jacks and are forced to use solderless / EBS cables.

On mine, the pancake plug hits the 9v connector.

Yes, but the pancake plug is not the problem, and never was. It’s the position of the power jack which makes it impossible to use almost any angled plug, unless it’s small enough to rotate so that the power plug doesn’t foul it, and then the cable sticks either straight up or straight down. Not a good solution. If the power jack were in the middle it wouldn’t foul anything, there would be enough space even for pancake plugs, and the cables would lie flat into the bargain.

 

[Bo0tsy]

They do sound great, but you need to adjust the gain (input gain) per your bass. If you're trying to switch between passive basses and active basses without adjusting the MuTron's gain, you're gonna have a bad time.

The more you slam the input of the pedal with a hot signal, the faster you're opening the filter. That's going to make it sound way more 'vanilla' and transparent. If you adjust the gain down for the output level on the bass, you'll be able to make it quack more/less based on how hard you dig in. If you've got anything thing else in front of the pedal that is further pumping up your signal beyond the active electronics/EQ on the bass, you may struggle to get the gain low enough. So it's also worth considering your active bass EQ and pickup/master volume. Boosting the EQ and maxing the master on a hot active bass is going to give the MuTron some spicy stuff to deal with.

Agree 100% with that. The Micro-Tron does sound great (and very much like a vintage Mu-Tron). From my experience with the Micro-Tron, (and most envelope filters), the Gain control is the key. In the Sweep Up position and Range=Low on the Micro-Tron you want the Gain to be somewhere between the 08:00-10:00 position, so that the filter "bubbles" when you play lightly and "dirty quacks" when you dig in. Similar settings for Up sweep/High range to get that "squelch". For the Down sweep the Gain needs to be somewhere around 13:00-15:00. Mode for all really needs to be LP (low pass) unless you are adding a blender pedal for the bandpass or high pass settings (otherwise not really usable on bass). You definitely need to adjust your gain setting when switching between active and passive basses. Envelope Filters IMO on an active bass also tend to like more treble, a bit of mids and a slight roll back on the bass control of your instrument.

With regards to the footswitches being too close together, barefoot buttons offer a neat solution, where you can attach a barefoot button to the On-Off switch and make the footswitches different heights

 

[odarellmc]

Thanks for the tips guys!

 

[odarellmc]

I fail to see the difference in what cables you'd be using as a guitarist compared to bass. Pretty sure they're the exact same ones.

It's not about the cable but the pedal it's self. given that hp and bp are pretty much useless only lp mode is good for bass, so there obviously are more uses for guitar than bass

 

[Stranger Danger]

I’m not a fan either. That said, when they are well placed on a well-designed pedal, they’re not much of a problem. My only pedal with top-mounted jacks at the moment is a Genzler 4 On The Floor, which is very well-designed indeed.

Yep yep

 

[Lenny JG]

It's not about the cable but the pedal it's self. given that hp and bp are pretty much useless only lp mode is good for bass, so there obviously are more uses for guitar than bass

I'm confused, they were talking about patch cables and you mentioned that that depends on guitar or bass, but didn't mention anything about hp or lp... Which still doesn't seem relevant btw... Lol

 

[jbybj]

And here I was, hoping “Terrible Design” was some new, super nifty pedal I hadn’t heard of yet.

 

[odarellmc]

And here I was, hoping “Terrible Design” was some new, super nifty pedal I hadn’t heard of yet.

Ha!

 

[odarellmc]

I'm confused, they were talking about patch cables and you mentioned that that depends on guitar or bass, but didn't mention anything about hp or lp... Which still doesn't seem relevant btw... Lol

I was referring to an earlier post I believe.

 

[odarellmc]

They do sound great, but you need to adjust the gain (input gain) per your bass. If you're trying to switch between passive basses and active basses without adjusting the MuTron's gain, you're gonna have a bad time.

The more you slam the input of the pedal with a hot signal, the faster you're opening the filter. That's going to make it sound way more 'vanilla' and transparent. If you adjust the gain down for the output level on the bass, you'll be able to make it quack more/less based on how hard you dig in. If you've got anything thing else in front of the pedal that is further pumping up your signal beyond the active electronics/EQ on the bass, you may struggle to get the gain low enough. So it's also worth considering your active bass EQ and pickup/master volume. Boosting the EQ and maxing the master on a hot active bass is going to give the MuTron some spicy stuff to deal with.

Took your suggestion, used my 5 string passive P and now it sounds so much better..

 

[Mr. Jiggy Fly]

You can't get that specific HOSA cable dirt cheap....this is exactly what I need but it's not cheap but not overly expensive..George Ls Effects Cable Kit - Black/Nkl

I have a bunch of these that i haven't used, I'll mail you a cable or two.

Also, if you click the reply button for each message first, they will cascade into a single message that is much easier to read and follow.

Ha!

try

I was referring to an earlier post I believe.

it

Took your suggestion, used my 5 string passive P and now it sounds so much better..

out

 

[BEADist]

Also, if you click the reply button for each message first, they will cascade into a single message that is much easier to read and follow.

Thank you for explaining this

 

[GodsLove66]

Ok Mu Tron why would you put the input and output so close together...View attachment 4713011

Yeah, the top mount is the biggest thing for me. The MuTron is the ONLY top mount on the board and it drives the OCD CRAZY!!!! But for that SWEET Chris Squire Tormato tone! I’ll deal with it!

 

[dannylectro]

Nice 60s vintage plug ends on those cables. Get some from this millennium, you'll be fine.

good eye!!

 

[odarellmc]

Those that were more helpful lending advice about my cables thank you. I managed to get the pedals sounding much better to the point that ilke them now the only envelope filters I have are the MXR env filter and the fonkbeta quite different from the mu Tron but I like the mu Tron the best still want to try a discombobulator and spaceman explorer, my mojo effects wonder filter is nother I have but it's not longer made but really the key is the gain structure like was stated. Thanks again guys.