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.
The Mutron Club : only quacks allowed...
- Thread starter Mosfed
- Start date
I hear you, but I was thinking your Micro-Tron might be set on Mu-Tron preamp, so the posts I referred you to will show you how to set it back to stock Tru-Tron. If it's already on Tru-Tron, then I don't know what the problem is.
I don't have one. Still dillydallying. You sold yours?
The volume drop sounds annoying.
Sorry for the million questions. Has anyone compared the Micro-tron with the new Wonderlove Deluxe? The newer WL sounds wetter than the old one to me.
There's no volume drop when set stock. And (for me at least) there's no volume drop using the Mu-Tron preamp when on the Lo Range. The Level is dimed for me so I'm guessing some people might experience a volume drop on that setting, but I don't see it until I move to the Hi Range. I CAN get the sound to unity but it means turning up the gain to between noon and 1 o'clock which is a bit higher than I want it to trigger the way I want.
Anyway, the Mu-Tron and Tru-Tron preamps definitely have a difference in sound and while I like them about equally (I may even favor the stock version) I've put mine back in the Tru-Tron position just because it eliminates any volume issues.
Of course in either setting you'll get volume loss in BP or HP mode. That's true of any filter I've ever used. BP for me only ever works with a blend. The closest I've come to a BP filter that worked on bass without a blend was the original DOD FX25 but it had such a huge envelope that it would disappear in a mix in the middle of its sweep. Like most filters with LP/BP or LP/BP/HP selectors, the Micro-Tron really only works on bass in LP unless it's in a blend loop.
I haven't directly A/B'd the Wonderlove V3 and Micro-Tron III but I've owned both. To me (and others may disagree) the new Wonderlove isn't "wetter" than previous versions, but the sound of the envelope is a bit "sharper". Some may like that as it might cut through the mix better but I liked the rounder sound of the Groove Regulator. If I had to guess at the reason for the change I'd think it was due to Spencer moving to primarily Pbasses with worn in rounds or flats and looking for his filter to poke through a bit more with those instruments.
The Wonderlove is a fantastic filter. I personally liked the Groove Regulator the best but all the versions are similar and have great features (especially the effects loop) and tweakability. To me the Wonderlove has a bit more snap at the end of the filter but is softer in the initial attack compared with the Micro-Tron. In general the 3Leaf is a smoother filter that never has nasty peaks and works well in a mix. The Micro-Tron doesn't suffer from nasty peaks either but it has more pop to it. It's easier to dial in and it's just easy to get that classic sound that just sounds good. After moving back to the Tru-Tron preamp I also found a setting I like for both fingerstyle and slap.
One thing in the Wonderlove's favor is working with dirt for synth sounds. Both the Mu-Fx and 3Leaf sound great with an octaver but I much prefer the Wonderlove with octave + fuzz for synthy combos. That's true just plugging them in series with the WL but when using the effects loop it's not even a contest. That said, I personally use my Xero for synthy sounds which is why I ultimately moved my GR1 and both (all three? I forget at this point) of the the Wonderlove's I owned. Still I think it's a killer filter.
For straight filter stuff for funk I prefer the Micro-Tron. For synthy stuff I prefer the Xerograph. For both it would be between the Xero and the Wonderlove. I liked the WL more as a straight filter but I do more synthy stuff so the Xero won for me. As a side note, I don't do much ambient stuff besides playing around at home but for that style of playing I liked the DiscomBOBulator or the DOD 440/Boomstick Bottom Feeder.
Just my $0.02
Last edited:
I'm still debating. I like the Micro-Tron a lot. For my purposes the Wonderlove was a a bit better than the Xerograph as a straight filter but the Micro-Tron is MUCH better.
For me it comes down to the Subterranea or the Micro-Tron. Two filters or just my trusty Xero and extra synth sounds.
Anyone have any good fingerstyle settings I am not having much luck getting the filter to open . Settings . mode LP range LO, level- Max . Peak 1:00. gain 11:00 up/down UP Mu tron Pre .
It's going to be instrument and playing style dependent but if the filter isn't opening leave everything the same but bump the gain up a bit and it should open easier. If that raises the volume you can dial back the level a touch.
OK.....got my MU3 in the mail today....in addition to the Emma Discobob v2 (yesterday). I currently have an EBS BassIQ on my board. Here are my impressions.
I a/b'd the discobob and bassiq. I was severely disappointed with the Emma discobob. There was fair amount of bottom end loss with discobob when compared to bassiq. In fact, out of all the filters I have tried, the EBS bassiq has the most bottom end of them all. The basiq is an extremely full sounding filter. Thats prob why I like it so much. Additionally, the Emma discobob has a whooshy white noise whine that is apparent whether the filter is up or down mode. However, it i most apparent when the filter is engaged down. IMO, the noise is so much that I find it unusable. It would be fairly passible in up mode.....but down mode its noisy. Obviously; if you're playing you won't notice the noise. But still, kind of deal breaker when considering the pedal doesn't sound as rich as my EBS to begin with.
EBS and MU3....these two pedal are both up my alley. I like them both for different reasons. Ive included photos of my settings. The EBS is thicker and fuller than the MU3 (trutron preamp, LP, LO) by a few hairs. The MU3 has almost the same thickness of the EBS, but its not quite there. What sets the MU3 apart from the ebs bassiq is the way the pedal peaks. The bassiq has a nice width to the sweep, and I like the squelch as well, but its super peaky.... but its not that smooth of an effect. Its extremely peaky. When comparing the two side by side, the way the EBS peaks sound unnatural to a degree. The MU3 on the other hand has a waaaaay nicer sounding and smoother peak. Ive tweaked the pedal to a point where I think I'll like the width of sweep and squelch enough in a mix. However, at this point I need to try it. Lastly, the knobs on the EBS yield extreme change with minimal travel on the knob. The change in effect seems more gradual with the MU3.....which I like. Ill see how the MU3 sounds on tomorrows gig. Stay tuned....
I a/b'd the discobob and bassiq. I was severely disappointed with the Emma discobob. There was fair amount of bottom end loss with discobob when compared to bassiq. In fact, out of all the filters I have tried, the EBS bassiq has the most bottom end of them all. The basiq is an extremely full sounding filter. Thats prob why I like it so much. Additionally, the Emma discobob has a whooshy white noise whine that is apparent whether the filter is up or down mode. However, it i most apparent when the filter is engaged down. IMO, the noise is so much that I find it unusable. It would be fairly passible in up mode.....but down mode its noisy. Obviously; if you're playing you won't notice the noise. But still, kind of deal breaker when considering the pedal doesn't sound as rich as my EBS to begin with.
EBS and MU3....these two pedal are both up my alley. I like them both for different reasons. Ive included photos of my settings. The EBS is thicker and fuller than the MU3 (trutron preamp, LP, LO) by a few hairs. The MU3 has almost the same thickness of the EBS, but its not quite there. What sets the MU3 apart from the ebs bassiq is the way the pedal peaks. The bassiq has a nice width to the sweep, and I like the squelch as well, but its super peaky.... but its not that smooth of an effect. Its extremely peaky. When comparing the two side by side, the way the EBS peaks sound unnatural to a degree. The MU3 on the other hand has a waaaaay nicer sounding and smoother peak. Ive tweaked the pedal to a point where I think I'll like the width of sweep and squelch enough in a mix. However, at this point I need to try it. Lastly, the knobs on the EBS yield extreme change with minimal travel on the knob. The change in effect seems more gradual with the MU3.....which I like. Ill see how the MU3 sounds on tomorrows gig. Stay tuned....
I got my MicroTron today . Was not impressed with it at first and the led on the up/down never went out if the pedal was on. Unplugged it and then powered it back up. Don't know what happened But that combined with a tip from Jared Lash and this thing is a funk machine. I was going to just flip it but it is not going anywhere now. Moved the jumper to the MuTron Pre and it sounds great. Not as fat and greasy as the Fwonk Beta but nothing I have heard sounds like that.
I've been trying so hard to resist but think at some stage I am going to have to try out the Micro Tron!l Some great feedback on this thread has really stoked my interest and I really want to see how the Micro Tron stacks up against my Mu Tron's and Mu-Tron 3x especially after learning you can switch between Mu Tron and Tru-Tron preamp. Is it just me or would that feature been better as a switch on the outside of the pedal? Guess that's a space limitation.
Somebody better buy this... cause after last night's funkrock gig, I pronounce the micro-tron iii a FUNK machine.
Last edited:
So the Micro III didn't stand up to the gig? Are you staying with the EBS or something else?
Keeping the EBS. MT3 sounded good, but I like the BassIQ better. Lastly, I hate the up/down foot switch. I can't engage the filter switch w/o stepping on the up/down. I found myself focusing too much on fancy footing around the pedals switches vs just stepping on the switch and moving on.
Edit. FWIW, my filter pedal is on the back row. If the pedal was in the front row it would prob be easier for me to foot control the pedal w/o hitting the up/down switch whole trying to hit the filter on/off switch
Last edited:
Yes. The up/down foot switch is superfluous. A simple toggle switch would have been more than sufficient.
I like the DiscumBOBulator, which you did not (though I use a v1). I bought a v2 recently but it is caught up in the mail system due to Harvey, so I guess I will need to compare. I guess I'll also be looking for a used EBS.
