Tried every filter, these the top 5

[Tassieviking]

I get it. The filter section is, of course, the Agent 00Funk, which is a filter a lot of folks probably not had the chance to try, but it is easily my favorite envelope filter

Absolutely love the "Agent 00Funk" pedal, but then again I built my pedal myself and it is the only one I have tried so there is that.
If I couldn't build my own pedals I would buy a kit and sponsor some school kid to build me one at school.
I love schools that teach kids electronics as subjects, none of that when I was a kid.

 

[Tassieviking]

Did you know... If you plug a bass into the GR2 effects loop return, and run another signal such as a drum track into the main input, then it will output your bass signal with the envelope being triggered on the drum track.

And I thought my "Agent 00Funk" couldn't get better, except with the "Brown Dog" hooked up to it.
I am so gonna have to try the drums into the side chain experiment, I love when new doors open up.

 

[StayLow]

I get it. The filter section is, of course, the Agent 00Funk, which is a filter a lot of folks probably not had the chance to try, but it is easily my favorite envelope filter I’ve ever used (and I’ve used a bunch, including most of the ones mentioned so far).

Same! Very easily. The original one I mean. Never tried the smaller Mark II.

GR2 is my fave in a small format. It’s a grail type pedal; super easy to set, no bad sounds, and has the key feature too many filters are missing which is no dangerous volume peaks. Edged out the GR1 for me.

Proton 4 is OK, but tame and a bit tough to find a sweet spot. Can’t even compare to GR2.

Haven’t tried the Chromatron or Wonderlove. Paul Turner uses both (aling with a bunch other 3Leaf pedals), so must be killer. Was so happy wth GR2 I didn’t bother buying these when they were easily available at sane prices.

Meridian Funkulator. I quite like the side with octave up & down. Filter side is only OK, but really fun with octave side activated. Terrible build quality; many reported isseus but mine’s fine. Original version I mean, not the current larger one which looks and sounds like far better quality.

Fwonk Beta. Great if you want the super-dub sounds it does, but virtually no one buys an envelope filter for that so avoid it unless you’re looking to shred your speakers or get beaten badly by a neighbor or sound man.

MXR M82 I find a bit dry, or lacking character. Excellent though. Easy to set, no dangerous peaks… exact opposite of Fwonk Beta in the best possible ways. Perfect mix of actually useful, small, and obtainable / affordable.

Bassballs is a one-trick pony, but good trick. More of a novelty sound than a real utility for a funk band IMO.

Ibanez SB7. I like the whole Tone-Lok series a lot. Easy to use. Better for its synthy vibes though.

Walrus Kangra. So touchy / tough to find workable settings without the fuzz engaged it’s essentially useless as a stand-alone. Good with fuzz side engaged. I think it may be designed and best used for guitar though, if at all.

Fender Pour Over. The Fender pedals sound very promising in demos. Would like to try this one.

Solid Gold Funkzilla. Have owned so many of their pedals, all sitting unused. Never been impressed with their stuff.

At least a dozen more I can’t recall.

 

[drumvsbass]

What would you do with two? Can't sync the LFO's. Filter a filter? Legit curious. I'd put my OS at number 3, with the Subdecay Prometheus 3 and DLX being 1 and 2. Found my envelope company.

Just lazy about wanting it on 2 boards, and a spare of your favorite thing ain't a bad thing. The OS isn't actually my main filter these days, it has been relegated to synth squankery or as a secondary filter to my Micro-tron. The OS filter section rules just because it's super programmable, and definitely full frequency. I have several patches where it's the Tron on one path and the OS on the other path in a layer.

Also, Zul with the Data Corrupter, only a few will understand.

 

[HolmeBass]

Just lazy about wanting it on 2 boards, and a spare of your favorite thing ain't a bad thing. The OS isn't actually my main filter these days, it has been relegated to synth squankery or as a secondary filter to my Micro-tron. The OS filter section rules just because it's super programmable, and definitely full frequency. I have several patches where it's the Tron on one path and the OS on the other path in a layer.View attachment 5310007
Also, Zul with the Data Corrupter, only a few will understand.

I am really gassing for a Microtron. Which “color” Microtron did you get? Gold is the default, Red is slower/“chewier”, and Blue is faster.

I am wondering about Red vs the Gold default.

 

[J Posega]

"I tried everything ever and here are the best without any explanation of how I tried them, what I was looking for from them, and what each of them is like, nor do I tell you which ones I actually tried."

Cool story, bro.

 

[J Posega]

"I tried everything ever and here are the best without any explanation of how I tried them, what I was looking for from them, and what each of them is like, nor do I tell you which ones I actually tried."

Cool story, bro.

 

[Ricky Caboverde]

Just lazy about wanting it on 2 boards, and a spare of your favorite thing ain't a bad thing. The OS isn't actually my main filter these days, it has been relegated to synth squankery or as a secondary filter to my Micro-tron. The OS filter section rules just because it's super programmable, and definitely full frequency. I have several patches where it's the Tron on one path and the OS on the other path in a layer.View attachment 5310007
Also, Zul with the Data Corrupter, only a few will understand.

Looked at your board and thought "I wonder if he's recorded any music?" Just found your channel on YT and several playlists of your various albums--currently enjoying What is Silence

 

[fivestringgecko]

Self admitted envelope filter/synth fan here.... I feel like there's a there are a couple envelope/filters out there that I've also tried but am not remembering for my list below, but here are my top favorite filters. @kesslari mentioned earlier in the thread that it would be helpful to have a full list for context, so I've included that as well.

I fell in love with the Pigtronix EP2 quite a few years ago, but that thing is a chonker, so I was pretty thrilled when the Bass Envelope Phaser was released. The BEP has easily been my hands down favorite ever since, by enough that I have a spare like @drumsvsbass mentioned since it's been discontinued. I guess I just find the combination of envelope and phaser to be pretty magical.

Line 6's Auto Filter and the Proton are often tied for second. The filter in the Helix sounds great and has a ton of controls (modeled after the Lovetone Meatball), with the option to add some gain/grit. All versions of the Proton have always been good, simple to use, thick sounding envelope filters.

The XeroD and Proton could be tied for third depending on mood... The Proton is easier to dial in, but Taylor's filter has expression control for killer manual synth style sweep control on anything you feed into it.

The Filter Twin has the characteristic Aguilar warmth with some really interesting flavor of both filters active at the same time.

Honorable mention goes to the Barge Concepts Grinder. I deeply regret selling that one and would love to track it/one down again, but they're so rare they're non-existent. It was another one based on the Lovetone Meatball, and I was pretty early in my filter/effects pedal explorations at the time, and was in over my head with it... so I mistakenly passed it on.

5sg.



My personal top filters
1) Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser
2) Line 6 Helix Auto Filter or 3Leaf Audio Proton V4
3) Proton or Iron Ether Xerograph Deluxe
4) Aguilar Filter Twin


The Full list
3Leaf Groove Regulator
3Leaf GR2
3Leaf Proton v1
3Leaf Proton v2
3Leaf Proton v4
Aguilar Filter Twin
Ashdown Bass Envelope Filter
Ashdown Funk Face v1
Ashdown Type 23
Barge Concepts Grinder
Boss AW-2 Auto Wah
Digitech bass synth wah
Digitech Dirty Robot
DOD FX25
DOD FX25B
DOD440
Earthquaker Spatial Delivery
EBS Bass IQ
EHX Micro Q Tron
EHX Dr Q
EHX Qtron+
EHX Enigma
EHX Bassballs Nano
EHX Bassballs Russian
Ibanez AW7 Autowah
Iron Ether Xerograph Deluxe
Line 6 Auto Filter
Line 6 Tron (Up/Down)
Line 6 Asheville Pattern (Moog MF105M)
Mojo Hand Analogue 442 Red
Mr. Black Fwonk Beta
Mutron III Haz
MXR M188 Bass Auto Q
MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter
Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser (the small white and purple one)
Pigtronix EP2 (the big blue whale one, modded by Dave Koltai with a volume knob)
Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser
Source Audio C4/Spectrum
Source Audio Manta
Subdecay Prometheus v1
WMD Fatman
Xotic Robotalk 2
Zvex Seek Wah

 

[davelowell2]

@fivestringgecko
Do you mean your fav is the small box Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser? Not the big honkin EP2? Just checking.

 

[fivestringgecko]

@davelowell2
Correct indeed, the smaller white/purple Bass Envelope Phaser, not the big blue whale EP2.
(I edited my list above for clarity as well. I do feel like the new one could've been named differently/better to avoid such confusion. )

The EP2 was super cool because you could use either side separately, or combine the envelope and phaser. I even got in touch with Dave Koltai and he kindly added a master volume control for me, because it had a +8dB-10dB volume jump that tended to scare sound engineers. I still own it, but at the moment it's just too darned big. The smaller white/purple Bass Envelope Phaser does also have a volume jump, but it's not quite as bad as the big box EP2. (I think the idea was for both to really stand out in a mix when you turn them on.)

5sg.

 

[fivestringgecko]

On a shameless plug/sidenote:
I've got presets on the Neuro Community forsome of my favorite envelope filters sounds including the Pigtronix and the Filter Twin, for anyone who has a C4/Spectrum and might be interested. They're not exactly the same, but they're close.

Same Nuero user name as here.

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Source Audio in any way.

5sg.

 

[arepa_funk]

Dear @fivestringgecko , I've got a BEP incoming thanks to you. I appreciate your efforts!

 

[Just Wrong]

Interesting list, @fivestringgecko. If I'm not mistaken, Thundercat uses the Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser on Them Changes.

I haven't tried as many, but my favourite sounding was the Moog. But it's not a fun pedal. It's huge, hard to power and the drive section is always on even when the pedal is turned off.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Filter Twin when I tried it. Made me wonder why it's not more popular than it is.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Oooo... I don't know for sure what he used, but I'd be willing to bet a few donuts that it's not the BEP. The Pigtronix has a very distinct sound compared to traditional filters, and I'm not hearing the signature phaser sound of that pedal. The filter in Thudercat's track sounds lot more like Mutron quack. Or maybe even Moog LowPass (though I only know that one from Youtube demos)? You'd probably know better about the Moog though... I've always wanted to check one out.

The bass solo in Doug Johns' track Chew On A Dog is what clued me in to the Pigtronix. He was using a big blue EP2 at the time, and I've been 100% hooked ever since.

The Filter Twin is great! I've actually been wondering if maybe I should get one again. Might be time, after this discussion!

5sg.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Dear @fivestringgecko , I've got a BEP incoming thanks to you. I appreciate your efforts!

YESSSS. Please report back on what you think of it!

5sg.

 

[arepa_funk]

YESSSS. Please report back on what you think of it!

5sg.

Will do!

 

[Just Wrong]

Oooo... I don't know for sure what he used, but I'd be willing to bet a few donuts that it's not the BEP. The Pigtronix has a very distinct sound compared to traditional filters, and I'm not hearing the signature phaser sound of that pedal. The filter in Thudercat's track sounds lot more like Mutron quack. Or maybe even Moog LowPass (though I only know that one from Youtube demos)? You'd probably know better about the Moog though... I've always wanted to check one out.

The bass solo in Doug Johns' track Chew On A Dog is what clued me in to the Pigtronix. He was using a big blue EP2 at the time, and I've been 100% hooked ever since.

The Filter Twin is great! I've actually been wondering if maybe I should get one again. Might be time, after this discussion!

5sg.

I think you might be right. Scott's Bass Lessons mentions the Pigtronix in their video on Them Changes: "
We’re told that Thundercat used a Pigtronix Envelope Filter to get the wobbly filter sound in addition to his already hypnotic bass line"

But this audio interview mentions Moog in the notes: Thundercat, Flying Lotus, and the Making of "Them Changes"

 

[Grahams Groove]

As a self-proclaimed filter junky, the C4 can cop the feel of pretty much every filter I've played and is the best value if you don't want to hunt for white whales and pay exorbitant prices. If the interface scares you, there are HUNDREDS of presets that you can easily load to it, and several of those are named for the great analog filter they mimic.

I still own a few analog gems, but the C4 is fantastic.

 

[Stubb]

How did the Meatball rank?

I've had some great filters -- Chromatron, XD, Wonderlove v1, Microtron, and Joshwah -- and my Meatball clone edges them all. The XD gets wetter, but not by much. The Chromatron has the best feature set of any filter ever, but it's more polite than I like. The Wonderlove isn't far behind in terms of features, and it sounds great. The Microtron is easy to dial in and just works. The Joshwah is easy to dial in, maybe a little more polite, but has the built-in drive which is clutch, as I'm rarely using a filter without drive anyway. But the Meatball is just special. It's so touchy, so finicky, but when you get it set up right, forget it.