Tried every filter, these the top 5

[OhulahanBass]

Nothing to be done about the side jacks, but the Spectrum is much easier out of the box than the C4. It's designed as an envelope funk machine that can be used without the deep dives typical of Source Audio pedals. I found it was awesome right out of the box. The knobs are designed to get you where you wanna go quack-wise. There are some things, such as inverting the envelope that you would need to go to the editor for, but once you do it, you could save it as a preset, and simply toggle back and forth. For many, 6 envelope filter presets is typically enough, and you could get Moog, Discombobulator, MuTron, Meatball/GR2, and tons of others from available user and factory presets. And it does the MuTron exceedingly well. I have no triggering or tracking issues with the Spectrum, where I had lots of triggering issues with the GR2, and some others I've tried. Also, the Spectrum includes optional phaser, as well as distortion, so envelope phaser is also available.

I hear ya, the Spectrum is essentially what I liked of the C4 once you bypass the tracker stuff and just use octave, fuzz and filter! I may get spectrum, though, I'm afraid the restrained envelope amount issue I spoke of earlier is still present in the Spectrum. Couple that with my side jack allergy and the motivation to Spectrum is low.

 

[fivestringgecko]

@OhulahanBass - Hey, the beauty of being a bassist today is that while not everything is for everybody, there's an amazing amount of great gear out there. Please keep us posted on your search... Might be that whatever you end up with also jives with someone else here!

Interesting that you mentioned the Octave > Plasma Coil combination as well. I'm getting ready to build out a secondary fun/synth board with individual pedals, and the octaver > Plasma Pedal will be one of the combinations on there among other things. I've been itching to find a use for that Plasma!

Stop trying to get me to spend money!

Seeing as how that Robot Factory site is all but defunct, it does make me think two things:
1) Maybe I should snag a good Meatball clone like that FTellettronica before it either gets too expensive or disappears... a la your regret about not getting a Meatwad.
2) Do I need to try an actual Lovetone Meatball? (Although, I do tend to think not, given availability and cost. I think I'd rather try a Moog first.)

Also, the Spectrum includes optional phaser, as well as distortion, so envelope phaser is also available.

Indeed it does. Here's my patch recreating the Bass Envelope Phaser in the Spectrum. The Spectrum can't get quite as unruly and magic as the actual Pigtronix, but it's still pretty good.

5sg.

 

[AlvarHanso]

I hear ya, the Spectrum is essentially what I liked of the C4 once you bypass the tracker stuff and just use octave, fuzz and filter! I may get spectrum, though, I'm afraid the restrained envelope amount issue I spoke of earlier is still present in the Spectrum. Couple that with my side jack allergy and the motivation to Spectrum is low.

The Spectrum being a dedicated envelope filter pedal instead of synth with wonderful filter, the Input/Sense and Volume/Mix knows really get a nice, fat, wet sound easily. I have the C4 as well, and used it for a long time as my filter, but instantly loved the Spectrum out of the box, because it was designed to be a "normal" killer filter pedal out of the box with the deep dive available. I found it was essential, so have both. It seems like the Spectrum is wetter, even when I load my Spectrum presets on the C4, but I think it relates to my inability to dial in the sound even further with the same knobs and just a perception difference rather than real one. If you can play around with one, definitely do it!

 

[Grahams Groove]

The Spectrum being a dedicated envelope filter pedal instead of synth with wonderful filter, the Input/Sense and Volume/Mix knows really get a nice, fat, wet sound easily. I have the C4 as well, and used it for a long time as my filter, but instantly loved the Spectrum out of the box, because it was designed to be a "normal" killer filter pedal out of the box with the deep dive available. I found it was essential, so have both. It seems like the Spectrum is wetter, even when I load my Spectrum presets on the C4, but I think it relates to my inability to dial in the sound even further with the same knobs and just a perception difference rather than real one. If you can play around with one, definitely do it!

Well, shheeeeeeeiiit. I assume they sounded exactly the same if you load the same filters on the C4 and Spectrum. Have always just had the C4 assuming it was Spectrum+, and not I'm curious.

 

[AlvarHanso]

Well, shheeeeeeeiiit. I assume they sounded exactly the same if you load the same filters on the C4 and Spectrum. Have always just had the C4 assuming it was Spectrum+, and not I'm curious.

They SHOULD sound the same, and probably do, I was saying it may be my mind tricking itself. But dialing in wetter sounds seems so much easier on the Spectrum. Usually my problem with C4 filter sounds is not having them sound wet enough, enough of the thwack. With the Spectrum, literally those two knobs, and maybe the alt button on the back to switch to secondary function will dial in a very wet thwack. That's been my experience. The C4 should sound identical and behave identically when using a Spectrum preset, it just seems a little different to me. I could be totally nuts.

 

[OhulahanBass]

@OhulahanBass - Hey, the beauty of being a bassist today is that while not everything is for everybody, there's an amazing amount of great gear out there. Please keep us posted on your search... Might be that whatever you end up with also jives with someone else here!

Interesting that you mentioned the Octave > Plasma Coil combination as well. I'm getting ready to build out a secondary fun/synth board with individual pedals, and the octaver > Plasma Pedal will be one of the combinations on there among other things. I've been itching to find a use for that Plasma!

I know, there is allot of pedals out there, it's a fun universe to play in.

The Plasma Coil so Fn cool, I love all of it's dimensions but its weird and dynamic gate when set for low gain coupled with one of the drive circuits on tap is so damn synthy and responsive while also unique that I am absolutely hooked. I have 3 pedals with Fuzz but I use primarily the Plasma Coil. I currently run Octavider+ > Plasma Coil > Octavius > Micro-Tron IV > Cali76 CB > Julia > Polaron (w/ SC from clean) >Monument and then some delays or verb via pedals or software. I sometimes move my compressor around or toss another in there.

 

[sunbeast]

Well, shheeeeeeeiiit. I assume they sounded exactly the same if you load the same filters on the C4 and Spectrum. Have always just had the C4 assuming it was Spectrum+, and not I'm curious.

They sound the same assuming the settings are actually the same (the beauty of digital tech). If there’s a difference it’s because some setting is getting changed on the pedal itself.

 

[fivestringgecko]

I'll echo what both @AlvarHanso and @sunbeast are talking about... You can get the same sound, but I did notice needing slightly different settings between the same patches on C4 vs. Spectrum. Couldn't explain why though.

5sg.

 

[Admiral Chew]

@OhulahanBass

Seeing as how that Robot Factory site is all but defunct, it does make me think two things:
1) Maybe I should snag a good Meatball clone like that FTellettronica before it either gets too expensive or disappears... a la your regret about not getting a Meatwad.

The FTe pedal is excellent. I’ve tried a few FTe pedals, including the Schumann PLL clone and the Animato clone with a clean blend, and they’ve all been great.

 

[OhulahanBass]

Anyone try the Dreadbox filters?

 

[cnltb]

Anyone tried Discumbobulator v3 yet?
I just saw a video of what appears to be that...
<>

 

[Kevin Hide Bass]

Octavius Squeezer... My favorite Synth/Filter/Fuzz in a confoundingly impossible to program pedal. I absolutely want a second one, but they usually only come up VERY expensive when I don't have the $$$ to spend.

All the tones on this track were done with it.

I hope you don't mind, but I've totally slid into your DM's to ask for some help in recreating some of those tones, it sounds fantastic and oddly stable!!

 

[s_wood]

Seeing as how that Robot Factory site is all but defunct, it does make me think two things:
1) Maybe I should snag a good Meatball clone like that FTellettronica before it either gets too expensive or disappears... a la your regret about not getting a Meatwad.
2) Do I need to try an actual Lovetone Meatball? (Although, I do tend to think not, given availability and cost. I think I'd rather try a Moog first.)

I own both a FTellettronica and an original Meatball. The FTellettronica is a well-built and faithful clone of the Meatball. Though I can’t say that they sound exactly the same, the FTellettronica comes very close. A Meatball will cost you 3x or 4x more than an FTellettronica, but you won’t hear a difference in a live or studio mix. Both pedals sound great, but are very finicky and hard to dial in. It’s hard to find settings that are repeatable, especially if you use different basses. Honestly, I prefer the SA Spectrum to either of them because though it, too, is fiddly via the Neuro app once you find a preset that you like it’s more repeatable.

As always, and especially with filters, YMMV.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Both pedals sound great, but are very finicky and hard to dial in. It’s hard to find settings that are repeatable, especially if you use different basses.

Some good info on the FTellettronica, thanks. I think this is a very good point about the Meatball filters, and probably a big reason why I sold the Barge Concepts Grinder. It's probably also a reason I like the Auto Filter in the Stomp. It's a Meatball clone, but more consistent because it's digital... aka, much less finicky and programmed/stored settings. And you're totally right about hearing the difference in the mix, for how much more an actual Meatball costs.

But for now...

I've always regretted selling my 3Leaf GR2 for several years now, but thanks to fellow TB'er @MisticoRitualista, I've got one again and it's as good as I remember. Need to do a head to head with my Proton V2/V4!

5sg.

 

[s_wood]

I've always regretted selling my 3Leaf GR2 for several years now, but thanks to fellow TB'er @MisticoRitualista, I've got one again and it's as good as I remember. Need to do a head to head with my Proton V2/V4

Good score! The GR2 is one of my fav filters ever! Absolutely one of the best filters ever made. Interested on your head to head with the Proton V4. I’ve got one of those, too… love it! But I’ve never done a head-to-head. The Proton V4 is super easy to dial in, which is why I love it. It knocked my Chromotron off my board for that reason.

 

[johnk_10]

i modified my DOD FX25 clone with a low pass/stock switch & a master volume and it's an awesome envelope for bass.

 

[MisticoRitualista]

Currently have a Chromatron, Xerograph Deluxe, & the Analog.Man Envelope Filter which is an improved & expanded MXR block logo envelope filter, of the three I actually like the Analog.Man the best.