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WHAT DOES AN ENVELOPE FILTER DO?!?!??!

#41
Pudge Fish said:
I CAN advise that a pedal like the Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter Pro might have TOO MANY controls. I thought this pedal would let me save various configurations (it has 6 banks for saving stuff like EQ settings and effects), but the sad reality is that each knob (primarily sweep range and frequency) is very touchy. If you move them to adjust one effect, you might never find that "sweet-spot" again for another effect. Some of the earlier pedals I played with were very simple or had fixed presets. I don't mind playing with gear, but I'd rather play my bass. Sometimes too many options aren't the way to go... pedals are a great example of why. Just my $0.02
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I'll 2nd this, that's also why I got rid of the SA BEF, I was tired if readjusting it every time I set up, its very touchy.. The fx25 is also, but its only 2 knobs, and is more reactive to your attack!! I can see why people love the SA pedals, but for the life of me I don't get why they would use so much plastic either, I was afraid of destroying it with my boots!!
 
#44
hintz said:
I'll 2nd this, that's also why I got rid of the SA BEF, I was tired if readjusting it every time I set up, its very touchy.. The fx25 is also, but its only 2 knobs, and is more reactive to your attack!! I can see why people love the SA pedals, but for the life of me I don't get why they would use so much plastic either, I was afraid of destroying it with my boots!!
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I totally agree. I for one love the SA SB2 pedals and am one of those that actually feels comfortable with their interface. BUT, it really is not for everyone. Luckily, there are quite a few small, easier to use envelope filters. Including stuff form IE, 3Leaf, MXR, DOD (BTW, not sure if you heard the sound samples form JohnKs clones, very cool), and quite a few others, including the MuTron reissues, of a pedal that came out in 1972... that people were using in the 70s, that now cover bands are covering all those years later, with bassists who believe that you don't need an envelope filter because they have magic fingers in 2014... ;)
 
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#45
Pudge Fish said:
I CAN advise that a pedal like the Source Audio Bass Envelope Filter Pro might have TOO MANY controls. I thought this pedal would let me save various configurations (it has 6 banks for saving stuff like EQ settings and effects), but the sad reality is that each knob (primarily sweep range and frequency) is very touchy. If you move them to adjust one effect, you might never find that "sweet-spot" again for another effect. Some of the earlier pedals I played with were very simple or had fixed presets. I don't mind playing with gear, but I'd rather play my bass. Sometimes too many options aren't the way to go... pedals are a great example of why. Just my $0.02
Click to expand...
NAMM 2015 Announcements should be monitored! :)
 
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#50
nshuman said:
I totally agree. I for one love the SA SB2 pedals and am one of those that actually feels comfortable with their interface. BUT, it really is not for everyone. Luckily, there are quite a few small, easier to use envelope filters. Including stuff form IE, 3Leaf, MXR, DOD (BTW, not sure if you heard the sound samples form JohnKs clones, very cool), and quite a few others, including the MuTron reissues, of a pedal that came out in 1972... that people were using in the 70s, that now cover bands are covering all those years later, with bassists who believe that you don't need an envelope filter because they have magic fingers in 2014... ;)
Click to expand...

yeah, I heard the johnk clones, and I really dug deep, I really dug the SA BEF soundblox, but the knobs would move when I put it in my locker, plus I only used one setting on it, so all the options were useless to me, did sound great, but I was really afraid of breaking it as I am a military musician, I have to wear boots all day, the thing is plastic!!

I went back to a pedal I used to hate, the fx25!! I bought the older version from gregmon, and no regrets, I've owned a few others, older qtron(90's), mini qtron, 90's fx25, the fx25 b, I had the boss one years ago, I have a cheap mutron clone, plus bass synth wah, the boss bass synth, I'm very happy with the old fx25, I can change my sound completely by changing my attack, play light I can get dub, play normal and its funky, dig in I get a wah sound, to each there own though...
 
#55
An EF is used mainly to determine the cut-off frequency of a given signal and the speed with which that cut-off is reached. Depending on the unit in question, you can control various parameters that affect how much signal is required to trigger the effect, how soon the effect should kick in and/or end, and what the start and end frequencies should be. Unlike some other effects, it has to be understood in the time domain since its defining characteristics change over the duration of a note.

It's probably most commonly used as a low-pass filter which opens up after the initial attack, however I use it the opposite way in my EHX Microsynth in order to mimic the popular synth bass sound of late '70s funk (a la Bernie Worrell).
 
#57
rsmith601 said:
NAMM 2015 Announcements should be monitored! :)
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I just KNEW that SA peeps would pop up! I tried to keep the comment even-handed and should note that I still own my SB Pro BEF. Great piece of gear. If it would do the same type of preset save that my Sansamp Deluxe has (where the dial settings are stored digitally / analog signal path) it would be the one envelope filter to rule them all! Stomping around a pedalboard can cause a dial to take a bump and change an effect. Tapping the preset to restore it would be rad.

That said, it's ideal for recording applications where you can fine-tune at your leisure.

Sorry about the critique, as it only applies to a minority of your great products... but TalkBass is one of those places where open discussion actually yields TANGIBLE results!
 
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#58
Pudge Fish said:
I just KNEW that SA peeps would pop up! I tried to keep the comment even-handed and should note that I still own my SB Pro BEF. Great piece of gear. If it would do the same type of preset save that my Sansamp Deluxe has (where the dial settings are stored digitally / analog signal path) it would be the one envelope filter to rule them all! Stomping around a pedalboard can cause a dial to take a bump and change an effect. Tapping the preset to restore it would be rad.

That said, it's ideal for recording applications where you can fine-tune at your leisure.

Sorry about the critique, as it only applies to a minority of your great products... but TalkBass is one of those places where open discussion actually yeilds TANGIBLE results!
Click to expand...
I thought your comments were not only fair, but also helpful. I read TB regularly so that I can better learn what you all want and then we can better make what you all want and need. Thank you for helping with the journey!
 
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