Recommendations for a fat sounding envelope filter with up and down modes?

Jan 21, 2003
1,050
1,518
4,581
Hi guys, I'm looking for a filter pedal and I'm wondering if I've overlooked anything notable.

I want one with both up and down modes, preferably analog to reduce power consumption and have some control over volume -whether that be overall volume or clean and dry levels.

I don't like the MXR one as it only has the 'up' mode and was too 'bwappy'!
The classic FX25 DOD had too little control and was too 'peaky'.
The Boss FT-2 was difficult to open the filter unless playing really hard.
The EBS Bass IQ was quite good but not fantastic and the old large Electro Harmonic QTron Plus was very complicated to dual in and without overall volume compensation.

Wonderlove, Emma and EHX Enigma all look interesting but there's no way I can try without buying....

Any other suggestions?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Driven Crane
EHX all the way, I own the Riddler which is the guitar version of the Enigma and it works great on guitar bass and keys. The attack/ decay controls are way better then up/down modes IMO as they allow much more fine tuning. Also the start/ stop let you really sculpt the envelope shape and frequency range. You can do some really weird stuff by inverting them and cranking the sensitivity, and having 3 filter modes is sweet. No volume control but the mix helps and you can adjust the input signal and sensitivity for fine tuning.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk
I did a thread not dissimilar to this recently:

Small(er) form envelope filter?

My vote among the many I've tried is the EHX.

Of others that are close, the maxon af9 sounds great but had a pretty large volume jump for me (tho others don't experience it, it seems rig dependent), the EBS I had a similar experience to yours it was good but not great, and the HAZ mutron iii+ was great but waaaaay too big.

I'm prolly gonna try to get my hands on a keeley neutrino at some point to try
 
It's really a shame more envelope filters don't come with a post effect boost/cut. There's really not that many that do, it makes your query a hard one.

I'd say the Maxon should also be on your list, it's fantastic sounding in both up and down mode and I've never played a fatter filter. If you're lucky and it doesn't increase the volume in your rig (for whatever reason it does that to some and not others) it should do the job fantastically well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bob_Ross
I bought one in 2006. I never leaned how to work it well....especially how to store my own FXs. help appreciated.
Saving patches is incredibly easy.

Once you have the sound you want, press the 'Write' button. The display will start flashing. Use the up and down keys to enter the bank you want (1-10). Then press the footswitch where you want to store that patch. The light on that footswitch will light up. Then press 'Write' again.

That's it.

If you ever want to change that setting, press 'Edit', make your changes, then save it, using the same procedure as above.
 
  • Like
Reactions: web824
EHX all the way, I own the Riddler which is the guitar version of the Enigma and it works great on guitar bass and keys. The attack/ decay controls are way better then up/down modes IMO as they allow much more fine tuning. Also the start/ stop let you really sculpt the envelope shape and frequency range. You can do some really weird stuff by inverting them and cranking the sensitivity, and having 3 filter modes is sweet. No volume control but the mix helps and you can adjust the input signal and sensitivity for fine tuning.
^This.

With most envelope filters, you'd better like the baked-in tone, voicing and response; otherwise, it's not going to work for you. With the Riddle/Enigma, you can fine tune the tone, voicing and response to your liking.

YMMV, of course.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sunset Shalom
^This.

With most envelope filters, you'd better like the baked-in tone, voicing and response; otherwise, it's not going to work for you. With the Riddle/Enigma, you can fine tune the tone, voicing and response to your liking.

YMMV, of course.

I am consistently amazed by how versatile the Riddle is, and I haven't even messed with the built in distortion much. Still need to mod the internal trim pot to the surface.

I love how it sounds with fuzz and distortion, especially in the HP mode for some gnarly snarling mechanical alien noises drool it can go from very subtle to extreme filtering.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FilterFunk