All user reviews for the Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer (Original)

The EH Bass MicroSynthesizer is packaged in a black aluminum thinline box with green and black applied graphics for settings and logo. One in, one out. 10 sliders for Trigger, Voice Mix, Attack Delay and Filter Sweep. Single on/off stomp toggle. One 9V AC Adapter include in price. EH recommends that you don't try to power the unit in a chain from a single (V power source, but use the dedicated AC Adapter -- wise advise.

I tried out a friend's after hearing Nate Query of The Decemberists using one on 'The Hazards of Love.' Street price is $279.

The Bass Microsynthesizer offers sveral pedals in one: fuzz, envelope filter, octave box and more. Uisng the sliders, which determine effect volume, filter cutoff, sensitivity and initial attack time, you can tailor several sounds to your preferences. Octave effects work only on single notes but track well, and the ability to have a octave about' the actual note helps to flesh out the sound -- like Hendrix on bass! I'm a fan of controlled fuzz, the this machine delivers a square wave that is very smooth. It's also possible to get delayed attack that's approximates a volume pedal by ramping up Attack delay slider.

Price, for one thing. It's also a pain to have to either put the unit on a pedalboard and stoop over to adjust settings or mount it high and try to turn it on and off with your free hand. A remote on/off would be nice so you could keep the unit at waist level to adjust settings for on-the-fly changes.

Well made, but maybe not as heavy as you would like on a stompbox. Sliders seem prone to damage from a misplaced attempt to stomp on the toggle switch.

If you like far out bass effects, the EH Bass MicroSynthesizer offers several in one handy unit. Fuzz, envelope filter, octave above and below and attack delay let you satisfy your inner keyboard bass player.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Simple, effective, and vintage look 100% analog.

An on / off switch for the power supply adapter (no battery).
A bypass button for the foot.
10 knobs straight vertical hand ------->

Part mixer allows to reconstruct a sound by the addition of these four signals available:
- Guitar (the input signal but not quite neutral)
- Octave (octave suprieure gnre)
- Sub-octave (octave infrieure gnre)
- Square wave (waveform signal edge after the extreme hyper-saturated, so it falls on a "square", then analog synth sound).
It also has an amplitude envelope play:
- Attack (rising amplitude effect of the volume swell type)

A portion of the filter envelope evolves from a frquence rsonance bandpass another:
- Start freq
- Stop freq
- Rate (speed of transition freq freq start stop)
- Reso (resonant bandpass filter which evolves)
The filter envelope Get You Started on clean attack, adjustable thanks:
- Trigger (the sensitivity)

The freq freq start stop and have the same range, so we can go from serious or aige aige serious choice.

There is therefore a varieties of sounds by additive synthse one hand and envelope filter on the other. Finally, it is a traditional analog synth o oscillators are replaced by the output signal of the bass / guitar.

The IDE is simple and effective.

UTILIZATION

No memory although sr (100% analog) so you have to redo its rglages between songs, by noting on a piece of paper. It is not modern but it has a certain charm.

You can change frquence a live hand-to evolve the sound but the last ca dpend sustain the note. The sound ranges from a another frquence then stays there. on the other hand, it does not change the foot well from bypass sr. For a wah, wah-wah to a ...

on the other hand are made very easy with all the sounds you get the ide thanks its simple concept. Finally, the presets, they are in the head and ear.

SOUND QUALITY

Compared to other envelopes filters I tried matrise is greater with the Micro Synthesizer with the Q-Tron, for example, thanks to the knobs straight, so the sound is more Microsynth B. convincing. And then we have a good octave more! The FM4 Line6 not the same spirit, it is more exprimental more difficult rgler quickly and less vintage sound I think. Finally they are not really competing.

TRS also works well with a guitar. One note both the octave if it does not exist. The envelope filter is a phrase INTERESTED solo, and an octave riff (by blocking the filter with the trigger).

The panel is standard with imagination because the combinations rglages are great.
The doc provides examples of sounds for different uses (the typical squence, or typical moog). It should also play with the attack. In my humble opinion, pair it with a compressor and a noise-gate upstream would facilitate the use fingers for playing Electro-Harmonix recommends using a well mdiator for a sharp attack.

You have a low and you would like a moog on scne? Ben sailing.

OVERALL OPINION

The Bass Micro Synthesizer Electro-Harmonix is ​​located halfway between the wah and effects numriques Muls or more labora (multi-effects or FM4), but neither the one or the other! It allows to easily obtain the sound which is an ide thanks its simple concept. However, it remains appropriate and limit the sounds of bass lines. Do not be fooled by the term "synthesizer", which is just nanmoins, but in the spirit analogue synth, bass synth not fawn DX7.

It will bring the electro funk or rock'n'roll in your ... 100% analog.

It's an analog filter with an input and an output line is the audio, no midi.
TRIG paramettre the first is the sensitivity of the effect

Then the following four parameters are the part VOICE MIX, four tracks stop adjustable by individual volume.
The first "sub octave" is an octave, one octave below the source, the second is called "guitar", that his presence be the original source, but slightly less qq sets, I think- it, then the parameter "octave" is a sound that is supposed to be a octave above the source, which is not necessarily clear with a low, but more with a keyboard, for example, pui "square wave "is the filter of the most interresting boiboite is a kind of distortion that produces the filtered synthetic sound.

The following parameters ATTACK DELAY, defines the sound attack, its direct or delayed.

Then the four remaining parameters are the part FILTER SWEEP, a dynamic filter (see Q tron) fully paramétrable.D First we have the "resonance" or, shall I say, aggression frequencies of sound, then two parameter "start FEQ" and "stop freq", which respectively define the frequency of the beginning and the end of the frequency of sound, pui "rate" means the speed of action of the filter.

Basically, it makes you do "bioubiou," "greasy spoon" biiiiiiou "or" bouuuuuuui "selon.Et more! It's a miracle, this machine.

We regret still scrubbing the home ELECTROHARMONIX, after a while
the on / off button that has loose connections, and gives a dream machine that will turn off anytime ... just RHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !!!!!!!![ b]

UTILIZATION

This is the only downside to this wonder, this box is a true picture settings you have under the pied.Il takes a little time to use to understand how to use all these parameters, but that is not the problem. The catch is that you need to do all the settings by hand, know them all by heart (some sounds varrient a lot to near millimeter depending on the position of the button, for example, "rate" of FILTER SWEEP). Imagine you have to change between two pieces of her on stage, fell on to reach the cross-over at full speed, trying to get it right ... In my case, I never managed to find a desired sound live, prey stage in haste because of its nuances really are large and take a millimeter.
In addition, there is no way to save the settings .. HA, the charm of analog! We will therefore use the good old chips that will make marks on the box.
We also regret, or rather, it would be a machine you really titan if there avai access to an expression pedal, which is not the cas.Personnellement I ask up to hand to touch up her live as best they can ... but ... What sounds!!

SOUND QUALITY

Well done for her, really, because it is a synth sound that comes out of your bass, certainly, but not only, it is really sensitive, it is not froid.C is more an effect this machine is an extension of the instrument, and there's this incredible grain ... sounds at once derived from Star Trek, the vintage plastic, while having a real expression.PHOUUUUUUU

I still said that while quality sound suitable for a low, with separate notes, and its instrumental function of low boil down to two or three categories of sounds, which are assimilated many nuances.

You can also go through a keyboard, although concéquences long term are unknown, and rendering is also very good.

One more thing, for already in ELECTROHARMONIX, the slight overall loss of scale sonore.On then push the amp.

OVERALL OPINION

It's a gem.

Madmen of "electro vintage" jubileront.Les Kraftwerk fans fall by followers of Father terre.Les Funkseront transportés.Les blocked from Star Wars, Forbidden Planet, 2OO1 the Space Odyssey will not believe see when their ears !!!!! Even the slight ergonomic and strength of solder rather regrettable (a look "clumsy" which is a look). A fine imitation of vintage, one would really believes, and it is expressive.
Do not eat.

I do this more: ZE PEDAL for me it to turn your bass synthesizer.
It is purely analogue so we have a real warm, but not the memory capacity to store digital sets: short is all set to live.
Connections jack in / out jack and power supply
non-rack (type foot pedal)
I put an 8 because it does not connect anything more (Genus expression pedal to vary the frequency filter cutoff was ca vrément cool sof if you are ok for a circuit bent, me personally I prefer not to touch!)
Problem and the "analog" of having to set the knobs at each for the sound, without pre-sets.

UTILIZATION

This is not a fact like any other, must adapt, but once you know the role of each slider (on average 2 weeks if you triturated well) you know how to get sound.
I had no manual with the box except a small paper that explains some settings: it was enough to understand.

SOUND QUALITY

Then this is the best synthesizer I think (unless I am mistaken) that can be obtained from the three different types:
The synth-typed "laser" that does "" Piouuu ""
It's a bold muse (close to a synthetic or fuzz that would make me think of a Deeper underground Jamiroquai)
The sound-with Latakia "bbbooooooooOOOOOOOAAWWWW"
In short it is very poorly explained, so I know I suggest you look at this little video was made ​​with the hard webcam I certainly did anything but it gives an overview of sonoritées: http://youtube.com/ watch? v = CqeKIwPVOIQ ( http://youtube.com/watch?v=CqeKIwPVOIQ )
I think this pedal is the best question synth, although better now than Ibanez or Boss Syb 5.
I like overdrive added a post to death ca spit!

OVERALL OPINION

It'll soon be one month that I have this wonderful machine
as already said, the advantages and disadvantages of analogue. See for yourself
I tested several compact pedals like the synth but this is the best (or so through a microphone as MIDI Roland manufactures and connect the expander has an analog or modular, but I never tested it appears that not bad too)
It's expensive yes, but it's Electro-Harmonix!
With the experience I would not break the head buy a multi-effects, this pedal + saturation ca me all the sounds you want (to play the post rock and electro)

This is a company that has been an industry standard when it comes to high quality guitar and bass effects pedals. This company I believe started in the 70's with several high quality distortion and effects pedals that were used world wide by many touring and amateur musicians.

The bass synthesizer has been an extremely used effects pedal for many bass players. It has in my opinion a very sublte tone to it. Not a dominant effects modulation but rather an accompaniment type tone. I had used this pedal with my rig for a while but found that I really didn't prefer the overall tone that was inherent in this pedal.

UTILIZATION

Quick Specs:

True bypass
All analog design
Design optimized for bass guitar
2-pole analog resonant filter
4 Voice mixer section mixes: sub octave, original, octave up and square wave
Square wave voice can be used as a distortion tone
Start, stop filter frequency sliders with adjustable rate for full control over the filter's sweep direction and speed
Adjustable filter resonance control
Adjustable attack time control for fading-in notes
Tough and compact die-cast chassis
96DC-200BI power supply included

SOUND QUALITY

I had used this pedal with a Rickenback bass and a SWR bass amp. I never really could dial in a tone that I liked. The control were a bit confusing to me because at the time I was not all that familiar with synth pedals and how they operated. I was more used to delay and distortion boxes.

For me there are way to many control knobs that need to be tweaked in order to get a decent modulation. That is a bit of a deterrent for me as I like things to be easily laid out and simple. Most of the Electro Harmonics pedals are very easy to use and pretty self explanatory. I ended up getting rid or it fairly quickly.

OVERALL OPINION

If you are a bass player you could very well like this pedal. For me it was a bit bulky in size and not very user friendly. This particular model has been discontinued and now replaced with a newer modern one. Which is fairly more cosmetic than internally changed.

I think you can find these pedals on the use market pretty easily. I would recommend you try this pedal first if you have that option. You may or may not like how the pedal functions and sounds.

The Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer is the popular guitar synthesizer effect tailored specifically for bass guitar and bass frequencies. It's pretty much the same pedal except this one is designed for bass frequencies. It's an analog pedal that consists of a 1/4" input and a 1/4" output. It requires power from an Electro-Harmonix power supply and isn't rack mountable since it's a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

While it does take a bit of fiddling with to get completely comfortable, the Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer isn't too hard to use overall. It was really just a matter of trial and error for me, as I'd been used to the guitar Micro Synth and this was an easy enough crossover since the make up is quite similar if not the same. The sliders that the pedal has include voices for sub octave, guitar, octave, and square wave, as well as filter sweep parameters for resonance, rate, and both start and stop frequencies. It also has sliders for trig and for attack delay. The manual might be helpful but I haven't seen it so I can't say anything about it.

SOUND QUALITY

While I don't think that the Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer is the most practical effect in the world, it definitely does as advertised as then some. I guess I just don't think that many bass players would need these sorts of effects out there on the front lines, but even if you just use them in the studio or at home, they're a lot of fun to mess around with. You can get some pretty funky sounds with the Bass Micro Synth, and the palette of sounds is pretty versatile as well. While I don't think that too many people are going to be mistaking your bass for a synthesizer even with this box, it still gives you a variety of really cool, synth-like effects.

OVERALL OPINION

If you're primarily a bass player and are looking to expand your possible sounds, a quick way to really expand them is with the Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synthesizer. The tracking is surprisingly good with this pedal, and while I think that some of the effects are more practical than others, it's an awesome overall pedal for bass players who want to experiment a little bit. I don't know of any pedals out there for bass that can match the flexibility and unique sound of the Bass Micro Synth.