H90 as a bass stompbox: Replacement for Highpassfilter, Octaver and Envelope?

[Nitrofunk]

Hi!

A few questions about the H90 as a stompbox for bass:

– Can the Eventide H90s EQ replace a dedicated highpass-filter (the Broughton “always on”, in my case)? And what about compressors? Does anyone of you use the H90s compressor instead of a pedal compressor?

– Are there any really convincing octaver and envelope-filter-presets (OC-2 and Mutron-style)?

– Does the “source type” affect the tone of the effect itself or just the tracking? I want to run my Moog-synth through the H90, too, but don’t want to switch between “bass” and “guitar” as source type the whole time. I’m not using any pitch-shift effects on the moog, just some reverb and a flanger.

Thanks!

Peter

[brock]

– I’d keep the Broughton. I don’t know that I’d use up one of the Preset slots as an always-on effect.  You might get low enough with EQ Compressor’s parametric, but I think the shelving filters are too high for your purposes, and not as steep.  There are shelving filters in many of the algorithms, but the HP offerings for high pass filters are more effect-y than utility.

– I have an outboard dBX for the grunt work, but you really can’t beat the OmniPressor mode in DynaVerb.  It does a little bit of everything, and then some. There are a few situations where I could use a little more range from the parameters.  Keep in mind that the distortion algos also have auto-level type compression.

– Presets, I’m not sure.  I build my own.  That said, there’s probably a half-dozen or more algorithms capable of envelope filter effects.  The same can be said for 1 octave & 2 octaves below.  There are ways to combine both octaving & envelope filtering, or even add a Mutron III Drive to it all.  Many times within a single slot; all at one time.  For clean octaves, the new Polyphony SIFT algorithm is cutting-edge.

– Pitch tracking, filters, and tone controls.  Synths are tough on the source type.  Huge range.  I can usually compensate using its own filters with a ‘Guitar’ source.  More rarely, I’ll focus it with a Lead setting.  I don’t run a bass through the H90 often enough to speak intelligently about the differences Source Type would make there.

[zambiland]

I use an H90 for bass all the time, but I don’t ask it to do the things you are discussing. For that I have a Micro-Tron, various compressors, and a Future Impact which excel at their duties with lots of flexibility and the ability to adjust on the fly at a gig. While I might be able to shoe horn all those things into the H90, I much prefer it for time based effects (it replaced a Lexicon MPX G2). I don’t see it as an all in one unit like the Helix, etc., but as a sonic palette to explore spatial effects. I love it. But I also get to play with adventurous textures that are not limited to traditional bass tones or function.

I think it would be an easy matter to find a source type that would be a compromise between different types of inputs. I use reverb and a flanger on my bass all the time and I don’t see why they wouldn’t work for a Moog without changing the source type.

[fiddlercrabseason]

Definitely keep the Broughton.  And, as a bass player who kept his comp & OC on the board, I suggest you do the same with those too.  There are algos that can do very (very) good comp, OC & envelope.  But personally, I wouldn’t commit one of my H90 slots to any of those.  Sure, there are times when something I’m using in one slot needs a little taming (either going in, or coming out), so I’ll throw a comp, EQ, gate, et al in the other slot.  And it is fantastic to have that option.  But I’m definitely not going to leave any of those things operational for the long term.  I defer to @brock on the source type questions.

All that said, don’t dismiss the H90 based on it not being able to do X, Y or Z.  1) In general, I think that approach is a recipe for disappointment, and 2) IMHO, the H90 is much more than a ‘stompbox’.  Think “pro level signal processing in pedal format’.

Get one.  Try it for a while – along *with* your comp & OC.  If it’s not your jam, either return it or sell it.   No harm, no foul.

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