Waldorf 2 Pole Analogue Filter Review

[admarhermans]

I've been using it for a few weeks now as one of my effects in my bass guitar rig. I borrowed it first to try it out and ordered my own just yesterday.

I put it in a loop of my Basswitch EQ/DI. And that makes it possible to bypass the unit together with the compressor pedal behind it (turn it on and of) with just  the Basswitch noisless operating footswitch. Clean!

It works very well for me! Better than previous Moogerfooger and EHX effects that share some of the  Waldorf's flavours, but either had some quality issues (EHX) or tweak /tonal/ level issues for me (Moogerfooger), and the sound guy / FOH engineer, haha! 

So, just keep in mind and understand: this is not a synth! 

This unit is really (just) an effects pedal and will work nicely together with other guitar and bass pedals. Just take some time to set it all up, especially using it to perform live with a (bass) guitar. Just try whatever comes to your mind With pedals there's no rules really, only sounds you like or dislike.

You can place octavers in front and drive pedals in front and/or after it. It's like a VW Golf GTI, really: no frills, no complaits, not super quality but it will perform... If it said 'Peavey' on it, I would feel even more secure for that matter.

Other pedal have an impact or will be affected in various ways, depending on their place in the signal chain. That's the coolest thing really and the reason I love analog (guitar!) pedals above multi-effects units or the pedals specific 'designed' for bass.

I use:
- distortion: old crappy Boss HM-3 is really amazing! / Moog Minifooger Drive (still learning/ exploring)
- fuzz pedals: vintage style warm germanium fuzz (by BQ-Music) or heavier Way Huge fuzz
- octavers: old Boss OC-2 (just octave-1) and Redwitch Factotum 
- Ring Mod. (sometimes: Way Huge)
- chorus (sometimes: a MXR micro chorus)

The Waldorf only needs some compression to tame some of the peaks. That's why I put a compressor after it in the loop.
And it works best with a four string passive bass (It lives Höfners!). I use mostly flatwounds or tapewounds and a tone that's mainly light on treble and the extreme lows. So everybody loves the 'low end' they think they hear. 

I use a expression pedal with the Waldorf for some sounds. Use more than one, if you have some laying around....

The housing isn't super tough, but stronger than most large EHX units. So I'm just that little bit more carefull. Everybody drives their plastic cars these days too, so....

It's a great pedal and when used correctly (I'm still learning) it truly will make my rig sound like Moog heaven or analog dub (step...). To keep my band mates and sound guys happy, I really have to take care of the levels. But that's ok really, because It's always an issue for bass players. We've got to learn to keep the volume (and low end) down on stage (or better, in the back of the pub/ tiny club) and let the PA do the work for us.

Most important to know (if you managed to finish reading all of this toy stuff....): the best thing about all the effects crap is that you can turn it off 70% of the time and just play the bass, haha! That's why I'm even happier with the quality the Waldorf brings for the 199, - euros. It's a VW!

[BecomingEugen]

very nice revier, just wished you took your time with every knob nice and smooth

[inthefade]

Gain is always additive iirc. Makes sense it would have to be all the way off. Trim would reduce the signal?

[anonymusum]

A synth would have been the much better sound source.

[admarhermans]

I use the Waldorf with my bass guitar set up. Is there a simple easy to use pulse or drum machine (no App) I can use to drive the VC input for me?

[Grauskegg]

"I havnt read the manual".. and you review this product?

[RandomCrapOfTheLane]

Can this be routed in to a DJ mixer so I could use it while playing?

[claytonlevibrown]

hate to break it to you but if the thing self oscillates you're not getting "mad harmonics" on the top of the resonance because that sound is already built in, what you're hearing is a parallel of both the oscillation and the mixture of sound, it's not giving you any harmonics.

[julianhill]

DJ`s not knowing how to use a gain . . . . nothin` new there then eh ? heh heh

[Wijnfles]

r2d2 that u? - the self oscillating really sounds like it

[lucasshwa]

this beat and filter is luke vibert all the way

[t.n.]

Can barely even hear the sound over your voice...

[therealsweep]

Ok, so it makes crappy sounds with crappy drum loops. What about other applications? What about using it as an expander for a keyboard? It has some kind of CV option, but the review never mentioned that. Can you trigger it as you play notes on a keyboard with CV output? What about keyboards with MIDI but no CV output - which are probably the exact ones you'd want to add a stand-alone filter to? Poor review, and massive omission by Waldorf.

[ajundly]

Dude, that thing wasn't doing anything...

[przemysawbaran]

Filtra ludzie chcą kurwa posłuchać a nie Ciebie ( ͡° ʖ̯ ͡°)