Robotalk Envelope Filter/Arpeggiator

After four months of use, I'm upping my rating of the Robotalk (2). I found that I didn't have much use for the envelope filter, but I use an expression pedal (a Boss EV-1) to control the Lo-Pass Filter a LOT as a freaky wah. While in envelope filter mode, adjusting the Frequency knob gets a huge range of Q, from an ultra low frequency thump to a squealing nasal shriek. I like to fine tune it to get a useable wah sound, and on one song, I tweak it so it has a big range and use it as a percussive effect. I'm just lucky that the frequency that I use the most for the wah effect is also just where I want it for the Sample n' Hold effect. The one drawback is that if I want to use the Envelope Filter effect, I have to unplug the expression pedal, but since I've discovered how cool the Lo-Pass Filter effect is, it's not a concern for me right now.

This thing could rate 10 or 0 depending on how you are using it and your level of patience.  If you are patient and you are pushing it with some sort of boost it is pure PRIME RIB and a tasty 10 outta 10!  The envelope is thick, vocal and expressive, and the arpeggiator is deep and sonorous.  However you will find NONE of this without it boosted.  I spent 1 week with nothing but garbage sound, when engaged my tone and volume died, the filter was tinny and anaemic, and the arpeggiator was weak and unstable.  As I was unwilling to install a boost on my already crowded board simply to use this thing it was off the board in short order. I am giving it a 10 here only because it really did sound great once boosted.

The basic principles of use on this are dead easy and warrant a 10 in this category. However the physical interface is so poor making this item completely useless for anything outside of a jamspace or studio noodle application.  Try fine tuning this in a gig setting and you will be a tortured individual.  Dialing in the sweetspots (and the sweet spots are SWEET...when you find them) is made almost impossible by the smallness of the two most important controls.  The sweet spots are found by dialing in the Volume, Rate, range and frequency knobs.  Volume and rate controls are large, nicely spaced and their settings are clearly indicated.  However the really critically controls in this equation are the range and frequency controls.  These are spaced so close together that they are difficult to change without disturbing the settings of the other knob.  It is also impossible to clearly see the setting as there is no obviously marker and are the size of a bacon bit!!

I have been playing many different forms of music for 11 years, and have a lot of fun on my own creating ambient and sometimes chaotic sound sculptures using my boomerange.  I use a 50w point to point custom Morris amp and an extensive range of boutique and vintage stomp units.  This box rates on the side of "well-thought out" as probably my worst acquisition ever along with the ZVEX seekwah (which suffered almost the exact same drawbacks!!).  The circuit is obviously pristine and bang on, but the tone and volume loss and ridiculous interface make me want to scream. My suggestion to XOTIC is to leave the circuit as is, enlarge and space the range and frequency controls and resolve the VOLUME/TONE loss issue.  With these issues resolved I'd buy one of these in two shakes of a lambs tail and would probably be willing to pay a good slice of fudge more too boot!

I just played around with this. This sounds like what Les Claypool of Primus used on the Oysterhead CD, and this does a great job at it(I wouldn't be surprised if it is the exact type of pedal he uses). It doesn't produce too much noise, although the Envelope Filter can make some souder resonant sounds. Once you dial it in, the E.F. really sounds great, no matter the range, it has a very wide-open filter sweep and the filter is very resonant and smooth, and radical. The Arpegiator is the extra sound, in my opinion. The E.F. is the best sound on this. The last reviewer seemed to think the opposite, so this is a versatile pedal. Also with an expression pedal this can give you radical wide-wah sweeps too. So this pedal may have multiple uses in the studio or live, and it really does all of these things well.

It is housed in a Hammond-style metal case like the MXR pedals. It seems very durable.

This is easy to use, and with a bit of turning of the Frequency and range knobs, you can get the range you need for your instrument, because it will vary depending on the dynamic range of your Bass, Guitar, Keyboard, etc.There are no patches to edit--simply set it and forget it, although admittedly the optimal settings for the Random Arpegiator would be different than those for the Envelope filter, but if you need both effects, you can dial in a setting that works for the Arpegiator(really a Sample/Hold LFO controlling the filter sweep) and it will still be good for the EF.I didn't use a manual so this is very intuitive. This is an early version of the pedal.

Have never dealt with this company.

I play all styles of music and enjoy Alt-rock, jazz-rock, and everything in between. I have been playing on and off for over 20 years. I own some other pedals, an older Japan-made Ibanez guitar, and some drums. I would not replace it if it were lost or stolen, but I would get another one if I wanted to perform and use the slick Envelope filter live, because I think it is the most radical and effective EF I have had, but it may not be everyone's cup of tea.It is a good value and it is a nice pedal to have if you like to use subtractive synthesis to spice up your electric sound. A very nice Analog effects pedal.