Meris Enzo synth

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burpgun
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Meris Enzo synth

Post by burpgun » Fri Sep 21, 2018 7:00 am

Anybody get their hands on one of these Meris Enzo synth pedals? They're listed as out-of-stock right now.

Based on the demos I've seen this looks like the ultimate pedal for that sort of analog synth sound. I'm absolutely jonesing for one, even with the price being what it is. Here's the company link if anyone feels like checking it out: https://www.meris.us/product/enzo/

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by popvulture » Sat Sep 22, 2018 5:42 pm

They look super cool to me but I still wanna play one and see if it's something I'd actually use. I fear that (for me personally) it could end up being a bit of a novelty. It sounds really great and does some pretty impressive stuff—then again I'm kinda wondering if I'd just wanna just... play those kinds of things on a synth, haha.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Sun Sep 23, 2018 2:23 am

The Enzo might be what I've been looking for for bass. Hmm... Thanks for the heads-up!
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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by burpgun » Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:20 am

I have an EHX Microsynth that I've end up using more as a weird distortion unit, so I'd like to get something a little more versatile. This particular pedal seems to have so much going on, and I say that as someone who's got a Roland GK Midi pickup clipped on their Jazzmaster and has goofed around with guitar-driven synths for a long time.

What gives me pause is buying expensive pedals based on audio demos alone. I bought that EXH Mellotron thing when it first came out and sold it in short order. Was so excited for it, but it was just shrill and not worth a spot in the limited real estate of my board. I also bought a used Hologram Dream Sequence that's been kinda underwhelming, especially for the price. Those experiences do you give one pause when something new and flashy comes along.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Sep 24, 2018 5:27 pm

burpgun wrote:
Mon Sep 24, 2018 6:20 am
I have an EHX Microsynth that I've end up using more as a weird distortion unit, so I'd like to get something a little more versatile. This particular pedal seems to have so much going on, and I say that as someone who's got a Roland GK Midi pickup clipped on their Jazzmaster and has goofed around with guitar-driven synths for a long time.

What gives me pause is buying expensive pedals based on audio demos alone. I bought that EXH Mellotron thing when it first came out and sold it in short order. Was so excited for it, but it was just shrill and not worth a spot in the limited real estate of my board. I also bought a used Hologram Dream Sequence that's been kinda underwhelming, especially for the price. Those experiences do you give one pause when something new and flashy comes along.
Dude, I'm exactly the same. I've had a few I was excited for and that didn't deliver for me. It also doesn't help that the demos that sound good a lot of times give me pause. Nick Jaffe's demos are very accurate and don't always make the pedals sound better than they are, but a lot do.
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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by popvulture » Tue Sep 25, 2018 6:47 am

Yeah totally agree with all that—I thought the Mel9 in particular sounded SO cool in demos, but trying it out was a different story. Shrill and overall shitty, at least IMHO.

On the other hand I do love the Micro Synth, but yes it's almost a completely different thing, more of kind of an envelope follower / resonant filter, I guess you'd say? A total classic, sounds fantastic, but definitely not trying to be a direct synth emulation kind of thing like the Enzo.

That said, the Enzo videos look very impressive. Just not convinced til I get to try one, though.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Jaguar018 » Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:40 am

I think guitar synth pedals are really cool, but generally a waste of money.

If you need synth sounds... where do you need to get them? Live? How many sounds in your band playing live will need this? Like two? Maybe for some weird solos? I dunno. If you are a basement/studio rocker: just get a synth, or some emulator on your computer. You'll be able to get a TON more sounds, and it would be good to figure out.

For the price of one of these you can get some cool random synths off Reverb, or a huge bank of digital versions on a computer.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by burpgun » Wed Sep 26, 2018 12:41 pm

Jaguar018 wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:40 am
I think guitar synth pedals are really cool, but generally a waste of money.

If you need synth sounds... where do you need to get them? Live? How many sounds in your band playing live will need this? Like two? Maybe for some weird solos? I dunno. If you are a basement/studio rocker: just get a synth, or some emulator on your computer. You'll be able to get a TON more sounds, and it would be good to figure out.

For the price of one of these you can get some cool random synths off Reverb, or a huge bank of digital versions on a computer.
So I've got some experience with this. In my old band we had a mix of synths and guitars on our album. In order to pull it off live and not add another guy and all that hassle, I used my Roland GK-2 and the GR synth unit to replicate the synths from the album, all with a guitar. Wasn't perfect, but it worked. I also have zero keyboard skills--some might even say the same of what I can do with a guitar--but I'm not cut off from that world because of the MIDI pickup. Hell, I even did an album's worth of drums, all programmed via a guitar.

When it comes to synth pedals, it's about expanding your pallet and pushing the guitar into new places. I'm interested in anything that gets the guitar beyond its expected parameters. Something like a Microsynth or this Meris pedal are ends unto themselves. Think of them like a monosynth. My Arturia Minibrute plays one note at a time, has no presets and analog sounds, so you work with it within those limitations. Same thing for a synth pedal.

If you're just doing straight ahead rock, yeah, these units probably aren't worth your time. But if you're aiming for new territory, they can help you get there.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by popvulture » Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:12 pm

I think especially if you don't play keys at all, this is sort of a no-brainer for expanding your sound. The big thing that's always been the head scratcher for me is that if you DO play keys, then you've got so much more control over things on a real synth vs a pedal, so why bother? Clearly it'd be great for some people, not so much for others. Just like anything, really.

But yep, anything that's gonna help you make great sounds, especially new/exciting ones—go for it!

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by burpgun » Thu Sep 27, 2018 3:44 pm

Well, I ordered one. No idea when I’m getting it but will be back with a report when I’ve got a sense of the thing.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by wproffitt » Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:19 pm

Oh boy,
This may be the next pedal I but that has no obvious purpose other than fun noise. I’ve discovered there are definitely two kinds of pedals I use: 1) those I performed with and 2) those I mess around with at home. I have fun with both, but for different reasons. This seems like it falls into category 2.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:55 pm

burpgun wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 12:41 pm
Jaguar018 wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 6:40 am
I think guitar synth pedals are really cool, but generally a waste of money.

If you need synth sounds... where do you need to get them? Live? How many sounds in your band playing live will need this? Like two? Maybe for some weird solos? I dunno. If you are a basement/studio rocker: just get a synth, or some emulator on your computer. You'll be able to get a TON more sounds, and it would be good to figure out.

For the price of one of these you can get some cool random synths off Reverb, or a huge bank of digital versions on a computer.
So I've got some experience with this. In my old band we had a mix of synths and guitars on our album. In order to pull it off live and not add another guy and all that hassle, I used my Roland GK-2 and the GR synth unit to replicate the synths from the album, all with a guitar. Wasn't perfect, but it worked. I also have zero keyboard skills--some might even say the same of what I can do with a guitar--but I'm not cut off from that world because of the MIDI pickup. Hell, I even did an album's worth of drums, all programmed via a guitar.

When it comes to synth pedals, it's about expanding your pallet and pushing the guitar into new places. I'm interested in anything that gets the guitar beyond its expected parameters. Something like a Microsynth or this Meris pedal are ends unto themselves. Think of them like a monosynth. My Arturia Minibrute plays one note at a time, has no presets and analog sounds, so you work with it within those limitations. Same thing for a synth pedal.

If you're just doing straight ahead rock, yeah, these units probably aren't worth your time. But if you're aiming for new territory, they can help you get there.
I agree, but I'd also like to add that there are some people, and I consider myself one, who like the in-between areas between a guitar and synth that you can't get with either (at least maybe not easily). I like the sound of a bass with a synthy kind of gain, like Janek Gwizdala does, shown here.
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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Jaguar018 » Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:24 am

I totally respect those approaches burpgun and Shadoweclipse13. I think they are totally solid.

I guess it's more a word of caution for the impulse buyers and the people that suddenly think they'll be able to sound like Bernie Worrell on a guitar. Guitar-to-synth technology is getting better and better, but it's still kind of limiting. Using it for some extra spice is good, or for some bits here and there-- but I don't think anyone is under the illusion that they are going to sound like a dead on Moog/Arp whatever.

Now if I could only become a better synth player and figure out how to use them more effectively. :mellow:

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by burpgun » Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:15 am

I'm definitely a big fan of layers synth sounds and normal guitar sounds. It's a great way to get epic Sigur Ros type sounds, super lush. Basically, I'm a fan of guitar synth tech and pedals to get to new places. I'm surprised more guitar players don't explore it.

Here's one good and bad thing about this type of tech. Because strings and guitar technique are so different glitches are pretty standard. I came to welcome it as a source of unexpected, even organic, sounding outcomes.

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Re: Meris Enzo synth

Post by Shadoweclipse13 » Mon Oct 01, 2018 2:45 am

Jaguar018 wrote:
Fri Sep 28, 2018 7:24 am
I totally respect those approaches burpgun and Shadoweclipse13. I think they are totally solid.

...

Now if I could only become a better synth player and figure out how to use them more effectively. :mellow:
Thanks dude. I am fully intending to play proper synth as well, but I do appreciate the differences between instruments and the things you can get out of them. It's part of why my quest for a bass synth sound has been so challenging: I don't want something that sounds like a perfect copy of something else, I want something unique and unattainable with either bass or synth separately. Maybe I'm aiming too high, but I'm confident I'll find something that'll be cool as hell in any case ;D 8)
burpgun wrote:
Fri Sep 28, 2018 8:15 am
Here's one good and bad thing about this type of tech. Because strings and guitar technique are so different glitches are pretty standard. I came to welcome it as a source of unexpected, even organic, sounding outcomes.
Completely agree! I like messing around with sound effects as much as I do proper instruments. A few years back, I was messing with my Photo-theremin from Electro-Faustus, and running it through an EQD Arpanoid, fuzz, tremolo, and delay. Some of the weirdest, and coolest shizz I've ever heard.
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