The Meris Enzo X is a polyphonic guitar synthesizer in pedal form, and its central promise is the one players ask about first: it tracks chords using polyphonic pitch detection with no special pickup necessary1. You plug a standard guitar into it and the pedal generates synth voices from what you play. Meris calls it a Modular Instrument Synthesizer, and Delicious Audio described it as "an upgraded version of their popular polyphonic synth pedal," the original Meris Enzo2.
It was announced in February 2025, with the first batch expected to ship in early March of that year, at a list price of $5993. The pedal is designed and built in California, in a Translucent Gold enclosure with a subtle metallic flake1.
What the Enzo X does
The Enzo X turns your instrument into a synthesizer without the hexaphonic pickup and 13-pin cable that older guitar synth systems required. Its pitch detection is polyphonic, so it reads full chords, not just single notes1. Six polyphonic voices can be used simultaneously5, and each voice contains two oscillators, a filter, a filter envelope and an amp envelope4. That is a full subtractive-synth voice per string, the same basic architecture as a hardware polysynth.
The pedal sits in Meris's larger "X" enclosure, adopting the same design and UI as the company's MercuryX reverb and LVX modular delay systems3. Delicious Audio notes that its effect section "borrows the modular approach of the two previous 'X' releases," meaning you route the synth through onboard processing blocks rather than a fixed chain2. Those blocks include five different drives (bitcrush, op amp, transistor, tube, and volume pedal)3, a stereo delay with up to 2.5 seconds of delay time and five modulation types4, plus reverb and modulation. Gearnews also points to a high-quality Analog Devices JFET input stage feeding the converters4.
Synth modes and voice architecture
The Enzo X offers five synthesizer modes, including Mono, Polyphonic and Dry Processing modes1. The original Enzo carried four modes, Poly, Mono, Arp and Dry, with Poly described by Meris as a multi-voice synthesizer with polyphonic chord tracking and Mono as a single-voice dual-oscillator synth with monophonic tracking6. Pedal of the Day's 2019 review of the original listed the same four: Polyphonic, Monophonic, Arpeggiated and Dry7.
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Polyphonic | Multi-voice synth with polyphonic chord tracking6 |
| Mono | Single-voice dual-oscillator synth with monophonic tracking6 |
| Arp | Arpeggiated synth mode7 |
| Dry | Processes the incoming signal rather than replacing it1 |
The Dry modes are where the Pitch knob changes jobs: Meris says it "selects the base pitch in semitones relative to the input signal," transposing the synth in Mono, Poly and Arp modes and pitch-shifting the incoming signal in Dry modes1.
The controls and footswitches
The front panel lines up four footswitches, four LED buttons, an onboard screen display, and seven control knobs5. The LED buttons mimic the footswitches for desktop use, so you can program sounds at a bench without stomping anything1. Presets live in 99 locations organized into 33 banks8.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pitch knob | Selects the base pitch in semitones relative to the input signal1 |
| Filter knob | Sets the filter's cutoff frequency, shaping brightness or darkness1 |
| Level knob | Controls the overall output level of the oscillator section1 |
| C1 knob | Adjusts the favorite parameter on the Preset Page; selects in Edit Pages1 |
| Foot Switch 1 | Engages or bypasses the preset1 |
| LED Buttons 1 and 2 | Activate or bypass presets; mirror Foot Switches 1 and 2 for desktop users1 |
There is a dedicated expression pedal jack with assignable control for multiple parameters simultaneously1, and MIDI In and Out over standard DIN jacks1 for preset switching and external control. Firmware is at v1.5.5 as of October 20261.
Power and connections
The Enzo X runs on 9V DC center-negative at 300mA through a 2.1mm jack1. That current draw rules out a battery and means it needs its own isolated output or a supply rated for it, not a shared daisy chain with low-draw analog pedals.
At 300mA, the Enzo X draws more than most analog pedals. Plan for a power supply output that can deliver it on its own.
Connections include L Mono In, R In, L Mono Out, R Out, a Line/Synth level switch, expression, MIDI In, MIDI Out, and USB-C9. Input impedance is 1 Meg Ohm1, and max input level is +9 dBu at the instrument level setting or +12.5 dBu at the line/synth level setting1. The enclosure is 7.25 inches wide and 4.5 inches long, the same depth and height as all other Meris pedals, and weighs 24 ounces1. Audio specs include a 48,000 Hz sample rate, 115 dB typical signal-to-noise ratio, and 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response1.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Enzo X in July 2025 and came away with a strong verdict10:
"it's a very capable instrument in its own right"
The reviewer's point was that the Enzo X is more than a noise machine: it functions as a playable instrument rather than just an effect bolted onto a guitar signal10.
Videos
Meris
The Pedal Zone
Harp Lady
Questions
What is the difference between the Meris Enzo and the Enzo X?
The Enzo X is an upgraded version of the original Enzo polyphonic synth pedal. It moves to the larger enclosure, screen and UI Meris uses on the LVX delay and MercuryX reverb, adds 99 preset locations, and borrows the modular signal-routing approach of those two pedals, with onboard drive, modulation, delay and reverb sections. It lists at $599.
Is the Meris Enzo X true bypass?
The bypass is selectable. You can run it as true bypass using a relay, or as analog buffered bypass, which is the safer choice in a long pedalboard chain or when you want the synth engine to stay engaged. Both options are built into the pedal.
Does the Enzo X work in stereo?
Yes. It has stereo input and output with separate jacks for each channel, plus a line/synth level option. The onboard stereo delay gives up to 2.5 seconds of delay time with five modulation types.
How many voices of polyphony does the Enzo X have?
Six polyphonic voices can be used simultaneously. Each voice contains two oscillators, a filter, a filter envelope and an amp envelope, so a full chord gets a complete synth voice per note.
Does the Enzo X have MIDI?
Yes. It has MIDI In and Out over standard 5-pin DIN jacks, plus USB-C. MIDI lets you switch presets, sync the arpeggiator and control parameters from an external controller.
Sources (10)
- Enzo X - Meris, Meris
- Meris Enzo X Synth Pedal, Delicious Audio, 2025-09-30
- Meris's new Enzo X is touted as the “polyphonic monster” of synth pedals, Guitar.com, 2025-02-21
- Meris Enzo X: The Future of Creative Sound Design in a Pedal, gearnews.com, 2025-02-19
- Meris' Enzo X may have revolutionized guitar synth pedals, Guitar World, 2025-02-24
- Enzo - Meris, Meris
- Meris Enzo Multi-Voice Synthesizer, Pedal of the Day, 2019-03-08
- 10th Anniversary (Limited Edition), Meris
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2025-02-19
- Meris Enxo X Synth Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2025-07-21
