The Pigtronix Echolution 2 Filter Pro is a multi-tap stereo modulation delay pedal from Pigtronix, part of the second generation of the company's Echolution line. It is a digital-based pedal with analog elements in the family's design, and it carries the same processing engine as its sibling, the Echolution 2 Ultra Pro, in a control set simplified for stage use12.
The pedal creates echoes from 10ms up to 10 seconds long, holds up to 60 presets, and offers MIDI control plus USB connectivity for saving and sharing presets1. It shipped worldwide starting in August 2015, replacing the earlier E2 Basic in the Pigtronix range3.
What it is and where it came from
The Echolution 2 line began as Pigtronix's flagship delay system, described by the company's press materials as a massively flexible multi-tap stereo modulation delay with customizable filter, LFO and pitch-shifting options, expression pedal and envelope control of every knob, and complete MIDI control of every function5. Vintage Guitar reported that the Echolution 2 uses analog tone shaping and digital signal processing, and the series combines 100% analog Class-A discrete transistors, a non-linear tape emulator stage and filters, and an all-analog dry signal path64.
At Summer NAMM 2015, Pigtronix announced a reshuffle of the range: the Echolution 2 Filter Pro (E2F) replaced the E2 Basic, while the Echolution 2 Ultra Pro replaced the Echolution 2 Deluxe. The new pedals shipped worldwide in August 20153. Guitar World framed the pair as the line's ultimate realization, arriving 10 years after the original Echolution's introduction5.
The Filter Pro's place in the range is defined by its relationship to the Ultra Pro. According to the manufacturer, it has the processing power of Ultra Pro with a simpler set of controls2. Guitar Interactive Magazine described the Filter Pro as providing all the processing power and flexibility of the E2 Ultra Pro while presenting a streamlined user interface for use on stage4.
The controls
Pedal of the Day's review walks through the panel:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Time | Sets delay time, alongside the Tap switch |
| Repeats | Sets the number of repeats |
| Mix | Sets the delay level against the dry signal |
| Speed | Controls the modulation portion |
| Depth | Controls the modulation portion |
| Tap switch | Selects tempo manually or via Tap, and doubles as a Preset selector |
Tempo can be set either manually with a knob or with the Tap switch, and the Tap switch also serves as the preset selector1.
The wider Echolution 2 platform adds depth beyond the knobs. The Echolution 2 application's advanced options allow envelope control of individual parameters to be enabled, along with the strength of the mapping, the direction, and the release time of each control7. The Ultra Pro's panel, for comparison, carries six knobs, eight buttons, two footswitches, six banks of multi-segment LEDs, MIDI In/Out and a USB port8, and its filter section offers four filters: low pass, tape, comb and sweep, with any of the first three combinable with the sweep filter and modulated by the LFO8.
Presets are a core feature. The Filter Pro stores up to 60 presets1, and the Echolution 2 line shipped with 60 factory Pigtronix presets as a starting point, which can be edited and stored9.
What reviewers said
Reviews of the Filter Pro itself are scarce; most published coverage addresses the shared Echolution 2 platform or the Ultra Pro.
Pedal of the Day reviewed the Filter Pro directly in 2017 and found it powerful but demanding1:
"While this pedal looks complicated, well, it is. BUT…you can sit down with it and start getting great sounds in about 5 seconds as well."
The same review described the pedal as an extremely flexible, option-filled, preset-ridden, multi-tap stereo modulation delay, and said it provides an exponential amount of both vintage and modern sounds, encapsulating the warmth and grittiness of delay of decades past while embracing modern advances for richer, fuller sounds1.
Of the shared platform, Guitar.com's review of the Ultra Pro concluded that the Echolution 2 Ultra Pro proves to be a genuinely awesome tool for manipulating and modulating delays, and found its 24-bit sound impossible to fault8. Guitar World reported that the original Echolution 2 instantly became a top-seller, earning rave reviews and awards worldwide7.
The Echolution 2 line has since been superseded. In September 2021 Pigtronix introduced the Echolution 3, a slimmer multi-tap stereo modulation delay, so the Filter Pro is an earlier-generation pedal on the secondhand and remaining-new market.
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Questions
What is the difference between the Echolution 2 Filter Pro and Ultra Pro?
According to the manufacturer, the Filter Pro has the processing power of the Ultra Pro with a simpler set of controls. Guitar Interactive Magazine described it as providing all the processing power and flexibility of the E2 Ultra Pro while presenting a streamlined user interface for use on stage. The Ultra Pro adds more knobs, buttons, MIDI In/Out and a USB port for direct editing.
Does the Echolution 2 Filter Pro have MIDI?
Yes. Pedal of the Day's review lists MIDI control plus USB connectivity to save and share presets, and the Echolution 2 family is listed as MIDI-supported by Disaster Area Designs, whose supported-devices list covers all versions of the pedal.
How many presets does the Echolution 2 Filter Pro hold?
Up to 60 presets. Pedal of the Day noted the capacity to store up to sixty presets, and the wider Echolution 2 line shipped with 60 factory Pigtronix presets as a starting point, which can be edited and stored.
What is the maximum delay time on the Echolution 2 Filter Pro?
10 seconds. Pedal of the Day reported a delay range of 10ms to 10 full seconds, matching the wider Echolution 2 spec of echoes from 10ms up to 10 seconds long.
Is the Echolution 2 Filter Pro analog or digital?
It is a digital-based pedal with analog elements. Pedal of the Day grouped it with newer digital-based delay pedals, while the Echolution 2 series combines analog and digital processing, including 100% analog Class-A discrete transistors, a tape emulator stage and an all-analog dry signal path.
Sources (9)
- Pigtronix Echolution 2 Filter Pro Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2017-05-01
- Pigtronix Echolution2 Ultra Pro Review, Premier Guitar, 2016-05-16
- Summer NAMM 2015: Pigtronix Launches Pitch Shifting Echolution 2 Multi-Tap Delay Pedals, Guitar World, 2015-07-09
- Pigtronix Release Echolution 2 Filter Pro and Ultra Pro Delay Pedals, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-11-09
- Pigtronix Ships New Echolution 2 Pedals, Launches Website, Offers Free Upgrade to All E2 Users, Guitar World, 2015-10-19
- Pigtronix Intros Echolution 2, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2014-01-15
- Pigtronix Releases Echolution 2 Version 2.0 Firmware and New Application, Guitar World, 2014-07-17
- Pigtronix Echolution 2 Ultra Pro review, Guitar.com, 2016-02-29
- Pigtronix Launches Echolution 2 & Deluxe Models, Premier Guitar, 2014-01-15
