The Source Audio Soundblox 2 Manta Bass Filter is a bass envelope filter pedal with distortion built in. Released on January 15, 2014, it is the next generation of Source Audio's Soundblox Pro Bass Envelope Filter, carrying over the filter effects that made the Pro pedal popular and adding eight on-board distortions1. It carries 12 filter effects plus those eight distortion variations, all in an aluminum enclosure about half the size of the previous Soundblox pedals2.
What it does to your sound
An envelope filter, or auto-wah, sweeps a filter in response to how hard you play: dig in and the filter opens up, play softly and it closes. The Manta's twist is that it splits your signal internally into dry and distorted paths, and the dry signal alone controls the envelope1. That means the filter's response to your attack stays predictable even when the distortion side is working hard, since the sweep is not being retriggered by a compressed, squared-off distorted wave.
The range is wide. Source Audio's launch material describes it as running from classic funk tones to modern, super-aggressive dubstep wobble effects1, and Guitar Interactive's Jonathan Graham reported the same range at the pedal's NAMM 2014 introduction3.
Filter types, distortions and modulation sources
The 12 filter effects include classics like 2 and 4-pole Low-Pass, Single-Peak, Multi-Peak, and Phasers31. An extended mode opens up more options for a total of 24 filter variations2.
The eight distortion types are:
- Hard and Soft clip
- Octave distortion
- Fold-back
- Quantized
- Synth-like Gated Fuzz1
Each distortion has independent gain levels, adjusted by the Drive control1.
For modulation, the Manta offers five sources: Fast Attack and Slow Attack Envelope, Sine LFO, Square LFO, and Sawtooth LFO1. The two envelope settings give the traditional touch-responsive sweep, while the three LFO shapes move the filter on their own at a rate you set, which is the route to the wobble-style sounds.
The controls
The central control knob is the starting point: you dial in effects from it, organized by filter type2. Once an effect is selected, you specify its envelope, speed, and depth2. The Drive control sets the gain level of whichever distortion is active1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Central knob | Selects effects, organized by filter type2 |
| Envelope, Speed, Depth | Set the modulation response of the selected effect2 |
| Drive | Adjusts the independent gain level of each distortion1 |
Presets, expression and MIDI
Like other Soundblox 2 pedals, the Manta carries two user presets, accessible from its footswitches without any external hardware4. With the right MIDI controller, 128 presets are available2. The pedal is compatible with the Source Audio Dual Expression Pedal, the Hot Hand 3 Wireless Effects Controller, or MIDI control signals via the Soundblox HUB1. Premier Guitar's reviewer noted the Hot Hand controller is not included2.
What reviewers said
Premier Guitar reviewed the Manta and summed up its strengths as "Wild yet useful tones. Inspiring effect combinations."2 The same review found the aluminum enclosure sturdy and the purple finish fitting for what the reviewer called "this funkified animal"2.
Where it came from
The Manta descends directly from the Soundblox Pro Bass Envelope Filter, whose filter effects it inherits1. It sits in the Soundblox 2 line alongside pedals like the Soundblox 2 Multiwave Bass Distortion, which repackaged Source Audio's earlier Multiwave Bass Distortion into the same smaller, more affordable format5. The Soundblox 2 series launched at NAMM in January 2012 with the two-user-preset scheme and preset morphing on the Multiwave units4.
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Questions
Can the Manta Bass Filter do dubstep wobble sounds?
Yes. Source Audio's launch material says its range of effect combinations and adjustable parameters runs from classic funk tones to modern, super-aggressive dubstep wobble effects. The Square and Sawtooth LFO modulation sources are the ones that produce the moving, wobble-style filter sweeps.
Does the Manta Bass Filter work with the Hot Hand controller?
Yes. The Manta is compatible with the Hot Hand 3 Wireless Effects Controller and the Source Audio Dual Expression Pedal, and it also accepts MIDI control signals via the Soundblox HUB. The Hot Hand controller is sold separately and not included with the pedal.
Why does the Manta use the dry signal to drive the envelope?
The Manta internally splits the instrument's dry and distorted signals, and the dry signal alone controls the envelope. Because the filter sweep is triggered by your clean attack rather than the distorted signal, the response stays consistent no matter how much drive you dial in.
Is the Manta Bass Filter smaller than the original Soundblox pedals?
Yes. Premier Guitar's reviewer found the Manta is only about half the size of previous Soundblox pedals, in a sturdy aluminum enclosure finished in purple.
Sources (5)
- Source Audio Launches Soundblox 2 Manta Bass Filter, Premier Guitar, 2014-01-15
- Source Audio Manta Bass Filter Review, Premier Guitar, 2014-07-15
- NAMM 2014: Source Audio Introduces SoundBlox 2 Manta Bass Filter, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2014-01-16
- Source Audio Unveils Soundblox 2 Series at NAMM, No Treble, 2012-01-28
- Soundblox 2 Multiwave Bass Distortion Pedal Review, Premier Guitar, 2012-09-05
