Microcosm - Is this sound design tool right for you and your setup?

[@Standard.Candle]

Dude, how do you have 242 subs? This is the best review I've seen on this pedal, and I've seen all of them. You seem to have a knack of detailing the "real stuff" people might care about that only someone who owns the pedal could articulate. You do this without treading over familliar ground like everyone else. Solid stuff. Keep at it, as the world is benefitting from your insights.

[@GradyNickel]

He has a small amount of subs because KZbin sucks and we're all slaves to the algorithm. Great review, great channel. Keep it up!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate the kind words. I'll try to do more breakdown vids in the future. I actually recorded this one several times because I wasn't liking the first takes. lol. I'm just glad the video is helpful to some people. Thanks so much for watching it and leaving a comment. Cheers!

[@SecondhandSynth]

@@GradyNickel Thanks for the encouragement and positive feedback. Appriciate you checking out the video. Cheers!

[@chmanie]

I second this. I’m 17 minutes in and am so happy I found your video. Thanks, this is so much more helpful than anything else I could find.

[@SecondhandSynth]

@@chmanie Thanks so much for saying this. I'm so happy it was helpful. Appriciate you commenting. Cheers!

[@danielsolomon63]

Finally, someone who really read the manual, understood it and applied it before making a video. Best review out there.

[@autisticwolf3409]

Amazing. Using it as a background soundscape while other things are playing on top is exactly why I bought it. So glad you said that at the end because it’s made it worth the money. It hasn’t arrived yet but I haven’t been this excited for something since I was a kid! It’s going to be awesome

[@Cloud_Brn]

6 months later how do you feel about it? This is also I reason why I'm considering it for my setup. I'd love make some lush soundscapes to then play things on top in a more ambient house kind of fashion!

[@JulesLeyheGuitarPlayer]

The best review of this pedal I've seen, thank you!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for saying that! Cheers!

[@telesonica72]

If you use it as a send fx , you can set the mix knob all the way to the right, so you only output the fx signal (no dry signal) . This way you don't have two times the dry signal. Great video! thanks

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah, I find that works for some of the FX but I have had to jockey the send knob to get the levels right and it makes using the looper a bit of a challenge to get what I was looking for. But the fx send was definitely my preferred method. Cheers!

[@el_dani]

Kill dry would be great for this case, does it do it?

[@telesonica72]

@@el_dani No it does not, but it would be a great option though...

[@LuiTunes]

Thanks so much for the very in-depth review of your experience. Especially talking not only about the PROS but also being honest about the CONS and what to expect from this pedal.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Happy to do it. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!

[@cjbogannam]

Wow, best Microcosm review I’ve seen yet - and I’ve watched a bunch. Great work mate

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much. I really appreciate it. 🙏🙏🙏

[@Subtle-System]

Awesome video... the best I've seen on the hologram yet..: and the most Honest.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Appreciate it. Thank you. Cheers!

[@grandmasterjo1]

I’ve seen a lot of videos on the microcosm and almost all praise it for the efx. This was truly the most honest unbiased approach to the product. You brought out the truth and I fail to see why no one mentioned what you did. The pros n cons the latency and the annoying low signal. I was looking forward to some magic with this machine but I think I’ll wait for the MKII with definite improvements. 😢 Also when changing parameters the transition is not smooth. It definitely has hiccups that most never spoke about Excellent video

[@SecondhandSynth]

I appreciate you saying that. I definitely don't want to turn anyone off from the microcosm, it has its place for sure, and I know a lot of people really do get value out of it and that's great. It just didn't end up being for me. Thanks again for the comment and feedback. Cheers!

[@mikeybizzlefoshizzle]

Great review! I 100% agree with the frustrations. Wish I saw this before I bought it....

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah, I wish I had made it before I bought it lol. I haven't used my microcosm since I finished the video. Oh well. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!

[@LoLaKoala]

This is the best, most comprehensive video I’ve seen on this pedal.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Really appreciate it. Cheers!

[@jbjb9691]

You made me fall in love with the Microcosm all over again! Thank you 🙏!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Cheers! And thanks for watching 🙏🙏🙏

[@sunilyapa3018]

wow, as an owner of this pedal this was the best and most honest review of this pedal. thank you. all these things are issues. i like to use with a strymon irridium to boost gain, before recording. but yes it is absolutely a macro-knob loop pedal for creating textrues. very happy when i use it like that. a messed up delay line it is not.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks for the comments. I tried really hard to give an honest breakdown of the pedal, separate from all the hype. Glad it's working out well for you. Cheers!

[@colinjames2469]

Best review on the tube. Subbed

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for the support. Really appreciate it. Cheers!

[@sgriggl]

This is a real review! Not just the 100% positive, here's a curated selection of the best stuff I did with it, kinda "review". Thank you!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thank you! I tried hard to make it as honest as possible. Cheers!

[@SheaDesign]

Awesome honest & insightful explanation of this curious toy. Glad to know what you just taught me!

[@SecondhandSynth]

So glad you found it usefull. Cheers!

[@PaulBreitzmann]

Love the depth on this overview. Super-helpful!

[@SecondhandSynth]

So glad to hear it’s helpful. Cheers!

[@GusHayden777]

Very comprehensive, well thought out, and nicely executed

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much. Appreciate the feedback. Cheers!

[@Subtle-System]

Awesome HONEST video!!! It is refreshing and awesome that you mention how low it sounds and how sometimes you might not get anything back or at least for a while... among many, many other things that can be a problem... even though reviewers say they are not being laid by Hologram... they do send those off like candy and it seems people rather not mention any of it's issues...

[@SecondhandSynth]

Hey thanks for saying that. It’s hard because I’m sure the people at Hologram are all good folks trying to cool things with pedals. And things are just getting more and more expensive so it’s hard to say that 500 bucks is the same as it use to be. With that said, I’m personally not a fan of putting out a product that’s DSP that underperforms and then never doing updates. It’s just not right in my opinion. (Maybe they have updated since I sold my microcosm I don’t know - but at the time they had not.) The other thing is that the microcosm under very specific circumstances does sound cool, although I would say the sound gets a little stale quickly (but that’s just my personal opinion) So again, I know they are good people doing cool things and a lot of people like the pedal so I think that’s great and I genuinely hope people get a lot out of every piece of gear they have. It just wasn’t what I was personally looking for for the price point and I didn’t want to put something out into the world that I wouldn’t feel was authentic to my personal experience with the pedal. Anyway, thanks again. I really do appreciate the comment and I’m glad people are seeing value in the video (even if it means I never get a sponsorship deal out of it) 😂 Cheers!

[@lambgoat2421]

Dang you think Hologram is handing out sexual favors for these reviews? Sign me up.

[@gesslr]

Really well done review, and with fantastic “polish” for such a new channel. Subscribed and looking forward to more! Good luck. 👍

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for the feedback and kind words... More to come soon. Cheers!

[@waltersmetak]

Mate, I've been banging my head against the wall since I got this thing - but your excellent explanation has been incredibly helpful! Especially noting how the signal is treated and how it functions has a looper with effects and not necessarily an effect pedal in the traditional sense! Yep, that was gold!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thank you so much for saying that. I feel the same and exactly why I made this video. So glad it was helpful. Cheers Walter!

[@Algoritmarte]

Just a note: when listing video chapters in the comment you can simply write the the time; e.g. 00:27 (faster and looks better). BTW nice video!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thank you for the tip. I guess I made a real rookie move. I'll try to edit that here soon. Cheers!

[@ja1815]

Props on probably the best review of the Microcosm. The learning curve on it is steep vs other pedals but I'm starting to get the hang of it's sweet spots in week two of ownership. One thing I wish you would've touched on (or anyone else who's reviewed this pedal) is where in the signal chain to place it. It excels as a looper and soundscaping device but I noticed it doesn't take heavy reverb well. It tends to confuse it. I like it best before reverbs but after delays which is unfortunate because I like loopers at the very end. I've also had some issues getting the looper to quantize with my drum machine. I thought it would sync up perfectly with it but so far it hasn't. Still a great device and no regrets so far.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I tried to do to talk about options as best I could for this video. A lot depends on how you are using the microcosm and what your sonic goals are. But I agree it can be tough to know how best to use it. Post reverb (heavy verb that is) is probably tough as the microcosm kind of gates/compresses the incoming audio. It does take walls of sound well. It needs space to breathe and let the effects come through. But experimentation is the name of the game here. Have fun and thanks for watching. Cheers!

[@patrickkoenigsfeld1253]

You are right about everything you said that works with this pedal but I have also found lead guitar settings that work amazingly. Also crunchy rythums sound amazing as well with the right delay settings. Great video!

[@consequenciasinimaginaveis6901]

Amazing review!

[@dowhileloops]

Fantastic review/demo. This pedal is a beast.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much for watching. Cheers!

[@Giovy-Perez]

THANKS for the Cons!! is real. FOR THE COST IT SHOULD BE A dsp PEDAL

[@SecondhandSynth]

Pretty sure it is DSP.

[@ijazzmunki]

You can also increase the effects volume by holding the 'alt' button and turuing the mix knob to max - and that will help make the effects louder.... RTFM 🙂

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yup! I talk about this in the video. Cheers!

[@ijazzmunki]

@@SecondhandSynth ah cool - apologies as I’d not seen the other vid 👊🏻

[@MavScientific]

Great review!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Really appreciate it! Thanks for checking it out. Cheers!

[@treyvisqueux7973]

Very nicely done -- many thanks!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Appreciate it! Cheers!

[@davidvochocjr1005]

Absolutely super review!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@prodbytytaan]

Wow this is really detailed. You just earned a sub

[@SecondhandSynth]

Awesome! Glad you liked it and thanks so much for the kind words. Cheers!

[@Mr_Tim]

Super comprehensive review, new follower here 🙌🏻

[@SecondhandSynth]

Appreciate the feedback. Thank you so much. Cheers!

[@K24U76]

I too can appreciate your review, I have owned the microcosm for about a week. Is it a perfect pedal? absolutely not. I have also found the looper volume to be a bit on the low volume side . However I actually enjoy the pedal for its imperfections. I feel like it has lots of personality and once you learn how to to use it for your specific need ,in my opinion it becomes a different tool, or instrument on its own. I find you can not control the microcosm rather let it’s sound evolve.

[@petrpazyna]

great video! thank you

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

I've been watching a ton of videos on the Microcosm and this one is hands down the absolute best I've seen. You've answered a lot of questions, confirmed many conclusions and got me as a new subscriber. As a guitarist who has no problem exploring clean tones it's very tempting to purchase this pedal (althoughit is pricey... especially when buying it in Canada, the exchange rates are terrible) My other concerns are with the low volume and the latency issues. I can easily run two amps as you suggest, using either a mixer or an A/B/Y set-up. What do you think about using a clean boost after the microcosm and running it to it's own amp? Or perhaps just turning the amp louder would suffice....? Thanks for the great explanations of your experiences with the Microcosm !!!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Hey! Thanks so much for the sub and comment. It really does mean a lot to me. As far as a post pedal clean boost, I think it couldn't hurt. I was always looking for a little more from the pedal but being maxed out on the volume. The issue I see with any in-series situation is that the volume of the clean tone and volume of the pedal are mixed and basicly linked (if that makes sense). I think the boost would work best if you can seperate the clean tone from the pedal and have a parallel setup and mix together later. Or FX send situation where you can blend it back in. Again, there is a little bit of latancy so depending on the setting of the pedal, you can actually hear this doubling the primary signal. It really just depends on the settings of the pedal as to if you hear this doubling. I dont want to make it sound like its crazy bad but there are situations where you definitely here it and it kind of makes the sound a little poor in my humble opinion. And the parallel situation isn't the best for using the looper as, at least for me, I want loopers at end of chain. I dont know I just feel like every setting/situation requires a different setup lol. TBH I just stopped using the pedal because everytime I got it out and tried to use it I would just have so many frustrations with it that I takes away from the creativity part for me personally. But again, just me. You can definitely get some really cool results under certain circumstances so its not a bust by any means and definitely more powerful than anything I ever had as a kid, but there are a bunch of caveats. Hopefully that all makes sense, it's a little hard to explain in comments but I'm happy to try and answer any other questions you have.

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

I follow what you're saying in the comments, and really appreciate the response. As I mentioned, I've watched many videos on this pedal, and from the very first one the volume seems to be an issue. After watching your video I feel I have a better understanding of just how to approach the microcosm. I've come to the conclusion that I won't buy one until I can try one out when one of my local shops has them in stock... unless I find a used one at a great price. I can't afford to put out the cash on a new one at this point... especially when feeling unsure if it'll suit my needs in a live situation. I do have a great clean boost which also has built in compression, 3 band active eq and a noise gate(should they be needed). Also have a Roland M-120 line mixer w/ aux sends and a Fostex 8 channel mixing board. Thanks again for your help, it's very much appreciated. Who knows? Maybe Hologram electronics will adress the volume issue with a firmware update or new version of the Microcosm. (My computer just crashed 2 days ago and needs to go to the repair shop.... so, first things first! ) Best regards from Montréal Canada ✌😉

[@SecondhandSynth]

@@GlennMichaelThompson yeah I would definitely see if you can try it out before dropping the cash. Everyone’s setup is different and how everyone interacts with equipment is different so I think not just jumping on the bandwagon is the way to go in every situation. Best of luck and if you do end up playing with one let me know what you thing. Cheers!

[@GlennMichaelThompson]

@@SecondhandSynth Thanks. I'll be sure to let you know my thoughts if I get a chance to play with one.

[@Stadsjaap]

Lol, the exchange rate is bad in Canada? You should try buying this pedal in South Africa. 😂 (Think three months' rent for a ballpark idea.)

[@tokyospin7766]

Super helpful man.. Cheers 👌

[@SecondhandSynth]

So glad you found it helpful. Cheers!

[@UncleAge4avs]

Very good review! You relayed a lot of useful info without that samey vibe. Thanks!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Appreciate that. I tried hard to bring something fresh to the table. Cheers!

[@ijazzmunki]

Have you tried midi mapping the 'looper only' setting to a separate pedal - as this really opens up the functionality - you can have a paralell signal path to the effects and from experienece that can be louder than the effects - so you can switch effects and play clean lines over the top of loops - which makes it a lot more capable than just a granular looper - and the modulation, reverb etc on their own sound wonderful...

[@circadiandevice8440]

Dude! I didnt know you were on yt! I watched another microcosm video and yours popped up next. I really dig this video. Plenty vids out there showing the sounds but i appreciate you sharing some tips, pros and cons, especially discussing the signal path. Im getting one so i was doing some homework haha. As you mentioned, thinking of this as basically a looper pedal really helps the approach of how to use it. Thanks again man. I hope you are doing well!

[@SecondhandSynth]

Glad it was helpful for you and thanks for giving it a watch. And I hope that the pedal treats you well. I struggle with it but I also like playing synths a lot. It's amazing with guitar, especially clean tone or acoustic. I need to hook it up to my modular and try that next. Cheers dude!

[@AdrianBond]

"Operating as intended." Wow, disappointing. And the fact Hologram hasn't seemed willing to respond to the widespread clicking/popping intrusions means a NO GO for me. So glad I caught your video; I was really close to buying one.

[@deanivan3951]

I have Zero Clicking, send yours back.

[@SecondhandSynth]

I had clicking in mine. but it wasn't from any input source. Pretty sure it's algorithmic. It's subtle but once you notice it, you cant unhear it.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah, it's not for everyone. I ended up selling mine just because it frustrated me so much. But hopefully others have more luck than I did.

[@SR-ih1be]

Great review. I have been curious about this pedal, since I have the Hologram Electronics Infinite Jets, which I have mixed feelings about. Since I already have a great looper (Roland RC 505 MK1) I am not sure there's enough to warrant getting this. The main thing that stands out is that all the things it does effects-wise are pretty, yet generic. It also seems like they rushed this out to market, given how many glaring oversights there appear to be-the loudness issue, along with the latency seem unforgivable, especially given the price tag. I use NI Reaktor, which has hundreds of killer ensembles that trounce what this thing does. If I need to use it as a send effect anyway (which I believe I would want to do with an effect like this by default) then I see the value this brings in a pedal form factor as even less relevant when I can cue up Reaktor as a send effect in my DAW and get thousands of times the functionality. All that said, it is quite a beautiful metal box, which you'll only ever truly appreciate when the unit's excruciatingly retina-searing LEDs are off.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah, all fair points and things to consider. I think you have to decided what you will ultimately be using it for. Acoustic guitar really sounds pretty cool with it if its clocked properly. Personally I haven't been able to get around the issues I have with it and was definitely surprised when emailing their customer support to realize that it is in fact functioning as normal. The audio ducking thing is really annoying for me personally. The looper isn't really that loud relative to the incoming signal either so I'm always looking to increase gain down the pipe. The latency is noticeable when you stack the clean signal in parallel with it but its not crazy bad. I didn't notice it when playing directly into it. I will say that there are sometimes some noticeable audio pops or ticks that another commenter mentioned they had an issue with too. So its not just me. Which I was thinking was the case and thus didn't mention in this video. With all that said, I'm not trying to insult Hologram and their product. I'm sure they put tons of work into it and they seem really happy with it and I know a lot of people really like it. I think it just don't work with what I'm trying to accomplish with it and so its just sitting in the box on my shelf, which means I probably need to sell it sooner than later. I do think it has a lot of potential and I hope they do more firmware updates to add more functionality over the things that I know could be done with probably little effort on their part. Good luck if you decide to pick one up. I hope all who have one get tons out of it. Cheers!

[@JapanMeetsWorld]

Just use midi to get around the limitations regarding transport/ fine tuning of the controls and why not custom presets. Any midi sequencer/ controller will do the job.

[@ShaighJosephson]

Yup, you nailed the pros and cons of this pedal... The volume/level drop is the biggest problem... Find out how to hack it and post a vid... 😎

[@SecondhandSynth]

Glad some people agree. It kind of drives me crazy TBH. But it can't be everything to everyone I guess. I'm assuming its 100% DSP so someone with more coding knowledge than I could probable whip something up. I would be interested to see that happen. Cheers!

[@JasonBrockStick]

I run mine through a Pladask Matrise (matrix) mixer! I control the amount of signal going in AND it boosts the effect coming back to main chain, I have to tone it down! Love it this way! i can really control/tame the Microcosm this way. I kept meaning to reply to folks bringing up volume issues but this is the first time 😅.

[@roscius6204]

Good review. I think maybe that the reverb position is integral to what it does and I guess anybody buying this already has a reverb unit to place after.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah possibly. I could also see this as a kind of "does a lot of stuff" first pedal in a collection. When I was a kid the first pedal I got was a multi-FX pedal which worked ok for me at the time. The reverb on the microcosm alone is very nice and it's cool that it does looping and effects as well. Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment. Cheers!

[@rdean150]

Excellent review, and very much aligns with my own (somewhat disappointing) experience with the Microcosm. I've only spent a couple of hours with it so far, but I spent most of that time also wrestling constantly with the mix, trying to get the levels up and wondering if the knobs were having any effect. Part of it was probably due to me sending it a track with too much activity, so the gating/compression may have been keeping the effected signal ducked behind the dry signal. But it still was way more subtle than I had expected.

[@SecondhandSynth]

I feel like you are describing my experience exactly. It's a bit frustrating that you have no control over the compression or the output volume (I guess you do to a certain extent but it just doesn't seem like its balanced properly). I'm working on selling/trading mine as I just haven't found a way to use it without a lot of DAW post production. Thanks for commenting, helps me not feel like im crazy for thoughts on this pedal and I hope you find some creative ways to put the MC to good use. Cheers!

[@rollonfood]

Did you go into config and change the the input from inst to line level? I have had the microcosm for months and thought it was underwhelming just like you. Then I changed that seeing today and it's a brand new beast. I actually have to turn the wet down on a lot of the presets else it's too much. Try it. Press shift and looper button until blinks, turn mix knob until second light illuminated. Leave config. Hope this helps. I felt like I got a dud unit until now

[@rollonfood]

@@SecondhandSynth read my reply to this comment below and see if this helps!

[@SecondhandSynth]

@@rollonfood yeah I definitely tried that for quite a few different instruments. Neither line or instrument level have worked for me personally. I’m stoked that you were able to make it work though. Glad not everyone has the issues I have had.

[@philipatoz]

Great and very informative video! I was really serious about getting one of these, but the volume / gain issue gives me considerable pause. Because that's a lot of jack to lay out for a pedal that is so problematic in such a key parameter of its functionality! I guess the other aspect of this might be, how difficult / fussy? it appears to get at sounds that are usable in a band context. It's really exciting the possibilities of making overdubs and soundtrack pieces. But the last thing is, without programmable presets, it's really an exceptionally expensive toy that is apt to become a dust collector in my music room.

[@SecondhandSynth]

You can do presets, it has 4 slots for user settings save, including whatever is in the sample buffer (if I remember correctly). I think some people are going to love this pedal and I think it boils down to play style and what your goals are. I don’t want to imply that everyone is going to struggle with it. It was just my experience. So I’d say try to try it before you buy it at maybe a local guitar shop or something like that. In the end I just ended up getting frustrated every time I pulled it out to mess with it. It wasn’t for me, but you might find it to be the best tool in your arsenal. Thanks for the comment. Cheers!

[@rhysmop]

@37:00 stacking reverb before on the recorded loop and then after on loop playback would drown the volume out in the wash I would think. Maybe being very conscious when adding reverb on this unit would help the volume decrease.

[@SecondhandSynth]

Yeah I don't think I explained myself as well as I had thought. It's hard to explain over video but I just had so much trouble with the sound volume getting measurably lower with each iteration and I was always wanting it louder to match the input sound level. It's like the pedals output is just lower than the input level in a lot of situations so you just can hear some stuff as well and have to then boost it. Again, hard to explain. You kind of have to experience it to really get what I'm saying.

[@FMwin900]

Can you sync the tempo of the Fx to your daw tempo ? Or is that depending of what the timing the instrument going into the pedal

[@youtubesux6361]

Will it loop untill you shut it off?

[@MeAlexSenna]

Learned the hard way the Bad things about the Microcosm. -Crackles on Sound even with the new update. (they have a software algorithm problem) -Kinda works only with short burst/stab Sounds (don't expect results with pads or drones) -Not real Stereo input ( TRS is not a real solution) Hologram is definitely cutting corners -It feels extremely repetitive FX, you'll get tired after 5 hours of use, maybe 1-2 weeks with it, and it will drain your Creative juices -Uber expensive for this issues If you have the GAS go for it, but BEWARE of these know Issues

[@SecondhandSynth]

I feel like this sums it up nicely. Kind of a bummer, I wanted to be more excited about this thing. Thanks for watching. Cheers!

[@jasonmcgary]

Have you reached out to hologram?I am with u 100% about the loudness.

[@JasonBrockStick]

I just responded to another comment but saw yours too and how recent it was, I may put it in the main comment section what I do… I run mine through the Pladask Matrise mixer (in stereo through 2 channels!) And to control how much signal I sent to it and boosts the effect coming back! I can really tame any volume issues and actually have to tone it down! I love this pedal And how I use it with the Matrise mixer Is the icing on the cake! I send a mono signal out through one of the top channels that enters the chase bliss mood, then into the microcosm returning stereo into two side return channels which I can blend into my main signal going out stereo. I can send pic and will be doing a video on my channel showing my whole multi pedalboard chain… I’ve posted pics and deep description on pedalboards of doom :) Not sure KZbin allows shares to that Facebook page but I’ll try ( it’s a great resource for us pedal freaks!) Pedalboards of Doom post and pics: facebook.com/groups/pedalboardsofdoom/permalink/10158535000577865/ Good luck with your Microcosm!

[@jasonmcgary]

@@JasonBrockStick thank for this response I will check that out

[@SecondhandSynth]

I have several times. I also recorded a 10 minute video of me playing various sounds into the microcosm and sent it to customer support. I outlined the areas where I was seeing issues (I was thinking my pedal was defective) and they told me based on the video that the pedal was operating as intended. I thought this was a little of because there are areas in the video where absolutely no sound is coming out of the microcosm for like 30 seconds (which is probably due to it’s long buffer time) but still it seemed strange that they would be ok with their product performing like this. I went back and forth with them several times and at the end I just came to the conclusion that this pedal isn’t really for things other than clean plucky, high transient/low sustaining sounds. Sometimes it works ok and sometimes it just doesn’t. I don’t even use mine anymore. It’s just collecting dust at this point.

[@jasonmcgary]

@@SecondhandSynth did u receive any response?

[@jasonmcgary]

This pedal is cool but it has some things that could be improved upon.the question is does this company keep making its products better or just on to the next big thing.

[@RubenSansaRivero]

you can boost the level efect on the v1.2 i think

[@SecondhandSynth]

Are you talking about the firmware? I did update. You can adjust the level, it's just really low compared to the incoming signal (for almost all effects). I found the only way to get what I was looking for was to run the pedal as a send and boost in that signal chain. It also really depends on the types of signals you are sending it. Things like guitar really work well as they fall off quickly and the pedal doesn't limit the signal and lets the effect rise. This is all just based on my experience and I know a lot of other people really get a lot out of this pedal. Cheers!

[@cymbolic_space1832]

seems like the issues with this pedal can be overcome with some time and energy put into a norns shield.

[@SecondhandSynth]

What are you thinking? Compression or signal leveling post microcosm? I haven't played with a norns so I can't speak to it. I would really just be happy with the ability to adjust the compression/ducking level in the microcosm lol. Even if it was just a menu dive situation. Cheers!

[@cymbolic_space1832]

@@SecondhandSynth well with a norns in theory you could program changable positions of your play and erase head, overdub post effects with added effects, and add in odd divisions of time to the repeats. i dont have one myself but in theory you could rebuild the base functions of this pedal i reckon! and maybe hand the gain staging better too

[@patrickr6505]

I was thinking of getting this or the Zoia..Now I don't know Which one to get 😯

[@SecondhandSynth]

Well, far be it from me to try and influence anyone in that regard. Honestly speaking, if I could go back in time and get a Zoia (especially the eurorack version) I would totally do that. Zoia just seems like you can really control all the routings and dial in the specific effect you want. If you are the type of person who wants to just get something cool out of the box with no control or setup, then maybe the microcosm is the way to go. If you like total control over all of the parameters, then Zoia is probably the way to go, at least as I understand it. I hope that helps. Cheers!

[@patrickr6505]

@@SecondhandSynth Thanks 👍

[@MarkRigler]

I think you've just saved me a large amount of cash

[@SecondhandSynth]

lol glad to hear it was helpful in some way. Cheers!

[@lambgoat2421]

funny as hell intro

[@vvcv__00]

Okay, I began laughing when at some point in the beginning you stated how this pedal would NOT shine at its brightest with lead guitar soloing (something to that effect). In contradiction to yourself, you turn around and rip a sample with pretty fast guitar runs through the pedal (which sounds wretched). This is also the point at which I had to turn the video off. Not only because of this, but you did a pretty good job of making this pedal sound horrible. You didn't make it sound musical in any sense of the word, and I actually don't think you know how to use it. Not to boast (which i will), but i've only had this pedal for about ten days and i've got about three pieces that i'm writing with it. I'm not saying that they're great pieces, but aside from the music, I'm able to get the pedal itself to sound really nice. I only point this out to reiterate the fact that I don't think you had spent much time with this pedal --at the time you made this video. So, with that, i hope that people who are just now thinking about getting this pedal (since the video is a year old) realize that it can, and does, do an excellent job at being a highly musical sounding tool.

[@SecondhandSynth]

It's hard to take you seriously based on your wild conjecture and the fact that you didn't finish the video. I fully recognize that a lot of people are getting tons of value out of this pedal and I think that's fantastic. The best part about living in the golden age of gear is that there is something for everyone. I will point out numerous other people have reached out to me who had the same issues as I did with this pedal (Auto gating, price, lack of features, lack of parameter control, audible clicking in the reverb chain, noticeable latency issues, volume issues, I can go on and on). Those might not be deal breakers for you but not everyone is as picky as I am about gear that stays long-term in their production setup. And not everyone uses gear in the way I do. So, at the end of the day, this is all just my opinion based on the time I spent with the pedal. With that said, I am super happy for you that you are enjoying your microcosm and I look forward to watching your video review. Cheers!