Hologram Electronics Microcosm: Unbiased Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
- Recently I picked up one of the dreamiest pedals that people on TH-cam have been raving about: The Hologram Electronics Microcosm. Apparently, whatever you put into it comes out as liquid gold, so I obviously had to try it for myself. Made in batches, you need to pre-order them a few months in advance, and they are definitely not the cheapest effect around. However, I couldn't resist.
So... does it live up to the hype? In many ways, aye. The Microcosm can turn the most boring, dry signal and turn it into a beautiful dreamscape. There's a few down sides, and one fairly major problem that you should be aware of if you're considering one though. In this video I give my thoughts on the pedal, whether it's worth the money, what it might compare to, and highlight the issues I've run into. At the end, I include a bunch of different sound examples as well with a Behringer VC340, Game Boy, Pocket Operators, and some drone device from Handmade Electronic Instruments.
Time stamps below.
Pedal Intro and Comparison 00:00 − 04:48
The Good and Not So Good 04:49 − 13:13
Conclusion 13:14 − 19:17
Sound Demos 19:18 − 29:09
As an update, following the video and speaking to Hologram Electronics, a factory reset following the firmware upgrade appears to have had some success in getting rid of the pops and clicks. I'll do some more testing and see how it fares, and hopefully the issue won't return!
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Thank you soooo much for making this video. Been eyeing this for a while and I’m so glad you demonstrated a gameboy with it because that’s what I want to pair it with. Sounds just so amazing and I super appreciate the heads up on some of the challenges
Glad it was useful! Good luck with the purchase
One of the best "out there" pedals. While you are right about stereo input, it took me a week to get used to switch from mono to stereo and vice versa. What people need to understand about this pedal is that it is based on tons of happy accidents, and due to the complex algos, sometimes it is impossible to predict what an effect will sound like. While I like the reverb, I tend to use MC in a chain with Space or Blue Sky and get reverb from there. Also, looping and shifting signal path can lead to totally mental results. The most important thing though, it is clock-able and can also send clock. It tightens those granules and loops perfectly to your song tempo, and you can also mess about and change speed manually if you want, creating some weird raisers and falls. i mean, in general, it is very whacky pedal, neatly done. I haven't noticed any crackling though. i run the pedal full wet on drums and bass and get quite hot signal, no issues with crackling though. Anyway, this is not your standard looper - delay, it is a bit out there but as you said, a wonderful add on to any track. Sometimes it takes me forever to decide which algo to use, they all sound great. As of recently, seq and tunnel are my favs. Important thing though - it is easy to clutter your output with chaotic loops and reverb if your input signal has too long of a tail, and you crank on two main pots - activity and repeats. Use with care :)
Hey, thanks for your comment! Sorry that I somehow missed it. I think you're quite right. If you aren't using the MIDI clock, then the results aren't quite as beautiful as they could be. I always take forever to pick an algorithm haha.
You used the Hologram very differently than most people. Most videos I see, people just send random notes or drone noises into it and it just does nutty things. It’s refreshing to see someone actually play music through it.
Thanks very much! I appreciate that. It's one of the things I always look for in reviews, to get a better idea of how I might use it... so I'm glad that it's been noted. :)
Nice honest review that’s refreshing. I’ve had one for a few weeks now also. Still figuring it out but I really like what it seems to add to most everything. Haven’t had the issue of pops and clicks with mine thankfully. It’s definitely unique and I’m finding it adding textures and enriching sounds in cool new ways. It’s really cool on drums and percussion
Cheers for watching! We must have been in the same batch. I haven't tried it out on percussion much yet. Will need to give that a bash!
Thanks for this... stumbled across your video and channel after trying to diagnose clicks and pops in my Microcosm. I thought I was going crazy or had a bad unit (purchased Dec 2021 directly from Hologram). I'm running the pedal through Ableton as an 'external audio effect' and found that 1) switching the MC to Line input and 2) reducing the outbound gain into the pedal by 8 to 10 db seems to have resolved the crackling issues entirely. It's more than you'd think you need and you have to reboost the signal once it comes back in, but that's a fix I can live with for what is one of my favorite pedals of all time. Subscribed.
Hey, thanks for sharing your experience! I've definitely had less issues by dialling right back like you said, as well as after a full reset/firmware upgrade - though it definitely seems more than one would expect to have to. At least there's a solution that works!
I already bought it. Just waiting on delivery to Ireland. I really appreciate your review even the delivery side of things. Just wanted to say thanks and best of luck in the future.
Thanks Brian! Hope you like it.
Very nice review. I appreciated the level of detail into which you delved. Liked & shared!
Thanks a lot for watching and commenting!
Thank you so much for this video. It's the one that's finally pushed me over the line :-) I look fwd to working with this pedal.
I hope you enjoy it!
Very good video! I just ordered one. This video was on point for me. I wanted to hear the good and the stuff that needs addressing. Thanks.
Hey cheers! I'm glad it was useful.
Hi, its very refreshing to have a synth presenter. I love your eccentric background! ;-) I would like to offer you a consideration that these videos are most effective and captivating when they are a free-flowing, even combination of technicality, experimentation and discovery. I nearly switched channels cos there was so much technical discussion at the start! Luckily I could skip forward to the demo bit ;-) Good luck, and looking forward to your next video
Cheers! Aye, I try weave bits and pieces in, but also juggling the best way to present things. Work in progress!
Mine arrived in 5 days(including a weekend). Thanks for posting. Great review and you're easy to like and listen to.
Thanks for watching!
Many thanks for this detailed review and the good demo. :)
Thanks for watching!
I have a few of the Handmade Instruments too. They're wonderful. This review was refreshing. Was getting tired of the same old videos from the same old people acting like this pedal is the greatest thing ever. By the way, Zoia can do a lot of what the Microcosm does.
Aye. I watched tons of videos and nobody said anything about any down sides at all, which is bonkers. I am very intrigued by the Zoia, but I'm not sure I cba programming it. If one comes up cheap enough I would probably take the plunge mind.
agree, everyone tries to make entertaining/enthusiastic reviews but they don't give the relevant informations.
@@andreaaiazzi4501 I hope I passed the test!
@@StephenMcLeod you sure did :)
@@andreaaiazzi4501 For what it's worth, as someone who often makes reviews that gush about things, it can be hard to fault a new device when one has been waiting so long to get it and is so excited to finally own one.
I don't think it's an intentional thing to mislead anyone, I think (at least, if they're anything like me) they're just super stoked about the device they're reviewing.
I've also thought about it a lot, if any reviewer is like me, they've probably bought the device with their own money. This will mean a few things. First, they've spent a long time watching reviews, press releases, namm coverage, and any and all kinds of media about the device before they bought it. Second, they might not have used it enough to come up with negative experiences with it. Third, they are probably willing to overlook things that others would find as faults because they invested their money into it and don't want to feel like they made a mistake.
I can understand how that would be frustrating to someone who just wants to know the good AND the bad about whatever they're learning about through the review they're watching.
That said, I have a ton of synths and audio gadgets and I've made reviews about pretty much all of them. Even having owned most of them for what seems like a while, if I were to review them again, I'd still have nothing but good things to say about them. None of them really feel like they've worsened over time, I don't feel like they have faults, they just are the way they are.
Take what you will from that. :P
Great to see a fellow scot and great review!
Thanks! We need more regional accents on TH-cam...
Appreciate this review. Not even half way through but already I trust you.
I was literally missing a unidentifiable VST and I couldn’t remember the name of the developers - moments after my above comment you mentioned freak show industries - bless you. Subbed.
Thousands wouldn't (trust me). Freakshow are awesome. Love them. Thanks for watching and subbing!
This was a great video and pretty much covered what I really wanted to know about the pedal, mainly, how it actually feels to own and use one.
I would like to buy one, myself, but I'll have to wait as I live in China and these things have to be ordered (at a premium, no less) and waited a long time for. (delivery to China often takes a while...)
Anyhow, thank you for making this review, I'm happy I stumbled across your channel. I've liked, I've subscribed, and I'm looking forward to future content.
By the way, your tattoos are INSANE! (in an awesome way, of course). You seem to like the idea of duality, or the two sides or natures to everything, is that right?
I like that concept as a way of looking at things and accepting them for what they are, the ups, the downs, the light and the dark. All part of the painting of life.
Hey, thanks for the kind words! I'm glad it was helpful. There's tons of videos out there on the pedal, and it sounds great in all of them, buuuut there isn't too many actual real world reviews.
On duality... It's not something that I have adopted as any particular philosophy or perspective necessarily, but you're right in that my palm tattoos were definitely to reflect precisely that; the ups and the down, the rise and the fall (ironically also something relevant to the synth world). Well spotted - that's especially perceptive.
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
Yeah, I think you've succinctly hit on all of the main negative points. I similarly learned the hard way.
... how to erase my GAS in 4 steps ... thanks :-)
I haven't had any pop or clicks issues, though I've just received mine and used it for only for 5-6 hours. I also don't find it that repetitive, it can do a lot with it's many modes and controls.
My only issue is that it's rather unwieldly and the controls aren't all that intuitive.
I got the Baklengs and it does the sounds I want. It's a very practical granular synth pedal.
Mood 2 will undoubtedly satisfy my creative juices if Mood 1 was anything to go by...
I bought one 2 months aGo directly from the company. I don't hear any cracking or popping. I have been running only guitars through it so far. While it is expensive , I find that I get alot of cool sounds from it that I haven't heard anyplace before. Cool review.
Nice one! Hopefully they have fixed the various niggles by now. Glad you like it!
@@StephenMcLeod your review was interesting because 95% of the reviews and demos are glowing and people totally love it. You are the first person who sort of tears it down a bit.
@@davidleegoth I was genuinely surprised that nobody had picked up on any of these bugs, as they were pretty obvious, and lots of folks reported them in the forums.
@@StephenMcLeodPeople rag on forums (often for a good reason) but they’re often the only place you can get more balanced opinions away from breathless TH-cam videos
Came here to watch a pedal demo. Stayed to smash the like button. Great review, thanks.
High praise! Thanks for sticking around.
@@StephenMcLeod if you made a video running some sounds on your modular system through this pedal, oh boy would I do some more like button smashing.
@@MoltenSon There's a wee Eurorack jam with the Hologram here - th-cam.com/video/ZL_5gnFAcj0/w-d-xo.html
Hey just wondering if you're still free from the snap crackles and pops? I've done a fair few factory resets after upgrading to the latest firmware but I still have them from time to time. Also have had issues when saving loops where it freezes on the blue lights and doesn't actually save the loop. Hopefully it will get sorted with the next firmware. I'm emailing them atm but being in the UK its just such an effort sending it to them to have a look. Haha holding out for the next firmware!
It's been all good so far, but I haven't done as much extensive testing as I had before... I hear you on being in the UK. It's a pain in the arse to have to consider sending it back.
I had crackles & weird muting with mine, which is a year or so old. got in touch with them, turned out to be my gain structure- running it too hot. all good now.
I've heard that was an issue, though even with a really weak signal I was still having problems. It seems like there's a few things at play. Hopefully they'll be able to address them so it's not as fiddly. Glad you got it working!
Good video!
Any update on the pops and clicks issue?
I see other video's with the mosaic Algorhythm that showcase a lot of pops and clicks.
Even on instrument (guitar) level.
Nothing different to what was included in the video unfortunately! I think it's a common issue for a lot of folks.
@@StephenMcLeod Thanks for the reply. And my wallet thanks you too.
Since I won't be buying now.
But it is a shame that it is the case, as it feels like the perfect addition to my setup.
I think you are right about the 'zero point' they failed to grab on the ending of a 'grain'.
I have listened to a lot of mosaic demo's and a lot have this click noises on the end of 'grains'.
And it sounds a lot like something I'm getting when I have used a sample that was not cut at a 0 point (or faded to zero, which works well too)
I could be wrong, but I think you should be paid some by Hologram because you presented a possible solution for this bug.
(in my humble opinion it is a bug, not a feature)
@@tricks-and-tips Yeah it's definitely a bug. They've ironed out a chunk of the pops and clicks but I'm not convinced they are totally gone. I'm hoping for another update in the future...
@@StephenMcLeod
Yeah, I hope so.
Some liquid gold indeed! Glad you did this video, I've been wondering about that pedal since you used it in a vid a week or so ago! Very cool and yes very expensive haha, looking forward to hearing this in an upcoming jam or music video! And hey man, do you or have you had any merch like shirts available before?? Would love to support you in that way, a Cow Tongue Taco logo or Unexpected Bowtie shirt would be killer man! Closet Organ too! I've been looking into sites like teespring to do this for LRW and I got to thinking of you. Is that something you have done before or have any thoughts on?? Any experience with sites like teespring and/or know about their quality?? JW man, and if you do, I'd totally buy them! 🐀
Thanks for your honest review, I have the Nightsky and Volante and wondered how this pedal would fit in to my set up! Definitely not keen on the clicks etc, at that price it should be perfect. Convinced myself I didn’t need it but then hearing it on your music, I’m sold lol 🤟🤟
Agreed! It's frustrating to have issues with such an expensive bit of gear.
The Nightsky makes everything sound great!
Wow!Came here from Christopher White's ambient experiments just wondering what this gizmo is. Pragmatic, clear explanation. Thanks also for the headps-up on Freakshow Industries, I will certainly chase that up.
Thanks a lot for watching! Definitely check out Freakshow. My favourite plugins.
very well presented.............................brilliant upload - thanks for taking the time............
Cheers for having a watch!
waiting for mine to arrive, so I was really interested...................
@@willswitchcraft Hope you like it! It's a great pedal. Just watch out for the pops and upgrade the firmware if need be.
understood.......thanks
Great review ! What about Microcosmos vs Output Portal vst plug-in? It's very similar imho. And what about the new Soma Cosmos?
Thanks! I haven't tried either of these, so can't comment. I prefer hardware in general to VSTs though.
I do use Output and Polyverse VERY intensively. I own a Microcosm, too. Honestly, i can live without a Microcosm, but not without these plugins. HiFi vs LoFi (both in a good way).
Great video - cheers
Thanks for watching!
Update on crackling - while I haven’t noticed crackling in the chain, so no “technical” issue, there is some crackling when you “overdrive” the microlooper - meaning, when you crank on activity and repeat and the buffer clogs basically with fast loops it cannot play all at the same time, thats what creates unpleasant, loud crackles.
Ah man, have you spoken to them about it directly? It really shouldn't be doing that at all.
So helpful
Glad it was useful!
Great upload, thanks for this. I have one too and really miss the inclusion of a HP filter (in addition to the LP provided). Seems like a little more dev time and beta versioning might have gone a long way considering the price point. Still, interesting pedal.
Hopefully the firmware updates can address some of the quirks!
@@StephenMcLeod hope so! It’s a deep pedal though, so the more I use it the more I find workarounds to problems and really pleasing musical surprises :)
@@StephenMcLeod FYI, I was in touch with Hologram who, after some lengthy trouble shooting, advised a complete factory reset. That, in combination with setting 'Effect Volume' to the lowest level available, has fixed all pops/clicks/digital distortion for me. -I'm receiving a strong and usable wet signal back into the DAW. Perhaps give that a go...
@@mmckmusic Thanks. That's what worked for me in the end, though haven't had to dial down the effect level. Hopefully it stays!
Most effects pedals with stereo inputs sum the stereo inputs to mono before sending the input to the effects processor. The effects processor, like a reverb or whatever, will process the summed mono signal into a stereo output by virtue of the multiple delay lines and whatnot inside. They pass the stereo input for combining in the final mix. For example, the Strymon pedals with stereo input all do this. I had a discussion with the engineers from Strymon about this directly. For reverb the justification is that most instruments in a large space function like a point source and the stereo reverb from the space is mostly a function of the space and not the physical width of the source. Anyone who has played in a band or orchestra knows that is not entirely true, but so it goes.
Interesting! I wonder if that is the same here. I'm curious how that would work with hard panned signals in terms of retaining the same volume.
Would this be a good loop pairing with Meris Polymoon or would they overlap too much? Can you think of a better pairing (for trippy spacey shit)?
I must confess to having no experience with the Polymoon, but from having a look, I suspect they are kinda different beasts. :)
@@StephenMcLeod yeah, I just plunked down the dough. High hopes. ;-)
@@avantgardenovelist Good luck!
when you use the microcosm with your eurorack you should use either an input module like the erica synths pico input or a effects pedal adapter module like Busy circuits SBG, i had the same issues you describe, but those modules tame the signal to a proper level.
I had the same issue with standard line level!
Great review waiting for mine going to feed samples into my mutator then into this for some Ambient out there stuff
Thanks! Hope it works out for you!!
There’s a sale on right now until the middle of October (2023), and I am sooooo tempted!
Did you do it!?
@@StephenMcLeod Ha! I didn’t, but funnily enough I got one off eBay just yesterday for £495!
Glad to see Freakshow Industries getting some love. What a great little company :_)
Agree!
When your effects pedal costs more than your sound source, and that's ok. Nice demo and vid.
Hah I don't even want to think about it!
I"m considering to buy one, what Hologram responded to you about the clicks and pops issue even on the updated firmware?
No further update after this video!
I've received mine earlier this week, and after messing around with it for 5 hours or so I haven't noticed any pop or click issues at all. I imagine it came with the latest firmware (V1.3).
That's how I felt bout Model:Cycles cause I never had such a wide spectrum of possibilities till I got familiar enough? Two years beginning of Cov-19.
So I had to put it aside quite often and I'd go back to the easy machines. I believe this MicroCosmik fx will be sweet every time I jump in for a xosmical synth bath .
I'd like to try out the Model:Cycles sometime. It sounds awesome any time I hear it!
Liked and subscribed. Your accent is lovely. Thank you
Thanks very much!!
I feel the design of this pedal deserves a mention. Looks like some german testlab equipment. Really like it. No matter how great the Zoia is, in my personal opinon it's just really fugly. Who wants a matrix of nondescript buttons? I feel a lot of manufacturers lack the skills of pleasing design. Many of Sequentials synths are eyesores to me, many of the Behringers as well. In my book, it's pretty much just Moog who has a consistent cool design. And now Hologram Electronics. :-)
Yeah it's a cool looking pedal. I took it for granted since most of their designs have been, and are fairly similar. I do like the design of the Zoia, but I know I would forget what every function is.
I'm split between the Microcosm ( didn't know about pops/clicks till i watched this ) and the Red Panda Particle v2 for my synth set up and the issues you mention have blown me in the direction of the Particle v2 - have you any thoughts that could help my choice before i click ' buy it now ' button ? Thanks and lang may yer lum reek ( but hopefully not yer rum leek ) !
Or my bum leak?! Sorry for the delay. The red particle is a cool pedal, but it seems quite different to the Microcosm - more focussed on delays and pitch shifting than the kind of spacey atmosphere that the Microcosm provides. I'm not sure I would buy another Microcosm at the current price, if that helps.
Thanks - i've changed tack now so neither are contenders - i came across the Line 6 HX Effects which is an option i'm mulling over but wondered if you knew anything about the Eventide H9 Core - the plugin deal is possibly worth getting as the bundle price is on offer at the moment for £164 instead of £499 i think it was ? I've contacted Eventide support on how to download and install the plugins on my H9 Core but they havn't responded.Is it just a case of connect H9 to PC and download straight to it because i don't want to pay for something i can't install on the device.Thought you might be in the know and would be great to take advantage of the sale.Cheers and may yer bum not leak !
@@twiglet2214 I am unfortunately a n00b of the H9 and can't help you there! That sounds like a pretty good deal though, given the regular price!
@@StephenMcLeod Thanks anyway - i'm a bit ambivalent to get it - i bought it on Reverb with about 90ish presets and i went through them using my Korg Wavestate recently and came to the conclusion that maybe less is more - i could be scuppered for choice if i get the plugin bundle ? It's a bit like buying an ice cream and then the ice cream salesperson rattling through a list of toppings for it but by the time you decide - it's melted - but not at the moment though ! The other ice cream i've an eye on is the Waldorf Blofeld - with a flake,please ! Wish i hadn't said that, now i fancy one, but the ice cream van's flown to warmer climes.
All the noise being made by folks over this pedal makes me wonder about it. I'm leaning towards the Nightsky pedal myself. But I've not bought either yet. The "morph, Hold and sequencing" modes have thinking the Strymon is the way for me. Both remember MIDI though.
Let me know what you think of the NightSky if you get it!
What version pocket operator are you using at around 25:00min mark? Please and thank you.
That is the PO28 Robot. :)
Interesting....thx for this 🎼
Thanks for watching!
the track at 20m37s has a click in the right channel? i was thinking maybe the algorithm is tuned to look for guitar transients (hence why it manages to do ok with drum patterns) and tune them out, and fast attack synth signals confuse it? just a theory. i'm waiting on mine which is supposed to ship this month?
anyway good review, thanks for the breakdown of the "use-case" stuff, lots of channels just give you the sounds and not talk about when and when not to use the pedal/device
Yeah, there are definitely lots of clicks and pops unfortunately. It's pretty disappointing in that regard!
@@StephenMcLeod I guess there’s not a lot of signal above 10k from a guitar pickup and processing of super quick synthesised transients bamboozle it’s processing power or something
@@doctorscoot Possibly yeah, though if so it's disappointing as it was advertised heavily with synthesizers etc. Hopefully it gets addressed a bit more...
Hey, I believe there working on a 3rd firmware update, for the poping and cracking. For me, interupt could cause thus worse, and it could freak out so bad, it would damage your sound system.. so my gain is set low. . Ive also had static issues, ,I have shared all videos with hologram, so they have said, firmware 3 will be anounced on there Web. Good video btw :-)
Thanks Kevin! I actually had a similar issue with SEQ freaking out on me. I thought it might just be me, but from what you've described it sounds like an issue.
I had the Tasty Chips GR-1 which is a granular synth and it as well popped and cracked with certain settings. I believe it’s the nature of granular synthesis…
Also If you use a filter before going into the Microcosm it seems to help with any crackle sounds, Im running the Moog Matriarch through the Microcosm and it sounds great but i do need to adjust the filter on the Matriarch sometimes to prevent Crackles...not the end of the world since the results still sound amazing
These poping and cracking have nothing to do with the input signal, it’s clearly a CPU overload. You can get similar distortion with low latency in a DAW. So it’s about optimizing the algorithms of the pedal. Empress Effects did this for ZOIA a month ago, reducing CPU usage for 20%. Hope this will be possible for the Microcosm.
Yeah. The new firmware and a reset appears to have fixed things for me now so far. Hopefully remains!
It’s a really great review ! personally one of my biggest downside is the way it handles PC... you only have 16 user presets and PC-1-44 being used up for factory settings... It hardly fits in an existing midi setup. Thanks a lot for your honesty !
That's a good point. I am still figuring out just how all the presets work, but given the amount of options and parameters, sixteen presets seems like a bit of a limitation.
I heard "a wee bit of a stir" and suddenly I found myself reachin for the subscribe button.
Hahaha I am glad that I lured you in.
Thanks for this. Every bit of nit pickiness is warranted as far as I'm concerned. It's a bit of expensive gear that's difficult to find to demo in person and the manufacturer doesn't stand behind their product enough to offer some type of limited return policy. I'd happily pay return shipping and a restocking fee just to try it without risking spending so much on something I may have to resell after spending a few hours with it.
----++++++++-------
I did end up getting microcosm, and while the firmware update seems to fix the popping, it's tough to use live particularly because the level of effect doesn't always come through strongly(just not much gain, and really could use a slight boost to even out apparent volume when it's engaged) and also because it has a noise floor that is significantly louder than other pedals I have from a variety of manufacturers. It's not an issue for recording, but in testing with various tube and solid state amps, as live performance volumes are reached, the noise floor is an issue and I imagine would be a problem for those of us without noisy rigs. I contacted Hologram with a video example and comparison to other products and the response was basically a cop out, saying (quote) "this level of noise is inherent to the hardware/software of Microcosm" and "the noise floor of your particular unit doesn't seem higher than what I would typically expect to hear from Microcosm"
Again, I have many pedals and the noise floor produced by the microcosm is well above what any other unit generates. So here's a company whose product is expensive, can't easily be demoed, can't be returned, and is apparently designed to a lower standard than anything else on the market. It does do neat stuff, but the issues with it and my communication with their customer service has really left a bad taste in my mouth. Buyer beware!
Thanks Tim. It took me a while to reply to this - sorry for that. I did expect more from the pedal in terms of QA given the cost of it. It's especially difficult for those of us outside the US who end up paying customs tax/import fees etc and then find these problems :/ Did you end up selling it?
Yes, but not at first. I got a Zoia as a replacement, which has a very low noise floor, an amazing community of users, and is capable of doing what the Microcosm does and much, much more. I kept the Microcosm for comparison's sake while I learned to use the Zoia, collected similar sounding patches generated by the community, and made sure I could get it to ape those of the Microcosm's sounds I liked. Fair warning, especially for those of us new to the world of modular synthesis, it's quite a learning curve- far from the relative plug and play setup of the Microcosm- but if you're willing to take on the task of learning to program it, it can not only give you the Microcosm's sounds, but those of well loved discontinued effects, and mixtures of effects tailored to your preference. I always wanted a harmonic trem that would take both a tap tempo and respond to my playing via envelope follower, changing the rate from the tapped in one to other musical sounding subdivisions- so I made it. And the inventiveness of the patches available for it, all free, is nothing short of inspiring.
Learning it is frustrating enough that it's worth a second mention, but Empress runs regular masterclass workshops and there are a few users on the Zoia subreddit that are saintly in their willingness to field inevitable questions. Anyway, that's what I ended up doing instead. I wouldn't expect it to replace your favorite dirt boxes and its sampling capabilities are not enough to replace standard style loop pedals, but it's replaced everything else on my pedalboard.
Whatever you end up going for, hope you find a solution that suits you :)
@@timrizzo3941 Zoia is excellent! I got a Euroburo recently and have been using it a lot. It definitely takes a bit of time to learn, but it's brilliant.
Good and honest explanation....
Thank you!
I’ve been debating this vs Oto bim and bam (I have the Oto boum already)
After watching the video, I’m still undecided 🤷♂️
BIM and BAM are more classic effects, so you'll get a bigger range out of them. Especially the BIM with its various delay options and modulations. You can program them in to sound just how you want. With the Microcosm, it's much more unpredictable. It's more like a textural instrument than a classic effect in that sense. How do you like the Boum?
@@StephenMcLeod the boum is a beast! Just got it and after fiddling around with it for a quick hour, I’m just wow’ed by it as I was looking for some rawness/ oomph to be added onto my Deluge, Polyend Tracker, RYTM and OP-1
I’ll test out the Microcosm as I do like the idea of it being a unpredictable gear that’ll work into my synth stuff
If that doesn’t flow, I’ll get the BIM
@@anomeone3787 I love OTO Machines btw. They fixed my busted BIM years after the warranty expired, for free. Great people.
what synth @26:55?
That's the Behringer VC340 - it's based on the Roland VP-330 Vocoder.
I really dig your videos and your attitude towards all of this stuff. It's a bit cheeky but I'd love it if you made a video about cost-effectiveness of all of this gear. I mean in terms of practicality - do you have a 1-in-1-out system with new gear, or maybe you're just doing very well in terms of day job finances, or something else?
Maybe that's a bit beyond the pale so if so I apologise for asking! But I don't see that kind of reality addressed by the usual synth-tubers as they're banging on about a new synth that costs as much as house deposit without addressing that fact, and your general vibe seems like an antidote to that.
That's a fair question, and something I've been thinking about. There is a real danger in the whole electronic music production world of just endless GAS, which I I've definitely fallen victim to. Part of that is down to the idea of endless different possibilities, and exploring them... especially when it comes to unusual sounds or workflows. There is a big difference between folks who are getting this stuff for free to promote as part of a constant cycle though, and the folks who are buying them for themselves to actually make music with. I think that's probably most obvious when you see so many videos talking about a new bit of gear which don't even mention a single down side or criticism. That's bonkers to me, and feels disingenuous. An inevitable consequence of how things have progressed mind you.
In terms of my situation, it's a combination of things. My main employment is with a good company, and I've been there for almost a decade. I also do a bunch of different other bits and pieces in addition to that. I don't have any kids, Glasgow is a relatively affordable city, and I tend to buy things second hand rather than new. With that said, I have made some foolish purchasing decisions, sold a bunch of stuff, and been collecting things for over ten years at this point. Ultimately music is the thing which keeps me sane (well, relatively), and so the main kind of expenditure I have. Every few years I do go through a crisis and sell a bunch of things off, so that's probably on the cards for the next few months...
Many mixers only send a mono aux. I use a zoia, and the microcosm, and both only get a mono signal.
Use two channels!
@@StephenMcLeod A lot of small mixers give one or two mono aux sends, is what I'm saying. It's the most common configuration on small mixers. My current Xenyx 1002B has a mono fx send, and a monitor send. I use both as fx sends, and two stereo channels, as the returns. There are some very good tricks, with this configuration. 😉
@@DetroitMicroSound One good reason for having both stereo and mono available on the Microcosm!
@@StephenMcLeod Stereo as two jacks makes more sense, but for a lot of folks, we don't have stereo sends on our mixing boards. stereo return, but not send. 😉
@@DetroitMicroSound I guess I don't really unerstand the issue :) If there were two jacks and you only had mono sends, then you would just use the single L/MONO input. That's standard for other effects units!
You make tasty jams 🙏🔥
Thank you!!
Cinematic soundtrack seems to have a wider , unlimited imagination.
Aphex Twin panned out to diverse universe and he might have been inspired by 4ad label/Eno/Harold Bud?
Nurse with Wound and you catch the drift there amigo. Keep on Twirqin in the synth world 🌍
Thanks Domingo!!
I was honestly considering this years ago, and it popped back into mind again, so here I am. But this video brings up some important points. With something like the Microcosm (or other Hologram FX pedals), I think its important to consider what type of artist you are, the instruments you choose, and your workflow. I come from a classical piano background, and got into synthesis, myself. And one thing I realized after picking up my first sampler/effects box (because someone said I needed some kind of sampler/sequencer for performing dawless with synths) is that I found I am much more of an “instrumentalist” and less of a “dj/jam” artist. That’s not to discredit those type of performers, as I do love me some lofi jam sessions.
However, I just dont like the repetetive looping that goes hand in hand with sequencing and sampling workflows. I work in a much more cinematic and classical style, with some synth pads, drones, and textures for ambience and accent to compliment a main sound. A main, non-looping sound for the most part. Thats whats great about classical piano, is its ability to be complex, instill theme and story and still be catchy without having to loop for the sake of attention. We’re not all goldfish with 7-second attention spans -although instagram and tiktok is now corrupting us.
While I love the sounds of the Hologram Microcosm, in its nifty retro aesthetic and clean, solid design, its very nature of pragmatic, formula based loop algorithms is what holds me back from a purchase. I love the idea behind it, but at the same time i dont use or listen to loop pedals in my own music, so I could see myself hating it or it just being really repetetive or limited in use. But I also understand that’s just the nature of what a glitch/microcosm is - its a repeating pattern or mirror image or “fractal” of a larger whole.
The issue with the Microcosm is it is so specified and niche in its function, that I have trouble justifying it in both size and price. It’s like the “Apple iOS” of FX pedals -you get what you get. I think most of us already have gear that can glictch and loop, and create wide spacey soundscapes, this just puts that into one box (minus the controllability and benefit of having modular or separate external components). The question is, is it worth trading control for an all-in-one packaged form factor?
If it came down to the money, I honestly would put those $500 towards a new Arturia Minifreak, or other proper full synth, or heck, even a new laptop or new microphone. Even if I had the space for a Microcosm, and got it for a more reasonable price, I could honestly see myself getting tired of it and still end up with it sitting on a shelf most days, compared to something like a Roland SP404, which at the same $500 pricepoint can act as sampler, sequencer, multi-effects box, and yes -even a synthesizer to a point. Or a Korg Volca Keys, which with its step sequencer can do glitchy, but expansive sounding space loops for much less. The Microcosm isnt as portable or multi-funtional. But maybe someday it’ll be worth revisiting again. Even 2 years later, I still continue to pass on it. But that said, I appreciate this video and it’s at least given me more to think about as far as inspiration, workflow, and the value of our gear.
I bought it for my moogs without thinking twice and have been playing through it nonstop
I am so intrigued by this unit, but at £500 not even a tiny display, no usb connection, it must be really good at what it does for people spending that kind of money with so little features, pedal such this are becoming so ridiculously expensive that the bar is becoming higher and higher...for less money I can get a Beebo Poly that does soooo much and it's also the only unit that can do IR reverbs in the world, which is for me far superior than normal reverbs. The incredible reverb is just a tiny feature of the pedal, it is now also a very functional looper and offer tons of many other effects including granular synthesis modules and much more, so pedals like the Beebo make me wonder : is this price from hologram a super inflated price or is it a fair price? And I think my conclusion is that it is a very inflated price, on top of this there is also the crackling problem? So, no, probably I'll never buy this unit...still intriguing, but maybe I'll buy it only when they cut a couple of hundred pounds off the selling price, or if they get a distributor in Europe.
It is pricey as a pedal, but as a boutique effects unit it isn't wildly out of proportion. I could just be poisoned by the Eurorack price range though. The crackling issue really isn't good enough at that price point, but it seems to largely be fixed at this stage.
The down side that should be your other channel
Sounds like some kind of erotic channel!
I just got one and its clicking and popping like crazy. unusable. it sounds so good but every second or two its VERY LOUD pops and clicks. I am so disappointed. Id rather run my synth through a tuna can to get less clicks and pops its that bad.
That's a nightmare. Have you checked that you are on the latest firmware? I would get in touch with them if so.
@@StephenMcLeod yeah so I updated the firmware but its just like you said. I am running a synth into it with the lowest possible volume and if the filter and the effects knob are fully wet they crackle even with the lowest setting. as long as I dont go 100 percent the popping is reduced. But I still have to dance around the popping every time I switch it. very annoying for how much I paid for this thing. Way over market value because they are so hard to find.
@@CneeKrunch That's really not good enough. Given the cost of the device these kinds of issues are inexcusable.
Is there an English version of this video?
No. I am Scottish.
@@StephenMcLeod .....nice accent - I hope Rick making fun ?
Eventually I gave up and after trying the Beebo by Polyeffect which was a total disaster (it's gone back where it came from), I decided finally to buy the Microcosm. I can see why people love it! But, but, although I didn't have your clicking troubles, so far, I found the unit buggy, all of a sudden it started not to work anymore, no effects whatsoever, no reverb, no glitchy thing, nothing, only the dry signal. Then I played with the knobs a bit, I did the usual power cycle thing and now it's back again. The thing is not to be used live, danger! And this for a £480 pedal is simply unacceptable! I read other people had the same problem. But they got me, the company has a no returns policy, which is obviously highly suspicious, and I shouldn't have fallen for it, in spite of the high vibe around this pedal.
On top of the above, the pedal is quite noisy, not terrible or unusable, but frankly, unacceptable for a pedal of this price, try to use an Empress Zoia pedal or other Empress pedals an you'll notice the sound coming from nowhere, especially for delicate passages and subtle ambient music the noise floor is nothing, simply outstanding Empress. With the Microcosm you always get a pretty weak volume and this ever present noise floor.
And last but not least, the REVERB, I heard some people love it, but in all honesty, even a cheap TC electronic Hall of Fame is waaaay better and clearer than the ones on the pedal, and again, this level on a £480 pedal is simply unacceptable. Each reverb on the Microcosm has an awful unnatural "ringing" decay, like a delay at high speed and full feedback, but just on the tail or just like when your DAW VST reverb maxes out the CPU and start to go nasty...and no, I checked with Hologram, my unit is not faulty, the reverb is supposed to sound like this!! I am shocked that other people and reviewers didn't spot this problem, it's super evident in Looper only Mode and incredibly annoying. In normal mode that nasty reverb makes more complex Microcosm modes incredibly muddy, am I the only one noticing this?
I used a super clean reverb from a Zoia pedal and the Microcosm without its internal reverb, and guess what, the sound was absolutely wonderful and clear, no more muddy confusing background in the more complex glitchy effects. All that hype and reviews and nobody noticed that?
And really last and then I shut up, what is for me an incomprehensible design choice, that nobody seems to be bothered about: While playing it is not possible to apply any internal reverb on the dry signal, so you end up having this wonderful super nice ambient tapestry of sounds full of space and reverb but then you have to play along with your super dry signal (guitar, synth etc.) which totally crash against the nice "wet" background effect. Of course you can use an external reverb after the microcosm of before, but why Hologram, why not to make a function that applies the internal reverb on the dry signal?
In conclusion the unit is great at what it does, it is very inspiring, but there are some big problems here which in my opinion are not acceptable for a nearly £500 "boutique" pedal. This could be explained by the fact that Hologram is a very new and small business with not a massive experience like Strymon, Empress and Chasebliss. Obviously I can't return the thing, I'll keep it until all these problems will start to annoy me too much and then I'll sell it. Maybe Hologram will address some of these problems in the future, especially the sudden unresponsive bug, but I doubt it. I am sure it will have a good after sale market.
Sorry to hear that! I called out the bugs that I found, but I didn't experience any of the issues you've had. It definitely was too buggy/unstable when I got it for a pedal of that cost. Are you on the latest firmware?
@@StephenMcLeod Yep, last firmware 1.12...did you notice as well that ringing nasty decay on the internal reverb? Do you like it?!
@@PM-yz8fx I tend to use the reverb in a very sparing way. I much more use it for the kind of granular style, glitchy sounds, as opposed to the reverb. I can't say I've noticed any particular issues with the reverb though. Have you adjusted the filter to tune out the frequencies you don't like? It could also be pretty dependent on input.
@@StephenMcLeod I see, I am more of an ambient guy, so reverb is important, yes, all the other effects to zero, the filter can't do anything, it's a kind of high speed LFO effect just affecting the decay. Also Hologram confirmed the ringing
@@PM-yz8fx That's weird! I definitely notice a change with the filter. There's a few different modes available for it. Either way, it's definitely something that isn't great given the cost.
Damn. Wordy. Interesting though. I’m sick of seeing this pedal everywhere though, kinda killed it for me. Cancelled my order…
With you 100% - give me a proper stereo input, not a TRS!
Sorry for adding to the misery and over-saturation! hah.
@@StephenMcLeod hahaha. Sorry, I was obviously having a miserable wanker day lol
@@brucegill3488 Acceptable in these times!
It’s like a cliche that is one because it’s true. You’re seeing it everywhere because it’s that good. Playing with it just gives a feel that’s hard to describe or even grasp in a video.
@@studieslessonstheoryetc141 fair enough. That’s a nice way to describe it. I’ll try one when the used prices aren’t crazy and the firmware is ironed out - put my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I’ll happily admit to it being amazing, if that’s what I find.
I’d argue it’s everywhere because they did a great job at getting it into all the right hands on TH-cam etc though.
This pedal desperately needs an app to easily get into programming and configuration.
I'm not a big fan of apps for music gear in general but it could be an idea!
@@StephenMcLeod I do partially agree. I have some pedals that have apps and I don’t have a need for those. Since this is such a “monster” and configuring is cumbersome, I think it is almost a must.
Great vid as always but I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary and Judging by the amount of these on ebay listed as "used once or twice" I'd say its all hype.
It definitely sold a lot based on pure hype. I like mine, but it's a very specific use case, and the crackles I had put me off a bit. I need to dive back into it...
Anyone else have a whole bunch of white noise/static that never goes away? Even when this is bypassed I’m getting just a ton of static/noise.
That definitely doesn't sound right!
I recently bought one, still getting used to it, but overall, disappointed to the point of feeling conned and would not recommend. If I didn't buy direct, I would have returned this immediately. The reason I would return is the cost of the pedal vs how it performs. It's completely overpriced and looks like a piece of shit A/B vga/ps2 switcher box from 1992. Will never buy from that company again.
To be fair the design is obvious from the videos and pictures, so not really a factor for me - it's similar to the other Hologram pedals in style - though it does feel very pricey. It costs more than the Chase Bliss pedals which tend to pack in just as many complex features. The real problem I had though was spending that money to still have issues.
Way, way, wayyyyyyyyy too much talking.
cry me a river