The Meris Enzo X is an evolution of the original Enzo guitar synthesizer pedal, crafted to blur the lines between traditional stompbox effects and a digital synthesizer. We’ve spent considerable time with the Enzo X, in both a guitar context and in an electronic music production studio for this long-term test to determine if this pedal deserves your attention.
Built in California by the same team as the LVX and Mercury X effects pedals, both of which are FutureMusic Power Award winners, the Enzo X puts the distinctive Meris stamp on what a pedal-format synthesizer can do by marrying deep synthesis capabilities with solid tracking, intuitive control, flexible connectivity, and a premium signal path that works equally well in the studio or in a live performance setting. As anyone who reads FutureMusic regularly can attest, we’re big fans of Meris. When the Enzo X was announced, it was clear that Meris was reaching for new heights by trying to push the envelope of what a guitar synthesizer pedal could achieve. Let’s see if they can keep their Power Award streak alive.
For a limited time only! Save an additional 10% off of Waves’ new L4 UltraMaximizer plug-in. Get yours today before this special offer ends – only by clicking this link! Go!
At its core, the Enzo X is a six-voice polyphonic synthesizer that responds to your instrument’s pitch without requiring any special pickup technology. This polyphonic pitch detection allows you to play single notes and chords and have the Enzo X translate those fretted notes into harmonically rich synth tones across all six voices simultaneously. Each voice contains two oscillators, a configurable filter with multiple types, a filter envelope, and an amplitude envelope, giving you comprehensive control over your sound’s evolution from attack through release. You can choose from sawtooth, triangle, and square waveforms for each oscillator and employ cross-modulation between them to generate anything from classic analog-style timbres to wild, evolving textures.
What sets the Enzo X apart from many other synth pedals is its modular instrument architecture, which gives you extensive routing options and sound design flexibility…
The pedal offers five synth modes, extending beyond traditional mono and polyphonic synth behavior. These modes include mono synth, poly synth, arpeggiated synth, and two “dry processing” modes that let you use the Enzo X as a pitch-shifting effect without engaging the synthesis engine, broadening its versatility for both guitar and bass. This means you can use it as a subtle harmonic processor, a synth lead/pad generator, or somewhere in between, all directly from your instrument input or via a MIDI keyboard if you prefer.
What sets the Enzo X apart from many other synth pedals is its modular instrument architecture, which gives you extensive routing options and sound design flexibility. The user interface centers around the same Bubble Operating system developed by Jinna Kim from the LVX and Mercury X platforms, allowing visual access to parameters and preset management without resorting to cryptic knob combinations. That said, a Text View is also available, which does reduce some menu-diving. A modifier section lets you route control signals (such as envelopes, LFOs, and expression inputs) to a wide range of synthesizer and effect parameters, enabling dynamic and expressive patches. An expressive hold modifier switch provides real-time performance control, making it easy to latch notes or trigger sustained textures on the fly.
The Enzo X also includes a suite of effects that integrate with its synthesis engine. You get three reverb types drawn from the Mercury X’s Prism algorithm, a full stereo delay with up to 2.5 seconds of time, and five distinct drive options including tube, op-amp, transistor, bitcrush, and a volume pedal style drive, all of which are familiar if you own the other X pedals. Additionally, there are five modulation types, such as chorus, flanger, phaser, and vibrato, which you can blend into your patches or use as standalone effects in dry modes. These elements turn the Enzo X into much more than a synth pedal, giving it the additional flexibility for sound design applications.
In terms of control and integration, the Enzo X is designed to sit comfortably in complex setups. There are stereo inputs and outputs with switchable headroom for instrument or line/synth-level signals, MIDI In and Out via standard DIN jacks with full implementation for continuous control and preset recall, and an assignable expression pedal jack for hands-free modulation of multiple parameters. The unit also offers a handy built-in tuner with configurable reference frequency, 99 preset locations organized in 33 banks, and a favorite preset bank for quick access to your three most used sounds. MIDI beat clock synchronization lets you lock the pedal’s time-based effects to external timing sources, which is invaluable in both live and studio contexts.
From a technical standpoint, the pedal features a 24-bit A/D and D/A conversion system, 32-bit floating point DSP processing, and a premium analog signal path featuring Analog Devices JFET inputs. Its frequency response covers a full 20 Hz–20 kHz range with a very low noise floor and high signal-to-noise ratio, ensuring that your synth and effect sounds remain consistent whether used subtly or aggressively. Bypass is selectable between true relay-based or analog buffered, giving you flexibility for how the pedal sits in your signal chain. The metal enclosure is robust, with a translucent gold finish and dimmable screen and logo lights for stage-friendly visibility.
MIDI Designer Is Now Free!
MIDI Designer Pro X is now free to download! MIDI Designer Pro X is a professional-grade MIDI controller platform for iPhone, iPad and Mac. User-contributed layouts let you control everything from Ableton to Yamaha out of the box. Go beyond hardware and express your musical vision. Check out out now!
As mentioned, the Enzo X can accept either audio or MIDI into its synthesizer engine, but not simultaneously. For example, you cannot send MIDI data into the Enzo X while playing to pitch correct notes. However, you can send MIDI to control the synth and use the effects to process an incoming signal at the same time. For example, you could send MIDI notes to trigger and control the synth engine while running your guitar audio through the pedal for effects processing or dry signal routing. This means that the Enzo X pedal does not turn off its audio path when MIDI data is present — it continues to accept your instrument input as an audio source in parallel.
So how does the Enzo X pitch detection and tracking perform? For complex textures, chords, note bends and are variables inherent in guitar tones, pretty darn good, considering it doesn’t employ any external hardware, but understandably, it’s not perfect. Single notes at a constant gain level work magically well, but the Enzo X can struggle with pitchy content, low note volumes and intricate structures. According to our guitar testers, it’s more about learning how to play into the Enzo X, rather than the Meris learning how you play. While fingering sounds and hitting adjacent strings can cause some imperfect and/or inconsistent triggers, our reviewers where pleasantly surprised at the overall rejection of these typical playing artifacts.
The easiest way for electronic musicians to get their music onto Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Tidal, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pandora, Twitch & much more! Click the banner above or the Go Button to save 7% off of your signup! Go!
Meris Enzo X Features:
- Advanced ARM Processor
- Analog signal path and 24-bit AD/DA w/32 bit floating point DSP
- Analog Devices JFET input section
- Sample Rate 48000 Hz
- Input Impedance 1 Meg Ohm
- SNR 115 dB Typical
- Frequency Response 20Hz-20kHz
- Five Synthesizer modes including Mono, Polyphonic and Dry Processing modes
- Polyphonic Pitch Detection with no special pickup necessary
- Synthesizer playable via instrument input OR MIDI keyboard
- Six Polyphonic Voices available simultaneously
- Modular Instrument Synthesizer architecture
- ADSR Envelope Generators for both Amplitude and Filter
- Configurable Oscillator and Filter types
- Saw, Triangle, and Square Waveforms selectable per Oscillator w/ Cross Modulation
- Three Filters: Ladder – 24 dB per-octave resonant filter / State Variable – 12 dB per octave filter / Twin – a Dual Parallel filter creating 2 resonances that sweep across the frequency space.
- Text Or Graphic User Interface adapted from LVX and Mercury X
- Expressive Hold Modifier Switch for on the fly control
- 99 Preset Locations in 33 Banks
- Favorite Preset Bank for instant access to your three favorite presets
- Instant Access Tuner with configurable Reference and Output mode
- Modifier Section lets you route control signals to processing parameters
- All New Processing Elements including Meris custom Flanger and Phaser
- Digitally controlled Analog mix bus
- Stereo input and output with separate jacks for each
- Switchable input/output headroom level for Instrument or Synthesizer / Line levels
- Assignable Expression Pedal control for multiple parameters simultaneously
- Dedicated Expression Pedal Jack
- MIDI In and Out over standard MIDI Din Jacks
- MIDI implementation for Continuous Control Parameters
- MIDI Preset Send and Receive
- MIDI beat clock synchronization
- Dimmable screen and logo light
- Dimensions 7.25″ wide, 4.5″ long, 2″ tall
- Weight 24 ounces
Polyend Press Review
Polyend’s Press stereo compressor is part of their next generation of products with a bold new aesthetic that makes a statement even before you connect it to your pedal board or studio rig. Read our comprehensive Polyend Press Review to find out more!
Other abilities emerged during our long-term test, which opened up the pedal to new possibilities – you’re not restricted to sending just guitar or bass into the Enzo X. Our singer-guitarist had a field day singing into the Enzo X for leads and bass lines. In fact, simple and pure melodies can be sung into the Enzo X with excellent results and allowed her to get down song ideas by singing the majority of the parts. Although, we didn’t test this, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t send other instruments through the Enzo X, like a saxophone or trumpet, to create synth accompaniments.
Even better, our ambient artist loved sending in tones from his Eurorack modules into the audio input of the Enzo X to create immersive soundscapes. It’s no secret that modular and Eurorack users often employ guitar pedals into their rigs for processing, however with the Enzo X’s pitch detection, you’re not only getting effects – the bit crusher works amazing in this context – but you’re also providing a wonderful bed for your monophonic sounds to snuggle up in. In fact, we found the Ambience arena with the glorious Prism reverb algorithms to work beautifully in this context. But it doesn’t always have to been warm and cuddly, with the Enzo X’s cross modulation between the two oscillators, you can add FM metallic tones to complement your more experimental sounds.
The Enzo X’s combination of deep polyphonic synthesis with a playable, responsive pitch detection system makes it unusually expressive for a guitar pedal. The sheer breadth of sound design possibilities — dual oscillators per voice, multiple waveforms, cross-modulation, ADSR envelopes for both filter and amplitude, and extensive modulation routing — gives musicians a broad palette ranging from vintage analog emulations to forward-thinking sonic experimentation. The inclusion of rich effects like long stereo delays, multiple reverb styles, and diverse drive flavors expands its utility far beyond a simple synth box.
However, there are negatives and caveats worth acknowledging. Complex synthesis systems inevitably come with a learning curve, and while the interface is a significant improvement over the original Enzo, some players may still find the depth intimidating or the controls less immediate compared to synth hardware with dedicated knobs for every parameter.
Conclusion
In summary, the Meris Enzo X stands as a groundbreaking hybrid of guitar pedal convenience and synthesizer depth. Its synthesis engine is ambitious and versatile, its effects engine broad and musical, and its connectivity and control make it suitable for modern performance and production environments. For musicians seeking a tool that can transform their instrument into an expressive polyphonic synth and beyond, the Enzo X offers vast creative potential. Highly recommended.
Meris Enzo X Rating 92%
Cheers:
+ Build Quality
+ Sound Quality
+ Versatile
+ Tracking
+ Unlimited Creative Possibilities
+ Built-In Effects
Jeers:
– Maybe Too Digital Sounding
– Menu Diving
– Power Supply Not Included
Meris Enzo X costs $599.
The Future: We’d love to see the addition of pulse width modulation. There could also be some creative possibilities with combining the MIDI and Audio inputs simultaneously.
