Collision Devices unleashes its magical Crushturnal Dreamy Ambient Twilight Soundscaper - with Shimmer Reverb, Digital Delay, Clock Sequencer and Sample Reducer
A while back, this project actually started off as a custom edition of the Nocturnal Ambient Multi-FX, where it soon developed into entirely its own thing, while it does retain some certain vestiges of the original.
You still get a core Cathedral style Shimmer Reverb, while the newer pedal’s variant is slightly different, and with just 3 controls for that section - Diffusion, Filter and FX Level, in place of the Reverb, Shimmer, Blend, Colour and Filter controls of the original.
Both also have a delay - again with the original having 5 controls : Modulation, Feedback, Mix, Speed and Time, versus just 3 on the new one : FX Level, Time, Feedback - the Crushturnal does though have a Bitcrusher / Sample Reducer - which you can apply it to just the Dry or Wet Signal, or a mixture of both (middle).
The final FX sections are quite different across both pedals - with the Nocturnal having a 2-knob Dynamic Tremolo, where the Crushturnal has a 4-knob Multi-Mode Step Sequencer based off a 1kHz > 72kHz Clock - Fidelity / Resolution Control.
Both pedals are kind of two sides of an ambient soundscape generator- where each delivers beautiful shimmery skittery textures with a degree of pitch-shifting - I’ve taken to calling the Crushturnal a ’Dreamy Twilight Soundscaper’ where it delivers cinematic ambient tones with a hint of sort of lightly crushing solar radiation. This is very much along Collision Devices’ usual themes of Time and Space!
You can of course dial down the Crush and Sample rate - where the 3 footswitches engage the Reverb (Ambience), Delay + Bitcrusher (Digital Repeater), and Sequencer.
Mark Johnston does his usual great job of deconstructing the key parts of the pedal and explaining how well they all work with each other, while further below Emily Hopkins demonstrates the degree of creative soundscaping this particular combination of effects offers.
Controls - SEQUENCER } Step Size (see below), Mode (see below), Rate : 2-5ms (also Tap Tempo on Sequencer Footswitch - [Hold = Tap]); CLOCK } Fidelity / Resolution : 1kHz > 72kHz; AMBIENCE / REVERB } Diffusion (Length / Generative Pitch-Shifter), Filter (Brightness), FX Level (Wet), Ambience Footswitch - Hold = Kill Dry; DIGITAL REPEATER } FX Level (Wet), Time (intervals), Feedback (repeats), Digital Repeater Footswitch - hold for Kill Dry; BITCRUSHER } Crush (Delay > Both < Dry), Sample Rate.
Rear Ports - Sync, EXP / CV In, Input, 9V DC [-] 500mA, Output, CV Out.
The Crushturnal delivers dreamy intricate movements within a grand celestial space!
"you can create textures, harmonize, repeat and destroy your signal by degrees."
"It also has a CV/Exp input to control the clock. The Step Sequencer can be used with a CV output to
control other devices. And the sequencer has a tap tempo + a Sync input to control its rate."
Most of the controls are very simple and straightforward to deploy - while the Sequencer section has a little more intricacy to it. The Sequencer and Bitchrusher are obviously the two big differences between the Crushturnal and Nocturnal. And you're going to have a lot of fun playing with Sample Step Sizes and Intervals - in combination with the different Up / Down and Random Modes, all triggered by the central Clock knob.
You can see that while superficially the two pedal control arrangements look very similar overall - they're actually quite significantly different in function. Collision Devices have really smartly distilled the best of the Nocturnal into fewer controls, and then added a Clock - Sequencer and Bitcrusher on top - so there really is quite a bit more going on with the Crushturnal.
I love the colour-coding of the knobs - which Is really necessary here - more than for the vertical linear control lines of the Nocturnal.
It's quite evident that this pedal is capable of some really beautiful and distinct ethereal / celestial tones and textures. Applying a light degree of Bitcrushing is often a favourite of mine - just introducing some radiation-like breakup. Where you can of course also go pretty full-on and more destructive.
This really is a dream machine in how it operates - and all those effects together sound quite superb.
I initially wasn't 100% sure on the style of knobs applied here - but I've kind of grown to like them. It bears noting here also - that this is a mono device - which makes it more difficult to fit into my own rig - indeed its somewhat large form-factor / footprint has some inherent deployment challenges. While this new device sounds so superb and so unique that it's very much worth it!
Baptiste and Denis have really pulled out all the stops here - and they've hit on a killer combination of exactly these effects. I can't recall anything which does exactly the same as this - while I'm sure you could build something similar with a Line 6 or Boss workstation pedal. It's not just the combination of effects - it's how well they are calibrated - for maximum ambient sonic impact.
THE SEQUENCER CONTROLS
These 4 controls require a little more explanation
Essentially the first of these sets the sample size / interval of the step, and the second sets the sequence of Up/Down and Random Movements, with Rate being how quickly those Steps sequence, and Clock being what sets the core Resolution and sort of Root frequency.
STEP SIZE ['m' minor | 'M' Major | 'P' Perfect] - tiny | m2 | M2 | m3 | M3 | P4 | P5 | m6 | M6 | m7 | M7 | oct
MODE [Clock Multiplier / Divider] - Up 2 Steps [Multiplier] | Up 3 Steps [Multiplier] | Up 4 Steps [Multiplier] | Up Infinite [Multiplier] | Down 2 Steps [Divider] | Down 3 Steps [Divider] | Down 4 Steps [Divider] | Down Infinite [Divider] | Up Down 4 Steps [Multiplier + Divider] | Up Down Infinite [Multiplier + Divider] | Random Pattern [Based on Step Size Knob]
RATE - 2s-5ms [0.5Hz-200Hz]
CLOCK [Fidelity / Resolution] - 1kHz > 72kHz
Key FEATURES AND SPECS
- Ambient Dreamy Soundscape Generator
- Consists of Cathedral Shimmer Reverb, Digital Delay, Bitcrusher / Sample Reducer, and Clock-based Sequencer
- 12 control knobs in 3 x colour-coded sections [per knob colour and 3 footswitches]
- 3 Footswitches - Sequencer | Digital Repeater [Delay + Crusher] | Ambience [Shimmer Reverb]
- Maximum current draw 500mA
- Voltage 9V DC (negative center)
- Input Impedance 1 MΩ
- Output Impedance 100 KΩ
- All analog dry signal path Mono in / Mono out
- Size : 18.5 x 11.5 x 6" / 470 x 292 x 152mm
- Weight : 300gr
- Map / RRP : $390 | €332.5 + Tax | £299 + Tax
As stated above the Crushurnal is available for orders now courtesy of the Collision Devices Webstore, and should be imminently at international dealers, including my friends Andy Birkitt's Break the Machine, and Steve Dennis's FX Pedal Planet. The pedal is also already available for preorders at Thomann, GB Music and Sound (Canada) and Cream City Music (USA).
DEMOS
