Source Audio has birthed a monster ultimate all-rounder Stereo Lo-Fi Manipulator - the Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements
As soon as I saw this intriguing new Artifakt format I immediately thought that it looked like some sort of hybrid crossover between Chase Bliss and Red Panda Labs. Source Audio has really gone to town here - covering off all the essential Lo-Fi manipulation elements in a single pedal - and in Stereo too! So it obviously gets a lot of love from me.
There are 7 different Effects Engines - where you really need a manual on hand for this pedal as there is so much going on, and most of the controls have variable parameters per mode! If any pedal could do with an OLED screen for all the variables and options - then certainly this one qualifies!
It’s as well that Source Audio’s Neuro Editor / App has just been recently updated to a V3 edition - as you’re really going to need to rely on that to get the most out of this pedal - which I guess somewhat helps with the complexity of all those different Variables and Parameters
Controls - ALT Control Input button on top, Destruct, Filter, Mix [Volume], Vary, Type : Radio / Tape / μVerb / Crush / Ladder / Vinyl / Glitch, Mod : Rate / Depth / Shape, Bandwidth : Low / Med / High,Presets 1-4 / Save, On/Off Footswitch, Option / Tap Footswitch.
Top / Side Ports - USB-C, 9V DC [-] 200mA, Control Input, MIDI In, Input 1, Input 2, MIDI Thru, Output 1, Output 2.
You can see from the below chart - how each of those main knobs - Destruct, Vary, Filter, Bandwidth, Option Tap, and Option Hold - varies enormously - with sometimes wholly different Parameters for each Effect Type.
Here are the 7 Effects Engines :
RADIO - tune into its crackling nostalgic tones where static frequency filtering and noise generation evoke the charm of a vintage radio struggling to dial in a signal
TAPE - the Tape engine conjures the sound of vintage tape machines by blending subtle compression, overdrive, tape flutter, and pitch modulation to invoke effects like slap-back, chorus, doubling, and tape saturation
μVERV - is a primitive reverb effect with bouncing echoes / taps similar to the reverb on 8-bit gaming systems
CRUSH - the Crush effect voyages through the realm of bit-depth quantizing and sample rate reduction, all finely sculpted with the resonance of a Moog-style ladder filter
LADDER - inspired by the revered R-2R ladder filter, offers both envelope and LFO modulation control for classic and dramatic filter sweep effects
VINYL - this faithfully emulates the crackle and pop of vintage records, from pristine 180-gram vinyl to well-loved gramophone platters
GLITCH - adds an unpredictable edge, capturing fragments of your performance and hurling them back at random speeds and pitches.
Example LADDER Settings
A special thanks to ADG's Phil's for helping me to fill in some of the gaps here - in trying to get a thorough understanding of the full scope and capabilities of this pedal. The long and the short of it - is that you are definitely going to need to have the manual to hand!
As an example of the depth of detail and granularity of this pedal - I'm going to share all the variable for the LADDER Effect, as below - basically all those different knob Variable and Parameters change for each Effect! :
LADDER - Explore the glorious filter sweep so oft hear in pop music - using the Ladder filter, a sound not unlike the massive Moog DF-101. The filtering can be static, envelope-controlled (reactive to your picking style) or swept using an expression pedal.
DESTRUCT : Ladder Fitler Self Mod (essentially, the ladder filter's internal overdrive)
FILTER : Ladder Filter Frequency
VARY : Envelop Control. Turn the knob to the right for traditional envelope filter response, to the left for reverse envelope filter response, and 12 i'c to eliminate filter movement
MOD RATE : LFO Rate controlling the Ladder Filter
MOD DEPTH : Ladder Filter LFO Depth (turn CCW for no LFO/static fitlering, turn CW for LFO-controlled filtering)
MOD SHAPE : LFO Shape
BANDWIDTH : Select from 3 different Filter Q settings. Please note as you move the toggle from left to right - the envelope will become more dramatic
- LOW : Smoother Q
- MED : Medium Q
- HIGH : Sharp Q
OPTION SWITCH : TAP to add echo effect
[NOTE that some of these values may have changed in the latest software update!]
The Artifakt is of course available for orders from the Source Audio Webstore, and International Dealers and Distributors - including of course my good friends at Audio Distribution Group!
Key Features
- Lo-Fi Modulation / Reverb / Delay / Bitrate Reduction Effects Pedal
- Updated platform with improved interface and additional controls and foots witches - for easier access to more parameters, presets, tap tempo and a variety of other engine specific functions
- 7 different effect engines on the face of the pedal
- Radio - crackling nostalgic tones of a vintage radio struggling to dial in a signal
- Tape - conjures the sound of vintage tape machines with subtle compression, tape saturation, flutter and pitch modulation
- μVerb - a primitive reverb effect with bouncing echoes similar to the reverb on 8-bit gaming systems
- Crush - bit-depth quantizing and sample rate reduction, finely sculpted with the resonance of a Moog-style ladder filter
- Ladder - filter effect inspired by the revered R-2R ladder filter
- Vinyl - faithfully emulates the crackle and pop of vintage records
- Glitch - adds an unpredictable edge with random speeds and pitches
- 16 presets accessible via the pedal controls (128 presets available via MIDI)
- Full MIDI control via 3.5 mm TRS MIDI In and Thru jacks
- USB-C port for connecting to Neuro 3.0, Source Audio’s preset downloading and effect editing software Stereo Inputs and Outputs
- External expression control over any parameter using the Neuro 3.0 editor
- Switchable Active Analog or True Bypass
- Powered by (opt.) 9V DC power supply 2,1 mm plug, center [-], 200 mA current draw
- MAP / RRP : $349 / €399 / £349
Demos
12 Degrees of Saturation 2023 Compact Edition
