Description
The Data Corrupter is one of those pedals that might be quite hard to describe but easy to understand once you hear it. It crushes and mangles your guitar sound in a way that no other single pedal could because it amplifies your signal into a crushing square wave fuzz sound.
Once that signal is brutally destroyed, it’s multiplied and divided (and then modulated) to create an incredibly complex sound. It has the feeling of turning your guitar into some sort of synth pedal with octave up and octave down abilities too. But not in the traditional sense of pitch shift.
Wild!
This pedal is wild and definitely made for the more expressive and experimental guitar players out there. The frequency modulator will produce smooth pitch-shifting bends or glitchy, sci-fi effects if necessary.
Subharmonic
The Subharmonic switch will engage different harmonics and octaves to taste. As with all things EQD the trick is experiment until you find the formula that works for you.
Here’s what EarthQuaker Devices say about the Data Corrupter
A wild, yet repeatable three-voice Modulated Monophonic Phase-Locked Loop (PLL) Harmonizer, the Data Corrupter takes your input signal and brutally amplifies it into a crushing square wave fuzz tone. That signal is then multiplied, divided and modulated to create a harmonically complex, expressive and touch-responsive analog synth tone up to three octaves below (or above) the original signal, plus additional harmonies.
- Wild Three-Voice Guitar Synthesizer w. Crushing Square Wave Fuzz
- Frequency Modulator produces smooth portamento pitch-bends (Glide mode) or retro sci-fi laser effects (Vibrato mode)
- Master Oscillator and Subharmonic dials allow for harmonies up to three octaves above and below your original signal
- True Bypass
- Silent relay-based switching
- All-analog signal path
- Top-mounted jacks – for effortless pedalboard implementation
The central nervous system at the heart of the Data Corrupter’s hive mind is the Master Oscillator. The Master Oscillator’s “Root” (the octave of which is selectable via a three-position rotary switch) adjusts the frequency range and tracking response of the input signal, which is then synthesized and harmonized by one of eight Master Oscillator programs, adjustable by an eight-way rotary switch.
From there, the Frequency Modulator applies pitch-bend modulation to the Master Oscillator. In Glide mode, you’ll hear a smooth portamento as each note slides into the next. In Vibrato mode the pitch modulates up and down for a retro sci-fi laser effect.
The Subharmonic assimilates the input signal into one of eight lower octave programs between one and three octaves below the original. For a more stable lower octave, set the Subharmonic’s Root switch to the Unison position, which divides the Square Wave input signal, and removes the Frequency Modulator from the Subharmonic signal path.
To unleash the cracked machine lurking within the Data Corrupter mainframe, set the Subharmonic Root switch to Oscillator and try not to look away as the sonic malware you just installed mangles your input signal into the sum and difference of both the Master Oscillator and Subharmonic with the Frequency Modulator applied to the upper and lower octaves.
Each and every Data Corrupter is built one-at-a-time by a team of ensigns aboard the Starship Enterprise locked in orbit around the Borg Cube of Akron, Ohio, USA. Make it so. Engage.
