Lovers of quirky effects may want to check out also our shopping guides to the Best Glitch and Granular Pedals, the Best Ring Modulator Pedals and the Best Pedals for Synths.
Updated on July 11.2022.
Those who see technology as unstoppable progress towards technical excellence might feel puzzled by the lo-fi and 8-bit movements in pop and rock music. Why on earth would some musicians want to use effects that make their tone sound worse?
Lo-Fidelity Is All About Character
The answer to that question can be found in the numerous, terrible, yet wonderfully recorded albums released by major labels and, at once, in Tom Wait’s voice in that masterpiece record called Swordfishtrombone: so, if on one hand, sound quality has nothing to do with great music, on the other, character in art is an important factor that can be obtained through means as unorthodox as a raspy and guttural voice.
So, yes, lo-fi and bit crushing pedals can add character to your guitar tone, but – as it’s always the case – it’s what you do with them that will determine the quality of the results and – to be perfectly frank – they are a kind of effect that might just not work at all in some more traditional musical contexts.
What is Bit Crushing?
| Click here to expand/shrink this section |
The Best Bitcrusher Pedals
Let’s dive into what the pedal market has to offer in this quirky but creative niche. As it’s always the case with stompboxes, different builders have different takes on each type of effect, and in our shopping guides, we do our best to channel the needs of our readers towards a few categories.
Here’s how we decided to organize our list of the Best Bit Crusher Pedals – click on these categories to jump to the corresponding list:
Best Bitcrusher Pedals with Synth-Style Controls
Best Intuitive Bitcrusher Pedals
Best Bitcrusher Pedals in Mini Format
Best Bitcrusher Pedals with Fuzz or Distortion
Best Hybrid Pedals with Bit Crusher and other FX
Best Bitcrusher Pedals with Synth-Style Controls
The pedals in this list are like synths without keys. They offer a host of functions to manipulate bit depth and sample rate, and include other effects normally found on synthesizers like filters, modulation, envelops and multiple waves LFO. Many of them are Stereo and all offer CV In inputs and sometimes even Midi compatibility.
Best Intuitive Bitcrusher Pedals
This list includes simpler, more intuitive stompboxes with fewer controls and functions, but not necessarily less fun, and definitely less expensive. Many also include filters and modulation, two effects that are able to tame the roughness of bit crushing.
—
Best Bitcrusher Pedals in Mini Format
Even more spartan and affordable than the previous category, these mini-pedals are “pure” bitcrushers,” as in, that’s all they do!
Best Bitcrusher Pedals with Fuzz or Distortion
A bitcrusher placed after a fuzz has become very common among noise-loving guitarists. These pedals deliver it to you in a single box.
Best Hybrid Pedals with Bitcrusher and other FX
The pedals in this list are for those looking for devices where bit crushing has an important role, but it’s not necessarily the main protagonist. They include hybrid circuits that marry a bitcrusher with a delay, a reverb, or other effects like filter and modulation.
Bitcrusher Pedals Shootout Video
