BugBrand Bug Crusher

via this auction. via SPIKE on the forum.

"There were only 15 of this particular model made at the time.

The creator of this noiz box makes some of the best quality extreme noiz gear on par with Frostwave and Metasonix.
Pedal comes with instruction sheet and power supply.
Power supply is labeled with a silver paint pen due to the fact I use a lot of pedals and it's too easy to mix up a power unit.

Here is the description from the Bug Brand website - http://www.bugbrand.co.uk/

BugBrand BugCrusher - Audio rate Sample&Hold for BitCrush effects

The BugCrusher is a Sample Rate Reducer pedal that uses audio-rate sample&hold to give a bit-crusher style effect. Other than a few digi-multi-effects, there is only one other hardware effect similar to this in the world - the Frostwave Sonic Alienator - we do things a bit differently, but give quite similar results.

You can plug many different things into the BugCrusher - connections are on 1/4" mono jacks. The active preamp brings whatever signal up to suitable levels and can be slightly overdriven for extra crunch. Adjust the RateReduce knob to change from full-rate/no-effect though fizzly high-end and down into sonic murk that sounds similar to a ring-mod but with a bit more clarity.

There's a modulation LFO (low freq oscillator) to modulate the SampleRate - with its own depth control, this gives variable shaped triangle or square wave modulation at speeds from slow (about 20seconds per cycle) to fast (about 20 cycles per second). The waveshape control changes the triangle shape from ramp through triangle to sawtooth or changes the pulse-width of the square waveform.

There's also a foot control input with depth control. Attaching a suitable volume pedal allows you to change the SampleRate with your foot - great for playing. And this socket can also act as an external CV input if you want to modulate the sample rate with CVs from, for example, a modular synth.

The BugCrusher is built into a mighty strong aluminium enclosure and uses the industry standard superstrong EH3PDT stomp switch for bypass. This is not TrueBypass - the audio signal still passes through the preamp when the RateReduce is bypassed, but the preamp imparts no change in tone. Why like this? Because the BugCrusher runs signals at higher levels than most stomp pedals ('cos its synth-based)

The pedal is designed on a modular-synth basis and so has special power requirements - the BugCrusher requires an 12VAC adaptor (AC not DC) and won't run off batteries."