The EarthQuaker Devices Data Corrupter takes your signal, crushes it into a square wave, then runs it through a PLL (phase-locked loop) circuit to multiply, divide and modulate it into a repeatable, three voice guitar synthesizer. It’s part fuzz pedal, part analogue synth and entirely its own thing!
Key Features
- Monophonic analogue harmonizing PLL (phase-locked loop) synthesizer
- Three voices: Master Oscillator, Subharmonic, and a square wave fuzz, that can be independently blended
- Root switch selects the input octave: Unison, -1, or -2
- Eight-position rotary sets the Master Oscillator’s octave / interval program
- Frequency Modulator applies pitch bend for Glide (portamento) or Vibrato
- Subharmonic control adds one of eight lower octave programs, up to three octaves below input
A Fuzz Pedal That Thinks It’s a Synth
The Datacorrupter is inspired by the Electrax Synthax and Ray Marston’s “Basic Frequency Synthesizer” design.
At the heart of the Data Corrupter is a CMOS phase-locked loop circuit
It compares your input signal’s phase and frequency against an internal oscillator, then generates an output based on the difference betwen the two.
Then, it feeds all that back to the oscillator until it locks onto your signal and produces a genuinely synthesized frequency. This is the pedal’s Master Oscillator.
The Root switch fine-tunes tracking by feeding the PLL your signal at its original pitch or one or two octaves down, useful for matching different instruments and registers.
From there, an eight-position rotary selects which octave or interval program the Master Oscillator uses.
Blend in a Subharmonic voice up to three octaves below your input, plus a raw square wave fuzz tone, for maximum chaos!
Controls
- Voice Mixer:
- Square: Blends in the raw square wave fuzz tone
- Subharmonic: blends in one of eight lower octave programs, up to three octaves below input
- Oscillator : blends in the Master Oscillator voice
- Subharmonic:
- 8 position rotary selector: Select harmonic type
- Root toggle switch: Selects Unisor or Oscillator
- Master Oscillator
- (8-position rotary): selects the synthesized octave / interval program
- Root 3-position switch: sets the input octave fed to the PLL – select Unison, -1 or -2
- Frequency Modulator:
- Rate
- Vibrato
- Level: Sets master outpiut of the pedal
How To Get Best Results From The Data Corrupter
To get best tracking, place the Corrupter at the front of your signal chain. It tracks best from a neck pickup. Precise picking and single notes track quickly and cleanly. Chords sloppy playing will produce chaos!
Power
Runs on a standard 9V DC centre-negative supply and draws 25mA.
Who Is This For
Worth a serious look if you want genuinely synth-like textures from a stompbox rather than a conventional octave or fuzz pedal. Particularly for experimental, noise, or synth-leaning players. It takes you to places that you wouldn’t go without using it!
Watch The EarthQuaker Devices Data Corrupter In Action
FAQs
It’s a monophonic analogue harmonizing PLL synthesizer. It amplifies your signal into a square wave fuzz, then multiplies, divides and modulates it into a repeatable three-voice guitar synth sound.
A standard 9V DC centre-negative supply, drawing 25mA. Do not run this pedal at higher voltages, per EarthQuaker’s own warning — a CIOKS SOL is the right kind of supply for it.
We’re confirming this detail and will update this answer shortly.
It sets the input octave fed to the Master Oscillator — Unison (original octave), -1 (one octave down), or -2 (two octaves down) — letting you fine-tune tracking for your instrument.
Glide gives a smooth portamento as each note slides into the next. Vibrato modulates the pitch up and down for a retro, sci-fi laser-style effect.
Dan G (verified owner) –
Craziest stuff I ever bought