RPS Effects has debuted a new analog-synth and harmonizer stompbox, the Arcade Machine.
The Arcade Machine is capable of adding glitchy, chiptune-inspired sounds to any pedalboard. Per RPS Effects, the unit is a “PLL-based analog synth/harmonizer. It latches onto your input frequency and re-synthesizes it as a square wave, which in and of itself produces a rich, rounded synth tone. But that’s only the beginning… one and two octaves down, one and two octaves up, plus an interval of your choosing are all at your disposal, essentially resulting in a 6-voice synthesizer that you can control with your instrument.”
Moreover, the Arcade Machine boasts an onboard vibrato section consists of Rate and Depth dials to yield various sound options that range from “subtle pitch variation to full-on glitched-out computer sounds.”
The Arcade Machine also accepts a CV input. Therefore, it will play beautifully with external controllers like the Electro-Harmonix 8 Step Program.
While digital offerings such as the Eventide Pitchfactor and Boss HS-6 are rather common sights in the guitar harmonizers realm, RPS Effects claims that as far as they know, the Arcade Machine is the sole analog harmonizer that can deliver “all of the intervals in a 12-tone scale.”
The Arcade Machine retails for $265. Check out the demo video below to learn more about it.
