Crush it with Bitcom

Audiodamage keep cranking out little goodies to mess with your music.

Bitcom is a step sequencer that sends signal to a bit crusher, and a simple synth. Sounds odd, but it can quickly destroy even the most pleasant of sounds. Think Nine Inch Nails destroy.

Each step shows a graphic button of each of the 8 bits. If all 8 bits are selected, the sound is the same coming out as it went in. As you start removing bits, the sound starts to crush. Experimenting with using different bits can really alter the sound of the crushing – so you do get some control on how the bit crushing sounds, which is useful.

There’s a useful RAND button for each step, that once selected, will re-draw the bits once they’ve been played – ensuring that no looped phrase will sound the same if you don’t want it to.

Sidechain Synth

The simple mono synth can be played separately via midi, or can be synced and side-chained and the volume driven by the audio going through the bit crusher. It has two waveforms, pulse or triangle, which can be tuned finely and shaped.

Conclusion

Bitcom is a fun bit crusher with a difference – the addition of the mono synth adds some interesting elements to crushing the crap out of your sounds. I wouldn’t recommend Bitcom as a playable synth – as it’s very simple, and not really designed for that. But as a combination with the crusher it gives more options. Lots of fun for the price!

Price
$39

…Bitcom is a fun bit crusher with a difference …

Product page

PROS

• great control over the bitcrushed sound
• Simple to use
• Synth is a useful addition

LOVE IT OR HATE IT

• looking for subtle analog drive? this isn’t for you. Crazy nasty distortion? This is a great option at the price

CONS

• no presets that I could find