Beauty in Imperfection: Chase Bliss Generation Loss MkII Review

Glitching the Pristine: Generation Loss MkII

Chase Bliss Generation Loss MkII (or Gen Loss MkII, for the sake of brevity) is a guitar and synth-friendly pedal that embraces the beauty that can emerge from imperfection, unpredictability, and decay. The various tape manipulation effects like wow, flutter, dropout, noise, and filtering create a glitchy, lo-fi sound that is reminiscent of worn VHS tapes or malfunctioning cassette decks.

In this unconventional Generation Loss MkII review, we’ll not only cover the pedal’s functionality (and possible software alternatives), but also examine how it serves as a catalyst for reflection on aesthetics, philosophy, and the role of imperfection in art.

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it embodies a creative philosophy that values imperfection, chance, and decay as essential elements of emotionally resonant sound.

Why This Name?

If you’re wondering, the name “Generation Loss” refers to the degradation or loss of quality that occurs when copying analog media like tapes or vinyl records. Each copy is a “generation” away from the original master, and fidelity is lost with each successive copy.

The very name “Generation Loss” also suggests themes of mortality, transience, and the passage of time. Our recordings and creative works endure beyond us, but slowly degrade and transform. There is poignancy in the evidence of use and age on an old tape. The pedal gives a glimpse into impermanence and the role of decay in beauty. But we’ll talk more about this later.

Gen Loss MkI vs MkII: What’s The Difference?

While the core concept remains the same, Gen Loss MkII has been redesigned almost from scratch adding relevant new features, including stereo, more models and parameters, expanded connectivity options (MIDI, CV, expression pedal) and additional control options, while still preserving access to the original MkI sound and behavior via the Classic mode.

Worth knowing: the original Generation Loss was a collaboration between Chase Bliss and CooperFX, and it was released under the CooperFX brand, created by Tom Majeski. After Majeski joined Chase Bliss, Gen Loss MkII was released under the Chase Bliss brand name. Also, Chase Bliss has another “lo-fi” pedal with a similar name, Lossy, developed in collaboration with Goodhertz.

Beyond mere nostalgia, Gen Loss MkII opens up new creative possibilities. By introducing unpredictability, it pushes musicians outside conventional tonality and forces new ways of listening and responding. The glitches and cracks demand attention on their own terms.

Interface and Key Features Of Generation Loss MkII

Here is a brief description of the interface and key features of the Chase Bliss Generation Loss MkII pedal:

The front panel has 6 main knobs:

• Wow: Controls the amount of slow, smooth, random pitch modulation to emulate vintage tape warble
• Flutter: Adds rapid, twitchy modulation of both amplitude and pitch for a lo-fi tape effect
• Model: Selects from 10+ different tape machine models (VCRs, dictaphones, toys, etc.), each with its own EQ profile
• Saturate/Gen: Introduces magnetic saturation that occurs when hot signals are recorded to tape
• Failure: Gradually adds tape malfunctions and artifacts like snags, drops, and wrinkles
• Volume: Controls the overall output level of the pedal. When used with the dip switches on the back, this knob can also control the ramping feature, adjusting the rate at which assigned parameters change over time.

There are also 4 toggle switches:

• Aux: Accesses performance effects – Stop (tape stop), Filter (unfiltered signal), Fail (maxes out Failure)
• Dry: This switch allows you to set the loudness of your clean signal.
• Noise: Selects between different combinations of hiss and mechanical noise.
• Presets: The left and right positions each store a preset, while the middle position is live.

On the back are 16 dip switches to access deeper settings and behaviors.

Most of the Customize controls are pretty self-explanatory. It’s worth mentioning that the Generation Loss MkII also includes a unique ‘Spread’ option that uses the Failure knob to create a malfunctioning stereo image. This feature adds an extra dimension to the pedal’s lo-fi sound, making it particularly appealing for synth users and experimental musicians. Also here you will find the useful MISO (Mono In Stereo Out) switch.

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As for the Control switches (basically the pedal’s modulation area), I would recommend keeping the (thoughtfully written) manual handy. There’s also a PDF version available here and a video version below).

That said, if you’re familiar with the modulation assignment methods used in most VSTs, you should find yourself at home with Gen Loss MkII’s workflow.

How Does Generation Loss MkII Sound?

Gen Loss MkII might be seen as a one-trick pony, but what a pony it is! From subtle tape warmth to heavily degraded lo-fi, the Chase Bliss pedal covers a wide range of organic, vintage textures.

The various tape models, failure modes, and EQ profiles allow you to dial in anything from a subtle sheen to a complete sonic meltdown. When pushed to extremes, it excels at dusty, warbly, glitchy sounds.

The stereo functionality of the Generation Loss MkII is particularly impressive. By running stereo signals through the pedal, you can create wide, warped soundscapes that feel like they’re wrapping around your head. The ‘Spread’ option adds an extra layer of unpredictability, causing the left and right channels to drift apart in fascinating ways

Tips:

• Try it with different types of sounds, from melodic to percussive, even full mixes
• Keep experimenting with the Model knob and other controls to find sweet spots
• A little goes a long way, it’s easy to overdo the effect

Thinking Beyond Gear – Mediation Theory, Aesthetics, Philosophy, and Gen Loss MkII

Working on this Generation Loss MkII review has pushed me to think beyond gear and explore the deeper implications of our aesthetic choices. Now I would like to share with you some of these considerations.

There is an aesthetic contrast between the clean, predictable digital realm and the gritty analog world. Generation Loss MkII introduces the randomness and texture of analog media into pristine guitar and synth tones, blending order and chaos. This reflects the interplay between structure and accident that underlies much of the creative process.

At first glance, the Chase Bliss Gen Loss MkII seems like just another boutique pedal aiming to emulate retro analog sounds. However, this pedal offers some profound insights into the nature of mediation and aesthetics in music technology.

The Unwanted Becomes Wanted

Gen Loss MkII introduces various “failures” into the audio signal – things like pitch fluctuations, filtering, bit crushing, and tape saturation. These were originally unwanted artifacts in music recording and playback equipment that engineers sought to eliminate. Yet now we seek to reintroduce them for their nostalgic, emotional quality.

This speaks to a key tension in mediation theory – the tendency for transparent media to become visible again over time. As media ages and deteriorates, we become newly aware of its presence and biases. What was once an invisible channel now asserts its own personality on the signal passing through. Gen Loss MkII lays bare this usually hidden temporal process.

The pedal also encapsulates the modern aesthetic orientation toward retro sounds and technological nostalgia. The “failures” of aging gear, once considered undesirable defects, are now treasured for their emotional resonance. This fetishization of the past reveals much about our cultural values and anxieties around technological change and authentic human connection.

Beyond Mere Nostalgia

Beyond mere nostalgia, Gen Loss MkII opens up new creative possibilities. By introducing unpredictability, it pushes musicians outside conventional tonality and forces new ways of listening and responding. The glitches and cracks demand attention on their own terms.

Seen in this light, the Gen Loss is no ordinary piece of gear. It serves as both a sonic time machine and a philosophical lens, encouraging critical reflection on mediation, aesthetics, time, and technology. Rather than just another color for a producer’s palette, it offers an opportunity to glimpse the usually hidden underpinnings of electronic music itself.

Software Alternative?

While the Generation Loss MkII is a fully digital pedal, the added value of the hardware lies in the organic, holistic experience and interaction between the controls.

There are dozens of tape/lofi-inspired software effects available (we have covered some of them in our How To Recreate late ’70s and early ’80s sounds article), but no 1:1 equivalent to the Generation Loss MkII. You can get “in the ballpark” using one or more plugins together, but it may not be as inspiring or fun as the dedicated hardware pedal.

While some software plugins offer stereo tape emulation, the Generation Loss MkII’s dedicated stereo circuitry and hands-on control make it much easier to dial in immersive, three-dimensional sounds. The interplay between the stereo ‘Spread’ and the other parameters is something that’s hard to replicate with a mouse and keyboard.

Entitlement, Misinformation, and The Culture Of Free

The other day I stumbled upon a popular YouTube video where a guy claims that a freeware plugin (the “classic” Chow Tape Model) can get you the Gen Loss MkII experience for FREE.

The video is quite fun to watch. However, these comparisons often lack proper A/B testing, include wrong information, and overlook the pedal’s unique hardware features and workflow.

Discussions around pricing can quickly devolve into misinformation and entitlement mindsets that devalue the work of developers and artists (see also our post on James Blake’s statements about the future of music and the brilliant recent article by Russ Hughes on Production Expert).

Quoting Hughes, “The problem is that smart is in short supply, so we have social media, forums, YouTube all full of junk science created by people whose only qualification is a webcam, a keyboard, and an internet connection.” Amen.

Ultimately, it’s about the setup, workflow, and music-making method each individual wants to adopt. There are plenty of cool plugins to play with, and some people are willing to invest in hardware to enrich their musical experience. Let’s avoid misleading comparisons and respect the diversity of approaches.

Pricing and Availability

You can get the Generation Loss MkII for $399 in the US or €469 in Europe. Chase Bliss sells their products directly to consumers through their website.

UPDATE: Chase Bliss is running a special sale this weekend with 10% off all their pedals using code YAY4UK.

For customers in the US and most other countries, you can order from the main Chase Bliss store at chasebliss.com. Shipping is free and they offer a 30-day return policy.

European customers have the convenient option to buy directly from the dedicated Chase Bliss EU store at chasebliss.eu. The EU store offers free shipping, 30-day returns, and prices that include VAT.

Generation Loss MkII Review Conclusion: Not Just for Guitarists

While often marketed as a guitar pedal, the Chase Bliss Generation Loss MkII is a powerful creative tool that appeals to a much broader range of musicians and sound designers.

For me, the Gen Loss MkII (my first Chase Bliss pedal, by the way) is a secret weapon for transforming sterile oscillators into vibrant, living sounds infused with the charming imperfections of tape. The deep control set, from the tape models and saturation to the expressive modulation and failure effects, provides endless possibilities to shape and personalize my tone in ways that consistently spark new ideas.

I also find it to be an invaluable tool for sound design and scoring, capable of instantly evoking a sense of nostalgia, decay, or malfunction. Need a warped VHS drone or deteriorating cassette loop? The Gen Loss has you covered, with the flexibility to dial in anything from subtle aging to extreme disintegration.

But beyond its practical applications, what I love most about the Gen Loss MkII is how it embodies a creative philosophy that values imperfection, chance, and decay as essential elements of emotionally resonant sound. It encourages me to embrace the happy accidents and artifacts that lend my work a human touch in an increasingly digital world.

So if you’re an electronic musician, producer, or sound designer who longs for the magic of analog warmth and character in your sound, don’t be fooled by the Generation Loss MkII’s guitar pedal exterior. Beneath the surface lies an advanced audio processor that can transform your synths, samples, and recordings in ways you never thought possible. It may be the unconventional tool that sparks your creativity in a whole new direction. I know it has for me.