EHX Mainframe Bit Crusher - Nostalgic for Nintendo Noises

I don't think this'll wind up on a lot of people's boards, but it's one people have definitely been asking about. The Mainframe is a bit crusher, filter factory, and more. It's packed with all the tools you need to create retro game console sounds and then some. Enjoy the demos, they came from a very special place.
All songs by me
Chapters:
0:00 - Demo #1 - Boss Danceoff '22
0:52 - Video Game History / All About Bitrates
5:17 - The Knobs
10:19 - Sample Rate Tuning Mode
12:30 - Expression Pedal
13:57 - Demo #2 - Exit Music For A Pedal Demo
15:25 - Closing Thoughts

[@chrishepburn1503]

Dude, get to the damn pedal.

[@StompboxBreakdown]

There's a demo literally 9 seconds into the video. There are chapters in the video that let you skip right to the various features. There's a bunch of sound clips right on ehx's web page. www.ehx.com/products/mainframe/ Learn to use your resources.

[@chrishepburn1503]

I feel special. My first pinned comment 😂 When will KZbinrs realize they look pathetic replying to negative comments. Try not to care so much about what random people have to say.

[@dominich5233]

@@StompboxBreakdown I really appreciate the sampling breakdown and the way you do walkthrough of the functions tbh.

[@EricTheCleric93]

Nah, we like the educational bits. That's what sets his channel apart.

[@kylewalsh9124]

something tells me he isnt big on learning lol

[@kisschicken]

I've owned this pedal since it was released and your video was the first time I really understood how it works.

[@StompboxBreakdown]

That’s the greatest thing I could ever read! I was hoping the video would help somebody out like that. Thank you so much, and enjoy that mainframe!!

[@glennmichaelthompson4112]

Great video! Your explanations are intelligent and comprehensive. You've explained functions of this pedal that I'm sure many people missed reading in the manual. Amazing how much they've packed into this little unit.Thanks.

[@peterdutton4083]

Brilliant video with a great demo, your production value punches above its weight keep it up dude!

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Thank you so much Peter! I’m tickled to read that, it means a lot.

[@adamknight4288]

Thank you for going in-depth on this pedal.

[@gabrielluis6648]

This history bit is gold! Thank you!

[@carterwood4197]

I just bought this pedal and this was a really helpful video.

[@EricTheCleric93]

I love that you did a video on this. I got one of these a few months ago hoping to get some chiptune-type sounds, specifically the Game Boy 4-bit sound. Couldn't quite find what I was looking for but I still love the pedal. Easy to get lost in it, especially with delay. So far the RPS Arcade Machine is the only pedal I've seen that gives you the actual "videogame" sound. That uses a PLL though. But it has 2 octaves down, 2 octaves up, and a 12-tone interval selector - it's kind of insane.

[@alexandrelunelli7402]

Gotta love EHX for going beyond just reproducing the classics and never stop innovating. This is a very good implementation of a bit crusher and your explanation of how it works was sublime as always.

[@alexandrelunelli7402]

Btw, if you like glitchy lo-fi synth like sounds you got to check Into The Unknown, by Parasit Studios. I've built myself a clone and it's absolutely insane. I think that they sell it in kit form too

[@bluepedalsrock9271]

Haven’t even finished the video yet, but that intro song was so tasteful. Well done!

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the rest

[@fernalicious]

Great explanation, thanks. 👍🎸👍

[@michaelfowler3187]

Literally all this time messing with pedals and even a few ring mods and already understood audio rate frequency and how some lfos can reach that - I didn't realize until your video that the sample rate frequency is the audible frequency in the circuit . It's so simple yet so hidden haha. Face palm. Thanks for that.

[@StompboxBreakdown]

I'm sure there's some math involved in there somewhere, and I'm not sure what the difference is between the sample rate and the carrier frequency of a ring mod (if there is one) but yeah... it becomes an additional voice in there. I know that on my Microbrute synth, it specifically says that the LFO can go high enough to be its own pitch. (and if it went higher, it would be a color!)

[@zrobertez]

This has been on my radar for like a year but just learned about that automatic tuning mode here. That is making it a must buy for me. I used to have the subdecay vitruvian mod which is a ring mod with a similar auto tuning mode and loved that, just didn't use it often. This looks like another way to get a similar sound, except sample rate reduction is a little more usable than ring mod lol. Anyway, ready for your ring mod video now

[@macsarcule]

Dug that first jam with the mod-pop ala 60s spy movie montage hyjinks tune (hallway of doors opening and closing with the bad guys running from the good guys and then zanily vice versa, and then all of them dressed as medieval knights, and then fish, then clowns, you get the idea ). Playing the bit crusher on top of the sounds of a pre-digital tune was killer and spot on arcade goodness. 🙂 I’ve been considering this pedal for quite a while, this was the best and clearest overview I’ve seen. I’m careful not to say review because you do such a nice job of keeping pedals as overviews rather than suggesting their goodness or badness. Though some like the DOD stereo turbo chorus deserve the shining accolades you give them and this is right and proper in my mind. 🙂👍 The special setting for the rate / tuning reminded me of a ring modulator, but I’m guessing it’s not a “real” ring mod in topology, but what do I know 🙂 Fun final jam pushing it to its most roboty goodness while keeping it musical, and _very cool_ to run it through an overdrive for more shaping. It got a lot more useful as an option hearing that. So often we think of pedals like this as what they do by themselves, forgetting all the other ways we have to incorporate additional signal shaping. Nice work on what I previously considered a less approachable pedal. You made it much clearer and easier to understand how to dial in. 👌🙂🎸

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Hahaha, yup! There's actually a local musician who does Spy themed music. Definitely check that out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d5jNhIZpqJiWrtE I hesitated going down the "is the sample rate the same thing as the ring mod frequency rabbit hole" because I *think* it is in theory in a way, but that theory might not expand if the frequency were a lot lower. Thank you again as always for your feedback, I love hearing it. It's definitely a tough pedal to work into a vanilla song, so I just kind of let it rip. I'd love to see what EHX could do with a Deluxe Mainframe (Parallel Sysplex?) pedal. An LED display and the ability to make the rate "sticky" between notes would be really nice. Plus maybe some built-in hard clipping distortion... a man can wish.

[@TheBoardGarage]

That was cool. I feel like I don't need this, but I need it.

[@StompboxBreakdown]

I deeply understand this and relate

[@scramblesthedeathdealer]

The WMD Geiger Counter (bitcrusher) got me into a 6U Eurorack setup 🤣, the guitar pedal didn't match my Boss pedals, so I got the Eurorack version...

[@CedricSatterfield]

Your description and drawing demonstration of bit depth in early consoles should be in basic computing textbooks. You handled it wonderfully. (Fellow guy "of a certain age...")

[@StompboxBreakdown]

I think I had just finished putting together a course on Assembler, so it was fresh in memory :)

[@jacksonmumford6237]

Thank you

[@StompboxBreakdown]

You’re welcome

[@desh4387]

thank you for the whole explanation! Pretty interesting to know how that works. Too bad this pedal is pretty expensive in my country. BTW, do you know where I can get some skematics of this and other pedals? I would like to try to make those.

[@36drummer09]

And ive been sold

[@PedalChainsAddiction]

Another great video, good sir! I’ve been mulling over adding a bit crusher to my board, and the Mainframe is one I’m considering. Have you played any others? I’ve been looking at Red Panda’s or maybe Meris’ Ottobit, but I’m not sure the feature sets would be worth the extra money. Any thoughts?

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Thank you! Honestly, this is my first bitcrusher pedal, other than maybe a mode on a multi-fx doodad. I haven't looked into either of those, I know there's a few that do neat things. I suppose it would depend on the application. For live stuff, I think the Mainframe is set up with a really nice compliment of features. For recording, the bitcrusher in Logic is surprisingly nice as well. Haven't looked into 3rd party plugins, I'm sure there's some neat stuff there, too.

[@wesmitchem825]

Right on thanks for covering this pedal and killer psuedo Zelda outro I had a hotone Mario bit crusher but it sucked half the sample rate knob did nothing on it but my zoom g1xon has a killer bitcrusher on it and I was thinking about getting a mainframe as an upgrade I dunno why I don't wanna use my zoom pedal live ever it's sounds are killer I guess it's more a fear of it breaking cause I love it more than my boss multi fx pedals

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Thanks, Wes! I looked at the Hotone one for a bit, but wasn't sold by the demos I saw. A good upgrade for the zoom might be a sturdy road case so you don't feel worried about taking it out. I think the mainframe has a *great* set of features for live performances, between the filters, the bitrate and sample rate adjustments, the preset, the expression pedal setup... I think it'd be neat keeping one end of the treadle totally normal, and letting it slip into glitchy stuff as you lead into it.

[@HiGlowie]

How many pole filter is the EHX Mainframe?

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Unfortunately, I can't seem to find that out doing an internet search.

[@EulogyfortheAngels]

Love this! 😃🙌 I'm curious how this pedal interacts with something like an Eventide Micropitch, either before or after in the chain. 🤔

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Good point. I bet it’d be trying to lock onto the dominant pitch, so it might be interesting.

[@jumpingman8160]

excelent for synths

[@StompboxBreakdown]

Ooh, I hadn't considered that. I bet it could get very interesting with something that can produce perfect-pitch intervals like that.

[@jumpingman8160]

@@StompboxBreakdown the EHX Stereo Talking Machine is also great. Both these fx feature 3 fully functioning filters as well which is a must if you happen to dislike the ones on your synths. Plus, not all synths have ring mod.

[@henriquecorreia9917]

can't imagine the utility of a pedal like this one... but it's just me...

[@franciscosalas7870]

Sometimes fun can be the utility. I know there’s some video game song cover bands too.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

winners don't do drugs. Really good message. I had the displeasure to see friends and family go down that road and people need to be More outspoken about Anti drug living.

[@creamydistortion]

Hell yeah smoke crack

[@krzysztof4815]

I wanted to hear the pedal, I've heard talking dude.

[@standodge5536]

Come on man....you know that pedal is awful. You literally have to mix it with something else so it doesn't sound like total do do.