Death By Audio + Rainger FX = Amp Crash

The crews at Death By Audio and Rainger FX have a reputation for creating some of the most unique and adventurous pedals out on the market, and have done so for many years now. Today, they’re teaming up on a new release, the Amp Crash, a totally individualistic, one-of-a-kind creation that mixes the best of several worlds together, to form a sonic stew the likes of which you’ve never experienced before. Seriously. This one is as interesting as it looks, I super wicked promise…

Unlike traditional distortion or amp simulation pedals, Amp Crash creates sound physically, not just electronically. A real amplifier drives a real speaker. A real microphone captures what that speaker is actually doing. As those elements interact, they generate harmonics, feedback, compression, and textures that only exist because air is moving inside the pedal. Amp Crash features a built-in 3-watt amplifier, internal 2″ speaker, and microphone, which captures the interaction of a real speaker moving air, then lets you blend the direct amp signal with the mic’d sound. Plus, there are 3 effects (Reverb, Echo & Chorus) built-in for you to choose from, creating more wild and adventurous sounds with ease.

This project began when David from Rainger FX came to New York with an idea: put a microphone inside a pedal so ambient room sound could blend with your guitar signal, creating new harmonics and unexpected overtones. The first prototype evolved into Amp Crash, which captures the sound and feel of your favorite little combo amps pushed to their limits, delivering everything from touch-sensitive overdrive to absolute walls of fuzz, explosive harmonic feedback, and glorious controlled chaos. Perfect for recording, practicing, experimenting, or discovering sounds you simply can’t get from a conventional pedalboard. You can also connect an external speaker cabinet (8Ω minimum, 3W or greater) using a speaker cable (this automatically disables the internal speaker), further pushing the limits of what this unit can do.

In the demo I did for this amazing pedal, I check out how the internal speaker sounds, both solo and when mixed with the DI & Mic outputs, as well as how an external cabinet plays into the mix. And those effects sure are a blast to incorporate, adding new sonic dimensions to the distortion, and taking everything up to new, incredible levels. So honored as always to be partners with a company like Death By Audio, who have been huge supporters of Pedal of the Day for years and years, and it’s great to work with Rainger FX as well! Please visit both of their websites for more info and more effects, and don’t miss out on our demo on YouTube – cheers!!