This is the sound of nostalgia. The Generation Loss brings together all aspects of tape degradation and uses a combination of effects to hone in on that sound we’re all familiar with. Generation Loss refers to the decrease in sound quality and introduction of noise and sound artifacts each time a copy is made on magnetic media such as tape. Random pitch fluctuations, filters to cut down on the signal’s bandwidth, sample rate reduction, and noise are all brought together in this pedal to mimic that sound without the need for a broken VHS player.
The pedal sports a number of controls to help you find the right flavor of the lo-fi effect. WOW is responsible for the amount and speed of slow random pitch fluctuations, while FLUTTER affects the timbre by intensifying those very tape-like fast random pitch jumps. The sound is further shaped by the resonant low- and high- pass filter controls (LP and HP). For an increased lo-fi effect the pedal is equipped with GEN and NOISE parameter controls. Turning GEN counterclockwise decreases the sample rate, and NOISE comes in two flavors—turning the knob counterclockwise adds a white noise before the filter, while turning it clockwise injects a divergent noise flavor based on the original Generation Loss pedal. No noise is added when the knob is at the center position. The DRY and WET balance of the pedal is adjusted by two dedicated pots for a more precise mix control.
The story doesn't end here, though, as Generation Loss V2 has more tricks up its sleeve. The pedal sports two footswitches, one for turning the effect on and off, and an auxiliary one that can be configured to perform one of three creative functions. Using the FUNC button above it, the AUX switch can be used to engage Tape Stop, Garbled Tape, or Spectral Freeze/Drone effects. Moreover, both footswitches can be used in either latching or momentary modes, which can be extremely useful during performance. Lastly, Generation Loss V2 can host up to 3 presets that can be easily saved and loaded using the PRESET button above the Bypass switch, and more presets can be accessed via MIDI.
If you've been looking to capture the distinct, beautiful, and bizarre lo-fi tones of Cooper FX's Generation Loss, your search might now be over—Gen Loss V2 is ready to degrade your every sound.
GENERATION LOSS V2 FEATURES
- A pedal designed to mimic the sound of tape degradation
- Dedicated WOW and Flutter controls
- Shape your signal's bandwidth using resonant low- and high-pass filters
- Two flavors of noise can be injected into the audio path
- Auxiliary switch can be used to engage one out of three effects: Tape Stop, Garbled Tape, or Spectral Freeze/Drone
- Three presets can be stored on board, and more are accessible via MIDI