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Akkusativ – RDRPT, feedback looper
Akkusativ – RDRPT, feedback looper

Akkusativ – RDRPT, feedback looper

Tax included.

RDRPT is an experimental device inspired by noise music, specifically no-input mixing techniques. It's intense, chaotic and loud. Feedback patching opens up a whole other world of possibilities for using effects you already own. A world that is as exciting as it is unforgiving.

Standalone, with nothing plugged into SND & RTN jacks, RDRPT can act as a distortion pedal, an oscillator, or a mute switch.

When other pedals or pedal chains are hooked up to SND & RTN, and RDRPT is on, it feeds a portion of their output signal (RTN) back into themselves (SND). When the pedal is off, the IN signal is connected to SND, RET to OUT. That way it is still possible to use the pedals sitting in the feedback loop when the device is off.

Controls

  • feedback knob controls how much of the RTN signal is fed back to SND;
  • gain knob controls how much of the IN signal gets to SND;
  • volume knob controls the overall output volume of the pedal, the OUT signal;
  • clip toggle puts clipping diodes in and out of the circuit:
    • o position puts clipping diodes just before the output of the pedal;
    • x position takes the diodes out;
    • f position puts the diodes into the feedback path;
  • phase toggle flips the phase of RTN signal before it is mixed with the IN signal;
  • RPT footswitch is a latching switch that turns the feedback path on or off;
  • FLIP footswitch is a momentary switch that reverses the RPT state. So if RPT is “off”, stepping on FLIP will momentarily turn the feedback on, if the RPT is “on”, FLIP will momentarily turn it off.

Caution

Anything feedback-related can lead to extreme changes in volume. Please be careful. As a precaution, it might be a good idea to place a limiter (or a distortion pedal on low gain setting) right after RDRPT to tame the sudden loud sounds.

When you have time-based effects in the loop like delays and reverbs, be careful with rolling off the volume knob. I’d recommend keeping it above 50% in this case, experiment turning the loop on & off to find the optimal position. The issue here is that the volume knob and the clip toggle only take effect when RDRPT is on. That means there might be loud feedback going on that is tamed by RDRPT, and once you switch RDRPT off, all the reduction in loudness is off too. Then whatever delay / reverb tails are still pending might be unexpectedly loud.

Specs

  • 1590BB enclosure: 120mm x 94mm x 33mm
  • 9VDC center negative power supply
  • Reverse polarity protection circuit
  • Buffered bypass using an analog switch IC

Patch Ideas

Delay alterations

  • Put a Delay or a Reverb pedal into the SND/RTN loop. Set the Delay/Reverb pedal to minimum Repeats/Feedback/Decay, mix to 100%;
  • RDRPT’s feedback knob now becomes an external Repeats/Feedback/Decay control for the chain, basically replicating a function that normally exists inside the Delay/Reverb pedals and giving us access to it;
  • Try placing other pedals in series with the Delay/Reverb in the loop. For example a pitch shifter will give us shimmer-like sounds, a filter will give us filter-delay, bit crusher will lead to degrading delay repeats.

Controllable feedback 

  • Put a Volume pedal into the SND/RTN loop. A filter with an expression control would also work. Add other pedals in series with it if you like;
  • Put the Volume pedal into heel position, RDRPT’s feedback knob to maximum;
  • It is now possible to control the intensity of feedback with a foot pedal.

Mute switch

  • Put RDRPT’s Volume knob, Gain knob, Feedback knob on minimum;
  • RDRPT will act as a momentary or latching mute switch.

Oscillator

  • Set Gain to zero or disconnect your instrument from the IN;
  • Leave RTN unconnected or turn off pedals in the loop;
  • Feedback becomes a pitch control, clipping affects the characteristics of the oscillation.