Source Audio ARTIFAKT LO-FI SA280

A pedal designed as a "collection" of modern lo-fi

With the Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements, Source Audio offers not just a single lo-fi effect, but a complete palette covering everything associated with the "degraded" aesthetic: tape-style grain and saturation, pitch instability, digital degradation, dark ambiance, artifacts, and glitch. The "multi-engine" approach allows switching from one character to another (dusty vinyl, narrow radio, worn tape, aggressive bitcrush...) without changing pedals, while maintaining a preset logic tailored for the stage.

Who is the Artifakt for, and in which styles does it make a difference?

The Artifakt targets guitarists, bassists, and producers who want to break away from clean sound: indie, lo-fi hip-hop, ambient, post-rock, electro, experimental, shoegaze, but also to add a "cassette/vinyl" layer on a clean sound in pop or studio settings. Live, its presets and MIDI control make it a solid ally for smooth transitions between songs, while in the home studio, it serves as a character machine to transform a simple take into an inspiring texture.

Controls, presets, MIDI: a lo-fi pedal operated like a pro tool

The pedal offers the essentials with direct access to quickly shape your sound (effect mix, filter, modulation, "destruction" intensity, variations depending on the selected engine), and two footswitches that do more than just on/off: they also allow preset navigation and access to functions related to the current engine. For deeper control, USB-C opens the door to Neuro 3.0: fine editing, preset saving/organization, and pedal optimization for your guitar, amp, or stereo chain. Finally, the 3.5mm TRS mini-jack MIDI In and Thru enables recalling sounds on the beat, synchronizing your set, and integrating the Artifakt at the heart of a modern pedalboard.

The sound

The character of the Artifakt is decidedly textured and alive: it ranges from a soft and nostalgic lo-fi (grain, warmth, subtle instability) to much more radical treatments (digital crushing, heavy filtering, artifacts, glitch). The dynamics remain usable for musicians: by adjusting the mix and degradation level, you can keep the pick attack and playing clarity, or dive into a more "broken" texture, ideal for intros, bridges, pads, and interludes. In stereo, the modulations and ambiances take on a wider dimension, perfect for two-amp rigs or interface/monitoring setups.

Technical specifications

Effects	Multi-effects, Effects	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Red
Type	sector

7 engines	Radio, Tape, uVerb, Crush, Ladder, Vinyl, Glitch	Dimensions	11.4 cm x 7 cm x 5.1 cm
2 footswitches	on/off, preset scrolling, and engine-specific functions	Weight	450 g
Full MIDI control	MIDI In and Thru via 3.5mm TRS mini-jack	Required power supply	9V DC (center negative)
Selectable bypass	Active Analog or True	Consumption	minimum 200 mA