EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander Analog Octave Synth vs Old Blood Noise Endeavors BL-13
The EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander Analog Octave Synth and the Old Blood Noise Endeavors BL-13 are both pedals. The EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander Analog Octave Synth leans aggressive. The Old Blood Noise Endeavors BL-13 leans octave and ambient. Current prices: $179 vs $179.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.48% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Experimental
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$179via Reverb
$179via Reverb
The EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander is an analog signal processor and octave synth from Akron, Ohio boutique manufacturer EarthQuaker Devices, converting the guitar signal into square waves and generating harmonized sub-octave, octave, and fifth-interval tones through a four-oscillator analog circuit. Controls include Sub, Fundamental, Octave, and Fifth oscillator levels plus Glide (portamento) for synth-style pitch slides. Produces aggressive, buzzing analog synth tones with monophonic tracking.
The Old Blood Noise Endeavors BL-13 Octave is part of the brand's BL series of variable-clock effectors, pairing octave-up and octave-down voices with a touch of reverb for a drifting, out-of-sorts, grimy ambience. Rather than a clean, precise octaver, it leans into character, producing unstable, atmospheric octave textures with a lo-fi haze, and its variable system clock lets players move between cleaner, higher-fidelity tracking and darker, degraded, drifting tones. It suits experimental, ambient, and shoegaze players who want octave effects with built-in mood and grit rather than surgical accuracy. Now discontinued, it remains a distinctive, texture-focused octave-and-reverb box for those chasing evocative, slightly broken octave ambience in their sound.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Ambient
- Shoegaze
- aggressive
- octave
- ambient