The AC Noises AMA is a reverb pedal with an oscillator and a bit crusher built into one gray enclosure. Made by the Italian company AC Noises, it runs a gently modulated and oscillating spring reverb in front of a bit crusher, so the crushed, grainy processing happens after the reverb in the signal chain rather than before it1. Pedal of the Day put the combination plainly when the original launched in 2018: "Reverb. Oscillation. Bit Crushing. These three effects aren't usually found on the same pedalboard, much less crammed into one pedal"2.
The AMA is a true reverb pedal at heart, with the ambience controlled by a single knob named Reverb2. Around that core sit the oscillator and the crusher, which is where the pedal departs from a standard reverb. The V.2 revision, released after the first version "quickly became the top seller of the AC noises catalogue," keeps the same basic layout with a re-worked bit crusher that Pedal of the Day called "now more musical"34.
AC Noises' product page lists the AMA V.2 as sold out as of October 20261.
Reverb, oscillator and bit crusher in one pedal
The circuit order matters to how the AMA behaves. The reverb comes first, and the bit crusher is placed after it, so what gets crushed is the reverb tail itself, not just the dry note4. AC Noises describes the result as a pedal for players "who love a gently modulated and oscillating spring reverb in front of a bit crusher"1.
The spring reverberation is set by the Reverb control, which works as both a reverb level and a decay length control in one knob2. On the original version, Pedal of the Day found that cranking the Mix control to maximum produced "a sort of very fast, 100% wet, swell-reverb effect, which can create atypical soundscapes and huge ambient tonal washes"2.
The bit crusher side is what separates the AMA from an ordinary ambient reverb. Delicious Audio's buying guide described it as getting "things grainy and gently noisy, with knobs for Resolution (bit depth) and Sample Rate"6. Pedal of the Day's take on the V.2's overall character: "the tones are an ambient experimenter's dream"4.
The controls
The V.2's panel breaks down like this, from the maker's own descriptions13:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| REVERB | Controls the decay's length; clockwise makes the reverb tail longer1 |
| OSC | Sets how much oscillation is heard on the reverb tail, from none fully counterclockwise to self-oscillation mode fully clockwise3 |
| RESOLUTION | Controls the amount of the oscillation pulse; clockwise makes pulses wider and the signal less crushed3 |
| SAMPLE RATE | Sets the bit crusher's internal oscillation frequency; clockwise focuses the oscillation on high frequencies and makes the crusher brighter3 |
| CRUSH toggle | Engages the bit crusher circuit placed after the reverb3 |
Inside the pedal there is also an internal trimmer that controls the bit crusher's gate. AC Noises suggests leaving it as it comes from the factory3.
Two footswitches shape the performance side of the pedal. The OSC footswitch "adds a fully analog oscillation which will be generated immediately after each note played," feeding extra feedback into the reverb decay2. On the V.2, a RAMP footswitch speeds up the OSC settings6, and Pedal of the Day called it "one of the most exciting feature of the AMA V.2," noting it is tied to the reverb's oscillator4.
The name and the V.2
AMA is an Italian verb meaning "love" in the second person imperative, as in "tu, ama! = you, love!"3. Pedal of the Day gave the same explanation back in 2018, when the original version appeared2.
The first AMA was one of Pedal of the Day's favorite pedals of 2018, and the site reported that it "has gained much notoriety and praise across the globe the last few years"4. That reception is what led to the V.2, which AC Noises positions as the successor to its catalog's top seller3. In a 2024 Guitar.com review, Jason Mays called the pedal "beloved by post-rock and shoegaze guitarists for a reason"5.
On price, AC Noises' own page lists the V.2 at £184.00 GBP as of October 2026, and gives the first version's launch price as £150.00 GBP3. Guitar.com quoted $215 USD / £269 GBP in September 20245.
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Questions
What does the OSC footswitch do on the AC Noises AMA?
The OSC footswitch adds a fully analog oscillation that is generated immediately after each note you play, feeding extra energy into the reverb decay. The OSC knob then sets how much of that oscillation is heard on the reverb tail, from none at all when fully counterclockwise to a self-oscillation mode when fully clockwise.
How much does the AC Noises AMA cost?
AC Noises lists the AMA V.2 at £184.00 GBP on its product page as of October 2026, and the same page gives the first version's launch price as £150.00 GBP. A 2024 Guitar.com review quoted it at $215 USD / £269 GBP, so published prices differ between sources and dates.
What does AMA mean?
AMA is an Italian verb meaning "love" in the second person imperative, as in "tu, ama!" which translates to "you, love!". AC Noises explains the name on its product page, and Pedal of the Day repeated the same explanation in its 2018 review of the original pedal.
Does the AMA have a bit crusher?
Yes. The AMA combines a spring reverb with a bit crusher placed after the reverb in the signal path. A toggle switch engages the crusher circuit, and its Resolution and Sample Rate knobs control the bit depth and the internal oscillation frequency. An internal trimmer sets the crusher's gate.
Sources (6)
- AC noises AMA V.2, AC noises (acnoises.com)
- AC Noises AMA Reverb Oscillator Bit Crusher, Pedal of the Day, 2018-10-12
- B-STOCK: Limited RETRO Series, AC noises
- AC Noises AMA Reverb Bit Crusher V.2, Pedal of the Day, 2021-03-26
- Walrus Audio Fundamental Ambient review, Guitar.com, 2024-09-09
- The Best Reverb Pedals With Modulation Or Fuzz/Distortion In 2023, Delicious Audio, 2023-01-30
