The Death By Audio Waveformer Destroyer MK2 is an all-analog distortion pedal that delivers 2,048 distortion settings in one box. It was introduced on 1 August 2018 as a successor to the original Waveformer Destroyer, and only 50 handmade units were offered, sold directly from Death By Audio at $480 apiece, limited to one per customer123.
The controls and 2,048 settings
The MK2 carries the same 2,048 distortion settings as the original, but the way you reach them changed. Where the first Waveformer Destroyer hid its settings selection behind internal DIP switches, the MK2 puts eight convenient and clearly labeled rocker switches on the face of the pedal. Guitar World noted that these settings are available in eight easily accessible switches, in contrast to the internal DIP switches on the original, and Guitar.com called it a handy improvement13.
The rest of the control layout is straightforward:
- Master volume for overall level2
- Engage, Boost, Blast and Filter channels, each with two rocker switches per channel2
The four footswitches
The pedal has four footswitches, labeled Boost, Blast, Engage and Filter, matching the four channels of the circuit1. That means the channel selection you set with the rocker switches can be worked from the floor while playing, rather than reached for with a screwdriver as on the original.
Synths, drums and studio use
Death By Audio aimed the MK2 well beyond guitar. Guitar.com reported that the MK2 excels at distorting the tone of everything from guitars to synths, and even drums1. gearnews.com described the intent similarly, saying its crazed makers have designed it to let you add bags of dirt to synths, guitars, vocals and drum tracks, suiting industrial and glitchy sounds. That writer's verdict: "I can see it being an awesome studio tool"4.
"The MK2 excels at distorting the tone of everything from guitars to synths, and even drums"
Availability and the NAMM demo
The pedal was shown in demo form at NAMM 2018, where Premier Guitar filmed the Death by Audio Deep Animation and Waveformer Destroyer MkII demos in January 2018, months before the August release5. When it arrived, the run of 50 units was available directly from Death By Audio2. As a limited handmade run, the pedal is long gone from regular sale; players looking at the maker's current range will find other distortion-adjacent designs such as the Death by Audio Absolute Destruction or the Death by Audio Apocalypse.
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Questions
How many Waveformer Destroyer MK2 pedals were made?
Only 50 units were made. Guitar.com reported that just 50 of the intricately handmade stompboxes were available when the pedal was introduced on 1 August 2018, and MusicRadar noted the run was limited to one per customer, sold directly from Death By Audio at $480 apiece.
Can the Waveformer Destroyer MK2 be used on synths and drums?
Yes. Guitar.com said the MK2 excels at distorting everything from guitars to synths and even drums, and gearnews.com described it as designed to add dirt to synths, guitars, vocals and drum tracks, suiting industrial and glitchy sounds. gearnews.com's writer also suggested it could be an awesome studio tool for noise-mangling.
Is the Waveformer Destroyer MK2 analog?
Yes. Guitar.com described it as an all-analog distortion pedal carrying more than 2,000 settings, despite its bank of switches and four footswitches.
What does each footswitch do on the Waveformer Destroyer MK2?
The pedal has four footswitches, labeled Boost, Blast, Engage and Filter, matching the four channels of the circuit. Alongside them, a master volume and eight clearly labeled rocker switches select among the pedal's 2,048 distortion settings.
Sources (5)
- Death by Audio unleashes Waveformer Destroyer MK2, Guitar.com, 2018-08-02
- Mangle your sound in 2,048 different ways with Death By Audio's Waveformer Destroyer MK2, MusicRadar, 2018-08-01
- Death By Audio Introduces New Waveformer Destroyer MK2, Guitar World, 2018-08-01
- Death By Audio Waveformer Destroyer MK2: Easier access to total mayhem!, www.gearnews.com, 2018-08-01
- NAMM 2018: Death by Audio Pedal Demos Revealed, Premier Guitar, 2018-01-28
