The Red Panda Bit Buffer is a small buffer pedal: a utility unit that does not change the sound of a guitar but keeps its signal strong as it passes through a long chain of pedals and cables. It belongs to the wider family of buffer pedals, which players use to counter the treble loss that long cable runs and rows of true-bypass pedals can cause1.
What it does and how it is built
A buffer's job is to present a high impedance to the guitar's pickups and a low impedance to everything after it. The Bit Buffer does this with a 1 MΩ input impedance and an output impedance under 100 Ω, and Red Panda specifies a frequency response of 20 Hz to 40 kHz within ± 3 dB, which covers the full range of a guitar signal with room to spare1.
The heart of the circuit is a Burr-Brown op amp. Red Panda's own words on the product page1:
"a tiny (2" x 1.5") buffer that uses an ultra-low distortion, low-noise Burr-Brown op amp"
Because it is always on, the Bit Buffer has no footswitch, no LED indicator on top and nothing to tap. Red Panda notes that an internal LED is visible below the power jack, which shows the unit is powered1.
The Bit Buffer has no bypass switch. It is always on when power is connected, so it is meant to live on a pedalboard permanently rather than be switched in and out of the signal path1.
Specifications
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Input impedance | 1 MΩ1 |
| Output impedance | < 100 Ω1 |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz to 40 kHz, ± 3 dB1 |
| Power | 9 to 18 VDC, center negative1 |
| Current draw | 20 mA1 |
| Enclosure | 2" x 1.5" x 1.2"1 |
| Bypass | None, always on when powered1 |
Power and size
The Bit Buffer runs on 9 to 18 VDC with a center-negative plug and draws 20 mA, so it fits a standard pedal power supply or a single output of a pedalboard power brick1. The enclosure measures 2" x 1.5" x 1.2", small enough to tuck between larger pedals1.
What the always-on design means in practice:
- No footswitch to press and no bypass mode to switch to1
- No battery compartment, so it needs a pedal power supply whenever it is used1
- An internal LED below the power jack confirms it is powered1
Price
Red Panda lists the Bit Buffer at $79.00 USD, with a sale price of $49.00 USD as of the maker's product page, a saving of $30.001.
Questions
Does the Red Panda Bit Buffer have a bypass switch?
No. Red Panda describes the Bit Buffer as always on when power is connected, so there is no footswitch and no true bypass mode. It is meant to sit on a board permanently, keeping the guitar's signal strong through the chain of pedals that follows it.
What is the input impedance of the Red Panda Bit Buffer?
The Bit Buffer has a 1 megohm input impedance and an output impedance under 100 ohms, according to Red Panda. That combination presents a consistent load to the guitar's pickups and a low-impedance drive to the pedals after it.
What power supply does the Red Panda Bit Buffer need?
Red Panda specifies 9 to 18 VDC, center negative, drawing 20 mA. It has no battery compartment, so it needs a standard pedal power supply or an isolated output from a pedalboard power brick.
How big is the Red Panda Bit Buffer?
Red Panda lists the enclosure at 2 by 1.5 by 1.2 inches, which makes it one of the smallest dedicated buffers available and easy to fit into gaps on a crowded pedalboard.
Sources (1)
- Buffer - Red Panda, Red Panda