The Sonicake Octaver is a compact analog octave pedal from Sonicake that produces notes one octave and two octaves below your direct signal, blended with the dry sound. Sonicake describes it as a true bypass octave pedal with the most classic analog circuit design, a 100% analog monophonic octave circuit that creates a two-voice octave sound blended with the dry signal. It is a mini pedal, listed at $39.99 USD as of the maker's product page on 26 October 20261.
Controls and what they do
The pedal keeps its control layout simple: three knobs, one per voice. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio described it as a pedal that "creates two low-octave voices (at one and two octaves down) with separate level knobs and also provides a knob for the d"2, meaning you can dial in the sub-octave, the two-octaves-down voice, and the dry signal independently and set the blend that suits your rig.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Octave 1 level | Sets the level of the note one octave below the dry signal2 |
| Octave 2 level | Sets the level of the note two octaves below the dry signal2 |
| Dry level | Sets the level of the unprocessed signal blended with the octave voices2 |
Power and connections
The Octaver runs on a DC 9V supply with a 5.5 x 2.1mm center negative connector and draws 9mA. Sonicake states that the power supply is not included, so you will need a regular 9V center negative pedal power supply to use it1.
No battery operation is mentioned on the maker's product page, and no power supply comes in the box. Plan for a 9V center negative output on your pedalboard supply1.
At 9mA, the draw is light enough that it can share a daisy-chained or multi-output supply with other low-current pedals without trouble1.
Guitar and bass
Sonicake describes the Octaver as designed for both guitar and bass, with what the maker calls almost imperceptible latency1. That makes it a candidate for bass players looking for a straightforward sub-octave voice as well as guitarists, and it sits alongside other octave pedals in the bass pedals and octave and pitch fields that also cover both instruments, such as the MOOER Tender Octaver MKII and the Markbass MB Octaver, both of which also use true bypass switching34.
What reviewers said
Delicious Audio reviewed the Octaver on June 14, 2023 and added it to its roundup of octave pedals. Paolo De Gregorio's verdict on the tracking was positive2:
"The tracking is excellent and with virtually no latency, and, needless to say, it plays well with fuzz for some huge"
For players pairing octave with fuzz or distortion, that combination of fast tracking and a friendly relationship with dirt is the practical point of the classic analog monophonic octave design Sonicake says it used12.
Videos
SONICAKE
Let's Play All
Jonny Dibble
Questions
Does the Sonicake Octaver work with bass?
Yes. Sonicake describes the Octaver as designed for both guitar and bass, with what the maker calls almost imperceptible latency. Because it produces notes one and two octaves below the direct signal, it can serve as a straightforward sub-octave option on a bass board as well as a guitar pedalboard.
Does the Sonicake Octaver come with a power supply?
No. Sonicake's product page states that the pedal works with a 9V center negative regular pedal power supply, and that the supply is not included. The pedal uses a 5.5 x 2.1mm center negative connector and draws 9mA, so a standard pedal power supply output will run it.
Can the Sonicake Octaver run on a battery?
Sonicake's product page specifies power from a DC 9V, 5.5 x 2.1mm center negative supply and does not mention battery operation. The pedal is intended to be powered from a regular 9V center negative pedal power supply, which is not included with the pedal.
Is the Sonicake Octaver true bypass?
Yes. Sonicake states the pedal has a true bypass footswitch that keeps a clean signal path, meaning the pedal's circuit is removed from the chain when it is switched off.
How much current does the Sonicake Octaver draw?
Sonicake lists the current draw at 9mA at 9V DC. That is a light load by pedal standards, so it can share a power supply output with other low-draw pedals on most pedalboard power supplies.
What is the Sonicake Octaver model number?
The model number is QSS-19, listed by Sonicake as the product name on the pedal's product page.
Sources (4)
- SONICAKE Octaver, Sonicake
- Sonicake Octaver, Delicious Audio, 2023-06-14
- Tender Octaver MKⅡ_MOOER Audio, MOOER Audio
- Markbass Announces MB Octaver, No Treble, 2011-03-10
