The Source Audio Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements is a stereo lo-fi effects pedal that packs seven effect engines into one compact box. Source Audio describes its purpose plainly: it "delivers all the hazy, scratchy, wobbly, and beautifully broken tones that embody the lo-fi sound"1. Where a typical pedal does one degraded-media trick, the Artifakt covers tape wobble, vinyl crackle, radio static, bit crushing, glitch stutter, a primitive gaming-console reverb and a Moog-inspired ladder filter, all switchable from the same enclosure.
Guitar.com's reviewer framed the goal as a pedal that "aims to distill every kind of lo-fi sound you could want"2, and Delicious Audio noted that Source Audio's engineers "have maintained their approach by preserving the multi-mode functionality seen in their flagship releases"3. In other words, it follows the same multi-algorithm philosophy as the company's larger multi-effects pedals, applied to degradation instead of modulation or delay.
What the Artifakt does: seven lo-fi engines
The Artifakt's engines each take a different route to a broken-sounding signal. Gearnews walked through the lineup at announcement: lo-fi decimation via the Crush engine, a Vinyl engine that "adds crackle, pops, and subtle pitch variations," a Radio engine for exploring "the crackle and whoosh of vintage radios," and a Glitch engine that "creates rhythmic, stutter effects"4. Guitar Pedal X's review filled in the rest, describing it as "a stereo pedal with seven engines"5.
| Engine | What it does |
|---|---|
| Crush | Bit-depth quantizing and sample rate reduction, "finely sculpted" with a Moog-style ladder filter resonance5 |
| Vinyl | Adds crackle, pops and subtle pitch variations4 |
| Radio | The crackle and whoosh of vintage radios4 |
| Glitch | Rhythmic, stutter effects4 |
| Tape | Vintage tape machine sound from subtle compression, overdrive, tape flutter and pitch modulation5 |
| μVerb | A primitive reverb with bouncing echoes and taps, similar to the reverb on 8-bit gaming systems5 |
| Ladder | R-2R ladder filter with envelope and LFO modulation control5 |
Source Audio also groups several of these under what it calls Old Gear Simulations, using "filtering, saturation, and modulation to recapture the charm of yesteryear's primitive sound equipment"1.
Across the engines, the control layout stays consistent. The Destruct knob, as Delicious Audio explains, is "always setting the amount of lo-fi grittiness, whether it being sample rate, tape degradation or radio static"3, so one knob always means roughly the same thing no matter which engine is loaded.
The Ladder filter engine
The Ladder engine is the filter-focused mode. Guitar Pedal X describes it as "inspired by the revered R-2R ladder filter" and offering "both envelope and LFO modulation control"5, while Gearnews says its sweeps are "inspired by the Moog MF-101 synthesizer"4. In practice that gives you three ways to move the filter: it "can be static, envelope-controlled (reactive to your picking style) or swept using an expression pedal"5.
The controls in this engine map as follows5:
- Filter knob: Ladder filter frequency
- Mod Rate knob: LFO rate controlling the ladder filter
- Bandwidth switch: Low gives a smoother Q, Med a medium Q, High a sharp Q
Controls, presets and MIDI
Two footswitches handle engage/bypass, preset scrolling and engine-specific functions such as preset saving1. Onboard, you can save up to 16 presets, 12 of which come loaded from the factory, with up to 128 storable and recallable via MIDI2. Gearnews confirms the 16 selectable presets on the pedal as standard4.
The MIDI implementation goes beyond preset recall. Source Audio lists 3.5 mm MIDI IN / THRU and USB MIDI, with support for1:
- Saving up to 128 presets recallable with MIDI program change messages
- Controlling multiple knob parameters simultaneously with MIDI CC, including parameters not assigned to knobs, plus output level, with independent depth and direction for each
- Syncing the LFO rate with external MIDI clock messages
There is also an ALT control input on top of the pedal5, and via the Neuro Hub you can connect any TRS (tip hot) expression pedal and assign expression control to any combination of knob parameters. The Hub extends further: connect up to five One Series pedals and create 128 multi-pedal scenes with expression control, recallable via MIDI PC messages1. Editing and preset sharing happen through the Neuro 3 companion app, which Guitar.com notes includes "a library of over 10,000 downloadable user presets"2.
Bypass, power and build
The Artifakt uses Source Audio's Universal Bypass system: you select between "high-quality signal relays for true bypass and transparent buffers for analog bypass"1, so it can sit at either end of a signal chain depending on what the rest of your board needs. Power comes from a 9V DC supply with a 2,1 mm center-negative plug, drawing 200 mA (1.8 watts)15, which rules out a battery and is worth noting if you daisy-chain, since 200 mA is a real draw for a compact pedal. The enclosure is brushed anodized aluminum, 4.6" x 2.75" x 2.2", weighing 1 lb, and carries a 2 year warranty1.
What reviewers said
Guitar.com reviewed the Artifakt in September 2024 and rated it 8 out of 102. The reviewer highlighted the breadth of the preset system and the stereo jacks squeezed into the compact enclosure2. Guitar Pedal X was enthusiastic at launch, calling it an "ultimate all-rounder stereo lo-fi manipulator" in its headline6, and the pedal earned a place in the site's 2024 round-up of the best new modulation, pitch and utility pedals, listed at $3496.
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Questions
Is the Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements true bypass?
It uses what Source Audio calls Universal Bypass, which lets you select between high-quality signal relays for true bypass and transparent buffers for analog bypass. You choose the mode that suits your signal chain rather than being locked into one bypass type.
Is the Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements stereo?
Yes. It has true stereo inputs and outputs, so you can run a full stereo rig and create a wide stereo spread. Guitar.com's reviewer noted the pedal squeezes stereo in and out jacks into its compact enclosure.
How many presets does the Artifakt hold?
It has 128 presets of memory. Sixteen presets are accessible from the pedal itself, twelve of which are loaded at the factory, and the full 128 are available and recallable via MIDI program change messages. The Neuro 3 app adds a library of over 10,000 downloadable user presets.
Does the Artifakt Lo-Fi Elements have MIDI?
Yes. It has a 3.5 mm MIDI IN / THRU connection plus USB MIDI. You can save up to 128 presets recallable with MIDI program change messages, control multiple knob parameters at once with MIDI CC, and sync the LFO rate to external MIDI clock messages.
What is the Ladder filter engine based on?
It is inspired by the R-2R ladder filter, and Gearnews describes its sweeps as inspired by the Moog MF-101 synthesizer. The filter can be static, envelope-controlled so it reacts to your picking, or swept with an expression pedal, with a bandwidth switch offering smoother, medium or sharp Q settings.
How much does the Source Audio Artifakt cost?
The US MAP price is $349, as listed by Guitar Pedal X in June 2024 and again in its 2024 round-up. The same listing gives European pricing of €399 RRP in the EU and £349 RRP in the UK.
Sources (6)
- Artifakt Lo-fi Elements, Source Audio
- Source Audio Artifakt review, Guitar.com, 2024-09-06
- Source Audio Artifakt Multi-Algorithm Stereo Lo-Fi Pedal, Delicious Audio, 2025-11-07
- Source Audio Artifakt, gearnews.com, 2024-06-26
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-06-26
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-19
