Death By Audio Evil Filter

A "DBA machine": precision, brutality, and experimental grain

At Death By Audio, the idea is not to faithfully reproduce a classic, but to offer effects with strong personality, designed for adventurous pedalboards. The Evil Filter fits perfectly into this philosophy: a hyper-precise filter with a "psycho" character, paired with a fuzz section ready to distort dynamics, compress generously, and transform any source into raw sonic material. If you're looking for a filter pedal that breaks the mold (rather than a simple traditional auto-wah), you are definitely in the right place.

Who is it for, which styles, and in what contexts?

The Evil Filter is aimed at guitarists (and bassists) who like to sculpt timbre in real time and embrace a radical aesthetic: noise rock, post-punk, industrial, sludge, psychedelic, shoegaze, experimental electro, but also more "conventional" contexts if used as a very expressive wah/filter. In the studio, it excels at creating layers, drones, and moving textures; live, it becomes an instrument in its own right thanks to resonance and expression/CV control.

In terms of real-world inspirations, this pedal is found in very diverse universes, from massive, saturated rigs to more alternative setups, with artists like Mick Thomson, Courtney Barnett, and Lee Kiernan among those often associated with the Evil Filter.

Controls, modes, and external control possibilities

The filter section revolves around Filter Freq (cutoff frequency, graduated in Hz) and Filter Output (filter section volume). A filter type selector lets you switch between low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass, moving from a thick, round sound to finer, nasal, or downright cutting textures.

Resonance is adjusted via a dedicated potentiometer, supported by a Normal/High switch that changes the operating range. At high levels, the pedal can enter self-oscillation : perfect for synthesis effects, controlled screams, and feedback swells, to be handled with intention (and some cool-headedness).

The fuzz section features Fuzz Output (volume) and a fuzz type switch : in the low position, a cleaner, driving fuzz; in the high position, a crazier, more compressed, and more explosive fuzz, ideal for leads that cut through the mix or noise walls. The whole design encourages pushing beyond reason, up to harmonic-rich behaviors and even octave-like sensations up or down depending on settings and attack.

Finally, the EXP/CV input opens the Evil Filter to "hand play": plug in an expression pedal or a CV control (around 0 to 3 V) to control the cutoff frequency. The Filter Freq knob then sets the external control range, handy for precisely matching the sweep amplitude to your guitar, bass, or a hybrid setup with synthesizer.

The sound

The Evil Filter has an immediately recognizable sonic signature: a precise filter, capable of being surgical or wild depending on resonance, and a fuzz that adds lush compression with a very "Death By Audio" bite. In low-pass, it thickens and "sucks" the sound with heavy sweeps; in band-pass, it projects an aggressive nasality perfect for cutting through a mix; in high-pass, it can make a signal nervous, almost metallic, excellent for angular rhythms.

The dynamics remain very responsive to touch, but the interest of this pedal is precisely to accept (and magnify) overload: sharp attacks, low tunings, feedback, delays, and reverbs upstream... everything goes through. Used as an extreme wah, it can become one of the most expressive pedals on your pedalboard; used as a sound design tool, it transforms into a generator of textures, screams, and movements.

Technical specifications

Effects	Distortion / Overdrive / Fuzz, Remote Control	Type	sector
Technology	Analog	Use	electric guitar
Format	Pedal	Color	Black

Bypass	True Bypass	EXP/CV input	6.35mm TRS Jack (external control of Filter Freq)
Potentiometers	Filter Freq, Filter Output, Filter Resonance, Fuzz Output	Indicative CV range	approximately 0 to 3 V
3-position filter selector	low-pass / band-pass / high-pass	Dimensions	7.75 x 4.72 x 2.4 inches (including hardware), approximately 191 x 117 x 64 mm
Resonance switch	Normal / High	Weight	25 oz, approximately 710 g
Fuzz type switch	2 voicings (cleaner vs more extreme)	Power	9 V
Warning	resonance can cause self-oscillation at high levels	Compatible	standard 9 V DC center-negative adapter (2.1 mm connector) or 9 V battery
Input	6.35mm Jack (mono)	Required voltage	9 V DC (center negative)
Output	6.35mm Jack (mono)	Consumption	21 mA