Bitspeek

Name: Bitspeek
Price: 33 USD
Author: Sonic Charge

by Sonic Charge · Multi-FX · LPC voice resynthesis effect

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Bitspeek is a real-time linear prediction (LPC) effect that analyses audio and resynthesises it with an oscillator, noise and a formant filter.

It ranges from speaking-toy lo-fi to vocoder and talk-box sounds, with MIDI control, for $33.

Best for: Vocals, Drums, Keys & Synths, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Hip-Hop & Trap, Lo-Fi.

Keywords: drums, playful, synths, lo-fi, bass, simple, vocals, clean, CPU-light, dialogue, freeze, keys, MIDI-controllable, sound design, tracking, 70s, 80s, creative, crunchy, digital-sounding, mixing, pitch-shifting, stutter, tempo-synced.

What it does

Bitspeek is Sonic Charge's real-time voice resynthesis effect. It is built on linear prediction coding (LPC), the speech compression technology of the 1970s and 80s used in early speaking toys, and the developer calls it a "pitch-excited linear prediction codec".

Analysis and resynthesis: it extracts pitch, volume and formant data from the input, then rebuilds the sound with a simple oscillator, a noise generator and a formant filter.
Pitch and Tracking: Pitch shifts the result by up to three octaves either way; Tracking (0–200%) sets how closely the new pitch follows the input.
Detune and Noise: a second oscillator can be detuned by up to an octave, and the Noise control (±100%) sets the balance with the noise generator, from buzzy to whispered.
Sample rate: choose from 8 kHz up to 44.1/48 kHz, from crunchy toy quality to a cleaner tone.
Frame rate and freeze: the analysis frame rate runs from 0 to 80 Hz or syncs to beat divisions; at zero the formant filter freezes, which gives beat-synced stutter-like formant effects.
MIDI: play the pitch from a keyboard for vocoder-style parts.
Range of sounds: from toy-like robot voices to cleaner vocoder and talk-box tones, on vocals as well as drums, bass and synths.

The current version is 1.7.0.1011. It is also in the Complete Sonic Charge bundle of five plugins, and updates are free. The three-week trial starts the first time you open the plugin.

Source: Sonic Charge product page

When to use it

Bitspeek is the better pick when you want the specific sound of a vintage LPC speech codec rather than general lo-fi colour. Compared with Speakerphone 3, which simulates speakers and devices, it rebuilds the input from pitch and formant data, so voices come out robotic and synthetic rather than just small or filtered. Unlike Super VHS, which adds colour on top of a sound, Bitspeek replaces the sound with its resynthesis, and its MIDI input lets it act as a simple vocoder. It is far narrower than Infiltrator 2 or Multipass, which chain many effect types, but it does one unusual thing well and is light on CPU.

Best for: robot and toy-like voices, vocoder-style synth parts played from MIDI, and lo-fi digital texture on drums, bass and synths.
Genres: electronic, hip-hop, lo-fi and experimental.
Look elsewhere if: you want device and speaker simulation (Speakerphone 3), general lo-fi colour (Super VHS) or a full multi-effect chain (Infiltrator 2).
Tip: put a limiter after Bitspeek, since it can raise the output level a lot.

What producers say

Reviewers treat Bitspeek as a fun, focused sound-design tool; the complaints are about its limits rather than its sound.

MusicRadar / Computer Music (2011) called it "a terrifically fun little plug-in that you simply have to try", praising the simple interface, the syncable frame rate, MIDI pitch control and its results on drums, synths and bass.
Criticisms: at the time of that review it could not process chords, and it boosts the output level noticeably.
KVR users have left a single, mixed user review, which felt better alternatives exist but noted the low CPU use.

Where to buy

Sonic Charge: $33
Plugin Boutique: $33

Tutorials and reviews

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