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Electro-Harmonix Cathedral
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Electro-Harmonix Cathedral
MicMicMan MicMicMan
Published on 02/01/10 at 09:14
Stompbox for guitarist

Reverb mono / stereo mode with 8 reverb (spring, acuspring, room, hall, flat flerb, reverb, echo)
Five controls (volume pot): mix dry / wet, reverb, shape, feedback, delay time
2 footswitches: tap tempo / infinite reverb, true bypass
selector with preset reverb

No external control (not possible to connect an expression pedal or footswitch extra), not editable via usb

External power supply required (no batteries)

Presentation very, very tough, and pretty ... even if the tap tempo footswitch could be more hard. The lights make the pedal sufficiently visible.

A good 8 / 10 for appearance and strength even if we would have liked more freedom in the controls.

UTILIZATION

Everything is made to be simple ... even a little too simple, as often with Electro Harmonix.
The manual is clear, but deserves to be a little bushier.

About editing sound, to draw really good party must understand how the equipment works, and it is not obvious. But the first grip is excellent and we are pleased instantly.
I explain here how it works in detail for most modes (all except flerb):
- First, there is a delay with a speed defined by the control delay time, mix with mix control and feedback by the feedback control ... until here everything is clear ...
- The reverb is "processée" on iterations of the delay. This means that if there is a delay of 1 second, we will begin to hear the reverb than 1 second after playing the note. Length (long life) of the reverb is set by controlling reverb and color control "shape", which acts exactly like a "tone", it works like a pre-delay in this case
- Keep the button when "infinite", the beast will simply go quietly being played in the delay feedback infinity, and the signal then passes played in "bypass" (more reverb or delay so above). We must therefore support the timer on the footswitch to control completely the result (not very complicated).
- Note that the feedback delay are colored according to the chosen mode of reverb (this is not exactly pure delays, except for algorithms or reverse and echo found a digital delay everything there is more classic)
Note that the control mix dry / wet wet skips to 100%, thereby having the reverb ...
For presets, they are available through a number of reverb mode. We can move from one to another by turning the volume pot selection of presets, which can be limiting in terms live.
No "spillout" because it&#39;s true-bypass, meaning that when you cut the reverb effect is cut outright, the reverb does not continue.
No reverb or delay, as dry on what we play when we move in infinite reverb.
In the end "only" 7 / 10 for limitations in controls (presets spillout absent, the signal at 100% dry when the infinite function activated)

SOUND QUALITY

Do not suck, it sounds perfectly.
All reverbs have their particularity, their grain, the sound is customizable as it should, according to toy with the infinite is a real pleasure.
Special mention to the "reverse reverb" which is one of the most interesting effects I&#39;ve heard recently ... Used extensively it can go in the new textures and really psychedelic. Discreetly used it offers unprecedented consistency truly excellent sound. I used it on recordings with folk rendering very surprising.
Echo function allows a delay of extra interest (even if the control reverb on it tends to quickly scramble the sound).
This is not necessarily realistic, it does not really bear comparison with the opposite convolution reverbs studio (although the lobby and the flat fare very well), but who cares not a bit ... ?
In short, even if everyone has their preferences and is likely to restrict some functions, all the reverbs are very attractive and different.
Upstream of distortion is reached and hallucinatory hallucinatory textures ...
It even happened to just play with the pedal, by directly touching the tip of the input jack without guitar ...
The opportunity to return to self-oscillation can add an impressive array of sounds and crushed his bizarre sonic palette ...
For further consideration:
The pedal can return to self-oscillation in 2 ways:
- By the bottom feedback
- By the reverb-bottomed
Depending on how the reverb chosen, the selected control, and the delay time, the effect may be radically different. It may even happen more or less to "synthesize" sound with a very short delay time, feedback thoroughly and certain types of reverb (spring in particular) from a white noise.
One regret however: when the pedal is in self-oscillation and it touches the delay time, regardless of how we tend to lose the signal, and it only affects the repetition rate instead of the pitch. So it is not possible to play with this feature as it can be done with analog delay. Surprisingly, the behavior is not quite the same when it initiates the "infinite" because only changes the speed of the delay, without losing the signal.

Ultimately, if this is the little regret for the self-oscillations, 10/10 to a good level of sound quality. And yet, I have not tested it by plugging the pedal itself (entrance on left output right )....


OVERALL OPINION

It must be two months she never leaves me, repeating or recording, for folk, rock, hacks of all stripes, as delay ... and I have not the impression of knowing perfectly.

The reverse reverb is really a must, but others are not left behind. It&#39;s really amazingly simple textures for shaping post-rock and psychedelic, or soberly and effectively thicken its sound. Coupled with a reverse delay and voice, the reverse reverb allows effects worthy of the best zombie movies, a must!

One detail that is important: it instantly appealed to members of my group ...

Ultimately, the only flaws I have found him at his ergonomics "limited" (presets, controls foot).
Beside, level originality and versatility is one of the things most comprehensive and intuitive on which I put my hand.

For less than 200 € is really a good investment for little one loves to play and fiddle with the texture of its instruments. And because she brings something other than studio reverb or a rack, this stompbox quickly becomes indispensable.
I would do without hesitation that choice for a second.