The 6 Degrees FX Hyper Catalyst is a JFET preamp overdrive pedal, unveiled in April 2019 and described by Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio as "a flexible stompbox". It is aimed first at stacking: placed in front of another drive or an overdriven amp, it "can add saturation, harmonics, tighter bass, and more clarity to the final tone"1. Used on its own, De Gregorio calls it a "low gain dirt box that focuses on producing smooth clipping texture", and notes it "will also sound good on its own as an overdrive pedal"1. It sits in the wider family of overdrive pedals, alongside other 6 Degrees FX drives such as the Sally Drive Classic DC and the Amplitude Eleven.
The controls: Focus, Tight, Edge and Headroom
The pedal pairs its knobs with two toggle switches, and each control has a stated role in stacked use as well as standalone1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bias knob | Adjusts overall saturation when stacking1 |
| Edge control | Attenuates the high frequency range and removes fizziness; when stacking, makes single-note lead tones smoother1 |
| Headroom switch | Controls the punchiness and compression when stacking1 |
| Top toggle (Edge) | Removes the fizziness of the very high end when set to Low1 |
| Bottom toggle (Headroom) | Three-position switch selecting High, Medium or Low headroom, each producing different types of clipping and compression1 |
The three Headroom modes
The bottom toggle is the heart of the pedal, selecting between three headroom levels that change the clipping and compression character1.
- High headroom: clean with some bite, similar to a slightly breaking up tube amp, and the most dynamic mode of the three. Single notes stay clean and chords can be clean or clipped depending on strumming velocity1.
- Medium headroom: crunchy tone, similar to a cranked up tube amp. Turning up the Bias knob gives more saturation and sustain1.
- Low headroom: more clipping, more saturated with a little compression. This mode makes the Hyper Catalyst work just like any regular overdrive pedal1.
"When feeding other drives, the Hyper Catalyst can add saturation, harmonics, tighter bass, and more clarity to the final tone."
Stacking with other drives
Stacking is where the control set earns its keep: Headroom shapes punchiness and compression, Bias sets overall saturation, and Edge smooths single-note leads and tames high-end fizz when the pedal is feeding another drive1. Players comparing stacking pedals with a more conventional drive might also look at the Boss SD-1 vs Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer comparison.
Videos
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Eric Merrow
Questions
Can the Hyper Catalyst be stacked with other overdrive pedals?
Yes. Stacking is the design intent: when feeding other drives or an overdriven amp, the Hyper Catalyst adds saturation, harmonics, tighter bass and more clarity to the final tone. The Headroom switch controls the punchiness and compression in this role, the Bias knob adjusts overall saturation, and the Edge control smooths single-note lead tones and removes fizziness.
What does the Edge switch do on the Hyper Catalyst?
Edge is the top toggle switch. When set to Low it removes the fizziness of the very high end, attenuating the high frequency range. In stacked use, Edge also makes single-note lead tones smoother, which helps the pedal sit cleanly in front of another drive.
Is the Hyper Catalyst good for palm-muted rhythm parts?
The published description does not address palm-muted playing directly. What it does say is that in Low headroom mode the pedal works with more clipping, more saturation and a little compression, like a regular overdrive, and that when stacked it tightens the bass. Those are the qualities players usually reach for in tight rhythm tones.
Which Hyper Catalyst headroom setting sounds most like a cranked tube amp?
Medium headroom. Delicious Audio describes that mode as a crunchy tone similar to a cranked up tube amp, and notes that turning up the Bias knob gives more saturation and sustain. High headroom is closer to a slightly breaking up tube amp, while Low headroom is the most clipped and compressed of the three.
Sources (1)
- New Pedals: 6 Degrees FX Hyper Catalyst, Delicious Audio, 2019-04-03
