The Catalinbread Knightrepeat is a lo-fi delay pedal built on the PT2399 chip, the same delay-on-a-chip design found in countless compact delays. It offers delay times from 30ms to 400ms, with repeats running from none at minimum to "many" at maximum. Catalinbread positions it as a deliberately lo-fi take on the format: push the delay time further and the sound quality degrades, which is part of the point1.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| TIME | Selects the delay time, from 30ms to 400ms. With a higher-value pot installed, delay time can reach up to one second, at the expense of sound quality, hence "lo-fi"1 |
| REPEATS | Controls the amount of repeats the delay gives, from none at minimum to "many" at maximum1 |
Why it cannot self-oscillate
Many delay players reach for runaway feedback, the point where repeats build into a wash of their own. The Knightrepeat will not do that. Catalinbread states plainly: "The architecture of the PT2399 chip makes it so this circuit is incapable of 'self-oscillation' also known as 'runaway feedback'"1. The REPEATS knob still goes to "many" at maximum, but the repeats will not run away on their own.
For context on the chip itself, GuitarPCB, which builds its own PT2399-based designs, describes the chip as providing smooth delay effects with a maximum delay time of approximately 600 milliseconds, with possible subtle artifacts at maximum that vary with each chip's tolerance2. The Knightrepeat's 400ms ceiling sits inside that range, and the modified one-second setting pushes past it, which is where the lo-fi degradation comes in1.
Power
The Knightrepeat accepts a center-negative DC power supply capable of supplying 9 volts1. Catalinbread adds a warning in its own words: "Plugging in the wrong supply will void the warranty and possibly summon a puff of ozone-tinged smoke"1.
Use a 9V center-negative DC supply. Catalinbread says the wrong supply will void the warranty1.
Availability
Catalinbread's product page carries the notice "ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL SEPTEMBER 8"1, so the Knightrepeat is a limited-window release rather than a continuously produced pedal. The maker has used this model before: the Tritone Proto 227 and Mirror (Proto 4224) were also sold in set availability windows1.
If you are looking for lo-fi delay character with a longer reach, Catalinbread's EG1 Lo-Fi Delay is a related option in the maker's delay line, and the CSIDMAN covers glitchier, stutter-oriented repeats. For the wider field, see the site's Delay Pedals page.
Questions
What power supply does the Catalinbread Knightrepeat need?
The Knightrepeat accepts a center-negative DC power supply capable of supplying 9 volts. Catalinbread warns that plugging in the wrong supply will void the warranty, possibly with a puff of ozone-tinged smoke, so use a supply with the correct voltage and polarity.
Can the Knightrepeat self-oscillate?
No. Catalinbread says the architecture of the PT2399 chip makes the circuit incapable of self-oscillation, also known as runaway feedback. If you want repeats that build on themselves, the REPEATS knob goes from none at minimum to many at maximum, but the circuit will not run away on its own.
How long can the Knightrepeat's delay time go?
The TIME knob selects delay times from 30ms to 400ms. Catalinbread notes that with a higher-value pot installed, the delay time can reach up to one second, at the expense of sound quality, which is where the pedal's lo-fi character comes from.
What chip does the Knightrepeat use?
The Knightrepeat is built on the PT2399 chip. GuitarPCB, which documents the chip in its own PT2399-based designs, describes it as providing smooth delay effects with a maximum delay time of approximately 600 milliseconds, with possible subtle artifacts at maximum that vary with each chip's tolerance.
Is the Knightrepeat still available?
Catalinbread's product page states the Knightrepeat is only available until September 8. Like other limited-window releases from the maker, it is sold for a set period rather than kept in continuous production.
Sources (2)
- Knightrepeat, Catalinbread Effects
- NostalgiTone-Space-Modulator, GuitarPCB, 2024-09
