The Electro-Harmonix Cathedral is a stereo reverb pedal from Electro-Harmonix, described by the company's own product materials as an excellent reverb guitar effect with infinite reverb (freeze) and a tap tempo function1. Guitar Interactive Magazine's press release called it the award winning Cathedral Stereo Reverb with nine different studio-quality programs2, and Premier Guitar likewise referred to it as the award winning Cathedral Stereo Reverb3. Pedal of the Day's reviewer Mike B called it "a beast of a reverb"4.
Modes and what they do
The Cathedral carries eight reverb modes plus Echo, and the two Spring modes are the heart of its Electro-Harmonix lineage. Pedal of the Day describes "Two SPRING modes including the Spring reverb taken from the Holy Grail and a new Accutronics Spring tank emulation"4, so the first Spring mode is the circuit taken from the Holy Grail and the second models an Accutronics spring tank. The other modes, in Mike B's words, "feature top notch, professional reverb algorithms"4, and Grail Flerb mode is "the Holy Grail Flerb with greater adjustability"4.
| Mode | What it is |
|---|---|
| Spring (Holy Grail) | Spring reverb taken from the Holy Grail Reverb pedal4 |
| Spring (Accutronics) | Accutronics Spring tank emulation4 |
| Hall, Room, Plate, Reverse | Professional reverb algorithms4 |
| Grail Flerb | The Holy Grail Flerb with greater adjustability4 |
| Echo | A versatile two second digital delay4 |
Echo mode is worth knowing about before you buy: it makes the Cathedral into a versatile two second digital delay4, so the pedal doubles as a delay unit, which is also why it carries a tap tempo footswitch.
Controls and footswitches
The pedal's control layout mixes a white control knob (an encoder) with black control knobs, and a Tap/Freeze footswitch1. The knobs work as follows:
- Blend mixes your dry signal with the Cathedral's reverb effect4
- Reverb Time adjusts the overall length of the effect4
- Tone / Dampening allows for further sonic control and refinement over the pedal's sound4
- Damping/Tone control is available for each reverb mode5
The Tap Tempo footswitch sets the pre-delay time with your foot4, and MusicRadar's Chris Vinnicombe, in a first look at the pedal when it was new, described the tap tempo function as used to set the pre-delay section5. Pressing and holding gives instantaneous infinite reverb4, the freeze function that holds a chord or note as an endless reverb wash.
Presets and stereo operation
The Cathedral can save and load up to 8 presets, one preset for each different mode4, so a player can store a favorite setting per reverb type. It also features true stereo inputs and outputs4, which matters if you run a stereo board or a wet/dry rig: the reverb keeps its full stereo image end to end. Under the hood it uses 24-bit A/D and D/A converters5.
MIDI
The Cathedral has no MIDI control; Microdesignum states plainly, "Unfortunately, it has not got any MIDI control"1. The same company builds an external MIDI control module for the Cathedral for players who want preset switching from a MIDI rig1.
If MIDI preset control matters to your setup, the Cathedral needs a third-party add-on module rather than offering it built in1.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's Chris Vinnicombe gave a first look at the pedal when it was new in late 2009, covering its tap tempo pre-delay, its per-mode Damping/Tone control and its 24-bit converters5. Pedal of the Day's 2016 review by Mike B was warm throughout, calling the Hall, Room, Plate and Reverse algorithms top notch and professional and describing the pedal as a beast of a reverb4. Both Guitar Interactive Magazine and Premier Guitar describe the pedal as award winning in their coverage of the wider Electro-Harmonix reverb line23.
Videos
ProGuitarShopDemos
Reverb
JetCityMusic
Questions
Does the Electro-Harmonix Cathedral have MIDI?
No. The Cathedral has no MIDI control of its own. Microdesignum, a maker of add-on MIDI modules, states plainly that the pedal has not got any MIDI control, and sells an external MIDI control module for players who want to change the Cathedral's presets from a MIDI setup.
How many presets can the Cathedral save?
The Cathedral can save and load up to 8 presets, one preset for each of its different modes, as Pedal of the Day's review describes. That means you can store a setting for each reverb type and recall it rather than dialing the knobs in again.
What does the Tap/Freeze footswitch do on the Cathedral?
The Tap Tempo footswitch sets the pre-delay time with your foot, so you can match the pre-delay to the song without bending down. Pressing and holding it gives instantaneous infinite reverb, the freeze function, which holds whatever you play as a swelling reverb bed.
Is the Cathedral true stereo?
Yes. Pedal of the Day notes that the Cathedral features true stereo inputs and outputs, so a stereo rig or a stereo effects chain keeps its full width through the pedal rather than being summed to mono.
Does the Cathedral have a spring reverb mode?
It has two. The first is the Spring reverb taken from Electro-Harmonix' Holy Grail Reverb pedal, and the second is a new Accutronics Spring tank emulation, which models a physical spring tank.
What does the Echo mode on the Cathedral do?
Echo mode makes the Cathedral into a versatile two second digital delay, according to Pedal of the Day. It turns the pedal into a delay unit alongside its reverb programs, which is why the pedal carries a tap tempo footswitch for the pre-delay section.
Sources (5)
- MIDI Control for Electro Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb, Microdesignum
- Electro-Harmonix Expands Reverb Line with Holy Grail Neo, Guitar Interactive Magazine, 2015-03-18
- Electro-Harmonix Unveils the Holy Grail Neo, Premier Guitar, 2015-03-17
- Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb, Pedal of the Day, 2016-04-05
- FIRST LOOK: Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb, MusicRadar, 2009-11-13
