The Hamstead Zenith is an EQ, compressor and boost pedal in one compact box, made by Hamstead Soundworks. The maker describes it as "a powerful EQ, Boost, and Compressor delivered in one compact and incredibly flexible package"1. Rather than three separate stomps, the Zenith is built as a core-tone tool: Delicious Audio's buying guide called it "an EQ/Compressor/Boost designed to be a functional building block of your core tone"2.
What makes it unusual is how the three functions are handled. The EQ and compression circuits are fully analog, but they are routed and engaged by digitally controlled switching, so each can be brought in independently from a single footswitch13. Guitar World's reviewer put it plainly: "The signal path is all analogue, but three selectable routing options and some clever digital switching technology give" the pedal its flexibility4.
What it does to your sound
The Zenith covers a wide range, from gentle correction to heavy shaping. RockBoard's PedalPedia says it goes "from subtle tone shaping and compression that is felt and not heard, through to extreme sound sculpting and sustain beyond the natural realm"3.
The compressor side is a single-knob design. Guitar World's Trevor Curwen found it produces "very fast attack and medium/long release compression that evens things out and adds sustain with a pleasing note bloom at higher settings"4. Hamstead describes the circuit as having a very fast attack and medium/long release, designed to work with any setup and remain very transparent, with a low noise floor5. A Blend knob gives a parallel mix of compressed and dry signal2.
The EQ is a three-band design with real depth in the middle. The Bass, Middle and Treble knobs each offer 15dB of cut or boost4, and the Middle control adds three-position Q and Frequency switches, which the maker says offer "a huge amount of flexibility"1. In Curwen's hands, "the Treble knob adjusting the natural airy top-end" and "the Bass knob rolling off unwanted weight or adding girth without sounding flabby"4.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Comp | Single-knob compression control4 |
| Blend | Parallel mix of compressed and dry signal42 |
| Level | Output level; inactive in Comp Always On mode until the EQ is switched in4 |
| Bass | 15dB of cut or boost4 |
| Middle | 15dB of cut or boost, with three-position Q and Frequency switches14 |
| Treble | 15dB of cut or boost4 |
| Q switch | Selects the width of the Middle band's curve14 |
| Frequency switch | Selects the Middle band's center frequency14 |
| Circuit Order switch | Sets the serial order of EQ and compression, or runs them in parallel4 |
| Internal trim pot | Compressor Master Level4 |
Switching: one footswitch, five modes
The Zenith is Hamstead's first pedal with what the company calls Secret Switching, for independent control of the EQ and compression circuits1. Everything is accessed through one footswitch, The GigRig's OptoKick, chosen for silent optical switching and reliability1. Holding the pedal's programming function gives five switching options1:
- Standard: both effects on or both off1
- Flip/Flop: the two circuits trade places with each press1
- Comp always on: the compressor stays engaged and the footswitch brings in the EQ14
- EQ always on: the EQ stays engaged and the footswitch brings in the compressor14
- Cycle: repeated presses step from bypass to comp on, to EQ on, to both on14
Routing is flexible too. A Circuit Order switch lets you set the serial order of EQ and compression, or run the two circuits in parallel4. Beyond the footswitch, there is a control input for switching via an external controller such as the GigRig G2 or G35, and Guitar World notes that independent switching of the EQ and comp circuits is also possible via an external footswitch4.
In Comp Always On mode the Level knob is inactive until the EQ is switched in, so the boost stage only comes into play with the EQ engaged in that mode4.
Where it came from
The Zenith was announced in late 2020, opening for preorder on November 5 of that year5. It is designed and built in Great Britain, with the all-analog circuit and digital control designed by Peter Hamstead1. A later version is sold as the Zenith Amplitude Controller, reviewed by Guitar World in 20264; the maker's current product page and RockBoard's PedalPedia entry both describe the same EQ, boost and compressor package13.
What reviewers said
Guitar World's review of the Zenith Amplitude Controller was positive about its flexibility. Trevor Curwen concluded that the pedal is "fully versatile as an always-on tonal building block, a switched-in variation, or a combination of both," and that it "could be the perfect complement to your guitar and amp overall"4. A 2021 guitar.com review listed the Zenith at £2896.
Videos
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Eirik Stordrange
Questions
Is the Hamstead Zenith analog or digital?
Both, in a way. The EQ and compression circuits are 100% analog, and the signal path is all analog, but the switching that routes and engages those circuits is digitally controlled. The design is described by Hamstead Soundworks as an all-analog circuit with digital control, designed by Peter Hamstead.
Does the Hamstead Zenith have a parallel blend?
Yes. The compressor has a Blend knob, so you can mix your compressed signal with the dry signal. You can also route the EQ and compressor circuits in parallel rather than in series, using the pedal's routing options.
Can the Hamstead Zenith be switched with MIDI?
Not directly by MIDI, but it has a control input for switching via an external controller such as the GigRig G2 or G3. Independent switching of the EQ and compressor circuits is also possible with an external footswitch.
Can the EQ and compressor be switched on separately?
Yes. Its Secret Switching system gives five modes: Standard, Flip/Flop, Comp always on, EQ always on, and Cycle. In Cycle mode, repeated presses of the single footswitch step from bypass to compressor on, to EQ on, to both on.
Who makes the Hamstead Zenith?
Hamstead Soundworks, a British effects company. The Zenith is designed and built in Great Britain, with the circuit designed by Peter Hamstead. It was first offered for preorder in November 2020.
Sources (6)
- Zenith | Hamstead Soundworks, Hamstead Soundworks
- 2023 UPDATE! Best EQ Pedals For Guitar: Graphic & Parametric, Delicious Audio, 2023-12-13
- Zenith Amplitude Controller by Hamstead, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Hampstead Soundworks Zenith Amplitude Controller review, Guitar World, 2021-05-21
- Preorder Now: Hamstead Zenith Boost/Compressor, Delicious Audio, 2020-11-05
- Ground Control Audio Noodles review: A mouthwatering menu of useful boost options, guitar.com, 2021-08-16
