The SONICAKE Shark, product name QSS-05(NEW), is a triple-mode distortion guitar effects pedal from Sonicake's mini-stompbox range. Sonicake describes it as a "100% Analog British Sound Distortion takes you from Classic Marshall-Stack Crunch to High Gain Paradise"1. In plain terms, it is a small analog distortion box with three voicing modes, aimed at players who want anything from vintage crunch to aggressive high gain in a pedal that takes up very little board space.
The pedal is fully analog, uses a true bypass footswitch, and draws only 12mA, which makes it easy to power alongside other pedals. It sells for $35.9921.
The controls and three voicing modes
The Shark keeps its control set simple: a TONE knob, a LEVEL knob, and a three-position toggle for voicing. The knobs use an LED-indicated design that Sonicake says shows both the control setting and the working state of the pedal3.
The toggle is where the pedal's character changes. Sonicake describes the three positions as follows3:
| Mode | Toggle position | What Sonicake says it does |
|---|---|---|
| NORMAL | Up | "a classic Marshall-stack rocking crunch tone" |
| MODERN | Middle | "an edgier and more aggressive hi-gain tone, focused and with a little tighter low end" |
| CLASSIC | Down | "a vintage voicing, a bit less gain" |
For a player, that means one pedal covers three gain styles: NORMAL for a classic Marshall-stack rocking crunch tone, MODERN for an edgier and more aggressive hi-gain tone, focused and with a little tighter low end, and CLASSIC for a vintage voicing with a bit less gain. Because the voicing differences are described by the maker rather than measured by independent reviewers, how far apart they sit in practice is something a player would judge by ear3.
Power and bypass
The Shark runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply, which is not included with the pedal1. Sonicake's German product page states it works with a regular pedal power supply and that no battery is included3, so there is no battery option.
The Shark has no battery compartment. You need a 9V DC center negative supply or a powered pedalboard to run it.
The true bypass footswitch, which Sonicake says "keeps a clean Signal Path," means the pedal should leave your core tone alone when switched off1. At 12mA, it is a light load that works fine on a shared or daisy-chained output of a multi-supply, as long as the supply is center negative.
Build and size
The Shark comes in a heavy duty black metal casing1. Its footprint is genuinely mini: 93.5mm deep by 42mm wide by 52mm high, weighing 228.7g1. That width is roughly half a standard pedal, so it fits in tight board spaces where a full-size distortion would not.
Where it sits in the Sonicake lineup
The Shark is part of Sonicake's mini-stompbox collection, alongside pedals like the Sonicake Rude Mouse, a RAT-style distortion, and other mini effects in the maker's range. Compared with other distortion pedals, its distinguishing features are the three-way voicing toggle and the analog circuit at a low list price. Players comparing it against overdrive or fuzz pedals should note that Sonicake positions it squarely as a distortion, voiced around British stack-style tones rather than a clean boost or a saturated fuzz312.
Videos
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Questions
Does the Sonicake Shark take a battery?
No. The Shark runs on a 9V DC center negative power supply, which Sonicake does not include in the box. There is no battery compartment, so you need a regular pedal power supply or a powered pedalboard to run it.
Is the Sonicake Shark true bypass?
Yes. Sonicake lists the Shark with a true bypass footswitch, which the maker says keeps a clean signal path when the pedal is switched off. That means it should not color your tone when disengaged.
How much current does the Sonicake Shark draw?
Sonicake lists the Shark's current consumption at 12mA at 9V DC. That is a very light draw, so it can share an output on a multi-output power supply with other low-current analog pedals without strain.
What does QSS-05 mean on the Sonicake Shark?
QSS-05(NEW) is the product name Sonicake gives the Shark on its official product pages. It identifies this mini-stompbox distortion pedal in the maker's lineup, distinguishing it from other Sonicake mini pedals.
Sources (3)
- SONICAKE Shark, SONICAKE (www.sonicake.com)
- Sonic Dub Storable Looper Pedal for Guitar Bass Recording, SONICAKE
- SONICAKE Shark, Sonicake (de.sonicake.com)
