Overview
The Antichthon Deluxe is an enhanced version of a classic Catalinbread circuit, designed to offer more performance-oriented features while retaining its characteristic chaos. It builds upon the original Antichthon model with two additional controls: a powerful mids manipulator for presence in the mix and an adjustable feedback control with a toggle switch for expanded tonal dimensions. A new 'Action' footswitch allows instant access to a zero-setting for the Action knob, enabling quick transitions between extreme tones and serene sounds. An expression control input for the Action knob further enhances its performance capabilities.
Signal Chain Placement
The Antichthon Deluxe can be placed at the beginning of your signal chain. Its design is inspired by circuits that used a variable resistor on the input. By positioning the Antichthon Deluxe first and utilizing your guitar's volume control, you can effectively achieve gain control, resulting in rich, bubbling harmonics that add depth to your sound.
Pedal Description
The pedal is a black rectangular unit. The top panel features six rotary knobs labeled "vol" (volume), "action", "bias", "body", "mids", and "fdbk" (feedback) from left to right. The "ANTICHTHON" logo is centered. To the right of the knobs are two small toggle switches, one labeled "on" and "off" (likely for feedback control), and a larger "bypass" toggle. Two footswitches are located at the bottom: one labeled "action" on the left, and "bypass" on the right. The rear panel has three jacks labeled "9VDC only", "exp" (expression), "out", and "in" from left to right.
Controls
- Volume (vol)
- This control is available for general volume adjustment.
- Action
- Originally the "Gravity" knob, this control disrupts the ground path for semiconductors in the first stage, creating unpredictable chaotic sounds. Higher settings increase this effect. It is directly linked to the Action footswitch.
- Bias
- Originally called "Time", this control adjusts the voltage encountered by the gain stage. It influences sustain and tone, and is highly interactive with the Action control.
- Body
- Previously known as "Space", this control functions like a variable input capacitor, affecting bass response and gain. Its behavior can be influenced by the Action knob setting when Action is above zero.
- Mids
- This knob provides an aggressive bandpass-based mids adjustment centered around 800Hz, with a filter width adjustable between 400Hz and 1.6KHz. At noon, the circuit is unaffected. Settings above noon boost mids, while settings below noon cut mids.
- Feedback (fdbk)
- This control is active when the Feedback toggle is UP or the bypass LED is RED. It sends a variable amount of the main stage's output back into the input, affecting the overall sound. Its range is most apparent when stacking with other pedals.
- Feedback Toggle
- This switch enables or disables the feedback circuit. When UP, feedback is ON and the bypass LED is RED. When DOWN, feedback is OFF and the bypass LED is GREEN.
- Action Footswitch
- This footswitch forces the Action knob to its zero setting, regardless of its current position. While engaged, the Action knob has no effect. It allows toggling between the zero setting and a user-defined knob setting for instant "freakout" tones. The LED illuminates when this footswitch is active.
- Bypass
- This footswitch engages or disengages the effect. "On" is indicated by the effect being active, "off" by it being bypassed. The bypass LED color is determined by the Feedback toggle position.
Jacks
- In
- Connect your instrument or other pedal patch cable here.
- Out
- Connect to your amplifier, mixer, DAW, or other pedal patch cable.
- Exp out
- Allows hands-free control of the Action knob using an expression pedal. The Action footswitch can still override the expression pedal to force the Action knob to zero.
Power
The Antichthon Deluxe requires a 9VDC center-negative power supply. While it can operate at up to 18V, this intensifies all aspects of its chaotic sound and may produce frequencies harmful to your ears or amplifier. Therefore, it is labeled and recommended for 9V ONLY. Current draw is negligible, so any compatible 9VDC center-negative supply will work. The pedal is also suitable for use with a daisy-chained power supply.
