Catalinbread Formula No.55 vs Vertex Ultraphonix HRM
The Catalinbread Formula No.55 and the Vertex Ultraphonix HRM are both pedals sharing dynamic, saturated. The Catalinbread Formula No.55 leans transparent and warm. The Vertex Ultraphonix HRM leans mid-forward. Current prices: $179.99 vs $111.35.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.45% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Classic Rock
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Derived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.- dynamic
- saturated
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$179.99via Reverb
$111.35via Reverb
The Catalinbread Formula No. 55 is an amp-voiced overdrive pedal from the Portland boutique effects builder, designed to capture the tone and response of specific vintage amplifier settings in the tradition of their Formula pedal series. Like other Catalinbread Formula pedals, it models the circuit behavior and harmonic characteristics of a target amplifier front end rather than functioning as a generic drive pedal. It delivers warm, natural saturation with the feel and dynamic response of a pushed tube amplifier. Suited for blues, classic rock, and studio players seeking an authoritative amp-in-a-box overdrive tone.
The Vertex Ultraphonix HRM is an analog overdrive pedal with a distinctly British amp-style voicing. The Gain control sets how hard the internal preamp stage is driven, shaping the amount of distortion produced, while Accent controls add tone presence and layer in additional saturation. It's built to respond closely to pick dynamics, accentuating the vocal, expressive qualities of a guitar-and-amp combination rather than delivering a single fixed gain texture. It sits within the broader Ultraphonix line as the HRM-specific voicing, distinct from the newer Ultraphonix MkII revision.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Blues
- Rock
- transparent
- warm
- harmonically rich
- mid-forward