So I’ve had this thing for about a year and a half. I absolutely love it. Even the built-in presets are great. I’m still building rigs. I just built a rig so I could play Be Quiet and Drive by Deftones. It took maybe like 10 minutes total time to find the tones and I was good
I play in a hard rock / metal cover band and I use the Headrush. Absolutely fantastic tone and perfect for gigging. This units distortion at volume is second to none.
@MusicWeaponsFood I run my complete signal to front of house when I can. To move air behind me, I run into an Orange Crush head into the effects loop return and then a 2×12. Sometimes I will run into a powered 12 speaker, which will give a pure tone.
I’d take my (Eleven Rack Driven!) Headrush over Helix ANY DAY! This thing sounds phenomenal, is easy (and fun) to use, and helps a person really learn the ins and outs of building a rig.
I have often wondered if I should have gotten a headrush, I wanted one over helix but thought helix was better, helix is good but it seems an easier user experience to dial in a headrush, whats your take?
My very first Multi-effects unit that I owned was the Zoom 9000S, I'll never forget it, it was a hand held unit smaller than a portable DVD player, you attached the processor to an amp or table and the foot-switch (included) stayed on the floor, the best setup so far, I don't understand why they haven't advanced on that all these years
Excellent review guys. I was contemplating buying this unit and was a bit skeptical but after this review I can't miss out on this awesome unit. Thanks for the review and the laughs, cheers.
I like the Headrush more than the Helix Lt even though the Helix Lt has more functions, the Headrush amp models sound closer to a tube amp making it more realistic sounding in my opinion of course.
Best interface on a programmable effects pedalboard I've seen to date. Also it was noticeable how the captains strat tones were preserved through the unit.
It's literally a complete rip-off of the Helix, not only cosmetically, but also with the ability to adjust parameters hands-free, while being limited in other ways, with different amp/effect sounds, plus a touch screen.
I don't even know what you are reviewing here, but the banter was spot on. You guys made me laugh loudly, which is a strong achievement from anything on the internet.
you know what, I love this demo for it's honest learning on the fly of how to use the pedal. i'm an older bloke considering moving away from the individual stop box and want something that is straight forward and fast to get a good sound. also not everywhere appreciates my mesa head and quad box, so di is very handy. i'm sold
Having used both of these units, my only legit complaint is the with the flexibility of the chain on the headrush. I like the way both units sound. If you've ever mic'd an amp and played away from the amp and just heard yourself through monitors, that's your point of comparison. That said both have a legit quality sound. Helix has more flexibility with a longer amount of time to learn the unit. Headrush is easier to get a convincing sound out of but lacks the detailed flexibility in the chain and with some of the settings on specific components. I am sticking with the Helix for now but am open to other units in the future.
Alex Church post editing does wonders. this unit sounds good but post editing is the only way i can figure how they got the fender gt 40 to sound good. every other review ive heard sounds like trash.
Pete Thorn and Rabea Maassad have video's out that show how good this actually sounds...with Rabea doing a full review shortly. I'm a soundman...rubbish in ....rubbish out...no amount of editing will make crap sound good. This thing gives me a Headrush with the tonal landscapes I've heard so far.
Maison Spires focus on learning songs you love. Practice on low speed daily until you got it perfect. Only with some discipline early on you'll get through the hard phase.
Maison Spires I will say spend the money on a good professional guitar teacher. I tried to learn without one for 10 years and at a certain point i just hit a wall skill wise and wasnt able to get over it because i didnt have the right “tools“ (technique, mindset etc.). And learn theory
So Rob just rips the tremolo bar of his guitar, on a whim, starts playing slide with it, and instantly sounds better than me.... Damn it. I need to practice more.
You guys do the best Demonstrations- thx for laffs as well - watching from out at Sea on my cruise ship gig ... I 99% 4 sure getting this HeadRush ! Thx great playin Gentleman..
I use multi effects live weekly, and I will never run any unit direct to front of house without going to into a Hughes and Kettner Redbox 5! Game changer for me and everyone who has tried it. Goes from digital to real in $99
yes, and a three comparison between Headrush, Helix Line 6, and Fractal Ax8 would be awesome. I am trying to decide which of the 3 to buy in the future and cannot make this decision at the moment.
I tried these and still prefer having individual analog pedals. I have delay/reverb, wah, looper and whammy dt pedals and my amps have distortion/clean channels which is really everything that I need right now. I priced out the multi FX units and they cost more than my custom analog pedal board so I went the analog pedal route. If I was to buy a combo unit, the new Line 6 HX looks promising as does the Zoom G3XN unit. But at this point, I want ultra compact so an Eventide H9 would be good as well.
Renaissance Man you are missing the point of these units. They are designed to replace your normal amp so you can just run direct to the board. They are also great for recording.
Yeah, I'm finding the Eleven really brittle and powdery, no realism to it. Or rather, it sits right in the middle of Uncanny Valley. I played the AxeFX and it was like plugging into a patch bay where on the other end WAS the vintage amp, cab and Neumann U87 mic. Shocking difference. I play BlackStar, GrooveTubes and Wampler plus home made valve amps - I grew up with triodes so virtually none of the digital stuff comes close, though I am a technophile too.
Truly a new contender in the flood of multi FX devices. The real need is for a unit that truly sounds great going direct into a full range system (a PA, a computer interface...) can cover all the sounds I would need to play any gig. I play in a band doing a huge variety of music, I play in church, I play in the pit orchestra for stage musicals... NEED a huge variety of tones - (saturated leads, Elvis rhythm, rockabilly, clean jazz, clean strumming, early and late Beatles... ) Similar units do well in some areas but not in all areas. I bought a Line6 PodHD500 in 2010 and have never used it live. I was expecting to use it directly into a PA system, but could NOT get the sounds I was after. (something about the word "POD" in the name led me to believe that that's what it was meant to do - go direct.) I am finding that plugging it into a power am and guitar cabs, it can really sound amazing. It's just that I bought it THINKING I was going to go direct with it. I'll play with that a little longer. It might even finally replace my BOSS GT-8 which I've been happily gigging now for 12 or so years. But this HEADRUSH thing... next time I'm looking to upgrade, it's a serious candidate. I'd be very interested in it's MIDI capabilities. Can each PATCH have it's own MIDI parameters assigned to the pedal?
You can change parameters with the Helix with your feet. This is not a groundbreaking development. They just made it slightly easier to access and use.
Got my HR today, planned to check it out for some days and then see if I keep it or my Heelix. It took me 15 minutes to see: Heelix is gonna get sold. HR has better tone on almost every Amp, so much better dynamic response, so much more natural feel, it's just so much more like the real thing. Might be that Kemper's equally great, dont know - but Heelix: lost. And so much fun with the touchscreen. Set up my signature sound in like 5 minutes. My GF' s not gonna see me tonite..
Just got a Headrush. It will solve all my problems and give years of bliss! That's what it's supposed to do, right? Trying to decide on what gear to buy is going to lead us to special recovery groups!! Line 6 OR Fractal? No wait, Kemper!! Oh, hey, Positive Grid!! Screw it, I want a REAL amp. 2 years later, I really want the convenience of a pedalboard. Back to Kemper.. Now I have 4,000 profiles and I can barely remember my name. Did I mention the headaches? ... Okay, Headrush and simplicity. No, hold on again, I just saw a guy on TV with a Kemper! I must have the best!!! I must!!! Okay, lets do Headrush and simplify life!!!...
Prasanth Selvadurai totally agree. I’d take my (Eleven Rack Driven!) Headrush over Helix ANY DAY! This thing sounds phenomenal, is easy (and fun) to use, and helps a person really learn the ins and outs of building a rig.
Just a note: You don't have to delete a block before choosing another one...the only reason to use the delete function is if you don't want anything in that block, otherwise you just choose a new effect/amp/cab and it loads up over whatever was there before. Also you don't have to delete all the blocks to start with an empty "rig" all you do is tap the upper right 3 dots and select "new rig". This thing is already amazing and that's right out of the box with more updates to come like the cool "lock screen" function they just added that allows you to add a photo to the lockscreen page.
Indeed, but I wonder if that higher price is due to its profiling features. In other words, it would be nice to hear a comparison at a sound emulation level only.
What's the point? They all work. They all make great sounds. I have the Headrush and I love it. I'd probably love the Helix too! It's just like comparing valve amps. They all do the same thing in different ways, so you buy the one that suits you. Comparisons are utterly pointless!
Thanks for the review guys. I‘ve managed to procure one of these and your review is totally correct but one thing I‘d like to add is that their customer support leaves much to be desired. First off, the homepage is inop to log into your account and sending them an email is pretty much useless since I‘ve not gotten a response for two mails sent in two weeks. Ive had a Boss GT100 for y few years now and their customer support was almost immediate......for 1/3 of the price
I like the touchscreen. Although I think it is quite overwhelming at first... probably would take hours and hours to go through everything..but that's what makes it fun....I think..
Yeah, I know, you'd wanna have it tweaked before ya gig..you can still control it with your feet..I still haven't bought in to these all in one platforms yet either. Still waiting til the best one emerges.
until some chick in the front row spills a drink on it or some stage diver tromps on it. also, leaning over to edit shit is very annoying. have a fender mustang floor unit and it gets old. much prefer a rack and indestructible foot controller.
Message to the editor: if you get a recording when Rob stares at the camera for a few seconds, just like in 10:00, put a buffering circle over his head, PLEASE!
Having never heard a good sounding Line6 amp its hard to throw down $1500 and then have to download 3rd party IRs to make it sound decent? I know its cool to be able to sound like 100 amps and 100 different players but what is your distinctive tone? What makes you? Its not all talent Cobain had a sound.
That first sound should be known as the "music store preset" - you know - the super distorted and over-processed sound that seems impressive and imprints on a newbie to make a sale. Those over-the-top sounds can still be kinda fun though.
I use Helix's foot controls to change parameters all the time - totally freeing to be able to boost mids during a solo when the room just isn't working right for you and not having to wait until the end of the song to change parameters. Cool to see that coming to other products too.
One problem many of these modeled things have (and Mustang amps are another example) is that the default settings are always way too extreme. You turned on the vibrato and immediately turned it off. Why? It was set to seasick right off the bat. If it started on a milder setting you might have stuck with it. It's too easy to end up with a caricature of a good sound that way. Just start me in a useful, left of noon place, and I can get a better feel for what this does and adjust from there.
Totally agree ...stompbox presets should use a 10 oclock or 30% starting point instead of the 50% (of every parameter) that seems to be used... Same with the built in rigs or patches, they are always over the top and need a lot of tweaking just to get something usable.
What I really want is a multi-switchable preamp/poweramp modeller like the kemper but in pedal form so I can have my whole rig on a pedalboard but still use my analog pedals. Sometimes you just want a totally different tone for different songs so that would be cool.
All modelers have their own voicing, just like tube amps. Soldanos are very different tones from Bogners, and Helix, Headrush, and Fractal all have their own voicing, each great in their own way. And as everyone knows, never judge a modeler until you have created your own patches and experimented. Love my Headrush, just I do my Fractal, both different and unique.
Another Note: The gain parameter for the Amp/Cab combo is to be found in the "Cab"....so if you go into "hands free mode" by holding down the "Cab" button for 2 seconds the parameters for the Cab pop up and one of them is gain. I think the idea is to have the preamp gain in the amp input section and the overall gain in the cab output section but I'm sure about that.
cabinets and amps simulations sounds ok, i would like to hear the harmonizer effect on this unit, i hope it doesnt have any of that chirpy sound that other cheap units have, it would bring this unit a step above all prevous brands and units I have tried in the past.
This is looking like a good alternative to the Helix for me. I'm interested in something like this for gigging, and when I saw Daniel from Pain of Salvation (Rob, you seriously need to check this band out if you haven't already! I have a feeling they'd become a desert island band for you, especially on the "The Perfect Element Pt. 1" and "Remedy Lane" albums) using a Helix at their show in Toronto, it was amazing, and it looked like such a simple rig that's incredibly versatile, but I also love how this has far less steep of a learning curve than the Helix and that's where it has a huge appeal to me. I just want something I can plug into, not spend a huge amount of time messing around, and get a decent passable tone. I wouldn't record with it. I have real amps for that. But when you're playing a bar or a small club, no one's going to care that you're using digital amp modelling, and no one's going to be able to tell the difference. And for gigs, that's where this is hugely appealing!
I have to agree, all of these tones sound way better than when you covered HeadRush at NAMM. Maybe it was the environment, also as you mentioned, it wasn't updated/it was an early beta version. I'm looking forward to seeing Rabea's in depth review!
The feature i love the most on this pedalboard is the displays on every switch, i wish all pedalboards had that, touch screen is nice also, but the displays on the switches is it.
Sounds killer - I suspect there's a difficult decision ahead for me to replace my Atomic Amplifire rig. This looks ideal for my needs, but the Helix LT can currently be bought for a full £100 less.
i sold my fender deluxe reverb amp, mesa boogie, egnater tourmaster.. After trying the helix Lt at the guitar center, after watching all comparisons and all youtube videos and reading all reviews online... i knew helix is great coz im a former hd500 user and i love it. But i went decided buying the headrush coz it saves my time and time is gold. Its quicker to program sounds specially when u r onstage playing, you can make a quick change if you want. Helix and headrush are both good... i just need an easier interface. 👍🏼 actually i bought a helix bag for my headrush.
I just compared the Headrush with the Boss Katana. Basically the Headrush has 48 models and then cab simulator on top of the Katana. The Katana has 55 models but only one cabsim. The cost to the Katana with a dual pedal and expression is about £300 to £400 vs £900 with no amp or speaker but a lot of cabsims. I can add a cabsim onto the Katana for about £250 if I want to go that way or £400 if I use a torpedo cab. I think all these multi modelling pedal boards weighing in at £760 to £1350 need to be compared with the price of a total rig, versus a modelling amp as you have to add £500 on if low end Laney X or FRFR £750 making a rig £1750 to £2500 depending on pedal and FRFR price. Working with the 100wKatana and then buying some decent speakers to me is a less expensive idea, but offering a lot. If you wanted high end maybe the Waza! Otherwise the traditional stuff is moreorless the same price as these pedals and rig! I have spent less and have top end 20 pedals, over to Dan and Mick to compete with pedals and trad against smart pedals and SSD amps!
The Captain: “I guess to summarize what we instantly liked about this pedal, is that everything you need to do on this interface is done through…” Chapman: too many seconds without riffing have gone by… must interrupt with random outburst of riffing… 😂 😂
Fast forward to 2020 and neural dsp does this exact same thing and all of a sudden its the next big thing. Shows the power of marketing! Sadly I backed out of buying a quad cortex as their delivery schedules were just absolutely messed up. Was thinking of replacing my kemper, but never again :P
This is the Top Gear of music channels
Edit: the old Top Gear
So I’ve had this thing for about a year and a half. I absolutely love it. Even the built-in presets are great. I’m still building rigs. I just built a rig so I could play Be Quiet and Drive by Deftones. It took maybe like 10 minutes total time to find the tones and I was good
Share what you used if you don't mind...
I play in a hard rock / metal cover band and I use the Headrush. Absolutely fantastic tone and perfect for gigging. This units distortion at volume is second to none.
What does your physical rig look like with this thing. What do you run it through? Does it need a power amp to power it?
@MusicWeaponsFood I run my complete signal to front of house when I can. To move air behind me, I run into an Orange Crush head into the effects loop return and then a 2×12. Sometimes I will run into a powered 12 speaker, which will give a pure tone.
I’d take my (Eleven Rack Driven!) Headrush over Helix ANY DAY! This thing sounds phenomenal, is easy (and fun) to use, and helps a person really learn the ins and outs of building a rig.
I have often wondered if I should have gotten a headrush, I wanted one over helix but thought helix was better, helix is good but it seems an easier user experience to dial in a headrush, whats your take?
@@pauljosse headrest all the way....fewer amps but the amps sound more realistic and the gain sounds better and of course, its easier to operate.
Chappers: '...I'll come back fat...'
Captain : '...ter...'
Just gold. Lol.
My very first Multi-effects unit that I owned was the Zoom 9000S, I'll never forget it, it was a hand held unit smaller than a portable DVD player, you attached the processor to an amp or table and the foot-switch (included) stayed on the floor, the best setup so far, I don't understand why they haven't advanced on that all these years
Excellent review guys. I was contemplating buying this unit and was a bit skeptical but after this review I can't miss out on this awesome unit. Thanks for the review and the laughs, cheers.
14:27 that pick teleport was glorious.
The tone at the start is so amazing
There needs to be a "sounds like" now using this
they could use it for everyone and be fine. "Sound like any artist using the headrush"
except it wouldnt work for most as you'd still need the right amp to push it through.
@@stevehudson6695 this Headrush has all the amps and pedals to get any tone, you should see the 200 different speaker IR that sounds so real.
I like the Headrush more than the Helix Lt even though the Helix Lt has more functions, the Headrush amp models sound closer to a tube amp making it more realistic sounding in my opinion of course.
That intro sounds INCREDIBLE with headphones in
Best interface on a programmable effects pedalboard I've seen to date.
Also it was noticeable how the captains strat tones were preserved through the unit.
It's literally a complete rip-off of the Helix, not only cosmetically, but also with the ability to adjust parameters hands-free, while being limited in other ways, with different amp/effect sounds, plus a touch screen.
Head rush or gt1000?
@@toddmerriott6901 GT-1000
I don't even know what you are reviewing here, but the banter was spot on. You guys made me laugh loudly, which is a strong achievement from anything on the internet.
Am I the only one tripping out in how freaking amazing this pedal board sounds !?
Oh man. I am already a fan of this thing. That starting tone was smooth as fuck.
you know what, I love this demo for it's honest learning on the fly of how to use the pedal. i'm an older bloke considering moving away from the individual stop box and want something that is straight forward and fast to get a good sound. also not everywhere appreciates my mesa head and quad box, so di is very handy. i'm sold
That little repeat head nod at 1:16 and 1:21 so on made me laugh and do a double take every time.The editing is dope
Rory edits the videos. Rory's awesome
You two are the best reviewers I've seen. I always seek out any review that you do for the equipment that I want. Every time.
Having used both of these units, my only legit complaint is the with the flexibility of the chain on the headrush. I like the way both units sound. If you've ever mic'd an amp and played away from the amp and just heard yourself through monitors, that's your point of comparison. That said both have a legit quality sound. Helix has more flexibility with a longer amount of time to learn the unit. Headrush is easier to get a convincing sound out of but lacks the detailed flexibility in the chain and with some of the settings on specific components. I am sticking with the Helix for now but am open to other units in the future.
But does it Miku?
The tones in this video are absolutely incredible! Great work!
Alex Church post editing does wonders. this unit sounds good but post editing is the only way i can figure how they got the fender gt 40 to sound good. every other review ive heard sounds like trash.
Pete Thorn and Rabea Maassad have video's out that show how good this actually sounds...with Rabea doing a full review shortly.
I'm a soundman...rubbish in ....rubbish out...no amount of editing will make crap sound good.
This thing gives me a Headrush with the tonal landscapes I've heard so far.
I always wanted to learn to play the guitar, but the beginning seed so slow and frustrating...
Maison Spires focus on learning songs you love. Practice on low speed daily until you got it perfect. Only with some discipline early on you'll get through the hard phase.
Maison Spires I will say spend the money on a good professional guitar teacher. I tried to learn without one for 10 years and at a certain point i just hit a wall skill wise and wasnt able to get over it because i didnt have the right “tools“ (technique, mindset etc.). And learn theory
that fucking advert man...
Maison Spires Lol dude
I like the genuine replies lol.. by the way you might wanna check out yousician it makes learning fun!
So Rob just rips the tremolo bar of his guitar, on a whim, starts playing slide with it, and instantly sounds better than me.... Damn it. I need to practice more.
Lee's little jabs at Rob are priceless!
Thank you gentleman. Thoroughly enjoyed this demo on a truly inspiring piece of kit. Cheers.
You guys do the best Demonstrations- thx for laffs as well - watching from out at Sea on my cruise ship gig ... I 99% 4 sure getting this HeadRush ! Thx great playin Gentleman..
Love your content rob! You're a very inspirational guitar player!!:)
not really ever been a fan of multi effects, but this one makes sense to me
Just like to say how much I love Lee's white strat. Especially the pickguard
Great review and Chaps you're fast becoming one of the most influential guitarists on my playing :)
The editing is getting better and better.
But I do miss the chickens somewhat.
So do I, they were brutal
Would love a little tutorial on the exploding cups. I kind of get how it's done but have never tried it or seen it explained.
Rabea does the audio editing, Rory does the video editing
funny editing mistake at 3:43
Deliberate nodding head. Not a mistake.
this is amazing it's like a usable nonshitty version of any line 6 pod
Love the Doom reference. The Captain was like...uh sure. Lol
Rob's playing in this video was outstanding!
25:44 rob: "yeah man i'm not all about the gain "
never hath falser words been spoken
This was a very useful video and helped me when choosing. Also the touch screen is fab 😃😃😃😃
Because of you two fine chaps, Im getting one of these!!!
Some awesome Ty Tabor sounding riffs during the intro!!
"People don't watch us for a slick demonstration, Lee." Too true. I watch for personalities and interactions.
Rob's playing tho! Getting insane levels of goodness!
I use multi effects live weekly, and I will never run any unit direct to front of house without going to into a Hughes and Kettner Redbox 5! Game changer for me and everyone who has tried it. Goes from digital to real in $99
please do headrush vs helix!!!!!
yes, and a three comparison between Headrush, Helix Line 6, and Fractal Ax8 would be awesome. I am trying to decide which of the 3 to buy in the future and cannot make this decision at the moment.
Renaissance Man how did it turn out?
Well I'm not Matthew, but I had the same predicament. Went with the helix and its great.
I tried these and still prefer having individual analog pedals. I have delay/reverb, wah, looper and whammy dt pedals and my amps have distortion/clean channels which is really everything that I need right now. I priced out the multi FX units and they cost more than my custom analog pedal board so I went the analog pedal route. If I was to buy a combo unit, the new Line 6 HX looks promising as does the Zoom G3XN unit. But at this point, I want ultra compact so an Eventide H9 would be good as well.
Renaissance Man you are missing the point of these units. They are designed to replace your normal amp so you can just run direct to the board. They are also great for recording.
That first tone sounds better than a lot of stuff I've been hearing lately
Last time I was this early, I still thought I'd be able to tell the difference between a tube amp and a Kemper.
I've got an Eleven Rack which I use to keep dust off things under it, the amp modelling is awful! I do hope this is better.
thats fucking funny…
be well my friend.
I am. Once you get to know the Kemper's sound signature, the difference is very obvious.
Yeah, I'm finding the Eleven really brittle and powdery, no realism to it. Or rather, it sits right in the middle of Uncanny Valley. I played the AxeFX and it was like plugging into a patch bay where on the other end WAS the vintage amp, cab and Neumann U87 mic. Shocking difference.
I play BlackStar, GrooveTubes and Wampler plus home made valve amps - I grew up with triodes so virtually none of the digital stuff comes close, though I am a technophile too.
eleven rack is god awful
Please do a comparison between units such as the Helix, Headrush, Ax-fx, Kemper, BIAS! Any comparison of these would be great!
Truly a new contender in the flood of multi FX devices. The real need is for a unit that truly sounds great going direct into a full range system (a PA, a computer interface...) can cover all the sounds I would need to play any gig. I play in a band doing a huge variety of music, I play in church, I play in the pit orchestra for stage musicals... NEED a huge variety of tones - (saturated leads, Elvis rhythm, rockabilly, clean jazz, clean strumming, early and late Beatles... ) Similar units do well in some areas but not in all areas.
I bought a Line6 PodHD500 in 2010 and have never used it live. I was expecting to use it directly into a PA system, but could NOT get the sounds I was after. (something about the word "POD" in the name led me to believe that that's what it was meant to do - go direct.) I am finding that plugging it into a power am and guitar cabs, it can really sound amazing. It's just that I bought it THINKING I was going to go direct with it. I'll play with that a little longer. It might even finally replace my BOSS GT-8 which I've been happily gigging now for 12 or so years.
But this HEADRUSH thing... next time I'm looking to upgrade, it's a serious candidate. I'd be very interested in it's MIDI capabilities. Can each PATCH have it's own MIDI parameters assigned to the pedal?
10:30 when you just handed over the ring of power to the bad guy look.
You can change parameters with the Helix with your feet. This is not a groundbreaking development. They just made it slightly easier to access and use.
I'd love to see a rack version, with more I/O Loops, maybe some digital I/O and a DI out ;)
Got my HR today, planned to check it out for some days and then see if I keep it or my Heelix. It took me 15 minutes to see: Heelix is gonna get sold. HR has better tone on almost every Amp, so much better dynamic response, so much more natural feel, it's just so much more like the real thing. Might be that Kemper's equally great, dont know - but Heelix: lost. And so much fun with the touchscreen. Set up my signature sound in like 5 minutes. My GF' s not gonna see me tonite..
Looking into kemper, helix, headrush... my mind is spinning more than a rotary!
Kleiber Do you own a Helix and don’t know how to spell it properly? Hmmm...
Just tested the helix floor side by side with HR .... i agree with you 150%... HR feels and sounds better.
ye boi, i've been waiting for that review
Just got a Headrush. It will solve all my problems and give years of bliss! That's what it's supposed to do, right? Trying to decide on what gear to buy is going to lead us to special recovery groups!! Line 6 OR Fractal? No wait, Kemper!! Oh, hey, Positive Grid!! Screw it, I want a REAL amp. 2 years later, I really want the convenience of a pedalboard. Back to Kemper.. Now I have 4,000 profiles and I can barely remember my name. Did I mention the headaches? ... Okay, Headrush and simplicity. No, hold on again, I just saw a guy on TV with a Kemper! I must have the best!!! I must!!! Okay, lets do Headrush and simplify life!!!...
I feel the struggle.. it's real
My exact story..... 😂😢😅
'A headrush community in the cloud'; wow man. I want to join.
Just got one an it is so simple to use. Sounds great as well.
Prasanth Selvadurai totally agree. I’d take my (Eleven Rack Driven!) Headrush over Helix ANY DAY! This thing sounds phenomenal, is easy (and fun) to use, and helps a person really learn the ins and outs of building a rig.
Just a note: You don't have to delete a block before choosing another one...the only reason to use the delete function is if you don't want anything in that block, otherwise you just choose a new effect/amp/cab and it loads up over whatever was there before.
Also you don't have to delete all the blocks to start with an empty "rig" all you do is tap the upper right 3 dots and select "new rig".
This thing is already amazing and that's right out of the box with more updates to come like the cool "lock screen" function they just added that allows you to add a photo to the lockscreen page.
This is probably the best tones rob has had for a while on this show. Maybe because it goes straight to a computer.
Haha, I love how they edited in Rob's nodding throughout the video.
I'd love to see a shootout between portable batterie powered amps for those times when a plug isn't available. Thanks!
I need a comparison video, kemper vs helix vs headrush!
Alexander Radsby Think the Kemper is in a whole different price range. Probably not really comparable to these more affordable pieces.
Indeed, but I wonder if that higher price is due to its profiling features. In other words, it would be nice to hear a comparison at a sound emulation level only.
What's the point? They all work. They all make great sounds. I have the Headrush and I love it. I'd probably love the Helix too! It's just like comparing valve amps. They all do the same thing in different ways, so you buy the one that suits you. Comparisons are utterly pointless!
Lee's face at 10:35 will give me nightmares
Thanks for the review guys. I‘ve managed to procure one of these and your review is totally correct but one thing I‘d like to add is that their customer support leaves much to be desired. First off, the homepage is inop to log into your account and sending them an email is pretty much useless since I‘ve not gotten a response for two mails sent in two weeks. Ive had a Boss GT100 for y few years now and their customer support was almost immediate......for 1/3 of the price
I like the touchscreen. Although I think it is quite overwhelming at first... probably would take hours and hours to go through everything..but that's what makes it fun....I think..
Dunno, touchscreens on the floor?
Yeah, I know, you'd wanna have it tweaked before ya gig..you can still control it with your feet..I still haven't bought in to these all in one platforms yet either. Still waiting til the best one emerges.
until some chick in the front row spills a drink on it or some stage diver tromps on it. also, leaning over to edit shit is very annoying. have a fender mustang floor unit and it gets old. much prefer a rack and indestructible foot controller.
Coppulor that could happen, for sure..
Coppulor would girls be more spilling-prone then blokes?
Message to the editor: if you get a recording when Rob stares at the camera for a few seconds, just like in 10:00, put a buffering circle over his head, PLEASE!
The pedal looks like a line 6 Helix.
Having never heard a good sounding Line6 amp its hard to throw down $1500 and then have to download 3rd party IRs to make it sound decent? I know its cool to be able to sound like 100 amps and 100 different players but what is your distinctive tone? What makes you? Its not all talent Cobain had a sound.
I appreciate 2 brits saluting during the star spangled banner lol.
That first sound should be known as the "music store preset" - you know - the super distorted and over-processed sound that seems impressive and imprints on a newbie to make a sale. Those over-the-top sounds can still be kinda fun though.
I like the running joke in these vids "Lee: It's only $100,000. Rob: wow is that all!" lol
I use Helix's foot controls to change parameters all the time - totally freeing to be able to boost mids during a solo when the room just isn't working right for you and not having to wait until the end of the song to change parameters. Cool to see that coming to other products too.
Mike Farnsworth I've only used foot edit once, but it was pretty cool and useful.
One problem many of these modeled things have (and Mustang amps are another example) is that the default settings are always way too extreme. You turned on the vibrato and immediately turned it off. Why? It was set to seasick right off the bat. If it started on a milder setting you might have stuck with it. It's too easy to end up with a caricature of a good sound that way. Just start me in a useful, left of noon place, and I can get a better feel for what this does and adjust from there.
Totally agree ...stompbox presets should use a 10 oclock or 30% starting point instead of the 50% (of every parameter) that seems to be used...
Same with the built in rigs or patches, they are always over the top and need a lot of tweaking just to get something usable.
What I really want is a multi-switchable preamp/poweramp modeller like the kemper but in pedal form so I can have my whole rig on a pedalboard but still use my analog pedals. Sometimes you just want a totally different tone for different songs so that would be cool.
Isn't that Axe AX8?
All modelers have their own voicing, just like tube amps. Soldanos are very different tones from Bogners, and Helix, Headrush, and Fractal all have their own voicing, each great in their own way. And as everyone knows, never judge a modeler until you have created your own patches and experimented. Love my Headrush, just I do my Fractal, both different and unique.
Loving the old school chapters bleed the light reference near the beggining😂👍
When Lee's cup was zapped away with that strange sound, the background lighting of my keyboard turned itself off. I was really freaked out...
That thing sounds amazing , I gotta have one !
Another Note:
The gain parameter for the Amp/Cab combo is to be found in the "Cab"....so if you go into "hands free mode" by holding down the "Cab" button for 2 seconds the parameters for the Cab pop up and one of them is gain.
I think the idea is to have the preamp gain in the amp input section and the overall gain in the cab output section but I'm sure about that.
I meant I'm NOT sure about the idea behind separating the input gain and the overall gain
was waiting for this.
Rob made reference to Diablo once years ago and now he's talking about the "Doom engine." A nerd after my own heart! lol :)
cabinets and amps simulations sounds ok, i would like to hear the harmonizer effect on this unit, i hope it doesnt have any of that chirpy sound that other cheap units have, it would bring this unit a step above all prevous brands and units I have tried in the past.
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this already, but the DI out is the only output that will send an amp/cab sim....the regular output will not.
This is looking like a good alternative to the Helix for me. I'm interested in something like this for gigging, and when I saw Daniel from Pain of Salvation (Rob, you seriously need to check this band out if you haven't already! I have a feeling they'd become a desert island band for you, especially on the "The Perfect Element Pt. 1" and "Remedy Lane" albums) using a Helix at their show in Toronto, it was amazing, and it looked like such a simple rig that's incredibly versatile, but I also love how this has far less steep of a learning curve than the Helix and that's where it has a huge appeal to me. I just want something I can plug into, not spend a huge amount of time messing around, and get a decent passable tone.
I wouldn't record with it. I have real amps for that. But when you're playing a bar or a small club, no one's going to care that you're using digital amp modelling, and no one's going to be able to tell the difference. And for gigs, that's where this is hugely appealing!
I have to agree, all of these tones sound way better than when you covered HeadRush at NAMM. Maybe it was the environment, also as you mentioned, it wasn't updated/it was an early beta version. I'm looking forward to seeing Rabea's in depth review!
The feature i love the most on this pedalboard is the displays on every switch, i wish all pedalboards had that, touch screen is nice also, but the displays on the switches is it.
this looks fantastic
that 10 second fatten-the-load stare from Rob at 6:07 😂
Sounds killer - I suspect there's a difficult decision ahead for me to replace my Atomic Amplifire rig. This looks ideal for my needs, but the Helix LT can currently be bought for a full £100 less.
Helix has the ability to adjust parameters on the fly with your feet. It is called Pedal edit mode.
Bought one yesterday with free 108 speaker and good price.
eventually when i really progress as a guitar player as a reward to myself id definately get one of those amazing beauties!!!!
i sold my fender deluxe reverb amp, mesa boogie, egnater tourmaster..
After trying the helix Lt at the guitar center, after watching all comparisons and all youtube videos and reading all reviews online... i knew helix is great coz im a former hd500 user and i love it. But i went decided buying the headrush coz it saves my time and time is gold. Its quicker to program sounds specially when u r onstage playing, you can make a quick change if you want. Helix and headrush are both good... i just need an easier interface. 👍🏼 actually i bought a helix bag for my headrush.
Yeah. The Helix backpack is awesome.
I'm voting the chapman pick. The sharp edges will give it an aerodynamic advantage, and it has some mass.
Chap said “fatten the load!” Then just stared into my soul. Like. FOREVER!
Can you do a shootout between the Headrush and Line 6 Helix LT? That would be cool!!
I just compared the Headrush with the Boss Katana. Basically the Headrush has 48 models and then cab simulator on top of the Katana. The Katana has 55 models but only one cabsim. The cost to the Katana with a dual pedal and expression is about £300 to £400 vs £900 with no amp or speaker but a lot of cabsims. I can add a cabsim onto the Katana for about £250 if I want to go that way or £400 if I use a torpedo cab. I think all these multi modelling pedal boards weighing in at £760 to £1350 need to be compared with the price of a total rig, versus a modelling amp as you have to add £500 on if low end Laney X or FRFR £750 making a rig £1750 to £2500 depending on pedal and FRFR price. Working with the 100wKatana and then buying some decent speakers to me is a less expensive idea, but offering a lot. If you wanted high end maybe the Waza! Otherwise the traditional stuff is moreorless the same price as these pedals and rig! I have spent less and have top end 20 pedals, over to Dan and Mick to compete with pedals and trad against smart pedals and SSD amps!
would love a sound comparison between this, helix and axe FX boards.
regards
Rob's guitar tone at the beginning reminds me of Eddie's 87-88 sound and tone but with more balls and girth.
The Captain:
“I guess to summarize what we instantly liked about this pedal, is that everything you need to do on this interface is done through…”
Chapman: too many seconds without riffing have gone by… must interrupt with random outburst of riffing…
😂 😂
Fast forward to 2020 and neural dsp does this exact same thing and all of a sudden its the next big thing. Shows the power of marketing! Sadly I backed out of buying a quad cortex as their delivery schedules were just absolutely messed up. Was thinking of replacing my kemper, but never again :P
You should get some Neutrik NP2 X-AU Silent for your leads.