HEADRUSH Users Group

[Aaarn]

I bought a Headrush Gigboard and think its an excellent piece of kit which does just about everything I want it to.....apart from the octaver. How do you achieve this magic?

Welcome to talkbass!
Yeah.. octavers are picky. Things to try:
1) octaver likes tension, little tension = little tracking
2) besides the Boss octaver clone, there's a Smart Harmonizer unit in Headrush. Have you tried that one?
3) use an FX loop block in the chain, connect your own Octaver via FX send/return

 

[Acebassmusic]

Thanks @Aaarn for the reply. I use taught strings on all my basses (34 to 36" scales) and they seem to be OK with my other octaver.
I think I have tried the Harmonizer....but I will revisit it and see if I can get it to work.
I could connect my G-Major into the FX look but was hoping to have an "all in one box" solution.

Yesterday I tried tweaking the Headrush Octaver settings and got a slighly better sounding output. Octave 1 set at 60% and Mix set at 70%. The search continues

 

[Acebassmusic]

Hey @Aaarn I've just given the Smart Harmonizer a try. I had to play around with the settings and eventually came up with a balanced bass guitar to octave sound that I think is useable and tracks better than the Octaver down to open E! Result.

Just need to try it out at gig volumes to check and tweak paramaters as needed. Thanks for the guidance.

For those that might want to try it here are my settings:
Smart Harmonizer: You dont need to set a key as you ar only using the octave part of the app.
Mix: 60%
VC 2 Vol: 0.0dB
VC1 & VC2 Detune, Glide: 0
VC1 & VC2Delay: 0
Sync: Off
VC1 & VC2 Harm: Oct Down

 

[Aaarn]

@Acebassmusic
Glad to hear!
With bass I use a split path, put Smart Harm on one path with more wet settings

 

[mattattack187]

I'm looking to join the headrush club soon. Play time is sparse these days and would just like something to easily take out and plug in and play. I'll just say that by observing the classifieds I seem to see more Line 6 pop up than I do headrush. These units must hold their own.

I've always kept my tone fairly clean so I can see just the basic Ampeg SVT setup as an all I need with the Darkglass pedal for any distortion.

 

[Acebassmusic]

@Acebassmusic
Glad to hear!
With bass I use a split path, put Smart Harm on one path with more wet settings

Sounds like we're doing the same thing but 2 slightly different ways. You have your signal split between 2 paths and balance the mix at the end and I'm using the mix function inside the Smart Harmonizer. Think I'll try your way as well as the Headrush is soooo easy to try / change / combine options. The interface is for me, a game changer.

 

[gt96g]

Hi All,

I'm a long time HX stomp user, but traded my unit away sometime ago for a deal I couldn't pass up figuring I could reacquire another unit later. I'm about to make a purchase, but I've been considering a possible switch as the bass amps/cabs on the Helix always left a little to be desired IMO. I was curious, for anyone that has experience with both systems, are the bass amps / cabs on the Head Rush noticeably better than the Helix?

I'm looking at the Head Rush core specifically as it seems like a really great all around option. I like the routing option, outputs on the back of the unit and the UI looks significantly better than that of the Helix. Just curious to hear from people who actually own these units.

Thanks

 

[Portamenti]

The new ones seem swanky.
I’m in year 3 or gigging a mx5 and it’s played coffee shops to festivals. The amps + York Audio IRs is my jam. I’m almost always a svt with a -2 pitch drop pedal and that’s it for my bass gigs.

I used a hx stomp for a week a few years ago as a guitarist. I found them kind of the same sound wise. When my mx5 dies i might just get a hx stomp for the smaller footprint. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

 

[Krisfield]

New Headrush FRFR MK2, 108 (2000 watt) and 112 (2500 watt). Made for guitar and bass. I don’t use one of the Headrush boards, but the FRFR 112 MK2 is exactly what I’m looking for.

FRFR-112

 

[4stringfarley]

I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I'm looking at adding some of my analog pedals into my chain. I want to verify that I'm doing this right. Goal is to have some in the effects loop of my pre amp via four cable method. This is what I'm thinking.

Bass > Mx5
MX5 output > effects pedals > amp FX return.
amp FX send > MX5 FX return.
MX5 effects send > AMP input.

Am I correct in thinking this will allow me to do what I'm looking for? Also, should pedals such as Wah that I normally put after my bass in the chain stay there, or be placed in between MX5 effects send and amp in?

 

[Portamenti]

I'm hoping someone here can help me out. I'm looking at adding some of my analog pedals into my chain. I want to verify that I'm doing this right. Goal is to have some in the effects loop of my pre amp via four cable method. This is what I'm thinking.

Bass > Mx5
MX5 output > effects pedals > amp FX return.
amp FX send > MX5 FX return.
MX5 effects send > AMP input.

Am I correct in thinking this will allow me to do what I'm looking for? Also, should pedals such as Wah that I normally put after my bass in the chain stay there, or be placed in between MX5 effects send and amp in?

no sir. I think this won’t give you what you want.

Bass > any pedals you want before mx5 > mx5 input.

mx5 loop send > amp/preamp in.

amp/preamp efx loop out > mx5 loop return

mx5 out > amp/preamp efx loop return.

that’s the 4cm.

any effects you want before the amp/preamp go before the efx loop block in mx5 chain (ie dirt). Any mx5 effects you want after your amp/preamp go after the efx loop block in mx5 (verbs delays etc).

good luck!

 

[4stringfarley]

no sir. I think this won’t give you what you want.

Bass > any pedals you want before mx5 > mx5 input.

mx5 loop send > amp/preamp in.

amp/preamp efx loop out > mx5 loop return

mx5 out > amp/preamp efx loop return.

that’s the 4cm.

any effects you want before the amp/preamp go before the efx loop block in mx5 chain (ie dirt). Any mx5 effects you want after your amp/preamp go after the efx loop block in mx5 (verbs delays etc).

good luck!

I understand the part within the mx5 for effects before and after the pre amp. How would I then add analog pedals so they are used the same way as the amps effects loop?

or to simplify: adding an analog reverb pedal to the amps effects loop (post pre amp) while using the 4 cable method?

 

[Portamenti]

Like Nike. Just do it.

If you want it before mx5 delays, put it before the mx5 return. If you want it after all the mx5 stuff, put it in the mx5 output > amp return line.

 

[4stringfarley]

Like Nike. Just do it.

If you want it before mx5 delays, put it before the mx5 return. If you want it after all the mx5 stuff, put it in the mx5 output > amp return line.

Thanks for the help. Got it working. Fiddling with the settings a bit but sounding great.

 

[Portamenti]

Thanks for the help. Got it working. Fiddling with the settings a bit but sounding great. View attachment 5355685

Looks like you’ve got a lot of fun there! And horsepower!

I just finished a solo show on 6 string piccolo bass… my mother tongue.
MX5 has stopped me bringing amps to gigs anymore. I might feel different if I was a full time bassist, but as a moonlighter, MX5 + iems is all I use unless we’re playing a gig with a backline.

 

[4stringfarley]

Looks like you’ve got a lot of fun there! And horsepower!

I just finished a solo show on 6 string piccolo bass… my mother tongue.
MX5 has stopped me bringing amps to gigs anymore. I might feel different if I was a full time bassist, but as a moonlighter, MX5 + iems is all I use unless we’re playing a gig with a backline.

I originally bought it for the 6 string piccolo. thought it would make a good headphone amp / effects / amp sim for recording. Plugged the bass into it and it's pretty much been delegated to other use now.

 

[mustbampeg]

I’m looking into the MX5, mainly as just an effects unit. My question is, is it possible to run separate chains on separate outputs? I’d like to run a signal (without cab and amp sim) into the front end of my amp, and simultaneously run a signal with amp and cab sims to foh. I know this can be done on the helix. Is it possible on the headrush?

 

[mustbampeg]

I’m looking into the MX5, mainly as just an effects unit. My question is, is it possible to run separate chains on separate outputs? I’d like to run a signal (without cab and amp sim) into the front end of my amp, and simultaneously run a signal with amp and cab sims to foh. I know this can be done on the helix. Is it possible on the headrush?

Well, don’t everyone reply at once, lol ….

 

[Portamenti]

Well, don’t everyone reply at once, lol ….

Patience is a virtue. As is reading the manual.

You would need to set up a split path and hard pan each side, and not use any stereo effects to keep them isolated.

 

[mustbampeg]

Patience is a virtue. As is reading the manual.

You would need to set up a split path and hard pan each side, and not use any stereo effects to keep them isolated.

Well, I’m glad you read the manual. Saved me from having to do it.
Appreciate the lecture and the info.