Headrush Pedalboard — Field Report
A high-end multi-effects unit with superb performance!
In July 2017, manufacturer Headrush introduced the 'Pedalboard,' a multi-effects unit that can absolutely hold its own against the flagship products of established manufacturers such as Boss and Line 6. Today, we take a closer look at this professional-grade device, priced at just under £750, and show you what the Headrush Pedalboard has to offer.
Update: Unfortunately, the Headrush Pedalboard is no longer available. If you're interested in learning more about its successor, the Headrush Prime, check out our review. You can purchase the Headrush Prime using the links above.
Features and technical specifications
The stylish black steel case measures 61 x 30.5 x 8.9 cm and weighs over seven kilograms. Therefore, it will not fit in your guitar gig bag. In fact, the manufacturer offers a separate gig bag for the pedalboard as an optional accessory. However, given the features presented in the following paragraphs, the weight is not surprising for a floorboard device.
Not only does the pedalboard have twelve footswitches on top, but it also has a large expression pedal and a seven-inch touchscreen display, which is more generous than those of devices from other manufacturers. Each footswitch has its own small display for labeling its function, which is complemented by a colored light strip. This helps you immediately recognize what type of effect it is.
The pedalboard doesn't disappoint when you look under the hood, either. Inside, there is a quad-core processor that runs an advanced version of the Eleven Rack software found in Pro Tools. If you're wondering what Pro Tools software from Avid is doing on a Headrush device, here's the answer: A few years ago, Headrush's parent company, inMusic, bought parts of Avid that the manufacturer wanted to get rid of due to poor quarterly figures. The companies have a shared history, so to speak, and reportedly, the same team that developed the original Eleven Rack worked on the Pedalboard.
In addition to the usual features, such as amplifier and effects simulations, the Pedalboard has a useful looper. Unfortunately, it only supports recording a single track. However, with 20 minutes of recording capacity, there is enough space for lengthy compositions. In addition to standard functions, the looper can halve or double the speed and reverse recordings.
Connections and expandability
The pedalboard offers a wide range of connection options. As usual, there is a large jack on the front panel for connecting a guitar or bass, as well as a small auxiliary input jack. You can also connect external foot switches via another large jack. On the output side, there is a stereo XLR output with left and right connections. A small button allows you to switch between ground and lift. There is also a stereo output with large jacks for left/mono and right, as well as a large jack for connecting headphones. You can select AMP or LINE for the stereo jack output using a switch, which adjusts the output levels for amplifiers or line output.
In addition to the standard inputs and outputs, the Headrush Pedalboard has two FX loops (two sends and two returns) for integrating external effects devices or amplifiers into the effects chain. There is also a switch for this, which adjusts the output levels for connection to racks or effects pedals. The pedalboard's connection options include MIDI inputs and outputs. The MIDI output can also function as a MIDI thru connection.
The device can be connected to a PC via a USB-B port. Unlike most multi-effects devices, there is no dedicated editor software available for the pedalboard on either PC or Mac. When connected to a PC, the device appears as a USB storage device. Third-party impulse response files can be transferred to it via a file manager. The USB port also enables the pedalboard to be used as a USB audio interface. The manufacturer provides a Windows audio driver for this purpose in the 'Downloads' section of the product website. The USB audio interface can record at up to 24-bit and 96 kHz.
There is only a three-pin plug for connecting the power cable on the front of the pedalboard. The power supply is integrated directly into the device. Consequently, the pedalboard has a power button as well as a power connection, so there is no need to constantly disconnect and reconnect it to the power supply.
Overall, the Headrush pedalboard has the following connections:
Instrument input (6.3 mm jack)
Auxiliary input (3.5 mm jack)
Pedal connection (6.3 mm jack)
XLR stereo output (left/mono + right) with a GND/LFT switch
Stereo output (two 6.3 mm jacks, left/mono + right) with AMP/LINE switch
Headphone output (6.3 mm jack)
Two send and two return connections (FX loop) with RACK/STOMP switch
1 x MIDI input
1 x MIDI output/MIDI thru
USB-B connection
IEC connector for power supply
Overall, we think the connection options on the pedal board are decent. Some competitors offer additional connections in one area or another, such as more outputs, a dedicated MIDI Thru connection, or an extra connection for pedals or foot switches. However, these options should be perfectly adequate for most users.
The only slight drawback is the lack of PC software, which other manufacturers provide for their multi-effects devices. Nevertheless, we would like to point out that the pedalboard is extremely user-friendly thanks to its integrated touchscreen, meaning there is no need to adjust the device parameters on a PC or Mac. We will cover this in more detail in the ‘Operation’ section later on.
Amplifier simulations and effects
The Headrush Pedalboard features 46 excellent-sounding amplifier simulations. Fifteen cabinets and ten microphones complete the range of sound options. You can also transfer your own impulse response files to the device via USB and integrate them into the effects chain.
You can completely customise the arrangement of the effects on the Pedalboard to suit your own preferences. The individual effect stations can be distributed across the twelve footswitches independently of the order of the respective effect in the signal chain. Fans of harder sounds have 15 distortion and overdrive effects at their disposal. In addition, 21 modulation effects, including chorus, flanger, vibrato, phaser, rotary and octave shifter, offer variety in sound. The pedalboard also offers twelve delay and reverb effects.
Below is just a small selection of the simulated effects and amplifiers:
Fender Princeton Reverb (amplifier)
Fender '59 Bassman (amplifier)
Vox AC30 (amplifier)
Ampeg Portaflex B15-N
Marshall JCM800
Mesa/Boogie Mark IIc+
Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Orange AD30HTC (amplifier)
Shure SM7 (microphone)
AKG D112 (microphone)
Ibanez TS808 (overdrive pedal)
ProCo Rat (distortion pedal)
Boss DS-1 (distortion pedal)
Klon Centaur (distortion pedal)
Boss CE-1 chorus
TC Electronic Thunderstorm (flanger)
Boss TR-2 (tremolo)
Boss Acoustic Simulator (acoustic guitar simulation)
In our opinion, the sound quality of the pedalboard is consistently excellent and rivals that of professional multi-effects devices from industry leaders such as Boss, Kemper and Line 6. However, some competitors offer a slightly wider selection of effects and amplifiers. Headrush clearly prioritises quality over quantity. Nevertheless, the range of amplifiers and effects is extensive, and with some adjustment of the parameters, you should be able to find the right sound for almost any requirement. Support for IR files offers additional customisation options.
Operation
Headrush has got everything right when it comes to operating the pedalboard — in our opinion, even better than most of its competitors. The generously sized touchscreen display is not just a gimmick; it makes operation much easier. Essentially, you are dealing with an interface that is hardly inferior to the operation of effects in standard digital audio workstations (DAWs). You can rearrange the signal chain using drag and drop, and the effects are presented in a similar way to their physical counterparts.
But it's not just the touchscreen operation that we like; our feet are also glad that they can operate it without using their hands. Thanks to the twelve footswitches, all effects can be activated directly on top of the device. Press and hold a footswitch to open the parameters of the corresponding effect on the Pedalboard. Unlike other multi-effects devices, values on the Pedalboard can be changed directly using an expression pedal. This means that you no longer have to bend down to operate the device with your feet. While it may sound trivial at first, the fact that the Pedalboard can be operated entirely by foot is a notable feature, as it is virtually alone in this respect among multi-effects devices.
In our opinion, the 49-page online manual clearly illustrates everything you need to know with appropriate screenshots and graphics.
Conclusion
The Headrush Pedalboard is a remarkably successful first attempt by the manufacturer to bring a multi-effects device to market. The device consistently produces high-quality sound, and offers a wide selection of amplifiers. While other manufacturers also offer good sound quality, the Pedalboard is particularly impressive thanks to its user-friendly operation, which can be controlled either by hand using the touchscreen or by foot. With twelve integrated foot switches and the ability to adjust any values using an expression pedal, we believe that the foot control is currently the best on the market.
When buying a device in this price range, it is important to consider the competition. We recommend taking a look at the Kemper Profiler Stage, the Line 6 Helix LT and the Boss GT-1000, all of which have been reviewed in previous articles. However, as long as you like the sound of the device and don't need a PC editor, you can't go wrong with the Headrush Pedalboard. If you enjoyed working with the Eleven Rack in the past, the Pedalboard is definitely worth considering.
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