All user reviews for the Akai Professional Head Rush E1

This is a 3 in 1 effect pedal. You get Delay, Tape Echo and a Looper.

The Delay is a very cool sounding effect with delay time of up to 23.8 seconds.
The tape echo allows you to make use of the 4 outputs, so if you have 4 amps or speakers available you can create some very cool stereo effects, and this simulates a 4 head anaolgue tape machine. The delay time in Tape Echo mode is up to 5.9seconds.

The looper is why I bought the pedal and it is very good as a looper. I'll go into this in kore detail below.

You can not sync this effect with your Mac/PC. You do have tap tempo control over the delay/echo time though, which is useful in live and recording situations.

Apart from the 4 outputs, there is also 1 input and a power input (PCU supplied)

UTILIZATION

The unit is big and has dials to control the volume, damp, time (course), time (fine), ratio, feedback.

It is easy to switch between Delay, Tape Echo or Looper, although you need to use your hands for this. You can't use the effects simultaneously.

It's a breeze to use. I don't think I read the manual.


SOUND QUALITY

The Tape Echo is very cool if you can utilize the 4 outputs. The delay is pretty cool too and with 23.8 seconds you can get some crazy sounds going on.

The looper is the reason I bought the pedal and it is probably the best looper I have used. It is very simple to use, the sound quality is great, even with multiple layers of sounds/loops.

I used the looper live with an acoustic guitar, sometimes on its own, sometimes with other effects going into it. The looper performs well live. The sound reproduction is very accurate.



OVERALL OPINION

There are a couple of issues with this pedal that I wish Akai would address on a mark 3 Headrush:

1. Make the loop time longer - 11.9 seconds is not long enough
2. Add an undo/redo function - currently you can delete all but the first loop. This can be a cool effect in a song but a much more useable effect would be to undo and then redo the last recorded loop.
3. Add a second channel.

The Akai Headrush is an old unit now but it still competes with newer models. I think the Ditto X2 Looper gives it a run for it's money - but the Headrush is still selling on Ebay for the same price second hand as it was five or six years ago, so it holds its value, and rightly so.

Detailed see a little further, it's a digital pedal, different knobs trimmings: HP Damp (amplitude, reverberation), FeedBack (repetitions), Time Coarse (trimming the time delay, Fine Time (same but more refined), Ratio, Gap.

The case is strong that's the least we can say on the inside, when unscrewed, the electronic card is superbly well done, quality work pro.

UTILIZATION

It is extremely simple except for the loop recorder or the manipulations must dip but it is also quite easy. I use this pedal with a touch of chorus, which gives effect to my taste great and this pedal only brings a wealth of opportunities.

SOUND QUALITY

The sound quality is simply superb, with a tube amp, it spins its best performance and it brings a lot of good thrill!

OVERALL OPINION

I have been paid for several weeks while waiting to find a new home on the market or opportunity as rare to find. I plan to buy it because it is really top, and its inevitable effect loop recorder very nice to use to fill his game when playing solo and live a good ally. Try other pedals competitors, and I am certain it will be your leaders.

Nothing to add, the others have said my place ...

if I find good is the existence of a filter on the signal rinject ...

UTILIZATION

The I want to emphasize that this machine seems to me far more than the RC20 prcise home boss. When the brain has square the circle is square. in brief the button pti rpond well ...

Above all, always compare with the RC20, if you miss the start of a loop is not corrected immediately get along without it, whereas with RC, it takes several seconds that the loop disappears.

SOUND QUALITY

Good quality ... My hobby is to compare with the RC20 so I continued, still in the overdub is no photo, it sounds better.

OVERALL OPINION

Headrush is a machine with no frou frou trs simple but effective trriblement. To live is IDAL.

PDAL delay / tape echo / looper numrique

Between 1 (mono) - 5 output (mono) that rpart as follows:
- An outlet for the looper
- 4 outputs for tape echo which serves to delay Premire
Between a power supply - no battery power of prvue

Too bad the Loop is part ... to switch to other features, it is not enough to activate the switch, you must change the connections ... but it's not a big problem in my config ...

No backup possible loop.

Construction recall that a tank of Eastern Europe ... ugly and indestructible ... Version II on the other hand is superb.

UTILIZATION

Super simple to use, just read what is described on the buttons to see how it works. A color code for each of the three feature allows very easy to navigate.
Possibly, if we want to go fast, a quick read of the manual, and we know the dj thing by heart.

I am using the looper function (in delay, I dj what it takes when the tape echo, I have no 4 amp to connect the 4 outputs) with my electric guitar.

In the era or I bought it I had plugged into the effects loop of my amp, ultimately, to be able bnficier of all my effects loops as I save.
Now I have a Vox AC-30 to 73 with no effects loop. Always at the end of string, but just an APRS AB Box which allows me to swing the loop recording on one channel of the amp and playing on another channel.

The loop has a maximum capacity of 23.8 seconds ... but only for a simple loop ... to the re-re infinity, only half the time is available, less than 12 seconds ... is short, trs short, but still allows same to a lot of things interresting ...

SOUND QUALITY

The sound sample at 44.1 Hz is a loss of momentum indniable but is less noticeable in the effects loop of my amp Previous. Must be said that the AC-30 is so dynamic, so let the guitar speak at once we see more such default.

For the rest, it really is nickel. Raccort the loop is always perfect, not plop or anything, ask if there is not an elf in a box that would crossfader every time.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought F 1200 there are 3 and a half year ...
The Loop Station Boss had just come out ... 2500 F ... Between the two, there is also the Line6 DL-4 (delay model)

Given the price cards, and for occasional use that I have, I do not regret my choice.
The loop station it can only make loops ... but with backups possible, Stereo, and a total of 5 minutes ... so it's incomparable.
I do not know enough about the DL-4 to talk about it, but it seems closer to the Headrush, with a capacity may be somewhat larger. on the other hand, it seems that it is relatively weak (according to the forums amricains)

In short, to make live-sampling (either with your guitar like me, or with his voice, as I saw Dominique to do so) is simply the Headrush gnial. Ds the first test, I knit a p'tite IMMEDIATE loop consists of a multitude of different layers and varied ... When playing alone like me, at once, filled a little space, and opens the doors of crativit ...

Now the live sampling began increasingly to rpandre, other machines have emerged since.

Nice loop and delay...
It's not rackable, but it's not expensive for what it does.
I now have a workstation, so I couldn't care less about the looper, although I did use it live once!!!

UTILIZATION

Very, very easy, there's no need for a manual ─ it has only 3 controls!

SOUND QUALITY

There are better things out there, but it's OK, the effects remain good all the same.
The delay is very good.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had it for 2 years and made an album with it!!!
I really like the effects, but the loop isn't the easiest if you are not used to it!
I also know a similar Boss from Clement, the violinist in my band
I don't know which one is better, but I'd say the Headrush is.

This Delay has the functions Tap-Delay, Loop and Echo.

UTILIZATION

This pedal does need a bit of getting used to even though the basic delay settings are fairly simple. I would recommend looking into the manual at least - even when akai manuals are amongst the worst...

SOUND QUALITY

Tap-Delay: Clean Delay with a high signal-to-noise ration. I really like that the highs can be damped. The tap is quite precise…of course you still need a precise foot…
Loop: The fast handling of this pedal also becomes apparent in function. The switch quickly adapts to the rhythmic feel.
Echo: The Echo function did not fully convince me. There are other pedals out there that do a much better job.

OVERALL OPINION

Professional device with a lot of useful, modern features.

This thing has two types of delay (digital delay and a tape echo simulator)with tap tempo and doubles as a phrase sampler. This is a digital effect.
There is no editing except with the knobs and buttons on the device. As for connections, its all 1/4". There is one in, and five out. It is not set up to be rackmounted.

UTILIZATION

It did not take me long to figure this guy out, but I did reference the manual to be sure of everythings purpose. Some of the labeling didn't make sense at first, like "time coarse". I had never seen that on a delay pedal, but it really is just means the delay time. The nice thing is that they label every knob for each of its purpose in the delay mode you selected (normal delay is in red, tape echo is in blue). The sampling section did throw me a little, but once you figure it out, its not to bad.
-Start recording by hitting the right switch.
-Stop recording and start looping the phrase by hitting the left switch.
-To overdub, hit the right switch again.
-And to stop playback, hit the left again.
May sound confusing, and it does screw me up sometimes. In reality, I rarely use this section of the pedal.
As for editing, the delay side, its 6 knobs and 1 switch, pretty easy. I explained the loop side above.
The manual will guide you through most if not all your questions.

SOUND QUALITY

I use the normal delay the most and I love it. Nice and clear delay. It sounds great and with the tap tempo, its all I could ask for. I don't use the tape echo as often, but it sounds good also. They did a good job capturing the analog feel. The loop function i use only when I am practicing and come up with a quick idea. I have a roland rc-50 for all my live looping needs. I use this as the last effect in my Rhodes Piano/guitar effect chain. The normal delay is what I prefer.
My biggest complaint is you cannot use the delay feature when you use the looping side. Its my only delay pedal in my chain so If you wanted to loop at all, no delay. That, in my opinion, is a dumb move by akai. How awesome if it was always a delay pedal that you could loop with. I hope they changed that in the E2 version.

OVERALL OPINION

I have been using this pedal for 6 months. The best thing for me is the built in tap tempo feature. Every digital delay pedal should have one. I own a Boss dd5. This thing sounds way better, and I got mine for only $100. They usually go around $125, which is still not bad. In the end, I am saving up for Diamonds Memory lane analog delay with tap tempo, which is probably the greatest delay pedal of all time. Its just like $500, so I will happily hang on to my Headrush....even when I do get the Diamond. Because most people like myself can't afford $500 on a delay pedal, I would totally buy this again.