Analog Heat +FX vs other guitar specific multi-effect boards

kiryakos · 2023-06-17T14:21:10.792Z

Hi there,

Although guitar is my main instrument, I don’t like spending time and effort in searching for the right combination of pedals. I would like instead to have one pedalboard/box, which would include all the necessary (for me) effects (overdrive, distortion, reverb, delay, chorus, eq).

Even though there are limited posts regarding the use of the Analog Heat as a guitar pedal, I realised that it can do the job especially if I run my signal through a DI first. I rarely play live gigs, I mainly play and record at home, so I will not be annoyed by the “desktop” nature of the AH and the fact that it can’t be placed on the floor.

I saw some people here and on youtube using it as a guitar pedal with nice results, but none of them used it as an exclusive unit rather than as a complementary unit to their rigs. Therefore, I thought of asking here if using an AH+FX as an exclusive multi-effects unit is a good idea or if I should look for another option.

The other option I have is to buy a BOSS GT 1000 core, but I have the impression (without ever having owned one) that it sounds too “plasticy” and it does not offer “quality” sounds. Maybe I am wrong. I was also thinking of the Fractal Fm3s but they look a bit pricey to me.

I currently have a Strymon Iridium, an EarthQuaker Plumes, and an Eventide H9 (for this last one, even though I like it’s sound a lot I hate the fact that I can only use one algorithm per preset and I also want to avoid computer screens).

If you have any thoughts, please share,

Thanks in advance,

Mistercharlie · 2023-06-17T14:53:32.070Z

You can connect the Iridium directly to an audio interface, so you might not need a DI box.

I have played my guitar through the Digitone’s FX, including its overdrive, and it sounds amazing. I imagine the Heat+FX is way better.

bodymechanics · 2023-06-18T01:17:35.802Z

The AH+FX sounds incredible processing anything so far.
The drive circuits plus the filter are just creamy magic.
The Envelop follower and the gate offering very cool modulation possibilities.
The Digital effects are wonderful.
There’s nothing quite like it.
Get one

Neonjung · 2023-06-18T01:30:33.842Z

I’m sold on the features and sound, but I’ve heard there are issues with latency when using it in realtime? I was hoping to play guitar and synths through it, as well as use it as a production tool. What has your experience been like with latency and realtime usage?

bodymechanics · 2023-06-18T01:43:50.854Z

The Tape Warble will have a latency. It’s the nature of Tape Emulators.
If that’s not activated, I can’t hear any latency.
Generally with the Tape Warble I keep it full wet, and even then the latency is minuscule with the tape active. The latency sounds like a super tight doubling, on somethings it sounds cool.

I’ll be playing a gig with it next Friday.
It does not affect my ability to play though it in a latency free way, even with Tape activated.

Neonjung · 2023-06-18T01:52:31.506Z

That’s good to know, thanks. I’ll have to grab one and see how I get on with it.

kiryakos · 2023-07-02T15:44:22.508Z

Theoretically the Iridium does replace an amp and therefore the output should be line out instead of instrument out, but I’ve read in a few threads in another forum that you still need a DI after it. Not sure though, I don’t have a DI to try this out. The only test I did was to run the output of the Iridium to my synth’s input to add some effects and the signal was weak. Not as weak as when I connect other pedals to my synth’s input, but weak nonetheless.

Mistercharlie · 2023-07-02T20:11:20.980Z

I run my Iridium into my audio interface, and it’s more than loud enough. I wonder if your synth input is expecting line levels, or eurorack levels (needs to be way hotter)?

kiryakos · 2023-07-02T21:14:24.006Z

my synth (virus ti) has multiple source input senvitivities from +16db to -16db, so I don’t think this is it, or is it? maybe sensitivity, level and impedance are a different thing? not sure

Mistercharlie · 2023-07-03T05:49:53.773Z

Impedance mismatch is the thing that makes a guitar signal sound weak, but the Iridium is specifically designed to run into a mixer or audio interface.

Maybe it’s to do with balanced cables? On my mixer, the K-Mix, if you use unbalanced cables into the wrong input, it can be too quiet.

Speldosa · 2023-08-16T18:57:15.895Z

This guy at least certainly thinks that the Fractal FM3 tops the Heat +FX.

kiryakos · 2023-08-16T21:39:11.914Z

(unfortunately?) the guy didn’t convince me that the FM3 eats the Heat for breakfast (sic) as he pompously declares, I mean, how could you even say this without comparing the units with each other, the video is an FM3 presentation
anyhow, I don’t own either, so I can’t say anything about the units, what I know is that finding a new FM3 in Greece is quite difficult, so I guess I will be purchasing a Heat soon
it’s funny though, the guy is using a guitar stompbox/pedalboard (or whatever you want to call it) to treat audio tracks/loops, while I am looking for an effects unit to treat guitar sound

Python · 2023-10-05T19:38:55.483Z

So, did you ever try the heat+fx as a guitar multi FX?

kiryakos · 2023-10-14T17:58:56.818Z

I ordered it a month ago and I am still waiting for it,
coincidentally I was given the opportunity to try one a few days ago
I can’t say much because the circumstances were not ideal, but at least I realised that it treats the guitar signal the same way as it treats any other input (synth etc) which what I was worried about
It didn’t even need an amplifier, a cabinet or an effect before feeding the signal into it, which is great
now, the distortion/drive (which is analog) sounded very nice, rich, warm and “alive” as expected
the effects (which are digital) sounded good as well, but I didn’t have enough time to try them out extensively

Blasted_pingin · 2023-10-14T18:05:50.537Z

Seems like the H90 would have also been a good bet (4 algos at once IIRC).

Keep us informed after you’ve tested the AH+FX!

kiryakos · 2023-10-14T18:11:46.797Z

I owned an H9 and it was a great effects unit (soundwise) but I sold because
a) the possibilities of adjusting presets on the pedals interface are very limited, and you need a laptop/ipad to make full use of the pedal
b) you cannot use more than one algorithm per preset which sucks

Blasted_pingin · 2023-10-14T19:20:44.144Z

As confirmed in this video, H90 can run 2 algos at once and is editable on the device itself rather than needing the computer. Seems like they heard you

kiryakos · 2023-10-15T15:23:51.834Z

thanks for the tip
indeed, a very powerful pedal and a very tempting competitor, but I was not satisfied with the distortions (not that eventide claims that it has good distortion algorithms), it’s mostly everything that a guitarist (or keyboardist) might need (on steroids) provided they have other pedals for overdrive/distortion
and this is the main reason I was (and still am) interested in the Heat it’s both worlds in one box and less expensive than the eventide

Python · 2023-11-12T13:43:49.769Z

I received the heat+FX a few days ago and had some time with it. Maybe my experience can help others to figure out if it’s for them or not.

Tldr: it sounds great but it’s not fun to work with so I’m sending it back.

As mentioned before here, it is absolutely no problem to just plug in a guitar directly, it gets more than loud enough with input sensitivity set to max. The analog circuits mostly do a fine job of distorting the guitar signal, even though some sound less pleasing than I expected. I thought mid drive would be perfect for guitar, but it’s got a very unpleasant whine with the gain cranked. Round fuzz doesn’t sound like a regular fuzz, but more like a ring modulator, i kinda like it, but I wouldn’t know where to use such a guitar sound. I didn’t expect that, but high gain is my favourite circuit, as it covers a lot of sounds depending on where the gain is set. Saturation with the gain all the way up also sounds very nice. Putting an LFO on the high EQ sounds incredible, kind of like a harmonic tremolo. Putting an LFO on peak filter with a bit of frequency stereo spread makes a very cool phaser sound.
I knew the chorus, delay, and reverb from my time with the DN, and I like them all. Warble is also pretty cool. I thought the bit reduction could be used like a fuzz, but I don’t like what it’s doing to the guitar sound at all, it gets thin and scratchy, no matter where I put the drive and filter in the chain. Even though there’s lots of possibilities with all the LFO and envelope destinations, I feel like I already found those few cases that sound good and useful to me after a few days of using it. It’s easy to overdo it and create a wobbly mess, at least for guitar sounds.

The thing that absolutely kills the ah+fx for me is the user interface. It feels really obvious when I use it, that it’s basically an AHmkll, with the digital FX slapped on top, without considering the necessary hardware changes this addition would have required. Creating patches is just not fun. It’s mostly scrolling around with the navigation knob until you reach the screen/page you were looking for. And there are way too many screens due to the limitation of only having 4 endless encoders. Maybe this gets better with practice, but it’s a drag and feels like menu diving. The flow screen can also be used to jump into the different FX blocks, but it’s not much faster. A dedicated button to jump to each of the 8 FX slots would be really useful. As would be 8 encoders and the corresponding changes on the screen, and I would gladly sacrifice the EQ knobs to make the needed extra space.

It’s a bummer, as I’ve really been looking forward to using it, but when something is no fun to use, I don’t feel drawn to make music with it (but maybe I’m just really lazy or spoiled by great user interfaces eg op-1f and M8). I still think it’s great value for the money, but I’ll be sending it back and I’m hoping the hologram chroma console will fill the gap I intended the ah+FX for.