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Headrush Core Guitar Multi-effect/Amp Modeler/Vocal Processor Unit

Guitar and Vocal Multi-effect Unit with Amps, Cabs, Microphone Emulations, Amp/Effect Cloning, IR Loading, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB Audio Interface, Stereo FX Loop, and Looper
$799.00

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Headrush Core Guitar Multi-effect/Amp Modeler/Vocal Processor Unit
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Meet the Comprehensive Core of Your Next Rig

Amps, pedals, cabs, mics, and more: the Headrush Core guitar multi-effects and vocal processor unit is an all-in-one rig replacement for guitarists and vocalists alike, representing a streamlined take on the company’s mighty Prime unit. The core of Core is a massive library of masterfully modeled guitar amps and effects, with a built-in cloner function allowing you to create custom models of your treasured analog gear. Next, Core comes equipped with a slew of studio-grade vocal processing effects (including Antares Auto-Tune), mic emulations, and more for vocalists. You also get a host of handy practice and songwriting features, including a 5-minute looper with 20 minutes of overdub time; Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/USB connectivity to load songs and practice along; and full-fledged USB audio interface functionality for effortless home recording. Top it all off with a remarkably intuitive 7-inch touchscreen drag-and-drop workflow, five LED-enabled footswitches, and extensive I/O, and the Headrush Core is a natural choice for the multi-talented musician looking to replace their convoluted rig with a single comprehensive unit.

An all-in-one modeling unit for guitarists and vocalists

Headrush Core supplies you with a veritable studio-grade stock of immaculately modeled guitar amps, cabinets, and effects to explore. From all-time classic vintage tube amps to modern high-gain monsters, Headrush Core’s massive library of analog emulations delivers an extraordinarily accurate level of sonic detail and authenticity. Plus, you get a wealth of versatile 6-string presets courtesy of world-class sonic sculptors at ChopTones. Overall, the Headrush Core offers an endlessly inspiring assortment of digitally modeled hardware. Still, this multi-use unit has one final trick up its sleeve: a top-class vocal processing section, including a comprehensive suite of vocal effects (with Antares Auto-Tune) and stunningly accurate microphone emulations to shape your vocal sound.

Effortless hardware cloning

Are you looking to add a few of your favorite analog amps and effects pedals to your Core’s sonic arsenal? Simply switch to cloning mode, plug in your amp or dirt pedal of choice, and Headrush Core will create a spot-on digital facsimile in no time at all. It’s that easy. Moreover, Headrush Core allows you to customize your amp clone creations by swapping in digital speaker emulations with custom impulse responses. And if your tenacious tonal appetite still isn’t sated by the Core’s stock models and cloning features, Headrush Cloud contains countless user-created clones and presents that can be downloaded to your Core via Wi-Fi, ensuring you’ll never run out of new sounds!

Intuitive 7-inch touchscreen

The heart of the Headrush Core’s workflow is its 7-inch touchscreen display, providing you with intuitive access to just about every feature with a swipe, touch, or drag of a finger. From dialing in the most minute parameters of your guitar rig to choosing your ideal vocal mic emulation, this touchscreen allows you to quickly and efficiently explore Core’s possibilities without a manual-heavy learning curve.

The perfect practice partner

Clearly, the Core is a champion of the stage and studio. However, Sweetwater’s most dedicated woodshedders find that this versatile unit also makes for the perfect practice partner! Whether you’re looking to lay down a few changes to improv over or sharpen your songwriting skills, you’ll love the Core’s simple and straightforward built-in looper, complete with five minutes of loop time and over 20 minutes of layered audio available. Prefer to practice over your favorite artists’ tracks? Songs can be directly loaded into the Core via Wi-Fi, then slowed down, looped, or pitched up to maximize the efficiency and potential of your practice sessions. Finally, if you want to incorporate a few atmospheric loops into your live performance or studio tracks, loops can be saved and exported, or you can import custom .WAV files to serve as backing tracks.

Extensive I/O capabilities

Considering the Headrush Core can replace just about everything in your rig besides your guitar and you, it’s only fitting that it’s packed with extensive I/O options ready for any configuration. The Core’s rear panel features all the guitar multi-effect unit usual suspects. Still, aside from the bog-standard 1/4-inch input, there’s also a combo jack XLR jack. Next, two XLR outputs and a 1/4-inch TRS output with a switchable amp/line-level allow you to choose whether you want to go straight into the PA or use the Headrush in conjunction with a traditional amplifier. Factor in the headphone output, 5-pin MIDI I/O/Thru, and stereo FX loop, and the Headrush Core is ready to take on any task in the book.

Headrush Core Multi-effect/Amp Modeler/Vocal Processor Unit Features:

  • Remarkably comprehensive multi-effect/amp Modeler/vocal Processor unit, sporting many of the same features as Headrush’s Prime unit in a more compact package
  • 7-inch touchscreen for an incredibly simple, straightforward, and intuitive workflow
  • Contains an immense library of masterfully modeled amplifiers, guitar effects pedals, speakers/cabs, and more to dial in your dream guitar tone
  • Includes a versatile array of vocal processing effects and microphone emulations, including Antares Auto-Tune
  • Onboard amp/effect cloner allows you to make spot-on emulations of your favorite outboard amps, preamps, distortion pedals, overdrive pedals, and fuzz pedals
  • Full-featured audio-interface functionality to serve as the centerpiece of your home studio setup
  • Gapless preset switching allows for reverb/delay spillover across preset swaps
  • Direct Wi-Fi connection to the Headrush Cloud provides an ever-expanding assortment of user-generated clones, easy preset sharing, and custom IRs
  • Load your favorite tracks via Wi-Fi, then slow them, modify their pitch, or loop sections for perfect practice sessions
  • Bluetooth functionality for connecting to a variety of different mobile devices
  • Cutting-edge custom-designed multicore DSP system, with gapless preset switching for seamless effect swaps
  • Heavy-duty steel chassis is ready to meet the rigors of the road
  • 5 LED color-coded footswitches for instant visual feedback when you’re up onstage
  • Stereo effects loop is perfect for integrating your favorite hardware pedals into your rig while also allowing for 4 cable method connectivity

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Tech Specs

  • Pedal Type: Multi-FX
  • Analog/Digital: Digital
  • Effects Types: Distortion, Dynamics, Modulation, Reverb, Delay, FX Loop, Expression
  • Amp Modeling: Yes
  • Impulse Response: Yes
  • Looper: Up to 20 minutes
  • Inputs: 1 x XLR-1/4" Combo (Mic), 1 x 1/4" TS (Guitar), 1 x 1/8" TRS (aux)
  • Outputs: 1 x 1/4" TRS (external Amp), 2 x 1/4" TS (L/Mono, R), 2 x XLR (L/Mono, R)
  • MIDI I/O: In, Out
  • USB: 1 x Type B (interface), 1 x Type A (memory)
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/8" TRS
  • Other I/O: 1 x 1/4" TS (Toe), 1 x 1/4" TRS (expression), 2 x 1/4" TRS (FX Loop)
  • Expression Control: Yes
  • Power Source: 12V DC (3A) power supply (included)
  • Height: 2.64"
  • Width: 16.08"
  • Depth: 9.24"
  • Weight: 8.37 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: HRCOREXUS

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Customer Reviews

Write your review
Rated 5/5

Everything I Need/Want

It's everything I want tonally, has all of the effects I want, and allows me to have more pedalboards than I could fit in a car trunk. The operating system and CPU are identical to the flagship Headrush Prime, but not the size of a coffee table. The small footprint is ideal for limited stage floor space. It is well constructed and seems very durable. Its 7-inch touchscreen is definitely a concern, since I have smashed tablets before and I am leery of accidentally dropping objects and incurring damage, so I am using a piece of plexiglass laid over the screen while it is on the floor. Of course, I can't use the touch screen when covered with plexiglass, but it's on the floor and I can't reach the touch screen anyway...it's hands-free time at that point.

There is scaled-down form factor definitely costs you some switches, but the benefit is a reduced size and weight. Setlists and Scenes make up for the lack of foot switches on the Core. If you organize it correctly (read the manual), it will accomplish what you need during a live performance. You'll just need to adapt to a different workflow.

Also, on-board treadles always seemed out of place to me, and that is one of the reasons I didn't purchase the Prime. I think having the expression pedal built into the chassis is unnecessary, being just another point of mechanical failure and places your shoe precariously close to the touch screen. Getting an external expression pedal for the Core is not an inconvenience at all since they are cheap and replaceable. So, the Core's lack of a built-in treadle means no accidental knob kicking or screen stomping.

I'm amazed at the quality, let alone for the price, and would highly recommend the Headrush Core for any gigging musician. For recording, it can absolutely do its job, if the studio lacks a wall of amplifiers and cabinets to select your desired sounds.

Genres? It's not a screamy metal unit, unless you want it to be one. It can do whatever you want and isn't branded as solely a rock/metal machine. It's very versatile and would satisfy any guitarist regardless of the colors they're after. But yes, it metals, and you don't need a forklift to haul it around.

I've explored the Core's vocal capabilities while running karaoke at home. Placing it either in front of the mixer or in an effects loop works great, and the quality is good. Without a deep dive into its features, I cannot comment on everything, but for general enhancement of a dry microphone, it's like night and day.

It even has 10 bass presets to make the fat string guys feel like musicians too. I'm sure they sound decent, but I haven't tried them.

Closing thoughts: Why is the Headrush Core not more popular? Lack of reviews? Well, here's mine. 5 stars. Perhaps I will do charity work for the guitar community and create a video review.
Music background: professional musician
Rated 5/5

Love It!

Great sounds, versatile, quality, built tough, light weight. Love it!
Rated 5/5

Amazing product.

I can't say enough great things about this gear. I have been using this at home at jams and recording. The Core does a great job at cloning. It is great to not have to make multiple trips to the car when I go play . This has to be one of my best purchases in a long time.
Rated 4/5

Great pedal. Vocal effects? Meh…

I love Headrush pedals. So easy to use and you really can get any sound you need with them if you spend the time building your rigs. I already have the Gigboard, but I bought this one for the vocal effects.

There is some work for Headrush to do here as some users already pointed out on YouTube. Harmonies are all over the place. Super glitchy and almost unusable. Same with the autotune. It's nowhere near as smooth as the real Antares Autotune is. I'm hoping they'll release a firmware update that will address these issues.

I haven't tried the amp cloning yet, but there seem to be mixed reviews on that as well.

It's still a great pedal and I'm going to keep it. So many amp models and effects to choose from. Overall function just needs to be tightened up a bit.
Rated 4/5

Works well, but we'll see about the future

I like it...I really do. Guitar, vocals, backing tracks through the practice tool, it really seems to be able to do it all...But, as the saying goes "Jack of all trades, master of none." This thing has the potential to kick every other modeling devices butts. It seems though, that this is still largely a "beta" unit. The only updates thus far have been bug fixes. The vocal effects still aren't what was expected. There's no one "set it and forget it," setting. Vocals need to be tweaked for each and every song you're performing.

That being said...it DOES sound great. It has all the I/O you'll need. The lack of a desktop editor isn't such a big deal for the Core as much as the prime, because the Core can fit on a desk. Editing on the screen is very intuitive and easy to figure out. Like all complicated pieces of technology, it would benefit the user to read the manual to find answers to the most common questions.
Music background: Worship Director
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