Akai Head Rush E2

The overall abilities you can achieve out of the pedal are more then easily found after a little bit of time spent playing around with each of the controls.
The dampening control is especially useful when trying to achieve a good old delay sound.
It comes with a very descriptive manual, easy to read/understand.
I recommend you work out something decent before you try it out though, hard to get the optimum performances out of it if you haven't rehearsed anything to play. My fave is Teen Town al la Michael Manring.

I became interested after learning the bands Russian Circles and Don Caballero use it. All of the functions of the pedal produce a very accurate tone, very impressed with the sound.

I play both bass and guitar and have used both through it. I used my cousins Eden rig, not sure of the model numbers, it was a WT head and the one of the highest quality 2 by 10's at 4 ohms.
sounds like butter.
my bass is a Dean Razor NT, jazz p/ups.
I used my Epiphone LP custom through my performance amp, a custom built peter paisley amp. mainly yamaha components with a 15" EV speaker, a bass and guitar amp for me.
Both instruements buzz slightly especially if they are biased on one of the p/ups. the pedal is as quiet as a mouse though, if i turn the instrument down the loop or delay sound has a less obvious buzz then the instrument produces, might be quite the phenomonon.
The Tape echo simulation is awesome, you can produce very odd delay rhythms, as it explains in the manual, by working with the Feedback, the distance between the four head delays and the over all delay time. if you had a few amps you could also effect each delay differently.

I will definatly be using this in a live situation.
very good tool to fatten up sound if your in a smaller ensemble.

After i practice quite abit with it i'll definatly perform with it.

I bought it from Turramurra music in Sydney Australia.
I'm on a first name basis with the owner so i get very good customer support. Got a 25% discount on it.

Not sure about the company, but if they are anything as reliable as their products, they must be close to God.

I play alot of music, and many styles.
Rock, Progressive, Jazz, Metal, Fusion, Pop.

bands i mentioned earlier, Russian Circles and Don Cab are both large influences, as with King Crimson, Kayo Dot, Time of Orchids and many many more. These bands however inspired me hugely to purchase a looper/delay pedal.

if it were stolen i would a) track the bastard down and steal it back or b) buy another for sure.

i love every aspect, when jamming with a drummer you can do some very interesting breakbeat thing, play a bass line, add chords, turn of the loop to jam then hit the play loop button to go back to the head etc.

the only other loop pedal i have used was put to shame by the Headrush. I used the Line 6 delay modeller. and it doesn't compare at all.

I highly recommend buying one of these pedals. either for a looper, a tape echo simulator or plainly as a delay pedal. for all 3 of its features it is of high quality.

The sound quality is good with no discernable hiss which means I can have it patched into my mixer permanently and route stuff through it, as i do with say a midiverb. Overall I found it very easy to learn and use, and not forget again.

But, there isn't an input volume control, I guess because it presumes guitar level signals. I play keyboards and plugged it into a bus output from my desk and caused it to clip. I had then to reroute things taking it down a full 15db before I was safe, tying up channels when I really just wanted to use an Aux.

The sound is marred though when you tweak a knob. e.g adjusting the feedback control interjects irritating glitches into the sound. Also when the delay time knob is adjusted it mutes out part of the sound from the loop. I would expect tweaking knobs to not affect the sound beyond the obvious.

Changing patches is easy. I did consider the Boss rc-20xl until I read about the complexity, then opted for the E2. I like the way that the functionality is right there, just behind the knobs, not buried under bewildering options. The simple footswitch arrangement works well, Play and Rec, although I do have an issue with the implementation of overdub.

The manual is fine, but I need things A4 for my eyesight and studio gloominess! I just download all my manuals from the interknot and stuff them on a CD.

Firmware is November 2007 vintage

The favorite artist inspiring me to use this box is Fripp and Eno. For this the digital delay is good, especially using the damping feature.

I don't use the 4 head echo simulation and I'm not sure why they bothered implementing this especially the individual head output circuits which seem to be a waste of some good digital/analog converters. These could have been used to implement stereo.

The loop mode is in my opinion poorly thought out. There are other comments in this forum on this, but basically you can't build the sound layers that you would expect. It is just a recorder, a one shot track for an underlying theme plus a second looping track which plays on top, and can be discarded in its entirety so you can start again. This process just doesn't satisfy though. IMHO they should have implemented it differently. I want to be able to build up a loop progressively, just like in digital echo mode, then mush it down using the filter and feedback knobs, then if I like it commit it to safe memory so it carries on playing perpetually. Then I want to build up another loop using the same process and if I like it to commit that into the safe memory, pushing the original track in safe memory back by say 3db. This would require no more processing power or memory or hardware. Give us the source code and I'll do it myself!

Dependabiliy I would think is good considering its construction and simplicity. I would use it at a gig without a backup, its one of the more solid bits of kit that I own.

I've not needed to deal with the company yet

It matches the style of music I want to play etc

I would buy it again, and I'm almost thinking of buying another one to put in series because I reckon that with two you could almost have the perfect looping setup.

Anything I wish it had......well here goes...

1. An input attenuator switch that knocks the input down by say 15db for people using desks
2. A better looping algorithm along the lines described that allow proper texturing. I believe this would be easy to implement and a massive benefit
3. Stereo instead of the extra head output jacks - this would need more memory and yeah I know its supposed to be for guitar etc
4. Filter cut knob that doesn't just suppress the HF. I would suggest an hf cut plus a degree of none linear compression to emulate the mushing that you get from a tape deck
5. Knobs that don't put artefacts into the sound when you twiddle them
6. A MIDI in out for time sync. I would love to be able to properly lock it to my drum machine

Overall this is a great product and I love its simplicity. Bring on the E3 I say and please akai, incorporate some of the features in this forum.

Pretty simple for sampler/loopers. Once you get the hang of it, it's very user friendly. Timing is everything! In the Looper feature, you must know that if you use all the recording time, you can not overdub and record that and build endless layers. You can only overdub if you do not use all the original time. Possible buyers need to know this fact. The Digitech Jamman doesn't have this issue. Delay is average. The unit has several options for routing out the delays in the tape mode. Nice feature.

Here's where this pedal shines! What tone you put in it is the tone you get out of it. I'm a tone freak, so this single feature was highly important to me. Delay is clean and clear. My other delay pedal(Line 6 Echo Park) put out a rythmic hum even when disengaged because of the tap temp and being digital. The Headrush does not have that problem with it's tap tempo. The Looper quality is excellent. I researched a lot of loopers like the 'Rang and its problem seems to be that it's a tone hog; not an issue with the Headrush!

I've only had it about a day, but so far it's holding up to my long jams! Can't say as to long term reliability.

I found this pedal through audioMidi.com. Haven't spoke to anyone at Akai yet. Hope i don't have to.

Overall, I love this pedal. I have all these tunes in my head, and now I can lay them down and jam overtop! This feature will help all players develop their technique. The record time could be longer. Also, a major flaw this pedal has is that you can not save any of your looped creations. The Jamman has this saving ability. FYI buyers! It would be nice to save what I've created for later use, but I guess it makes you better building it again and again. Practice makes perfect. All in all, this is a great pedal. Ease of use, sound quality and the ability to jam endlessly is GREAT!!!

It's easy to use even though it has 3 modes of operation. The front panel graphics let you know what each function does by color code.

Sound quality is really good. I've used it for guitar and vocals.

built like a tank. no problems so far.

never needed to

Rockabilly - the tape delay is great for that.
U2 the Edge delay - the digital delay works well for this.
Looping delat - don't use it for this much but it is fun to play with.

I compared it with the Line 6 DL6, and the other delay pedals. It sounds better and is easy to use live.
If it was lost or stolen, I'd get another.
It has a separate out for each simulated head in the tape delay mode which I've never used and probably never will but it could so some interesting surround things if you were into it.

This is my first time using a looper and its extremely easy to use. The manual is sufficient enough but you could figure out how to use it without one.

The best part is after you create the initial loop you can overdub as many layers as you want with only tapping one footswitch. I can be 10 ft away from the Headrush and still layer loops, its great.

This thing is dead quiet.

The delay is great and with the HF Damp you can get a more natural analog sounding delay, very nice.

The tape echo delay is fun to muck around with to, I can forsee some ambient compositions.

The looping playback samples sound great too.

Seems pretty well built. Solid metal housing.

I've always wanted a looper and for the price of a Boss rc2 you can get a normal delay, a tape echo, and a looper all in one pedal. If you need more control over your loops or want the ability to save your loops go with another pedal. If you are a simplistic this is the looper for you.

This thing really gets the creative juices flowing. I've been jamming nonstop with my invisible band for hours now. Its great.

Very easy to use - The looper is more user friendly than others I have used. The delay and echo are just about tweaking knobs and tapping the tempo.
But lets face it - IDK anyone who would buy this just to send 4 outs for different tape echos! - If you are doing that sort of thing you probably have much more complicated effects - Not sure what Akai was thinking with all those outs -
MY Suggestion - get rid of all the outs and extra knobs and make it half the size - Put a half speed or reverse button for the looper -

IN ANY CASE - I havent decided to keep it but IT IS GREAT - just cant afford 3 loopers.

Play with the features and you will learn it on your own -
GREAT ASPECTS: press the buttons simultaneously and it switches modes (great for live .vs. the DL-4 which cannot change using buttons)
The looper is simple and great - Too short with overdubs - you cant do much more than a cool riff r harmonized melody - BUT one thing: YOu can just leave the record button on and keep overdubbing whenever you press the red button - this means you can undo and refdo over and over or leave it on until you are ready to record (also great for live with a band)
NEgatives: Too big for what it does - uses own adapter - the Outs for the Echo is just a waste of space - The overdubbing must be longer - even 20 or 30 seconds would make a difference
ALSO: would love to have 1/2 speed button or reverse (like boomerang or Dl-4)
BIGGEST FLAW: No delay/echo while looping (Dl4 does have echo while looping) - so if you want to loop a delayed sound you need another delay somewhere in the mix (C'mon Akai think - functional for gig!)
Overall - Noone makes the perfect looper at a reasonable price - and I like having the tap tempo delay option -

This thing is great for gigging with a full band - setting up a rhythm - intro a song - or harmonize a line - Also switch to echo and delay and it is a breeze to use - also while it is a bit bulky it is smaller than the Dl4 and boomerang

Great Delay sound and range though it is just an echo or delay - no reverse or ping pong or anything like that - Plus as stated you need to have another delay if you want to loop with delay -
I havent found it noisy - the EXTENDED looping sounds pretty good and very usable - very crisp
I use Strat - Synth wah - Vol - Cry baby - TS/snasamp - Sometimes delay - then AKAI - Line 6/Fender amp

Delay - I personally dont get the High Damp thing so I leave it down - The tap tempo is great and I can get really LONG time so it mimics a looper on a long delay tap
Looper - on the fly - it is great - easy to use - you dont need to hold down the Overdub and you can build and build and press the overdub and it will get right back to the original loop
WISH it had reverse - more time - delay on the loop

Havent had it long - but it looks like a tank (heard bad things aout the DL4) all cool metal and solid - but I am sure it will get some serious wear after a year
Knobs move like butta - so nice when it feels solid

Not applicable

I pay rock - blues - mid eastern - fusion -
Strat - Godin Mando - Line 6 or Fender tube -
If boomerang makes a small version - I hope they research the HR -
This is not the looper for long full songs or practicing Jazz tunes etc... -
BUT - it is the best for easy live application with a full band (Boss adjusts your tempo - assholes!! - boomerang is a bit big and the overdub must be held down - Dl4 has less time on single loop, some button problems and it is bigger) - For solo gigs go with a longer time looper - with a project this thing does a lot and is an easy user friendly looper/delay

It is easy to use for a looper. Delay feature has lots of knobs and options. it's can get pretty complicated using 5 outputs diefferent head gaps etc...but how often are you going to do that?

New features on this that the E1 didn't have are an extended time mode and the ability to adjust the playback level of the loop.

I had the original headrush and was never happy with it. It had a 60 cycle hum, sucked tone, input overloaded very easily. i had to get rid of it because of the flaws but i really liked what it could do. I was sceptical about this unit thinking it was probably the same thing in a different box, but eventualy i had to get one and try it because i had been missing the old unit in spite of its flaws.

With the E2 Akai has fixed every flaw in the original E1 and added the abilility to make a loop 12 seconds longer, and adjust the loop level. The hum is gone. The input does not distort. The unit is very hi-fi sounding and dead quiet. everything i always wished the E2 could be. The lo-fi mode sounds better to me than the E1 and the normal mode even better. I am very pleased with what akai has done here.

The delay can go from pristine to down right spooky. It wouldn't be fair to say that it sounds like tape, analog, or any other digital delay. It sounds like itself. it is a very good sound and you can do things with it that you cannot do with analog, tape, or other digital delays. I have many of all three types and this is the quietest.

My tape delay has three heads and it has a cool character that this unit doesn't. you cannot change the head gap on most real tape delays. You can on an echoplex but that only has one playback head so you are really just changing the delay time. Thee only digital delay i have used with 4 taps is the tc electronic g-force. I have much more fun with the E2 than I ever did programing that beast and the sound quality is almost as high. Plus the E2 lets your repeats spill over when turned off while the g-force abruptly cuts off the tail.

The E1 had a plastic outer housing. This unit is solid metal. looks kind of like an car stereo power amp. It is very rugged another great improvement. I use a lot of akai gear. They make very reliable products.

Akai has really great customer support. If they can't answer something right off they will find out and call you back. I have allways had very positive dealings with them. i use the dps16, mpc2000xl, and s5000.

Most user friendly looper product ever made by far. The delay is also great. This is really a must have for players that use a looper live on the fly or to help work out parts. It doesn't store anything or have a ton of loop time like some other units, but for the usability and sound quality it is unrivaled. It would be worthy of a 10 if it was only a looper, but with the delay options it's like 3 pedals in one. I do wish it had more loop time but it is more than enough for most things with the extended mode. I think i will have this one for many years.

I'm using this unit strictly for making loops. I've tinkered with the delay, but I have a DD-5 for that, and the tape delay concept, I don't quite understand yet.

But as for making loops on the fly, this unit is amazingly simple to use. Loops can be created quickly and erased quickly, making it a great tool for a live show.

I am using this pedal as an effects loop on my mixer. That way I'm free to loop everything that is going into my mixer (guitars, vocals, keyboards, anything). If you'd like to see a demonstation of the unit, go to the website below and click on video. (http://home.comcast.net/~kkatayama76)

The sound quality could be better, but I'm not a sound buff anyway.

I've played gigs with this unit, and its held up fine. As with anything, it'll last if you take care of it.

Haven't had the need yet.

I did recently purchase a Digitech Jamman, basically because the 24 seconds available on the Headrush was just not enough. The main problem with looping pedals is memory. And it looks like Digitech may have figured out a good solution to this by adding a removable CF card to their unit. But the Headrush is still a great unit!

It's so easy to get a good sound out of the e2 that in a day you could be a good looper and delayer.
The manual's better than boss ehx and other stuff manuals.
Clear, synthetic, progressive.

Mexican Tele Custom 72, American Tele Plus 95 on Fender De Luxe 900.
Mexican Jazz Bass on crate bx15

It's not noisy, perfect sound in every modality.

The E2 is a perfect partner in homeplayng and homestuding, use it turning on your brain: composition, cover, improvisation. All in your hand and feet. Good delay.

Live E2 can make you an exibitionist guitarist-bassist!

Solid stuff, take care of it and you'll always could depend on e2.

Never dealt with them.
In Italy seems that akai had a great service of assistence.

Good for every elastic-player, when are you playing remember that in a guitar you can found ritmical drum sound, bass sound and more stuff, this can help you to create something good.

I'll buy it again and again, waiting for E3. (The only e2 limitation is tempo of looping but this could make an help to make your idea more synthetic)

Easy to use, see below

Excellent
See above

It comes in a good solid heavy metal case, and the two footswitches are have exactly the right amount of resistance.

N/A

I bought this primarily for use as a looper. My first thought was that if I'd bought this as an echo / delay box, I would probably be a bit disappointed. It is somewhat lacking in delay features for the price, certainly compared to, say, a Boss DD6 or an Line 6 echo park, and it's more expensive than either of those. There are a few nice touches for echo fans, the HF damping control does a nice job of filtering off the echo trails over time if you like that sort of thing, the multihead tape echo simulation is quite neat, you can vary the relative ouput from each head and also change the spacings of the heads to give a more random effect. It is also possible to switch off any of the heads (by inserting a jack plug into the relevant output socket - crude, but it works), like you used to be able to do on, for instance, the copicats. Other than that, the delay is lacking some of the fancy features found on other devices, such as reverse, warp etc. The sound quality is excellent, though. The two delay time knobs offer coarse and fine control, but if anything longer than 1.4 seconds is required, it is neccesary to use the tap tempo (right) footswitch. There is one jack input, one mixed (dry/wet) output and 4 separate 'tape head' outputs, the first of which can also be used as an effect only (wet) output. All these connections are on 1/4" jacks.

One good thing about this box is the amount of delay time available. For the digital echo, you can have up to almost 24 seconds of delay, for the tape echo, it's about 6 seconds per head. Things get a bit complicated for the looper times. I was expecting to have 24 seconds of looping time available, so I was a little disappointed to find I had less; In hi-quality mode (44kHz sampling rate), the maximum loop time allowed with overdubbing is only 12 seconds, this extending to 18 seconds using the 'extend' mode lower sample rate (29kHz - which is actually good enough quality for guitar). However, these times can be doubled (ie 24 and 36 seconds) if single shot looping is used (ie, no overdubbing possible), though I doubt if many loopers out there would find this mode particularly useful. By the way, to choose between single shot and overdub mode depends on how long you decide to let the sample go on for. By this I mean, you keep on recording until the red LED starts to flash, after which you have 3 seconds to stop recording. If you let the recording go on for longer than this, you are commited to single shot looping, ie, you can't overdub on that sample.

Akai has made it possible to erase ALL the overdubs and just return to the original loop. This is done by saving the original loop and overdubs in separate memory locations (this is why the maximum looping time is exactly half that of the available delay time). It is rather nice to be able to strip everything back to the original loop and then build it up again, perhaps going off in a different direction (although very annoying when you do it accidentally by pressing the wrong push-swicth!). However, it would be more useful if it was possible to erase just the most recent overdub, ie, store the original loop and subsequent overdubs in one memory location, and store the current overdub in a separate memory location. At the loop point, the current overdub could be added to the previous store (original loop and overdubs). However, if a mistake is made, the current overdub memory could be flushed and re-started.

What would be even better would be to have a switch to give three choices; (1) erase all overdubs and return to the original loop (as it does now), (2) erase the most recent overdub (as described above), or (3) lose the ability to partially erase, but have a longer overdub / looping time of 24 / 36 seconds. This would really make the unit a lot more useful and versatile. (They would sell like hotcakes. Are you listening Akai, start working on version E3 now!)

The output level of the loop can be controll