Akai Head Rush Tape Echo Simulator/Loop Recorder

Being an old crusty of 52 years, I had trouble with the destructions! After 15 months of failing to get to grips with the footswitches to use the looping function, I emailed Akai customer support. They replied thus:

Hi Stevie,

You found a typo in the manual, the LH switch needs to be used to stop the
recording. We will get typo this fixed ASAP.

Best Regards,
Justin Baro

Technical Support



I know that someone else has referred to this in another review, I hope that this helps someone out. Can't believe that it went for so long unnoticed. Then again, it's probably just me ;<D

Apart from the looping / delays, what goes in seems to come out tone wise. I use it with a Yamaha G100-112 or a Tech21 Trademark 10 (amongst others) It is not noisy, only the lighting dimmer switches are noisy.

Had it for 18 months. Built like a tank. Can't see inside though............

Very good, see comment about manual above.

Been at it for almost 40 years now. Play only at home where no one else can get offended! Never go near a church. I bought it without auditioning it or any of its competitors. Researched on internet first. Best bang for your buck!

This pedal is a loop station, 4-head tape echo and delay pedal. You can run it through one or more amps (max. 4 - one for each tape head).

Very clean, accurate repeats of sounds - this pedal generates no noise or hum.

Manual is detailed but time-based effects are a little more complicated and with effectively three pedals in one there's a lot to explain.

I play a Fender Highway 1 S-S-S Strat through either a Fender Deluxe 85 (solid state) or Fender Pro Junior. The major effects I use are a Dunlop GCB-95 Crybaby, Boss SD-1 Super Overdrive, OC-2 Octave and the Akai E-2 Headrush. Sometimes, for a little variety, I'll use my Boss MT-2 Metal Zone (when I was younger, I loved this thing... but it's really just too fizzly in most settings... sometimes good for powerchords) or the FZ-3 Fuzz (awesome pedal). Sometimes I run the wah and the gain-based pedals through my Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor.

This pedal sounds great. When I first tried it (in the store), I had to play the start of 'Welcome to the Jungle' with the delay effect... and was it good. The tape echo is cool too. But - the best thing about it is the loop function. Play a riff - a shuffle, a jazzy chord progression, anything - and practice your lead playing. OR - play a solo, then harmonize ocer the top like Kerry King and Jeff Hannemann - that REALLY sharpens your ear and your playing. The loop function also helps you to listen to your music more critically and really focuses you on note choice, timing and rhythm. I'm learning a lot (I'm an intermediate player - 8 years of playing).

I love using it with two amps (with my trusty Deluxe 85). Try them with different settings for a surpise echo. I can be really nice.

The case seems to be fairly solid - relatively think aluminium housing and two fairly robust generic pedal switches.

This pedal is dependable. No batteries, no valves, no fuss. Not as bulletproof as a Boos, however.

I like hard rock (e.g. Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Van Halen, Guns 'n' Roses, Dinosaur Jr., STP, ACDC, The Datsuns, etc.), Blues Rock (Hendrix, Clapton, etc.), Shred (Vai, Malmsteen, Satriani) and Jazz Fusion (Path Metheny, Allan Holdsworth, Al di Meola). I incorporate bits and pieces from these influences in my playing. This pedal extends my ability as a musician and so far I am satisfied with my purchase.

I explored it a little, then I checked the manual to find out if there was something you should NOT do and then it was like knife into butter

I have tried it with my three electrics : a 1970 Black Beauty, a Dillion plexiglas and a Mexican made Fender Stratocaster through a Fender Hot Rod Deville on a clean set up and took mightily well the color of each guitar.
Although what I've read in other reviews my unit is very quiet and does not distort the signal.
At the first session with it I was concerned about a little drop on the signal level but it was a matter of balancing the input and mix of it, the delay works as a fine digital delay should and the echo/tape output is really interesting and promising experimentation wise, I really like it. Foolishly I haven't gone for the four outputs yet.
Being a digital delay do not expect that this one will "thicken" your sound out, it just does its digital repeats super clearly. I haven't sense a "tinny" result either.
Worked very nice when rigged up with other effects (MXR Phaser 90, Zvex Oooh Waah, Hot-Tubes, Micro Synth) and when inserted, handled the amplifier overdrive (nice combination) just fine.
The loop feature is nice, does not alter your sound and you can nicely set the level of it, I would prefer a longer sampling time anyway.
Again, the echo tape feature is great and the possibilities of having four outputs add an impossible amount of possibilites.

So far is there, well constructed and solid.

not dealt with this aspect yet.

Generally quite heavy or into noise grounds, I have a very eclectic approach to my music so I need to be able to compose vastly different sound schemes depending on my mood or creation requirements. So far this Headrush has been a good one and quite useful, as I usually let the gizmos to do their own thing and lead me through their own world I can't say that I regret having the Headrush on. Works just great and offers a lot of adventure and sound quality.
If it had that percussive, thick quality of an analog delay and a larger sampling time this would be the absolute king on its field

Easy to use the controls but the oversite of an input control, and limited make this pedal hard to use to it's full potential.

The echo's can distort easily if the input is to high. Since the echo and the dry signal are run in parallel only the echos are distorted. I found myself constantly turning down on the guitar to get the echo's to stop distorting. The second problem i had was the echo/loop not being able to be louder than the input.

What this pedal does is super cooI so i had to rig up a work around. Here's what you do. put this on a loop of a boss line selector with a cut in front and a boost it with the line selector on the return to bring it back to unity gain. use the other loop for the dry and keed the akia full wet. use the delay out only for looper and normal delay or all four tape head outs into a dod resitance mixer. This also alows you to turn the looped sound up loader than the input wich is very usefull, and gives you mix control over the four heads. another advantage is you can turn the input off and to cut noise while the loop plays, and when you drop overdubs on top of your loop you can keep hitting the button and starting over untill you get it right because it wont appear at the output untill the loop has gone all the way around.

This is lot of crap to use to get one pedal to work well. In my opinion I should be have been able to accomplish the same routing and level options inside pedal. It is worth it in light of what the pedal can do which is ever so cool and easy to operate otherwise.

Would be a ten if not for the lack of delay input level. Very quiet. Not as pristine as the t-rex replica but this pedal sooo much more.

Git used and beat to death, but still works flawlessly. I think it will last a long time.

I love akias u.s. support. If they can't answer your question they will hook the gear up and try it themself and call you back. They are musians who really use the gear so they really are helpfull.

This pedal has allowed me to do things i didn't know a pedal ever could. As i write this I'm listening to a multi layered loop play back over my amp. It sound like a couple people jamming in the next room, not like a recording, but no one is there it's just the headrush jamming away into infinity.

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There doesn't seem to be anything else like this - four outs and all. Must be brilliant, I simply had to have one!

BUT.

It seems that SolOjaM is right.

Mine turned up in the mail, incredibly noisy, you could hear the bits crunching around (if you know what i mean). It actually sounded like the 8-bit digital delay i once built from a magazine article - only seriously worse.

It was totally unusable.

Before it got mailed back for a refund, I sneaked it open to see if it was just some wire lose that i could just fix and not bother returning: nope, it was appaling soldering, resin all over the board, a very poor job.

SO - if you want one, make sure you try it in a shop first.

I still want one - a working one, please - but they're getting harder to find.

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This pedal definitely takes some getting used to if you aren't familiar with tape echo units/loopers. The hardest thing to get down is the timing, once that's done it's actually pretty simple to use. Tap tempo for delay and tape echo (although you can preset it on the knob), and a record and overdub switch for looping.

My one complaint is that switching between looping/tape echo/delay requires moving the switch manually, kind of a pain.

I play in a very noisy rock band, I primarilly use it for looping and for short tape echo sounds. Usually I play a heavilly modified Fender Jagstand into a Fender Quad Reverb with PA cabinets.

The regular delay is nothing to write home about honestly, I never, ever, use it, but the Tape Echo can do everything from a haunting short echo type of thing, to long Unwound-esque washes that are really nice sounding.

It really is all about the looper though, near infinite overdubs within half of the timeframe and more loop time then you can shake a stick at without.

The only gripe I have sound quality wise is that loop playback is a little bit softer then when it's recorded, which is really no problem at all.

I play in a very physical, visceral rock band, this is in my pedalboard which has been stepped on, kicked over, rammed into, flipped and generally abused for a long perdiod of road use. Except for a few scratches and scuffs it's as reliable as the day that I got it.

Never dealt with Akai, never had the need.

Again, I play in a very abrasive noisy rock band that tours and makes records (http://www.replicator5000.com), although we are noisy we have some complex parts with looped guitar, where I (the guitar player), loop the guitar parts, put down the guitar and get physical in an Iggy Pop/David Yow kind of way, we also have guitar bits that use tape echo. This is a seriously great pedal that really allowed me to stretch out what I did after I got the hang of it. I haven't found a better pedal for this kind of thing yet.

If it were stolen or lost, I would beg, borrow, or steal another one as soon as I could.

My only gripes are the slight volume cut on loop playback and that the switch between tape echo and loop and delay can't be operated by foot.

The only thing I can compare this too is the line 6 delay as far as versatility goes, and even though line 6 has a few more features, I honestly like this one a lot better. I first saw Ian Williams from Don Caballero using one, and even though i'm not a gear hound, I had to have it.

Very easy to use.

Good enough for ambient wash. 16 bit I think. The main reason I bought this pedal is to have tape echo simulation with 4 outs. I use the pedal for ambient remixes and for that it works excellently. To get this to use as a normal delay is a waste. It serves well as a live loop recorder, but the only real reason to get this is to have tape echo with 4 outs (5 actually if you count the mix out).

Seems fairly reliable. I take really good care of my euipment as everyone should.

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I love it. Overall, it gets a 10 because no one else puts out such a useful echo unit in this price range (or for much more actually).

Piece of cake. I mainly use the looper. Once you get the timing down it's easy.

OK, here's the deal. You read all these reviews on this pedal and some say it's noisy and some say it's quiet. I believe I've stumbled on the solution to the mystery. Mine was reasonably (usably) quiet for the first 7 months I owned it. Slight barely noticeable hiss sometimes. Then at that 7 months point it developed a whistle. Whoa! Major problem, totally unacceptable. I called Akai, left msg, no reply. Thought I needed to get a return authorization # (turns out I didn't need that). Then I got on their website and found an authorized repair place near me, Pro Audio Repair in Tampa. I e-mailed them and they said sure, send it along. I did, and shipping it to them was my only expense. They opened the puppy up and found over 300 bogus connections inside! Lousy soldering (made in Korea). They resoldered everything and shipped it back to me, no cost. This could be the source of that hiss some of you mention. Mine is back and dead quiet.

Mixed bag isn't it? Unreliable manufacturing, but solid design.

Company wasn't so hot, authorized repair center was great, Akai did pay for thorough overhaul of my 7 month old pedal, can't complain can I?

Great deal, a looping unit for $180! I layer acoustic guitar parts in a samba/nuevo flamenco hodge podge that pleases me. Play an Ovation nylon string 6773. Presently using an Acoustasonic 30 (Fender) that worked great with a steel string but is less than optimum with the nylon string. I'm shopping for a more transparent amp to finish my rig. Really a great little unit (now that it's been repaired!).

The pedal is quite simple to use. It's hard turn the knob with feet but I don't think you'll need to do it (except the level knob, maybe).However, a thing you may need (and you can't do due to the size of the switch) is switching tape/delay/sampler function with feet while you're playing. Never mind...
I give it 9 for these reasons and also cause I'd like to have a switch for keeping or not the tail of delay (but I don't know if any stomp box can do it)
The tape echo and the delay are really simple to use, the sampler a bit less but however is not so hard to use as many people say. I got the hang of it after two or three attemps.

I bought the akai headrush mainly for the sampler but I found out that tapeecho and delays are really cool. To be honest i haven't used tape echo function a lot and tryed to use the four heads output yet, so i can't talk about it.
I like the normal delay mode, tape tampo function works great and the sound is good. Obviously it's not an analog delay but i've found the delay warmer than boss dd3 delays(HF DAMP knob is really usefull).
You can obtain from never ending delays (and they works even with 24 second of delay time : WONDERFUL!) to reverblike-slapback delays : REALLY COOL!
When you switch off the delay the tail keeps on sounding (a thing dd3 doesn't do).I really like this feature even if I would have liked to have a switch to decide to keep or not the tail (in some situation the delay tail is quite frustrating, above all on dynamic critical passages).

The sampler is really great! 24 second are much more than I usually need in my song and with overdubs I can create wall of sound for my psichedelic songs. I give it nine since to obtain a loop more or less at the same volume of the real time playing you've got to turn the level knob completely clockwise and if you mind switching modes from sapler to delay, the effect level gets too loud.

I dind't notice any noise or hiss and I din't give attentions if it's true baypass or not but however my effect chain is so long (AC2-CS3-CRYBABY-SD1-BF2-CE5-DD3-HEADRUSH-JCM800(4210)) that I'had already lost all my harmonics before I bought the akai :)

SOMETIMES I NEED TO PLAY BLUES (guitar-JCM800) to remind me how is a non artificial guitar sound...

I bought it second hands two days ago so I can't say anything about reliability except that it's really solid(boss like)

Never deal, but i found the handbook on the net so i give it TEN!

I really love this pedal and even if I've own it only for two days I've already obtain good results (expecially when used as sampler).
I've bought it second hand but It had never been used and I paid it 140 euro(more or less 140$). In Italy it's priced 220$ so a good affair. I think It really is worth its price and I'm sure I would have bought it even new for 220$.
The sampler is probably the most useful function and IT WORKS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM!
The normal delay mode is cool, and i nearly prefer it on boss dd3.
I haven't use tape echo mode but I think it's cool too!

After you get used to the timing of the foot switches, it's fairly easy to use. The manual is no help what-so-ever.

This is one of two areas that this unit falls short on. It adds a hissing, "frying" sound that could only be reduced, not eliminated, by turning the treble all the way down on the amp, and this kills the tone.
My setup used was guitar->headrush->amp. Guitars used; Fender Jazzmaster, Strat and Tele. Amps used; Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, 65 Twin Reverb Reissue and Fender 8 channel power mixer PA.
The unit produced the same 'noise' with any combination of the above.

I wasn't able to use it long enough to find out if it's reliable.

This is the second area that this product fails in. It took three emails to get any response back from Akai when I asked for help/support on this BRAND NEW unit. It was only after the third email, where I told them that if I got no response that I was going to post the problem on the Internet, so others would know about it, that I got an answer. The answer was, The Akai Headrush isn't noisy and to send it off to one of their service centers, in some other state, and they would 'take a look at it'. Totally unacceptable! This is a BRAND NEW piece of equipment and a reputable company should have replaced it!

Style of music doesn't matter here. This thing adds noise to any and all. The worst part was the company's response. Anybody can make a mistake and sometimes a 'bad one' is shipped, even from the best. But to say that there isn't a problem, when there is and that "they'll take a look at it", the implications being that, when they get around to it (months - years??) they *MIGHT* do something about it!
I don't need those problems! Life is hard enough as it is and there are MANY other companies to pick from. I bought a Boss RC-20 Loop Station and threw this thing in the closet with other useless junk. Problem Solved!

The Headrush takes a little tap dancing to get used to, but it's not just a Delay pedal. Really, it's pretty straightforward for a Looper. The Manual is pretty lean, but everything you need to know is in there. A little easier to use than the Line 6 Delay Modeler pedal.

I play mostly mahogany planks (a Santana SE and a Les Paul Special SL) with a pile of effects, including a JamMan, a Line 6 Delay Modeler, and a Boss Loop Station. Yeah, I'm really into layered Loops and Delay lines. I usually use a Boss GT-3 instead of an amp, but when I use an amp, I use a Roland JC-90. I listen to all kinds of weird guitar music, but I'm particularly into players like Robert Fripp, Bill Frisell, the late Sonny Sharrock and Vernon Reid.

The Headrush doesn't seem to add any noise to my rig, but I was kind of disappointed with the Output level; I'd like the Delay level to match the Dry level. Otherwise, this a very useful toy. Neither the Line 6 nor the Loop Station will let you choose between Looping and long Frippertronic Delays. The Headrush will let you get really long Delays, and still give you control over Feedback. A fully loaded JamMan will give you almost ten more seconds of Delay, but you'll pay a lot more for a used JamMan than a new Headrush. Also, there's a dirty little secret about the JamMan; it's not exactly a true stereo unit.

It seems sturdy enough. I've been told that the box is metal, not plastic, but it felt pretty light to me. I almost always have at least two Loop/Delay effects in my rig at any given time, so I don't know about needing a backup for the Headrush. Really, considering the cost of replacing it, I'd rather take the Headrush out than my JamMan, so in a way, the Headrush is my backup unit.

Not a clue; bought it used, and it works fine.

I play some pretty weird music; think King Crimson meets Nine Inch Nails, filtered through a bit of The Residents. If all that means anything to you, you've probably locked yourself in a room full of noise, the same as I have. May "BOB" help you. The Headrush is certainly a worthy addition to my pile of gear, even with all the other Delay/Loopers.

I've been playing for too damned long, and I have an oddball collection of effects boxes and synth modules. I'm particularly fond of Delays, Ring Modulators and Pitch Shifters. If something happened to my Headrush, I would probably get another one because it's a versatile box for a low price. My least favorite feature is the low output; my favorite feature is the long Delay. I haven't gotten to try the multiple Outs yet, but it looks like a fun feature for multi-track recording. I do wish that it had stereo In/Out jacks, like the Line 6, and a Reverse switch would be nice, but I don't know how much those additions would raise the price.

Considering the price and the simplicity of the Headrush, there isn't really anything to compare it to; the Line 6 Delay Modeler and the Boss Loop Station are very different from the Headrush. The closest thing in operation is actually the JamMan, but for the price of a used JamMan, you could buy the Headrush and the Line 6, and still have $100 or so left over.

easy to use - manual included. Knobs a little small for adult fingers.

setup - strat or es 295 clone with P90s or LP junior - compressor - TS 10 - Gibson GA 15 RV or vibrolux. It's quiet. Tone is truly awful - very tin can sounding - no true bypass - all harmonics destroyed.

It seemed solid. only kept it 2 days.

don't know

Play most styles for 40 years. I owned an anolog delay at the time I purchased the Akai. The Akai was terrible in comparison. I returned it to mail order co. for refund. Since then I picked up a Guyatone tape echo. Once you use the real thing these little digital tin boxes sound extremely lame.

it was very easy once you figure out the controls. didn't need a manual, real men don't need no damn manuals. simple effect for simple people

does it matter what i have this thing is quiet. i don't like the delay very. i got it for the looper. it's a breeze. you can put anything through it sounds good.

when i got this in the mail the switches need to be tightened and it seems flimsey but i'll give it time.

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i play blues/rock/jazz/funk/reggie/country/chillout music to get me to the next level, anything i can get my hands on really. it's a cool pedal to add to my set up. i think the delays are good but the looper is great. very easy to use. i use to own a korg ax1000g and the delays on that were better cus you could tweek the delays and still hears the sound, very cool things on that. but the looper on it was too short 8sec i need one that was longer and the akai had it plus some other cool things like over dub thats great for bedroom jammin and live stuff who needs a second guitarist i'm a one man band. i think its good for people who need to practice soloing. good tool for a lazy guitarist.

This review is based solely on the looping recorder of the Head Rush, because that's all I use. Only reason I'm giving this a 9, is that it takes a few trys to get used to accurately hitting the record and play button - otherwise, it's dead easy.

Sound quality is pretty good - not perfect, but good. I don't use this in a conventional manner, which is why I decided to post a review - I beatbox into the Head Rush, and layer more vocals or keyboards in a sort of live songwriting gig. I send to the Head Rush from my mixer, and return it to a channel - works great. The cool thing about doing it this way, is you can sample anything coming into your mixer - in a duo setting, I often sample the bass player comping, and then he can do whatever he wants. The Head Rush has an output which is "Effect out" or "Head 1". This is the one I have to use, as I don't want signal passing through the Head Rush unless I'm recording, because you would get a feedback loop. None of the other pedals I tried could do this (Boss and Line 6), which is why the Head Rush is perfect for me.

Very dependable. Occasionally, it will do something weird, like not record anything, but I'm never sure if that's because I didn't press the switch properly, or if it was actually an error.

Don't know - never needed to...

I'm not sure if I'm the only person around doing this, but it's a really great option if you do solo or duo stuff and shudder at the thought of using sequences. Of course, if you want to layer, you have only 11sec of loop time, which usually amounts to about 4 bars (if you want an even phrase), but a four-bar drumloop is cool, and about what you get in modern tracks anyway. You have to be discerning about what songs you play, and a little bit clever with your arrangements, in order to use it. It's great fun, though - try it sometime!

There are always other things you wish your pedals had, but for the money, this is just about the best thing I've ever bought. It has revived my interest in smaller band gigs, and has useful applications for bigger bands as well. The looping recorder really shines in a duo setting.

The delay modes are very easy to figure out, especially with the tap tempo buttons; just tap out a time with your foot and you're all set. The delay mode is a little tricky to figure out, but this is mostly due to the timing required to get the loop to sound seamless. With a little practice, however, this becomes second nature. Came with a good manual and has big, easy-to-use nobs.

My musical tastes range from Metallica and Pantera to Yngwie Malmsteen and the Satch to Tommy Castro and SRV. I play in a garage band and write lots of originals. Currently I am using a Fender american Strat w/ Lace Sensor pickups. My lineup is Crybaby 535 => Boss Metal Zone => Boss Overdrive => Ernie Ball 6165 Volume/ Pan => Boss Noise Supressor => Fender Stage 160; the Headrush I keep in my effects loop with the Noise Supressor. I like keeping the Headrush in the effects loop as it allows me to loop a track at a set volume (with the volume pedal) and then crank the volume up a little to solo over it. I have read reviews that said this pedal was overly noisy in an effects loop, but with the noise suppressor in there it seems to keep things sounding pretty clear. The sound quality of the looping mode when i used it direct into my amp was a lot more muddied, in the effects loop the two parts are a lot more distiguishable. As for the delay, I liked the digital a lot more than the analog. the digital sounds great, even when you change delay times on the fly. The tap feature is awesome, especially since you can tap a tempo out when the delay mode is off. The analog seems a little too chintzy and fuzzy for my taste (altough it is passable when used with a little overdrive) and is the only reason why this thing gets a 9. This is a very fun pedal to tinker with and is inispensible if you are a one-guitar band and like to solo without losing your ryhthm backup.

Seems fairly solidly built. I've slammed it around a fair deal and it still functions fine. I've never had to worry about it crapping out during a show, so, yes i probably would use it during a gig without a backup.

I've never had to deal with AKAI, and hopefully never will if this thing keeps holding up the way it has.

I have compared this pedal to Digitech delay pedals and this pedal defineately wins over them. This pedal has become an indispensible part of my rig. I love being able to loop and then solo over it easily during a show. I would definately buy a new one if it was stolen. The only thing i wish it had was a button you could hit with your foot to switch between the delay and loop modes easily. However, it still gets a 10 from me and is probably my favorite and most fun effect to use.

2 delays and a looper. In one sense, it's a no-brainer to get the delays to perform acceptably... but as with any other piece of equipment that has as many possible combinations of settings as the E-1 does, the more you play with it, the better control and more satisfactory results you will get. There are no "presets" or ways to save settings on this thing, so it is difficult to exactly recreate a specific sound. That said, the control dials are large and easy to see, and the delay time can be set by tapping, or by using the dials, with both coarse and fine adjustments. The looper is a matter of some practice, but if you don't have enough rhythmn to tap into and out of the loop, you have more problems as a musician than just with this effect! It takes some practice to hit the right switch for overdubs without thinking, or to be able to erase an overdub on the fly, but learning how to do this is all part of the fun. The manual doesn't tell you a lot, but within a half hour of tinkering, you will know what you need to know. Because of the practice needed before the looping becomes automatic, the need to remember the general settings for a favorite sound, and because there is just so much that can be coaxed from this critter, I'll give it an 8 overall for ease of use.

I've used this with a 1972 Gibson E325 semi-hollowbody into a Peavy Delta Blues 210, running the guitar into a Tech 21 Killer Wail wah, into Tech 21 GT2, into MXR Phase 90, into the Headrush then the amp. Acoustic I go from the guitar into a Tech 21 Acoustic DI, into the MXR Phase 90, a Danelectro tuna Melt trem, intothe Headrush. Guitars are a 1968 Grammer, a 1990 Guild D25-12 string, or a 1997 National Polychrome, into a Crate CA60. The Grammer and Guild have passive piezo pickups, the National has the Highlander resonator pickup with its own preamp. The Headrush adds no appreciable noise to either setup. It also sounds good going through either the GT@ or the DI into a Fostex digital recorder. Having the Headrush at the end of the chain gives a lot of flexibility when using the looper, since you can loop either with or without the prior effects, and then solo over it with a different tone or effect. With the tap tempo and the tape delay setting it is easy to lose hours messing with the regeneration (feedback) and damping to get a finger-picked rhythmn to burble into infinity with a guitar in an open tuning... and that is a good thing. I have to say that to me, the four outputs for the tape delay seem to be pretty useless, but it may be that I'm just too lazy to bother running four outs into a mixing board... anyway, that's not why I got this thing. The looper sounds great. As others have noted, an awareness of the volume setting, and a little bit of compensation when recording the loop will optimize the blend. The reproduction is very good, and I have gone back and listened to some layered loops I've recorded, and been "surprised" whenthe second (and third) guitar joined in. The high frequency damper works in the two delay modes, and really lets you dial in a warm analog-like delay tone. I like the way this overgrown pedal sounds!

Haven't had it more than a month, so I really can't speak to its reliability. It has every appearance of being well put together.

No experience with Akai.

Played for 35+ years for sanity, not money. On my own I tend towards acoustic, David Crosby, Paul Simon, Bruce Cockburn type stuff fingerpickin. Play in a classic rock-blues-country band with some other old farts every other week, where I torture the Gibson with what I think of as rhythmn guitar. For the acoustic sounds, the two delay settings are both useful in adding ambience,with long delay times really helping to fill out a solo sound and add interesting counterpoints to a groove; electric I use shorter delays and a bit of slapback... don't play too much lead in the group setting. I bought this for the tap tempo and long delay capability, and man, it delivers. The damping knob gets a lot of use when going from the small body Grammer acoustic, to the twelve string, to the tricone metal resonator... it is very useful in keeping out that sterile digital sound. The looper is more fun than I ever thought it would be. Like many others, I wish the loop length was longer,and it does take some tapdancing to bring it together in a live performance... but the bottomline is that it is just way cool. For what this pedal costs it is a total bargain... two types of delay that sound great and are infinitely tweakable, together with a looper that you can just keep pouring loop after loop upon until it melds into a bubbling brook, or until it descends into sonic overload like a stroll down the boardwalk on Fourth of July.....sorry, got carried away there...It isn't perfect, the looper really could use a fade out, as you really notice thatits gone when you stomp it off... it isa good idea to play along with the "bottom" of the loop before cutting it out, and then don't cut it at its end point, but rather, somewhere in the middle... I'm thinking of getting a cheaper delay pedal to put after the Headrush just so that the loop would echo out when its cut off... All in all though, its a cool toy.

This thing is awesome. Two foot-activated buttons. It's fun. It's easy. Sometimes I mess up but that's my fault, not the machine.

Incredible!! I can't believe a little box has such wonderful, clear sounds. It is much better fidelity than my Roland Dr. Sample SP202. Plus for guitar layering there's nothing better. Ever hear recent Don Caballero? That's the Headrush.

This is indestructible.

Don't know.

I play music and run a home studio. I don't use this very often but when I do it's always a pleasure.

just a tip: try the headrush in your effects loop AND in front of the amp. mine is dead quiet in front and noisy as hell in the effects loop. also, don't use a cheap power supply (signal flex ps-9) as it will cause the pedal to hum (along with anything else it's powering). as well, if the pedal is in front it of the amp, the signal seems a bit louder than in the effects loop. as with most effects, try them in different places since every rig is different.

Bought this unit for looping purposes. It is the EASIEST of all units out there, anyone of the other reviewer's having trouble with a "pause" when setting loop end point is NUT'S, and needs to work on their timing. This thing rocks and is a breeze to use in a live setting, just have to focus on the groove and not get distracted.

Using this with a trio and also for all solo acoustic shows, adding rythym grooves to solo over or thumping on the acoustic for a drum groove to play with. It offers excellent sound quality, more than adequate for live gig's, no hiss or tone loss. As others reviewer's have said, it does play back a bit softer than the original tone, but easily solved by playing extra hard for a few bars, or playing on top of the loop with a slightly lighter touch.

Built sold, no compliant's.

No need to call 'em yet.

This unit as a looper is the perfect - no bell's and whistle's - plug and play - more than adequate sample times. Again the unit is a breeze to punch in and out after a couple days, it is the musician's timing that is bad if they can't hit the groove. Bottom line, a dirt cheap, rock solid, killer little piece of gear.

A bit of a trick...you'd better get that loop set up _just_ right because if you are even a NANOSECOND off your drummer will hate you.

Sounds great! I have no problem with noise at all. People seem to have an issue with this but mine is pristine.

Seems tough...metal bottom...powerful switches...plastic case though.

For the price this looper just plain rocks. 24 seconds? How much do you need? I don't need 4 minutes (boomerang) that's for sure.
OK, big tip; The original signal IS louder than the sample, kinda too bad but this is what you do.... Send a line from the dry out to the "active" input (on your bass amp, sorry) and a line from the wet (effect) output to your "passive" input. Blend the two with the level control and volia! Sample is plenty loud. I suppose you could send the two outputs to a wee mixer if you had only a mono amp input.
I love this box. Turns my three-piece into a four piece. Bye, bye Mr. guitar player.....

With so much to do, it can't be entirely easy?

There are three modes? Normal Delay, Tape Echo, and Loop. Normal Delay doesn't offer too many surprises. Controls for Feedback, Level, Time Fine, Time Coarse, and a HF Damp to roll off the high frequencies, if you like. There is a tap tempo switch, and if you tap slowly enough, you can drag your delay times out to the full 24 seconds (the knobs only dial more "normal" delay times-which is probably good, because if they swept up to the full time, making small adjustments on the knobs would be impossible). Using the second output jack automatically splits the signal into wet and dry outputs.

In Echo mode, Feedback, Time, Level, and Tap Tempo stay normal. Time Fine becomes Ratio-it controls the volume of how the four heads of the simulated tape delay relate to one another. There is also a Head Gap control, allowing the echoes to come evenly metered or in stuttered gallops. Of the four effect outputs, inserting a cable into any one of them will give that echo a direct out, and the dry signal and the other three echoes will come through the main output. If you're inclined, and have five channels on a mixer, you can create an awesome stereo field with the dry signal and four separate channels for echoes.

In Loop mode, only the Level control works. With the footswitches, you can Start Recording, Stop Recording (playback starts immediately), stop playback, resume playback, overdub new sound onto the existing loop, stop the dubbing and play the loop (adding as many overdubs as you like), clear all overdubs and play the original loop, or erase the whole thing-all controlled by the footswitches. It takes a little getting used to, but I'm hesitant to have more than two switches on a pedal, and the looper is very useable as it is.

Maxim 1-never buy an "emulator." Analog delays sound like analog delays, and tape echoes sound like tape echoes, and never the twain shall meet. This is a digital delay and looper with some nice features, and (lucky us) Akai didn't add any obnoxious chorusing to simulate tape flutter. Say it simulates tape echo, if it helps you face the world, but it is a digital delay, and it's a pretty good one.

Maxim 2-don't let anyone sell you the "It reproduces your sound exactly. It's digital!" slogan. Remove the blinders? for your signal to be processed digitally, it must go into an analog to digital converter. It is then "Processed," and the digital signal goes through a digital to analog converter, and back out (that is two conversions and some processing, assuming there are no analog components to boost, tweak, and phase-correct your signal before the digital processing. I'm leery of people who claim "exact" digital delays, especially from stompboxes running under $200). Personally, I find the Boss DD-5 to be a very mechanical and shiny reproduction of my sound? which is not bad, but I don't like it to be my only option for delay. The Akai offers a high frequency roll-off, which would defeat the DD-5's overwhelming coldness, but even WITHOUT the high frequency damping, the Headrush doesn't have that overly metallic sound. The damping is still a nice feature to queer your echoes, if you like, but you don't have to do it.

The sounds are smooth, and the digital conversion is hi-fi, as slick as you'll find on any pedal, and smoother and more real-sounding than most. The trade-off is a little bit of noise on the floor? not bad, not even bad enough to stop me from recording with it, but it does exist (the Headrush may be smoother than the Boss DD-5, but the Boss is quieter).

The real reason I bought the Headrush, though, is the real-time looping functions, and the looper works remarkable well. Being able to split the signal from the pedal, with the Effect Out playing the loop, and apply effects separately, chalks up lots and lots of real-time user-friendliness points for me. Good timing for the start and stop of the initial loop is essential, but not too difficult to master, and punching in overdubs is effortless.

I like Akai gear, and I haven't had any of their stuff fail on me. I haven't had the Headrush long, but I trust it.

Never talked to them

The Headrush makes my world a better place. Simply because I can randomly lay down chords, melody, bassline, and set them all running on an endless loop in under thirty seconds, it should win a songwriting tool award. I love being able to run endless dubbing of melodic lines, blurring out into infinity? it's a beautiful effect in itself, especially if the loop is just a little out of time with the song, so that the "end" of the phrase being looped never turns the corner with the last phrase played.

As a straight delay pedal, I'm glad to have it in my arsenal. The Headrush is more organic sounding than my Boss DD-5 and has cleaner operation than my analog delay. Though I still prefer the DD-5 for several applications, Boss's pedal has special settings for tap tempo and wet/dry out, and will never let you split a dry line and a delay signal with a tapped tempo? the Headrush will let you tap-tempo any time, and the signal is splittable with up to five outputs.

Though it is not a perfect piece of gear, and it can't really emulate a tape delay, this is a great little echo box and looper, and it sells - new - for under $200. I couldn't be happier.

Its pretty damn easy to use..I mean if your Retarded then this Pedal is not for you.

I have a Yngwie Malmsteen Fender Strat and a Marshall Mark II 50 watt head with a Marshall 4x12 Cabinet(this is pretty much Malmsteen's exact setup). Its not noisy on any of the Settings though my Setup. I can get a Good sound like Pink Floyd stuff. My favorite solo to play is Floods by PanterA and the delay with this thing is Perfect.

I just got this Pedal so I can't really tell ya Yet.

I told ya I just got this Fucker.

I love this Thing. I was iffy on buying a 170 dollar pedal Cause i'm kinda of a Cheapy but i said FUCK I brought a 1400 dollar Guitar right i want The Phat ass Setup!! anyway this thing is badass i use of alot of solos and even on Clean..With alittle Chorus and This Delay pedal you can get some Killer Clean sounds man..Like Pink FLoyd shit all the Way!

Very easy to use... Functions for looping are a cinch- you shouldnt even need the manual! The Mode selector should have been an additional footswitch so Modes could be changed without having to bend down!

Some have complained about excessive noise... but i find its pretty quiet with my rig. The tape echo simulation is solid... Sounds good and cheesy, like almost every tape machine I've ever heard... that's the point right? The extra outputs for the tape mode seem to be an unnecessary luxury, but man, does it sound sweet! The traditional delay mode is not very flexible... I have heard much better, with smaller boxes and even older racks... My 16-year old Ibanez Digital Delay Rack has it all over the Headrush. Small quibble... this thing is realy geared for looping and retro echo sounds (in fact i say get rid of the Standard Delay Mode and expand some other features like Looping time) Tap feature works great in live settings. Looping sound quality is EXCELLENT with no discernable degradation in sound, even after half a dozen layers...Believe me, you low budget looping geeks, you will not want to put this box down!!!

No problems whatsoever.

I tried to call Akai just to get some info about future models of the Headrush. Good luck finding a usable number. Emailed weeks ago and havent heard back yet. Bummer.

Despite the packaging this is quality box. I bought it primarily for the looping feature and i have been thrilled with it. If you have given up ever finding a Jamman or dont foresee coughing up $1,000 for the Oberheim Echoplex, WITHOUT QUESTION, this is the route to go. I have tinkered with the Line 6 Delay Modeler and apart from the Reverse Function, the Headrush is superior. Expand the overdub looping time, add a reverse function--- and for goodness sake--- have an "Infinite Hold" feature for the Dealy Modes!!!! and this thing is near perfection- for the price, its still unbeatable!

This thing's the easiest effect i think i've seen. the knobs are clearly marked, big enough to grab with your toes, only the mode selector switch needs to be bigger. there was a manual, but i didn't need it.

i'm using this in a chain with 8 other effects into a 65 deluxe reverb. the only noise is the 60 cycle hum in every guitar rig. the effect perfectly recreates the sound of my guitar. what more could you ask for?

it's been on the road with me for two years. not a problem, not even from the ac adaptor. backup? why?

no idea, never needed it.

i play music not heard on this planet yet. i've been playing for 20 years, and all my gear is top of the line. if someone stole it, they would die. the tap tempo works perfect, the knobs are big, the selector switch was easily changed out to a bigger one that i can hit with my foot. the sampler does not lag (an earlier revue said this), much like you have to practice playing with a metronome to get perfect timing, you have to train your foot to hit the start/stop PERFECTLY in time or the loop's off. and the four outputs? NO IT"S NOT FOR AN AMP, IT'S FOR A PA!!!! nothing sounds as cool as each tape head going to a different speaker on stage. i usually use mine so that the first head is on a low stack stage left, head 2's high stack stage right, then the other 2 heads are diagonally across from each other. try it, you'll like it.

easy

bigest problem: the original signal is always louder than the effect signal. so if you use it as a loop recorder, the loops are not as loud as the stuff that you play. i use the headrush for bass and i wanted to use it as a loop recorder: have you ever hard the bassline getting quieter while playing the same line ? that sucks ! anyway, it's a good tap - delay. i also dont't undersand for what the hell the tape echo has four heads: ever seen a bass/guitar-amp with 5(!) inputs ?

O.K. - theres a little switcher for chosing the efect type which is a bit instabil

Damn ! I tried to get this little problem with the difference beetween the original & the effect signal fixed. so my headrush came to the akai service in germany because it was new and i had guarantee for it. It took 2 month for them just to find out that eveything is "O.K" with it and that the original signal always has to be louder !

i'm playing all kinds of music. very often i play freely improvised music with a lot of space to use efects. i bought the headrush as a sample recorder beause there was no way to get a lexicon jamman. in fact i can't use it as a loop recorder and no it's only use is as tap delay. i had a boss delay pedal before and it was much smaller, cheaper and more stabil. so as a delay there are much better ones. a friend of mine uses the line 6 delay (the green one) which also has this sample mode and cost only a little more (offering much more of good efects.) I think that one is defintley the better choice !
And once again: the german akai serice sucks !

Like most sampler/delay units, it's intuitive as far as you are familiar with the variety of knobs and ranges. The layout is neat and not cluttered. The manual is useless but with some perseverance, you'll be coming up with cool sounds in no time. The on/off on the delay, once you get the hang of it, is really simple--but I swear that there is a miniscule lag between the end and the start of a sample phrase. I swear! The green/red lights are very informative and clear. You always know what's coming!

As others have reported, for the loop setting the initial signal is as good as it gets. But after repeated layering, the sound breaks up. This can be good if you're into tones that sound like a dull chainsaw. I love Damp effect on the delay setting which can make your echoes sound ghostly.

Solid--beautiful. I use two other delay units (Digitech 2sec and 8sec echo) and I'd still have faith in the Headrush to do its job.

My only gripe is that the level does not go beyond 50/50 mix in the two delay settings. This means that your original signal will always be at least on level with the delay. This is a limitation, especially for those who like to manipulate the delay signal for feedback repeats.
But for the money, this is top notch: delay, tape echo, and sampler. You gotta be kidding!

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i've just read too many reviews to let this go. as a general rule, put all of your time based effects (delay, phaser, flanger yadda ya) in the effects loop of your amp so they come after your pre-amp. don't put compression in your effects loop unless you really know what your doing with your rig, and wah and distortion sound strange in their too.

took acouple of hours to work out - haven't quite got into tape echo yet as mostly play live at small gigs thru amp alone - once timing on looping was sussed I love it.To the non-guitarist in the crowd they have no-idea what's going on - spin right out when you put the guitar down and parts are still playing.

for me it's ok,but I have a old modified dodgy fender head that was given to me when I bought my 1st $1000 guitar - when I get a better amp setup truth will avail.so far so good but crackles a bit with wah pedal.Works petty well with big muff though.Only have Fender Cyclone but holds up OK.

delay is pretty standard,and looping depends pretty much on own confidence to get timing right but gets muddy after more than 6 loops or so.Again so far so good for my needs - I play in Australian indie/experimental band.Could be a problem for dependance if you were,say,in a 3-piece,but again comes down to own ability/confidence

never had to call them

For me,with limited budget,I'm happy with it overall.I find it helpful in that some songs now don't need a 2nd guitarist,so for our experimental band its great - leaves other guys free to manipulate other devices!In right environment with more amps/better P.a's etc Tape echo might be cool,but haven't quite got there yet.

Took a few minutes to figure out. The echo and delay were pretty intuitive, but the looper took some practice to latch on to. Most of the problem was lining up the loop to sound seamless, but that came with practice.

I love this thing. My setup is: '63 Gibson Melody Maker > Big Muff > Dan-Echo > Headrush > Silverface Twin Reverb (I also have one of the echo heads running into a Fender Princeton). The sole reason that I bought this pedal was because of the band Don Caballero. Ian Williams had stacks and stacks of guitar parts twisting in and around eachother, and I wanted to be able to emulate that. The pedal itself has five outputs: a dry signal, a wet signal, and then three extra outputs for the echo setting. If you have enough amps, you can plug each of the heads into them and the guitar will ping itself around your room. Sounds badass to me. However, I mainly use the looper setting, so I'll talk about that. The pedal faithfully keeps your guitar sound. The first six or seven guitar overdubs remain clear and distinct, but once you get to about a dozen, the bottom layers start to muddy and eventually drop out with each added layer. However, that sort of disorientation has a neat effect, and after a while, everything just sort of turns into one tangle of sound. That's a good thing, by the way.

I haven't had any problems with it. It's made out of metal, and seems solid enough. I've never been one to jump around on stage, so I'm not too worried about kicking it or landing on it weird. It looks like it could take a certain degree of punishment, but since I spent $200 on it, I usually lean towards the side of overly cautious.

I really love this thing. I tend to play slower instrumental stuff (Papa M, Bedhead, Godspeed You Black Emperor), and this thing allows you to fill up as much or as little space as you want. While it's certainly not a Boomerang, and doesn't allow you to fade things out, it is, hands down, the best guitar effect that I've ever purchased. This thing is a catalyst for songs. Even if you're just playing lead over a three chord progression or if you're constructing, brick by brick, cities of guitar parts, it really adds a new level to improvisation and creativity.

It's quite easy to use--I find the response of the footswitches to be very quick. It's easy to dial in the amount of dullness in the delay sound you may desire. Looping in time (in live situations) is always difficult, but that has nothing to do with the machine and everything to do with you and/or your band not being able to play perfectly in time.

What I want to add here is a note about what this pedal (in a live context) does that no other pedal (including the Line 6 DL4) can do. It combines the ability to tap a tempo while the unit is off AND provides tape-delay-type dampened-high delay sounds. A small thing to some, but for me it's crucial. I can't stand exact digital delay sounds but also want to be able to have delays longer than what an analog delay can provide . . . AND, I want to be able to tap the tempo in anticipation of kicking it in. With the Line 6 delay box (which I also have) you have to kick it on and THEN tap the tempo . . . but it's too late by then if you're in the middle of a song and while you're tapping on the Line 6 to change the tempo you get all these weird digital mutings in your sound which is a SERIOUS buzz-kill. And the response of the Headrush's tap switch while the unit is engaged is great too--you can change the tempo of the delay without a noticeable muting of your signal. As for the quality of the delay sound, it's not quite as cool as a real tape echo or an analog delay--but it's very good . . . and you have the option of how much sharpness you subtract or add to the delay--something you can't do with a tape echo or analog delay. All this being said, I'll have to echo (sorry) several former coments and say that it is indeed a noisy pedal and I haven't found a way to quiet it down . . . it makes a sort of hissy whooshing sound basically at all times--not too loud, and certainly fine for live applications, but probably too much for recording a really quiet song.

It's been great. I've toured with it, thrown it around with an unadvisable amount of abandon, and never had a problem.

Never had to contact them.

I love this pedal, mainly for the reasons I discussed in the "Sound Quality" section. I play spacey indie rock and it really does a number on feedback . . . since you can roll out an exact amount of the highs, it doesn't freak out, but still encourages the feedback and you can easily get different notes laying over eachother. I thought when I bought the Line6 DL4 that it would take its place, but the Line6 just lacked the responsiveness I need for live situations . . . I felt distanced from it in a way you would expect with a rack item but not a pedal (it's all those damn split-second pauses between presets and different tapped tempos, and not being able to tap a tempo in advance). Anywho, if you have similar needs as I do (longer than a second delays with an analog sound that you can tap before or after kicking on without losing your vibe) then this pedal is a must. If not, well, it's still very cool.

Real easy to use in looping mode (which is the use I bought it for). Step on one button to start recording, and another to end recording and simultaneously start playback/looping. Since the timing can't be adjusted once the sample has been recorded, you need to pay REALLY careful attention to the measures you play during sampling. A little practice (and counting to yourself) seems to fix most of these issues.

I am using it with a Gison SG played through a Mesa Boogie Nomad 45. It sounds pretty good- you have to listen carefully to hear when it is playing and you're not. I find it amusing to just use headphones in the mix output of the pedal (no amp) for late night practice sessions with my "combo of one" playing rhythm and lead simultaneously.

It seems really well built. Switches are sturdy, and give good touch feedback when engaged. I don't think reliability is the main issue on gigging with this unit. Before using the pedal on a gig, you should be sure you can hit the timing right 100% of the time for the pieces you plan on performing. If you screw up a little, it is hard to recover, short of stopping and re-recording. This is evidently not as much of a problem is you plan to record with it.

Only had it for a week- no chance for comment in this section.

I play a variety of music styles, from blues to folk to plain old rock and roll (remember that ?). The thing I like is that when I solo, there is still the nice, steady rhythm (mine!) playing in the background. It avoids the "who stopped playing" questions that often arise during solos.

If you are only going to use it as a "practice partner", you should get this thing. You'll find a number of ways to use it. I would definitely get another if stolen.

The only limitation is that it would be "nice" if it had a longer record time, but this thing is not a rack-based looper. If your muse requires you to be looping for several minutes, you probably already have the (expensive) hardware to do it. Another thing that might be nice would be a way to adjust volume during sampling. As it is now, I just boost my guitar's volume to "step out". It would be nice to reduce the pedal's volume instead, or in addition to that.

Final word- it's fun to play with this thing!

in looper mode, the buttons aren't quite as intuitive as you might think, but it's nothing you can't get the hang of.

my biggest bitch: y'can't stop playback and start recording a new loop simultaneously. the old loop has to be stopped with the playback switch before you can start a new one with the record switch. in my case, this may require the mastery of some sort of ancient, deadly foot-pivoting technique, if you catch my drift.

compared this side-by-side to a boomerang-- the boomerang added *lots* of hiss and had some problems with noticeable high end rolloff. too bad. this, on the other hand, adds a noticeable amount of hum whether on or off. it's not too bad clean, but don't expect to put this before a hot preamp channel, unless you have a noise gate to run in between. perhaps a distortion pedal *before* the headrush is the way to go. or perhaps i just have a bunk unit.

in looper mode, there is a little high frequency rolloff, but it's barely noticeable in most cases. still, given that this thing samples at 44.1/16, you'd think there would be ZERO attenuation of the highs.

delay is alright, sure wish it had modulation on board, but you can't really argue with 24 seconds of delay time. don't particularly care for the "tape echo" effects, the LF rolloff sounds cheesy and fake (and has anyone really hooked up four amps to this thing? i've got enough amps, i'm just too lazy to do it...).

um... who cares? the real reason to own this thing, as alluded to in all the prior reviews, is the looper. and with a little less hum, this would be one killer loopin' machine! hell, it's still pretty cool.

i'd been eyeing this for a while-- then i spotted don caballero using two of them in their new "reduced" three-man lineup. amazingly enough, they were able to perform the majority of their best-known repertoire (with only a few structural changes to certain songs) using this little toy. i didn't get a close enough look at the guitarist's rig, but i'm assuming that the two were being used in parallel through two amps in order to maintain their high-gain multiple-ostinati craziness to its fullest (don't expect to sustain the clarity of individual lines when overdubbing and playing this into a high-gain preamp!).

i wasn't expecting to be overwhelmed by don cab without the presence of their second guitarist, but in the words of wesley willis, they whipped the horse's ass with a belt. "how'd they do that?", you'll ask if you've heard their records. so i was pretty much sold on the headrush from there on out.

my only wishes for akai: kill off the noise, make memory expandable (11.9 seconds of overdubbable looping is adequate for many things, yet totally useless for many others), beef up the output level, and make it easier to start up a new loop in a live context a la boomerang. with such a device, world domination couldn't be far behind.

Very easy to use, especially the loop-recorder mode. Delays are controlled by the same parameters as any analog delay (ie Memory Man etc), and have a logical cotnrol scheme.

Don't know why several commented on noise in the previous reviews. Very quiet and appears to be true-bypass (no residual noise when loop/delay is inactive. I play it through the level-controled fx loop on a Trace Elliot Speed Twin (100W, 2ch all tube) head with zero noise, and it works on my MesaBoogie SOB combo as well. No noise when used in front of the amp input either. On my little class-A practice amp (Trace Elliot Velocette 12R) it performs quietly in front. Never any noise what so ever or I would have returned it.

The looper sounds amazing. I generally don't use the delays as much, for I prefer my E-H and Yamaha analog delay/echos, but the sampler is totally worth the price twice over. Pleanty of sample time for most applications (24s one track, 12.5s infinate overdubs), and the overdub gives you a great layered sound and some unique tones. I've seen several bands using these lately, recording/looping on the fly, which is very easy to pull off once you get used to the two-button configuration.

When layering, the overdubs tend to cut into the high-range of previous tracks, but the the sounds are cool and some very unique synth sounds come through when several dense tracks are juxtaposed.

The looper can maintain what you record indefinately without quality loss (weeks) as long as you don't record over it by mistake or unplug the AC.

The 4-output tape-delay is very cool to run through multiple amps and creates the most amazingly lush delay sounds when the outputs are spatially separated right. Totally overkill for a live rig, but very fun for practice. As for true tape-delay emulation, well not exactly. There is a knob that I call the lo-fi knob, which acts to murk up the output signal and simulate analog, but it just trims off high freq sound and kills the bright tones. Definately a novel function, but the result is still digital-delay. At least you dont have to replace worn tape or worry about the mechanical failute that haunted the old tape rigs.

No problem after 100+ hours of use. Great construction.

I've got a few akai products, from multitrack to samplers. and they are extremely helpful when I e-mail them with questions. I've never had to return any of their stuff, so I can't comment on that end of their support op.

Great unit, very reasonable price. The loop-recorder is the main feature, but the other features are great as well. This pedal is always in front of my guitar and I actually have to resist using it too much since it's so fun to play with.

Easy to use - Although manipulation of the volume level could be easier - I learned how to use it right out of the box.

I've heard about other people having trouble with noise distortion and such, but I'm not receiving any from my amp (Fender Princeton 65). The device sits about 4 feet in front and to the left of my amp. Distance from the amp is certainly a factor with any effect pedal. To get better volume levels, I suggest leaving the level knob at about halfway up or more. Needs better level manipulation (like a foot pedal).

Very sturdy metal casing and pedals. The knobs are of plastic. I wouldn't fear taking this thing on a gig.

Haven't talked with the company yet

I really researched this product before I bought it. I have had it for two weeks and love using it for back up rhythms and special effects. Excellent for all those Trey Anastasio wanna-be's. If you're a beginner with looping this is an ideal device, because it doesn't cost much, and it is crude, so you are forced to fine tune your rhythm skills.

This thing is pretty simple. It has three modes: Tape Echo, Normal Delay, and Looping Recorder. The Echo and Delay have your usual delay and feedback controls, plus a High Frequency Damping control. The Level control is weird because a 50/50 mix between dry and effect is totally clockwise.

In Tape Echo mode you get a Ratio and Head Gap control. These allow you to get some cool multi-tap sounds, but I don't understand how these controls work together; the manual doesn't explain it, either.

The Looping mode is easy to use: hit the right button to start recording, then hit the left button at the very end of what you want looped. It's not quite as intuitive as a switch that you hold your foot on until you're done recording, but I actually like this way better. The manual doesn't explain it well, though. I give it an 8 here because of lousy documentation.

I'm playing a PRS EG-3 into a Mesa/Boogie MkIV combo hooked up to an old Marshall 8x10 (with a few different kinds of speakers in it). I tried the Headrush in front of the amp and in the effects loop.

The quality of the delay is very good. I looped a riff while my rhythm guitarist wasn't looking, and he thought I was playing the whole time (until I started building more parts over top). The Tape Echo probably doesn't sound anything like a real tape machine. I wouldn't know. It feels digital, I guess. The multi-tap sounds are really cool, but otherwise I don't think this mode is very different from the Normal Delay mode; they both have the High Frequency control.

Ok, here are the problems: When I hook it up IN FRONT of my amp, there is a lot of noise. HOWEVER, I plugged my guitar into my practice amp, put the preamp output into the pedal and out to the input of my MkIV, and the noise was gone! I don't think the Akai's input is optimized for instrument levels.

So, I tried it in my effects loop, which I would greatly prefer for loops. On the clean channel, it's clear as a bell. On the lead channel, there are problems. I like to run the lead channel volume at 10 to overdrive the power amp more at high levels, but this is too much for the Headrush. There isn't any digital clipping, so it must have some kind of limiter on the input. The delays and loops end up being less that half as loud as the dry signal. SERIOUS BUMMER! So now I need something for make-up gain after the Akai if I want to use it in my loop. This is whay I give it a 7.

I've head bad stuff about Akai equipment, but this thing seems sturdy. We'll see . . .

Don't know yet. I'm going to try to talk to somebody about the input gain issue. Maybe I'll post the results of that.

You could find a use for this thing in ANY kind of music. It opens up some great possibilities, and it's a lot of fun.

Two warnings, though: 1) If you want to use it in front of your amp, get a preamp pedal to put in front of it so the input gain is maximized, and noise is minimized. 2) Don't expect it to work in your effects loop. Find an old Jam-Man, or something. Otherwise it sounds great!

It's very easy to figure out how this works. Using it is simple enough. However, the standard stomp switch is probably not the best idea for the sample/tap button, making precise taps/loops more difficult than neccesary--there's a little delay as the switch engages--most annoying..

This unit is very noisy, on or off. It is NOT true bypass (no idea why they're advertising it as such).

That said, the delays/loops sound pretty accurate and the echoplex sounds are warm and quite nice.

Your normal guitar sound will be considerable noisier though.

It seems reliable and reasonably solid, given the price

For the money it has good features and it's fun to mess around with. Within minutes I was able to get some cool layered loops going, mostly reasonably in time with each other.

It has no battery compartment, which seems silly.

The noise and lack of true bypass is my biggest beef. I'm not generally nutty about noise but in this case (especially since they were using the old stompbox swtiches anyway!) they should have gone the true bypass route. Other than that (plus battery and awkward switch), I've enjoyed the Headrush.

Note: I primarily use a Strat into either old tweed amps, or a Sonic Cord amp (http://www.soniccord.com) which is a class A EL34 amp (pretty tweed/Marshall-like). My musical tastes are in the Latin Playboys/Los Lobos category--everything from mean and nasty guitar to small rootsy guitar grooves.

Getting great sounds from the Headrush is a breeze. The controls are simple and intuitive. Tweaking delay times is a snap with the tap-tempo function. The knob that lets you set the degradation rate in tape-echo mode is very nice for dialing in authentic Echoplex sounds. The to-the-point manual covers the bases for the unit's three functions (digital delay, tape echo simulation, and sampling) clearly and consisely. The only thing that's tricky is getting the hang of ending recording of a loop at the right time so playback is in sync -- you have to be sure to end the recording on the right beat. But practice makes perfect. The whole interface is pretty damned ingenious.

I use the Headrush with a G&L Legacy (Leo's last strat), Mesa Maverick combo, and a fairly extensive complement of other pedals. The Headrush sounds fantastic -- its pristine delays easily dust the Boss DD-5 that's also part of my rig (though I sometimes use them in conjunction, getting delays from the Boss and loops from the Akai), and you can roll off the highs on the delayed sounds to avoid that clinical, digitized sound a lot of units have. The tape-echo is organic and Echoplex-y, though for some reason it seems easier to get "reverb" delay sounds with my Danelectro Dan-Echo . The loops are very hi-fi. If you add layer after layer, there's some tonal degradation, but in a very cool way -- the sound can become keyboard-like, and harmonized bends start to sound like slide or steel. Too bad there's no reverse-playback option, but for the price, you really can't expect more. Delay and sample times are generous -- 23.8 second DDL, 5.8 second tape echo, and 23.8 second loops (11.8 if you want to overdub). And incidentally, it has true-bypass switching, which means that your dry signal is uncolored by the box.

I have no hesitation at all using this thing on a gig. It's encased in a tough metal box, and the knobs, switches and jacks all seem to be of good quality.

N/A.

I play improvisational, Dead-Allman-Tull-inspired music in a couple of bands, and the Headrush works well in both. It's especially handy in the four-piece group, wherein I'm the only electric guitarist -- the looping sampler lets me keep a rhythm groove going when it comes time to solo. I've been playing for more than 25 years, and this box is one of the most inspired effects units I've ever stumbled into. Its delays are so good that they'd probably justify the box by themselves, but the real kicker is the looping -- a whole lot of looping power for less than half the price of a Boomerang. If only it had reverse-playback capability. Were it lost or stolen, I'd happily get another one. If you want a good delay or have a yen to experiment with looping, buy this unit!

After getting adapted to the controls it's easy to get perfect delay or echo sounds. That's all I have used it for to this point. The manual is detailed and straight forward.

I use it in front of a Soldano Atomic in place of reverb. Operation is dead quiet and works great for slap back rockabilly and with the use of a whammie on my Strat I get super surf tones. Or I can easily dial in that Neil Young Cortez/No More tone with the tape echo. All who have heard this effect comment on it's great tone.

I bought the first one to reach the Denver area and have used it almost every day since June. No Problems. It ain't an Echoplex. It's quieter and has high quality button switches and a steel casing, ( no wood box ) and seems to be built as well as any pedal out there. I'd have no heartburn about gigging with unit whatever. My rating is subject to time used.

I haven't needed to contact them so I can't say.

I'd rate this unit as excellent. I'm totally happy with it. It's an effect you could build a signature tone around,( excluding Blues),regardless of style of music. Rich and organic layering abilities. I have not tried it through my acoustic system as of yet so I can't say there but for electric you can't go wrong.

Fisrt, English is not my usual language. So...
This unit is a kind of 2 in 1. You have 2 differents echo modes: Tape echo and digital echo. Plus a loop recorder up to 23 seconds. The digital echo is quite simple to use and have all the usual commands that you can find on any good echo effect. There is also 2 buttons to set the speed. The first is the macro setting (From fast to slow) and the second is for fine tuning (Micro setting). The speed can also be set by the last two tap on the footswitch witch is very powerfull for live performance. Note that both echo mode use this switch. The tape echo is much harder to set because there is more parameters involved. It simulate a 4 heads echo tape. you have one output for each head or you can use the MIX output. Very versatile. You have to adjust the distance between the heads (like a real one), the output level for each head and the high frequency degradation like the Dan-Echo. If you take the time to assimilate it you'll find it very versatile and powerfull. Ok Now the loop recorder : There is my second effect. Note that there is two way to use it. If you want to record a musical phrase and overdub on that first phrase another phrase and so on you'll have only 12.3 secods to record your first phrase. At the time you push the footswitch it begin to record. Near the 9 second the led flash for three seconds telling you that the overdub limit has almost been reached. At this time you have 2 choices: Stop the loop by pressing the footswitch or continue with the recordind until the non-overdubbing time of 23 seconds. If you have stopped before the first 12.3 seconds you'll be able to overdub as many phrases as you want (i tested more that 5 ). And there is no degradation in the sampling. You must be very IN TEMPO when you stop recording the loop. If you do so you will NOT have timing trouble like someone said here.
Take the time to know it well...

I use it with a Nashville Deluxe Telecaster and an American Standard Strat. I use a Fender Hot-Rod Deville 4x10 and also a fender Dual Showman. Here what i must tell you : You can adjust the output freq on the repeated sound to match the original sound. So forget the "Plastic Sound" and the "Artificial sound" that you have on too many others echo effects. When i was trying it in the music store, i had it thru the effects loop of the amp (Same as mine). No noisy sound at all. But on mine when i pass thru the effects loop i have a very bad noisy sound...!"/$% . It's may be my amp...but for now i put it in my efx chain before the pream section and i got no noisy sound...

It is made in a strong box and the dimensions (6"x7") are much bigger than regular pedal. Yes i would go with no net. The only thing is that you have to stop playing to change from the echo mode to the recording loop with the HANDswitch. Forget your feet to make this change.

I dont't know for now, but AKAI is not "Clin-clin ABC" Compagny...
I have a full 1 year warranty from the music store that i know for many years now.

I use to play guitar since almost 20 years. I play on regular time for my self and going on stage in local places about 20 time a year. Blues, and music from the 60...and some compo that now turn easier...
Yes i will surely buy it again if it was stolen or lost. It's much expensive that a regular echo but you have the loop recorder that can be easily used in live performance or to express your musical inspiration..Good for the solo musician. You can easily make your self a recorded part to be played and jam on... So i think this is a good echo pedal with a real good sound and good sampling features. And once again excuse my english...

THE ONLY THING I USE THIS FOR IS THE LOOPER, everything else is just digital delay.
it ain't easy to use, but something like this shouldn't be easy to just "dial in" the effect. in order to truly use this pedal, be prepared to sit down for awhile and truly experiment

a tad noisy. it does suck tone as well.
but it is a 23 second looper for under 200 bucks. what more can you ask for. i use this with about twenty other effex, so i am a complete pedal geek. i know what i like, why i like it and i like this.

i have only had it for a few weeks.
it still works, so i am sure that tender care will keep it working

took forever to get it.

i play stuff like mr. bungle. i also play lap steel. i am the designated noise maker of the band, so this with a real analog delay and a whammy pedal pretty much takes me where i want to go.

Some knobs have two uses, printing is kinda small, but it's not much harder than your garden variety delay, but does a LOT more.

Excellent! A lot of ground covered in one box-
1. Multi-tap tape emulation with a control for how much degradation from one repeat to the next, each tap can be output to a different amp for a total of up to 5. You can stand in the middle and have the delay pingpong your notes all over the room-who needs drugs!
2. Loop-can record a single loop up to 23 seconds, or a loop to overlay your next notes on up to 11.5 seconds-be Robert Frip in your own basement.
3. Straight echo-up to 8 seconds delay!!!
If you can't afford a Boomerang, this will do everything except the reverse delay.

Looks well built, I've never worked with Akai.

See above.

I play blues (loops are cool for soloing over), rock (that pingpong delay is just too cool) and some acoustic stuff (just use a little slapback). It'll be great for all of them. Run, don't walk, to your local retailer and BUY THIS PEDAL! Bob

The E1 is very simple to use. Although I purchased as an economical replacement for the now extinct Jamman I am quite pleased with this unit. There are no exact adjustment settings for time delays, all three modes are strictly tap tempo or loop record stop/start. This is not a problem, actually for me an advantage being able to set on the fly. Loop is a good 11 seconds plus if you want to layer, 23 seconds plus if you don't. Delays standard and tap are 23 seconds plus. Another nice feature is that it will spill over in delay mode when you tap out, not leaving a noticable void but the remaining regenerations run out as per setting. I like that. I must have a newer version purchased in 6/99, I have experienced no problems what so ever in the loop or tap concerning timing, works flawlessly. Very easy to use.

The sound quality is great, although have noticed with my setup that it does tend to clip easy on input. I am going to use this pedal all the time for delay. I have an old tape maestro echo-plex ep-3 that is not going to be used anymore (sorry not for sale), this emulates an old tube unit better than I can remember. I use a gt-5, ts-9, ada mp-1, a rack full of stuff and old mkII half and silver faced twin. I think this delay pedal is better than any of my digital delays thru the years. It really not only sounds good thru the mkII if feels good. I have not experienced that with any of this digital stuff having always preferred analog whenever possible. Got it for $169 at zzounds.com, it really is worth a spin. Originally purchased for the loop function (very nice) I found it has a real strength in the analog tape sim echo. My unit does not have the noise level previously reported by other users. Just watch the input level.

Have not had any problems.

Have not had any problems.

It was fairly easy to use the delays but the manual wasn't very good. I happend onto some things that it could do that were not in the manual. It has three functions: Tape echo sim./Digital tap delay/loop recorder. These are changed with a little switch. It has two stomp switches one is on off the other is the tap tempo. These same switches are used to record and play back loops. My main problem was with the loop recorder. At the end of every loop there was a pause while the loop began again. I could not get this thing to work in a live setting. Every time the loop started over it would be out of tempo. If there is a way around this I could not figure it out and the manual made no mention of it. The delays were pretty easy to figure out and easy to use.

This unit has 4 outputs. I ran three to a mixer and through a pa, the other I ran to a mesa boogie mk2. I used a strat plus to test it out. The tap delay sounded ok. I really couldn't hear a difference between the delay and the tape simulator. They both worked the same and share the same controls but with different parameters (although they seem to be the same things with different names). This unit is supposed to be true bypass. It added static to the chain on or off and seemed to rob bass response. My other true bypass pedals don't do this. You have to use the included wall a/c adapter so that could be what causes the static. The delay was ok, nothing really great. As I said above I couldn't get the loop recorder to work in tempo so it sounded pretty bad (I spent alot of time with it also trying to get it to work right).

n/a I returned it. It seemed like it was a solid pedal though.

I returned it!

It is an ok delay but I don't think it is worth 200 dollars. To me the loop feature was worthless. Maybe you can get it to work properly? I would definatley try it out before buying it, because it doesn't live up to the ads. If the looper would of worked right I think it would of been a cool pedal. With out the loop it is an overpriced digital delay!