HeadRush MX5: A Compact, Easy to Use, and Fully Featured Guitar FX and Amp Modeling Processor

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One problem I have always had with guitar gear is the size and number of gear needed to get many great tones. For years I just used a pedal and a cheap amp and imagined what the tones could really be. The HeadRush MX5 has just been introduced, and it might be the most powerful and easiest to use compact guitar FX and amp modeling processor ever.

HeadRush MX5 being used by a woman sitting on her bed with an electric guitar

Guitarists can now edit and create tones super-fast using the HeadRush MX5’s 4″ touch display which enables guitarists to touch, swipe, and drag-and-drop to create and edit their tones in a super-fast and intuitive way. The large display will give clear feedback when performing live, and there is a “Hands-Free Mode” with the built-in expression pedal for making tone changes.

HeadRush MX5 promo shot

 

The HeadRush MX5 has three footswitches with individual RGB LEDs, an expression pedal (with adjustable tension and built-in toe switch), and plenty of inputs and outputs on the rear panel, including  a 1/4”
guitar input, a stereo pair of 1/4” balanced outputs, 1/8” aux input, 1/8” headphone output, MIDI I/O, and a 1/4” stereo FX loop.

The stereo FX loop can be used for integrating external FX pedals and placing them anywhere in the MX5’s signal chain, as well as enabling MX5 to connect to traditional guitar and bass amplifiers via the four-cable method. There is also a USB port, which can be used to record or re-amp at studio quality (up to 24-bit 96kHz), transfer presets and loops, and perform upgrades when they are released.

A man plays his electric guitar which is plugged into the HeadRush MX5 while a woman checks the output on her laptop

Here are the HeadRush MX5’s Key Features:

• Multi-core processor with powerful modeling and fx technology
• High-resolution 4” touch display with guitarist-centric interface
• Versatile library of realistic & responsive amplifier, cabinet, mic, and FX models
• Load virtually unlimited custom impulse response (IR) files
• Gapless preset switching with reverb/delay tail spillover
• Hands-free edit mode for quick on-the-fly live editing
• Premium Looper with save and load features
• Built-in expression pedal with adjustable tension and toe-switch
• Stereo FX loop for connecting external FX or 4-cable connectivity with guitar/bass amps
• Built-in studio-quality USB audio interface for recording and re-amping

The HeadRush MX5’s diverse library includes 50 guitar and bass amp models, 15 speaker cabinet models with 10 microphone emulations, 300 impulse responses, and 66 premium FX models. These sounds are made with unrivaled accuracy and authentic, dynamic response. HeadRush will continue to expand the library with regular updates that will add new models and features based on user requests and feedback.

 

The MX5 can change the way guitarists find their tones; it retails for $399.

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About the Author

Travis Ehrlich
Travis is a high school teacher and coach in a small South Texas town. His love for gadgets began at a very early age, and he has been a cross between a jock and a geek for most of his life. He has two boys and a wonderful wife who lets him be a gadget freak. He is a Mac convert and has drank the whole pitcher of Kool-Aid! He is also an avid guitar player and loves the outdoors, especially hunting with both a bow and rifle.