Elektron Analog Heat, thoughts, alternatives...Heat +FX!!!

[cryophonik]

Ditto

[cryophonik]

Ditto

[zerocrossing]

The all-in-one solution is very preferable to me. I went down the pedal route for a short period and did not really enjoy that. I also love the idea of Overbridge for Heat. The digital effects sound good to me - better than many of the onboard effects on some of my synths. That said, when I first saw that the Heat +FX had a compressor, I was expecting/hoping it would be the same analog compressor from the RYTM mk2 (which is really awesome IMO), but oh well.

I just ordered 4 pedals that are packed up and ready to return. Each one had a flaw that was a deal breaker for me. They were either unremarkable sounding or noisy. I bought them on a whim. The idea was that each had a way of real time control (pedal or joystick) that would make them more fun than a plugin, but I should have just gotten some cool MIDI controllers instead.

I’ve not yet looked at the Heat +Effects, but it is definitely interesting in concept. I liked the Heat MK1, but using it via USB was adding too much latency for my taste. I’m now totally convinced that I’m also no longer a pedal guy, though I like my Blackstar HT-5 Dual Channel tube distortionnn

[vitocorleone123]

Analog heats without the FX go for about 500 second hand, I guess you have to ask yourself if you need 8 types of distortion and if the digital fx are good enough for you….there are many alternatives if you use a couple of pedals but that obviously has pros and cons. There are a lot of advantages on paper with the all in one solution, I just didn’t end up using them!

I chose Acidbox 3 over Heat - sounds better to me. No Overbridge, though. But it's also stereo, has an envelope follower and LFO, and is pretty much 100% analog. Those cost even less.

Yes but the main feature of HEAT are the 8 different analog overdrive settings from warmth to distortion), you have the filters, envelopes and 2 LFOs on top of that as well as presets (which I find very useful as also good for guitar etc) and overbridge…

Yea, there’s fewer total features in the Acidbox 3 by about 1/3 (1 LFO, no EQ, no presets or Overbridge… but it has an positive and negative envelope follower, several LFO shapes, saturation to distortion and a killer filter and resonance, etc) - but it still sounded 1/3 better to me. And it happened to be cheaper, too. It’s meant to be played like an instrument, live.

It’s the totality of the new one that’s appealing to those who don’t want a ton of pedals or are 100% Elektron.

[Uncle E]

I just ordered 4 pedals that are packed up and ready to return. Each one had a flaw that was a deal breaker for me. They were either unremarkable sounding or noisy.

Which pedals?

I should have just gotten some cool MIDI controllers instead

DJ Tech Tools MIDI Fighter Twister + Turnado + DJMFilter

[Uncle E]

it still sounded 1/3 better to me.

Interesting. In what ways does it sound better? Did you them compare side-by-side?

[vitocorleone123]

it still sounded 1/3 better to me.

Interesting. In what ways does it sound better? Did you them compare side-by-side?

Side by side? No, I wasn't able to do so. Same day use? Yes.

The Heat just sounded more... artificial? The Acidbox is grittier if you push it just a little, or use the filter at all (Polivoks!), and the resonance on the Acidbox 3 is also excellent. The input knob on the Acibox 3 starts saturating around the midpoint, on up to analog distortion (with a built in limiter - though it's no brickwall). The Heat has the EQ, which does matter, and was the one thing that made the Heat attractive to me - and helped it sound bettter. I also didn't find many of the Heat modes "convincing". It wasn't a huge sonic difference, but the Acidbox 3 had a ... maybe... richer sound?

It's probably a matter of preference, like most things, that I liked it better. In all fairness, it's probably competitive on the saturation/distortion for much less money, but also with less features and no digital interface like the Heat has. I added an Ottobit Jr before it, so, between the two, there's some serious grime (the Ottobit Jr has a resonant filter knob, the Acidbox 3 a separate filter and resonance -both large and inviting to use).

The Acidbox3 is not the best for if you need a sharp, cutting, tight bass, though, because the left and right channels are a touch on the loose side - there's a tiny bit of separation/offset/lag (reduced to almost nothing but still just barely there when in Bypass). The Heat would probably be better in that regard.

[Uncle E]

Thanks. It sounds like that's something I'd be into.

[zerocrossing]

I just ordered 4 pedals that are packed up and ready to return. Each one had a flaw that was a deal breaker for me. They were either unremarkable sounding or noisy.

Which pedals?

AttackDecay (polyphonic volume swell that sounds terrible)
Cockfight (good, but it was part of my volume-filter-pitch manipulation plan)
Melee (great, but was to live in the AttackDecay’s effect loop)
Bigsby (good using clean, but noisy for mid and high gain)

I should have just gotten some cool MIDI controllers instead

DJ Tech Tools MIDI Fighter Twister + Turnado + DJMFilter

I ended up ditching the MIDI controller idea. Instead, I’m getting a HX Stomp XL and using my db Instrument 4e dual axis pedal to control it.

[vitocorleone123]

Thanks. It sounds like that's something I'd be into.

Side note: if you want to sync the LFO it needs cv input - there’s no digital sync. I was using a MIDI2CV converter and sending 1/4 note pulses. Now my Midronome is taking care of that duty.

[Uncle E]

Bigsby (good using clean, but noisy for mid and high gain)

<snip>

I ended up ditching the MIDI controller idea. Instead, I’m getting a HX Stomp XL and using my db Instrument 4e dual axis pedal to control it.

Bummer about the Bigsby. They make it sound amazing in the videos. How about use your pedal to control Kuassa Whammo?

[zerocrossing]

Bigsby (good using clean, but noisy for mid and high gain)

<snip>

I ended up ditching the MIDI controller idea. Instead, I’m getting a HX Stomp XL and using my db Instrument 4e dual axis pedal to control it.

Bummer about the Bigsby. They make it sound amazing in the videos. How about use your pedal to control Kuassa Whammo?

I’ll try it. Now I’m just doing it the old fashioned way. I love my Steinberger’s Transtrem, but the bar is always just a bit off in positioning. I need to just hammer it a bit. I didn’t really need the Bigsby, but I thought it would fit a bigger picture and also give me a spring loaded expression, but it was too expensive to be just that. It did sound very good into clean tones. It was just high gain sounds that were a bit too noisy for me. I used to be more tolerant of that, but now I need my effects to be as clean as possible.

[cryophonik]

Suddenly, my local Craigslist has a half dozen ads from people dumping their Heat mk1 and mk2s, some for pretty cheap. Maybe I’ll grab a deal on a mk2 and see how I get on with it while I wait for people to start dumping their +FX versions.

Not a bad decision… you’ll likely make a small profit.

Well, since the Heat+FX is still unobtainium, I started watching mk2 prices drop and just scored a ridiculous deal on a like-new one for dirt cheap. Should be here later this week.

[DrGonzo]

Anyone here managed to get their hands on the FX yet?

[cryophonik]

Anyone here managed to get their hands on the FX yet?

I just found a deal on a practically new one, so I’ll have my dirty little hands all over it later this week!

I’ve been using my mk2 on just about everything since I got it - drum machines, synths, mastering via OB in Logic, etc. It’s become my favorite soundgooderizer, so I just might keep it and have both versions to run simultaneously.