Headrush MX5 User manual

User Guide

(English)

Manual Version 1.2

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................................................ 4

Box Contents ....................................................................................... 4

Support ................................................................................................ 4

Features ................................................................................................. 5

Top Panel ............................................................................................. 5

Rear Panel ........................................................................................... 6

Setup ...................................................................................................... 7

Operation ................................................................................................ 8

Main Screen......................................................................................... 8

Overview ............................................................................................................................ 8

Basic Operations .............................................................................................................. 8

Reverb/Delay Tail Spillover ............................................................................................. 10

Signal Path .........................................................................................................................11

Stereo vs. Mono .............................................................................................................. 12

Footswitch Modes ............................................................................. 13

Rigs .................................................................................................... 14

Creating a New Rig ......................................................................................................... 14

Optimizing Your Signal Chain......................................................................................... 14

Saving a Rig ...................................................................................................................... 15

Deleting a Rig ................................................................................................................... 15

Adjusting Settings ............................................................................. 16

Overview ........................................................................................................................... 16

Parameters ....................................................................................................................... 17

Saving a Block Preset .................................................................................................... 20

Hardware Assign ............................................................................... 21

Footswitches .................................................................................................................. 22

Scenes ............................................................................................................................. 22

Expression Pedal ............................................................................................................ 23

Setlists .............................................................................................. 24

Hands-Free Mode ............................................................................ 25

Tuner/Tempo .................................................................................... 25

Looper .............................................................................................. 26

External MIDI Control ....................................................................... 28

Global Settings ................................................................................. 29

USB ................................................................................................... 32

Recording ........................................................................................................................ 32

Reamping ........................................................................................................................ 33

Transferring Files & Settings ......................................................................................... 34

Screen Lock .................................................................................................................... 35

Firmware Update Instructions ...................................................................................... 36

Appendix ..............................................................................................37

Technical Specifications .................................................................. 37

Trademarks & Licenses ................................................................... 37

Introduction

Box Contents

HeadRush MX5

USB Cable

(2) 1/8” (3.5mm) to MIDI Adapters

Power Adapter

Software Download Card

Quickstart Guide

Safety & Warranty Manual

Support

For the latest information about this product (documentation, technical specifications, system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit headrushfx.com.

For additional product support, visit headrushfx.com/support.

Features

Top Panel

4 5

1. Display: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to HeadRush MX5’s current operation. Touch the display (and use the hardware controls) to control the interface. See Operation to learn how it works.

2. Main Volume: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the outputs.

3. Encoder: Turn this encoder to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field in the display. Push the encoder to confirm your selection.

4. Footswitch Indicators: These lights indicate whether the stomp, rig, or scene assigned to each footswitch is on (brightly lit) or off (dimly lit).

5. Footswitches: Press these footswitches to activate or deactivate the assigned model or scene, or to load the assigned rig.

6. Expression Pedal: Use this pedal to adjust the assigned parameter/parameters. See Operation > Hardware

Assign > Expression Pedal for more information.

Rear Panel

1. Guitar Input (1/4”/6.35 mm, mono): Connect your guitar to this input using a standard instrument cable.

2. Expression Pedal Input (1/4”/6.35 mm, TRS): Connect an optional additional expression pedal to this input using a standard 1/4" (6.35 mm) TRS cable.

3. FX Send Output (1/4”/6.35 mm, stereo): Connect this output to the input of another effects module, an effect pedal, or the effects loop return of an amplifier.

4. FX Return Input (1/4”/6.35 mm, stereo): Connect this input to the output of another effects module, an effect pedal, or the effects loop send of an amplifier.

Note: You can set the FX Return Input to receive signal at rack level or stomp level (default) in the Global Settings Menu.

5. Outputs (1/4”/6.35 mm, balanced): Connect these outputs to the inputs of your amplifier, audio interface, etc. If you only need to use one output, use the one labeled Left/Mono.

Note: You can set these outputs to send signal at amp level or line level (default) in the Global Settings Menu.

6. Phones Output (1/8”/3.5 mm, stereo): Connect standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphones to this output.

7. Aux Input (1/8”/3.5 mm, stereo): Connect an optional audio source (e.g., smartphone, tablet, etc.) to this input using an 1/8”/3.5 mm stereo cable.

8. MIDI Output (1/8”/3.5 mm): Use the included 1/8"-to-MIDI adapter and a standard MIDI cable (not included) to connect this output to the MIDI input of an optional external MIDI device.

9. MIDI Input (1/8”/3.5 mm): Use the included 1/8"-to-MIDI adapter and a standard MIDI cable (not included) to connect this input to the MIDI output of an optional external MIDI device.

Important: Do not connect audio devices (e.g., headphones, monitors, etc.) to the MIDI Output or MIDI Input. Use the included 1/8”-to-5-pin adapters to connect MIDI devices only.

10. USB Port: Connect this USB port to a computer using a standard USB cable. This connection allows HeadRush MX5 to send and receive the digital audio signal to and from your computer. You can also use this connection to import or export rigs, model presets, setlists and impulse responses.

11. Power Input: Connect this input to a power outlet using the included power adapter.

12. Power Switch: Press this button to turn HeadRush MX5’s power on. Press and hold this button to turn HeadRush MX5’s power off.

13. Vent: Make sure this vent is unobstructed while using HeadRush MX5.

Setup

Items not listed under Introduction > Box Contents are sold separately.

IMPORTANT! In the Global Settings Menu, make sure you set the Outputs to send signal at amp level if you are using a traditional guitar amplifier, or line level (default) if you are using a full-range flat-response amplifier, mixer, PA speaker or audio interface.

Guitar

Computer

Expression

pedal

Power

outlet

External effect

stompboxes,

modules, etc.

Full-range, flat-response amplifier or

traditional guitar amplifier

Operation

This chapter describes some of HeadRush MX5’s basic functions.

Main Screen

Overview

Tap to view setlists.

Turn encoder to move through selectable items onscreen or to adjust parameters. Press encoder as an Enter command.

Double-tap a model, In, or Out to show its parameters.

Basic Operations

Tap its footswitch to activate or deactivate it.

Tap and drag this bar downward to view list of rigs.

Rig name.

These three blocks show the current function of the three footswitches.

Tap to save rig.

This button toggles between the different routing options for a rig.

This button enables or disables reverb and delay tails when switching to another rig.

Important: The sequence of models in your signal chain is not necessarily reflected in the footswitches. You can freely assign models to available footswitches without changing your signal chain at all—and vice versa. See

Hardware Assign to learn about this.

To assign a model (amp, cab, impulse response, or effect) to an empty slot, tap it ()

and then use the list that appears. See Rigs > Creating a New Rig to learn about this.

To rearrange the models in your signal chain, tap and drag a model to another slot or

between two other models (the ones after that position will shift one slot further down the signal chain).

To activate or deactivate a model, press the footswitch assigned to it, or tap the

model and then tap the On/Off button that appears in the top right corner.

To switch an amp and/or cab between a dual and single configuration, tap the model

and then tap the X 2 button that appears in the top right corner.

To show a model’s settings screen, double-tap it.

To load another rig (preset):

• Tap the name of the rig on the screen and then turn the encoder.

• Press footswitches 1 and 2 (), or footswitches 2 and 3 () simultaneously when MX5 is in Stomp

Mode.

• Press a footswitch assigned to a preset when MX5 is in Rig Mode.

• Press a footswitch assigned to Prev Rig or Next Rig when MX5 is in Hybrid Mode.

To create a new rig, tap the  button in the upper-right corner, and then tap New Rig.

To rename the current rig, double tap the rig name, or tap the  button in the upper-right corner, and then tap

Edit Rig Name.

To delete the current rig, tap the  button in the upper-right corner, and then tap Delete Rig, and then tap Yes to

continue or No to cancel.

To show a list of available rigs on your HeadRush MX5, tap

the rig name and drag downward. On this list you can tap a rig’s name to load it.

To hide this list, tap the current rig name and drag upward.

Note: If you have not selected a setlist, all rigs on your

HeadRush will be shown on this rig list. If you have selected a setlist, only the rigs from that setlist will appear on this rig list.

To search for a rig on your HeadRush, tap the magnifying-

glass icon in the upper-left corner and use the virtual keyboard

that appears to enter a search term (e.g., part of the rig name). The results will appear below. Tap a result to load that rig.

Reverb/Delay Tail Spillover

The MX5 features two types of Reverb/Delay Tail Spillover:

• If you have reverb and/or delay effect(s) active on your rig and then switch to a different rig, the effect(s)

will continue to decay after switching to the second rig.

• If you have a reverb or delay effect active on your rig and then bypass this effect, it will continue to decay

after it is bypassed.

To enable or disable this feature for the current rig, tap Tail on the Main

Screen.

Note: This feature will not work if you are using the FX Loop or USB Audio

features.

To enable or disable Reverb/Delay Tail Spillover for an individual effect,

first double tap the effect on the Main Screen. Then, use the Tails parameter to toggle the feature On or Off.

Note: Adjusting this parameter will not impact the Reverb/Delay Tail Spillover setting for the whole rig.

Signal Path

You can easily reconfigure the path of your signal chain to split, which will create more complex routings.

To reconfigure the signal path, tap  toward the top right of the main screen. The icon will change to

match one three possible signal paths (as shown below).

This straight signal path is the default and the most common.

This signal path splits in the middle and rejoins near the end. This configuration is useful if you want to use two types of effects (or chains of effects) but want to keep their signals separate.

See Adjusting Settings >

arameters > Mix to learn how to

mix the split paths together.

This signal path splits immediately from the source and rejoins near the end. Like the second configuration, this one is useful for using two types of effects (or chains of effects independently, but it allows for more models in the split paths and the rejoined one).

See Adjusting Settings >

arameters > Mix to learn how to

mix the split paths together.

Stereo vs. Mono

The outgoing signal from the HeadRush MX5 can be mono or stereo, depending on the models in your rig, the signal path, and which outputs you are using. An indicator near the end of the signal path indicates the current configuration.

The signal will be stereo if you do any one of the following:

• Use any stereo effect model in your signal chain. Even if you have placed mono effect models after it.

(This is possible because the mono effect is simply applied identically to both channels and not summed).

• Use a split signal path, even if the split paths rejoin before the output.

• Use a double-amp and/or double-cab configuration (i.e., if 2X is on).

The signal will be mono if you do all of the following:

• Use no stereo effect models in your signal chain.

• Use the linear (not split) signal path.

• Use only single-amp and single-cab configurations, if you use an amp or cab model at all.

Alternatively, the signal will be mono if you do any one of the following:

• Use only the L/Mono output (of a stereo pair) on the rear panel.

• Reduce the Rig Width output setting to 0%.

To adjust the width of the stereo field, tap the Out icon at the end of your signal path, and turn the third

parameter knob to adjust the Rig Width output setting. This affects stereo signals only, not mono signals. 100% uses the full stereo field, while 0% produces a mono signal.

+ 26 hidden pages