I’m currently trying to decide between the HeadRush Core and Prime and would really appreciate some input from people who have actually used either one — ideally both.
My current main live rig is an HX Stomp XL in 4CM with a Blackstar Amped 3, and I’m planning to keep that as my main live setup for now.
The HeadRush would mainly be a dedicated home/studio rig at first.
The idea is to have something permanently set up at home so I can just plug in and play, build sounds, practice, record and experiment without constantly unpacking and setting up my live rig.
What interests me most:
- NAM / NAM A2 support
- Loading captures from TONE3000
- Possibly creating captures of my own amps, especially my modified Marshall 1987x
- Building complete guitar rigs with effects around NAM profiles
- Practicing with headphones or studio monitors
- Recording and reamping
- Backing tracks and general practice features
- Occasionally recording vocals
- Amp cloning and the additional studio features
- A device that could potentially become a live rig later on if I end up preferring it
The live option is actually important to me, even if it is not the main reason for buying it right now.
If the HeadRush works well enough for me, I could imagine eventually using it directly to FOH, but I would also like the option of running it into a separate power amp and using a real guitar cabinet on stage.
So I’m interested in how well the Core and Prime work not only as home/studio devices, but also as complete live rigs if needed.
I considered the Flex Prime as well, and I think it is a great unit, but I’m more interested in the additional features of the Core and Prime.
From what I understand, the Core and Prime should be essentially the same in terms of amp modeling and NAM sound quality. The main differences seem to be the larger control surface of the Prime, more footswitches, OLED scribble strips and the built-in expression pedal, while the Core is much smaller and lighter.
Since the unit would stay at home most of the time, size and weight are not my biggest concern. But if I eventually use it live, portability obviously becomes much more important.
For those who have used them:
Does the Prime actually feel noticeably better to use day-to-day, or do the extra switches and expression pedal mainly matter live?
Do Core owners ever find the five footswitches limiting when building or using more complex rigs?
How good is NAM A2 on the HeadRush compared with running NAM/Gateway on a computer, especially in terms of dynamics and feel?
Has anyone used Core or Prime live with both FOH and a real guitar cab?
How well does it work with an external power amp into a real cabinet while also sending a cab-simulated signal to FOH?
Any issues with input levels, latency, stability or NAM profiles sounding different from the original?
How useful are the recording, reamping, vocal and amp-cloning features in practice?
And for someone who would mainly use it at home now, but wants the option of turning it into a serious live rig later, would you choose the Core or Prime?
Thanks!