A 'Front End' for your Synths? // Elektron Analog Heat +FX

After a couple of months I've collected my thoughts on the @WeAreElektron Analog Heat +FX. Sharing some pros, cons, and feature requests for this box.

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Chapters:
00:00 Does your synth need a front end?
02:23 Init patch into the Heat +FX
04:34 Turning on various FX
07:53 Init patch sound design
08:37 Reording FX
10:18 Thoughts on usage
11:33 An actual Modwave preset
13:49 Reseting the Heat +FX to Init
17:00 Lets talk cost and downsides
18:16 It's actually fairly unique
19:41 Overbridge Discussion
21:03 Audio interface thoughts
22:24 Feature request for Overbridge
23:49 No sequencer thoughts
24:30 Overall thoughts

#Elektron
#analog
#analogheat
#musicproduction

[pdm]

Good discussion on this box. I bought one for this exact reason - exploring saturation and distortion in a hands-on way with the bonus of the effects to have a single box for convenience when I don’t feel the need to create a full on pedal board on my desk. It will also double as a master bus processor when I play live so I think I’ll get my money’s worth from it and if not the resale value will be good. I am also hoping that there will be some additional models (shimmer, plate and spring reverbs, flanger) added to further differentiate between it and the syntakt or digitakt as effects processors.

[sawssman]

Bro you have ALL of the dopest synths. Im living thru u! Love the heat+fx tho. Makes everything sound so good. Itd be nice to see an updated version of this video, especially if you were to go over some of the other aspects of this box. Like the compressor or showing some of the things you can do with the lfo's and other modulation sources. This box can get so much deeper, but I can see how some of those other things might not be in your workflow. Also, you make great videos! Please keep it going!

[RickyTinez]

Wait.. how am I not subscribed to you already?!

[eaglevisionmultimedia]

Your a genius at this digital stuff and I learn so much from your channel. Thanks for the knowledge. And I enjoy your music.

[secret_snipper]

As someone who owns and uses guitar pedals with my synths i bought this right away. Saves so much space and the over bridge feature is amazing. My 2nd piece of Elektron gear

[johnpaulpatton]

I run my synths through a Tascam Model 24 and the stereo output of that going into the AH2, mostly using either the Saturation (tape emulation) or Enhance (tube emulation) settings. Makes every synth sound better. Not sure if the V3 is with it just for FX that I can add with plugins.

[howlinberry]

Starting to see these on the used market. Might be time to pick one up.

[Sinnersainthuman]

great demo! I need one to pair with my octatrack and syntakt 😮

[akoppela]

Wow. You video production is really cool!

[geekmastermind]

I've had my eye on this for awhile now, and...yeah, I don't think it's really going to scratch my particular itches for that price. Especially since I'm still in the G.A.S. stage of getting back into music and need to focus elsewhere anyway. 😉 I'll see what Elektron does in the future with firmware updates.

I always appreciate your takes; love this channel (and the OG one, too)!

[thehundredthmonkey]

Would love to see an update video of your analysis after an official Elektron update comes out. I like the way you break down the workings of the interface.

[MeAlexSenna]

Mod wave is a sleeper synth, it can do digital and very good analog poly, also own the Heat+FX, a lot of people don’t think in the compressor side of the Heat with the circuitry, The Heat has taking over some of my other beloved and pricier gear. (Thermionic Culture Volture $2K and Super 15 around $4K, Set of Empirical Labs Distressors $3K even my boss Studio Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor which sits at more than $10K it beats any opto Compresor around) if you know how to dial your saturation and compression with sidechaning, this is a very inexpensive unit to have. For all those that say $1K is to pricey, they are not the market for a big boy unit. The Extra Effects are basically free, all thou Elektron needs to update that Reverb and fix that delay on the warble FX asap

[X-]

Honestly something like this is something thats more useful on the master, which is what most people used the older versions for but now the FX steams like you want to use it on a single instrument... so if you don't want the fx go for the OTO BOUM

[tristamson]

I somehow hoped this device is a more versatile alternative to the eventide h90 (which I wanted to buy first) and was confused that Heat+Fx it had so few presets. I hope elektron can provide more presets with an update.

[lundsweden]

I love Elektron sequencers, my fav piece is my Digitakt... but the Analog Heat just leaves me cold. I'd much rather do post processes in the box, with better results + saving $1, 000.

[Alckemy]

I bought one, reviewed it, have some likes, some disappointments.

They should’ve made the analog effects re arrangeable. Having the distortion after the filter and eq means we could use it as a clipping solution.

My second and perhaps easier solution would be asking for a limiter or actual built in soft clipper. I don’t care if it’s digital. Unless if you need an fx rack for like, micro freak though, the mk 2 is just fine for people who use a daw.

[johnnymandez]

21:29 “USB is on board for easy connection to other class compliant devices such as computers, phones, or tablets, and for a seamless computer integration with Overbridge – perfect for adding analog warmth and your sound explorations. Suitable on individual tracks as well as on the master bus. It can also double as a sound card, making it perfect for the nimble studio.”

[everydayjunglist]

Really helpful video! Not sure if you're still checking comments on this, but does this have true bypass? Just concerned that if i have it sitting there, connected b/w synths and interface, it will impart colour when I dont want it. Thanks

[Mpcbeatz]

I got a Nagra 3, Marantz PMD 222, 2x dbx 160 xt, a Tegeler cream and a chase bliss warped vinyl for mixing mastering at home but im still looking for something to add more texture to the sound without spending lots of time, thats why i got my eyes on the heat. I think its the best device to ramp beats up coming from the MPC live 2

[Kaffimusic]

You can use a Novation Mini or Ultranova as Multi FX processor that is not really worse, pay below 400, - for it and get a nice synth on top of that.