EHX Effects Interface "Hardware Plugin"

[crispsandwich]

I'm going to sound like a dumbo here, but I haven't been able to work out what this product actually does. I presumed it was a VST host, but that would not appear to be the case.

 

[Whizzinby]

Bus powered nice. Pretty much works how you’d want it to as a hardware plugin.

 

[LP59]

Yeah this is what I assumed it is doing. (Need to see more info) If you can drop the “plug” on a track or bus and it essentially creates the bridge to your pedals on that track, then I actually think this could be really really cool. If it needs to be read as your audio interface, not so much.

Can't you already do that with almost any DAW? Hardware external effects is a pretty common feature in DAWs. You just need available analog in and out jacks on your audio interface.

The other use case they mention, where you put your computer into an effects loop of your pedal boards seems like something you can already do with any audio interface.

 

[Whizzinby]

Can't you already do that with almost any DAW? Hardware external effects is a pretty common feature in DAWs. You just need available analog in and out jacks on your audio interface.

The other use case they mention, where you put your computer into an effects loop of your pedal boards seems like something you can already do with any audio interface.

Yeah you can take a line out from your interface but it gets finicky with pedals taking the line level and trying to getting the levels right so the pedal sound like it would in your normal pedal chain. (From my limited experience doing it) Some outboard gear it just works better with than others.

This is cool because you can just drop the plug on track and not doing any extra routing or balancing. Just connect your pedal and go. In theory.

 

[Whizzinby]

Bus powered is cool. Another cool option would have been to have a powered option with a couple outputs to power your pedal directly from the device.

 

[LP59]

Yeah you can take a line out from your interface but it gets finicky with pedals taking the line level and trying to getting the levels right so the pedal sound like it would in your normal pedal chain. (From my limited experience doing it) Some outboard gear it just works better with than others.

This is cool because you can just drop the plug on track and not doing any extra routing or balancing. Just connect your pedal and go. In theory.

I must be missing something. I'm not seeing how that's any different than the similar feature already in DAWs. You just drop the hardware external effect (for example, in Studio One the plugin is called Pipeline) on the track without any routing or balancing with that as well.

I watched that Fluff video and it's just weird. I realize he's being paid to promote this EHX device, but he seems to be unaware he can already do the same thing in ProTools without it.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I must be missing something. I'm not seeing how that's any different than the similar feature already in DAWs. You just drop the hardware external effect (for example, in Studio One the plugin is called Pipeline) on the track without any routing or balancing with that as well.

I watched that Fluff video and it's just weird. I realize he's being paid to promote this EHX device, but he seems to be unaware he can already do the same thing in ProTools without it.

Right, but as Whizzinby already said, effects pedals don’t always play well with line level, which is what the output of an audio interface is. Which is why companies like Radial sell boxes for this.

 

[LP59]

Right, but as Whizzinby already said, effects pedals don’t always play well with line level, which is what the output of an audio interface is. Which is why companies like Radial sell boxes for this.

I don't see anything in the specs that would indicate the EHX output is any different than a conventional audio interface. Even if it was, $360 just for a device to change line level to instrument level seems excessive . I think I paid $99 for my ProRMP.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I don't see anything in the specs that would indicate the EHX output is any different than a conventional audio interface. Even if it was, $360 just for a device to change line level to instrument level seems excessive . I think I paid $99 for my ProRMP.

I don’t disagree that it’s expensive, but it looks like it’s meant to be easy to use. This operates completely independent of the main interface, can go on a board, runs off of 9v if needed.

• Inputs: The 1/4" input jacks are optimized for instrument-level signals (like a guitar or bass) as well as line-level signals from outboard gear or other interfaces. The hardware features dedicated INPUT Sliders (L/R) that allow you to adjust the gain to match your source's level.

• Outputs: The 1/4" output jacks are also optimized for both levels. In "Pedalboard Mode," they are designed to send signals to an amplifier or pedals at instrument level without needing a re-amp box. In "Audio Interface Mode," they can provide line-level output for studio monitors or other recording equipment.

 

[Digital Igloo]

I don’t know the technical behind the scenes, but things like Overbridge manage this and it works great, so it’s definitely possible.

With Elektron Overbridge, you can have your normal audio interface, and then, say, an Elektron Digitakt connected via USB too. Your DAW setup will be the same, everything going in and out of your regular audio interface and your monitors connected to that, and then the Overbridge plugin will handle the audio (and MIDI etc) I/O for the Digitakt, routing its audio into your DAW and going out to your monitors through your normal audio interface—without having to use the Digitakt as your audio interface or setup an aggregate device.

Do a search for “using elektron overbridge with an audio interface” and you’ll see plenty of threads and video examples.

If this works like Overbridge, I'll buy one day one. That's awesome.

Was considering a pair of Meris 440 500-series pres to inject pedals into my DAW and this is way cheaper and more convenient.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

what a cool idea. I’m doing similar things with my axe fx for some spring reverbs but this looks way slicker. Think it’s an insta-buy

 

[Whizzinby]

I don't see anything in the specs that would indicate the EHX output is any different than a conventional audio interface. Even if it was, $360 just for a device to change line level to instrument level seems excessive . I think I paid $99 for my ProRMP.

In either scenario you’re trading one external device, connection method, and workflow for another so it just comes down to whichever you find more useful or convenient.

 

[dws2384]

Right, but as Whizzinby already said, effects pedals don’t always play well with line level, which is what the output of an audio interface is. Which is why companies like Radial sell boxes for this.

Can you just get a re-amp box for less than this? That’s what I use to make captures for Tonex/Nam of all kinds of pedals and amps from my interface.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Ok, come to think of it, if this really worked flawlessly, it's quite more comfortable than dealing with analog cables from and to your interface (which would have to offer at least one free I/O pair as well) and possibly an additional leveling box of some sorts. Just keep this at your pedals place and connect a USB cable, done. Not bad if you can use such things. Not for me, though.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Can you just get a re-amp box for less than this? That’s what I use to make captures for Tonex/Nam of all kinds of pedals and amps from my interface.

Sure. In fact Radial already makes an effects pedal-specific reamp box as well.

 

[Whizzinby]

Sure. In fact Radial already makes an effects pedal-specific reamp box as well.

Yeah I was looking at those going fully down the rabbit hole now. They look great, but cost the same as the EHX. (At least the ReAmp Station and EXTC) The EHX is functioning as a “plugin” with just a USB-C connection required, and the Radial as a normal outboard send, needing all the cabling in and out of an interface and the box.

Which kinda falls back to what workflow and connections do you want.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Yeah I was looking at those going fully down the rabbit hole now. They look great, but cost the same as the EHX. (At least the ReAmp Station and EXTC) The EHTC is functioning as a “plugin” with just a USB-C connection required, and the Radial as a normal outboard send, needing all the cabling in and out of an interface and the box.

Which kinda falls back to what workflow and connections do you want.

Yup. There’s merit to both. I’d probably do the EHX, because A. it’s a little simpler to deal with, and B. I get it at cost anyway

 

[Whizzinby]

Yup. There’s merit to both. I’d probably do the EHX, because A. it’s a little simpler to deal with, and B. I get it at cost anyway

You know what the street date is for it? I don’t see it available anywhere currently.

 

[paisleywookiee]

You know what the street date is for it? I don’t see it available anywhere currently.

Not yet, but I can see if I can find out, tomorrow.

 

[LP59]

Can you just get a re-amp box for less than this? That’s what I use to make captures for Tonex/Nam of all kinds of pedals and amps from my interface.

Assuming you already own an audio interface with an available in/out, yes, it would be a lot less expensive to just use a reamp box like a ProRMP. To use your pedal board as a track insert in your DAW, just connect the reamp box to your audio interface. No power required.