TABLE OF CONTENTS


General Information   

What inputs and outputs does the HeadRush Flex Prime have?

  • 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS input (guitar) 
  • 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS input (expression pedal) 
  • 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo input (auxiliary device) 
  • 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo pair outputs 
  • 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output 
  • 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS input (FX send) 
  • 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS output (FX return) 
  • 1/8” (3.5 mm)  MIDI input 
  • 1/8” (3.5 mm)  MIDI output 
  • USB Type-B port (connection to Mac/PC)
  • Power adapter, output: DC 12 V, 3 A (center positive) 


What are the minimum system requirements for the HeadRush Flex Prime?

The following system requirements are the minimum specifications required for using the HeadRush Flex Prime with your computer:

  • Windows: Windows 10
  • Mac: macOS 11
  • Host USB port; High-speed USB 2.0 or 3.0  



What are the HeadRush Flex Prime's dimensions and weight?   

  • Dimensions:  11.6” x 5.9” x 2.75”/ 295 x 150 x 70 mm 
  • Weight: 3.46 lbs. / 1.57 kg 


What are the main differences between the HeadRush Flex Prime and HeadRush Prime/Core?

The HeadRush Flex Prime features a more streamlined pedalboard-friendly size with a smaller 4” screen, 3 footswitches, and an onboard expression pedal for additional portability.  While the HeadRush Flex Prime features the same amount of DSP power as the Prime and Core, the HeadRush Flex Prime does not feature vocal FX, and has a more guitar-focused I/O and has a slightly redesigned UI fine-tuned to its specific 4” screen dimensions. The Flex Prime also does not feature the EXT AMP output and the USB-A input of the HeadRush Prime and HeadRush Core.


Does the HeadRush Flex Prime have a footswitch Bank A/B similar to the Headrush Core?

Yes! While it’s not enabled by default, you can reassign the “hold” function of the third footswitch from TUNER to BANK A/B. Once this reassignment has been made, holding this footswitch will change between 2 banks of 3 footswitches for each rig. The currently selected bank will be shown in the Hardware Assign Menu for assigning parameters, and you can hold the third footswitch to toggle between the 2 banks on this menu as well.


Features   

Where is the Amp Cloner? 

In stream lining the HeadRush Flex Prime, the removal of the microphone port on the unit removed the ability to create Amp Clones from within the board itself. However, all units will now come with a full version of ReValver, which has just launched an amp cloning software for use with your board. Clones can be uploaded to the HeadRush Cloud and any clones downloaded from the Cloud, including those made with HeadRush Prime and Core, will be compatible with the HeadRush Flex Prime.


Note: To create your own clones in the Amp Cloner software, you will need a separate audio interface with a microphone input and preamp. For more information on the Amp Cloner software, please see the ReValver website at https://revalver.headrushfx.com



What is the HeadRush Cloud? 

The HeadRush Flex Prime features an onboard Wi-Fi connection that can connect directly to the all-new HeadRush Cloud via a local Wi-Fi network. The HeadRush Cloud is a free service for all HeadRush users where they can browse, demo, and download exclusive rigs and clones created by the entire HeadRush community, including featured artists. Users can quickly search and filter by the most downloaded and liked rigs, and they can also search by other parameters like genre. The HeadRush Cloud is the ultimate resource for finding out how to quickly craft a tone like your guitar hero or for when you’re just looking for inspiration for creating a new sound.



What is the Practice Tool?

The HeadRush Flex Prime is able to to load songs directly from Dropbox over Wi-Fi for practice or to learn songs faster. Once a song is loaded, you can loop and slow down tricky sections, as well as change the pitch up or down in semitones to quickly learn songs in new keys. The Core can also connect and play audio from any Bluetooth-enabled mobile device, which opens you up to using many more streaming and digital lesson services. Whether you’re working on transcribing your favorite face-melting guitar solos, expanding your knowledge on chord voicings, or just trying to learn a cover song for your next gig, the HeadRush Flex Prime has everything you need onboard to get the job done quickly.


What is the HeadRush Remote Editor?

The HeadRush Remote Editor web UI provides a quick and easy-to-use tool for working with your Flex Prime. You can use it to view and edit rigs and setlists, access the HeadRush Cloud, and more. 


Note: For best results, we recommend using a computer or tablet with a 7” or larger screen, and using the native web browser for that device (e.g., Microsoft Edge for Windows-based devices, Safari for macOS/iOS-based devices, or Google Chrome for Android-based devices). You may find that other browsers are incompatible with the Remote Editor web UI. 


To access the Remote Editor: 

1. On Flex Prime, tap the Menu icon in the upper-left corner of the Main screen, and then tap Global Settings. 

2. Select the Wi-Fi page on the left side of the screen, and ensure that the Flex Prime Wi-Fi is set to On, and then connect to your local network. 

3. Once you have connected, set the HeadRush Remote setting on the Wi-Fi page to On. 

4. On your computer, tablet, or other external device (connected to the same Wi-Fi network), open a web browser and enter headrushflexprime.local or the IP address shown on Flex Prime in the Wifi section. (for example, http://192.168.68.81) into the address field. 


Please note you must be on the most current HeadRush Firmware to use the HeadRush Remote Editor.


Does the HeadRush Flex Prime have reverb/delay tail spillover across presets?

Yes, reverb/delay spillover can be enabled/disabled for each rig by tapping the TAIL button in the rig view.



Can I load custom/3rd party impulse responses (IRs) into the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes, The HeadRush Flex Prime supports all common wave formats (WAV, AIFF), sample rates (up to 192kHz), and bit depths (up to 32-bit). Two IRs can now be assigned to a block when working in a rig.



Can I turn off the amp/cab models for specific outputs or send my guitar directly to an output with no amp modeling applied at all?

Yes, you can do this using Split Rigs with hard stereo pans using the MIX parameter to keep that separation of sound going to either output.



What kind of MIDI messages can be sent/received by the HeadRush Flex Prime?

The HeadRush Flex Prime will receive and/or send MIDI Program Change, Control Change, and Clock messages via the MIDI 1/8". 


  • Incoming MIDI Program Change messages can be used to change to specific rig presets. You can also choose to have Outgoing MIDI Program change messages be sent to other hardware when a rig loads on the HeadRush Flex Prime. You can configure this on the Hardware Assign page. 
  • Incoming MIDI Control Change messages can be used to turn blocks on and off, as well as simulate footswitch presses.
  • Incoming MIDI Clock messages can be used to sync time-based FX or the looper tempo to an external MIDI device.
  • You can set the global send/receive MIDI channel in the MIDI tab of the Global Settings page. For more information, please see the full user guide.



Is there a list of included Amp, Cab, Mic, and FX models?

Yes, you can view this at http://www.headrushfx.com and clicking the Models tab on the page. Please see Headrush FX | Where Can I Find My Board's Models Page? for more information.



Can I use the FX Sends/Returns to add my own analog pedals to my rig sound?

Yes, hardware guitar pedals, rack effects, and any other gear can be looped into your signal chain by using the FX Send and Return ports on the HeadRush. Use the FX Loop block to place the Send/Return at any point in your HeadRush signal chain. Don’t forget to check the signal level (stomp/rack) for the FX Loop on the Global Settings page, depending on what you are using.



Footswitch and Expression Pedal Features 

Can I change the settings with the expression pedal?

Using the hands-free edit mode, you can adjust any parameter without having to bend over. Hold the footswitch assigned to the model that you want to adjust, select the parameter, and use the expression pedal to fine-tune your settings.  



Can I arrange my footswitch assignments in any order?

Yes! You can arrange your footswitch assignments on the Hardware Assign page without affecting the model's placement in the signal chain.  



Can I assign my footswitches to only control only rig preset selection or only model selection?

Yes, you can do this by holding the bottom left footswitch and selecting the Rig, or Stomp views accordingly.  



Can I assign half of my footswitches to control models, and half of my footswitches to control rig selection at the same time?

Yes, you can do this by holding the bottom left foot switch and selecting the Hybrid view.   



Can I turn off the auto-assignment of models to footswitches?

Yes, you can adjust this parameter in the global settings menu.  



How many parameters can I assign to the expression pedal A + B?

The expression pedal can function in Classic Mode or Advanced Mode.  

  • In Classic Mode, you can assign one parameter to each expressional pedal (A and B). Using the toe switch will select the other expression pedal and deactivate (bypass) the current expression pedal’s parameter. For example, if you assign a wah pedal to Expression Pedal A and a volume pedal to Expression Pedal B, only one of them will be active at any time; when you are controlling the wah pedal, the volume pedal will be bypassed, and vice versa.  
  • In Advanced Mode, you can assign up to four parameters to each expression pedal (A and B). Moving the pedal will adjust all of its assigned parameters simultaneously. Using the toe switch will select the other expression pedal and leave the current pedal’s parameters active and at their maximum values. Other parameters such as Gain, Treble, Time-based FX speed or Amp Presence can be assigned to expression pedals as well, allowing for some truly unique combinations.


How does the EXP input work?

If you connect an external expression pedal to these inputs, the external expression will control parameters assigned to expression pedal B on the Hardware Assign page. You will need to toggle the Expression Pedal parameter to “ON” on the Global Settings > Expression Pedal Page to enable it.



What Expression Pedals work with the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Most standard expression pedals will work with the HeadRush Flex Prime. We recommend the official HeadRush expression pedal, the Akai Pro Expression Pedal, or the M-Audio EX-P expression pedal as an alternative. 



What are Scenes?

A Scene is a combination of models that can be turned on or off with a single footswitch. When the footswitch assigned to that scene is pressed, multiple models included in that scene will turn on or off depending on how they are assigned. 


To set and edit scenes for a footswitch, go to the Hardware Assign page and tap Toggle/Hold/Scene. Here you can choose models assigned to that scene and whether they turn on or off when the scene is activated. You can choose to have 1 or 2 scenes assigned to a single footswitch, allowing you to toggle between two setups.



Why does it seem like there is a delay when changing a patch?

Some of the switches on the HeadRush Flex Prime are dual-purpose: holding down the switch will enter hands-free edit mode, and letting go initiates the action of the assigned pedal (on/off). This means that a block will not turn on/off until the associated pedal is released, which may differ from some standalone pedals that active/deactivate on the initial press.

You can also edit the footswitches so that they will trigger a change on press by entering into the Global Settings page and under the General tab’s Footswitch Function selecting On Press. Please note that when On Press is selected, some hold functions will be disabled.



Looper   

How Many Layers/how much record time does the Looper have?

You can have up to 50 loop layers with up to 5 minutes of recorded audio per layer, and up to 20 minutes of total recorded audio per loop.  



What does the Peel function do?

When you press this footswitch, the last recorded loop layer will be removed. You can continue to press this switch to remove layers in the opposite order they were added.  You can also hold this footswitch to bring layers back in the reverse order that they were removed. 



What does the Insert Function do?

When you press this footswitch, you can "punch-in/punch-out" of a specific part of your loop and overwrite all previous layers. This is useful when you need to fix a very small part of a loop. Note that this looper function is only accessible via incoming MIDI for Flex Prime, and it is not accessible through the internal footswitches.



Can the HeadRush Flex Prime record multiple different loops at once?

The HeadRush Flex Prime records one loop at a time



Presets, Rigs, and Setlists

What are Rigs?

When using the HeadRush Flex Prime, a Rig can be considered a preset. A Rig contains all of the 14 footswitch slots and their associated blocks (amps, cabs, IRs, clones, and effects) and each model's parameter settings. This makes it easy to save and recall an entire signal chain at once.  



How Many Rigs does the HeadRush Flex Prime have? 

The HeadRush Flex Prime comes preloaded with 40 factory presets covering a variety of genres and styles. You can also connect to the HeadRush Cloud through WIFI to find more presets.



How do I restore the factory rigs?

You can restore your factory rigs by holding footswitch 2+3 (the two right footswitches on the bottom row) while powering on the HeadRush Flex Prime. Keep holding these two switches until you see "Reverting..." displayed on the 7" touch display.  



Is there an easy way to search for rigs on the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes, just simply tap and drag the bar located below the rig name downwards until the rig list is shown. Then tap the magnifying glass icon and you can search through all of your rigs using the virtual keyboard that appears. 


Note: If you are currently using a setlist when you tap the magnifying glass icon, you will only search within that setlist.   



Can I backup, load, save or share my HeadRush Flex Prime rigs to my Mac/PC?

Yes, you can connect your HeadRush Flex Prime to your Mac or PC's USB port, then go to the menu page, and tap USB Transfer. Once you're in this mode, the HeadRush Flex Prime will show up as a mass-storage device (like a USB drive) and you can drag and drop to easily transfer your rigs, block presets, clones, IRs, and setlists.  


With HeadRush Flex Prime, you also have direct access to the HeadRush Cloud while connected to WIFI. With the HeadRush Cloud, you can easily upload your favorite rigs and clones for sharing with the community and as a cloud backup. 


Can I load rigs from HeadRush Core/Prime to my HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes. Rigs can also be loaded in from the Pedalboard, Gigboard and MX5 and will be converted to the Flex Prime's 14 block setup.


What if I I load a rig to my HeadRush Flex Prime that has a vocal path or vocal blocks?

The HeadRush Flex Prime will simply not include them within the rig.


What are Block presets?

After you've edited an FX block the way you want it, you can then hit the save button in the top right corner of the screen and save that preset to the block. Any time you pull up that effect afterwards, for example in a different rig, you will then be able to access that preset to recall the settings you have saved.  These presets can also be setup to switch over in your scenes so that if you had a particular way you wanted your amp or distortion pedal to jump in gain for a solo, you could have the preset switch over from the default over to your custom block preset.



What are Setlists?

A setlist is an ordered collection of rigs, which you can save and recall at a later time. You can use the setlists to quickly organize your rigs. This is useful, for instance, if you only need some of your rigs for a performance; you can save a setlist of just those rigs so you don’t have to spend time searching through all of your rigs before playing the next song. You could also use this feature to organize your rigs into specific genres, or for certain guitars.



What is gapless preset-switching and why does it matter?

Gapless preset-switching is an exclusive feature on the HeadRush Flex Prime and means that any reverb or delay-tails will continue to ring out, even after changing your preset or rig. This way there is no break in the signal, making your rig changes sound fluid and seamless.



Recording and Re-Amping

Can I record with the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes, the HeadRush Flex Prime can be connected directly to a USB port on your computer for recording straight into your favorite DAW. The USB port will supply 4 channels in and 4 channels out, including stereo wet and mono dry signals depending on the mode. A description of the channel/signal layout can be found in the HeadRush Flex Prime user manual in the Recording section.


A Windows driver is available at headrushfx.com/downloads for Windows users. A driver is not necessary for connection with a Mac.



What bit rate/sample rates are supported for recording?

The HeadRush Flex Prime supports 24-bit, 44.1kHz, 48kHz, and 96kHz for recording.



Can I listen to tracks playback while recording through the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes! With the Flex Prime assigned as the output of your DAW, you can listen to audio playback while recording.



Can I re-amp with the HeadRush Flex Prime?

Yes! Direct recorded guitar tracks can be played back from your DAW and routed through the HeadRush Flex Prime’s effects and amp simulation as a form of re-amping.



Firmware Updates

Will you release new firmware updates with new features, models, and/or presets?

Yes! Stay up to date on our latest firmware releases by signing up for our email list at www.headrushfx.com, registering your Flex Prime and downloading your Software Center  and by liking or following us on our social media channels. 



Where can I download the latest firmware for the HeadRush Flex Prime?

As long as your HeadRush Flex Prime is connected to WIFI, new updates will be pushed out to your Flex Prime as soon as they are available. Simply follow the prompts on the screen to download and install.


You can also download the latest firmware by visiting headrushfx.com/downloads. Firmware updater software is provided for Mac and Windows systems.


Stay up to date on our latest firmware releases by signing up for our e-mail list at https://www.headrushfx.com, registering your Flex Prime and downloading your Software Center, and by liking or following us on our social media channels.