The Headrush Prime is an extremely deep all-in-one floor modeler that brings a few distinctive features to a very competitive space. With just seven knobs and a full-color touchscreen, navigating through the various menus and options is relatively easy—a big plus for those hesitant to take the digital plunge. The array of included effects, amps, and cabs is impressive and the main food groups are all represented. One of the most intriguing features is the Amp Cloner, which “clones” any amp, preamp, overdrive, distortion, or fuzz pedal. I tested it out with a homemade clone of a Zendrive and the process was very easy. The Prime captured the essence of the pedal without much digital stiffness.
This space doesn’t permit an exhaustive look at every feature on the Prime. But I was very impressed with the graphics on the touchscreen. Pedals and amps look much like their real-world counterparts and, thanks to a few routing templates, creating nearly any imaginable rig is a relatively smooth process, though the manual remains essential. High-gain sounds are among the strongest here, and models of Soldano and Mesa/Boogie amps are standouts. At $1,299, the Prime holds its own against other floor modelers in its class, and it’s a worthy option for players who want authentic tones without navigating endless screens of menus.
RatingsPros:Intuitive and transformative impedance control. Excellent transparent boost. Includes AmpliTube 4. Cons: Feature set might be overkill for some. Street: $149 IK Multimedia Z-Tone Buffer Boost ikmultimedia.com | Tones:  Ease of Use: Build/Design: Value:  |
