By Fletch Whipp

I recall 15 years ago listening to an Eventide Harmonizer rack unit for the first time at a local music dealer. At that time, these products were the go to effects used by both Steve Vai & Joe Satriani, who were significant influences of mine. One characteristic that causes Eventide to be considered at the front of the ultra high end effect technology industry is there incredible breathtaking reverbs. Words such as smooth, silky, dreamlike, breathy are adjectives commonly used to describe the allure of these wonderful colorings placed over the audio signal.

Guitarists have long sought external 3rd party reverb sounds to compliment their amplifier setups. While most amps will offer spring reverb inside, they typically have a limited range of use. After turning them up beyond 1/3 of the full range they usually start to wash the guitar signal on either clean or dirty channels, thus causing guitarist to look further afield for complimentary tones for their sound.

Strymon blueSky Reverbarater

In January 2010 a reasonably new company called Strymon, already creating BIG waves with their Brigadier Digital analog emulation pedal introduced their latest offering called the blueSky Reverberator. Within months of it’s release, guitarists, magazines & online forums were abuzz with this new reverb pedal. It would not take the casual observer long to determine this was a serious, serious pedal, and that many many people were touting it as the worlds best reverb pedal. Never before had a pedal existed that captured and detailed all the variable sounds typically employed by high end rack based reverb units until the advent of the blueSky Reverberator. Here is what Strymon themselves have to say regarding their small aluminum wonderbox: 

The philosophy behind our blueSky Reverberator is simple—take a ridiculously powerful SHARC DSP and dedicate it to doing one thing only: producing the most lush, majestic and stunning reverbs ever. Many hours and sleepless nights in the Strymon sound design labs were devoted to developing the complex reverb algorithms found inside blueSky. We squeezed every last drop of processing power available.

Whether you’re a classic spring reverb fan or a studio rack aficionado, you’ll find your mojo here. blueSky provides three different reverb types, each with three modes, for a total of nine completely unique reverb experiences. blueSky even delivers an extremely versatile plate reverb, a rarity for a stompbox pedal. A full pre-delay and damping section provide deep reverb tone shaping. Add the mod and shimmer modes and you’re in store for unending reverb bliss. Couple that with 24-bit 96kHz converters and 115dB typical signal to noise, blueSky is equally at home on top of a studio console as it is in front of a tube amp.

I can personally attest to the quality many of my colleagues speak of regarding the blueSky. The first thing I noticed is the pedal is well laid out. The 5 knobs allow you to adjust the Mix, Decay, low damp, pre-delay & high damp effortlessly, while instantly offering notable change to the signal. it seems this pedal can  change from the most subtle ‘barely there’ room reverb to an absurdly long-tailed space delay complete with regenerating tones one octave above (ala Eventides trademark type sounds-referred to as crystals) What makes the blueSky so appealing is that you can change these parameters without scrolling through pages & menus as is commonplace on rack based effect units.

The two mini toggles allow you to dial in the appropriate reverb type, plate-harking back to the 70′s studio plate reverbs found on countless recordings, room-which details the smallest dry/dead room to massive arena spaces and finally spring to dial in any type of recognizable spring reverb tonality. The other toggle allows you to select norm-a regular reverb signal, mod, a beautifully detailed modulated reverb tailed tone and shimmer dialing in the aforementioned crystals tones.

The unit boasts true stereo operation with both left/right in’s & out’s. A favorite switch allows you to program your desired setting alongside a sound you have manually created. I have stored a long modulated hall reverb in the memory alongside a shorter more traditional reverb found in many day-to-day guitarists rigs, that is still set apart from an amps typical reverb setting.

I would have to lend my voice in agreement that it is arguably the most sophisticated, detailed & rich reverb you are likely to find in a pedal form factor. You can buy the blueSky direct from Strymon.net for $299 plus shipping and handling. -Fletch

By Fletch Whipp

QSC are a renown global leader in professional audio. Established 4 decades ago, QSC today manufactures products in a new 81,000-sq.-ft., state-of-the-art production facility. in costa Mesa California. From years spent working in retail selling Pro Audio, QSC were synonymous with quality and durability.

With their recent powered loudspeaker HPR series, QSC have afforded the end user, and small contractor with a high performance, low cost professional solution. The range includes their 2 way HPR122I, (under review here today), the 2 way HPR152i, 3 way 153i, 151i subwoofer, and 181i subwoofer.

QSC HPR122i Powered speaker foldback wedge

My introduction to QSC was unusual. I was revamping my entire studio guitar amplification system, after I had discovered the Fractal Audio Axe-Fx guitar processor. This guitar tone generator was recommended to be run FOH direct, with no typical guitar tube power amp, or guitar speaker cabinet to ‘interfere’ in the mix. Another alternative was to run the system through a small powered stage monitor that offered ‘full range flat response’ (FRFR). I had already tried the Axe-Fx through my studio monitors with pleasing results. My studio monitors are very much static, they are staying put in the studio, so for live performance purposes, I needed a separate solution.

The Fractal Audio community seemed to agree that the QSC HPR122i was a very complimentary powered monitor to the Axe-Fx, and I promptly placed an order for a pair of HPR122i’s. The results were impressive immediately, clear sound,  massive headroom, resulting in no distortion immediately appealed. The monitor takes up only a few feet of place, and is more appealing to move around single handedly. The controls allow XLR input and output for daisy-chaining multiples together. This speaker is very roadworthy, and built very strong. The downside to this is that the HPR122i weighs 68 lbs, so you won’t be tossing this around anytime soon. The multi-shaped surface allows this to act beautifully as a stage monitor, in addition to being pole mountable.

Moving away from the instrument aspect, which awards the sound of the HPR full marks, there is the equal, secondary application for me personally in using it as a small PA solution at our Tuesday night Eileen Fisher Ministries meetings. As an FOH speaker format, I run two (left/right) as FOH, and a single 122i for wedge/monitor duty. I run a small, easy setup that sees keys, guitar processor, and two vocals through my Presonus StudioLive console into the HPR122i’s and an AUX send to the wedge. Though the system is 2 way, it has enough body to handle the program material running through them. If it were a band setting with drums and a bass player, I would run these in addition with HPR181i subs, but in our vocal and mid range instruments it works fine. After doing 40+ performances I feel confident in recommending these to the solo/duo performer in a piano lounge type situation. We have up to 100 people in the weekly meetings where I use them, and I have never had to use more than 50% gain level available on the speakers.

At just $899 MAP, with a current promotion of $100 cash back, these speakers represent a truly affordable loudspeaker solution that can handle multiple applications for gatherings ranging from conference room to settings over 200 people. With QSC 6 year warranty available for all HPR series speakers these are designed to see regular use for many years. Great work QSC.

By Fletch Whipp

I am a Guitar tone connoisseur. That’s not a statement born out of ego, or of an out of control hobby. I am a professional musician, and have been for 20 years. Crafting great guitar tone is as much a need as a desire in my career. Teaching & performing has required me to get authentic ‘Nashville’ tones as much as ‘Early 60′s British Invasion’, to modern ‘Alternative’ tones in the same set.

Due to taking a serious passion in my equipment, I could describe the characteristics of alder, mahogany, indian rosewood, flame maples, quilts and so on. Or enjoy in-depth discussion regarding the merits of English, vs American amplifiers, their speaker types, tube selection and cabinet construction…

When it comes to effects, this would represent the area of greatest research. Every effect I use is hand picked, and chosen when tested against other pedals in the same category. I have bought and sold 100′s of pieces in search of the ‘right’ tone. So, 1 year ago I heard about an underground guitar effect/preamp solution that was serious, very serious.

The piece in question is the Axe-Fx Ultra made by Fractal Audio Systems, here in the U.S.A. This piece is aimed at being the total studio & live solution for the professional guitarist. After 20 years in the Industry such hype will result in a near instant negative mental outlook before the unit is even heard, yet so many valued professional opinions were singing it’s praises, and the unit merited further inspection.

Here is what Fractal says about their ‘wonder-unit’

Ultimate Amp Collection
The Axe-Fx is peerless in its ability to sound, feel and respond like a limitless array of guitar amplifiers, ranging from vintage clean and overdrive types to the most brutal modern high gain variety.  Fractal Audio’s tube amp algorithms accurately recreate the nuances of the circuit down to the component level.  This includes the varying frequency response of the amps they’re simulating. Unlike conventional tube modelers where the frequency response is static, the Axe-Fx gives the guitarist a true dynamic experience.

Critical power amp characteristics like sag, damping factor and transformer response are accurately modeled in painstaking detail.  This and the fact that they are user modifiable parameters, puts the Axe-Fx in a league of its own – It also affords the player the ability to get that cranked amp experience at any volume!

Pristine Effects
The Axe-Fx’s onboard effects (amp simulations aside) are in a class with the finest multi-effects and dedicated processors available.  A full arsenal of reverb, delay, drive, compression, pitch-based effects, intelligent harmony and more are included.  Up to 12 simultaneous effects instances can be routed in series or parallel for the ultimate in flexibility.  All effect types have deep editing functionality and can be bent to the user’s will with editable parameters that most processors don’t allow access to.

A Virtual Studio Full of Effects
50+ Amp Models ∙ 39 Cabinets ∙ 10 Microphones ∙ 17 Drive Models ∙ 12 Reverbs ∙ Dozens of Delays ∙ Modulation ∙ EQ ∙ Pitch ∙ Intelligent Harmony ∙ Tremolo ∙ Wah ∙ Compressor ∙ Gate ∙ Precision Tuner ∙ Swappable Tone Stacks ∙ Two Rigs at Once ∙ Custom IR Player ∙ Effects Loop ∙ And too many more to list!

This unit really is the greatest tool for the guitarist since the Fender Stratocaster in my opinion. I use it everyday, and all recordings and live playing is committed through this single piece.

In particular I am very discerning in relation to broken tones and overdriven sounds. Quality hall reverbs, tremolo, vibrato, and vibe effects, tape delay effects are critical. Tube amplifier & speaker simulations, and deep editing ability to sculpt the tones is a must. The Axe-Fx graduates with honors in this area.

My prior ‘rig’ weighed over 230 lbs, involved two amplifiers, and cost in excess of $15,000. The Axe-Fx weighs 15lbs, could be taken as carry-on at the airport and cost $2,000.

The total solution in a single black box? ABSOLUTELY!

By Mouse Whipp

We have proudly used Mesa Boogie amps for many years here at rockstarzusa.com. Our Mesa Boogie products of choice are the Road King II head, Road King slant cabs, Stereo 2:100 rectifier poweramps, and the Triaxis programmable tube preamp. Mesa’s artists are a literal whose who of the entertainment world, from old school artists like Santana and the Rolling Stones, to the likes of Metallica, Foo Fighters and Dream Theater to the latest cutting edge bands like Fall Out Boy and Rise against.

Last Fall we ventured out to San Fransico for some R&R and organized to visit the self professed ‘home of tone’ in Petaluma, CA. We have spent countless hours exploring tone through their products, so it was great to see where all this great gear originates from. If you are ever in San Fransico, make sure you check out their factory tour if you have time. Also worth taking in is the Mesa Hollywood showroom located on Sunset Strip, Los Angeles. The guys there are awesome and a wealth of information.

Special thanks to our tour guide Marcus for taking the time to take us on a very informative, in depth tour of the facility.

Here are some pics for your viewing pleasure

The home of tone!

Chassis assembly line

Marcus detailing preamp testing

Cabinet Builds pre-spray

Cabinet coverings applied

Custom Amp cabinetry design area

Piles of cabinets await!

Bass amps under construction

Final Amp inspection area before delivery