HeadRush are renowned for their feature-rich, high-quality guitar pedals that have become a go-to choice for many guitarists and singers. And now, extending their offerings even further, they’ve added the VX5 AutoTune to their line-up, a cutting-edge piece of kit for its price point that includes the iconic Antares AutoTune.
There’s something exciting – almost rebellious – about seeing Antares AutoTune appear on a small stompbox. It’s like inviting a top-tier studio engineer to every gig – only this one fits on your pedalboard. In this Headrush VX5 Autotune pedal review, I’ll put the product through its paces and see if it does everything it claims to do as a premium vocal pedal for singers.
I have two setups for testing the pedal: a basic performance setup with microphone and guitar input for harmonies and effects, and one in which I’ll use the pedal as an audio interface in my creative safe space (the studio). To review the stombox fully, I’ll be going wild on the effects, testing subtle AutoTune techniques, and experimenting with hard-style AutoTune for demos.
In a hurry? Here’s our verdict
The VX5 AutoTune vocal pedal is a great, simple solution for singers. It gives you just the right amount of premium vocal effects, smooth and musical harmonies, and ease of use, perfect for any performance situation and studio environment on the go.
Its rugged and solid build quality is built to last, and this pairs perfectly with the most exciting future-proof feature of this pedal – Antares AutoTune – an industry-standard pitch correction tool with that desirable, iconic sound.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Industry-leading Antares AutoTune pitch correction for subtle and creative applications | No aux input for home practice with backing tracks |
| Premium sounding reverbs and delay effects without the fuss | A/B footswitch customisation is functional but quite basic |
| Talk button for effect-free interactions with the crowd | |
| Robust and rugged design for gigging on the road | |
| Simple and easy to use |
HeadRush VX5 AutoTune review
First impressions
Upon opening the box, I was first impressed by the weight and build quality of the unit. This thing is solid and has more weight than I expected – a sure sign of quality and robustness.
Combined with the large square rubber grips on the underside of the pedal, this makes for a pedal that definitely won’t be slipping across the stage when it matters the most.
The simple layout and understated look are in line with other HeadRush guitar products, and the volume dial has that quality resistance you’d expect, too. In essence, it’s simple, easy to use, and built to last. The connections on the back are practical, with everything you need – including phantom power and ground lift switch.
I was, however, a bit surprised by the mono output. But let’s be honest… how often would you be using stereo outs at a gig for vocals? Mono is fine and keeps the mix engineers happy!
Setting up
Setting up and navigating the pedal was a breeze; even performing the firmware update (which is required upon setting up the pedal for full feature functionality) was easy. I had a simple setup for testing the pedal for live performances, using a Sennheiser E835 microphone, an acoustic guitar for harmonies, and connection to a PC for recording a quick vocal demo. USB connectivity also offers a simple web interface browser link for firmware updates, as I’m sure we’ll expect some great feature adds in the future.
The connections on the back are simple, as you’d expect, with a headphone output for monitoring and creating patches on the go, and USB connectivity for hi-res recording and USB MIDI patch changes. After turning it on, it only took a few seconds to load, and I was presented with a bright and bold screen layout, which makes a change from other pedals I’ve used in the past.
There are three dials for changes on the fly (volume, AutoTune speed, and humanise) – nice and simple! A fourth dial allows you to scroll through effects, settings, and patches. This, combined with the two quality footswitches, makes it one of the simplest yet premium pedals on the market.
You also have an instrument input with thru, letting you add the pedal to your current guitar or instrument setup. This gives you note detection for the vocal harmony setting you’ve chosen. The setup overall was super easy, and the number of effects wasn’t overwhelming at all.
Sleek yet rugged design
Built like a tank, the HeadRush VX5 is designed to endure a lot of stomping while retaining a sophisticated, polished look that abstains from drawing too much attention to the use of AutoTune. The dark grey, matte top plate allows the bright screen to be easily seen, and the familiar dual pedal layout keeps things simple.
There are two footswitches for selecting patches up and down, an A/B toggle switch for toggling the three modes (Autotune, Harmony, and FX) on or off, and a Talk mode, which disengages all effects so you can interact with the crowd between songs.
Packed with premium-quality effects
One of the things I was most impressed by was the effects. The VX5 includes a selection of the most desirable reverb, delay, chorus, and “Flavor” effects with essential controls. These can be used simultaneously, too, for crazy vocal effects or a super refined sound.
The possibilities were endless, but not complex – with presets providing simple, common styles to build upon.
The reverbs all sounded lush, with different types to suit all vocals, and they really do have a premium, studio-grade sound, which you can dial back for subtle ambience or turn up for an epic and emotional big chorus finish. This, combined with other effects simultaneously, can really thicken the vocal for a super signature sound.
The delays were also great-sounding. I felt this was a common theme with the VX5. The quality delays were very versatile and musical, without offering too much choice. Echo and slapback are there for adding energy or drama to choruses, and rhythmic delays, such as ping pong and dub echo, emphasise words and phrases. This was all great fun, and I could’ve got lost in these for hours!
Chorus and “Flavor” effects, as HeadRush call them, thickened the vocal and offered movement and different types of filtered overdrive to the sound – perfect for a huge range of genres. The Flavor effects were particularly interesting, and adding a subtle amount gave some nice tonal colouration to my voice.
You even have a crunch setting on the onboard compressor, which could be used for adding subtle grit while smoothing the dynamics of the vocal, making it more consistent in the mix.
The big one… Antares AutoTune
The feature that everyone really wants to hear about is the golden standard of pitch correction: Antares Autotune. The VX5 is one of the only vocal pedals at this price point that gives you a transparent pitch correction tool at your feet.
When testing, it was easy to feel confident as a singer, and I used the pedal to sing in tune as well as replicate that classic hard AutoTune effect found on many iconic songs. You can experiment with robotic and rhythmic melodies identical to pioneering artists such as Cher, Bon Iver, and T-Pain.
Charli XCX, Travis Scott, and tonnes of other modern artists have also adopted their signature sound using this technique, so having such a portable device that you can pop in your bag, take to the studio, and then use live with absolute consistency is groundbreaking.
If that’s not your thing, then subtle use of the AutoTune tool – utilising the quick access speed and the humanise knobs – gives you a natural and smooth correction, useful for any vocal performance. Confidence in a box!
Other features
Other features to mention here are the A/B toggle mode, which made it easy to toggle AutoTune, Harmony, or FX on or off within a preset. Although this feature was quite basic, I did feel it was great to have something simple to engage and disengage harmonies or effects throughout the song, which can add to a song’s structure and overall creativity.
It would have been good if the A/B switch offered a little more control, however. It could have been used to turn individual effect combinations on/off or even toggle the AutoTune speed and humanise settings. But it is possible that we may see this in future firmware updates.
You can get around this limitation by saving presets (there are 250 save slots available), and if you’re super fancy, you can go feet-free and control patch changes via the USB MIDI option. All you would need to control then is the Talk mode, which allows you to mute all effects for that all-important crowd interaction between songs. Quiet in the front row, please!
Overall performance
What really stands out about the Headrush VX5 Autotune vocal pedal is how comfortable I felt using it and the confidence it gave me in my vocals, all courtesy of its simple design, natural-sounding pitch correction, and high-quality vocal effects.
Setting and saving presets was quick – great for visualising sound arrangements within an individual song or a set list. Plus, the basic toggling of the modes within presets is perfect for simpler plug-and-play setups.
Many pedals tend to overcomplicate the number of effects parameters, but the VX5 provides just the right amount of key parameters and effect types to dial in a great vocal sound to any liking.
The simple harmony feature tracked well and sounded great overall, and the Talk feature is a nice practical touch. Recording vocals into my DAW software was also easy and of good enough quality not only for demos but also for the final recording.
Who is the HeadRush VX5 AutoTune Pedal suited to?
The VX5 AutoTune pedal is very versatile and would suit most professional singers and musicians alike. It’s catered to vocalists who want to dial in a transparent AutoTune sound with all of the most desirable effects and those who just want a little extra peace of mind with reliable pitch correction.
If you’re new to the world of vocal pedals, the VX5 is perfect as it’s so easy to use! But there’s still enough there to make this a comprehensive option for all experience levels.
FAQs
What is a vocal pedal?
A vocal pedal is a handy piece of kit that you can add to your live or studio setup to modify your vocal signal, allowing you to add effects or change your pitch. Like guitar pedals, they allow you to switch up your vocals with reverb, delay, distortion, and other effects.
Should I put reverb on my vocals?
Whether or not you use reverb on your vocals is down to your preference – but this effect can be super useful in making your vocals sound lush and expansive. There are different types of the effect to choose from. You could go from a subtle, focused room reverb to a more spacious hall reverb, for example; there’s no yes or no to reverb!
Is HeadRush any good?
HeadRush is a very reputable brand of guitar effects processors and multi-fx units. They design and manufacture solid, hardwearing gear that live performers and studio musicians need, with the added bonus of forward-thinking features that keep them ahead of the curve.
Final thoughts
Overall, my HeadRush VX5 AutoTune pedal review has proved to myself, and hopefully you, what such a well-made, easy-to-use pedal can do: give you everything you need to feel confident as a performer. It has all the core features a singer would need, and at this price point, it’s pretty impressive to be able to play around with Antares AutoTune, utilising it for both subtle pitch correction and more creative effects.
I’d use this pedal, and other members of the team here at Gear4music enjoyed using it too. It would have been nice to have a little more control over the effects, but for the function of the pedal and the ease of use it offers, I can’t complain! This is a solid, feature-rich, and portable unit that you can take to and from the studio and gigs, bringing that iconic Antares AutoTune with you.
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