NPD: Eventide H90 - first couple of weeks and three pedals down...

TheBigDipper

Summary: Putting an H90 to my board has given me a palette of sounds that I prefer over the ones I used to have. And I liked those, too. I've been able to drop a TU-3 tuner, Boss GT1000Core and Strymon Mobius from the board. I've gained improved ease-of-use. Sure, I'm in my honeymoon period, but the H90 seems to meet my needs better and is giving me an improved player experience. 

For context, my board is controlled through a Boss ES-5. I've got overdrives and boosts in the loops on the ES-5 and the output from that goes into the H90 and then a Carl Martin Ampster for going direct. The Ampster also has "straight through" output that goes into the input of a guitar amp. I'm not running 4CM. 

There are two path modes - "insert" and "dual". I'm using the H90 in "dual" mode - essentially having two signal paths in mono. It's very similar to "pre/post" mode on Strymon pedals. One path is after the ES-5 output, for back end delays/reverbs/mods. The other path is patched into loop 1 of the ES-5 for front end effects. So its position in the ES-5 chain is moveable. "Insert" mode is a single path and that lets you insert two external loops directly into the H90, too. 

So far, all I've done is ported my band sounds across, so I can use it at practice sessions and gigs. My priority was just getting things up to speed as it was before starting to experiment further. There are 60+ different algorithms to choose from, some of which deliver multiple effects in the single algorithm, just like on the H9. All the algorithms from the H9 are on the H90, plus several new ones.

So this is what my board looked like in December:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/63gxv8fayhefq529ltdml/Board.JPG?rlkey=wm9k82mlh6mi3x5ds82rdhkcm&raw=1

And this is what it looks like now:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/7ys8ae6dcc4q2bmk9dlle/New-Board.JPG?rlkey=xub05l4yvuiiqe5r6o23b5ym3&raw=1

Everything can be done on the H90 itself, so you don't need an app when you're out and about. I've learned how get around the unit without too much difficulty. But the iOS/macOS apps are pretty good and (as of this week) will connect to the H90 using Bluetooth as well as a USB cable. If you're doing a lot of housekeeping or maintenance then the app is a better bet. But for just tweaking a preset, there's no need. 

Edit: Forgot to mention that the screen is fantastically easy to read.

nero1701

I had an H9 and an es5, what a great combo it was, I done a similar thing, but I used the 2nd loop on the H9 into the effects loop on the amp, the midi functionality was great, ethereal sounds were sublime. I quite like the look of the H90, up there on my list!!

I also have a Kernom, must great functionality with that pairing!

TheBigDipper

nero1701 said:

I had an H9 and an es5, what a great combo it was, I done a similar thing, but I used the 2nd loop on the H9 into the effects loop on the amp, the midi functionality was great, ethereal sounds were sublime. I quite like the look of the H90, up there on my list!!

I also have a Kernom, must great functionality with that pairing!

If I could always guarantee to be able to use my own amp at gigs, I'd be using the second H90 loop in my amp effects loop, too. But I can sometimes be asked (told, TBH!) to use house backline or go direct. So I'm set up for a clean pedal platform amp and/or direct using the Ampster. 

The Ridge is pretty good for meeting my fairly limited overdrive needs. It's only missing a couple of things that would make it perfect. I'd like to be able to store presets using just the Ridge, and not needing a MIDI controller to tell it what slot to save that preset in. I'd also quite like a screen on it which told me what preset was loaded. But I'm getting the job done despite those missing things. :-) 

TheBigDipper

Some more subjective context about the H90 whilst I'm still honeymooning... 

 I like the fixed block architecture approach of the GT1000. Preset changes are seemingly-instantaneous, latency is very low and it feels more "connected" than an HX FX or a Helix or a Headrush. OK, I don't like amp modelling, which is why I started using it as a MIDI-controlled MFX. But it is small, fast and sounds decent.
 
I don't like the Boss modulation effects as much as I do the ones on the Strymon Mobius. If you don't mind exactly how your chorus sounds as long as there's a chorus, then a Boss chorus is absolutely fine, and there are a few decent alternatives inside the GT. But the trichorus on the Mobius is a thing of beauty. As is the autoswell. And the tremolo. And the flanger. They inspire me, whereas the GT is just solving a problem. 

 I ended up with the Mobius after trying several other modulation MFXs. I wasn't looking for a big box, but I did want MIDI control. FWIW, I also liked the Wampler Terraform and the TC Plethoras, but the Mobius was lush in comparison. I have never tried an H9... 

My board was big enough without me starting to look at things like the Timeline or Big Sky as a GT alternative, so I decided to settle with what I had. And I stopped experimenting with new sounds, which is a sign in itself. 

The GT had already failed to replace the Mobius for modulation effects, so could I do the same for delays and reverbs? I'd tried a Collider and that certainly had some beautiful inspiring sounds, but it also had some MIDI issues. I wasn't keen on the idea of increasing my real estate needs with a Ventris and a Nemesis any more than I was with Big Sky and Timeline. 

The H90 experiment was an exercise in trying to find inspiring sounds to surpass the GT without actually increasing the footprint of the GT on my pedalboard. And I think I have.