PEDAL SHOOTOUT: EHX Intelligent Harmony Machine vs. DigiTech Whammy V

Рет қаралды 18,523

Күн бұрын

Every once in a while a pedal comes along that I just can’t live without. Usually that’s the case with a pedal that’s jam packed with interesting features, like a swiss army knife of sounds. A pedal that very easily falls into that category is the Electro Harmonix Intelligent Harmony Machine. This tiny little gray pedal looks like an old toy from the 1950s or 60s, with it’s gray and dark blue colors and array of switches, knobs, buttons and information all jammed into a small space. When you plug the pedal in, you’ll notice right away how intelligent the IHM is as it tracks along almost perfectly with the key that you’re playing in. I loved this pedal right away and found myself using it not only with my guitar playing, but also for pitch shifting some ambient tape loop experiments that I’ve been recording lately. I can make an interesting tape loop, and then shift it up a 5th, and blend that with the original sound using the mix knob. So many possibilities, such little time.
After uploading a short video playing the IHM right after it arrived in the mail, many of you asked how it compares to the Digitech Whammy. I wondered the same thing myself, and as a collector of all things DigiTech and DOD I was much obliged to do the experiment that was requested of me. So here it is, an audio/video comparison video of the Electro Harmonix Intelligent Harmony Machine vs. the infamous red DigiTech Whammy V. Which one sounds better to you? Leave a comment below to share your opinion.
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Sound on Sound Fred Spekeen (IVL Technologies)Interview:
www.soundonsound.com/people/f...
Sound on Sound DigiTech Whammy V Article:
www.soundonsound.com/reviews/...
Video Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:56 Electro Harmonix Intelligent Harmony Machine Features
05:51 DigiTech Whammy V Features
10:42 IHM vs. Whammy V Pedal Comparison
20:09 IHM Momentary Mode
22:30 Pitch Shifted Chords Comparison
23:28 Blast From the Past: The DigiTech IPS33B Super Harmony Machine
25:15 IHM Momentary Pitch Sweep Time
27:56 Conclusion: Which Pitch Shifter is Right for You?
Other Cool Pedal Demos:
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DOD Buzz Box: • DOD FX Buzz Box
EHX Synth 9: • Stranger Things theme ...
Buy a Pitch Shifter (affiliate links):
DigiTech Whammy: amzn.to/34juRCo
EHM Intelligent Harmony Machine: www.sweetwater.com/store/deta...
Line 6 HX Stomp: amzn.to/3nv7EnH
Line 6 Helix LT: amzn.to/322c91o
Line 6 POD Go: amzn.to/3KeZdXo
Line 6 Spider V: amzn.to/3frCoBy

Пікірлер: 61

@Caitanya 2 жыл бұрын

This was the best video on this pedal, thanks! Time to get this pedal.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thanks for checking out the video!

@l0gan575 2 жыл бұрын

Great video! I really appreciated the high information approach. You really broke down what each of them can do and how they compare. Thanks!

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for watching, I really appreciate the kind words!

@thetribalist6923 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. I can’t believe how good the IHM sounds. It sounded just as good as the V in POR, but even better tonal quality in the harmony setting. I was worried there might be some warble, but you demonstrated how well it tracked, and really put it through its paces. For the price and the size, it seems like it’s hard to beat. Great job, and great playing man!

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching the video, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

@maurobelarde8527 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for show us the different things EHX pedal can do. 🤘

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

No problem! Thanks for watching ❤️

@rob_lowman 2 жыл бұрын

Would love a comparison with the Harmony Machine and the TC Quintessence!

@Yoshi1up Жыл бұрын

Oh wow. No expression pedal attachment to the IHM?? I'll stick with my BOSS Harmonist lol but I like the momentary button! Very useful. I might get it anyways so I don't have the same 2 pedals.

@DrewCreal Жыл бұрын

I should have tried it with an expression pedal!

@jamesallanburruto 2 жыл бұрын

Holdsworth and Kings X on the same wall. Lovely.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Two of my all time favorites!

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

You're officially the first person to notice that btw.

@jamesallanburruto 2 жыл бұрын

@@DrewCreal Allan was a big influence and KX are my favorite rock band other than Zep. In the 80's while on the road I listened to Sand almost daily. Fantastic. Love you channel by the way.

@locar12 Жыл бұрын

Was there any noticeable volume drop or tone suck on either pedals? Leaning towards the Whammy.

@Elazarko 2 жыл бұрын

Hey! I'm Wondering what pitch shifter/HARMONY pedal you'd recommend to use with a digital piano specifically? Also do I need a reamp box or I just lower the volume on my digital piano? Any suggestions?

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Man, I'm not sure exactly what route to take on pitch shifting a piano, my guess is you'd want to borrow a guitar player buddy's whammy pedal or pitch shifter and see how it works with your rig. Might sound good for you.

@kristenrocksfrags8584 Жыл бұрын

Can you turn the mix all the way up on the Whammy? There’s this cool effect on my Headrush that I use for recording that I love where it pitches up a 4th. I prefer using pedals live so I’m trying to figure out how to recreate that live.

@DrewCreal Жыл бұрын

There's no mix knob on the Whammy =( I would go for the Electro Harmonix IHM for your live board.

@markschuth8036 2 жыл бұрын

Great demo. I had an EQD Arpanoid and I think it had the prettiest upper harmonies but I couldn't control the keys. What do you think has the prettiest upper harmonies and octave tone. I'm not as into the metal harmonist vibe as I am ambient or psychedelic.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

I think the IHM would be great for ambient stuff imo, that or an Eventide H9, then mess around with some of the harmonizer algos. I used to have a couple of those years ago, and they were fantastic.

@mattruscio1001 2 жыл бұрын

I just picked up an EH IHM and I love it! I’m still stumbling through all that it can do so this video helped me out. When paired with a delay (boss dd-7 in my case) it is so much fun!!

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Yes! Delay after pitch shifter is fantastic!

@incensus5407 2 жыл бұрын

mate thats a great review. may i ask for a drop based comparison? some cleans and distorsion played few octaves down ?

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words...coming soon my friend 🤘

@andresstoner5839 Жыл бұрын

Hey thanks for the video I Have the IHM, question do you recommend to use this pedal with some distortion? Or is better with clean sound? I tried with some distortion and I think it doesn’t sound that good!

@DrewCreal 11 ай бұрын

You can definitely use the pedal with distortion. I would recommend putting the IHM before any distortion pedal in the signal chain for the best results.

@retinamusic 2 жыл бұрын

Great taste in music! Holdsworth and As Cities Burn!

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks bud!

@retinamusic 2 жыл бұрын

I'm interested in how the IHM sounds in polyphonic downtuned settings like the digitech drop style.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

I've never been a fan of using a pitch shifter for downtuned stuff. It never tracks tightly enough on the lower notes for that to be a reliable way to play entire songs. Now, if it's one part of the song, then I would use the IHM for that.

@jimthecraftyguitarist878 2 жыл бұрын

@@DrewCreal Fair enough. That said do you think Digitech or EHX does better on the drop tuning?

@jonathanfrieze8497 2 жыл бұрын

whats your thought on tc electronics harmonizer ithas tone print tech which seems incredible but i have source audio stuff that ive never explored that part of the technology im looking at a new pedal cant make upy mind i cant even sell the pedals i dont use got to fix this nice video keep up the good work

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the kind words, I haven't tried the TC Electronic harmonizer yet, but I'm sure it competes similarly with these two. I'll have to get my hands on one and do a side by side comparison.

@jrstormont 2 жыл бұрын

Does either pedal do drop tuning and harmony at the same time?

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately no they do not. You'd need something more advanced like the DigiTech IPS33b, Eventide or Axe FX to do something like that.

@devinsinderwitcz9134 Жыл бұрын

Both great pedals but I'm leaning more towards the Whammy.

@zepp3lin 2 жыл бұрын

The last feature that you demo with the IMH momentary switch is actually already featured in the Digitech Ricochet/Whammy in a small pedal format back in 2016 I think...

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing that information, I did not know that!

@amsterdamned6209 10 ай бұрын

Yeh man, AH Sand fifth above!

@officialproteus 2 жыл бұрын

You might have sold me on the IHM 🧐

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

It's a great little pedal, thanks for watching!

@jmarvosa6x3 7 ай бұрын

CV i/o, or a footswitch, to activate gate would put the EHX over the moon!!

@alexxmaestro 11 ай бұрын

IHM has noticeable processed signal output delay. Kinda disappointing.

@HOGANMW 2 жыл бұрын

Whammy eats a bit less than 300mA :-) I think acurate number is 270. I do not know why they play some game regarding it. Possibly Harman wanted to sell their power supplies with it. Business matter. I run Whammy 5 with my 12 sections power supply. Successfully using 9V 300mA DC output for 2 years now I can say their power supply is a joke. I do not think that any of digital guitar stomp effects made on Earth needs more than 600mA :-) My tube guitar pedals use no more than 500mA. What I hear from EHX is that this toy has a LAG. I am looking for some small pitch shift pedals with EXP in to swap my Whammy and increase a bit of space in my pedalboard. I use two channel BOSS expression pedal which is attached to Meris ENZO synth and I wish to use its second chanel with something which could perform as good as Whammy. Unfortunately I did not find any options for now.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your contribution here. Yes, I've always thought it was strange that the DigiTech Whammy requires so much power. Glad to know that it only uses around 300mA. The other pedals that I can think of that are power hogs are the Line 6 HX Stomp and the Eventide H9. Those two seem to require a lot more power. I actually really like the momentary capabilities of the EHX IHM. Really fun and comparable to the Whammy.

@HOGANMW 2 жыл бұрын

@@DrewCreal HX Stom does not count because this is a multieffect unit. H9 needs 375mA so still less than my tube booster ;-)

@hotchow8766 11 ай бұрын

The only thing I can afford as shown in this video is a set of DAVA picks...but they are great!

@DrewCreal 11 ай бұрын

There's nothing wrong with that, you gotta start somewhere. Luckily there are so many affordable pedal options these days, and I'm sure you could find an old whammy on the used market for not that much money. The Dava picks are my all time favorite. Thanks for watching!

@commodoor6549 2 жыл бұрын

The EHX Intelligent Harmony Machine sounds great, but it feels like you gave the Whammy V short shrift.

@DrewCreal 2 жыл бұрын

Fair enough, I may make another version of this video with distorted pitch shifter tones. Thanks for watching.

@commodoor6549 2 жыл бұрын

@@DrewCreal Thanks... subscribed.

@zeus1141 2 жыл бұрын

I dislike the EXH. To me... the fact that isn't available in the trusted Amazon store which I can complaint to if it doesn't arrive or I have to process a return. 250 dlls for a hit and miss website where I would need to buy it... when the Whammy V is cheaper and in Amazon with the advantages of Amazon itself AND pedal? I think the V in this case is a no brainer.

@roryadam Жыл бұрын

for those of you that are possibly trying to figure out the proper power supply for a whammy, he said 9v DC, Im pretty sure its AC. I know the 4 is but maybe they changed it up for the 5. Just something to to note. 1.3A is correct though, I do believe.

@DrewCreal Жыл бұрын

You are correct about this, thanks for chiming in here and sharing your knowledge!