Electro-Harmonix
Electro-Harmonix is a brand of the New Sensor Corporation , New York , USA , which primarily manufactures effects devices for musicians that are suitable for both live and studio use. The originally independent company Electro-Harmonix was founded in 1968 by Mike Matthews , who is CEO of the company to this day.
Most devices are intended for electric guitars , few for electric bass , and most can be used with any audio signal ( keyboard , microphone , etc.) without any problems .
A special feature of EHX is the predominance of analog effects devices, although the trend has been towards digital sound processing for many years . Digitally operating devices have clear advantages, especially when it comes to delay effect devices. z. B. no loss of sound or volume, very long delay times, loop functions. Electro-Harmonix still offers mainly analog delay effect devices.
In addition, other standard effects are represented in the company's catalog, from distortion to modulation effects (chorus, phase shifter, tremolo, vibrato, etc.) to synthesizers that also work analog. In recent years, new devices have also been added that work with electron tubes , which the New Sensor Corporation also manufactures. Another special feature is the creative naming of the individual devices: " Small Stone " (Phaser), "The Worm" (Vibrato, Tremolo, Wah Phaser), "Bassballs" (envelope filter), " Big Muff " (Fuzz), " Holy Grail “(Reverb), and much more
Popular musicians, who created their own individual sound with the help of the EHX effect units, made the company very famous. The guitarist Kurt Cobain from Nirvana , for example, used the chorus “Small Clone” for the main theme in “Come As You Are” as well as various solos. In addition, the musician Jack White, known from the White Stripes, often uses the “Polyphonic Octave Generator” or “POG” for short, which can be heard especially in the song Blue Orchid. The distortion "Big Muff" could be heard on tracks by Carlos Santana , the grunge band Mudhoney and by Tocotronic . As early as 1976, the French musician Jean-Michel Jarre used a Small Stone phaser in combination with the Eminent 310 to create the floating sound of his album Oxygène .
