[Harp-L] Turboharp ELX "electronic" harmonica



I recently bought and received one of Jim "Turbo Dog" Antaki's "Antakamatics Turbo ELX" harmonicas.   

It's basically a hinged turbolid with optical sensors, into which a shield-less harmonica body neatly fits, plugged into a belt-clip adaptor from which one links through an effects box (it comes with a Digitech RP70) or pre-amp, then to an amp or p.a. 

At first, there was a minor intermittent problem with the device, so I sent it back and Jim worked it out and sent it back promptly, it works fine.   

The Optical sensors work amazingly, accurately picking up all tonal expressions of every reed and combination of reeds, bent or straight, I am really impressed with Jim's invention, which i suppose included some complex algorithms to deal with the wierd physics of note bending on harmonicas.  But it also needs the effects box to work well.

The Digitech RP70 has 100 presets for "patches" or sets of presets. 50 patches have been stored, with backups - i.e., the second 50 slots are immutable copies of the first fifty patches, so one can mess around without losing 'em. 

Playing the device (via the belt-clip adaptor then a 1/4" plugged cable) directly into an amp (here a Harpgear 30) achieves light volume and a persistent sort of echo or reverb effect, it really needs the effects box.

THEN, it screams!  Just as Richard Hunter has been telling us all along, using such an effects box can really shape th tone and texture, not to mention the volume.   

Of course, the Digitech RP70 has the same tonal effect upon a regular harp-mic combo, so what's the difference between my regualr mic and harp, and the ELX?  

I think the difference is really in two places, for me:

1. Handling: The bulbous shape of the turbolid, as always, is different, and the pin plug going into the back left of the case is a tad pesky for how I hold harps, but not a big deal, however hand cupping, flutters and such have no effect upon the tone, since it's not shaping sounds waves before the mic; and 

2. NO feedback.  Well, if I really boost the Digitech's reverb and raise the amps volume, I can conjure some feedback just electronically, but the fact is, there's no mic, so no sound loop.  NO feedback.   

Now, that's cool, but there are other ways of handling feedback, albeit with some tonal tradeoffs.   And to use one of these ELX' at a gig using different keyed harps, one would have to have removed shields of ever harp so the body can be slipped into the ELX lid, which change-out is surprisingly easy and reliable.

I wonder if the signal the ELX makes renders it any potential as a midi controller?  That would be be quite interesting, and really different, but still a question.  

Bottom line:

I am very impressed with the technical capabilities of Jim's Antakamatic ELX harp!  I will indeed bring it along on my next few gigs to try it under such conditions, along with some stripped harps to change out.  But I am not yet convinced I'll be using it regularly, since my hand-cupping and such are often an important part of my tone, which needs all I can get... 

Dave "I'm voting for Jim Antaki now, and for progressive values tomorrow" Fertig



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