Looking for a new effects pedal and want to know if the Eventide H90 Harmonizer is a good fit for a recording rig? Well, it absolutely is a good choice for recording situations. However, is it a good fit for you? That depends on how comfortable you are with studying a user manual. Eventide encourages users to dig into the manual before getting started. After all, this is not your typical plug-and-play stompbox. To give an idea of what it takes to work with this unit, the first page of the H90's User Guide states, "The H90 packs an impressive amount of processing and flexibility into a compact package. To get a full understanding of what the H90 offers, we recommend taking the time to explore this User Guide. However, if you're eager to get going, at least read the included Quick Reference Guide or view the Setup Chapter." A hard copy of the Quick Reference Guide is included in the box, and you can scan the QR code on the inside cover for the online-only User Guide.
Putting together a useful review of Eventide's H90 Harmonizer can be a challenge. Is it a stompbox? Is it for the studio or the stage? Is it a harmonizer, chorus, delay, reverb, or distortion pedal? Can the algorithms be customized without the use of an app or connecting to a computer? Does it have multiple routing options? Is it mono or stereo? Well, yes to all and it's stereo or mono. Plus, it has the ability to run effects in series or parallel. All of this includes the legendary high quality effects Eventide has made their stellar 50-year reputation on. It even has a tuner!
Unlike many manual's, the H90's User Guide is very user-friendly. It also includes cross-reference links throughout so readers can easily jump from one section to another to cross-reference an item. For instance, the Introduction lists the "11 new effect algorithms" that are included with the H90. Each new algorithm is listed with a hyperlink so that readers can easily go to another part of the manual to learn the specifics of an algorithm. This is a helpful feature when learning to operate the H90. (Tip: Open the link in a new tab so that you keep your place in the User Guide.) It's not that using the H90 is difficult. There are simply a lot of options to choose from, such as making your own presets or adjusting the Parameter of an algorithm. If you're looking for something simple to add to your pedal board, this may not be the pedal you are looking for. The delay feature alone offers 12 different delay types, each with its own complex Parameter controls. On the other hand, many of the operations Andy Hong wrote about when reviewing the Eventide H9 [Tape Op #107] apply to the H90. If you are familiar with the H9, you will likely have a smooth transition to the H90.
The first thing I did after reading through all the User Guides was to go through all 99 Programs one by one. Eventide lives up to their reputation for stellar sounding effects with the H90. Some of my favorites include the rich deep sound of Clean Ambient, the polyphonic Celestial Chimes (just hit one note on a kalimba using this effect and you will see what I mean), and Floating Space (which features Eventide's Blackhole algorithms). I know I've said this already, but the Programs are stellar. Even the JazzyBZ has the Hammond B3/Leslie rotary background sound when nothing is played. You will surely notice the Eventide difference with this product.
With 99 Programs, you'll be hard pressed to find someone that falls in love with all of them. However, if you run across a Program that does not necessarily suit what you are looking for, consider playing with the Parameter controls before giving up on it. Each Program reacts differently, too. Some programs need a bit of gain to engage the effect, so if you're trying out different Programs at low levels you have to be careful. For example, the Tight Drive seemed to only respond when a certain amount of gain was applied. So, consider slowly turning up the volume or gain on your amp or interface when using some Programs for the first time. Robocat is a Program I could not find a use for. Played through a guitar, it feels like your head was tagged by an electric cattle prod. It will really wake you up in the morning – maybe it would make for a good alarm clock ring tone! On the other hand, this could be a good effect for film or sound design. Moreover, if you use the parameter controls to alter the settings and run it through some other effects, it might turn into a sound you've been searching for. That's the type of flexibility within the H90.
The aforementioned Clean Ambient setting is a combination of reverb and delay that I enjoyed using. I played an Epiphone Les Paul Studio guitar through it using a 30 watt Fender Champ amp. The speaker in the Champ was replaced with a Warehouse British Invasion ET 10. While the Warehouse speaker had improved the sound of my amp, using the H90's Clean Ambient Program made the guitar and amp sound way beyond their pay grade. The depth and richness of the reverb/delay combination were next level compared to the reverb and delay pedals currently on my pedalboard. Now, don't get me wrong, I like my reverb and delay pedal combo, but comparing them to the ARM-based processor (a step up from the H9's processor) and algorithms of the H90 is not a fair comparison. The sound of the Clean Ambient program is simply that good, which of course is what makes the H90 ideal for recording.
Once you've gone through all the programs, I recommend choosing just one program to work with while getting acquainted with how to operate the adjustable parameter controls. This will also make for an easier gateway into the three foot switches (P, A, and B), as well as the Select and Perform rotary controls. As you can see, there's quite a bit to become familiar with. Once you've developed a sense of how these controls work, you'll be ready to get into different routing options.
So, is the H90 for live performance or recording? Contrary to your typical effect pedal, the H90 has the advanced features one might find in an effect plug-in. In many ways, the H90 is like having several pedals. Folks like Suzanne Ciani [Tape Op #148] have used two H9s for routing options (See Section 3 in the User Manual for all of the H90's routing options), and guitarist Pete Thorn stated he liked having two H9's on his pedalboard so he could use more than one Eventide effect at a time. Well, with four 1/4-inch unbalanced analog inputs and outputs that can be set up as instrument or line level, MIDI I/O, the ability to run to algorithms simultaneously, and the option to use up to two expression pedals, aux switches, or a combination of both, there are plenty of choices in the studio and on stage with the H90.
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