Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Review – Should You Buy It?

The musical brand of Thomann, Harley Benton, is mainly known for its great guitars for affordable prices. The brand quickly made a name for itself thanks to the great production quality, feature-packed designs, innovative touches, and affordable price tags.

Recently the brand stepped into the guitar multi-effects processor market with its new design Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro. The quality and attention to detail that we saw with Harley Benton guitars are 100% reflected on this new unit as it offers impressive value for the price. 

The feature-packed multi-fx and amp modeler shines with its great build quality, a wide range of effects and amp modeling options, easy to navigate design with a 5” color display, stereo options, editor software, wide range of input and output ports, as well as USB audio recording feature for PC and Mac. The multi-fx and amp modeler has a lot to offer with its versatility and feature-packed design, especially for home players.

Pros	Cons
Great value for the price with a feature-packed design	Hard to change preset groups with footswitches
Versatile with a wide range of effects and amp modeling choices	Only one looper slot
Super bright 5″ color display	Only works with one effect from each effect group
Good build quality
Great sound quality

There are some minor drawbacks, but they are not dealbreakers. The biggest one is that you can only select one effect from each effect group, which means you can’t use two delays or overdrives at the same time. Another one is the looper is not the best as there is just one slot and you can not record your tracks. 

Overall, for the price, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is an outstanding multi-fx and amp modeler which shines with its impressive value for price ratio. I recommend it to any player who wants versatility for an affordable price. As there are small drawbacks, I am going to rate this one 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Harley Benton

Thomann is one of the most famous and biggest music stores in the world and is one of the first names to come to mind when thinking about purchasing any kind of music gear. Located in Germany, Thomann ships worldwide and has many stores all around the world, including England and the U.S.A. The company was founded in 1954, and since then, it has been providing reliable and outstanding service for musicians globally.

The biggest part of the fame of Thomann is thanks to the internet as the company opened an e-store where every musical instrument and accessory can easily be purchased with great customer service and attention to quality control. 

In the 2010s, Thomann launched its own brand, Harley Benton, which quickly became popular among guitarists as the brand was offering impressive instruments for highly affordable prices. All of the users were highly surprised with the quality of Harley Benton guitars and gear and left great reviews in blogs, stores, and all over the internet, increasing the popularity of the brand.

Harley Benton products are manufactured in China with great quality control and attention to detail. The brand aims to provide great alternatives to popular guitar models such as Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Les Paul. Thomann provides highly attentive customer service for customers who have any kind of problems.

The Specs Of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro

Let’s have a look at the features of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro to have a wider opinion on the device.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Specs

General

Model	DNAfx GiT Pro
Casing	Aluminum housing
Color	Gray

Dimensions 

Weight	3.96 lbs (1.8 kg)
Width	13.622” (346 mm)
Height	2.28” (58 mm)
Depth	6.37” (162 mm)

Impulse Response

IR format	WAV
IR sampling rate	44.1 kHz
IR sampling accuracy	24 bit
IR sampling points	512

Electronics

Working Current	1000 mA
Indication	5” Color LCD

Controls

Knobs	5 Assignable Knobs, Output Knob, Select Knob
Switches	A, B, C, D assignable footswitches
Buttons	Store, Menu, Exit, and Navigation Buttons

Input/Output

Input	1/4″ (6.3 mm) jack
Output	2 balanced XLR outputs, 2 unbalanced 6.3 mm jack outputs
MIDI	MIDI In-Out
External Expression Pedal Connection	1/4″ (6.3 mm) jack
Stereo FX Loop	2 x 1/4″ (6.3 mm) jack
AUX In	1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini-jack input
Headphone Output	1/8″ (3.5 mm) mini-jack output
USB	USB Type-B

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro comes in a gray aluminum housing which is highly durable and well-built. There are no flaws in the workmanship, and it is a high-quality product. With the dimensions of 13.622” (346 mm), 2.28” (58 mm), and 6.37” (162 mm), it is a medium-sized multi-fx processor which is not that hard to carry around. 

The design is good with a low profile for a four-switch and expression pedal layout, knurled metal knobs, and the large, bright, and colorful 5″ LCD screen. 

On the control panel, you’ll find 5 assignable knobs with a push function, an output level knob, and a select knob with a push function for navigating through the countless effects and amp models via the LCD screen. Plus, there are store, menu, exit, and navigation buttons to control the settings. There are four footswitches with RGB LEDs and an expression pedal which you can assign your presets and use as you like.

With the footswitches, you can also control your amp, which is a great extra feature. This means you can change the channel of your amp with the footswitches.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is really packed with inputs and outputs. There is the standard guitar input jack to start with. Plus, there is amp control, aux in, expression pedal 2, send, return left and right, output left and right, headphones, XLR output left and right, and a MIDI 5-pin DIN socket which acts as In and Out, USB type B ports as well as a Ground/Lift switch.

The jack connections use plastic which is the only part I did not like about the construction. However, most jacks feature plastic construction, and they do not create any problems.

The unit is powered with the standard 9V barrel connector that comes in the box. Plus, there is also the On/Off switch.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Manual & Software Downloads

The manual and the software are located on the buying page on Thomann, just scroll down, and you will see a section with the downloads tab.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Features

Effects

To start with the effects, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro comes with 63 studio-quality digital and analog effects, including Compressor, EQ, Wah (auto-wah or via expression pedal), Harmoniser, Overdrive, Distortion, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotary speaker, Tremolo, Reverb with different modes (Room/Plate/Spring/Hall/Church, etc.), Delay with multiple settings (Ping/Pong, Ducking, Reverse, Tape, Modulation, etc.)and Noise suppressor.

All of the effect modules and the FX loop can be arranged as you like in the signal chain. That means any effect can be placed after or before the amp’s preamp circuit. This way, you have more versatility for mod and overdrive pedal placement for different tonal possibilities.

Amp Modeling

Before choosing the effects, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro lets you choose the amp models you want to use. It features 51 professionally voiced amplifier models, including iconic models such as Brit J45 and 800, Freeman 100, Archean 50, Citrus 100, 5153, Shiver, Soldier, Ecstatic, and Cali Rectifier, and many more.

The unit has 58 channels, including overdriven and clean variations, room settings, cab models, and different power amp tube options, which give you an impressive amount of versatility to create your tone.

IR Speaker Simulations

As mentioned in the previous sections, you can also choose any of the 31 cab models the unit has to create your tone. As amps reach their potential with good-quality speakers, this feature is crucial to having a high-quality tone. 

The cab options sound great, and there are some iconic cabs like Marshall 1960 IRs – taken from an iconic cab with 4 x 25-watt Celestion G12M Greenbacks. You can download the IR mode you want from the Thomann product page and load it into IR cab slots with the DNAfx software.

Tuner

Like most multi-FX processors, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro comes with a built-in tuner.

MIDI

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is MIDI compatible, and it has lots of settings for MIDI functions.

Drum Machine

The drum machine features 8 rhythm styles with 10 different grooves for each. All the grooves can be synced with any loop you create. While the versatility of the drum machine is high, the sound quality is not the best. It is a great practice tool, but I would not recommend using it on any professional project.

Looper

The unit also has a looper with a tap tempo function. It is a basic looper more suited for practicing rather than using on the stage—the looper functions for up to 52 seconds. However, the looper is not the best as you can not save the recorded soundtrack, and there is only one slot.

Expression Pedal

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro has 4 footswitches along with a rocker switch. The expression pedal can be adjusted to any effect and used for different purposes. The foot treadle is smooth and works pretty well.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Sound Quality

The overall sound quality of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is pretty amazing. You can combine the amp and cab models along with the effects to create truly unique and top-quality tones. So it can sound really good, but it needs a bit of tweaking.

The effects and amps sound great, with some little exceptions. But, this is mostly due to personal taste as some like modern tones and others like vintage tones. The unit gives you enough versatility to create the tone you like. It is sure the unit has something for everyone.

Some of my favorite settings were Tube Overdrive with mid-gain, Freeman speakers, Plexi amps, and spring reverb. The combination of these settings gave me a great tone that I was really impressed with.

Coming to the down part, the input is probably buffered, so it does not sound great with other pedals, but I do not think you would need other pedals with this device. Furthermore, the drum machine is also quite versatile, but the sound quality is not meant for professional use.

Another down part is the looper, as you can not record your tracks with the looper as there is just one slot. This is pretty limiting and makes the looper section quite unusable for many.

The biggest drawback for me is that for each preset, you can use only one effect from each effect group. This limits the sonic versatility, and I would have loved to use two overdrive, reverbs, or delays at the same time.

However, these cons are quite minor issues and do not affect the greatness of the pedal. I think it is a great pedal to use on the stage, in the studio, or at home practicing. The sound quality is amazing, and the sonic versatility is high, making the device suitable for pros as well as beginner musicians.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Software

As I mentioned before the software is located on the buying page on Thomann, in the downloads section right after the reviews.

You can connect the pedal via USB cable to your PC to reach the editor software for further customizations and extra features. There are 3 main functions of the editor with the home, control-tap, and expression menus.

The home menu allows you to reach each parameter, like different effects and amp models, customize them, and create presets as you like. With the control-tap menu, you can adjust how you want your footswitches and amp control functions to behave, while the expression menu for expression pedal functions.

I recommend connecting the unit to your pc and using the software when playing with the pedal. This way, it is much easier to control your presets and the function of the pedal.

Once you find the sounds you like, you can save them as presets by dragging them to the “computer” tab and then populate them on the empty slots so that you will have all your favorite presets easily accessible on the pedal.

This way, it is easier to control your presets and your desired tones because accessing them through the pedal is tricky as it requires pressing and holding the 1, 2, and 3 knobs simultaneously.

You can save the presets in blocks of 4 to assign them to the footswitches, but you will have to press two stomps simultaneously to change between preset blocks, which is not the most convenient way.

If you only have 4 presets, it is effortless to use the footswitches, but it is not the most comfortable way to select them through the pedal for more groups. So, I recommend using the software editor, which makes things much smoother.

The expression pedal menu is excellent and highly handy as it allows you to create presets with each parameter from the first position to the final position of the expression pedal. For example, you can create a rhythm tone for the first position with the desired amount of gain, delay, reverb, and any parameter you like. You can create another tone for soloing again with the desired parameters for the final position.

So, the expression pedal will create a transition between the two tones you created. You will have all the points between your two tones. Plus, the expression pedal can be used for volume and two different presets.

The editor software is great and easy to use as it gives you a lot of options and customizations you can quickly engage. The only drawback for me is the lack of a search bar for presets, effects, and amp-cab models, making things slightly slower and more time-consuming.

Finally, to update the firmware, first, you should download the new firmware from Thomann’s or Harley Benton’s webpage. Then, you should push the power on and the select buttons simultaneously while the unit is turned off and plugged into the power source. The footswitch buttons will start to light up, signaling you that it is ready for the update.

Then you can connect the device to your computer, and you will see the editor software will automatically start the update.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Compared To Other Pedals

Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal

Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal is a great all-in-one amp and cab modeler multi-effects pedal with a great value for price ratio. It has 55 amp models and 26 speaker IR models, 70 effects, tuner, and looper.

Compared to Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro, the sonic versatility of Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal is very similar, but Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro shines with its extra features like a wide range of input-output options, 4-foot switches against Mooer’s 3 footswitches, IR loader, all FX in stereo where applicable and in interchangeable order and more.

In terms of input-output ports, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro has many more options than the Mooer, which only features an input jack, stereo output jack, control jack, USB, and headphones ports. 

However, Mooer is easier to use and performs better when used with other pedals. The Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal costs almost the same as the Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro.

Zoom G5n

Zoom G5n is a great amp modeler and multi-effects processor with 68 built-in effects, 10 amp models, cabinet emulators, and a stereo looper, as well as the USB audio interface function.

In terms of effects, amp and cab models DNAfx GiT Pro features more versatility with more amp and cab models. The sonic quality of both products is quite impressive. But, Zoom lacks the option to sync the device with MIDI.

Zoom G5n is a more straightforward and easy-to-use unit than DNAfx GiT Pro and has a better looper, and it is great to use it as a USB audio interface. G5n is a great device for beginners.

When it comes to input-output ports again, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro offers more connection options as the Zoom does not have send, return, headphones, XLR, MIDI 5-pin DIN, and extra expression pedal ports.

The prices of both units are similar, with Zoom costing slightly higher.

Fractal FM3

Fractal FM3 is an outstanding all-in-one effects processor, amp modeler, and foot controller with impressive features and top-quality sound. It has the ARES amp modeling technology, which provides amazingly close sound and feels to many amps, including real tube ones. 

The unit is equipped with 265 different amp models, with countless effects from overdrive pedals to modulation, looper, delay, and reverb. In terms of sonic versatility and sound quality, it is far beyond the reach of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro. This unit is a professional device, while DNAfx GiT Pro is more suited for beginners and practice sessions.

FM3 has only 3 footswitches, which is pretty limited even compared to DNAfx GiT Pro’s 4 footswitches. The unit covers that with extra inputs on the backside with ports to add one or two FC-6 or FC-12 controllers.

Furthermore, the FM3 also features a high amount of ports with 2 XLR outs, 2 ¼” inputs, 2 ¼” outputs, USB in/out, ¼” FX send/return, 2x ¼” pedal inputs, MIDI in/out, ¼” phones out, and FASLINK input.

The design is also highly portable and lightweight yet highly sturdy. It is truly an impressive pro-level unit that features everything you might need from a multi-fx processor and amp modeler. However, this quality comes at a price as it costs more than 4 times compared to the Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro.

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro Is Perfect For Whom?

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is a great and highly versatile multi-fx processor for guitarists who are after an all-in-one device to use in practice, in the studio, as well as on the stage. It provides you with everything you need to shape and create your tone from scratch without needing any other pedals on your setup.

I would recommend this unit to any guitarist, from beginners to pro levels. For professionals, I am not sure if it is the best option, as there are better-sounding and more professional devices on the market. But, with some tweaks and adjustments, it can serve the pros well on the stage, too.

One major drawback is that Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro has a steep learning curve, and you need to spend some time with the unit to get to its maximum potential. This can be hard for entry-level guitarists who are not familiar with effect pedals, amp modeling, and multi-fx processors. But, it is a great device to learn.

There are some drawbacks to the design. You have to press two foot switches at the same time for switching preset groups, which is hard to get used to. 

Another drawback is that you can not use more than one effect from the same category for each preset. So, you can not use two delays or overdrives at the same time, which limits the device’s versatility. Also, the unit does not work well with other pedals, but you do not need any other pedals with this device anyway.  

In short, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is a great choice for beginners, semi-pro, and pro-level guitarists to have a vast sonic versatility in just one all-in-one unit with tons of effects, amp, and cab models to use on practice sessions or on the stage as well as to use in the studio with its great features like USB recording with your favorite DAW.

Other Harley Benton Products Worth Checking Out

Harley Benton DNAfx GiT

The little brother of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is a more portable and compact version of the Pro unit with only two-foot switches and slightly fewer amp models, effects, and ports. However, it is still a greatly versatile device with good sound quality for beginner and intermediate-level guitarists.

Alternatives To Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro In Terms Of Look, Feel, Sound, Specs, And Price

Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal

As mentioned before, Mooer GE200 is a great all-in-one multi-effects pedal and amp-cab modeler in the affordable price range. It comes with 55 high-quality amp models with 10 free slots, 70 effects, 26 speaker IR models, looper, expression pedal, drum machine, metronome, and adjustable signal chain.

The design looks quite modern, and the casing is highly durable while the unit is lightweight and portable. It weighs around 4.88 pounds (2.2 kilograms) which is great.

The unit is highly easy-to-use and beginner-friendly and is equipped with 3-footswitches. Mooer also has an input jack, stereo output jack, control jack, USB, and headphones ports. 

The sound quality of most effects and amp simulations is highly successful, and the unit shines with its great distortion tones. Mooer GE200 Multi-Effects Pedal is in the same price range as Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro.

BOSS GT-100 COSM Amp Effects Processor

One of the most popular multi-effects processors and amp modeler units is BOSS GT-100 COSM. It is an excellent pedal with premium quality with authentic Boss sounds with each effect. The sonic versatility is exceptional, with hundreds of different effects and advanced COSM amps that model vintage amp tones.

The unit has a dual LCD for easy operation with direct access to every setting. There is an improved EZ Tone feature with a graphical Tone Grid for creating new presets and patches from scratch.

The amp customizes, and OD/DS option is outstanding as it allows you to easily create original amps and overdrive-distortion tones.

The unit comes with four pedals, an expression pedal, and additional stompboxes and knobs for adjusting the sound. The build quality is amazing, as the Boss quality can be felt in any part of the device.

If you want to explore a vast universe of tonal possibilities, BOSS GT-100 COSM Amp Effects Processor is a great choice. However, it costs more than the double price of Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro.

Line 6 Pod Go

Line 6 Pad Go is a portable multi-effects processor with great sonic versatility and sound quality. It features over 270 HX and Legacy amp, cab, and effects models, third-Party IR Loading function, stereo effects loop, expression pedal-footswitch input, free POD Go edit the app and a simple interface with a color display.

The sound quality is amazing with the unit, and the distortion-overdrive tones work wonders for softer as well as heavier genres.

The amp models and effects variety are amazing, and it includes classic amps like the Blackface, Plexi Lead, and Treadplate—as well as supporting third-party IR loading. With the snapshot feature, you can easily access all the tones you created to cover every part of each song.

There are many control options such as choosing, editing, and controlling sounds using the large color LCD screen, five push encoders, eight rugged footswitches, and a cast-aluminum multi-function expression pedal to control the unit. It is a highly easy pedal to get used to and take control of while practicing, in the studio, or on the stage.

However, this versatility and quality come with a price, as the Line 6 Pod Go has a price tag two times more than Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro.

Conclusion

The advanced amp modeler, multi-effect processor, and IR loader Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is an impressive unit that provides you with everything you need to shape your sound from scratch. 

It comes with 63 studio-quality digital and analog effects, 51 professionally voiced amplifier models, 31 cab models, a built-in tuner, looper, drum machine, MIDI function along with 4 footswitches to control the presets and your amp channels, as well as an assignable expression pedal. On top of that, most effects sound amazing, and models sound outstanding, getting really close to real tube sounds.

With all these features, it is a hard-to-fault device, especially when the price point is considered. The construction is portable yet durable with high-quality parts, and the large color LCD screen makes it easy to navigate through all the effects and models to create your presets.

Furthermore, the USB connection is great to use the unit for recording as well as further customizing your presets in the App editor. 

There are some small drawbacks, like the limit of one effect from any effect modes for each preset and the limited looper. Also, the unit does not work well combined with other pedals, but with all this sonic versatility, I do not think you will need any extra pedals. These are small cons anyway and are not dealbreakers.

To summarize, Harley Benton DNAfx GiT Pro is a great unit for the price, which shines with its sound quality, sonic versatility, and feature-packed high-quality design.

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Last update on 2024-04-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API