DarrellM5
Well-Known Member
Regardless of the little details, the winning car gets my money.
Line 6 Helix Megathread - 2.80 update
- Thread starter demorior
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celticelk
Well-Known Member
To a point. I mean, Cliff says it's running the same models, but it's running them on a processor somewhat different than the one for which they were originally coded, so that introduces the possibility of some variability.
Taking a more expansive view of "how it will sound": what will the AX8 leave out that's in the Axe II in order to meet its price point? We already know that you'll only get one amp model at a time. Presumably the number of simultaneous effects will be limited relative to the Axe II, possibly severely. Will the various controllers (LFO, ASDR, envelope, sequencer) for parameters be included?
This is a point that I don't remember seeing discussed yet, actually: the design philosophies between the Helix and the AX8 are dramatically different. The Helix is a flagship unit, and so it's going to be chock-full of features compared to the previous L6 units. (FOUR send/return loops! I'm still in shock.) The AX8 is a stripped-down version of Fractal's flagship, and so it will be all about *limiting* the feature set - I can't imagine that there will be any feature on the AX8 that's not on the Axe II, apart from the obvious form factor difference. That, presumably, is why Cliff and others are pushing the tone angle so hard: they know that the Helix will eat the AX8's lunch on features.
GuitarBizarre
Listen to physics.
Code is code is code. It would throw exceptions and crash if the 1s and 0s were in different places. Only the DAC stage could affect the sound quality unless they literally changed the software design and it's capabilities with the intent of doing so.
celticelk
Well-Known Member
Yes, I'm aware, and I'll freely admit that I don't know a ton about software development, but the two processors run at different speeds, and for a real-time process (especially given some of the claims I've seen players make about the effects of latency), couldn't that theoretically make some difference? (Possibly less in sound than in "feel," but still.)
I should emphasize that I don't really have a dog in this fight - I'm intrigued by the Helix as an effects solution, largely because of its I/O possibilities, but I'm not giving up my Laney anytime soon.
ihunda
Well-Known Member
Interesting debate on algorithms and sound quality but frankly I am much more excited by:
Neither the Axe or Kemper come close to that versatility, this is what seals the deal for me.
Neither the Axe or Kemper come close to that versatility, this is what seals the deal for me.
Being in a covers/club/party/wedding band where we are always looking to reduce the amount of gear we take to gigs this looks great. our singer and singer/guitarist both use tc helicon voicelives and the guitarists/singer uses a granmeister plus 2x12 di'd into the pa. To be able to just take 2 helix's would be awesome.
On the battle between helix and axefx the line 6 is the more likely buy for me so long as the sound is noticeably better than the hd series because its most likely gonna be cheaper and more importantly i will be able to pick it up on interest free credit.
Alex Kenivel
Stunt Guitar
My new Pod just took a .... on me.
Just in time.
Just in time.
Electric Wizard
it's my first day
Another Sweetwater video is up.
HeHasTheJazzHands
Well-Known Member
^Before anyone asks... No, there's no metal clips in that.
I think they're trying to aim at TGP with these demos.
I think they're trying to aim at TGP with these demos.
Really cool explanation of how they modeled everything. Being able to run wet/dry/wet sounds awesome too. More videos coming soon.
It is a very good time for us who are into modeling. If nothing else I hope this really opens the doors so other companies like boss, zoom and digitech will put out similar products.
It is a very good time for us who are into modeling. If nothing else I hope this really opens the doors so other companies like boss, zoom and digitech will put out similar products.
Dans
Dans_Envisage
HeHasTheJazzHands
Well-Known Member
Okay that's pretty ....ing cool that you can use the Variax's knobs as an external controller.
bloc
tha vagina finda
Great tones aside, I love this guy that L6 uses to demo their stuff. Sean Halley speaks in a conversational manner that's really easy to relate to.
Devyn Eclipse Nav
Avid Open C Enthusiast, Aspiring Ghibli Wizard
TO BE FAIR, the HD series could do that too. There's an old Andertons/Rob Chapman video demonstrating that, with Rob being very entertained by a Whammy effect on the tone knob of the control
Steinmetzify
CHUG & SLUDGE
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Starting to jones for an Ola demo...
MASS DEFECT
SS.ORG Infiltrator
The sounded surprisingly good! The Helix looks slim and small-ish too.
The cleans seem to sound really good. The dirty tones I heard so far, however, leave me quite perplexed. Looking forward to hearing some more defined heavy tones.
Spinedriver
Well-Known Member
^Before anyone asks... No, there's no metal clips in that.
I think they're trying to aim at TGP with these demos.
Now that a large chunk of metal players have already adopted either an Axe-Fx or Kemper system, I reckon Line 6 has decided to focus on the studio/cover/wedding band player whose idea of "metal" is a Boss DS-1 in front of a Fender Twin.
GuitarBizarre
Listen to physics.
You're conflating "real time" with "continuous".
There's a thing in PC audio called DPC latency. To nutshell it, it's how the processor handles urgent data that must be represented continuously, versus how it handles data that might take much more processing power to handle but can be handled in a fashion that isn't so urgent.
Some drivers and chipsets (Logitech USB Webcam drivers for example) can cause the processor to handle DPC badly - this raises the DPC latency. As a general rule, if your DPC latency exceeds about 500 microseconds, there's a pretty good chance your audio will start working improperly.
When this happens, there's literally zero middleground between "Working fine" and "Popping and glitching noises".
If the processors were for whatever reason unable to process the code fast enough to maintain continuous audio output, this would be the result.
The only way this could be mitigated would be if Fractal designed in an Adaptive algorithm to dynamically reduce the processor load by sacrificing resolution on the fly - In other words, if Fractal spent time and development on designing a workaround that would make their product sound worse, in order to mitigate problems arising from underspeccing the processors.
Now honestly, that sort of approach has it's merits sometimes - It's how Wipeout HD on PS3 was able to maintain a constant 60FPS framerate, for example.
But honestly, that sort of approach isn't relevant here - bit-crushed audio or under sampled audio is not a subtle effect and would completely destroy the functionality of the product, so they won't be doing it unless they've decided they'd quite like to release a totally uncompetitive product that doesn't work.
http://insidethedigitalfoundry.blogspot.co.uk/2008/09/wipeout-hds-1080p-sleight-of-hand.html
lewis
Well-Known Member
Now that a large chunk of metal players have already adopted either an Axe-Fx or Kemper system, I reckon Line 6 has decided to focus on the studio/cover/wedding band player whose idea of "metal" is a Boss DS-1 in front of a Fender Twin.
Its starting to seem like that, the continuous lack of Metal amp options in Line 6 range suggests it. Like in the original Pod Farm you had the Diezel Amp etc. Loads more options, fast track to now and half are missing. Metal Amp pack comes out for the HD and its what 2 amps for proper High Gain?.
If this really is the case then I will 100% be on the Kemper trail
