Line 6 Helix Megathread - 2.80 update

[big_aug]

Yea, the Axe probably sounds "better" but its freaking like $3000+ if you get the foot controller too. Normal people can't drop three grand on this ..... $1500 w/ a discount on sale is attainable for a lot of people.

I'm just a home player. I used to have an HD500. Those were the best couple years I ever had playing guitar. I'm so excited to have another unit like that. I'm excited to see what people do with all the capabilities.

 

[Matyrker]

Yea, the Axe probably sounds "better" but its freaking like $3000+ if you get the foot controller too. Normal people can't drop three grand on this ..... $1500 w/ a discount on sale is attainable for a lot of people.

I'm just a home player. I used to have an HD500. Those were the best couple years I ever had playing guitar. I'm so excited to have another unit like that. I'm excited to see what people do with all the capabilities.

Agreed. No trying to decide if I want the floor model or rack mount!

 

[SSK0909]

I really want to try this for myself, because every video i've seen so far makes it sound only slightly better than the POD HD, but still miles away from the Kemper and Axe II.

Especially the low end sounds waaay to "mushy" and "smooth". It's like there's this weird compression going on that completely kills the dynamics in the lower register.

No doubt some people will be able to make stellar tones on these, people have been able to do that since the Pod XT. Now a days it's not a question about whether or not a modeller can produce a useable tone, it's about how easy they are to dial in, and I just can't se that weird low end going away without some editing tricks that have to be learned through hours of tweaking.
I strongly doubt this will get you the tone and feel of a real amp in under 5 minutes. But I could be wrong Everything is speculation until real users starts playing around with these units.

 

[Mordacain]

Yeah but if you hype both it will inevitably result in higher sales.
Not saying that's your motivation but i can see where steinmetzify is coming from.
That's why i take the Andertons videos with a grain of salt. I wouldn't even call them reviews really.

Certainly take any review with a grain of salt but the Andertons cats don't really shy too far from giving an honest (if measured) opinion about the gear they review. The cab clone not withstanding I don't think they've ever "lied" about a product.

Regardless of whatever they've done I think the Helix sounds amazing in the Andertons videos and from what I know of Chappers, he's not exactly a digital wiz so I doubt there is any real post-processing that someone here couldn't do better. My point in saying that is that if it sounds that good in the Anderton's videos than I can imagine amazing results from those that can really pull a deep-dive on the unit.

 

[Captain Butterscotch]

I have high hopes for the unit, but I'm not gonna vouch for (or fight over) its sound quality or capabilities because I haven't even been in the same room as one yet. The thing could very well rival an Axe FX unit, but who knows yet? Fractal isn't infallible. A thought stolen from another forum's thread:

An Axe FX/Kemper sounds bad: user is most definitely at fault
Line 6 Helix sounds bad: Line 6's fault

 

[KristapsCoCoo]

An Axe FX/Kemper sounds bad: user is most definitely at fault
Line 6 Helix sounds bad: Line 6's fault

...and big part of the later ones couldn't get a decent tone with either of units.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

An Axe FX/Kemper sounds bad: user is most definitely at fault
Line 6 Helix sounds bad: Line 6's fault

I'm going to be that guy...

Line 6 is the most popular modeling company out there. They have a WAY bigger market share than Fractal, Kemper, or Studio Devil. So, naturally, the most popular guys get all the hate.

I'm also hoping this does good. Main reason is that if the Helix sells well and the reviews are good, then hopefully Line 6 will try to include several of these features, such as the IR loading and new screen, into the next POD series. I want them to realize that good features, sounds, and innovation sells, not gimmicks.

 

[Vrollin]

Ok so I'm confused about modellers and all the jargon that goes with them. I see this has a small amount of amps, not many in the high gain territory either, will this be able to be loaded with more amps in the future? Or is this an unknown at this stage?

 

[ryanscott6]

If I had to guess, Line 6 will probably sell model packs in the future, although for the price of the Helix, I would think they'd be providing free models instead.

 

[Captain Butterscotch]

Ok so I'm confused about modellers and all the jargon that goes with them. I see this has a small amount of amps, not many in the high gain territory either, will this be able to be loaded with more amps in the future? Or is this an unknown at this stage?

Going by their products in the past the answer is: probably. I haven't seen any confirmation yet but I definitely wouldn't be surprised. We've yet to hear if they're going to be free updates or paid.

 

[Vrollin]

Hmmm, I was getting pretty geed up about helix, but a low number of amp models and what seems to be sfa in the way of effects models is making me second guess it....

 

[mikah912]

Really, guys?

I want more new/contemporary amps (E.g. Archon or 5150 III), but 35 guitar amps and 7 bass amps is not a small number of amps. It's just not.

How many studios that do metal have more than a 5150, Dual Rec, maybe a JCM800 and/or a Soldano and perhaps one other high gain head on hand? Those are all in the launch lineup, along with a Bogner Shiva and Uberschall, plus 3 high gain Line 6 originals and an ENGL Fireball. Moreover, you can run up to four simultaneously or run them with multiple IRs panned L/R. That's a lot of versatility for metal. Keith Merrow's Kemper patch is pretty much just a 5150, isn't it? Periphery are using 5150 amp models as the basis for all of their latest Axe-Fx patches, despite all of the high gain amp models Axe-Fx offers. That says something.

Ola Englund and Devin Townsend's core amp tones have pretty much been tweaked Recto sounds. Jerry Cantrell has gotten great results for AIC with Uberschalls before he moved to Friedman amps. Countless other records and artists used all of these too. You can load your own IRs. It's not a crappy or limiting amp lineup. Especially if they've truly gotten accurate snapshots of the amps with this new engine.

Maybe lacking in "new" amps if you've had a loaded 500x with all of the expansion packs. But on its own merits....quite capable.

And of course new models are on the way! Line 6 has put years of development into this new HX engine. The only way to recoup that R&D investment is to reuse it in various products. They will add more amp and FX models to add value as well. They've done it with every generation of product. Helix Incorporated a bazillion IdeaScale suggestions and some people never thought of. Well, before launch, the top requests for Helix are all requests for more amp models.

Heck, you could pick up an Axe-Fx Ultra used for $1k or less along with a Helix and have an Inception-esque mind blowing rig for the price of a new Axe-fx IIXL WITHOUT the foot controller.

I mean, come on!

 

[Vrollin]

Ok, lets get right down to basics for some of us, whats an IR? is that like loading a new amp model?

 

[mikah912]

Ok, lets get right down to basics for some of us, whats an IR? is that like loading a new amp model?

It's basically a "profile" of a Poweramp, cabinet speaker and microphone recording it. You can shoot it with a blend of mics, and use neutral solid state Poweramp to make it more transparent.

But it's every thing that determines recorded guitar tone aside from the amp head itself.

 

[Vrollin]

ahh yup, cheers! Potentially sold my RGA72, so might be adding that to the helix fund... Bloody things are $2300 in Australia and I just preordered a DD500 the other week....

 

[SSK0909]

Really, guys?

I want more new/contemporary amps (E.g. Archon or 5150 III), but 35 guitar amps and 7 bass amps is not a small number of amps. It's just not.

How many studios that do metal have more than a 5150, Dual Rec, maybe a JCM800 and/or a Soldano and perhaps one other high gain head on hand? Those are all in the launch lineup, along with a Bogner Shiva and Uberschall, plus 3 high gain Line 6 originals and an ENGL Fireball. Moreover, you can run up to four simultaneously or run them with multiple IRs panned L/R. That's a lot of versatility for metal. Keith Merrow's Kemper patch is pretty much just a 5150, isn't it? Periphery are using 5150 amp models as the basis for all of their latest Axe-Fx patches, despite all of the high gain amp models Axe-Fx offers. That says something.

Ola Englund and Devin Townsend's core amp tones have pretty much been tweaked Recto sounds. Jerry Cantrell has gotten great results for AIC with Uberschalls before he moved to Friedman amps. Countless other records and artists used all of these too. You can load your own IRs. It's not a crappy or limiting amp lineup. Especially if they've truly gotten accurate snapshots of the amps with this new engine.

Maybe lacking in "new" amps if you've had a loaded 500x with all of the expansion packs. But on its own merits....quite capable.

And of course new models are on the way! Line 6 has put years of development into this new HX engine. The only way to recoup that R&D investment is to reuse it in various products. They will add more amp and FX models to add value as well. They've done it with every generation of product. Helix Incorporated a bazillion IdeaScale suggestions and some people never thought of. Well, before launch, the top requests for Helix are all requests for more amp models.

Heck, you could pick up an Axe-Fx Ultra used for $1k or less along with a Helix and have an Inception-esque mind blowing rig for the price of a new Axe-fx IIXL WITHOUT the foot controller.

I mean, come on!

People always want more. The Axe-Fx II has friggin 223 amp models, and the wish list forum is still loaded with "want amp x" threads

I agree that the Helix has enough amp models, but the point is that it's a minscule ammount compared to the competetition, and Line 6 has always charged for more amp packs.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

People always want more. The Axe-Fx II has friggin 223 amp models, and the wish list forum is still loaded with "want amp x" threads

I agree that the Helix has enough amp models, but the point is that it's a minscule ammount compared to the competetition, and Line 6 has always charged for more amp packs.

That 223 is so misleading. I mean 9 of them are just super slight variations on the Plexi, and almost twice that number if you count the derivatives. Heck, if you remove the Marshall mods that 223 is almost cut in half.

 

[SSK0909]

That 223 is so misleading. I mean 9 of them are just super slight variations on the Plexi, and almost twice that number if you count the derivatives. Heck, if you remove the Marshall mods that 223 is almost cut in half.

Well... take away Marshall mod's and you remove almost half of real life amps as well

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Well... take away Marshall mod's and you remove almost half of real life amps as well

Probably more than half.

 

[mikah912]

People always want more. The Axe-Fx II has friggin 223 amp models, and the wish list forum is still loaded with "want amp x" threads

I agree that the Helix has enough amp models, but the point is that it's a minscule ammount compared to the competetition, and Line 6 has always charged for more amp packs.

No, they haven't always. The SLO Clean/Crunch/Lead channels were FREE add-ons to the HD series. So was the Line 6 Epic, Doom, and Elektrik models. So was the Plexi Bright/Normal.

Will they charge for Helix packs? No one can say for sure, but I think the HD series is a good predictor: They will likely throw in new amp models here and there with the initial firmware releases. Once those hurdles are cleared and major bugs are pinned down, they'll concentrate on opening new revenue streams via some paid content.

And I'm not even saying it has "enough" models. While I think it has enough to suffice for most situations, competitively (as in spec sheet to spec sheet) there are some gaps. There are some biggies the competition has (e.g. Friedman BE-100, EVH 5153, Dumble) that aren't in the lineup combined with some inexplicable omissions that Line 6 already has in their amp collection and has profiled before (e.g. Diezel VH-4, Diezel Herbert, Cornford MK II, Marshall JMP-1).

It'd be nice to get a JVM in there too, preferably the Satriani model.