Line 6 Helix Megathread - 2.80 update

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAGDCCdWjoQ

Embedded version of post above. Thanks Carl.

The crunch patch actually sounded really good, but holy .... that's a damn good display.

 

[Carcaridon]

This thing looks really good and a good step up for Line 6. I'd be interested to see the amp model list. Also, it's missing the ability to capture an amp, like the Ax and Kemper's allow.

 

[lewis]

no Big Bottom in the review?.
Come on Line 6.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Nice to see a 10 band eq there!

 

[Lain]

Well.....

 

[lewis]

Nice to see a 10 band eq there!

Good spot!!!

Jesus christ I want this so bad now I cant afford it.

Im going to have to sell my Ironheart 120 watt and 2 guitars.

 

[coreypla]

I don't really have anything new to add to this convo. I saw and watched the promo video on the Line 6 page and got pretty excited. I just assumed at the end there would be a Line 6 price-tag on the Helix to sweeten the deal. I think I was even hoping it would be a bargain/steal. $1,500 is a lot of money. I think the amp plays a huge role in a guitarists sound (whether it be a head and cab, or a modeler)....but I also think that the guitar plays a role, and the pickups, and most of all--the player.

I definitely want one, but to be fair--I want an axe fx and a kemper as well, none of which I own. I actually got (a year back) the Blackstar ID100TVP head with footswitch for about $399. It has nice modeling and tube emulation with its 'true valve power' and you can assign 128 recallable user patches. The buttons on the footswitch can be used to switch between patches, or to shut on/off effects. It only has 4 delays, 4 reverbs, and a chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo....but those are the only effects I would use besides the distortion (it has 2 clean, 2 dirty, and 2 high gain settings). It also works as an interface, can be reassigned via online software, can reamp DI signals, has a user community for downloading patches, and it sounds like a tube head, looks like a (is a) guitar head and weighs a lot less #backproblems.

I'm sure the Helix is way better than the Blackstar, hopefully $1,000 better. In any event I can't imagine someone telling me that the only reason they don't like my playing is because I wasn't using a Helix, or Axefx, or Kemper.

But it's days like these when I wonder why I couldn't have been a trust-fund baby......................................

 

[sage]

I don't know if I'm in for a $1500 machine any time in the near future as I am currently super happy with my 5150III, using the HD500 for effects and the very occasional amp model for flavour here and there, so maybe I'm not the target market. Just about everything with this machine looks legitimate to me; Liquid Foot style digital labels for foot switches, all the routing and mixing options, colour display, dual engines... But... Why no Bluetooth? "If you get a camera kit, you can even hook up an iPad." What? Why not add the chip L6 uses in the Firehawk to allow me to edit my patches wirelessly? It probably woulda fit in there somewhere and the chip is super cheap.

 

[coreypla]

Did anyone notice that at 11:37 on the video, some of the amps are washed out on the display screen? Does that mean we have to pay extra for those?

 

[Lain]

Did anyone notice that at 11:37 on the video, some of the amps are washed out on the display screen? Does that mean we have to pay extra for those?

Maybe they were not the final names of the amps and have been blended out for copyright reasons.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

Did anyone notice that at 11:37 on the video, some of the amps are washed out on the display screen? Does that mean we have to pay extra for those?

Sweetwater probably got a demo model without all the amps available.

On another note, I've read in the Line 6 Helix discussion board, that Line 6 has finally fixed the 4 cable method unity gain problem. So hopefully, they REALLY did it this time.

This would kill on 4 cable method.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Did anyone notice that at 11:37 on the video, some of the amps are washed out on the display screen? Does that mean we have to pay extra for those?

I'm wondering if it means they've reached the end of what they can load up in that particular patch due to DSP limitations based on what they've already got loaded up in the patch....

Seriously wanna hear some high gain stuff....Bruce Jenner playing a 513 does nothing for me.

I realize they just unveiled it, but cmon.....they've gotta realize that there are metalheads with money that would like to consider this thing....I wonder how easy it is to program metal tones. The AxeChange for the Axe is overflowing with great presets for everything from basic Rectos and Invaders to band specific tones....I want to know how close this thing is gonna get.

 

[mikah912]

I'm wondering if it means they've reached the end of what they can load up in that particular patch due to DSP limitations based on what they've already got loaded up in the patch....

Seriously wanna hear some high gain stuff....Bruce Jenner playing a 513 does nothing for me.

I realize they just unveiled it, but cmon.....they've gotta realize that there are metalheads with money that would like to consider this thing....I wonder how easy it is to program metal tones. The AxeChange for the Axe is overflowing with great presets for everything from basic Rectos and Invaders to band specific tones....I want to know how close this thing is gonna get.

Since they always model the amps in their showcase room, I imagine you'd dial it in much as you'd dial in your current Line 6 5150, Recto, Fireball, and Uberschall patches, but using the IRs you love and probably having to apply much less EQ to filter out higher frequency fizz.

 

[Lain]

Sweetwater video doesn't sound good at all.

 

[Steinmetzify]

What's really interesting to me are the guys across various forums that would never even consider a used AxeII for $1700 are all gaga over this thing for $1500. WTF?!

 

[Lain]

They are victims to advertising or something. Every year you read "Oh, i wonder what Line6 is up to at this NAMM!" even though everything Line6 has ever done has been surpassed. Line6 could release a PodHD150 and these fanboys would be all over it.

Anyways, these Helix feature list is AMAZING.

But in the end it always comes down to what it sounds like.

 

[Spinedriver]

I'm thinking they were using a "beta" version of the unit and it's quite possible that it wasn't 'fully loaded' with all of the available amps. I'd be pretty hard pressed to believe that they'd load 10 different Fender amps and nothing with more gain than a Marshall Plexi.

 

[celticelk]

What's really interesting to me are the guys across various forums that would never even consider a used AxeII for $1700 are all gaga over this thing for $1500. WTF?!

A used AxeII doesn't come with a floorboard, let alone a floorboard that's this well-designed.

 

[MASS DEFECT]

What's really interesting to me are the guys across various forums that would never even consider a used AxeII for $1700 are all gaga over this thing for $1500. WTF?!

Not willing to spend on the MFC, probably?

And look 14 Colorful LCDs!!! 14! In technicolor! Wow! Byooootiffuuul!!!

 

[mikah912]

What's really interesting to me are the guys across various forums that would never even consider a used AxeII for $1700 are all gaga over this thing for $1500. WTF?!

If the AX8 had a display and UI like that and was $1500, they'd be just as excited if not moreso. The Axe is just a rack unit. This is (Line 6's attempt at) THAT in a Liquid Foot Pro. No small feat.

And no, the Sweetwater video was not a good first impression for a pro-level flagship modeler. I think Line 6's teaser video sounded better.

Get it out to the usual suspects stat (i.e. Andertons/Chappers, Fluff, Ola, etc.).