There is a shortage of welders all across the country. I got in a production factory last year learning how to weld for 20 an hour and have built up my skill and switched jobs a few times I make 30 an hour now. And do 1200 a week with a little over time. Try a trade. Most schools are offering grants which are like loans that you don't have to pay back. Find a trade you want to do if it's not welding, find an online school or in person school, contact customer service for information on Grants. I just did this and am about to get certified as a weld inspector and will be up to 40 an hr by next year. If you aren't interested in trades, my bad for the novel! But this shit changed my life so I thought I would share. I drove forklift most my life before that. Chased music too hard in my early 20s.
In the words of Aaron Marshall from Intervals. “They’re all sick, it’s 2024 and all of the modelers are sick.” I’m sure you can get any of them to sound like each other.
Great VERY UNDERRATED band. I don't know anyone else who listens to them in My current friend group though 😞. I do have a preference for the character of Real tube amps and analog gear but if they keep heading in the right direction it'll be a very welcome alternative to the real thing. they're very close to the sound of real tube amp,etc. but it just needs a bit of work and hopefully we can get an almost 1 to 1 sound within a couple of years. perhaps even sooner. but if You can't find a good cheap enough tube amp, this and even some of the older tech still sound pretty damn good IMHO. if You weren't lucky enough to get a real tube amp on the cheap (or have the mega bucks to buy one of the expensive ones) it's not a bad alternative in the current climate for what it's worth. I'm still happy to play with a good enough solid state tone if the real thing isn't available. could be a little muddy and thin but it's way better than not having something good enough to work with at all. I'm absolutely guilty of owning and using some gear that really gets a bad rap. especially when compared to some of the newer, older, and more expensive counterparts.
@@shaharbar Why funny? He's right. They can sound quite similar. It's just the workflow and applications that might differ, and those can be very subjective.
@@shaharbarYeah artist who can just get stuff move around between things. Kiko, Jim root, dudes in polyphia, Rabea, meshuggah, the ghost inside, a lot of people go with neural. It captures crazy good. I was going between the two and went with the QC. Once youre up in that range it's just w.e
I'm pretty much happy with my Line 6 Helix LT. I went full digital back in 2021, mainly because I live in an apartment building where it's tricky to crank up a real amp, especially if you consider playing during late hours, and also because I love having a lot of different sounds at my disposal, so going digital saves A LOT of money. Line 6 has some sweet stuff in their modelers that other brands don't, like Whammy or Sunn amp and Life Pedal. Also having a built-in expression pedal is a big fat pro in my book.
I did the same thing in 2019, got a Helix LT. For awhile I just went into deep edit because I like creating all my own patches & sounds. But I didn't treat it like "oh look, I can have like 78.0614 different guitar sounds & piss off sound engineers at every gig I play." I treated it like a guitar amp combined with a pedalboard. So once I found the tone that matched the tones I hear inside my head, I just left it. Nobody ever says "man that modeler crap sounds weaksauce!" Mainly because the sound it puts out is massive. I totally love the Helix.
@@TaylorDanley on that note, I've been considering a helix or lt. One thing I've heard someone complain about is how beefy the helix exp pedal is in comparison to the LT's exp pedal. Would you say the LT exp pedal is durable enough to last as long as the other? Or should that even be a concern?
@@SixOG I've owned a LT since 2018 and started gigging with it a year ago. Expression pedal definitely holds up. One thing to note, it has a tension screw on it that you may have to adjust. Pedal was too hard to move when i first got it. Adjusted the screw once in 2018 and haven't touched it since.
@@officialWWM that’s true as well, absolutely. Kirk Hammett actually said in a guitar magazine interview that he doesn’t actually know how to use their Fractals. I’m sure he knows the basics byh now but it’s his tech who’s doing all the deep dive menu stuff
@@AlienPizzaZombie yes. I don’t have a tech, so I gotta be able to drive it myself 😂. I’ve had the Headrush for years. I’ve been thinking of making a change but I know this thing inside out and it’s so easy to use.
Yup, same here. Has a lot of features to offer for the price. The downloadable rigs/captures etc in their cloud is a bit lacking and not the best to browse, and the lack of desktop editor kinda sucks, but it’s a good unit
I love my Headrush Prime. I did a full backup on my PC and got rid off all the unnecessary data. Now there are only the rigs on it that I really use. There is no user patches limit. The revalver stuff already sounded great more than a decade ago when everybody else came up with highly compressed garbage. I just bought a second expression pedal. Now this thing is ready to be used on stage. I've got an FRFR monitor just in case.
I've been an Axe-Fx III user since it came out. Tried all the rest except the QC and nothing came close to me. With the recent plugin compatibility update I decided to give the QC a try. It immediately clicked with me and sounds so much better to my ears than the Axe. Much less tweaking, much more amp-like and just all around livelier. I sold my Axe and decided to stick with the QC for the time being.
I really want to like the QC and apps, but the modeling still sounds off to me. I’m current using the Neural apps for writing, but it’s going to be Fractal or the real thing for final tracking.
@@sean_miller I hear you. I don't play a lot with the models, I mostly use 3rd party captures or captures of my own amps. They are 95% there EQ-wise and 100% there distortion texture and feel-wise.
@@denniskrottje012 honestly, I just felt like I had to tweak the Axe way too much to get rid of the inherent mud that's there with all high gain amps. I'm using the same IRs for both devices and the QC sounds just right, certainly brighter than the Axe but at least not muddy at all.
I’ve had the axe fx3 mk2 turbo three months now. I have yet to hear mud. Mud is not inherent to it. But the best is of all of them this one feels like a tube amp to me. In a room with my tube amp side by side this axe is as close as you can get. Recorded they all sound great but In The room this one rules.
The reason i went with a Kemper is because for me its a lot easier to get a good tone than any of the other modellers. Im not very tech savvy so the ability to just download a profile created by an expert like Jens Bogren really sold it to me. I had a Helix before and it was great but I spent way too much time tone chasing. I always had the nagging doubt that my tone wasn't as good as it could have been. I dont have that issue with Kemper.
@@abheceshabemuskk3531 that's bad profiles. I had the same thing happen in the beginning. Took some good profiles and tweaking to my amp/cab and pretty easily had profiles sounding as good as my actual high end heads/combos.
i'm sticking with helix. does everything i want from it, the UI might not look like much, but i think the workflow is super intuitive, and native is such an invaluable time saver.
I cautiously entered the digital modeller world recently with the purchase of a QC. 5 shows in and I can't even begin to imagine going back to amps and pedals! The QC does everything I want and more, topped off with sounding bloody fantastic!
Quad Cortex still wins it for me. It's priced right, it's about as flexible as the AxeFX and you can start using it straight away without reading the manual because the NeuralDSP people really put some time in the user interface.
@@canadiancombatwombatthe3rd782 Good luck having hardware drivers tied behind an account and having to pay transfer fees in case you want to sell it. I'll take this overpriced computer over this any time of the day.
@@uncleted3961 I went to PMT with the intention of buying the Core and the manager himself told me not to waste my money as he's sick of sending them back. Not a great endorsement when the shop selling them turns down an easy 600 quid. I tried some others and bought a Helix LT instead. Loving it so far.
DUDE! I was digging through your channel checking out your older modeler vids yesterday. Thinking it's time to start living in the now, thank you so much for making this video!
I think an iPad (with M1, M2 or M4) is really the best thing out there if you're a power user that mostly plays at home or small gigs. You can do anything with it and a handful of plugins and AUM or bias fx2, and with the others a computer or app is often required to make the most of them anyway.
The fact that BOSS isn’t mentioned gives this an L. Roland has been around a lot longer than all of these companies and has been a pioneer in the processer/ modeler game.
It's still my GT1000Core (because it's mine) Joking aside I recently set up some new patches with the hi gain 'modded' profile and fuzz 59% fuzz and it sounds amazing
This is such a great and thorough showdown of these units. I personally loved the Axe FX III more than the other in terms of sound to be quite honest. The Fender Tonemaster Pro gotta say it’s dope and Fender has an interesting opportunity of creating a deeper integration with Studio One. Given that Fender owns PreSonus, I can see a great DAW/Modeler contender here for live use.
Harley Benton DNA FX Advanced for £159 is the absolute steal of the century. This thing sounds every bit as good as anything out there and if you havent tried one then your missing out!
A couple things to note. 1) Thanks for taking the time to put together a highlight real of some of the various modelers that you may or may not own. It is helpful. 2) For Line6 - I was surprised the Stomp XL was the item was chosen to represent the Helix line, instead of... the Helix. Again, this could be just due to your availability of the product and the Stomp XL being what you had from their LONG line of products. 3) I understand these are kind of all the big name manufacturers... but no love for the other players in the game? NUX Trident? Hotone Ampero Stage II ? I know you have love for Hotone, you used it for like a year before your budget for gear got bigger. lol Again, this is a good representation of what some of the major players have available right now. I appreciate the information.
Thanks for the video Taylor. Tipp: When filming displays you can change the exposure time of your camera to get rid of the blinking issue that comes from interference between display's refreshing-rate and exposure time of camera. (E.g. at 21m08s)
@@scottshepherd1365 I feel the same way. Not necessarily only about this video, but myself as well. I always lean toward something that sounds like a rectifier. 😬 and maybe one or two other tones.
separate power supplies is a great thing. They dont take up space inside the unit and creates less heat also if they burn out which they can they would be easy to replace and not needing to be sent out to a service center
Got an HX Stomp back in 2020, they had an offer where they included a free HX Native license, best offer ever. I usually run out of DSP but can’t justify getting the LT or Floor version, so I got a used Neunaber Neuron preamp and use it in conjunction. The Revv Red model on the stomp still sounds better but I can get close enough 😅
Let me inspire some manufacturers. Createa rack or head unit to be placed uplifted on a cabinetor a desk and supply a damn wireless rugged floor switch unit. We all want that.
A Boss Katana Head Mk2 - No cloning or capturing but great sounds, effects and I/O for under 300. I use a midi hub box to connect my old line 6 fbv shortboard as a controller.
one thing that keeps my mind hung up on the Headrush Mx5 is that it can do the signal path splitting like the HX Stomp with a more modern UI interface, a midi connection, and a footpedal. The only thing i wish it had was a XLR output.
Started using Helix Lt in 2020 and it was the best Decision I’ve made Gear wise Ever! Still Love my Tube Amps but Helix is so Fun to Use and Easy and Sounds Killer . So convenient!
Dude! Best one of these comparisons I’ve seen! I like how you weren’t wishy washy with your opinions and called the units out when needed. As a HR Core user I’m happy you dig it as much as I do. The value proposition for it is insane! A future vid idea could be the same but sub $300 tier. Pod Express, NUX, Mooer, etc. I’d love to see an updated 2024 video on those since so many pedals have been released in that price range.
I have a Fractal FM9 Turbo and a Headrush Core. I’ve tried several times to love the Fractal unit, but the headrush is easier to use and to me sounds better for the few tones I use the most. YMMV
The best amp modeler: That one what you want. You can make great sound with any newish modler like Headrush, Hotone, Mooer, Boos. Just spend some time and try. If band like mors principium est can play live with Mooer you can too
I love my HeadRush Core! It is so damn affordable now and very very versatile tons and tons of options for your money and useful also the I/O is fantastic XLR & 1/4 out. Oh yeah with stereo send and return as well. Super sick! Great roundup video thanks for not forgetting the Core users. Taylor you're my dad. 🤣
FYI. A very well known music store have had so much trouble with people returning dodgy Headrush boards that when i walked in to buy one they told me not to waste my money. I ended up with a Helix LT and im loving it so far.
I think that people should be less passionate about their favorite modeler and recognize that all the "big guys" are top units and NONE of them are bad or worse than the other... if you spend some time in of those units (the ones above the $1000) you're going to be able to get extremely great tones with them, period. Even The Zoom G11 with some extra effort can reach a professional state. In the world of IRs and Amp Cloning modelers have reached a higher level, especially if you compare them with older units like Boss GT 10 and Line 6 Pod X3 Live. With that said, I believe that the HEADRUSH PRIME can proportionate more to professional musicians than the others... not because it sounds better, but because you can do more with it. But like I said before all of them are likely great, and the only way that you're gonna get bad tones with them it is because you didn't want to spend some extra time with them.
I have an Axe FX3 and a rack mount Kemper. The new liquid profiling and on a rack or toaster is a pretty incredible update and sounds incredible, Fractal has better effects, routing and editing. I have owned a Helix and Headrush and neither were as good in my opinion, never tried a quad cortex but have no interest because it has no rack mount option.
I bought Headrush Prime last month. Before that I was a Line 6 products user for almost 10 years (Firehawk, POD, Helix). Headrush is a beast. The dynamics when playing is much better for me than on the Helix. I wouldn't say it's better than Helix. It's just different. Amp cloning is a great thing, the effects are good, especially the drive and distortion section. Looper is awesome. Footswitches are fully customizable. I play acoustic and electric guitar. It literally covers everything. I hope it will have support for a long time. Great video btw
The way you feel about eh Axefx 3 is the same way I felt about the digitech RP20 Valve back in 1997. For its time, it sounded great but was a beast to learn.
Great review! I got the TMP and love it. Then the updates started coming and haven’t stopped, so it is even better now! Not having capture I think is a way to have massive processing power for long trails and complex rigs. I could get a Tonex if I really want to capture, but with so many good amps to choose from I don’t need to.
Re the Kemper, I don't understand what "building a signal chain" means. I choose a profile, I add FX up front and FX behind, takes less than a minute, signal chain built and completed.
Indeed, a tough question. I'm still an old fashioned guy, using tube amps and a large pedalboard for my sporadic gigs. But for home use, I already migrated almost full towards plugins. However, I still had a gap to be filled: in rehearsals and small venues, my pedalboard and a 100W head may no be the best fit for the job. So, I decided to build n small pedalboard based on a modeler as its brain, and for that, I choose the Ampero Mini, which is affordable (a huge plus for a Brazilian nowadays), and despite it isn't a profiller, it still has some quality in its modelling.
The Valeton GP200 series can be more practical, user friendly, stage friendly and costs about 1/3 to 3/4 less than these options. Oh, and for the most part it sounds just as good for the modeling - especially in a live mix. Shockingly, even better. These are all great options, don't get me wrong, but I can't help the feeling that a majority of the user base that purchases these don't need to spend the prohibitively high price for what they want/need.
I hated my Headrush tones. I tried everything, into DAW, global EQ, 4-cable method. You name it, I tried it. Sounded thin, fake, an extremely aliased. There is a reason not very many people talk about it. EDIT: The criticisms I guess were before the latest firmware update.
you covered kemper in this “modeler” video (which is a thorough and terrific video. Very well done). But, you didn’t cover Tonex which is more accurate in captures and best value for price. The Tonex One also uses a standard 9v adapter instead of some esoteric & hard to find power supply like kemper player. It’s also the smallest footprint
Boss GT-1000? Its not an axe fx but i get all kinds of killer sounds out of it. 4CM through my Peavey Invective 20 and Randall V2.. any sound i could imagine.
The answer to which is best will vary from person to person. They will all sound great. Really it comes down to the differences in user interface, size, processing power and price and which of those are more important to you.
I recently got a brand new Helix Floor purple edition for a really good price and so far have no regrets. The expression pedal really doesn’t get used but it’s still a nice option.
I am personally a little shocked that he didn't mention the St. Rock Amperium live in this. The controls aren't perfect, but it's a fantastic modeler. I bought one just because of his review, and I swear, it's the most aggressive sounding modeler ever made! The cleans are outstanding as well.
The Headrush core is criminally underrated. I bought the Kemper floor unit, which I had been daydreaming about since it was released. I finally got it..a year later I bought the Headrush Core on a whim. I got it for less than half price brand new, so I couldn't pass it up. I wanted it to be inferior to the kemper... I wanted to justify the obscene amount of money I paid, but there was no way around it. The headrush was right uo there. It was easier to use. Creating patches wasn't a chore. I was having to force myself to use the Kemper over the headrush. So there went the Kemper
I started out with a Boss Micro BR thingy (LOL) Then moved on to free plugins, Digitech GSP1101, then Ax Fx8 then FM3 totally happy with the FM3 for the last few years now, could be better if they added an HM2 model though hehe.
I got 2 used helix racks for my band 1.2k each with the remote. I totally agree, if you know what you do, all these computers can sound great. For me its the functionality of the helix and the flexibility to use 4 send and returns for external fx. Or in my case i‘m planing to build a hybrid rig with real preamps.
BOSS GT1000 core, It has a good sound, few amps but they sound great, many effects, it has the power to have many blocks activated. Thanks to the fact that you can have several sound chains you can experiment a lot, which is what I love. Ok, not all the effects are perfect, and from the pedal it is more difficult to setup, a lot of learning curve, however it has a computer program that makes it much easier. If you like to experiment for me it is perfect at a reasonable price.
I still use an Avid Eleven Rack for home practice. It's a bit limited and outdated but still sounds great. I would have got the Headrush if not for the lack of the editor. Even the old 11R that was it's predecessor has one. The Fender Tonemaster Pro is the one I'm interested in now, but not until they come out with some different form factor, it's kinda big for man-cave use on the desktop.
Super useful vid! I'm half debating taking the plunge on modeling and its good to have a rundown of each of the main ecosystems. The Fender TMP is the man one on my radar, but I've been very happy with NeuralDSP on the plugin side and I've heard amazing things about AxeFX. Any recommendations anyone has on the power amp side of things? Figuring out if I go for a FRFR cab, a power amp, or a full amp I could send a preamp signal to is honestly one of the main things holding me back from switching.
Without watching the video I am just going to say the Zoom 505. Makes you work for any sound and, at the very least, sounds unique. no, I will not be entertaining arguments on this.
I have been using a PodGo for a couple of years now. It sounds great. People start looking for my amp on stage and I don't have one! Lol. Just recently bought a Helix LT and I am still learning how to use it. But my favorite sound wise is my Kemper Power Amp. It just has the feel of playing through a tube amp. I absolutely love my Kemper and use it every single day at home. May end up getting the new Kemper pedal. Kemper rules.
my BOSS GT-1 can match any sound made here and cost under $200 and can run on 4AA batteries... plus I'm broke AF so even if its not as bad ass as far more expensive modelers i choose to believe it is 🤣
I have the Helix LT and enjoy it very much. I found a Headrush older model floor pedal at a pawn shop for very low price and it's nice too. I get great sounds from it and the touch screen is really enjoyable to use. I do have it mounted on a shelf instead of on the floor since I'm a home player and I sit in a chair. It works very well that way and the tones are great but I do find myself using the Helix LT most of the time.
It really is just all about purpose and preference. I've been tone chasing for years now after owning Helix,Kemper,FM3,Hx Stomp,ToneX and now Axe Fx 2 XL. They do all sound great , But everyone will always be biased towards their purposes.. They all have Pro's and cons , Helix/Headrush are cheap easy to use great if you're new to modelers. Kemper and Quad Cortex again easy to use slightly on the more expensive side but those are great if you just want to download tones and sound like whoever you want to sound like at a professional level. Axe Fx is an absolute weapon of a unit , Maybe if you are like a studio engineer or originals musician who loves shaping and building their own tones then the Axe Fx is going to do that for you.. Realistically the argument of which sounds best is pretty subjective like Strat vs les Paul.. I personally think the Axe Fx is the best , But that's because it does more than the others for what i need in terms of tone shaping and effects, And it's rack mounted! Not a fragile touchscreen unit. But there are other units that i would still pick and choose to use if i needed something easy to set up and navigate, Or maybe i was to jump on a bus or train and needed something small to throw in a backpack. I think it's just always going to fall down to purpose for what suits your needs.
Placater in the Helix I love. Helix doesn't stack od's well. Internal or external all end up sounding kind of the same. I've just bought an IR-D to go with it and it is perfect. Glassy high end, punchy feel and all the od's have their own flavour now.
Nice, dude!! I'm super disturbed, because I love nice gear. My bandmate sent a demo for a song, and I asked him "What's the amp on that track? It sounded great!! was it your 6505+ miced?" And he said....Behringer V amp ...it really did sound good....I may be going deaf....but real amps are still best. Digital is great, I used it in my band, for ease of movement...(I'm getting old and it's an issue) but if I have roadies, (which will surely never happen) , I would run the friedman BE100. I would still use digital for a squeaky clean sound, and fx. I have the axe fx3 that I use at home as I don't have a sound proof studio, so I play through that more than anything. I love it, but,...I'd rather use real amps all day and night
I'm still using an AX8 and happy with it. Works great as a live rig, and I use it to split the signal for recording a DI in the studio. With some added IRs and some tweaking, you can get some killer tones.
AX8 user here too, and i still cant justify myself to spend the money to upgrade to the FM9. Thing works and sounds great, and has my favorite form factor of any modeler old or new.
As a broke father of 3 who can't afford any of these I appreciate you playing through them so I can hear them 😂
Sh!t, time to get a different job, cause guitar tones are worth it.
that's no excuse, plenty of dad's are doing it, so can you
Yeah I do need a better paying job cuz I pay my bills barely and I make $23.50/hour
There is a shortage of welders all across the country. I got in a production factory last year learning how to weld for 20 an hour and have built up my skill and switched jobs a few times I make 30 an hour now. And do 1200 a week with a little over time. Try a trade. Most schools are offering grants which are like loans that you don't have to pay back. Find a trade you want to do if it's not welding, find an online school or in person school, contact customer service for information on Grants. I just did this and am about to get certified as a weld inspector and will be up to 40 an hr by next year. If you aren't interested in trades, my bad for the novel! But this shit changed my life so I thought I would share. I drove forklift most my life before that. Chased music too hard in my early 20s.
Tonex One is $152 at proaudiostar, might be the cheapest option
In the words of Aaron Marshall from Intervals. “They’re all sick, it’s 2024 and all of the modelers are sick.”
I’m sure you can get any of them to sound like each other.
Great VERY UNDERRATED band. I don't know anyone else who listens to them in My current friend group though 😞. I do have a preference for the character of Real tube amps and analog gear but if they keep heading in the right direction it'll be a very welcome alternative to the real thing. they're very close to the sound of real tube amp,etc. but it just needs a bit of work and hopefully we can get an almost 1 to 1 sound within a couple of years. perhaps even sooner. but if You can't find a good cheap enough tube amp, this and even some of the older tech still sound pretty damn good IMHO. if You weren't lucky enough to get a real tube amp on the cheap (or have the mega bucks to buy one of the expensive ones) it's not a bad alternative in the current climate for what it's worth. I'm still happy to play with a good enough solid state tone if the real thing isn't available. could be a little muddy and thin but it's way better than not having something good enough to work with at all. I'm absolutely guilty of owning and using some gear that really gets a bad rap. especially when compared to some of the newer, older, and more expensive counterparts.
Funny enough, he picked Fractal.
@@shaharbar Why funny? He's right. They can sound quite similar. It's just the workflow and applications that might differ, and those can be very subjective.
@@shaharbarYeah artist who can just get stuff move around between things. Kiko, Jim root, dudes in polyphia, Rabea, meshuggah, the ghost inside, a lot of people go with neural. It captures crazy good. I was going between the two and went with the QC. Once youre up in that range it's just w.e
I'm pretty much happy with my Line 6 Helix LT. I went full digital back in 2021, mainly because I live in an apartment building where it's tricky to crank up a real amp, especially if you consider playing during late hours, and also because I love having a lot of different sounds at my disposal, so going digital saves A LOT of money.
Line 6 has some sweet stuff in their modelers that other brands don't, like Whammy or Sunn amp and Life Pedal. Also having a built-in expression pedal is a big fat pro in my book.
@@artemyzolotorevsky5834 yeah I actually don’t like built in expression pedals and prefer adding one if I need it to save space, but the LT is solid!
@@artemyzolotorevsky5834 do you just play with headphones? Speaker monitors?
I did the same thing in 2019, got a Helix LT. For awhile I just went into deep edit because I like creating all my own patches & sounds. But I didn't treat it like "oh look, I can have like 78.0614 different guitar sounds & piss off sound engineers at every gig I play."
I treated it like a guitar amp combined with a pedalboard. So once I found the tone that matched the tones I hear inside my head, I just left it. Nobody ever says "man that modeler crap sounds weaksauce!" Mainly because the sound it puts out is massive. I totally love the Helix.
@@TaylorDanley on that note, I've been considering a helix or lt. One thing I've heard someone complain about is how beefy the helix exp pedal is in comparison to the LT's exp pedal. Would you say the LT exp pedal is durable enough to last as long as the other? Or should that even be a concern?
@@SixOG I've owned a LT since 2018 and started gigging with it a year ago. Expression pedal definitely holds up. One thing to note, it has a tension screw on it that you may have to adjust. Pedal was too hard to move when i first got it. Adjusted the screw once in 2018 and haven't touched it since.
Ive got my Ampero one 3 months Ago and is absolutely kicks ass for just 200€
+1 on this. I got an Ampero II Stage & for me it's a Quad Cortex killer!
Whatever sounds good to your ears, that’s literally the only thing that matters
Not the only thing. It’s also got to be easy to operate!
@@officialWWM that’s true as well, absolutely. Kirk Hammett actually said in a guitar magazine interview that he doesn’t actually know how to use their Fractals. I’m sure he knows the basics byh now but it’s his tech who’s doing all the deep dive menu stuff
@@AlienPizzaZombie yes. I don’t have a tech, so I gotta be able to drive it myself 😂. I’ve had the Headrush for years. I’ve been thinking of making a change but I know this thing inside out and it’s so easy to use.
honestly they all sound as good as each other its more about what feels the best to use for your setup
My old line 6 HD147 is still tried and true
I have the headrush prime and I definitely don't regret getting it. It was cheaper had all the bells and whistles and wasn't hyped as the greatest.
@@mustangguy3706 it’s a good one
Yup, same here. Has a lot of features to offer for the price. The downloadable rigs/captures etc in their cloud is a bit lacking and not the best to browse, and the lack of desktop editor kinda sucks, but it’s a good unit
I have had the OG Headrush for years and I still love it. Trying to decide if the upgrade is worth it.
I love my Headrush Prime. I did a full backup on my PC and got rid off all the unnecessary data. Now there are only the rigs on it that I really use. There is no user patches limit.
The revalver stuff already sounded great more than a decade ago when everybody else came up with highly compressed garbage. I just bought a second expression pedal.
Now this thing is ready to be used on stage. I've got an FRFR monitor just in case.
I've been an Axe-Fx III user since it came out. Tried all the rest except the QC and nothing came close to me. With the recent plugin compatibility update I decided to give the QC a try. It immediately clicked with me and sounds so much better to my ears than the Axe. Much less tweaking, much more amp-like and just all around livelier. I sold my Axe and decided to stick with the QC for the time being.
I really want to like the QC and apps, but the modeling still sounds off to me. I’m current using the Neural apps for writing, but it’s going to be Fractal or the real thing for final tracking.
@@sean_miller I hear you. I don't play a lot with the models, I mostly use 3rd party captures or captures of my own amps. They are 95% there EQ-wise and 100% there distortion texture and feel-wise.
@@rzk2755 Funny, for me it was the exact opposite 🙂 Fractal sounds and feels the best for me.
@@denniskrottje012 honestly, I just felt like I had to tweak the Axe way too much to get rid of the inherent mud that's there with all high gain amps. I'm using the same IRs for both devices and the QC sounds just right, certainly brighter than the Axe but at least not muddy at all.
I’ve had the axe fx3 mk2 turbo three months now. I have yet to hear mud. Mud is not inherent to it. But the best is of all of them this one feels like a tube amp to me. In a room with my tube amp side by side this axe is as close as you can get. Recorded they all sound great but In The room this one rules.
I also have the Headrush Prime. I absolutely love it. No regrets at all.
@@TakeAHikeMike I like it a lot. I like the core even more, just for the size.
No love for Boss? I've used the GX-100 since it came out. Has and does everything I currently need.
I don't think most are hip to that thing but I agree it's a amazing unit and powerful 💯👍🏻
The reason i went with a Kemper is because for me its a lot easier to get a good tone than any of the other modellers. Im not very tech savvy so the ability to just download a profile created by an expert like Jens Bogren really sold it to me. I had a Helix before and it was great but I spent way too much time tone chasing. I always had the nagging doubt that my tone wasn't as good as it could have been. I dont have that issue with Kemper.
Kemper had the most real amp like tones also.
for me its the opposite I had it and it is muddy and compressed as hell compared to everything else.
@@abheceshabemuskk3531 that's bad profiles. I had the same thing happen in the beginning. Took some good profiles and tweaking to my amp/cab and pretty easily had profiles sounding as good as my actual high end heads/combos.
i'm sticking with helix. does everything i want from it, the UI might not look like much, but i think the workflow is super intuitive, and native is such an invaluable time saver.
I've had a few modelers (Helix, Kemper, etc) Bought the TMP and im settled and happy. Sounds fabulous and so EASY to use.
I use a Boss GT1000 core into QSC speakers. Sounds awesome to me. I really enjoyed your comparison though.
I cautiously entered the digital modeller world recently with the purchase of a QC. 5 shows in and I can't even begin to imagine going back to amps and pedals! The QC does everything I want and more, topped off with sounding bloody fantastic!
Quad Cortex still wins it for me. It's priced right, it's about as flexible as the AxeFX and you can start using it straight away without reading the manual because the NeuralDSP people really put some time in the user interface.
you think it's priced right? it's super expensive
@@mattvdh For what it does, yes. You don't get the same flexibility out of the Helix rack, which costs the same.
@@BrunodeSouzaLino it's an overpriced computer that has already been beaten by the tonex in terms of sonic quality and price.
@@canadiancombatwombatthe3rd782 Good luck having hardware drivers tied behind an account and having to pay transfer fees in case you want to sell it. I'll take this overpriced computer over this any time of the day.
@@canadiancombatwombatthe3rd782 Uh, no.
I have no idea why more people don't talk about Headrush. The user interface is the best in the business.
@@uncleted3961 I went to PMT with the intention of buying the Core and the manager himself told me not to waste my money as he's sick of sending them back. Not a great endorsement when the shop selling them turns down an easy 600 quid.
I tried some others and bought a Helix LT instead. Loving it so far.
DUDE! I was digging through your channel checking out your older modeler vids yesterday. Thinking it's time to start living in the now, thank you so much for making this video!
Was kinda surprised to not see the ToneX on here! Especially with how budget friendly it can be.
I agree! I love my ToneX
Quad Cortex's sound and feel stands above all.
So does it's entry fee, lol.
That is not apparent in this review. It sounds like a harsh swarm of bees and my own experience was not dissimilar.
@@INeverWanted2010it’s priced like Kemper/Helix.
Its closest competitor is the FM9, which is a lot more and so is the Fender Tonemaster.
The best amp modeler today is a used Boss GT-1000 with a ToneX in the loop. Hands down. No competition.
I'm running stereo ToneX Pedals in the loop of my HX Effects & it is sick
This is my goal right now, tonex one on fx loop of hx stomp as my amp coz i love its captures. Cant wait to get my hands on it.
I think an iPad (with M1, M2 or M4) is really the best thing out there if you're a power user that mostly plays at home or small gigs. You can do anything with it and a handful of plugins and AUM or bias fx2, and with the others a computer or app is often required to make the most of them anyway.
AUM loaded with ToneX & FX into a combo amp recently blew my mind.
The fact that BOSS isn’t mentioned gives this an L. Roland has been around a lot longer than all of these companies and has been a pioneer in the processer/ modeler game.
I can't hear you over my $150, 14 year old Eleven Rack. 🤘
It's still my GT1000Core (because it's mine)
Joking aside I recently set up some new patches with the hi gain 'modded' profile and fuzz 59% fuzz and it sounds amazing
This is such a great and thorough showdown of these units.
I personally loved the Axe FX III more than the other in terms of sound to be quite honest.
The Fender Tonemaster Pro gotta say it’s dope and Fender has an interesting opportunity of creating a deeper integration with Studio One. Given that Fender owns PreSonus, I can see a great DAW/Modeler contender here for live use.
I've been using the ampero ii stomp. Honestly, you get enough sculpting tools to make any one of these sound good.
Harley Benton DNA FX Advanced for £159 is the absolute steal of the century. This thing sounds every bit as good as anything out there and if you havent tried one then your missing out!
The best one is the new Boss Katana Gen3 head. Because you get a built-in 100-watt power amp, and it only costs $369.
Analog modeling circuit also. But I plug by Behringer gdI-21 into it and it sounds even better.
A couple things to note. 1) Thanks for taking the time to put together a highlight real of some of the various modelers that you may or may not own. It is helpful.
2) For Line6 - I was surprised the Stomp XL was the item was chosen to represent the Helix line, instead of... the Helix. Again, this could be just due to your availability of the product and the Stomp XL being what you had from their LONG line of products.
3) I understand these are kind of all the big name manufacturers... but no love for the other players in the game? NUX Trident? Hotone Ampero Stage II ? I know you have love for Hotone, you used it for like a year before your budget for gear got bigger. lol
Again, this is a good representation of what some of the major players have available right now. I appreciate the information.
It feels like kemper is the old man of all of these, but i love mine and don't feel like i need the new kid on the block.
I still see it in so many pro rigs.
It stood the test of time and I think we’re still gonna see them in 5 years.
i love the "your mom" jokes
Thanks for the video Taylor.
Tipp: When filming displays you can change the exposure time of your camera to get rid of the blinking issue that comes from interference between display's refreshing-rate and exposure time of camera. (E.g. at 21m08s)
I'm amazed that you were able to use so many different units and yet made the exact same sound
@@scottshepherd1365 I feel the same way. Not necessarily only about this video, but myself as well. I always lean toward something that sounds like a rectifier. 😬 and maybe one or two other tones.
separate power supplies is a great thing. They dont take up space inside the unit and creates less heat also if they burn out which they can they would be easy to replace and not needing to be sent out to a service center
Got an HX Stomp back in 2020, they had an offer where they included a free HX Native license, best offer ever.
I usually run out of DSP but can’t justify getting the LT or Floor version, so I got a used Neunaber Neuron preamp and use it in conjunction. The Revv Red model on the stomp still sounds better but I can get close enough 😅
Let me inspire some manufacturers. Createa rack or head unit to be placed uplifted on a cabinetor a desk and supply a damn wireless rugged floor switch unit. We all want that.
A Boss Katana Head Mk2 - No cloning or capturing but great sounds, effects and I/O for under 300. I use a midi hub box to connect my old line 6 fbv shortboard as a controller.
one thing that keeps my mind hung up on the Headrush Mx5 is that it can do the signal path splitting like the HX Stomp with a more modern UI interface, a midi connection, and a footpedal.
The only thing i wish it had was a XLR output.
Started using Helix Lt in 2020 and it was the best Decision I’ve made Gear wise Ever! Still Love my Tube Amps but Helix is so Fun to Use and Easy and Sounds Killer . So convenient!
Fender TMP + Fender FR12 - sweet setup is all I need for the next many years
Tried various and Kemper is my choice.
Dude! Best one of these comparisons I’ve seen! I like how you weren’t wishy washy with your opinions and called the units out when needed. As a HR Core user I’m happy you dig it as much as I do. The value proposition for it is insane!
A future vid idea could be the same but sub $300 tier. Pod Express, NUX, Mooer, etc. I’d love to see an updated 2024 video on those since so many pedals have been released in that price range.
I got the headrush gigboard. I like it. And I don't use 50% of it. Small for the computer desk
I have a Fractal FM9 Turbo and a Headrush Core. I’ve tried several times to love the Fractal unit, but the headrush is easier to use and to me sounds better for the few tones I use the most. YMMV
im here to save time.... its the Axe FX .. TAAAA DAAAAAAH you're welcome
The best amp modeler: That one what you want. You can make great sound with any newish modler like Headrush, Hotone, Mooer, Boos. Just spend some time and try. If band like mors principium est can play live with Mooer you can too
I love my HeadRush Core! It is so damn affordable now and very very versatile tons and tons of options for your money and useful also the I/O is fantastic XLR & 1/4 out. Oh yeah with stereo send and return as well. Super sick! Great roundup video thanks for not forgetting the Core users. Taylor you're my dad. 🤣
FYI. A very well known music store have had so much trouble with people returning dodgy Headrush boards that when i walked in to buy one they told me not to waste my money.
I ended up with a Helix LT and im loving it so far.
I think that people should be less passionate about their favorite modeler and recognize that all the "big guys" are top units and NONE of them are bad or worse than the other... if you spend some time in of those units (the ones above the $1000) you're going to be able to get extremely great tones with them, period. Even The Zoom G11 with some extra effort can reach a professional state. In the world of IRs and Amp Cloning modelers have reached a higher level, especially if you compare them with older units like Boss GT 10 and Line 6 Pod X3 Live. With that said, I believe that the HEADRUSH PRIME can proportionate more to professional musicians than the others... not because it sounds better, but because you can do more with it. But like I said before all of them are likely great, and the only way that you're gonna get bad tones with them it is because you didn't want to spend some extra time with them.
Head rush with dual 5150s had this weird digital sound on the noise gate. Went with the Ampero Stomp and sounds way better for heavy stuff.
I have an Axe FX3 and a rack mount Kemper. The new liquid profiling and on a rack or toaster is a pretty incredible update and sounds incredible, Fractal has better effects, routing and editing. I have owned a Helix and Headrush and neither were as good in my opinion, never tried a quad cortex but have no interest because it has no rack mount option.
I bought Headrush Prime last month. Before that I was a Line 6 products user for almost 10 years (Firehawk, POD, Helix). Headrush is a beast. The dynamics when playing is much better for me than on the Helix. I wouldn't say it's better than Helix. It's just different. Amp cloning is a great thing, the effects are good, especially the drive and distortion section. Looper is awesome. Footswitches are fully customizable. I play acoustic and electric guitar. It literally covers everything. I hope it will have support for a long time. Great video btw
Great video! I was really hoping for a 3rd "your mom" joke though. That would have sealed the deal! lol
The way you feel about eh Axefx 3 is the same way I felt about the digitech RP20 Valve back in 1997. For its time, it sounded great but was a beast to learn.
Great review! I got the TMP and love it. Then the updates started coming and haven’t stopped, so it is even better now! Not having capture I think is a way to have massive processing power for long trails and complex rigs. I could get a Tonex if I really want to capture, but with so many good amps to choose from I don’t need to.
I’ve been playing for 24 years and have used all types of Amps.
Never have I got a better sound than I have with my fractal fm3
Quad Cortex: "You shall not have any other modeller beside me!" Hacker in the audience: "Hold my milk shake..."
Re the Kemper, I don't understand what "building a signal chain" means.
I choose a profile, I add FX up front and FX behind, takes less than a minute, signal chain built and completed.
I got the boss Gt1000 , very happy with it for sure ......
Difficult question...
Depend of using, budget
For me the best is the one that don't color the tone, and offer capture tone for the less Price
Indeed, a tough question.
I'm still an old fashioned guy, using tube amps and a large pedalboard for my sporadic gigs. But for home use, I already migrated almost full towards plugins. However, I still had a gap to be filled: in rehearsals and small venues, my pedalboard and a 100W head may no be the best fit for the job.
So, I decided to build n small pedalboard based on a modeler as its brain, and for that, I choose the Ampero Mini, which is affordable (a huge plus for a Brazilian nowadays), and despite it isn't a profiller, it still has some quality in its modelling.
The Valeton GP-200 is completely underrated.
Best
multi-effects device for under 500
Can't believe it didn't made to this list!
The fender tone master pro is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
The Valeton GP200 series can be more practical, user friendly, stage friendly and costs about 1/3 to 3/4 less than these options. Oh, and for the most part it sounds just as good for the modeling - especially in a live mix. Shockingly, even better. These are all great options, don't get me wrong, but I can't help the feeling that a majority of the user base that purchases these don't need to spend the prohibitively high price for what they want/need.
I have a Kemper and my band buddy has a Helix. They are both great! 🤘😎
In Ola's latest Sunday show he had some protective covers made for his stage modelers.
Helix is pretty much the best for tweakable models. Quad Cortex for captures.
My rig: Scarlett 2i2=>old laptop with Reaper and Helix Native=> ISP power amp=>Egnater Vengeance 4x12.
I hated my Headrush tones. I tried everything, into DAW, global EQ, 4-cable method. You name it, I tried it. Sounded thin, fake, an extremely aliased. There is a reason not very many people talk about it.
EDIT: The criticisms I guess were before the latest firmware update.
you covered kemper in this “modeler” video (which is a thorough and terrific video. Very well done). But, you didn’t cover Tonex which is more accurate in captures and best value for price. The Tonex One also uses a standard 9v adapter instead of some esoteric & hard to find power supply like kemper player. It’s also the smallest footprint
Boss GT-1000? Its not an axe fx but i get all kinds of killer sounds out of it. 4CM through my Peavey Invective 20 and Randall V2.. any sound i could imagine.
The best video to help decision making when choosing a modeller I've ever seen 🙌 Thank you!
Personally I recommend NUX MG30. I really like it since it has everything you need. I use it along with my computer so I can create some dope patches.
I paid 240$ for Helix Native and apart from the cab IRs and parametric controls for everything it's a way better deal than my NeuralDSP plugins imho
@@athmaid yeah and the fact the patches are cross compatible with their hardware is a big win
The answer to which is best will vary from person to person. They will all sound great. Really it comes down to the differences in user interface, size, processing power and price and which of those are more important to you.
All of the flagships can sound killer. I just prefer the features and functionality of axe fx
I recently got a brand new Helix Floor purple edition for a really good price and so far have no regrets. The expression pedal really doesn’t get used but it’s still a nice option.
I have the HX Stomp XL. Still solid!
No love boss, when all is said and done 🎵🎵🤣🤣
I am personally a little shocked that he didn't mention the St. Rock Amperium live in this. The controls aren't perfect, but it's a fantastic modeler. I bought one just because of his review, and I swear, it's the most aggressive sounding modeler ever made! The cleans are outstanding as well.
The Headrush core is criminally underrated. I bought the Kemper floor unit, which I had been daydreaming about since it was released. I finally got it..a year later I bought the Headrush Core on a whim. I got it for less than half price brand new, so I couldn't pass it up. I wanted it to be inferior to the kemper... I wanted to justify the obscene amount of money I paid, but there was no way around it. The headrush was right uo there. It was easier to use. Creating patches wasn't a chore. I was having to force myself to use the Kemper over the headrush. So there went the Kemper
I started out with a Boss Micro BR thingy (LOL) Then moved on to free plugins, Digitech GSP1101, then Ax Fx8 then FM3 totally happy with the FM3 for the last few years now, could be better if they added an HM2 model though hehe.
Fm3 turbo for the money.
I’m digging running Neural DSP plugins in front of Amplitube in my daw.
Been looking to try out an Ampero II Stage.
Best money spent. The Stage 2 is outstanding.
I want to hear a high gain setting on the new fender modeler with a boost in front of it.
I got 2 used helix racks for my band 1.2k each with the remote. I totally agree, if you know what you do, all these computers can sound great. For me its the functionality of the helix and the flexibility to use 4 send and returns for external fx. Or in my case i‘m planing to build a hybrid rig with real preamps.
subscribed for the comedy alone, solid video
Fractal rocks! Specially with the latest firmware.
BOSS GT1000 core, It has a good sound, few amps but they sound great, many effects, it has the power to have many blocks activated. Thanks to the fact that you can have several sound chains you can experiment a lot, which is what I love. Ok, not all the effects are perfect, and from the pedal it is more difficult to setup, a lot of learning curve, however it has a computer program that makes it much easier. If you like to experiment for me it is perfect at a reasonable price.
I still use an Avid Eleven Rack for home practice. It's a bit limited and outdated but still sounds great. I would have got the Headrush if not for the lack of the editor. Even the old 11R that was it's predecessor has one. The Fender Tonemaster Pro is the one I'm interested in now, but not until they come out with some different form factor, it's kinda big for man-cave use on the desktop.
Super useful vid! I'm half debating taking the plunge on modeling and its good to have a rundown of each of the main ecosystems. The Fender TMP is the man one on my radar, but I've been very happy with NeuralDSP on the plugin side and I've heard amazing things about AxeFX.
Any recommendations anyone has on the power amp side of things? Figuring out if I go for a FRFR cab, a power amp, or a full amp I could send a preamp signal to is honestly one of the main things holding me back from switching.
Without watching the video I am just going to say the Zoom 505. Makes you work for any sound and, at the very least, sounds unique.
no, I will not be entertaining arguments on this.
I have been using a PodGo for a couple of years now. It sounds great. People start looking for my amp on stage and I don't have one! Lol. Just recently bought a Helix LT and I am still learning how to use it. But my favorite sound wise is my Kemper Power Amp. It just has the feel of playing through a tube amp. I absolutely love my Kemper and use it every single day at home. May end up getting the new Kemper pedal. Kemper rules.
my BOSS GT-1 can match any sound made here and cost under $200 and can run on 4AA batteries...
plus I'm broke AF so even if its not as bad ass as far more expensive modelers i choose to believe it is 🤣
I have the Helix LT and enjoy it very much. I found a Headrush older model floor pedal at a pawn shop for very low price and it's nice too. I get great sounds from it and the touch screen is really enjoyable to use. I do have it mounted on a shelf instead of on the floor since I'm a home player and I sit in a chair. It works very well that way and the tones are great but I do find myself using the Helix LT most of the time.
It really is just all about purpose and preference. I've been tone chasing for years now after owning Helix,Kemper,FM3,Hx Stomp,ToneX and now Axe Fx 2 XL.
They do all sound great , But everyone will always be biased towards their purposes.. They all have Pro's and cons , Helix/Headrush are cheap easy to use great if you're new to modelers. Kemper and Quad Cortex again easy to use slightly on the more expensive side but those are great if you just want to download tones and sound like whoever you want to sound like at a professional level. Axe Fx is an absolute weapon of a unit , Maybe if you are like a studio engineer or originals musician who loves shaping and building their own tones then the Axe Fx is going to do that for you.. Realistically the argument of which sounds best is pretty subjective like Strat vs les Paul..
I personally think the Axe Fx is the best , But that's because it does more than the others for what i need in terms of tone shaping and effects, And it's rack mounted! Not a fragile touchscreen unit.
But there are other units that i would still pick and choose to use if i needed something easy to set up and navigate, Or maybe i was to jump on a bus or train and needed something small to throw in a backpack.
I think it's just always going to fall down to purpose for what suits your needs.
Probably should've included Tonex too, as it is one of the best if not the best right now, specially the tones created by the community
Placater in the Helix I love. Helix doesn't stack od's well. Internal or external all end up sounding kind of the same. I've just bought an IR-D to go with it and it is perfect. Glassy high end, punchy feel and all the od's have their own flavour now.
Nice, dude!! I'm super disturbed, because I love nice gear. My bandmate sent a demo for a song, and I asked him "What's the amp on that track? It sounded great!! was it your 6505+ miced?" And he said....Behringer V amp ...it really did sound good....I may be going deaf....but real amps are still best. Digital is great, I used it in my band, for ease of movement...(I'm getting old and it's an issue) but if I have roadies, (which will surely never happen) , I would run the friedman BE100. I would still use digital for a squeaky clean sound, and fx. I have the axe fx3 that I use at home as I don't have a sound proof studio, so I play through that more than anything. I love it, but,...I'd rather use real amps all day and night
I'm still using an AX8 and happy with it. Works great as a live rig, and I use it to split the signal for recording a DI in the studio. With some added IRs and some tweaking, you can get some killer tones.
AX8 user here too, and i still cant justify myself to spend the money to upgrade to the FM9. Thing works and sounds great, and has my favorite form factor of any modeler old or new.