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The Helix is my go to for recording. The 2203 and Oblivion instantly became my favorite amps. It blows me away how they continue to make the unit better
I am so happy with my helix. I've had it for about 8 years! I've tried other platforms and there is a reason I don't switch. NO need to at all. God video as usual Jon
Helix user here for 8 years too, same as you never needed to change until my Helix started to have issues with the switches and the screen have a lot of vertical lines. Well, I was about to purchase another Helix but decided to try the Quad Cortex. Received the Cortex and instantly regretted my decision because I was so used to Helix platform. On the third day I sat down with the Cortex and within 30 minutes I had 4 gig ready presets that sounded killer. Helix is still superior in versatility and options but man, the QC sounds much natural and better. Still use my helix and Helix native but live I only use the Cortex.
The hx stomp must be the best value for money guitar gear ever invented..even with the new price point. I got mine for 430 euros b- stock in mint condition, and I felt like I robbed a church.
I use my Helix everyday. First I used it with IR’s but now I only use the stockcabs. They keep improving on the amps, cabs and with every update we get something cool that makes the unit better.
Line 6 has done a remarkable job with the design of their Modelers. I use an HX Stomp every day. The Helix Floor always seemed a bit too large, and more compact design might be an improvement. I have Helix Native, and it provides me the power of the full Helix in software - Truly Amazing! Initially, I did my Preset editing using HX Edit on my PC. Now I do most of my editing on the unit itself, as it is easy, fast, and provides enough of the tactical experience that users enjoy with physical Pedals. It also makes me use my ears more instead of my eyes when dialing in, and that can produce better results. Thanks
The best thing about the full size floor is you can use the Variax with it and it'll change settings on that as well. Go from an acoustic 12 string to a Tele sound to an LP sound. Really cool.
You know...my head is spinning with all of this stuff. Up until recently I avoided modeling favouring real amps but I have since come around (in part thanks to you). And I love it. You certainly shed light on the debate if the Helix is still relevant and it really makes you appreciate what they launched 10 years ago. At the same time we've come a long way from tweaking a guitar, a few pedals and an amp. So many more variables to think about these days. And an Amp used to be forever! Now we debate the shelf life of digital replications. Amazing how times have changed. Great video!
I think "seeing the amp" can be a bad idea, actually. When I first got my hx stomp xl, I wad trying to figure out what amp is based on what looking for a certain Marshall, etc. When I decided just to blindly play through each amp to see what I liked, I ended up on an amp I never even considered. Having them visually on there will cause people to hear with their eyes instead of their ears.
As a Floor user I enjoy the large format and bulk of the unit. I find that with my size 13 foot, the switches on some smaller format units are too close together when playing live. Just needs more processing power, amp capture, IR capture/ creation and a larger touch screen. Customisation of the graphics would be cool also.
I bought my HX Stomp XL one year ago, I learned to use it effectively in a really short time but it still amazes me, you can do so much stuff with it even with 8 effects block limit in HX series.
I bought an HX Stomp XL few months ago with a class D amplifier and I replaced my head + pedalboard. No regret, I still think that it is my best purchase ever. Nice video!
It will. I am still surprised after one year and I am conviced more than ever. Prefer the Helix over my real guitar rig because it sounds great and it is super easy to handle.
Of course Helix is still relevant! -L6 is still regularly putting out firmware updates -it still sounds as good or better than any other modeler -it's the only modeler with a full plugin (and product range) -the hardware is powerful, flexible, sturdy, and easy to use -L6 includes unique original amps/effects that you can't get anywhere else -you can pick one up at most guitar shops, not as difficult to get as others IMO the Helix is still the best modeler and Line 6 is doing this thing right. The fact that we're still playing Helix products almost a decade later is proof that there's no planned obsolescence here - L6 is honoring our investment into this product line by continuing to improve and support it. In a time of disposable electronics, I find that refreshing
@@SonicDriveStudio I do agree on wanting more IR slots tho - you got me into York Audio IRs and now I have a sizable collection of them lol. It's a shame to have to pick only 128 to store on the device! Something I'm still missing on Helix too is a modulation matrix. I'd love to see a few channels of assignable modulators - LFOs, envelopes, step sequencer, and MIDI tracking would be excellent. We could do some really interesting modular-inspired sound design or effectively turn Helix into a standalone synth. I play a guitar and Moog into my HX Stomp simultaneously, and the possibilities would be insane.
It would be interesting to see a video of the tweaking required on the Helix to sound like the real thing. And a comparison with Fractal would be even better. Its not just if they CAN sound like the real thing - but how easy is it to get there? Especially if you don't have a physical unit to compare with.
I feel like as long as Line 6 keeps their stuff up to date and add more stuff over time, it still holds up in a mix or in a live setting, and that goes for any software or hardware modelers.
Fractal user here. The L6 Helix is still a monster. It has a lot of great features we’ll never see in Fractal World and I agree with most of what you mentioned. Specially, I do agree that compared to QC and FM9, is very short on CPU power. It feels, dare I say, overpriced when for a $100 more you get twice the processing power.
I needed this video...I recently got a headrush core with an expression pedal and FRFR because it was the newest and most features...I avoided the HX stomp XL because I was afraid they'd immediately replace it. But I didn't vibe with the headrush unit at all, the sounds were bland and even the downloaded IRS etc didn't help. Then the speaker went out so I sent it back to Sweetwater and went for the HX XL and am currently waiting on it. This video made me feel better as I was wondering of its relevance as I await lol. Once again killer riffs man.
The Helix is absolutely still one of the top dogs. Personally I put it and the FM9 at equal levels, with each having their particular strengths. But if I could only keep one, whew, that would be a tough choice.
Got my HX Stomp back in 2020, they offered it on a bundle with free Helix Native, best purchase ever. ❤❤❤ You can always set the plug in to ignore the DSP hardware limitations and come up with crazy presets for your computer.
I was told i could get helix native for $100 if i could prove i had a helix product. Buy itself as a plugin its $400. But i got it....thought I was using a trial...but im LONG past the trail length...still haven't paid. I guess I got a free product key or something. Not complaining. lol
I have a POD Go because I can't afford the Helix, but I still love it, it is great! I avoid touchscreens, because I wouldn't want it to break. Normal screen with thick plastic on top to protect it is the best for me.
I have loved my Helix for about 3 years. Since owning a Tonex pedal, I think this is the next level when combined with the Helix. Don't forget about the Line6 Variax guitar options. I think it would be a good idea for Line6 to offer a hardware update to the DSP performance for very little money.
Completely agree. It's interesting to see people argue about DSP in other places like FB. While the DSP is good, it's also 8 years old or so. To me, they did so much right! Form factor is great. Interface is pretty darn good. Usability is pretty simple or can be complex, whichever you choose you know. They could release a new version exactly like this but with new stronger processor and I'd probably still buy it lol. The interesting thing is that there are new modelers in the market doing it for a lot less and surprisingly decent. I don't know much, but I do know that it's a great time to be a guitar player.
Line 6 started dabbling in this "multiple-channel" amp idea with the 2203, by the way. The same amp block has both the "high input" and the "low input", which you can switch on the fly through snapshots, and they sound radically different. I hope they keep going in that direction, and maybe even update the older amps so that they have multiple channels as well.
I'm playing 4 hours covershows with changing setlists and change between guitar and bass throughout the show. I can run both instruments into seperate DIs straight to FOH and mute the unused output per preset. And i'm doing that all on the HX STOMP! If Line 6 decide to update their product range, I will buy these in bulks on the used market and play them till i'm 60.
Great video, Jon! I would LOVE for you to create some tones using the helix and make them available for download/purchase. I always love your tones but have a hard time replicating them on my own Helix.
I use Helix Native and absolutely love it. It does pretty much everything I need an amp plugin to do. I would love if they added some sort of capture feature some day and it can always use more amp models (I’m always hoping for an Orange AD30) but for now it’s still great.
Wow, that intro was killer !! Sweet harmonies and groove ! Love and appreciate the great works on sound goodness. Thanks ! (now I can watch the rest of the vid...)
I love my Helix, it's amazing and I also have an HX Stomp based pedal board into the Orange Super Crush 100. I got the Helix in 2019 and it's just been getting better and better every year.
I use a HX Stomp XL. I think its the perfect size and does everything most people would want. Add a few more external switches to expand its functionality. I dont believe i can hear much difference between all the top modellers now. They are all good.
I‘m going to record 3 songs with my band in a studio next january and I keep questioning if I should bring my Helix Floor. I play it live all the time and I love it, but for some reason I cant shake the thought that it‘s not legit enough for a proper studio 😅 You just reassured me, Helix all the way. My tube head is collecting more and more dust.
Fully agree with your point regarding having the icons on the unit screen that represent the 'real world' look of the amps and effects. Also with you on rotary knob displays (or maybe the top row of foot switches being dual function capacitive push/rotary like the QC). They are simple things that you would have to think would be an obvious update to any future hardware unit.
After this latest Helix update with the Feedbacker, I can’t think of any other effects or sounds that I need in one platform. Except for a couple of really niche, nerdy things that are mostly unnecessary.
I love it! I drive a power amp for stage monitoring. The XLR outs sound great through the PA. Best of all, my settings are the same every time I turn it on!
Great Video! Good to see the unit still gets improved. For me personally I always liked the sounds of the helix, but struggled with the playing feel, so that I ended up switching to a Kemper and never really looked back. Hopefully they'll get that fixed if there will be a Helix 2.0.
I still love my Helix after 6 years, even tho I do use it with my Tonex pedal now. Because I found that to me at least capturing feels a bit more realistic, and also, I use an EVH 5150 EL34 capture for my main sounds and a Friedman Dirty Shirley capture for cleans, so they're not in the Helix 😂 But it works amazingly well together.
Pertinent video Jon! It's the eternal debate of technology evolution... Did I though the POD Pro XT (rack versions) that I got 15 years ago would be relevant? It's getting dust in my racks for long years now. I thought it was relevant back then, but the years passing by told me that I was wrong... the only thing that properly keeps the test of time are real amps. But at a cost of course. Helix, Quad Cortex and all similar products sharing similar technology are convenient and practical, always within certain use parameters and for a limited time, but won't be relevant in a few years from now... and you will be forced (again) to buy a new reincarnation of those boxes. Not a worth investment in the strict sense of the term. No complains, just a pragmatic opinion. Love your content man.
Funnily enough, I purchased a Helix Rack and control this past weekend. Very glad to know I haven't wasted my money on it lol. But in all seriousness, it's been so easy to get started on and it sounds great. I get why people choose to go for something like the Axe FX III, which I was also thinking about, but here in the UK it's more than double the price and the UI seems very intimidating to me as someone who isn't all that experienced as an audio engineer or a producer
Love my Helix. It completely cured my GAS. I'd like to see a 2 channel amp block, there's a bug where it sometimes forgets which should be on when you have a single switch that is simultaneously bypassing and unbypassing.EDIT. I've just seen the end of the vid.
I love my Helix LT! I use to think i made a mistake by not getting the Helix Floor unit, but the LT is virtually the same thing, only not as many FX loop ports and no scribble strips, etc, but that is no issue for me because I'd never use the extra ports anyway. A touch screen would be cool, but not as important to me as the practice tool as in the Head Rush Prime.
I purchased my Helix Lt back in October 2021 and up until just a couple days ago i had no issues with it until now. I thought the problem was just a faulty guitar cord, so i tried another and same thing, the crackling noise one gets from a bad cord. I tried one of my other guitars to see if maybe the input jack on the first guitar were the issue, but same thing with the second guitar. It appears i have a faulty guitar input jack on the Helix Lt. I use my Helix at home only, so i am not unplugging constantly and plugging back in, the guitar is just always plugged in that jack.
I used headrush for a while and it was great, but the helix did in 10 minutes what i tried to do with helix in 6 months. I couldnt get the tones i really wanted out of the headrush. But with the helix, i found what i needed in 10 minutes and that was so refreshing. Especially since dropping a TON of money on this thing. Im with this guy in the video. Line 6, dont make a successor for another 10 years. It can hold up. Let me get my time with it lol There is nothing wrong with this
Great video. I love the Helix & although the initial outlay isn’t cheap - considering constant updates & the quality of the hardware & software it’s actually a steal. The fact that you use it as does Devin Townsend among others should tell prospective buyers all they need to know. More Helix videos please. 👍🙏👍
Awesome summary of potential improvements - thank you for that! I would love to be able to sort everything in Native according to the release dates. That way you always would know what is old and what is new. Because I am a fairly new user and there is so much stuff already inside. My guess is that the older things might not be as good as the newer ones, so it could be a little easier if an option to sort like that was available.
Would love any videos on how you build your tones including old amps. You’re one of the best on TH-cam IMO. Keep up the great work, love the channel!! 🤘🤘
Relevant for sure. Constant updates are amazing. And with new cabs (which are IR's) with movable mics I don't even need third party IR's. I can make my own blend. It's amazing.
I sold mine and ended up getting an AxeFx Ultra for $400... Felt like the Ultra gave me better overall tone, easier navigation and more flexibility in a 15 year old unit lol
Your early helix videos are what led my to buying one. My main board is floor with a stomp for backup and smaller gigs. Never had to use for a backup though. Thx Jon!!!
This device is awesome and can do so much. I don't need to buy any other gear ever.. it does it all. There's just no need for a Helix 2. Maybe a pro with 2-4x the DSP and including a touch screen.
And yeah, tweaking presets on the unit is really pleasant because turning knobs will ALWAYS be better than touching a glass screen. It has a built-in fun factor that touching a screen eill never have.
I use Helix LT for the past 5 years, One amp model that I would like to see in the future update is the Mesa Boogie Marc IIC+ just like the other modelling units like Fractal audio and QC, And also it would be great if they added a Doubler effect like the Neural DSP to have a broad stereo sound. One last thing I would like to see as a huge improvement is to dial a quicker tone, Just to make the amp models sound good by 60% by just choosing the Amp & Cab block with very minimum tweeking just like the Fractal audio and QC. Because I have struggled a lot over the years with helix to get my tone sound good quickly and had to do a hell of tweeking than playing with my Helix
I love my helix. My main pet peave you hit. I really wish I could set amps up for channel switching much better. It is capable to an extent, but it sucks all of the DSP out to do it. Great video as always. You such a classy dude and love all your videos!
In my country, the Helix is not available anymore, but I love to use mine, still, and I regularly see it on stage of many bands... e.g. recently I saw Mauro Pawlowski using it at the dEUS concert
More space for IRs really would be great. Also a way to organize them is something i would love. I use mostly Hx Edit. Seeing more graphical visuals, at least for some devices would make it more fun. I also would like to be able to add comments on presets
Very good Video, thanks Man! I would love to have channel switching options with relevant amps like the Placater either. Now i have to add drive pedals to be able to switch to crunch or lead within one preset.
Been craving a helix for a while now. Plan on doing a 4-6 cable rig with a prs archon as the main amp going into a two notes torpedo. I’d run an out from the helix into a 2 channel mixer along with the signal from the two notes and blend the amp tone with an amp sim of the helix. All while using the helix for effects into the front on the archon. Giving me control of the blend I give to FOH as well as getting rid of the need to mix a cab so I can play with the master volume a bit more without pissing the sound guy off.
I use it with my victory kraken vx at 4 cable method and it is the best way yo use an helix. By the way you can run ir to the xlr without an loadbox if you run it with the 4 cable method
I had a Helix LT and a HX Stomp XL for years. Great ecosystem and - of course - an excellent video from you Jon, as usual :-) In the high gain realm I always came back to the Badonk amp block. All others tended to sound a bit fizzy. Talking about fizziness: to a certain degreee I still hear this well known "Line 6 fizziness"...happy that I made the switch to Fractal 1,5 year ago. Fizziness is gone but there's room for Helix for sure!
After hearing your recommendatikns for features in current or V2 Helix, I thought about this: How about Line 6 release a companion volume/expression pedal that shares the exact same footprint, profile and finish as the integrated volume pedal on the Helix Floor? It would be as configurable as the onboard volume pedal, and would include the same scribble strip at the top as the existing Floors pedal. Heck, being able to use their foot controller in a way that could extend the snap or stomp layout. I could imagine 10 snaps on the Floor and 8 stomps on an external floor controller.
It's great. Best update for the device overall has to be the newer cab formats imo; puts the cabs on par or better than most 3rd party IRs for general use. Still needs a 5153 though. We'll keep pestering them on ideascale.
Hola Jon! What I like most about Helix is the user interface, I think nothing else, although it has improved I was never able to go beyond mediocre audio even using third-party IR's. Now I'm using Tonex because it has better audio and better feeling, it respects the real tone of the amps but the software lacks a lot of maturity...
I'm heavily looking into a modeler going into 2024. What would your choice be for a guitarist that's gigging and recording in the studio? I'm between the Helix Floor and Quad Cortex, the only thing holding me back from a Helix is the fact that I feel like a newer revision is coming soon. PS. Love your videos, always killer tones and playing. You helped me decide on a Dual Terror a year or so ago.
The Line6 stigma is with the cabs, but to be fair since finally they gave in to IRs with a dedicated loader that has gone out of the window. The unit sounds great as any contemporary unit and you can get some really cheap ones on the used market now (something that isn't as easy with a Fractal or Quad Cortex). That said though, if you know the sound you want and the unit you have even low tier or really obsolete modellers can get you really far; especially for live use or in a mix in general.
@@neighbourhoodmusician I have no doubt about it, but once you got an IR you like (and you can get many good ones for free too) that kind of gets redundant and you save some DSP too. But honestly I never quite got the cab hate, I had a POD HD and you could get a great sound out of it by combining two cabs
Love the ease for changing/ tweaking tones and sets on my hx stomp. The amps & tones on ax8 are slightly favourable, but, that unit is a pain in the arse to change anything, on the unit.
I would like to see fx clusters/templetes, so you can use it in multiple presets, when you change something, it updates in all presets….to keep persistency.
The ONLY thing I'd like to see honestly would be the ability to swap a path so that I can use for example Path A for amps, overdrives, Wah, a volume pedal... Things I'd normally use in EVERY song. Then Path B for effects I might use on a single song. I would like to be able to swap the effects but leave the "amp section" the same for every song.
I've never edited my Helix on the Helix itself. I love the computer editor on my MacBook and not having to bend over. No reason to do it any other way in my opinion. The only improvement I'd ask for is making the ability to turn OFF the epilepsy inducing "Tap/Tempo" light in the lower right corner (every single time there's a firmware update) in the editor also.
Helix and all its flavors are great units. I feel like they have the best UI of all the units I've tried. I actually love the Atomic stuff and the Boss GT-1000 stuff, but editing on device if you need to isn't as easy on those. Bottom line is there are many great units today and they all sound really good, even the less expensive ones like Valeton and Hotone. If your needs are less complex, the Tech21 stuff is always good too.
The helix and pod go are worth the money ten fold. You just gotta tweak to your liking with third party IR's. Also another golden tip is to tweak your tones to your drums. Not by itself. That way you get a good representation of what it'll sound like in a mix.
Great video, I tend to agree on most point. I used a Helix for years but sold it last year as it was too much on some things and not enough on others. Just using pedals at the moment waiting to see if they update the Helix or if I should just get another modeler. It would be great if more of the smaller models had XLR out.
I have a rack and the foot control and can use the onboard ui the same as floor with better expression pedals. The switching and routing is unbeatable I use it to control my synegy rack preamps and everything via midi with my b beat back track / video player . Have native too as it's a cheap no brainer for Helix owners.
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The Helix is my go to for recording. The 2203 and Oblivion instantly became my favorite amps. It blows me away how they continue to make the unit better
Those amp models are killer!
I love the Oblivion. I barely tweaked it and it sounded great.
I stopped caring how stuff actually sounds with your channel - you just make everything sound so good. I am just here for the riffs now!
I am so happy with my helix. I've had it for about 8 years! I've tried other platforms and there is a reason I don't switch. NO need to at all. God video as usual Jon
Thanks mate! It's so much fun still right? After all these years!
Helix user here for 8 years too, same as you never needed to change until my Helix started to have issues with the switches and the screen have a lot of vertical lines. Well, I was about to purchase another Helix but decided to try the Quad Cortex. Received the Cortex and instantly regretted my decision because I was so used to Helix platform. On the third day I sat down with the Cortex and within 30 minutes I had 4 gig ready presets that sounded killer. Helix is still superior in versatility and options but man, the QC sounds much natural and better. Still use my helix and Helix native but live I only use the Cortex.
The hx stomp must be the best value for money guitar gear ever invented..even with the new price point. I got mine for 430 euros b- stock in mint condition, and I felt like I robbed a church.
same here - I got mine new, in white for £350
absolute steal.- considering to get the LT this year
I use my Helix everyday. First I used it with IR’s but now I only use the stockcabs. They keep improving on the amps, cabs and with every update we get something cool that makes the unit better.
I love my Helix. It just amazing.
Line 6 has done a remarkable job with the design of their Modelers. I use an HX Stomp every day. The Helix Floor always seemed a bit too large, and more compact design might be an improvement. I have Helix Native, and it provides me the power of the full Helix in software - Truly Amazing!
Initially, I did my Preset editing using HX Edit on my PC. Now I do most of my editing on the unit itself, as it is easy, fast, and provides enough of the tactical experience that users enjoy with physical Pedals. It also makes me use my ears more instead of my eyes when dialing in, and that can produce better results. Thanks
The best thing about the full size floor is you can use the Variax with it and it'll change settings on that as well. Go from an acoustic 12 string to a Tele sound to an LP sound. Really cool.
You know...my head is spinning with all of this stuff. Up until recently I avoided modeling favouring real amps but I have since come around (in part thanks to you). And I love it. You certainly shed light on the debate if the Helix is still relevant and it really makes you appreciate what they launched 10 years ago. At the same time we've come a long way from tweaking a guitar, a few pedals and an amp. So many more variables to think about these days. And an Amp used to be forever! Now we debate the shelf life of digital replications. Amazing how times have changed. Great video!
Amps are still “forever” as long as they’re maintained. :D
I think "seeing the amp" can be a bad idea, actually. When I first got my hx stomp xl, I wad trying to figure out what amp is based on what looking for a certain Marshall, etc. When I decided just to blindly play through each amp to see what I liked, I ended up on an amp I never even considered. Having them visually on there will cause people to hear with their eyes instead of their ears.
As a Floor user I enjoy the large format and bulk of the unit. I find that with my size 13 foot, the switches on some smaller format units are too close together when playing live. Just needs more processing power, amp capture, IR capture/ creation and a larger touch screen.
Customisation of the graphics would be cool also.
I bought my HX Stomp XL one year ago, I learned to use it effectively in a really short time but it still amazes me, you can do so much stuff with it even with 8 effects block limit in HX series.
I bought an HX Stomp XL few months ago with a class D amplifier and I replaced my head + pedalboard.
No regret, I still think that it is my best purchase ever.
Nice video!
That's a powerful rig!
It will. I am still surprised after one year and I am conviced more than ever. Prefer the Helix over my real guitar rig because it sounds great and it is super easy to handle.
What Amp? What Cab? High gain.. or?
I absolutely love my Helix. Super easy to dial in useable tones
Me too.
Of course Helix is still relevant!
-L6 is still regularly putting out firmware updates
-it still sounds as good or better than any other modeler
-it's the only modeler with a full plugin (and product range)
-the hardware is powerful, flexible, sturdy, and easy to use
-L6 includes unique original amps/effects that you can't get anywhere else
-you can pick one up at most guitar shops, not as difficult to get as others
IMO the Helix is still the best modeler and Line 6 is doing this thing right. The fact that we're still playing Helix products almost a decade later is proof that there's no planned obsolescence here - L6 is honoring our investment into this product line by continuing to improve and support it. In a time of disposable electronics, I find that refreshing
Right on!
@@SonicDriveStudio I do agree on wanting more IR slots tho - you got me into York Audio IRs and now I have a sizable collection of them lol. It's a shame to have to pick only 128 to store on the device!
Something I'm still missing on Helix too is a modulation matrix. I'd love to see a few channels of assignable modulators - LFOs, envelopes, step sequencer, and MIDI tracking would be excellent. We could do some really interesting modular-inspired sound design or effectively turn Helix into a standalone synth. I play a guitar and Moog into my HX Stomp simultaneously, and the possibilities would be insane.
It would be interesting to see a video of the tweaking required on the Helix to sound like the real thing. And a comparison with Fractal would be even better. Its not just if they CAN sound like the real thing - but how easy is it to get there? Especially if you don't have a physical unit to compare with.
I feel like as long as Line 6 keeps their stuff up to date and add more stuff over time, it still holds up in a mix or in a live setting, and that goes for any software or hardware modelers.
Fractal user here. The L6 Helix is still a monster. It has a lot of great features we’ll never see in Fractal World and I agree with most of what you mentioned. Specially, I do agree that compared to QC and FM9, is very short on CPU power. It feels, dare I say, overpriced when for a $100 more you get twice the processing power.
These updates are just amazing, this will be my main rig for a very long time
Loved the Oblivion amp riff in the beginning.. Great tones and playing. Keep it up. ❤
I needed this video...I recently got a headrush core with an expression pedal and FRFR because it was the newest and most features...I avoided the HX stomp XL because I was afraid they'd immediately replace it. But I didn't vibe with the headrush unit at all, the sounds were bland and even the downloaded IRS etc didn't help. Then the speaker went out so I sent it back to Sweetwater and went for the HX XL and am currently waiting on it. This video made me feel better as I was wondering of its relevance as I await lol. Once again killer riffs man.
Enjoy the Stomp!
The Helix is absolutely still one of the top dogs. Personally I put it and the FM9 at equal levels, with each having their particular strengths. But if I could only keep one, whew, that would be a tough choice.
Got my HX Stomp back in 2020, they offered it on a bundle with free Helix Native, best purchase ever. ❤❤❤
You can always set the plug in to ignore the DSP hardware limitations and come up with crazy presets for your computer.
What do you mean set the plug to ignore DSP limitation?
I was told i could get helix native for $100 if i could prove i had a helix product. Buy itself as a plugin its $400.
But i got it....thought I was using a trial...but im LONG past the trail length...still haven't paid. I guess I got a free product key or something. Not complaining. lol
I have a POD Go because I can't afford the Helix, but I still love it, it is great!
I avoid touchscreens, because I wouldn't want it to break. Normal screen with thick plastic on top to protect it is the best for me.
I have loved my Helix for about 3 years. Since owning a Tonex pedal, I think this is the next level when combined with the Helix. Don't forget about the Line6 Variax guitar options. I think it would be a good idea for Line6 to offer a hardware update to the DSP performance for very little money.
Completely agree. It's interesting to see people argue about DSP in other places like FB. While the DSP is good, it's also 8 years old or so. To me, they did so much right! Form factor is great. Interface is pretty darn good. Usability is pretty simple or can be complex, whichever you choose you know. They could release a new version exactly like this but with new stronger processor and I'd probably still buy it lol. The interesting thing is that there are new modelers in the market doing it for a lot less and surprisingly decent. I don't know much, but I do know that it's a great time to be a guitar player.
I love snapshots mode from helix♥️
Line 6 started dabbling in this "multiple-channel" amp idea with the 2203, by the way. The same amp block has both the "high input" and the "low input", which you can switch on the fly through snapshots, and they sound radically different. I hope they keep going in that direction, and maybe even update the older amps so that they have multiple channels as well.
I'm playing 4 hours covershows with changing setlists and change between guitar and bass throughout the show. I can run both instruments into seperate DIs straight to FOH and mute the unused output per preset. And i'm doing that all on the HX STOMP!
If Line 6 decide to update their product range, I will buy these in bulks on the used market and play them till i'm 60.
Great video, Jon! I would LOVE for you to create some tones using the helix and make them available for download/purchase. I always love your tones but have a hard time replicating them on my own Helix.
I use Helix Native and absolutely love it. It does pretty much everything I need an amp plugin to do. I would love if they added some sort of capture feature some day and it can always use more amp models (I’m always hoping for an Orange AD30) but for now it’s still great.
Wow, that intro was killer !!
Sweet harmonies and groove ! Love and appreciate the great works on sound goodness.
Thanks ! (now I can watch the rest of the vid...)
I love my Helix, it's amazing and I also have an HX Stomp based pedal board into the Orange Super Crush 100. I got the Helix in 2019 and it's just been getting better and better every year.
I use a HX Stomp XL. I think its the perfect size and does everything most people would want. Add a few more external switches to expand its functionality. I dont believe i can hear much difference between all the top modellers now. They are all good.
I‘m going to record 3 songs with my band in a studio next january and I keep questioning if I should bring my Helix Floor. I play it live all the time and I love it, but for some reason I cant shake the thought that it‘s not legit enough for a proper studio 😅 You just reassured me, Helix all the way. My tube head is collecting more and more dust.
Fully agree with your point regarding having the icons on the unit screen that represent the 'real world' look of the amps and effects. Also with you on rotary knob displays (or maybe the top row of foot switches being dual function capacitive push/rotary like the QC). They are simple things that you would have to think would be an obvious update to any future hardware unit.
After this latest Helix update with the Feedbacker, I can’t think of any other effects or sounds that I need in one platform. Except for a couple of really niche, nerdy things that are mostly unnecessary.
I love it! I drive a power amp for stage monitoring. The XLR outs sound great through the PA. Best of all, my settings are the same every time I turn it on!
Great Video! Good to see the unit still gets improved. For me personally I always liked the sounds of the helix, but struggled with the playing feel, so that I ended up switching to a Kemper and never really looked back. Hopefully they'll get that fixed if there will be a Helix 2.0.
I still love my Helix after 6 years, even tho I do use it with my Tonex pedal now. Because I found that to me at least capturing feels a bit more realistic, and also, I use an EVH 5150 EL34 capture for my main sounds and a Friedman Dirty Shirley capture for cleans, so they're not in the Helix 😂 But it works amazingly well together.
Thank you very much that gives me
Encouragement for my Helix. Thanks
Pertinent video Jon! It's the eternal debate of technology evolution... Did I though the POD Pro XT (rack versions) that I got 15 years ago would be relevant? It's getting dust in my racks for long years now. I thought it was relevant back then, but the years passing by told me that I was wrong... the only thing that properly keeps the test of time are real amps. But at a cost of course. Helix, Quad Cortex and all similar products sharing similar technology are convenient and practical, always within certain use parameters and for a limited time, but won't be relevant in a few years from now... and you will be forced (again) to buy a new reincarnation of those boxes. Not a worth investment in the strict sense of the term. No complains, just a pragmatic opinion. Love your content man.
Funnily enough, I purchased a Helix Rack and control this past weekend. Very glad to know I haven't wasted my money on it lol.
But in all seriousness, it's been so easy to get started on and it sounds great.
I get why people choose to go for something like the Axe FX III, which I was also thinking about, but here in the UK it's more than double the price and the UI seems very intimidating to me as someone who isn't all that experienced as an audio engineer or a producer
Enjoy your new tone machine!
Standalone Version would also be great.
What do you mean by standalone?
@@SonicDriveStudio Not having to load it in my Daw as insert.
Love my Helix. It completely cured my GAS. I'd like to see a 2 channel amp block, there's a bug where it sometimes forgets which should be on when you have a single switch that is simultaneously bypassing and unbypassing.EDIT. I've just seen the end of the vid.
I love my Helix LT! I use to think i made a mistake by not getting the Helix Floor unit, but the LT is virtually the same thing, only not as many FX loop ports and no scribble strips, etc, but that is no issue for me because I'd never use the extra ports anyway. A touch screen would be cool, but not as important to me as the practice tool as in the Head Rush Prime.
floor can program 10 stomp mode Lt Can have only 8 and this is big adventage for me, sadly i chose Lt :p But i Love it ^^
I purchased my Helix Lt back in October 2021 and up until just a couple days ago i had no issues with it until now. I thought the problem was just a faulty guitar cord, so i tried another and same thing, the crackling noise one gets from a bad cord. I tried one of my other guitars to see if maybe the input jack on the first guitar were the issue, but same thing with the second guitar. It appears i have a faulty guitar input jack on the Helix Lt. I use my Helix at home only, so i am not unplugging constantly and plugging back in, the guitar is just always plugged in that jack.
I love the Helix and probably will be using it for years. I think where it could improve is the pitch shift effects and having more dsp.
That opening song you played was sick
Thanks for your review! please make a video on how you setup an older helix model rectifier and peavey
I used headrush for a while and it was great, but the helix did in 10 minutes what i tried to do with helix in 6 months. I couldnt get the tones i really wanted out of the headrush. But with the helix, i found what i needed in 10 minutes and that was so refreshing. Especially since dropping a TON of money on this thing. Im with this guy in the video.
Line 6, dont make a successor for another 10 years. It can hold up. Let me get my time with it lol There is nothing wrong with this
Great video. I love the Helix & although the initial outlay isn’t cheap - considering constant updates & the quality of the hardware & software it’s actually a steal. The fact that you use it as does Devin Townsend among others should tell prospective buyers all they need to know. More Helix videos please. 👍🙏👍
Awesome summary of potential improvements - thank you for that! I would love to be able to sort everything in Native according to the release dates. That way you always would know what is old and what is new. Because I am a fairly new user and there is so much stuff already inside. My guess is that the older things might not be as good as the newer ones, so it could be a little easier if an option to sort like that was available.
Would love any videos on how you build your tones including old amps. You’re one of the best on TH-cam IMO. Keep up the great work, love the channel!! 🤘🤘
Appreciate it!
What are your thoughts on the state of the Helix in 2023? Still relevant or is it time for a new version? Let me know!
Relevant for sure. Constant updates are amazing. And with new cabs (which are IR's) with movable mics I don't even need third party IR's. I can make my own blend. It's amazing.
I sold mine and ended up getting an AxeFx Ultra for $400... Felt like the Ultra gave me better overall tone, easier navigation and more flexibility in a 15 year old unit lol
I just got an hx stomp, it's coming in today. I'd love to see a lot more Helix videos!
If I really enjoy it with the power cab I might sell my jj jr and 2x12 cab.
Your early helix videos are what led my to buying one. My main board is floor with a stomp for backup and smaller gigs. Never had to use for a backup though. Thx Jon!!!
This device is awesome and can do so much.
I don't need to buy any other gear ever.. it does it all.
There's just no need for a Helix 2.
Maybe a pro with 2-4x the DSP and including a touch screen.
And yeah, tweaking presets on the unit is really pleasant because turning knobs will ALWAYS be better than touching a glass screen. It has a built-in fun factor that touching a screen eill never have.
Cool video. The F#7add11, ie THE "Alex Lifeson chord", sounded immense. Time to get my 335 out and start dialling!
I use Helix LT for the past 5 years, One amp model that I would like to see in the future update is the Mesa Boogie Marc IIC+ just like the other modelling units like Fractal audio and QC, And also it would be great if they added a Doubler effect like the Neural DSP to have a broad stereo sound. One last thing I would like to see as a huge improvement is to dial a quicker tone, Just to make the amp models sound good by 60% by just choosing the Amp & Cab block with very minimum tweeking just like the Fractal audio and QC. Because I have struggled a lot over the years with helix to get my tone sound good quickly and had to do a hell of tweeking than playing with my Helix
I love my helix. My main pet peave you hit. I really wish I could set amps up for channel switching much better. It is capable to an extent, but it sucks all of the DSP out to do it. Great video as always. You such a classy dude and love all your videos!
Another thing. A blend control to all effect would be easy to update and would be an great thing to add
Thank you for a new review.
In my country, the Helix is not available anymore, but I love to use mine, still, and I regularly see it on stage of many bands... e.g. recently I saw Mauro Pawlowski using it at the dEUS concert
More space for IRs really would be great. Also a way to organize them is something i would love. I use mostly Hx Edit. Seeing more graphical visuals, at least for some devices would make it more fun. I also would like to be able to add comments on presets
Very good Video, thanks Man! I would love to have channel switching options with relevant amps like the Placater either. Now i have to add drive pedals to be able to switch to crunch or lead within one preset.
Great video! I love my hx stomp and native!
Been craving a helix for a while now. Plan on doing a 4-6 cable rig with a prs archon as the main amp going into a two notes torpedo. I’d run an out from the helix into a 2 channel mixer along with the signal from the two notes and blend the amp tone with an amp sim of the helix. All while using the helix for effects into the front on the archon. Giving me control of the blend I give to FOH as well as getting rid of the need to mix a cab so I can play with the master volume a bit more without pissing the sound guy off.
I use it with my victory kraken vx at 4 cable method and it is the best way yo use an helix. By the way you can run ir to the xlr without an loadbox if you run it with the 4 cable method
I had a Helix LT and a HX Stomp XL for years. Great ecosystem and - of course - an excellent video from you Jon, as usual :-)
In the high gain realm I always came back to the Badonk amp block. All others tended to sound a bit fizzy. Talking about fizziness: to a certain degreee I still hear this well known "Line 6 fizziness"...happy that I made the switch to Fractal 1,5 year ago. Fizziness is gone but there's room for Helix for sure!
I still love my Helix LT after 5 years of daily use...
Graphic images of the amps and effects being used on the chain display would be great!
Thanks for making videos, man 😊
You pull some amazing tones 👊
After hearing your recommendatikns for features in current or V2 Helix, I thought about this: How about Line 6 release a companion volume/expression pedal that shares the exact same footprint, profile and finish as the integrated volume pedal on the Helix Floor? It would be as configurable as the onboard volume pedal, and would include the same scribble strip at the top as the existing Floors pedal.
Heck, being able to use their foot controller in a way that could extend the snap or stomp layout. I could imagine 10 snaps on the Floor and 8 stomps on an external floor controller.
It's great. Best update for the device overall has to be the newer cab formats imo; puts the cabs on par or better than most 3rd party IRs for general use. Still needs a 5153 though. We'll keep pestering them on ideascale.
Hola Jon! What I like most about Helix is the user interface, I think nothing else, although it has improved I was never able to go beyond mediocre audio even using third-party IR's. Now I'm using Tonex because it has better audio and better feeling, it respects the real tone of the amps but the software lacks a lot of maturity...
I'm heavily looking into a modeler going into 2024. What would your choice be for a guitarist that's gigging and recording in the studio? I'm between the Helix Floor and Quad Cortex, the only thing holding me back from a Helix is the fact that I feel like a newer revision is coming soon.
PS. Love your videos, always killer tones and playing. You helped me decide on a Dual Terror a year or so ago.
The Line6 stigma is with the cabs, but to be fair since finally they gave in to IRs with a dedicated loader that has gone out of the window. The unit sounds great as any contemporary unit and you can get some really cheap ones on the used market now (something that isn't as easy with a Fractal or Quad Cortex). That said though, if you know the sound you want and the unit you have even low tier or really obsolete modellers can get you really far; especially for live use or in a mix in general.
Their overhaul of that cab engine solved even that. They sound as good as IRs now.
@@neighbourhoodmusician I have no doubt about it, but once you got an IR you like (and you can get many good ones for free too) that kind of gets redundant and you save some DSP too. But honestly I never quite got the cab hate, I had a POD HD and you could get a great sound out of it by combining two cabs
Love the ease for changing/ tweaking tones and sets on my hx stomp. The amps & tones on ax8 are slightly favourable, but, that unit is a pain in the arse to change anything, on the unit.
Insane mode and Big Bottom will always be relevant as they are the best tones anyone could use.
Badonk!
Great review and so true !
I have the floor unit, and i always hear videos and love it but I can never just get mine to sound as good.
I would like to see fx clusters/templetes, so you can use it in multiple presets, when you change something, it updates in all presets….to keep persistency.
The ONLY thing I'd like to see honestly would be the ability to swap a path so that I can use for example Path A for amps, overdrives, Wah, a volume pedal... Things I'd normally use in EVERY song. Then Path B for effects I might use on a single song. I would like to be able to swap the effects but leave the "amp section" the same for every song.
Has the helix got a model of the Boss SL20 slicer pedal that can be synced to midi clock and start stop?
I've never edited my Helix on the Helix itself. I love the computer editor on my MacBook and not having to bend over. No reason to do it any other way in my opinion. The only improvement I'd ask for is making the ability to turn OFF the epilepsy inducing "Tap/Tempo" light in the lower right corner (every single time there's a firmware update) in the editor also.
Love your tones! The best ❤
Thank you!
Helix and all its flavors are great units. I feel like they have the best UI of all the units I've tried. I actually love the Atomic stuff and the Boss GT-1000 stuff, but editing on device if you need to isn't as easy on those. Bottom line is there are many great units today and they all sound really good, even the less expensive ones like Valeton and Hotone. If your needs are less complex, the Tech21 stuff is always good too.
I love my helix lt and ever update line6 make it better with new great features
Is there a downloadable Helix preset for the Brit 2203 you are demonstrating at 10:42 of this video?
Love my Helix.
What do you use for your bass tones in these clips? It sounds great!
Helix Native with an OwnHammer bass IR
how do u set up in a xlr when directed to mixing console?..mic or line
What I'd like to see is a full power Helix Stomp. Same form-factor, but, with the full power of the Helix full size boards.
Just got my first HX Effects ...I hope not! But for my sake it's definitely relevant!
Fractal: DSP, infinite options etc
Helix: FUN
Is there a tone difference between the various Line 6 Helix pedals?
I’d like to see your helix floor with a Friedman IRX or similar in 4CM
Thanks for video! May I ask - is this live drums were used in the video, or VST Plugin?
The helix and pod go are worth the money ten fold.
You just gotta tweak to your liking with third party IR's.
Also another golden tip is to tweak your tones to your drums. Not by itself.
That way you get a good representation of what it'll sound like in a mix.
Great video, I tend to agree on most point. I used a Helix for years but sold it last year as it was too much on some things and not enough on others. Just using pedals at the moment waiting to see if they update the Helix or if I should just get another modeler. It would be great if more of the smaller models had XLR out.
:) Impulse Response Loader for Reverbs with more damping points could be Fun
Hi my friend !
Which amps have helix for heavy metal sound?
Line 6 Badonk
I have a rack and the foot control and can use the onboard ui the same as floor with better expression pedals. The switching and routing is unbeatable I use it to control my synegy rack preamps and everything via midi with my b beat back track / video player . Have native too as it's a cheap no brainer for Helix owners.