Helix LT is now available for order. Cut down version - ish.

Voxman

One thing I hadn't realised was just how heavy the Helix is!   

I thought my old Vox Tonelab SE was heavy at 13.67lbs but the Helix is 14.6lbs and the Helix LT is only slightly lighter at 12lbs.  My Vox Tonelab LE comes in at 9.26lbs  - positively light-weight by comparison! 

guitarfishbay

That's genuinely the first complaint I've seen about the weight of a multi FX pedal. Still a lot lighter than the alternative of carrying separates!

fretmeister

digitalscream said:

Coincidence that the Headrush is out soon, at £899? I think not...

Still, I'd rather they'd cut it down a bit further - maybe just one loop and one in/out - and brought the price down a bit more.

Interesting part is that the L6 dude in the Guitar Center video said, "...the same HX technology as the whole Helix family". More to come on top of Helix Native? Perhaps a replacement for the M9/M13?

They've previous used the word 'family' to cover the Helix and the Helix Rack.

So it might be nothing. Or it might be loads!

olafgarten

digitalscream said:

Coincidence that the Headrush is out soon, at £899? I think not...

Still, I'd rather they'd cut it down a bit further - maybe just one loop and one in/out - and brought the price down a bit more.

Interesting part is that the L6 dude in the Guitar Center video said, "...the same HX technology as the whole Helix family". More to come on top of Helix Native? Perhaps a replacement for the M9/M13?

I think by whole family they are referring to toe rack and the floor. 

Vaiai

Paul has done a vid too

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

digitalscream said:

Coincidence that the Headrush is out soon, at £899? I think not...

Still, I'd rather they'd cut it down a bit further - maybe just one loop and one in/out - and brought the price down a bit more.

Interesting part is that the L6 dude in the Guitar Center video said, "...the same HX technology as the whole Helix family". More to come on top of Helix Native? Perhaps a replacement for the M9/M13?

They've previous used the word 'family' to cover the Helix and the Helix Rack.

So it might be nothing. Or it might be loads!

I think it's just regular Helix, plus the rack and plugin versions, but I'm looking forward to the Joe Bonamassa signature version

guitarfishbay

What, Helix Byrd?

Sounds errr...


 inappropriate 

Teetonetal

Already have the helix and difference in price is too small so would not justify selling. But this is the device and price I would have wanted off the bat and I would have bought 2 eventually.  1 for home and 1 for rehearsal and gigs.

It's annoying that in the bits that really matter it's fully featured. A bit miffed due to that but on the plus side I think it guarantees longevity for the helix.

DesVegas

That is a sexy beast

Bridgehouse

Lol. I was right on my price guess. I reckon £799 within 6 months. Having the original Helix I wouldn't want it any more cut down by this amount...

Bridgehouse

Oh, and @Voxman - performance mode changes the display to tell you what each button does.

Voxman

guitarfishbay said:

That's genuinely the first complaint I've seen about the weight of a multi FX pedal. Still a lot lighter than the alternative of carrying separates!

Not a complaint - merely an observation that (& I appreciate there's a lot in it & its built with a tough metal casing etc) the Helix is surprisingly heavy for a modelling/mfx unit.    Not trying to put these in the same class/quality bracket obviously, but there has been a trend towards smaller & lighter-weight MFX/modelling units with many manufacturers, eg:

Zoom G5n 7.5 lbs
Vox TL EX 6.61 lbs
Digitech RP500 6.6 lbs
Digitech RP1000 11.5lbs
Line 6 HD500x 10.6 lbs
Kemper Profiler Head (non-power amp version) 11.73lbs
Ax Fx8 11.5lbs
Boss GT100 10.625 lbs

TTBZ

Voxman said:

Shame it doesn't have the tag labels though as that's a very useful feature for gigging.  Otherwise, how do you know what button does what?  

Suppose it depends how you want to use it - can see it being a problem if you want to do complex or specific things with it. Personally I'd probably only use a couple of patches set up the same way (just different amp models per patch) set up on the switches as Clean, Crunch, Main Rhythm tone, Lead and then any spares as virtual global stompboxes (if that can be done).

I was going to treat myself to a Mini Jubilee head later in the year but I'm tempted by this now instead! 

dindude

digitalscream said:

Still, I'd rather they'd cut it down a bit further - maybe just one loop and one in/out - and brought the price down a bit more.

I reckon the price/features must have been a very fine balancing act for them. I guess with the tech inside, the screen etc, they can only go so low on price, and the cost of a couple of sockets isn't that great in the grand scheme but adds perceived value. Also, I guess two loops are required to patch in stereo effects?

NelsonP

Well I just bought an amplifire 12, from Andertons. No mention of this, not even a "you might want to hang on a month or so". Luckily the AA12 is brilliant but it definitely isn't as easy to edit as Helix LT, by the looks of it.

Edit: just saw the price - £899 in the UK apparently, which is a good chunk more than the AA12. 

EricTheWeary

The Sweetwater videos on the LT just popped up on my YouTube. Looked on here in case I misunderstood but it's all the whizz bangery of a Helix for 2/3rds of the price , just minus a couple of knobs and a few sockets. I wonder how many Helix owners are now thinking this would have done them and they could have saved £400. 

Wonder what's next then. 

Sporky

EricTheWeary said:

I wonder how many Helix owners are now thinking this would have done them and they could have saved £400.

Some, certainly.

If I was buying now then I'd need a think about whether the full-fat Helix was worth the extra, but having had the Helix for15 months or so, I don't feel miffed that the LT is out. The price seems right for the comparative features.

Teetonetal

@Digital_Igloo has said a number of times on TGP that creating a budget version of helix is not easy - would be interested to hear the thought process behind this one. I really, really would have preferred this over the full fat one - ticks every single box I need.

digitalscream

Voxman said:

Shame it doesn't have the tag labels though as that's a very useful feature for gigging.  Otherwise, how do you know what button does what?  

The coloured rings around each switch are user-configurable according to the effect block just like the full-fat Helix (I think), so there's still a visual cue.

Teetonetal

digitalscream said:

Voxman said:

Shame it doesn't have the tag labels though as that's a very useful feature for gigging.  Otherwise, how do you know what button does what?  

The coloured rings around each switch are user-configurable according to the effect block just like the full-fat Helix (I think), so there's still a visual cue.

And most pedal board switchers only have foot switches, so it's not too unusual. You could also easily come up with a system.