Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In with Google

Become a Subscriber!

Subscribe to our Patreon, and get image uploads with no ads on the site!

Read more...

So - will I regret it if I buy a Helix?

What's Hot
1457910

Comments

  • If you have to lug 15kgs worth of monitor for yourself....well you're not saving that much on weight at least over a 1x12 valve combo.....
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    siraxeman said:
    If you have to lug 15kgs worth of monitor for yourself....well you're not saving that much on weight at least over a 1x12 valve combo.....
    You don't 'have to' at all, That's what some do, some use IEM's, some a pair of 4x12's and a huge power amp.  If weight/size is a big consideration then  there are plenty of options
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • siraxeman said:
    If you have to lug 15kgs worth of monitor for yourself....well you're not saving that much on weight at least over a 1x12 valve combo.....
    It's not all about weight saving. In fact, the monitor I use is 21.1 kg :)

    That 1x12 combo would probably have 1 or (at best) 2 sounds, and would probably need to be run at a certain volume to sound at its best. Also, I sing as well so I'm always going to need monitoring. I *could* go in-ear but I'm not at the stage where I want to do that just yet.

    I did two gigs over the weekend, one wedding on a large stage, and one pub "festival" gig on a tiny stage and after both gigs, I thought "what a quick and easy load out".

    I take the following to gigs:

    1 x 6U rack containing Helix Rack
    1 x small case containing Helix Control + exp pedals + cables, etc
    1 x monitor (HK L5 112 XA)
    1 x triple guitar case (sometimes, just one guitar in a flightcase)

    It's two trips to/from the car. It takes 5 mins to set up. I'm loving it.

    R.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Ive got to take a monitor anyway I'm a singer ...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Plus the L2 has a trolley case
    skoosh
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Cabicular said:
    Ive got to take a monitor anyway I'm a singer ...
    Could you not sing through a 1x12 valve combo ?  ;)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    I think, in summary everyone has different requirements and it's always going to be a compromise to some level, you cant have the smallest & lightest rig if you have other requirements like being a singer or needing your trousers flapped by a pair of 4x12's

    What you can have, is a rig that sounds amazing, is powerful and flexible,  and can be designed around whatever requirements you have with the Helix at the centre of it.  Whether it's Helix plug and go (in my case) or Helix with two heads and 4x12's, or anywhere in between.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • What kind of monitors sound decent and could also be pressed into use as backline at a pinch? I see some people talking about the Alto units as decent and affordable...the Line 6 ones seem very expensive.

    Not that I plan on buying anything right now...just out of interest. :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    The Alto ones are great, I had a TS-110a before the DXR10 which I got used for £100, worked fine as back line for medium sized pub gigs.  Same as most things though, you get what you pay for, the DXR is definitely better, it's also heavier and was 5x the price :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BeexterBeexter Frets: 597
    John_A said:
    The Alto ones are great, I had a TS-110a before the DXR10 which I got used for £100, worked fine as back line for medium sized pub gigs.  Same as most things though, you get what you pay for, the DXR is definitely better, it's also heavier and was 5x the price :)
    This. I've still got a pair of the Altos and they are terrific for the money. Yes, my DXR is my preferred choice but the Altos are a really good option 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • I was looking for comparisons of the sound using power amp - cab vs FRFR and I found this (I think it has been posted on here before?):

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNuJvdKda-M&t=377s 

    I have to say...do the FRFR speakers not sound awful? The matrix into the cab sounds a lot better. No?

    On a positive note...I unpacked my helix again (Iknow, I know) and had another go. Using the Cali Rectifire amp and switching back and forth between that and my TH30 pre-amp (in 4CM) I have got it to the point where I can barely tell the difference between them. Well, you can kind of tell there is a difference but it's not the kind of difference where one is better and one is worse. As an aside - I think people do compare the TH30 and the rectifier as being vaguely similar in character, so maybe that makes sense. Although people also say the Helix Rectifier isn't very Rectifier-y so maybe it matches the TH30 better than a more authentic model would.

    ANYway - this is kind of what I was trying to achieve...just wanted to prove to myself I'm not 'missing out' by going helix. Ideally I would like to ditch the 4CM setup and replace the TH30 with something much more portable at some point. I'll use the 44 Magnum for now. To my ears, the Magnum sounds a load better than the more expensive Harley Benton GPA400 I tried (and returned) when I was using the HD500X.

    But - based on the above video anyway - I can't see me being able to replace the power amp - cab setup with something much more portable unfortunately. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775

    But - based on the above video anyway - I can't see me being able to replace the power amp - cab setup with something much more portable unfortunately. 
    That's one video and he's comparing the same preset through FRFR and a cab, you need to tweak your EQ when swapping cabs (real or virtual) Using FRFR really does open up loads of options, but if you are happy with one cab and it's limitations then go for it, there aren't any rules.  As I said in another thread, everyone listens to guitar through FRFR speakers, whether you pop on a CD in a HIFI, listen to that youtube video through headphones, or see a band at a big gig, whet you are hearing is a guitar amp, through FRFR speakers.  Stop worrying on ;)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • Sure - I guess I'm thinking about the reality of the gigs we play, where more often than not my guitar isn't even mic'd up so people are just hearing backline. That said, there's no reason that I now can't use the vocal PA to also run a feed direct from the helix. I've just not really had that option before.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    I use my DXR or backline and it sounds great.  The point I was making is in the video you posted, if i sounds great through a standard guitar cab all it needs is a few tweaks and it would sound great through FRFR, the patch was obviously created with the guitar cab and then just plugged in to the FRFR speaker of course it's going to be different, it's not that one's better than the other.


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_A said:
    I use my DXR or backline and it sounds great.  The point I was making is in the video you posted, if i sounds great through a standard guitar cab all it needs is a few tweaks and it would sound great through FRFR, the patch was obviously created with the guitar cab and then just plugged in to the FRFR speaker of course it's going to be different, it's not that one's better than the other.
    That sounds like magic :) Can you really get the sound of a 2x12 cab out of a single 10" speaker?
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • VaiaiVaiai Frets: 530
    edited September 2017
    I have been using my Victory amp with Helix 4CM at gigs but recently just taking Helix and Alto TS210 to rehearsal and it sounds great (not thru PA) - also as many have said - I use one preset with snapshots BUT I have the options to create song specific sounds if I need to.

    I'm actually now thinking of taking the Helix and Alto to the next gig and using as is - not in PA - just as if it was my cab - in a smaller pub this is no doubt fine! We only use a vocal PA in the smaller gigs anyway (Bose L1)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    edited September 2017
    If you record a 2x12 cab and listen to it through a set of headphones does it still sound like a 2x12 cab?  

    It won't feel  like you are in the room with a 2x12 cab at full tilt, it'll sound like your sat out the front of a big gig listening to your favorite guitarist through their 2x12 cab, which from the listeners perspective means they hear what you intend them to hear.

    Remember - In that video above, you are NOT listening to a 2x12 cab, you are listening to the recording of a 2x12 cab
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • And the wisdom is that 10" is better than 12" for this use case? I'd instinctively have thought 12" would be better but I see comments that this can make things too woofy on the low end.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    edited September 2017
    A good 12"  PA speaker has a lot more bottom than you 'need' for quitar, and most 10"s do too, so 10's can be a better choice for portability, sound wise, you would EQ out the low end anyway, so it shouldn't really make a difference.  Again, think about it, at a big gig you are listening through bass bins that can be 18" + all the way to compression drivers that are 2" , you EQ the guitar to hear the frequencies you want to hear.   A guitar amp/cab is simpler because it just doesn't reproduce those frequencies.

    I suggest you stop asking questions and just play with it, if they were shit they wouldn't have sold 1000's, they're not :)
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • BeexterBeexter Frets: 597
    I can't speak for the Helix having never tried one but I did take the plunge on an AX8 and have no regrets at all.

    Actually, that's not quite true. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. 

    The Helix and AX8 are on very similar levels and are head and shoulders above my previous dalliances with modellers.
    The Helix LT is around half the price I paid for my AX8 and at that price, it really should be a no brainer. 

    I've still got a small pedalboard that I use in front of a regular amp from time to time (i always use the AX8 direct to PA - no real amps) but I'm certainly toying with the idea of replacing the pedalboard with a Helix LT to use as effects only in front of a regular amp, especially as it works as an audio interface too (which the AX8 doesn't). By selling off my existing pedals, pedalboard and power supplies, I would more than cover the cost of a Helix...


    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.