Opinions on Kemper, line 6 helix ,axe fx ECT

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  • CabicularCabicular Frets: 2214
    joeyowen said:
    Cabicular said:
    I have all three




    You should see my guitar collection peasant!
    ;)
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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4158
    I actually don’t mind the drives on the FX8, then I am a bit odd ;)
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  • John_AJohn_A Frets: 3775
    Think the Helix 'organic, on the edge sounds, are really good, as is everything else on it. For gigging it's superb, 5 minutes to set up and sounds consistently brilliant and I can get to the bar much quicker 
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  • mr-macmr-mac Frets: 200
    edited May 2018
    For me in order...
    Axe (esspecially if take time tweaking some of deeper settings)
    GSP1101 (c63)
    Kemper
    other modern options
    older options
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  • Jonathanthomas83Jonathanthomas83 Frets: 3466
    edited May 2018
    Fretwired said:
    Axe fx is the best, Kemper is excellent but some old school guitarists (not wishing to mention them by name) think it complicated whilst the Helix is a compromise between the other two but is cheaper.
    Disagree, I think Axe FX is way more complicated than the Kemper.

    I've not commented much since I sold my Axe FX 2 (with the aim of buying a 3) and bought a Kemper, im hoping to put together a review/blog about it.

    But, I love it. The sounds are great, sounds more authentic to my ears. Its easy to use and the FX arent as bad as people say. I prefer chorus, phaser, flanger, vibe and most importantly, delay on the Kemper to the Axe FX... they're more immediate and satisfying to my ears and deliver the sounds I presonally look for. 

    Overall, it's sounding fantastic for my needs, and I don't regret not waiting for the Axe 3. I prefer Kemper to my old Axe FX. YMMV.

    @guitarfishbay, I found the profiles I needed very quickly and would be happy to point you in the right direction if you ever got one.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • ruomaruoma Frets: 67
    edited May 2018
    Of the kemper and helix, kemper all the way. But I sold it and now have a universal ox box to go with my amp, as I don’t need a gazillion different amp profiles. The ox is very impressive!
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    edited May 2018
    simonk said:
    Fretwired said:
    Axe fx is the best....

    ...

    I've not tried a Axe fx...
    Love it!
    The Axe Fx is clearly the best on the basis of independent reviews, the pros that use it and the mob on here that threatened to kill you if you think otherwise. It seems everyone raves about the Helix but to my ears it sounds like a classic Line 6 unit .. IMHO it's overpriced and doesn't sound very good. It's shit.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26450
    Personally, I'm convinced that the only one of the three which actually sounds exactly like the amp it's "modelling" is the Kemper. If sounding precisely like a specific amp is what you're after, that's the only one to go for.

    I don't need that, though; I'm happy to just make the sounds I want, which it seems that no amp can deliver (no amp that I've tried, anyway). I've come to the conclusion that precisely emulating an amp is actually nothing to do with making the sounds I want, even though it's largely just distortion and delay with a bit of modulation here and there.

    I don't particularly like any sound I've had from any Fractal gear, and I can easily make it work with the Helix. On top of that, the Helix's workflow is second to none - it fits exactly what I want to do, and it's trivial achieve that. The fact that it's also the cheapest by a massive margin (well, the LT I have is) is an absolute bonus.
    <space for hire>
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  • firepaulmusicfirepaulmusic Frets: 362
    AX8 is my current rig. Direct to PA but with a 1x10 active PA cab behind me. Sounds and feels fabulous. 
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  • simonksimonk Frets: 1467
    Fretwired said:
    simonk said:
    Fretwired said:
    Axe fx is the best....

    ...

    I've not tried a Axe fx...
    Love it!
    The Axe Fx is clearly the best on the basis of independent reviews, the pros that use it and the mob on here that threatened to kill you if you think otherwise. It seems everyone raves about the Helix but to my ears it sounds like a classic Line 6 unit .. IMHO it's overpriced and doesn't sound very good. It's shit.
    You’re completely entitled to your opinion chum... that’s cool.

    I dare say there are a fair few on here that would disagree with your last couple of sentences though...

    I’ve just got back from a gig: I used my Helix and the other guitar player used his aging Boss GT100. Both guitars sounded superb and we got plenty of favorable comments at the end. I think almost anything can be dialed in to sound good, and by the same token, bits of top flight gear can be made to sound terrible quite easily.

    When did you last try a Helix by the way? It’s improved a lot to my ears with the last few firmware updates.
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  • Fretwired said:
    simonk said:
    Fretwired said:
    Axe fx is the best....

    ...

    I've not tried a Axe fx...
    Love it!
    The Axe Fx is clearly the best on the basis of independent reviews,
    Again, this is internet hyperbole. Please link to said reviews. Because, in the two or three years I've been interested in digital gear and researching it, I've never, yes never, seen, heard or read and review thats said it's better than the other two or "the best".

    It's such a subjective thing that no one dares to say it and its almost always left at "it's a great unit and comes down to what you need as a musician...FX, amp tones etc" or words to that effect.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • sweepysweepy Frets: 4158
    Having owned the Axe-Fx 2, Helix and spent time with a Kemper I have to agree with @Jonathanthomas83  inasmuch that they are all very good and really does come down to personal preference, mine was the Fractal path which eventually led to the FX8 and a BadCat as I still prefer the feel of a Valve amp under my fingers
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16004
    Helix is certainly the best design and User friendly as well as the easiest to tweak on the fly....the pedalboard set up was copied by Axe FX because they could see it was the way to go.
    Soundwise they are all great and as others have said there is no brand /concept better than the other -just their own sound and operational differences.
    FWIW -I loved the Kemper but found I could not get it to lose the Digital "plink" in the same way I could dial it out on Helix
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  • Digital plink, how do you mean?
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • DominicDominic Frets: 16004
    a metallic sounding high pitched trail particularly noticeable when using even small amounts of reverb
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  • Can't say I've ever noticed that. Sounds very realistic, to me. I put gobs of reverb on everything I do, so that would annoy me immensely, if I could hear symptoms of that.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    Fretwired said:
    simonk said:
    Fretwired said:
    Axe fx is the best....

    ...

    I've not tried a Axe fx...
    Love it!
    The Axe Fx is clearly the best on the basis of independent reviews,
    Again, this is internet hyperbole. Please link to said reviews. Because, in the two or three years I've been interested in digital gear and researching it, I've never, yes never, seen, heard or read and review thats said it's better than the other two or "the best".

    It's such a subjective thing that no one dares to say it and its almost always left at "it's a great unit and comes down to what you need as a musician...FX, amp tones etc" or words to that effect.
    Hyperbole .. nonsense.

    The Helix sounds fine and is probably better value for money but guitar pros tend to use the Axe fx ... Mark Tremonti, Steve Vai, Devin Townsend, Dean Parks, Adrian Belew, Ty Tabor, Misha Mansoor, Robert Fripp, Marty Friedman, Guthrie Govan, Vernon Reid, Paul Landers, Greg Howe, John Petrucci, Metallica, Phil Collen, Bumblefoot, Alex Lifeson, Dave Mustaine, The Edge, Dweezil Zappa etc.... why don't they use a Helix?


    And here you go ....

    https://blog.andertons.co.uk/learn/axe-fx-vs-helix-vs-kemper-vs-amplifire


    Conclusions:

    Axe fx - pro grade tones, amp matching .. downside expensive.

    Helix - intuitive to use, great sounding HX models .. downside poor presets, no amp matching.

    Go onto forums and you'll find a typical comment being the Axe sounds more realistic but isn't worth the cash .. a pro guitarist friend of mine borrowed and compared a Helix rack and an Axe fx .. he's currently recording a new album with the Axe ..

    If you're happy with a Helix then great .. I didn't say it was crap. I didn't like it and that's from someone who was accused of being a Line 6 fanboy on this forum.






    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • Jonathanthomas83Jonathanthomas83 Frets: 3466
    edited May 2018
    Not nonsense at all, @Fretwired. You specifically said that it's the best based on reviews. The review you linked to doesn't say it's the best.

    Let's quote the last few paragraphs...

    The Fractal Audio Axe FX is arguably the most powerful and all-encompassing processor. With almost endless wiring options, the Axe FX is easy to integrate into practically any setup. Its professional-grade tones and incredible selection of effects justify its expensive price-tag – but that is indeed the only downside.

    The Line 6 Helix units, rack-mounted and floor-based, offer the best user experience. With an easy to navigate and intuitive user interface, you can experiment with different amp models and the effects signal chain. Those tones are fantastic, however they aren’t quite as legitimate as the ones offered by the Axe FX or Kemper Profilers. The amp-matching technology is a feature that is missing from the Helix too, but it’s not a deal-breaker as there is so much variety within this powerful unit.

    There’s a reason why Kemper are so loved in the guitar world. And that’s because their profiled tones are so close to their real-world counterparts, that it can be incredibly difficult to even tell them apart. Just ask Chappers and the Captain!

    With near-unlimited tonal opportunities and a powered iteration of the Profiler available, this unit is made for live and studio use. The size of the head version may be an issue for those looking to downsize their rigs, and it can be difficult to integrate the Kemper into an analogue amp setup, but its sheer amount of versatility and quality is unparalleled.

    Last but not least, Atomic’s AmpliFIRE processors are incredible value for money. There would be absolutely no shame in picking up one of these stellar units, as the fabulous sound of the amp models and effects are professional-grade. The main advantage of these, especially the standard model and the AmpliFIRE 6, is that they are so portable and easy to add to your rig that no one would struggle to use them. It may not be the easiest unit to programme due to its small screen, but there’s a reason why we love them so much here at Andertons Music Co!

    We're not just talking about Axe FX vs Helix, if that's what your first statement in this thread was referring to.

    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    edited May 2018
    Not nonsense at all, @Fretwired. You specifically said that it's the best based on reviews. The review you linked to doesn't say it's the best.

    Let's quote the last few paragraphs...

    The Fractal Audio Axe FX is arguably the most powerful and all-encompassing processor. With almost endless wiring options, the Axe FX is easy to integrate into practically any setup. Its professional-grade tones and incredible selection of effects justify its expensive price-tag – but that is indeed the only downside.

    The Line 6 Helix units, rack-mounted and floor-based, offer the best user experience. With an easy to navigate and intuitive user interface, you can experiment with different amp models and the effects signal chain. Those tones are fantastic, however they aren’t quite as legitimate as the ones offered by the Axe FX or Kemper Profilers. The amp-matching technology is a feature that is missing from the Helix too, but it’s not a deal-breaker as there is so much variety within this powerful unit.

    There’s a reason why Kemper are so loved in the guitar world. And that’s because their profiled tones are so close to their real-world counterparts, that it can be incredibly difficult to even tell them apart. Just ask Chappers and the Captain!

    With near-unlimited tonal opportunities and a powered iteration of the Profiler available, this unit is made for live and studio use. The size of the head version may be an issue for those looking to downsize their rigs, and it can be difficult to integrate the Kemper into an analogue amp setup, but its sheer amount of versatility and quality is unparalleled.

    Last but not least, Atomic’s AmpliFIRE processors are incredible value for money. There would be absolutely no shame in picking up one of these stellar units, as the fabulous sound of the amp models and effects are professional-grade. The main advantage of these, especially the standard model and the AmpliFIRE 6, is that they are so portable and easy to add to your rig that no one would struggle to use them. It may not be the easiest unit to programme due to its small screen, but there’s a reason why we love them so much here at Andertons Music Co!

    We're not just talking about Axe FX vs Helix, if that's what your first statement in this thread was referring to.

    I deliberately chose Andertons as they don't sell the Axe fx so they have an axe to grind. I have read mag reviews which still state the Axe fx is the better unit - for example it has amp matching. We have a pro guitarist on this forum who uses the Axe fx live.

    Did I say the Helix is rubbish? No. I still use an early red Line 6 POD 2 bean to record. Can I get a decent tone? Yes.

    And not everyone has £2k + to spend on an Axe. The Helix offers better value for money - it sounds good and is easy to use but I stand by the statement which you'll find in other places that the Axe sounds better.

    At the end of the day it's all irrelevant. It's a point of view.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
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  • @Fretwired ;You're missing the point. We're not just talking about Axe FX v Helix.

    And best at what? Workflow, UI, sound, FX, tone?

    Axe FX is good in many ways, IMO...tweakability, depth, options, delays and reverbs. Helix has a fantastic UI and endless routing options. Kemper has great tone matching to real amps and the effects are good.
    Read my guitar/gear blog at medium.com/redchairriffs

    View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
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