Line 6 Helix

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  • CirrusCirrus Frets: 8481
    I'm finding it fascinating how varied the opinion on the different clips are - both here and in that linked TGP thread. I'll hear something that's totally flat/ boring/ nothing special and someone will be raving about how realistic it is. Then another clip is bloody brilliant, a sound I'd be proud to get, and someone will say it's really horrible and clearly sounds like a digital model. Then in that TGP thread, people are posting recordings of real valve amps and saying "I wonder if it can do THIS", I listen and the tone is nothing special at all.

    Yesterday evening I spent an hour experimenting with mic choice + position on my Mesa, basically to learn how the speakers I've put in it actually sound close miked - where the sweet spots are. And I variously got tones that were good, fat, muddy, harsh, brittle, fizzy, nasal... just by moving a mic about.

    In the context of that kind of variability, the idea that you can judge how real a modeller sounds, or that such a judgement is a worthwhile pursuit at all, kind of becomes a bit laughable. It's like, if you have a valve amp you spend your time chasing a sound that's good, when you have a modeller you spend your time chasing a sound that's real. Psychologically it's a headfuck, because you're chasing an ideal that probably doesn't exist. Valve amps can sound bad. Modellers can sound great. Pick your tool and make good music.
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  • DeijavooDeijavoo Frets: 3298
    edited October 2015
    Really impressed by a lot of the sounds but yeah, I'm not enjoying that SLO one at all. The AC30 loop one sounds superb, it makes me wonder if I do actually like Vox amps after all...
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  • handsomerikhandsomerik Frets: 1005
    edited October 2015
    Wisdom from @cirrus

    Stop chasing the unicorn and make good music with whatever you have/can afford/ happen to like.
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  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited October 2015
    Cirrus said:
    Valve amps can sound bad. Modellers can sound great. Pick your tool and make good music.

    Absolutely this.

    When you mic a real cab you take if for granted that you'll sweep the mic about - if you were to do all those tiny movements as individual impulses the number compared would be huge.  Some positions could sound great,some could sound terrible, it takes experimentation to work out what works for what you need.  A valve amp doesn't automatically sound right just because it is mic'd up.

    To begin with, buying cab packs with hundreds of IRs seemed overkill to me.  But I've got a few (Ownhammer and ML Sound Labs) and I find them very useful to scroll through various positions quickly - say to shoot out a bunch of SM57 options on the same cab.  
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  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    When you mic a real cab you take if for granted that you'll sweep the mic about - if you were to do all those tiny movements as individual impulses the number compared would be huge
    Hence Redwirez :)
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  • Cirrus said: Valve amps can sound bad. Modellers can sound great. Pick your tool and make good music.
    Another wis from me. I think this sounds great:


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  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    Setup 1: VHT Sig X + Voodoo Labs Control Switcher + Helix in 4-cable-method
    Setup 2: Diezel D-Moll + Helix in 4 cable method sending midi to the Diezel
    Setup 3: Helix as a USB interface for home recording
    Setup 4: Helix as a standalone performance tool into FOH

    ....

    I want my unit dammit!
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  • FuzzdogFuzzdog Frets: 839
    Must admit, my interest level has gone from 'Heh, that looks pretty cool' to 'Oh crap, I think this might actually require me to sell a kidney on eBay' after hearing some of the clips and reading up on the routing options, etc. Really does seem like a lot of things I've been wanting in a digital solution but never found.
    -- Before you ask, no, I am in no way, shape or form related to Fuzzdog pedals, I was Fuzzdog before Fuzzdog were Fuzzdog.  Unless you want to give me free crap, then I'm related to whatever the hell you like! --
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    I kinda want one, but then I kinda want an AX8 too. The clips are good but don't get me overly excited - I think I'm gonna be real patient here and wait for users of both to settle with them. Sometime next year maybe...............
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  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    dindude said:
    I kinda want one, but then I kinda want an AX8 too. The clips are good but don't get me overly excited - I think I'm gonna be real patient here and wait for users of both to settle with them. Sometime next year maybe...............
    I too am going to see when the dust settles and the effects of hype and new buyer syndrome have worn off and then I could well see a Helix being my whole rig.

    I won't be getting an AX8 though as I've attempted to use an AxeFX and the workflow really put me off.
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  • BigMonkaBigMonka Frets: 1763
    Fuzzdog said:
    Must admit, my interest level has gone from 'Heh, that looks pretty cool' to 'Oh crap, I think this might actually require me to sell a kidney on eBay' after hearing some of the clips and reading up on the routing options, etc. Really does seem like a lot of things I've been wanting in a digital solution but never found.
    I was thinking the same thing, but my kidney Pod only seem to go for £30 on ebay, so doesn't get me much closer to a helix  :P
    Always be yourself! Unless you can be Batman, in which case always be Batman.
    My boss told me "dress for the job you want, not the job you have"... now I'm sat in a disciplinary meeting dressed as Batman.
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  • dindude;814059" said:
    I kinda want one, but then I kinda want an AX8 too. The clips are good but don't get me overly excited - I think I'm gonna be real patient here and wait for users of both to settle with them. Sometime next year maybe...............
    Happy to have another meetup and try mine (once it's here!) with your gear at some point.
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  • I will get my Helix tomorrow from Thomann (Germany)! :)

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  • I will get my Helix tomorrow from Thomann (Germany)! :)


    Don't forget to let us know how it sounds and feels!
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  • dindudedindude Frets: 8534
    guitargeek62;814156" said:
    [quote="dindude;814059"]I kinda want one, but then I kinda want an AX8 too. The clips are good but don't get me overly excited - I think I'm gonna be real patient here and wait for users of both to settle with them. Sometime next year maybe...............
    Happy to have another meetup and try mine (once it's here!) with your gear at some point.
    [/quote]

    That is an offer I will definately take you up on Si.
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  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    If you're at all curious about what the fanbois are saying:
    http://forum.fractalaudio.com/lounge/105278-curious-some-helix-user-feedback-starts-roll.html

    A bunch of those guys are playing the troll-game over at TGP too, I recognise some of the usernames, and they're the ones being consistently negative or overly cynical about the Helix.

    *sigh*

    I don't know why people can't just accept that not every bit of gear is good for everyone!
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  • I am so bored of gear wars that I just skip stuff like that.

    Using words like 'shocking' and 'abysmal' makes me think 'crap journalism' that I 'wouldn't read'.  No, I wouldn't read.
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  • Drew_TNBDDrew_TNBD Frets: 22445
    edited October 2015
    Yeah totally. I'm really not even interested in comparing the Axe FX II to the Helix. The Helix has the form factor I want, offers the level of editing I want (Kemper wasn't enough) and the level of flexibility I want (Axe was too much) and suits my different use cases without too much hassle.

    But these dorks on the internet... fucksake man...

    I even saw some guy saying if the Helix couldn't replace his Strymon Blue Sky, then he wouldn't bother... like... DUDE! IT HAS FOUR FUCKING EFFECTS LOOPS FOR A REASON!!!

    *ragequit*
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  • CabicularCabicular Frets: 2214
    Helmet of the Week award goes to......

    I don't have to sit and play through one to form an opinion that it is overpriced and over hyped (IMO). Perhaps adding IMO would've made you feel better?

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  • CabicularCabicular Frets: 2214
    Yes you do cock knuckles
    You really do...
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