What FRFR are you using? And how happy are you with it?

willo

fretmeister said: Maybe it is because my first 30 years of gigging was just an amp and some pedals, but I usually build my patches with the same thing in mind. While there is no within-amp channel switching in Helix using 2 different Marshall amps effectively as different voiced but still Marshall channels does that job well.

I agree. I do switch between presets in a gig, because of different FX/DSP limits but also, mostly because I make heavy use of Snapshots. I'll still build everything over a consistent base amp tone - at most, a combination of the clean and dirty models within the Helix (i.e. Placater Clean, Placater Dirty).

Also, one of my favourite Helix things is assigning individual amp parameters to switches/snapshots. Opens up the whole two-channel-within-the-same-preset thing to some degree.

bloodandtears

willo said:

fretmeister said: Maybe it is because my first 30 years of gigging was just an amp and some pedals, but I usually build my patches with the same thing in mind. While there is no within-amp channel switching in Helix using 2 different Marshall amps effectively as different voiced but still Marshall channels does that job well.

I agree. I do switch between presets in a gig, because of different FX/DSP limits but also, mostly because I make heavy use of Snapshots. I'll still build everything over a consistent base amp tone - at most, a combination of the clean and dirty models within the Helix (i.e. Placater Clean, Placater Dirty).

Also, one of my favourite Helix things is assigning individual amp parameters to switches/snapshots. Opens up the whole two-channel-within-the-same-preset thing to some degree.

I've tried to do something similar with the Pod Go, but never seem to get a good crunch to clean transition without a clunking noise when using notoriously dirty amps;  I find I have to use a clean amp and a dirt pedal..

DefaultM

I use my axe fx 2 with Adam a7x monitors. I like them.

Stinkfoot

I've been using my Helix (various types  LT, Stomp etc) through a single Headrush FR108 for over a year now and I think it's great. I use it for our smaller gigs where my valve amp would just be too much for the front rows and it's a perfect solution for me. I play in both a 9 and a 10-piece band and it never struggles to keep up from a volume point of view. Just have it at my feet pointing up at me.
It has way more bass then you'd expect and now I'm used to it I find it pretty easy to dial in my presets with it. I've seen video clips back from gigs we've done and the out front sound seems to translate pretty well to what I'm hearing through it on stage so I'm pretty confident with it.

Having  said that, I recently tried a Powercab and I thought it was excellent. But it offered something so similar to my valve amp as far as an audience-facing solution goes that I just thought 'what's the point?' and returned it. If I go full-circle for the 50th time and back to all modelling for every gig then I'd definitely consider a Powercab again. Would be interested to see how the new Fender Tonemasters compare too.

I was a very early Helix/FRFR adopter and I've learned to get past that 5mins of A/B comparison next to a valve amp where you might feel a tad disappointed. In some regards I prefer my digital rigs as they're always so consistent, flexible and just sound great to me. And in a band mix FOH I'm sure punters don't know the difference. We have quite a few knowledgeable/muso punters and I've probably had just as many, if not more tone compliments through my Helix rig than through my amps.

barnsleyboy

Helix floor into Matrix GT1000 (2U) rack power amp powering 2 x Matrix FR12P for that glorious stereo sound.

The Matrix stuff is/ was fantastic. I think the company is currently in "hibernation" until supply issues improve. I hope they make it back into the marketplace - nothing but praise for their products and customer service.