Helix

Voxsupertwin

Has it run its course?…..

Danny1969

Modellers always do tend to peter out ... I have about 5 in the cupboard now, from the Zoom 4040, through various Boss GT's and the last one a Pod Go which is the Helix amp models. 

On to the next one, no one's ever gonna need an amp, can't tell the difference etc

Bats_

I’d say the hardware/dsp is showing its age but the software that is running on it is really good. 

There isn’t much a helix cannot do and it can do a lot other cannot. 

fretmeister

Kemper is older and still great. So is Helix.
Even if a new one comes out tomorrow, the existing one will still sound as good as it does today. Just like any other bit of kit.

There's an awful lot of firmware / spec envy in modellers. FB pages for all of them filled with "When is the next update??? I WANT IT NOW!" Nonsense.

They could just, you know, actually write a song. 

chrisj1602

The software is still great, new models and features added frequently etc. and the support is very good.

In terms of hardware, Helix and LT are too big for me, I don’t want an expression pedal, and the HX Stomp can be too low on DSP.  A Helix in the size of the HX Effects could be good.

Sporky

Most modellers and multifx sound just as good as they always did. Helix gets better and better with the updates. I reckon it's a long way from done. 

Danny1969

Sporky said:

Most modellers and multifx sound just as good as they always did. Helix gets better and better with the updates. I reckon it's a long way from done. 

Yep, totally agree and in my opinion the 25 year old  Vox Tonelab SE sounds more realistic in terms of amp models than the Helix  ... But people interested in modellers are generally the kind of people who are always itching to get another piece of gear so market gets flooded with used Helixs.  But they don't look so attractive due to internal power supply with limited life and scribble strips which tend to fail etc so prices fall to try and shift them and they go the same way as the Boss GT10 and all the other modellers. 

BlueStrat

Helix has a long, long happy life ahead of it. 

There are many years of great jams yet to be had. 

Ignore the nonsense spouted on FB and various forums. It’s a great unit, sounds great, easy to use. What more could you ask for - it’s good enough for players better than the likes of us. 

lustycourtier

Not at all. Its still in the big 3 and I see them everywhere. Its the easiest and most intuitive to use and that takes the fear out of the tech. 

Daiganzen

Well considering there will be more updates and not that not long ago we got the "HX one" i think its hear to stay. IMO if they revamp the Helix is will be like fractal and their Turbo models. Use the same software with new hardware to run more stuff at a time. Also I have been Using a HX stomp as my main live and amp less rig and nobody cares about the sound.

Lewy

I think there's two broad mindsets when it comes to modelling ... one where the purpose of modelling is to have maximum scope and optionality, and one where it's simply moving your guitar playing into the digital realm for all sorts of reasons like convenience, consistency of sound, cost, contollability of parameters, midi etc. People of the former mindset will always be looking for the next thing, . They're also the people who can't get their head around the idea of the Tonemaster amps that use modelling but only do one thing. You also get people who swear off modelling for this reason too - option paralysis, I spend more time tweaking than playing, it would be a waste because I'd only use one amp etc.

Then for people in the second camp, I think they're more likely to see their current modeller and think "well it does everything I need it to do and sounds as good as it always has". They also merrily only use one or two amp models and cabs because that's how they'd be in the analogue world - modelling just saves a load of faff. For these folks who have or get a Helix, something massive is going to have to happen for it to feel in any way obsolete I reckon.

To declare my bias, I'm in the latter camp. I just bought a used Axe Fx II and absolutely love it. Sounds and feels amazing, does more than I could possibly need. I think I'm very comfortable being 10 years back from the leading edge, so at this rate in about 2030 I'll be eying up FM9s......

fretmeister

There's also people who demand more and more "accuracy" in the models. The fact that no 2 plexi amps every sounded the same even if they were built next to each other doesn't seem to enter their minds. They also don't seem to realise that the real plexi that L6 owns as a reference will sound different to the ones owned by Fractal / Kemper etc.

Even now that amp capturing is relatively cheap, there's a million different captures of plexi amps and they all sound different.

When you add all of that in with the human brain's crap ability to accurately remember sound (the very reason why short clip A/B works but even leaving 30 seconds between doesn't) it becomes a bit bizarre. Definitely a lot of FOMO going on.

I think people who get the most out of a modeller ignore all the accuracy crap and only use the model names as a rough indicator of tonal origin, and then just concentrate on whether a tone is pleasing to them.

I love that the original intent of the physical item - amp / cab / fx - is completely irrelevant with a modeller. I can plug a bass into a Greenback cab and then have the amp afterwards if I want. Cannot do that in real life! I can blend 4 amps together in a way I could not afford in real life (and not want to carry). I can run a fully dimed plexi into a single 8 inch 20w handling speaker and not destroy it.

As it happens, I grew up with 2 channel amps and minimal pedals. I had a wah in front, and delay and a boost in the loop and I did that for years. My main "happy space" noodling patch is just like that, but with a few more pedal blocks. But then when I'm in the mood for sound design I can do pretty much anything.

Even if Helix 2 comes out tomorrow I won't buy it until my current one dies because it sounds good to me. 

FWIW I still love a good valve amp. I don't think they are necessarily better or worse, just different.

guitarmangler

I still like the helix’s amps. And most of the fx. I could do with an actual flanger that sounds like a flanger. And more dsp to run the whammy capo thing into my normal rig. 

PolarityMan

The helix hardware is pretty great I reckon. I mean sure no one is gonna turn down more DSP but in terms of inputs/outputs and routing and with the number of switches, there's not a lot it can't do.

My major gripe is that quite often the models all have certain similarities that are impossible to tweak out. For example all the delays have a very particular delay curve that makes it hard to accurately dial a precise number of repeats.

Similarly all the high gain models have this tendency to get kinda "papery" if you push them too much.

DrJazzTap

love my helix, sure it doesnt sound as good as standalone stomp boxes, but it's a fuckton more convenient and cost effective for an indecisive fool like me.

Voxsupertwin

I’m trying to sell mine but no interest :-(

Brio

Voxsupertwin said:

I’m trying to sell mine but no interest :-(

£30 mate and I'll collect.

Voxsupertwin

Seems I was right, trying to sell it, not give it away