Line 6 Helix

Beexter

I've just bought a pair of Beyerdynamic DT880 which are the semi-open model in the range. They are really comfortable and sound very good to me. I have a Stomp so went for the 32ohm version as almost every review I read said that the 250 ohm version was nowhere near loud enough with the Stomp (I believe the headphone amp on the Stomp is not as powerful as on the full fat Helix)

I opted for the semi open back as quite a few reviews said they were more neutral and "spacious"  and I would agree. 

sgosden

https://www.audio-technica.com/cms/headphones/99aff89488ddd6b1/index.html

I've got these AT atm50x. 
Work well with both stomp and full helix. .. I think they sound better on the stomp . 

Jetfire

@sgosden Do you think that may be due to the Ohmage?

Lord_Spanielchip

There could well be a Stomp and HX Effects going up in sales corner soon. I had a rack a couple of years ago but sold it on due to option paralysis. The Stomp seemed like an ideal alternative (less blocks, less messing about) but then I supplemented it with the HX Effects after watching Ritchie Castellano and I went back to tone chasing and ar*eing about instead of playing. I’ve picked up a Kemper Stage which, at least for now, seems to give me the tones I want out of the box.

This isn’t knocking Helix in any way. I love the workflow and, once you get there, it sounds great. It’s just that I could tweak forever and still not be satisfied because there’s so much to mess with. No doubt I’ll be saying this about the Kemper soon enough!

Heartfeltdawn

Jetfire said:

@sgosden Do you think that may be due to the Ohmage?

I think so. Been hacking about with Native and the KA2 interface versus the LT and using the AT-m50X phones direct from the LT. 

Decided to then go guitar-->LT-->1/4" line out to the KA2 and to monitor through Reaper with the phones in the KA2.  Definite difference to my ears. 

So the plan is to go Native in the next week. Keep the LT. And obviously go down the FRFR rabbit hole

Jetfire

@Heartfeltdawn ; So using 32 ohm headphones, the helix sounds better via the KA2? I think the recommended ohm for LT etc is 250 ohm but I may be getting the wrong end of the stick there. 

Heartfeltdawn

Some specs before I get confused

ATH-M50X - 38 ohms

NI KA2 headphone output: 

+4.2 dBu (48 mW @ 33 Ohm) Helix LT and Floor manual says 12 ohms for the headphone output.  I'll try and have a go with the SPL Crimson at some point. Manual says 33 ohm headphone output.  So right now: Guitar into Helix --> 1/4" line out to KA2. Mucking around with HX Edit.

guitargeek62

Quick poll - what do people think would be a better at-home option between:

1) Laney LFR-112
2) 112 guitar cab, + power-amp (SD170, Magnum 44, other?)
3) Something else

I’m not toooooo worried about using cab modelling and/or IRs, so I feel I could cope with option 2 quite happily. That said, I appreciate that the modelled options are more versatile - I just don’t want to drown in choices forever-more!

Heartfeltdawn

You could add in the Headrush powered FRFR cabinets too. 1x12" and a 1x8" option. Seem to be rebadged Alto powered speakers. 

Very happy with the LT yesterday. Really enjoyed playing. 

Jetfire

3) studio monitors. 

rossyamaha

Heads up for anyone interested in watching me potentially fall apart. 

Tomorrow night I’ll be doing a live stream on the Helix Facebook user group. The “officialish” one with all the members. 

I’m covering 4 cable method and the set up is quite involved so could go very wrong. Should be fun though. 8pm start. 

guitargeek62

Jetfire said:

3) studio monitors. 

Had those before (pair of HS7s). I appreciate the firmware’s been overhauled a lot since v1.4, but I’d still like the push and thump of a 12” speaker! If I had anything else to listen back to then maybe, but it’s just the Helix that’ll be used through it. I’ve been eyeing up Montage cabs and the Celestion F12-X200 - seems to be a good pairing with modellers.

@Heartfeltdawn - will do, though 1000w for bedroom-use feels slightly ridiculous and ill-advised!?  I’m hoping to audition some in person once the lockdown ends. *edit* Any thoughts on the Harley-Benton equivalent? Seems very similar to the Headrush, no?!

PolarityMan

rossyamaha said:

Heads up for anyone interested in watching me potentially fall apart. 

Tomorrow night I’ll be doing a live stream on the Helix Facebook user group. The “officialish” one with all the members. 

I’m covering 4 cable method and the set up is quite involved so could go very wrong. Should be fun though. 8pm start. 

Oooh ill watch it back after for sure as am always trying to get 4CM as transparent yet full range as I can. 

mikenetic

@guitargeek62 ;I've run the Helix gear off a few FRFR speakers.

Initially I had a Laney LFR112, but at the time I didn't get on with it, just felt it had quite a high amount of background hiss when running at home levels. I returned it and swapped in for a Headrush FRFR108. That's not bad at all, has the advantage of being very compact and light. For a while I was running one with my Stomp setup and another with an LT. 

Subsequently I scored a good deal on a pristine used Line 6 Powercab Plus which is working very well for me. I think the audio quality, full integration with the Helix via the digital cable, the ability (on the Plus) to load IRs in addition to speaker models as well as run 'straight' FRFR is good for flexibility.

Obviously, it's more expensive, but you can get some good deals on the standard Powercab if you don't want the extra bells and whistles. Maybe that's an option?

Heartfeltdawn

guitargeek62 said:

@Heartfeltdawn - will do, though 1000w for bedroom-use feels slightly ridiculous and ill-advised!?  I’m hoping to audition some in person once the lockdown ends. *edit* Any thoughts on the Harley-Benton equivalent? Seems very similar to the Headrush, no?!

oooooh yeah, forgot about those. Yes. Very similar/the same  

guitargeek62

@mikenetic - thanks, I’ve toyed with the powercabs but can’t really justify the extra expense of the plus model to myself, and the normal one doesn’t seem to be any better an option than the other FRFR options. That said, I’m happy to be proven wrong, and still intend to try them before committing.

rossyamaha

rossyamaha said:

Heads up for anyone interested in watching me potentially fall apart. 

Tomorrow night I’ll be doing a live stream on the Helix Facebook user group. The “officialish” one with all the members. 

I’m covering 4 cable method and the set up is quite involved so could go very wrong. Should be fun though. 8pm start. 

Due to a technical failure (diary clash), my live stream is rescheduled till tomorrow. 

Cirrus

mikenetic said:

Initially I had a Laney LFR112, but at the time I didn't get on with it, just felt it had quite a high amount of background hiss when running at home levels. 

How odd. I know it's natural to defend the gear one owns and likes, but genuinely mine has no hiss at all. I can hear it if I put my ear right down against the speaker, but I actually keep forgetting to turn mine off because apart from the little green light on the back, there's no way to tell that it's on even though it's right next to my left leg when I sit at my desk.

PolarityMan

rossyamaha said:

rossyamaha said:

Heads up for anyone interested in watching me potentially fall apart. 

Tomorrow night I’ll be doing a live stream on the Helix Facebook user group. The “officialish” one with all the members. 

I’m covering 4 cable method and the set up is quite involved so could go very wrong. Should be fun though. 8pm start. 

Due to a technical failure (diary clash), my live stream is rescheduled till tomorrow. 

still 8pm?

rossyamaha

PolarityMan said:

rossyamaha said:

rossyamaha said:

Heads up for anyone interested in watching me potentially fall apart. 

Tomorrow night I’ll be doing a live stream on the Helix Facebook user group. The “officialish” one with all the members. 

I’m covering 4 cable method and the set up is quite involved so could go very wrong. Should be fun though. 8pm start. 

Due to a technical failure (diary clash), my live stream is rescheduled till tomorrow. 

still 8pm?

It is. Gonna really upset everyone else in the house. Did a test run and my amp is really loud! ;-)