The Watering Hole

Anyone check this out yet? Way out of my realistic price range (though I'm contemplating selling a bunch of gear to get one), but seems like they finally did something cool after years of "meh" releases.

www.line6.com/helix

Tripper

P.S. HEY FELLAS! My first post in a LONG time...

I saw that too. I am still on their email list.

Some nice features and seems like it sounds good too. A used one in a couple years might be in my price range but maybe not. I still use my HD 400 once in a while for grab and go. Also quick recording of ideas.

The use of impulses and the ability to load your own is a step up.

I still get their emails too.  That is the first one that I actually looked at in a while.  I think it looks cool.  I didn't look to deep into it.  I know it's not for me.  I've become more wooden the last few years.

The technology interests me, but I can't go the price of admission.

I currently don't own any Line 6 gear other than some model packs and stuff.  I sold my POD X3 some time back.

Good to see you Trip! :D

I think this is probably yet another incarnation of their snake oil.  I do have one piece of line6 gear and that is the M9 stomp box modeller.  I bought it purely for the delays and modulation effects and for that it is brilliant.

The price for the helix is ridiculous and I think they may have just shot themselves in the foot as their biggest market is the sub $400 guys I would have thought.

Amp and cab modelling is not for me these days. Always sounds brittle and fake to me.

Jon — Jun 20, 2015I think this is probably yet another incarnation of their snake oil.  I do have one piece of line6 gear and that is the M9 stomp box modeller.  I bought it purely for the delays and modulation effects and for that it is brilliant.

The price for the helix is ridiculous and I think they may have just shot themselves in the foot as their biggest market is the sub $400 guys I would have thought.

Amp and cab modelling is not for me these days. Always sounds brittle and fake to me.

To each their own. I have an HD500 and sounds anything but "brittle and fake" when amplified properly.

To me. :)

Actually they all sound brittle and fake on the on board presets until you do some tweaking, once you do an extensive edit to the presets there can be some very nice sounding simulations in those things. I still prefer tube amps and guitar speakers, but for recording and live use a well edited modeler can also be good sounding.

Presets tend to sound over-effected and stupid, yes. But they're not all brittle and fake. There were many presets on the HD series that sounded anything but brittle or fake when you played them at the appropriate volume...but I guess to each their own. :)

I do always find it amusing that making assumptions about products when you owned their older generations is a hallmark of any discussions about modeling. That and "an amp and speaker sound better". Yes. I totally agree. In most situations, standing in front of an amp is going to be a more pleasing experience, especially if you don't require a lot of tonal diversity when you perform.

But being able to get a consistent sound from venue to venue by simply plugging an XLR cable into the mixer and using an FRFR monitor for stage volume is one of the best things for a gigging musician like me, so I get excited about modeling as it gets better and better, because it helps control many of the variables you find with an amp-pedals setup. The closer they get - and the touch response is almost there with the latest generation of modelers - the better life gets for guys like me.

Like I said, to each their own.

Thanks for replying, fellas! :)
Tripper

It is true I never heard the HD series live and in person, and I do not go out and gig, but I was ready to pull the trigger on the HD Bean for recording, but I missed the last few on the blowout sale. Such is life in the GAS department.

desertbluesman — Jun 29, 2015It is true I never heard the HD series live and in person, and I do not go out and gig, but I was ready to pull the trigger on the HD Bean for recording, but I missed the last few on the blowout sale. Such is life in the GAS department.

Indeed!
Tripper

Well, I never thought I would do it, but my interest was finally piqued with the Helix and it really is very good.  So good in fact that I bought one last week.  I have previously owned a Fractal (didn't really like that at all, very clunky and clumsy to use)  I also had the Kemper profiling thing....that was ok if you only ever use the profiles on the same settings that you profiled the amp on.  So far (and I know it's only been a week) the Helix is hands down better than either of the other two.  I will get to recording some stuff shortly, just have to sort some things out here as I'm in the process of moving all my recording pc's/gear around.

Well worth the price tag and this one is a keeper.  Never thought I would ever say that about line 6 gear.

Jon — Nov 05, 2015Well, I never thought I would do it, but my interest was finally piqued with the Helix and it really is very good.  So good in fact that I bought one last week.  I have previously owned a Fractal (didn't really like that at all, very clunky and clumsy to use)  I also had the Kemper profiling thing....that was ok if you only ever use the profiles on the same settings that you profiled the amp on.  So far (and I know it's only been a week) the Helix is hands down better than either of the other two.  I will get to recording some stuff shortly, just have to sort some things out here as I'm in the process of moving all my recording pc's/gear around.

Well worth the price tag and this one is a keeper.  Never thought I would ever say that about line 6 gear.

Saving this to look back on once he's sold the Helix and micing his amp again!  ;D

I still have the supro amp wich sounds glorious when opened up to the max, just need something with everything built-in for home use that really does react like an amp, and this one truly does.  I pronmise this one is a keeper.   ;D ;D. Promise  :)

This actually sound great with real room micing of the monitors.  Love it

Jon — Nov 05, 2015Well, I never thought I would do it, but my interest was finally piqued with the Helix and it really is very good.  So good in fact that I bought one last week.  I have previously owned a Fractal (didn't really like that at all, very clunky and clumsy to use)  I also had the Kemper profiling thing....that was ok if you only ever use the profiles on the same settings that you profiled the amp on.  So far (and I know it's only been a week) the Helix is hands down better than either of the other two.  I will get to recording some stuff shortly, just have to sort some things out here as I'm in the process of moving all my recording pc's/gear around.

Well worth the price tag and this one is a keeper.  Never thought I would ever say that about line 6 gear.

I checked out the Helix today, they arrived in SA today, a friend of mine is the distributor in SA.
It's not in the same dimension sound wise as the Kemper...I think you've forgotten what the Kemper sounds like...and the Kemper has come a long way since you had yours.
This guy was a game changer.
http://www.mbrittprofiles.com/profiles/d-pack.html

The Helix retails for R34,995.00 in SA, I sell the Kemper for R22,995.00.

All the best with the Helix.

Here's Pete Thorn using some Michael Britt Profiles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KUlmnstp20

Here we go again, still playing the same broken record  ::)

at least a broken record is still analog!  ;)

Jon — Nov 06, 2015Here we go again, still playing the same broken record  ::)

Lance has never forgiven Line 6 for PODxt! :)

Incidentally, the Kemper also costs WAY MORE than Helix, especially if you include the foot control so the feature set is the same.

So it SHOULD be better. It doesn't mean the Helix is automatically unusable because it's not a KPA or doesn't sound truly amazing on its own...
Tripper

The best thing for me with the Helix is the ins and outs sends and returns etc. For example, you could set up a couple of sends, one before all effects and amps to get a straight DI out of one of the send sockets and then another send after the pedals but before the amp and then another one after the amp but before the cabinet etc. So many options which is really great for re-amping etc. I'm having a great time with this, fantastic  product.