Line 6 Helix - pod replacement
- Thread starter DeclanWhite
- Start date
Clockwork
Bass playing guy.
The amp list is kind of a letdown. :/ I suspect L6 will be sticking to their model pack routine.
Megin
Member
Pxz
Member
Just for the record, something probably went wrong with your HD addon installation. Mine doesn't behave like that and the sounds are actually good.
There are some know bugs with the addon and last firmware that might be affecting your unit. The EQ clipping is also another bug variable in terms of volume from unit to unit ( some units don't clip at all)
Clockwork
Bass playing guy.
Apparently TGP thread said updates would not be paid like in the past but who knows!
Realistically, if the sound is good I will probably get this. I got a decent amount of use out of my HD even though I mostly use it for 4CM with a 6505. I'd get the fractal FX8 but this is only a little bit more and has an expression pedal so why not? I like having the "floorboard" style processor for effects and everything.
Realistically, if the sound is good I will probably get this. I got a decent amount of use out of my HD even though I mostly use it for 4CM with a 6505. I'd get the fractal FX8 but this is only a little bit more and has an expression pedal so why not? I like having the "floorboard" style processor for effects and everything.
Line666
Fendurr
- Sep 2, 2006
- 3,342
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Line 6 are renown for putting out hokey sounding demos, they've done it for pretty much all their products because they're a company ran by dads trying to silently play lynyrd skynyrd in their spare rooms before their wife comes home and tells them to get off that les paul and do the dishes.
Back in the day people were repping the POD XT hard because it was the best of its time but those days are over and Line 6 are frantically clinging to the floor of the market wondering where all their Spider and kidney bean sales have gone. If you can't offer premium sound on an audio product then you can't ask for premium prices - you don't sprinkle glitter on a ford focus and try and pass it off as a ferrari.
Just talking with some of the Line 6 product people online, I don't think anything could be further from the truth about how you're characterizing them.
Anyway, not much else to say until some real demos pop up.
Anyway, not much else to say until some real demos pop up.
Line666
Fendurr
- Sep 2, 2006
- 3,342
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Their marketing department obviously isn't doing very well then.
Or is that who you work for?
Megin
Member
Of course they will admit their crappy demos...not.All dev's products are the real deal and the best since sliced bread. It's part of marketing. It's been years Line6 were in the forefront with their stuff.
True. But will it be worth 1500$?
right_to_rage
Member
- Feb 16, 2009
- 114
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I haven't heard any convincing clips thus far but will retain judgement until they start arriving in stores.
That Helix looks great to me with some very nice features and most important for good sound is that it allows user IR loading and with proper ms length. I'm sure some applaud that they finally can load their favorite IR's, or even load eq tone matched Ir's.
(If IR's are important let's not forget there are two separate IR loaders out for small money, the EPSI and another brand I forgot that can be used with any modeler). I guess the Helix will be a big success for Line6 and I've used almost every Line6 product released and they are always great bang for the buck. It's good to see another product competing with traditional modelers like the Axe fx, boss, zoom and digitech. It doesn't have profiling technology so I don't think it's fair to compare it to the kemper in the same manner. I will try it out for sure when it's released and compare it to the axe fx 2, kemper, and other gear I've got in the studio.
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/lounge/100939-1500-bucks-you-say-line6.html
(several posts already deleted)
It goes without saying that we always can expect Fractal Cliff Chase to respond in his patented superior chest beating manner about the new Helix, just like he's frequently done every year with other digital amp products. He's got a bad history reputation but has now learnt to edit posts and say he likes a product after his FUD rant is over about it. He still gets the damage done which is always his initial marketing intention when talking about competing gear to his loyal deciples. The whole marketing point of his posts on the fas forum about the Helix or other gear is to use fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) tactics to make sure potential customers should doubt it and know he thinks the Helix is very inferior, just like he did before the Amplifire and Kemper was relased. No other company CEO behaves like this but Cliff is Burgundy class and has inverted the meaning of business ethics and that is worthy of its own wikipedia section.
I'm still a little surprised that none of the Helix threads on the Fractal forum off topic section have been deleted and censored yet.
Previosly at least 3 Amplifire threads and a huge number of threads with kemper content have been deleted on the fas off topic forum. Only specific gear is allowed to talk about there, otherwise the staff send PM to the users that it's disrespectful to FAS to talk or post about competing gear. Since Line6 never has been considered a worthy competitor to the Axe fx it might be too embarrassing for fractal if they started to delete Helix threads since that would indicate that the Helix is in the same playing field. Who knows, we might start seeing a few Helix threads deleted there if some good videos comes out and it gains in popularity.
Line 6 needs to be prepared for mass confusion posts on their forum since 99% of users have no clue what IR's are and just want to play.
They need to produce IR tutorial videos and perhaps even release IR packs to get the learning curve started for many users.
I got the indication that Helix will have free updates/fixes, features and at this price point I sure hope they will be much more frequent than previous pods.
(If IR's are important let's not forget there are two separate IR loaders out for small money, the EPSI and another brand I forgot that can be used with any modeler). I guess the Helix will be a big success for Line6 and I've used almost every Line6 product released and they are always great bang for the buck. It's good to see another product competing with traditional modelers like the Axe fx, boss, zoom and digitech. It doesn't have profiling technology so I don't think it's fair to compare it to the kemper in the same manner. I will try it out for sure when it's released and compare it to the axe fx 2, kemper, and other gear I've got in the studio.
http://forum.fractalaudio.com/lounge/100939-1500-bucks-you-say-line6.html
(several posts already deleted)
It goes without saying that we always can expect Fractal Cliff Chase to respond in his patented superior chest beating manner about the new Helix, just like he's frequently done every year with other digital amp products. He's got a bad history reputation but has now learnt to edit posts and say he likes a product after his FUD rant is over about it. He still gets the damage done which is always his initial marketing intention when talking about competing gear to his loyal deciples. The whole marketing point of his posts on the fas forum about the Helix or other gear is to use fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD) tactics to make sure potential customers should doubt it and know he thinks the Helix is very inferior, just like he did before the Amplifire and Kemper was relased. No other company CEO behaves like this but Cliff is Burgundy class and has inverted the meaning of business ethics and that is worthy of its own wikipedia section.
I'm still a little surprised that none of the Helix threads on the Fractal forum off topic section have been deleted and censored yet.
Previosly at least 3 Amplifire threads and a huge number of threads with kemper content have been deleted on the fas off topic forum. Only specific gear is allowed to talk about there, otherwise the staff send PM to the users that it's disrespectful to FAS to talk or post about competing gear. Since Line6 never has been considered a worthy competitor to the Axe fx it might be too embarrassing for fractal if they started to delete Helix threads since that would indicate that the Helix is in the same playing field. Who knows, we might start seeing a few Helix threads deleted there if some good videos comes out and it gains in popularity.
Line 6 needs to be prepared for mass confusion posts on their forum since 99% of users have no clue what IR's are and just want to play.
They need to produce IR tutorial videos and perhaps even release IR packs to get the learning curve started for many users.
I got the indication that Helix will have free updates/fixes, features and at this price point I sure hope they will be much more frequent than previous pods.
SocialNumb
Damn Christians!
WAT? It's like I jumped in to the middle of a conversation and I can't hear the other person talking.
AD Chaos
MGTOW
- Aug 3, 2009
- 1,602
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No, they're not. You have to look at the amp sim list:
'everything from Tweed amps to Deluxes to Jazz choruses to british amps to AC30s to Marshalls...'
If the list would have gone something like 'different Soldanos, Mesas, Bogners, Diezels, Kranks, ENGLs, Framus, EVH, Peaveys, etc', then it would be of interest for the high gain crowd.. but it's not, and I very much doubt L6 would have paid the rights to emulate any or all those brands without having mentioned it extensively already.
To me L6 is ok, sometimes even very good in the effects department, some of their effects do sound quite nice (even though the parameter tweakability leaves a lot to be desired) and frankly, their 'small breakup' gain vintage amps do sound really good all on their own and close to the real stuff. They also have been giving a generous back panel in their last models, and this Helix seems to deliver in that sense also.
But I'm almost positive it won't even come close to things like a Kemper or an AxeFX or an X50 or a Recabinet for the high gain department. Nothing seems to suggest it would.
AD Chaos
MGTOW
- Aug 3, 2009
- 1,602
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Oh yeah, forgot to mention.. that price..
I was expecting it to be around 500 dollars, like the HD.. but $1500 for randomly faulty units, software glitches, endless updating, complicated PC integration? I would pass.
I guess that's another way of putting it; would read again.
I was expecting it to be around 500 dollars, like the HD.. but $1500 for randomly faulty units, software glitches, endless updating, complicated PC integration? I would pass.
I guess that's another way of putting it; would read again.
Keregioz
Kimon Zeliotis
Keregioz
Kimon Zeliotis
Don't they already have a 5150, SLO100, ENGL Fireball, Bogner Shiva and Uberschall, and Dual Rectifier in the lineup? I definitely wanted something new in the high gain arena as well, but let's not act as if there is NOTHING for high gain players. They have at least one amp from every manufacturer you just listed except for Krank (nobody cares), EVH (definitely a glaring omission to not have a 5150 III sim), and Framus (I'd like a Cobra model, but I'm enjoying Recabinet 4's so much, I'm ok with it not being there. Plus, the Axe-FX doesn't have a Cobra either).
For variety, no they won't come close until they announce new amp models. 100 percent agreed.
For sound quality, they most certainly may come close or even exceed. We don't know until we hear direct comparisons.
Why would an HD500X be $500, but a Helix with way more DSP, a new main display, upgraded footswitches, displays above every footswitch, way more inputs and outputs, capability of controlling MIDI, amps, and your DAW plus significantly more engineering and R&D costs to recoup ALSO be $500?
I mean, really?
