AX8 vs Helix

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pat6969 said:
That's what I thought. My AX8 is firmly planted on my pedalboard, and I'm no L6 fanboy, but the guitar tone was pretty darn good. The point of posting it was to show there's more than one way to skin a cat. Rock on!
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I hear ya! I danced with the Helix for a few weeks while I was waiting for the AX8, even posted a comment in one of the many threads. Pretty much the same conclusion that others have posted about. It's a good tool and I gave Line 6 props for stepping up their game and in the context of a mix the masses won't even give it a thought. In the side by side comparison I personally thought the ribbon goes to AX8 not just for the overall realism but for so many other reasons that have been mentioned already.
 
Sixstring said:
I hear ya! I danced with the Helix for a few weeks while I was waiting for the AX8, even posted a comment in one of the many threads. Pretty much the same conclusion that others have posted about. It's a good tool and I gave Line 6 props for stepping up their game and in the context of a mix the masses won't even give it a thought. In the side by side comparison I personally thought the ribbon goes to AX8 not just for the overall realism but for so many other reasons that have been mentioned already.
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Ya, there's no doubt most everyone on this forum feels the same.
 
Just ordered my AX8. I have a line 6 helix since 2017. I like some of the features like scribble strips, colored rings, multiple amps, easy to navigate. Snap shots etc. However I feel that the sound quality is what's most important to me. I am hoping for the best.
 
for me both units are pretty good,i tried the Helix some weeks ago and i really like the sound,but i still prefer the AX8 sound.
 
Sixstring said:
I hear ya! I danced with the Helix for a few weeks while I was waiting for the AX8, even posted a comment in one of the many threads. Pretty much the same conclusion that others have posted about. It's a good tool and I gave Line 6 props for stepping up their game and in the context of a mix the masses won't even give it a thought. In the side by side comparison I personally thought the ribbon goes to AX8 not just for the overall realism but for so many other reasons that have been mentioned already.
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Robert Pezzella said:
Just ordered my AX8. I have a line 6 helix since 2017. I like some of the features like scribble strips, colored rings, multiple amps, easy to navigate. Snap shots etc. However I feel that the sound quality is what's most important to me. I am hoping for the best.
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NightWalker said:
for me both units are pretty good,i tried the Helix some weeks ago and i really like the sound,but i still prefer the AX8 sound.
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That was my Lemon Song video @pat6969 posted. I played the Axe pretty much exclusively at home and at bi-monthly gigs for about 2yrs and have been doing the same for the last 6mos with the Helix. I find it difficult to believe that you guys can actually discern one of these boxes from the other.
 
it's hard to compare the two because different amps were used for modeling in each, and there are many amps that aren't common between the two. not even to mention you have to tweak them to sound close because the controls are different. that being said, the BIG difference for me is in the feel, you can make both sound great or terrible.
 
Yeah but my comment that was quoted was in reference to the stock presets and how they sounded on their own. I realize they can both sound good or bad! it's really up to the end user and his or her skill set in building a preset to fit in a mix and sound good at the same time.
 
My point is that there is no underlying "sound" that enables anyone to discern one box from the other. I've played both of them for hundreds of hours both live and at lower volume. Of course this is the Fractal forum so Fractal is "best", which is fine for fan boy purposes but in real life both get you there. Which I assume is why @chris backed off his strong statement by not replying to my "challenge" at all..
 
tallcoolone said:
My point is that there is no underlying "sound" that enables anyone to discern one box from the other. I've played both of them for hundreds of hours both live and at lower volume. Of course this is the Fractal forum so Fractal is "best", which is fine for fan boy purposes but in real life both get you there. Which I assume is why @chris backed off his strong statement by not replying to my "challenge" at all..
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Yes, both are incredibly capable units and when tweaked and setup properly will be more than sufficient for any application. I will disagree that there are no inherent sonic/tonal differences between the two. Call it fanboy speak, snobbery or delusion. I've heard it which is why I chose the AX8 over the Helix.

Storytime:
I was a longtime user and advocate of Line 6 products going back to the POD 2.0 and floorboard. I really didn't want to have anything to do with Fractal, in my opinion they were overpriced, overhyped and a lot of the users were self-absorbed, egomaniacs. I needed a multi-effects unit and after a couple of years trying to make the Line 6 M9 work, I decided to try the FX8 and it blew me, and the M9, away.

When the AX8 was introduced, I thought 'meh, still overhyped' and was extremely happy when the Helix was released. As I did research, read reviews, listened to audio clips and videos of different amps and comparisons, I noticed the AX8 was beginning to sway, or swoon me. The issue I eventually had with the Helix wasn't the lack of quality of the amp models, they were night and day improvements over the POD and HD series. There was still some fizziness in the top end, I call it digital artifacts, that I heard in the POD and HD series. Even with the improvements they made in the modeling, it was still there. This is ultimately what sold me on the AX8. If I was going to spend basically the same amount of money, I should get what I felt was the 'better' product.

I've had the AX8 for almost a year now and have not once felt I made a mistake or wondered if the Helix would be any better.
 
Sonofiam said:
Yes, both are incredibly capable units and when tweaked and setup properly will be more than sufficient for any application. I will disagree that there are no inherent sonic/tonal differences between the two. Call it fanboy speak, snobbery or delusion. I've heard it which is why I chose the AX8 over the Helix.

Storytime:
I was a longtime user and advocate of Line 6 products going back to the POD 2.0 and floorboard. I really didn't want to have anything to do with Fractal, in my opinion they were overpriced, overhyped and a lot of the users were self-absorbed, egomaniacs. I needed a multi-effects unit and after a couple of years trying to make the Line 6 M9 work, I decided to try the FX8 and it blew me, and the M9, away.

When the AX8 was introduced, I thought 'meh, still overhyped' and was extremely happy when the Helix was released. As I did research, read reviews, listened to audio clips and videos of different amps and comparisons, I noticed the AX8 was beginning to sway, or swoon me. The issue I eventually had with the Helix wasn't the lack of quality of the amp models, they were night and day improvements over the POD and HD series. There was still some fizziness in the top end, I call it digital artifacts, that I heard in the POD and HD series. Even with the improvements they made in the modeling, it was still there. This is ultimately what sold me on the AX8. If I was going to spend basically the same amount of money, I should get what I felt was the 'better' product.

I've had the AX8 for almost a year now and have not once felt I made a mistake or wondered if the Helix would be any better.
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Sorry, I did not want to get into a "best" discussion. Those are stupid. I own tens of thousands of dollars in non Fractal gear--different tools work for different applications. I say that no one can discern one from another because I have had Fractal guys swear up and down about some weird "artifact" they "can hear" yet I use this stuff live, I post my tones, and no one can seem to tell one box from the other. Same live. No one seems to have any problem in private when no one is listening tho lol. To be expected I guess--confirmation bias is very very real.

I save the fanatic in me for sports teams, not modeling gear manufacturers. Use what you like. Not a soul in the audience tonight will notice anything except exceptional tone, I can guarantee you that.
 
tallcoolone said:
Sorry, I did not want to get into a "best" discussion. Those are stupid. I own tens of thousands of dollars in non Fractal gear--different tools work for different applications. I say that no one can discern one from another because I have had Fractal guys swear up and down about some weird "artifact" they "can hear" yet I use this stuff live, I post my tones, and no one can seem to tell one box from the other. Same live. No one seems to have any problem in private when no one is listening tho lol. To be expected I guess--confirmation bias is very very real.

I save the fanatic in me for sports teams, not modeling gear manufacturers. Use what you like. Not a soul in the audience tonight will notice anything except exceptional tone, I can guarantee you that.
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My intention was not to insinuate the AX8 was the better product, just a better fit for what I was looking for. You have your opinion and I have mine. There's no definitive way to determine who's right and who's wrong. At the end of the day what does it really matter? They both do a great job and ultimately it's up to the person buying to determine which they like and what best fits their purpose. I'm pretty sure everyone of us would have been happy with the Helix should we have chosen to go that route.

You either haven't noticed or simply ignore any differences that exist and that's fine. You, as well as many others, use both of them with equally great results and are completely satisfied and that's great too. To state that we're all full of it when we offer our opinions based upon experience and that privately we know we're full of it is a bit condescending.
 
Honestly its not even close........ LIVE IN THE MIX!!! I had the helix and LT along with the ax8. I did manage some very good tones with both the Helix & Helix LT at home The new Michael Britt Helix patches sounded good, especially the Matchless. All fell apart when I used it live in a mix (I used 2 Sigmas IRs and some Ownhammer). The overdriven as well as hi gain amps models just fizzed out even after backing down the presence and rolling off the highs in the IR settings. I first tried the Helix when it came out a few years ago and remember thinking If the first thing you have to do is scrub all factory presets (because they are horrible) and tweak tweak tweak, download IRs and then tweak more, something is wrong.

The opposite is true with the AX8. It fit well in the mix, I didn't need to tweak any of the factory patches. I download some IRs but found the stock were just as good. The only knock is the DSP usage, this was solved with turning off delays and using a Strymon delay pedal :cool:!!

I look back now and find it funny Sean Halley pitched the Eleven rack as the last unit you would need, a year later he said the same thing about the Helix (check the vids on Youtube they are still up).
 
Panthersn said:
Honestly its not even close........ LIVE IN THE MIX!!
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Really??? You base this on factory presets? Did you listen to the video of Lemon Song I posted? To say the Helix doesn't sound great "Live in the mix" is asinine!! I'm using an AX8 and love it but to say it's not even close is a stretch.
 
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