Axe-Fx III vs Helix

[Muad'zin]

...We could choose to look at it another way, too.. Line6 brings Fractal forth - just check out the new-gen displays and scribble-strips on the AXEIII/FM3/FCs ..and Fractal is pushing Line6 (or whoever) to create next-gen modelling algorithms.

All of this works in our favor.. And shouldn't necessarily be discouraged using false equivalency.

No point in arguing really. ...maybe just kick-back and enjoy, as all this competition to excel for market share is generally such a great thing.

All the Helix had in its favor upon release was the easy to use interface. Soundwise there is no comparison as the Helix was at best the little cousin of the Axe II, whereas the Axe III is a completely different branch of the family. So naturally any sound comparison between Helix and the Axe III is going to fall into the Axe III's favor. And still in the Axe II's favor as well. We have to wait for Line 6 and Kemper to come out with something new before we can make new comparison threads.

 

[2112]

I had a friend bring his Helix around recently to dial in some tones and it sounded pretty good. We both had a definite "ok, woah!" moment when we fired up the III afterwards though, which they had never tried. I guess it's the difference between "pretty good" and "great".

 

[Mark-B]

All the Helix had in its favor upon release was the easy to use interface. Soundwise there is no comparison as the Helix was at best the little cousin of the Axe II, whereas the Axe III is a completely different branch of the family. So naturally any sound comparison between Helix and the Axe III is going to fall into the Axe III's favor. And still in the Axe II's favor as well. We have to wait for Line 6 and Kemper to come out with something new before we can make new comparison threads.

Ironically, the other-day, I was thinking of picking up a Helix for it’s form factor. ..There’s a lot to like about a Helix. It’s not a bad piece of gear, at all. And in some circumstances, for some people, it’s absolutely the right tool for the job.

But, I agree, Fractal products, to my ears, just sound better. If the Helix sounded better to my ears, I would have gone that route - unapologetically. Because it’s not about being a “fanboy”, it’s about giving credit where credit is due. There are certain details in sound I can hear with a Fractal that just never shone through with a Helix, harmonic undertones? ?? ..but, “real detail”; which, for me, makes the Fractal stuff better for recording.

For live use? ...where many details are lost? ..for many it comes down to form factor and ease of use.

There’s definitely a place for a Helix. But, given a choice between the two, I’d take a Fractal for its overall capability- studio recording/live use, over a Helix which, for me, might work as well as an all-in-one solution for live use.

 

[DLC86]

For live use? ...where many details are lost?

I don't agree with that at all, live use is where I noticed the major improvement when I switched from ax8 to axe III.
The added punch, clarity and dynamics make the axe 3 cut thru a live mix a lot better than the ax8 (and I suppose helix too).

IMHO it is in recorded tones where all those differences tend to be masked cuz, firstly, you're not playing when listening to a record and, secondly, you can process the hell out of tones to make them sound pretty much identical.

 

[Mark-B]

I don't agree with that at all, live use is where I noticed the major improvement when I switched from ax8 to axe III.
The added punch, clarity and dynamics make the axe 3 cut thru a live mix a lot better than the ax8 (and I suppose helix too).

IMHO it is in recorded tones where all those differences tend to be masked cuz, firstly, you're not playing when listening to a record and, secondly, you can process the hell out of tones to make them sound pretty much identical.

There IS more detail to be had in the AXEIII over the AX8, I'll defintely give you that. And more detail and feel is always going to be better to have than not.

Might-be it's because I have been making much-lesser platforms work, live, since before the RP1 :0) ..But, I can make pretty-much anything work live. A Helix - for me - is no hardship to work with.

Recording though.. :0) That's when I turn into a cork-sniffing asshat. :0) .. A Fractal ticks more boxes for me in cork-sniffing asshat mode. It just does. :0)

 

[DLC86]

There IS more detail to be had in the AXEIII over the AX8, I'll defintely give you that. And more detail and feel is always going to be better to have than not.

Might-be it's because I have been making much-lesser platforms work, live, since before the RP1 :0) ..But, I can make pretty-much anything work live. A Helix - for me - is no hardship to work with.

Recording though.. :0) That's when I turn into a cork-sniffing asshat. :0) .. A Fractal ticks more boxes for me in cork-sniffing asshat mode. It just does. :0)

There IS more detail to be had in the AXEIII over the AX8, I'll defintely give you that. And more detail and feel is always going to be better to have than not.

Might-be it's because I have been making much-lesser platforms work, live, since before the RP1 :0) ..But, I can make pretty-much anything work live. A Helix - for me - is no hardship to work with.

Recording though.. :0) That's when I turn into a cork-sniffing asshat. :0) .. A Fractal ticks more boxes for me in cork-sniffing asshat mode. It just does. :0)

Yeah, we're probably just different kind of cork sniffers

 

[Satch4u3]

The other guitar player in my band uses an HX Stomp. After sitting with it and tweaking the Stomp, it keeps up with my Axe Fx 3 just fine. We both run direct to FOH and are on IEMs.

 

[mehegama]

99% of people. blindfolded, will not be able to tell the difference either in sound or feel, especially through the same IR or real cab. These bold statements that one annihilates the other are simply factually wrong. Having owned both platforms, to me the differences where the same as playing with 2 different amps of the same model.

 

[jon]

99% of people. blindfolded, will not be able to tell the difference either in sound or feel, especially through the same IR or real cab. These bold statements that one annihilates the other are simply factually wrong. Having owned both platforms, to me the differences where the same as playing with 2 different amps of the same model.

I see someone hasn't installed FW 10 yet

 

[mehegama]

And that’s my experience also.

 

[jon]

So funny I looked at that same vid a couple days ago and I think Mikko did a great job with setting them equally!

That being said, it was easy from the first note of each riff to tell which was which IMHO, I mean yes they sound similar but there is a depth and breadth to the axe iii sound.....and a kind of complexity whilst the helix still sounded 2D.

Great pieces of gear yes, but still a clear winner for my ears.

 

[jon]

Listening back to the clips again I also hear a very 'buzzy' sound to the helix....most modelers have this quality and it personally irks me lol

 

[FullReverse]

I've owned both and have gotten equal amounts of joy out of both. They both offer something things that people will love, and things people will not love. I have not recorded with either, but live with both was a nice experience and I wouldn't be bummed to have either one.

That being said, I'm in love with the FX8. I hope an updated effects only unit is on the horizon from fractal.

 

[JoKeR III]

Listening back to the clips again I also hear a very 'buzzy' sound to the helix....most modelers have this quality and it personally irks me lol

This was exactly the deciding factor for choosing Fractal over Line 6. I used an XT Live for years and while the Helix has MUCH better amp modeling than the XT Live, that "buzzy" feel was too reminiscent of what eventually drove me back to amps and pedals. I did not hear it at all in any of the clips of the Fractal products I listened to when researching. Couldn't justify compromising on something that I could not be 100% confident in and satisfied with.

 

[DLC86]

And that’s my experience also.

Comparisons like this are totally useless imho. Playing chords on an over-saturated amp just needs a matched eq to make them sound virtually the same.
A useful comparison should be done by dialing in a good edge-of-breakup tone and playing palm mutes, double stops, bendings, pinch harmonics and anything that creates complex behaviours of the amps, that would surely produce hearable differences. And if you make that comparison by playing them yourself and not listening to a youtube video, the differences would be even more evident.

 

[jon]

Yeah there was a lot of gain there, but tonally he matched them well, so props for that!

The helix also had a very 'compressed' sound, and doing the test like you said would have really made the comparison more relevant, especially as more gain = more compression.

However, even with loads of gain, which should smooth out the playing field, the difference is quite noticeable

 

[jjdpro]

I've used all three, and they all sound great! With the helix, it's all about using superior cabs. The stock cabs bring the product down (IMHO).
The Kemper is also amazing. Simple, with great feel and touch. There are a plethora of great Kemper Profiles out there. Just grab some. And, of course, the Fractal, is amazing as well.

However, there is a new kid on the block .. Who said you can't put the amp/pre-amp on the floor?? I'm getting one!
Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 - 200-watt Floorboard Amplifier

As Axe III owners, what are your honest opinions of the Helix, assuming you have played or own both?

 

[jon]

That H&K is certainly a different concept! Never seen anything like that lol

I may try one!

 

[Heinzi]

The thing that i always tell my students when it comes to comparisons of what sounds better is:
Be happy if you are not able to hear the difference between a 200,-€ and a 2000,-€ guitar - it safes you a lot of money.
Same applies to every other piece gear...and that´s a sentence with which you can always close some useless discussions on social media platforms.

I´d still say - top of the line is Axe Fx and Kemper...and then after a long gap comes Helix and Headrush and maybe the GT 1000 by Boss - but it´s still useful gear and i´d go an a stage with it without hesitation

 

[Lopp]

A couple of years ago, after owning the Axe-Fx standard for almost a decade, I was in the mood to get a new toy and Guitar Center was only a few blocks away. Stopped by to try the Helix. No display model, so they took a new one out of the box for me to try. Lots of cool presets in there, but it seemed kind of flat compared to my old Axe-Fx standard. Even worse...

It kept locking up.

Brand new out of the box.

I'd shut it down and restart it, and after playing for a bit or switching a couple of presets, it would always freeze again and require a reboot. The Guitar Center dude came by and we tried troubleshooting, checking for updates, and Googling for solutions. Nothing worked, which was too bad because I was really in the mood to get a new toy.

I got an AX8 a few months later.