1500 bucks, you say, Line6?

GAS is alive and well I see! It seems to have transferred over to digital gear than boutique for us Axe users though. ;)
 
The thing is that they have a new way to model the amps that will make the amps behave in the same matter as the amps from the Axe FX

This remains to be seen.. I am curious and I think this product is exciting, but to think that line 6 makes the leap all the way from where they were at HD line to where the AXEfx is currently is not likely.

Time will tell.. but you can't assume it has the same amp behavior just from a couple videos and the list of buzzwords on the tech specs...
 
This remains to be seen.. I am curious and I think this product is exciting, but to think that line 6 makes the leap all the way from where they were at HD line to where the AXEfx is currently is not likely.

Time will tell.. but you can't assume it has the same amp behavior just from a couple videos and the list of buzzwords on the tech specs...

The one thing Line6 has always been better at than actual modeling is hype and marketing. I remember the hype around the HD500 (I was even convinced to pick one up). It didn't last; my humble 11 Rack blew it out of the water tone-and-feel-wise, and when I got my Axe FX II, all bets were off.

I've been reading threads where Line6 is claiming that their 20 years of modeling experience will allow them to squeeze the maximum out of the SHARC 21469, but I doubt it will be on the same level as the Axe or Kemper when all is said and done. If they had that level of brilliance, they would have been able to squeeze significantly better performance out of the SHARCs in the HD series. What's most interesting is I believe that's the exact same processor as the HD series ($30); where are they getting a $1499 price tag with such an inexpensive processor?

Compared with the comparably priced 11 Rack, it was clear to me the 11R had far better algorithms than the HD series on similarly specced hardware, and this was a product coming from a company that was fresh in the modeling arena competing against the incumbent. I'd say the reason the 11R failed was due to a complete lack of proper marketing and development by Avid once they bought Digidesign. Had they invested the interest in the 11R with the same level as Line6 does with their products, I suspect you'd see many more 11R users than HD series.

I'm not trying to defend my Axe purchase; rather, I want to point out that Cliff has done one and only one thing since the Axe FX came out, and that's push the algorithms to their absolute limit. And he's been pushing that limit on a TigerSHARC. It seems he's had more epiphanies around modeling algorithms the past year I've had an Axe II (I started at 10.0) than Line6 has had in their entire 20 years of experience. And they don't really go into details around what exactly they were doing the past six years they were developing the Helix; were the developers focused solely on that product, or were they on other projects? The latter is typically the case in most software industries that have multiple products in my experience.

All that said, I'm certainly interested to see how it will sound when it comes out, and I definitely like the ascetic of the devices. I'm definitely looking forward to the inevitable AX8 vs Helix Youtube videos.
 
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This remains to be seen.. I am curious and I think this product is exciting, but to think that line 6 makes the leap all the way from where they were at HD line to where the AXEfx is currently is not likely.

Time will tell.. but you can't assume it has the same amp behavior just from a couple videos and the list of buzzwords on the tech specs...

I agree 100%. Until I try one, I can't say it is as good as Fractal's modeling. A bunch of users that tried HD500 with Torpedo cab say it gets you much closer. So IR loading combined with new amp sims should get us even closer. Even if they don't match FAS quality 100% I will get one as it has killer Variax integration. No plans on selling my Axe Fxs though obviously.
 
I've been reading threads where Line6 is claiming that their 20 years of modeling experience will allow them to squeeze the maximum out of the SHARC 21469, but I doubt it will be on the same level as the Axe or Kemper when all is said and done. If they had that level of brilliance, they would have been able to squeeze significantly better performance out of the SHARCs in the HD series. What's most interesting is I believe that's the exact same processor as the HD series ($30); where are they getting a $1499 price tag with such an inexpensive processor?

Huh? How can Fractal charge the price they are for MFC as controller for Axe since the Helix controller does so much more for less money? Foot controllers with separate LCDs are expensive. Helix has one built in. I am sure AX8 from Fractal with 2 similar DSP will be similarly priced as well. I don't but a product based on how much the DSP cost. If Fractal could do a product that sounds way better than AX II, which is no easy feat, and it used a used xbox as DSP, I'd still pay 2600 bucks for it. I pay for sound quality and feature set. I could care less what hardware is used.
 
An interesting rig would be an Axe-II, Helix, and Boss SY-300. Use the Helix as the MIDI controller. This would give you crazy amounts of modeled effects and amps, synths, and external pedals that could be integrated into the Helix loops.

Imagine all the lights and blinking shit you could have with that setup!

Paging vernon reid. Paging vernon reid.
 
Huh? How can Fractal charge the price they are for MFC as controller for Axe since the Helix controller does so much more for less money? Foot controllers with separate LCDs are expensive. Helix has one built in. I am sure AX8 from Fractal with 2 similar DSP will be similarly priced as well. I don't but a product based on how much the DSP cost. If Fractal could do a product that sounds way better than AX II, which is no easy feat, and it used a used xbox as DSP, I'd still pay 2600 bucks for it. I pay for sound quality and feature set. I could care less what hardware is used.

My guess would be Made in USA vs. mass-produced in China. American labor costs money and is something I'm willing to pay more for, especially when--like you implied--the modeler sounds so damn good. An MFC with the exact same components assembled overseas will be less expensive than here in the USA (assuming, of course, you manufacture enough units to make the shipping charges worth it).

The point that I was making is that I don't believe Line6 when they offer hyperbole like "We have 20 years of experience getting the most out of a DSP". Experience means nothing if it isn't quality experience; you may have 20 years of experience doing a mediocre job over and over again. I know plenty of folks in my industry who have years of experience and little real skill. What I'm saying is that I trust what Cliff will do with that $30 SHARC in the AX8 will be on a level completely different than Line6, because talent and skill are just, if not more important, than years of experience.

None of that matters, of course, until we can all try out a Helix to see if the Line6 hype is more than hyperbole. Like I said, I'm very curious to here an AX8 and a Helix side-by-side.
 
Interesting piece of kit. I'm still pretty happy with my Axe-Fx 2, even if it seems it'll never get a B7K in there. I'll probably give a Helix a whirl because, why not? If it sucks, oh well. If it's awesome, then cool, I'll use it. In either case, having more options is only a win for consumers, even if the options turn out to be weak.
 
I think this unit is a big risk for Line6. The company's primary market isn't used to spending $1500 on a unit. Additionally, folks with $1500 to drop on a modeller/fx units are likely to do some research and stumble across other options.
 
I think this unit is a big risk for Line6. The company's primary market isn't used to spending $1500 on a unit. Additionally, folks with $1500 to drop on a modeller/fx units are likely to do some research and stumble across other options.

Not really, the Vetta was about this price if I remember correctly. It was hugely popular too.
 
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