Any guys here mess with a Helix?

GotMetalBoy said:
I use Helix Native but thought it sounded bad but I wasn't having much luck using my Axe-Fx II, Waves PRS and GTR or BIAS and everything sounded muddy until I got the Axe-Fx III. The Axe-Fx III has the tones I've been searching for but then I watched a video of @ML SOUND LAB comparing the Axe-Fx II and III using the same IR and they sounded almost identical. I then tried re-amping the Helix Native w/o a cab into the Axe-Fx III with only a Cab block and it sounded exponentially better.
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A good IR will take you places. That was the reason I got into the IR thing in the first place in the Axe-Fx Standard days. I realized nothing else mattered as much as the IR. :)
 
So I grabbed a helix to try on my guitar center card. It’s going back. Messed with it for 2 days and even bought a couple pro presets. Effects were great, but the feel of the amp models is way off to me. It doesn’t have that squish and sag of my Axe for sure. It feels like it’s more difficult to play because the feel of my guitar fights me. All the amp models have the same feel to even with ownhammer ir that I love in my Axe.
 
It's really weird but that seems to be the consensus. Helix is capable of sounding pretty good in clips but everyone who's familiar with these top of the line modelers say that it's definitely not as good.
 
My AFX-II Mk.2 is packed up with the rest of my household goods, so I tried Helix Native on a trial basis.... used it once. I got the Misha Mansoor ToneForge plug-in and I like it.
 
Jvstrat said:
So I grabbed a helix to try on my guitar center card. It’s going back. Messed with it for 2 days and even bought a couple pro presets. Effects were great, but the feel of the amp models is way off to me.
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I guess you are not alone;), I was in my local Guitar Center on Friday. went by a few cases were they keep used pedals, stuff of that nature.
Had seen one Headrush board and four or five Helix unit's.
 
Had one for a while, same reason; a grab and go alternative. Didn't want to give up on it til I really was able to spend some time quality time with it. UI is great, FX are pretty good (but no where near Fractal). The main let down for me were the tones so I sold it. Good resale on them too. Tech 21 FlyRigs, meh. I got a Boss GT-1 and was pretty impressed and it fits in a gig bag and can run on batteries. So impressed I picked a a GT-1000 this weekend from Sam Ash on sale for $200 off. It can load user IR's. Anxious to see how it goes
 
Finally started working with it today. Loaded some of my favorite OH and Celestion IR's. I'm digging it for a grab and go solution. Of course I much prefer my rack with the AxeFxIII I just don't always feel like lugging it around but the Boss does pretty good. I def like it more than anything from Line6. Keeping my fingers crossed for a more powerful version of a Fractal floor unit!
 
bought one new and sold it after a couple of weeks. for me it was missing the ‘fairy dust’ that my valve amps have in abundance. the only model I miss was the Line 6 take on the Klon.
I’ve yet to get deep enough with the axe fx iii to make my mind up about it. it’s refreshing that the majority of axe fx presets aren’t drowning in fx overload. I spent some time today with the JTM 45 amp model and after a bit of tweaking, can say that I’ll be happily wasting several hundred hours of what’s left of my life with it.
 
I have one that I've used alongside the AX8 for the last couple years. It's a solid unit, great interface, really nice effects, good amp modeling. The fractal definitely sounds more polished to me and the effects are richer sounding. Fractal handles cabs way better too. I mostly prefer the fractal for sounds. Been meaning to sell the Helix but it's fun to play with and I don't need the money.
 
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Greetings,

As a guitar tech for a recent festival, I had to help acquire a Helix for one of the headliners. It's just about to be sold, but I figured I'd power it up in my home studio for a few minutes and see how it sounded before it leaves the house. Only had time to sample about six banks of presets, but virtually none of the timbres sounded appealing to me. Additionally, I didn't really like the way the tones interacted with the articulation of my playing. While I've certainly heard a few examples of a Helix-recorded performance that sounded pretty good, I remember hearing a majority of audio samples/clips that did not appeal to my sensibilities and that's why I chose to reject buying one in favor of going the AX8 route. (The tuner graphics and dynamic footswitch labeling are cool, though.)

Cheers,


Alan
 
I bought the new Helix stomp as a backup replacement for a zoom G3. I plugged it into my clr yesterday and played through the presets and found two I liked. It will work for my intended purpose but I was disappointed after hearing so much hype about the helix modeling.
I like some of the effects but they wouldn't replace any of the FAS effects I'm used to. The modeling is a minor step up from the hd500 imo I used to have, but I would still consider it behind the Ultra I owned in 2010.
I've heard some nice sounding demos with the helix as mentioned above but the feel is way off imo.
 
I’ve had Helix Floor since initial release when it Really Sucked tone-wise,..but they fer sure got the routing/UI
Right , enough for me to use it as a controller router for my FAS and other gear, until the wholly superior III came around....there have been some very nice upgrades on the HX systems, they have IMO done more for bassists..but the gap audibly... is still pretty wide.......
 
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