AX8 vs Helix: Amp Tone and Effects

N

nyne

Member
Yup, its a Fractal Forum. Just curious if anyone has compared the two and how they feel about the tones.
The AX8 has a lot more to offer but the Helix looks like a big step up from previous L6 products.
These kind of posts can lead to war.....lets hope it doesn't!
Cheers

Faisal
 
There will be no useful answers to your question; you'll have to try out both for yourself. If you like the tones of the Helix more, good for you since it can do more than the AX8 can. I got a Helix very early on (mid-October) and for me it was too much of a pain to deal with the different workflow and early-launch bugs. It was easier to stick with my Amplifire since I knew a Fractal-made floor unit was in the pipeline. If you don't have any experience with Fractal products though, you definitely owe it to yourself to try both and make up your own mind.
-
Austin
 
Wise words Austin; sadly i live in the 3rd world and i don't have the options of trying stuff out at stores.
I can only order and hope for the best. I have to base my decisions on youtube vids and reviews.
The only reason the Helix is a consideration is because it is easier and quicker to order and purchase.

In all honesty, ive never liked a single L6 unit. My GSP1101 sounds a lot more natural than any Pod ever did to me.
But it seemed like they had stepped up their game.
 
nyne said:
In all honesty, ive never liked a single L6 unit. My GSP1101 sounds a lot more natural than any Pod ever did to me.
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Same for me: all L6 have some kind of not so pleasant tone. I prefer Yamaha emulation (GD stomp and magicstomp). Fractal is way ahead. ;)
 
I currently own both units, the Helix is getting shipped out this week. I really liked the Helix, I got some tones I was really happy with loved the scribble strips and UI. Everything was also less DSP intensive then the AX8 so I could put together more complicated signal chains and the fact that it was also a recording interface was a nice plus.

At the end of the day I'm a tone snob and while I was happy with the Helix before the AX8 arrived comparing them side by side it was pretty apparent that the AX8 was superior tonally and that was the ultimate deciding factor for me. In fact I'd go as far as to say the AX8 isn't a noticeable compromise from even my tube rig which I absolutely loved.

Don't sell the Helix short though it's a great unit that has a ton of awesome features and if you have a high value for those features it's at a great price point.
 
My buddy got one, it sounded exactly like my HD500X. It had a little more quality in the build, a couple more bells and whistles, and a better processor. But tonally sounded just like the HD500X. For that reason I felt it was a let down. The AX8 sounds way better, it isn't even close imo.
 
Feflicker said:
My buddy got one, it sounded exactly like my HD500X. It had a little more quality in the build, a couple more bells and whistles, and a better processor. But tonally sounded just like the HD500X. For that reason I felt it was a let down. The AX8 sounds way better, it isn't even close imo.
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Ya forget it. if it sounds like the HD500X, it's barely usable if you value quality tone. I sold my HD500x a while ago, no regrets.
 
brads4 said:
Ya forget it. if it sounds like the HD500X, it's barely usable if you value quality tone. I sold my HD500x a while ago, no regrets.
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No... hell no... I was a LOONG time HD500/500X user... the Helix destroys the HD series with great fury... not even in the same league. I got first hand experience with the Helix last week and it's SOOOOO much better sounding... it can and does compete in the Fractal and Kemper space where the HD couldn't even get in the neighborhood much less on the same street.

I'm waiting on my AX8 invite to give them a proper 1 on 1 comparison. But I could be perfectly happy with tones from the Helix and if I weren't only 45 minutes on the waitlist... I'd probably grab one and sell off my Kemper and then pickup an AX8 way down the road when they are readily available.
 
Feflicker said:
My buddy got one, it sounded exactly like my HD500X. It had a little more quality in the build, a couple more bells and whistles, and a better processor. But tonally sounded just like the HD500X. For that reason I felt it was a let down. The AX8 sounds way better, it isn't even close imo.
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I owned a 500 before I got the Helix and I thought the Helix sounded way better. But of course different ears and opinions.
 
3dognate said:
No... hell no... I was a LOONG time HD500/500X user... the Helix destroys the HD series with great fury... not even in the same league.
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Feflicker said:
My buddy got one, it sounded exactly like my HD500X. It had a little more quality in the build, a couple more bells and whistles, and a better processor. But tonally sounded just like the HD500X.
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And here is exactly why these sorts of threads are devoid of value. Every unit has objective qualities, but "quality of tone" is more influenced by the ears and fingers of the one playing through it and/or hearing it than any modeling algorithm Line 6 or Fractal employs.
 
Strat-O-Matic said:
I currently own both units, the Helix is getting shipped out this week. I really liked the Helix, I got some tones I was really happy with loved the scribble strips and UI. Everything was also less DSP intensive then the AX8 so I could put together more complicated signal chains and the fact that it was also a recording interface was a nice plus.

At the end of the day I'm a tone snob and while I was happy with the Helix before the AX8 arrived comparing them side by side it was pretty apparent that the AX8 was superior tonally and that was the ultimate deciding factor for me. In fact I'd go as far as to say the AX8 isn't a noticeable compromise from even my tube rig which I absolutely loved.

Don't sell the Helix short though it's a great unit that has a ton of awesome features and if you have a high value for those features it's at a great price point.
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I had a very similar experience having the Helix and Axe-Fx II side by side for over a month. The Helix was great in many ways, but the tones were just better from the Axe IMO. Helix returned and I wait like everyone else for an AX8.
 
mikah912 said:
And here is exactly why these sorts of threads are devoid of value. Every unit has objective qualities, but "quality of tone" is more influenced by the ears and fingers of the one playing through it and/or hearing it than any modeling algorithm Line 6 or Fractal employs.
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I've had a love hate (and sometimes vocal) relationship with the HD500X and everything I disliked about the HD500X is addressed very nicely in the Helix. So I can say that to my picky-ass ears that the Helix floors the HD500X.
 
3dognate said:
I've had a love hate (and sometimes vocal) relationship with the HD500X and everything I disliked about the HD500X is addressed very nicely in the Helix. So I can say that to my picky-ass ears that the Helix floors the HD500X.
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It should, considering the price differential.
 
Agree to disagree I guess. Even long time L6'ers are complaining on the boards that side by side the Helix doesn't sound much better than a well dialed-in HD500X. Especially not 3x better (cost factored in). My experience was the Helix was maybe 20% better tonally than an HD500X, whereas my AX8 (never have heard an AxeFX II) destroyed it (2x good) with the Mesa and Plexi models (those where the 2 I compared).

I'll agree everything is subjective, and each person should chose what they prefer. But for my ear it was not a contest between Fractal and L6, and the contest was only very slimly won between a Helix and an HD500X.
 
Just heard the Helix live yesterday. I am in a worship band and the 3 guitar players take turns running FOH while the other 2 play. I ran FOH yesterday while he used his Helix for the first time. I though it sounded great. He was using a /13 model with a ownhammer IR that came with the stock unit. The tone we usually chase is smooth chimey gain, kind of compressed with a good bit of delay and reverb. I think it did this sound as good as my XL+ rig. Awesome custom case available as well that is a backpack kind of thing. I'm not selling my XL+ or anything but to me the Helix did not suck by any means
 
nyne said:
Yup, its a Fractal Forum. Just curious if anyone has compared the two and how they feel about the tones.
The AX8 has a lot more to offer but the Helix looks like a big step up from previous L6 products.
These kind of posts can lead to war.....lets hope it doesn't!
Cheers

Faisal
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yes. there are long threads about this. have you tried a search to see what's already been discussed? no problem asking again, but there's a lot of info already.

btw

my former employees trying the AX8
IMG_4473.JPG

me trying the Helix
IMG_4479.JPG

I will withhold their opinions for their benefit :)
 
Well... I'm still on the AX8 wait list, but with one month after start in EU, I'm looking at spring/summer I'm guessing.
With that in sight, but my new custom amp finally getting ready (after 1.5 years in the making), I needed something NOW to control it all (midi) and add FX and flexibility live. Now as in for gigs soon, not this summer :confused:

So, I ordered a Helix :eek: Having seen some new vids from Japan, and Pete Thorn's teaser with Tim Pierce (using Ownhammer IR's, and making it sound excellent. Pete is releasing a massiveHelix demo this week) I decided it will be "good enough" for live use at least, and will be very flexible for controlling my insanely flexible amp.

So, I will probably be one to compare the two. IF I prefer the Helix for live use with the amp, I might even keep it for that purpose and get an AxeII for studio use, or look at the FX8, if I feel the FX is really "all that" much better in a live scenario (most super-ultra-mega-quality stuff tends to get lost in club gigs).

Here's the amp by the way o_O
10401926_515488798632628_6238842107931194583_n (1).jpg
 
I actually did not even think the Helix sounded great in the Thorn/Pierce clip. The FX sounded great, but the pure 'amp' tone wasn't doing it for me.
 
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