Well, they tried with Helix, but Helix is only at the level of the AX-8. ....
Software catches-up with hardware, but the software is where the art resides in this biz. For software designers, it takes real-time and real-effort to make full-use of yesterday's hardware.. Seems like, more and more, that serious contenders writing modelling software are getting into this race. And those with bottomless operational budgets are in this race too. And they can move much faster, getting their products to market much more quickly as they can finance the development of products by throwing a crap-ton of resources at it.
Line6 .. "Helix 2", ...who knows what's coming next with that. ...But look at this new QC unit (just as an example), more companies are jumping into the fray while initially starting off at higher and higher rungs on that modelling ladder. They are doing their level-best to set new standards others must beat for that market-share. And for all that? We do get a lot more for our money these days..
Line6 - I'm sure, hasn't been sitting on their hands letting new developments in hardware pass them by. I'm almost equally as sure that they have been hammering away at the next-gen Helix code, too.. The ROI for constantly developing software drives that avenue of development. ...Couple that with massive budgets and how close The Helix is - Was - Years ago - to the AX8?
It's been years for them to put out any improved sounding product. This ?? ..moving Helix code into lesser units? ... I might not do that until I have a higher-tier product in the works - or at-least in mind, to replace the flagship.
Of course.. That'll happen.. When, is anybody's guess. But the greater the competition, the faster companies tend to move to compete. And there is more competition than ever driving improvement across the board..
..A very long long time? You'd first need to develop an AI that is quite human and thinks like one....
Read something (many years ago), that it had taken ??? ..thousands of years? ...to initially double our basis of technological knowledge.. They went on to say that, currently, the doubling of our basis of technological knowledge is occurring every?? ..two years? - Not sure of the exact numbers, but whatever those numbers were exactly, there was a Large gulf between the two. :0)
It was "doom and gloom piece", ..as these things usually are ..but, ..and it Might be that I'm getting older :0),
BUT, it seems like that these days I'm constantly taken aback regarding just how fast there Are improvements in technology..
I can't keep up with how fast all things technological are moving anymore..
...Used to be able to wrap my head around all these technological advancements. Now, major leaps in technology are almost a constant thing.
With as how fast things are moving, I don't think it will be too long before - with luck, and a LOT of hard work, Fractal nails the code.. Creates software of So-Near Perfectly Modeled amplifiers and effects, that any human being couldn't tell the difference between the two. They are nearly there, now.
But, Yamaha Corp. Might decide to make that effort, too. And they can afford massive outlay to stay profitable. Saying as much, I wouldn't be surprised to see these MegaCorps invest in AI to fuel their future innovation. ..let's face it.. that's already happening. That ship has sailed! :0)
...Either way - whoever nails that ability to swiftly code that near-perfection in the modelling market, the others will catch-up in time. Then it comes down to how fast they can package that code and get it to market. And, unfortunately, it's more likely that the Big Boys will win that race.
I was thinking about Fractal the other day - the problems it has had with the compiler and such, and their frustration and the delays in the release of their latest product because of it.
All part of the struggle.
But large companies can just throw massive amounts of resources at a thing and overcome issues which hobble smaller companies more quickly.. These MegaCorps can move - pretty-much - as fast as they want. And there is a LOT of resources that larger companies can pull on to create and innovate in shorter periods of time. Including future-proofing with investment in - or at least renting time on, quarter-billion dollar super-computers.
..But ..anyway.. :0) ..My point - previously :0), was that things are moving very-quickly anymore with this modelling technology, and that there is more competition in the market which is driving swifter innovation - couple that with technological advances which are occurring so rapidly, and the ability for MegaCorps to clean-up whenever they feel like it.... it shouldn't be too long before the next greatest leap will occur in the modelling arena.
All the heavy lifting has been done.
...Now we got us a bunch of mostly, well financed genius tweakers all of them seeking perfection. And Somebody, I'm sure, will reach as close to perfection we can use, soon enough, for all of it.
Grab the popcorn, sit back, watch these guys compete and reap the rewards for all their hard work, is what I say! :0)
