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Recording: HD Pro vs Helix


avantasia
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Early 2015 we recorded a song with the HD Pro. Now, the same song we re-recorded a few weeks ago with the Helix:
​guitars, bass and vocals. My conclusion: there's just nothing bad you can say about the Helix :)

Listen to the difference:
 

HD Pro:

 

https://soundcloud.com/amazing_air/all-the-strangers

 

Helix

https://soundcloud.com/amazing_air/all-the-strangers-helixx

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Is that the same guitar, amp and speaker model in both versions?

Same guitar (JT Variax) and DAW,but different amps and mixes.  

Only thing I could think of is the quality of the A/D converter inside the Helix that could explain the difference

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I've not managed to get the Helix yet, hopefully in the New Year.

 

I can tell a massive difference and it explains to me the problems I've always had in getting a 'natural' guitar sound from both the HD500 and HD500X. You just can't do it - and that is evident in the reedy, thin sound of the guitars in the HD500 version. By comparison, the Helix sounds like it's recorded through a proper guitar amp. Much better. The differing levels don't change the quality - IMO.

 

I really can't wait to get hold of the unit.

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I've not managed to get the Helix yet, hopefully in the New Year.

 

I can tell a massive difference and it explains to me the problems I've always had in getting a 'natural' guitar sound from both the HD500 and HD500X. You just can't do it - and that is evident in the reedy, thin sound of the guitars in the HD500 version. By comparison, the Helix sounds like it's recorded through a proper guitar amp. Much better. The differing levels don't change the quality - IMO.

 

I really can't wait to get hold of the unit.

Pretty much my thoughts as well. We have an HD400 at church. The congregation always thought it sounded nice but I was constantly tweaking and just never could get what I would call a great tone. When I brought in the Helix that all changed. When we have two electrics one is the HD400 and no one wants to use it now. I can get stuff that sounds ok with the HD400 unless I compare it to the Helix. Then suddenly it doesn't sound as good.

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Haha. I didn't hear the difference because I was listening to the same tracks. Lol. The links in the first post are both the same link.

 

After discovering this, and after listening to the Helix version, it is a dramatic night/day difference. Obviously the Helix version sounds better, but seems way too bass heavy for my liking, and a bit loud. Fix these things and I think the Helix version would sound much better.

 

As others have already pointed out, the differences don't seem just because of a volume difference, which makes this comparison not very useful at all, if the original intent is to compare HD and Helix recordings, as the topic states. Both devices should have the same preset structure as much as possible (including all settings), but more importantly, any post-processing should be exactly the same, including volume.

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Haha. I didn't hear the difference because I was listening to the same tracks. Lol. The links in the first post are both the same link.

 

After discovering this, and after listening to the Helix version, it is a dramatic night/day difference. Obviously the Helix version sounds better, but seems way too bass heavy for my liking, and a bit loud. Fix these things and I think the Helix version would sound much better.

 

As others have already pointed out, the differences don't seem just because of a volume difference, which makes this comparison not very useful at all, if the original intent is to compare HD and Helix recordings, as the topic states. Both devices should have the same preset structure as much as possible (including all settings), but more importantly, any post-processing should be exactly the same, including volume.

The same happend to me - both links point to the HD version ;-)

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just for an experiment I ripped both versions and I've put them side by side into my Reaper

 

2eem15h.jpg

 

what personally I have to say?

 

1) we can clearly see (and hear) the huge level difference

 

2) I strongly believe that the entire track with Helix has been treated with some sort of mastering techniques (like multi compressors and/or similar tools)

 

3) given for granted that I believe that the POD HD and Helix are both excellent modelers, in this case I surely prefer the old version track done with POD, and not only for the guitar tone which seems to sit much better in the mix, but also for the recording quality of the voice and the other instruments..

 

maybe only because the patch done with POD is built better, and/or the mastering tools has been used not at their best

 

that's simply my opinion

 

And you're not alone on that. If you match the volumes, the POD HD sounds better. My conclusion: I'm not buying the Helix :)

Instead, I'll buy an used Torpedo CAB, pair it with the POD HD and have a device better than the Helix :)

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Very strange. The OP seems to have changed the files. Yesterday, the two files where definitely different guitar sounds and files. To me, the Helix sounded better.

 

Now, the Helix version is an over-compressed (I guess at the mastering stage), too loud mess. Nasty.

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