millerguitar

Just spent the last hour with Helix native...I'm impressed. There is a strong possibility that I'll be a Helix Floor owner within the next week.

That would be awesome. I'll see if I can find a Helix native demo. Not having the hardware is no biggy. Thanks!

I sold the AX8 to beat the AX8 mass sell off and picked up an Amplifire 6 to tide me over for the new FAS piece. Part of my angst is knowing what I was able to accomplish with the AA6 at it's price point. There is still a significant difference between the AA6 and FAS algorithms, but it's definitely a solid piece of gear. So dropping $2K+ on the AFIII and another $400 on a controller is making me take pause. Any suggestions on how to try a Helix out? I don't know anyone who owns one and I really don't want to order one online with the intention of taking advantage of a generous return policy.

You're probably correct. I've been a long time Fractal user. Sold my AX8 about a week before the FM3 release because I had a hunch something was on the horizon. Once the FM3 was released, I was initially excited and have since been all over the map in which direction to go. I could get the AxeFx III, but I really don't want to shell out the $3k to get it and a controller. But I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed in the newest FAS release. I have no doubt it will sound great, but I am hesitant to get on board. I want more flexibility than the Kemper will provide in terms of routing options. The Pete Thorn videos almost have me sold on the Helix. I don't like the idea of a built in pedal, but I'm not sure I want to add a rack to haul around. I know what to expect with the FAS gear, but the only experience I he with the L6 gear is the Pod line, most recently the HD500X. First world problems for sure.

He doesn't know what he's talking about. Fractal Audio is a privately held company. From a business perspective...it's not possible to invest in Fractal.