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ScottAyers

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Posts posted by ScottAyers

  1. Attn: Peter (Or someone in charge).

    It might be wise to lock this thread. I can't see anything else posted here being constructive from this point onward. It's just going to be magnet for people who like to argue.

    As the person who started this thread. I won't mind at all if you lock it.

    I'll leave it up to you.

     

    Cheers,

    -ScottA

    • Upvote 2
  2. @silverhead.

     

    I have been trying to leave this thread for the past two days. I've said all that I wanted to say. But people kept on asking me questions. Some of which are not about the Helix. And I was enjoying that interaction with the members until Peter came along and felt that he had to defend the Helix and call me (as well others) wrong.

    Then of course the minions followed right behind him to pile on.

    Such is the norm for Internet forums.

     

    I'm done. I won't post anything more here. Even non Line 6 questions.

    So please don't ask me anymore questions folks.

    It was nice talking to you guys.

     

    -ScottA

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  3. As I said earlier in this thread.

    I will not respond to trolls. Which Peter clearly is.

     

    For anyone that wants know if I'm being truthful or being a troll myself.

    All you have to do is go to the top of the Helix forum and enter the word "muddy" into the search field. It's currently returning two pages of threads.

     

    I'm not interested in hearing the mindless ramblings of users that love the Helix. Yet can't even figure out how to use a simple forum search option.

    I'm only here to tell Line 6 specifically why I returned it. And ask for them to address them in the next one.

    If anyone want's to tell me how wrong I am. Don't bother...I will not reply to you.

     

    I'm a little surprised that people were behaving themselves for two pages. But it looks like the trolls and the fanboys have finally arrived.

    To the guys in the past two pages. Thank you for being cool and open minded. And allowing me to say what I didn't like. But I think we've finally hit that inevitable point where it's just people that are trying to "Win The Internet".

    It had to happen eventually.

     

     

    -ScottA

     

     

     

     

    -ScottA

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  4. Peter,

    I'm not making this up. I also did not say anything remotely like legions either...That's a trollish thing to say.

    All you need to do is read through the other threads on this forum to see that the comment "it's too muddy" has been stated several times.

    And that's just here in the Line 6 Helix forum alone.

    This is not just my opinion. Other people have said, and are still saying this. The words actually exist on the on the page that you can see with your own eyes.

    And the number is growing. Not shrinking.

     

    But don't let that spoil your fun. And don't be defensive about it either. You're lucky. You got the sound you wanted.

    I would never dis people that like the tone of the Helix. Even though I fall into the "It's too muddy" group. I will always advise people to try it for themselves. Because not everyone needs or likes what I like.

    There's no need for anyone to defend liking the sound of the Helix. But you do need to accept that there are people that don't. And would like to see Line 6 do something about it.

     

     

    -ScottA

    • Upvote 1
  5. It does take some time to master the Helix, but it has the sonic capability to sound however you want. After following this thread for a few days i'm gonna have to go with this harsh quote from the AX8 vs Helix thread.

     

    'Spoiler alert: If you can't get a good tone out of either one of these units, it's your fault. Plain and simple. It's not that your ears are that discerning, you just don't know what you're doing.'

    That's one of the most ignorant things I've ever read.

    This person just happens to be a fan of the darker, muddier tones that comes from the Helix. And has no idea that people have tastes that are different from his.

    Even if I loved the tones from the Helix. I would never say something like that. Because as a grown up mature person, I know that everyone has different tastes.

    Please don't ever quote this moron again. Or any other fanboys like him.

     

    While there's a lot of people happy with the tones. There's also a lot of people like me that are not.

    And you know what? The number of people speaking up and saying that the Helix sounds too muddy is growing every day...Start counting them people...It's not just me.

    It's not an EQ problem. And it's not because we don't know how to use it. It is an actual sound characteristic of the unit that actually exists.

    You either love it...or you don't. But make no mistake. It is there. It does exist. It is an actual thing.

     

    All I'm asking for is for Line 6 to try to address this issue in the next version. And try to give the unit more presence and source sound when the reverbs are used.

    This is what I personally require. I'm only speaking for myself. Even though I know that I'm not the only one that feel this way.

    If it stays the way it is now. And you guys love it that way. Then great...enjoy it. I'll just have to find something else that caters more to my specific sound needs.

    But that makes me sad, because I really liked the new UI and the hardware for the most part.

     

     

    -ScottA

    • Downvote 1
  6. I will look into that one jaminjimlp,

    But I don't have a local dealer here where I can test most of this stuff out. And that's a big problem.

    My local GC doesn't carry most of this stuff.

     

    I also don't want to be the stereotypical guitar player that has a bunch of unused pedals laying around.

    I still have an old Quadraverb effects unit that I bought a very long time ago (80's?) before I bought the GNX4.

    When I bought the Quadraverb it was state of the art. Later when I bought the GNX4 it was state of the art. Now the Fractal stuff & the Helix are state of the art.

    I don't want to be an effects collector like so many people are. :)

     

    When I buy something new. I use the hell out of it for a very long time. Squeezing every penny from it that I can.

    I can't afford to buy something that is just good, or decent, or almost what I wanted. And then get something better in a couple of years.

    It has to blow me away so much that I'll use the hell out of it for at least a decade.

    I'm at that decade point with my GNX. So I'm looking around for an upgrade that I will be happy with for the next 10 years.

    It doesn't help that the Helix is 3x more expensive than my other purchase either.

    The Helix is close...but close isn't good enough. I need to be blown away. Or else I cannot justify the cost.

     

    -ScottA

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  7. @zooey. That doesn't sound good at all.

     

    @Gawwuf. The one good sound I do get from my GNX4 is based on one of those Supermodel patches.

    I turn down the gain to play Eric Johnson stuff. And turn up the gain for Satch and Vai stuff.

    If it wasn't for that one single patch. The unit would only be good as a boat anchor. :)

     

    One thing I did not mention before is that the USB<-->Computer on the Helix seemed to be pretty good. Low latency.

    That's was plus for the Helix. I was happy with that part of it.

     

    -ScottA

  8. I'd go buy something else if I were you.....maybe a Fractal or Kemper, both excellent units.....don't really understand what your after but I'm having zero problems getting some pretty forward sitting tones out the Helix, but maybe you're a pro player with higher end needs than me....good luck.

    I'm not going to buy anything at this point.

    There's currently a nice battle going on now between Fractal & LINE 6. So I'm going to wait it out and see what happens.

    It's almost guaranteed that LINE 6 will focus more time on the sounds and modelers in the next one. I want to wait and see what they come up with.

     

    -ScottA

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  9. after som very predictable threads on how FAS or kemper users returned helix because it isn't as good. It is refreshing/funny to see Helix getting returned for a GNX? lol

    Lol. Don't say that. The Helix is far better quality than my GNX4 pedal.

    My GNX4 is definitley not great. It's too bright sounding and out dated. Which is why I'm looking to upgrade. But the Helix as it is right now. Is too far in the other direction for my taste.

  10. Since you guys are talking about the reselling topic. I can share with you that when I bought mine new from GC. The seals (stickers) on the box and the plastic bag that the unit is packaged in. Were both already broken.

    That did not alarm me too much because I just figured the guys at the store probably tried it out. I wouldn't blame them for that. And the plastic covers for the UI display were still in tact.

     

    When I unboxed mine. I left the sticker covers in place just in case I wanted to return it for some reason.

    That turned out to be a prophetic move on my part. Because I did indeed return it. So I am expecting them to sell it as brand new and at full price to someone else.

    While that might bother some people. They did give me 45 days to try it at no risk. And that store has to make money too. So my policy is if I buy something there that is pre-opened. As long as it is still in "brand new" condition. I'm OK with that.

    If they had to reduce the price of every item that was returned. Even if it was used for a very short period of time. It would not be fair to them. And they might not have a generous 45 day testing period. So it's a compromise I'm willing to make with them.

    They give me a nice long free testing period...And in turn I overlook the pre-opened thing if it happens. As long as whatever I buy is still in brand new condition.

     

     

    -ScottA

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  11. Op didn't mention tweaking the pre delay on the reverb. Of course the guitar is going to sound distant if the reverberations arrive very soon after the dry guitar, puts them both at a similar distance. Cranking up the pre delay puts the guitar right in your face. You have the choice of everything in between, how it should be.

     

    With my GNX4 and my VTS's this behavior does not happen anywhere near as much. The guitar does not get pushed into the background so drastically.

    On the Helix. The guitar source gets pushed back more than I like. And it's next to impossible to bring back in front again with EG or any other settings.

    It's not an EQ problem. The pedal just isn't hot enough for me.

    Not enough presence. Not enough crispness. Not enough source sound. Not enough Drive. Or whatever adjective you choose to call it.

    I would need to use external reverbs and other equipment to overdrive the pedal's sound into something I liked. And that would make no sense.

     

    At this point I'm just repeating myself over and over. So I would prefer stop here.

    Talking about the same things I didn't like over and over with forum members seems more like complaining, than constructive feeback.

    I've said everything that I want to say about why I returned it. It's up to the company now to use my feeback, or toss it in the garbage bin.

     

    It was nice chatting with you guys.

    I just want to stop saying negative things at this point. Enough is enough.

     

    -ScottA

  12. @BigRalphN

     

    Yikes!!

    Well. I do make an effort not to have more than one or two lights on at a time. And use the TV as a light source as much as I can. That helps to keep the electric bill down.

    Not everyone can do that though. I might be part mole. ;)

  13. Hi jaminjimlp,

    The problem with the sound in the Helix was definitley not my EQ settings. It's a weakness (or a strength depending on the listener) in the unit itself.
    I tried every way possible to get the thing to push the sound forward (Eq., compression, Tone settings on individual pedals). But it always sounded too distant for my taste.

    ColonelForbin posted a video of the Glenn Delaune Satriani patch.
    Glenn is considered to be an expert at making patches by many. And when I listened to his Satriani patch I can hear the same problem plain as day.
    It's not in your face. It's not crisp. It's sort of soft and distant sounding.
    This is proof that it's not me or the settings I used. It's just the way the unit sounds.
    I don't like the way the Helix delays and the reverbs push the sound away into the background.
    I like my guitar to be up front, in your face, and crisp sounding. With lots of compression.
    The Helix has more of a low end, softer, deeper, thicker sound to it than I like.

    For anyone that doesn't hear what I hear. I can try to give you a way to hear something similar.
    If you have a Helix. You can do this little experiment.
    *Note that I'm going from memory here. And I can't remember the exact names.

    -Create a new patch with nothing in it
    -Add a distortion pedal from the "dist" option
    -Now go through each pedal one at while playing.
     There is one in there that really stands out from the others called: "Valve-Rectifier" or something similar
    The difference between the rectifier and the other pedals. Is similar to the difference between the Helix and my GNX4.
    In other words. The rectifier was the ony usable dist pedal for me (that's not good).

    That's where I would begin my sound. And I'm already above and beyond most of the other effects.

    Next. This is where the sound change becomes more subtle.
    Now add a slight amount of reverb to the patch. The sound of the guitar gets slightly push back(not good).
    I'm guessing that not everyone will hear this. But I do, and it really, really bothered me.

    My GNX4 is very bright. Too bright.
    But it's got that in your face sound and high compression sound that I like.
    That's why mixing them together could have given me the "perfect" sound.
    But spending that kind of money on a pedal that needs a helping boost from another cheaper pedal made no sense to me.

    The Helix sound is a good sound. But it's not the kind sound I like. It's too muddy and too distant.
    If Line 6 can figure out how to make the next version hotter with more presence. Then it might be a keeper for me.

    If not. It's still a good pedal. Just not the right one for me personally.


    -ScottA

  14. Really?

    I live in upsdate NY and I thought we were fairly expensive here compared to most other states.

    The Helix costs just over $1600.00 when you include the taxes. And my G&E bill runs between $1700 - $1800 per year. And that's for a small house (roughly 1500 sq feet) with a fairly new furnace.

    I actually thought I was paying a lot for G&E here compared to other states.

     

    -ScottA

  15. Hey Scott.   I'm not sure why you even bothered to post, other than you're just really disappointed and would like some closure, I would be too.

     

    No. This is important. I posted this thread because I wanted to give them specific reasons why I returned it.

    If I just returned it and said nothing. They would not know why I returned it.

    It's important to me that they improve it. Because I want to own one eventually.

     

    Thank you very much for posting that YouTube video with the Satch patch. Because it illustrates exactly what I meant when I said "It sounds like I'm behind the band".

    The main source of this is coming from the reverbs in the unit. To my ears it sounds like the person is playing behind everyone else.

    Only the Helix sounds like this. I don't get this sound behaviour from the reverbs in my GNX or VST's.

    Maybe it's just me. I just don't like the way it pushes the sound to the background. Especially when the reverbs and delays are used.

     

    My hope is that by giving the Line 6 techs these kinds of specifics. They can maybe do something about it.

     

    -ScottA

    • Upvote 1
  16. Hi spikey,

    I had it for about two weeks. Which was more than enough time for me to evaluate it properly.

    You might think that's not enough time. But I'm the kind of person that dives deep into new things and gets to know it very quickly. Faster than most.

    You'll just have to trust me on that. I have a known reputation of being an extemely fast learner. And I went through the unity very thouroughly.

    I also watched a lot of videos before buying it too. I knew a lot about how to use and edit it before I bought it.

     

    Even though I have not bought a pedal in roughly 10 years. I'm familiar with the routine.

    They can't be judged on the factory presets. They always require a ton of user tweaking to get them to sound good.

    That said. Even after a lot of tweaking. I just wasn't that happy with the sounds.

     

    The sound was just one part of it though.

    I didn't like the way the wah<-->pitch shift worked. And I lost my auto volume ramping behaviour.

    Combine these things with the $1500.00 price tag. And what I had was a clear choice to return it.

    It just wasn't for me. But it could be with some changes. So I'm going to wait and see what the next version brings. If there is a next version.

     

     

    -ScottA

     

    *I also apprieciate that the company allowed me to post this.

    I don't buy products from companies that censor negative reviews of their products. Allowing me to post this is a sign that Line 6 is a good company. And can handle a little negative feeback. I hope I can be a customer eventually.

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  17. Hi,

     

    While most people are being cool.

    I just want to say that I will not respond to people being rude. Or saying trollish things like I didn't know how to use it.

    If you guys love it the way it is. That's cool. But it didn't quite make it for me. I guess I'm pickier than most people.

    Don't let that spoil your enjoyment. My needs are just not the same as your needs.

     

    I will say once again that the Helix is not "bad". I almost kept it.

    If it was cheaper. I probably would have kept it, and worked around the things that I didnt like. Using other equipment.

    But it just had too many negatives (see the first post) for me to justify spending the equivelent of an entire years Gas & Electric bill.

    If I spend that kind of money on a guitar pedal. It has to do everything I want. And sound like I want, without the help of more equipment.

     

    I am hoping that by telling them what I didn't like. They can possibly change it, or add to it, in the next version.

    I want to own one. I want it to work and sound so good that I can't even consider returning it.

    I rarely buy the first version of anything. And I think this one is suffering from version1 syndrome.

    I'm still a potential customer. When the next one rolls out I will be very excited to try it, and hopefully keep it.

     

    -ScottA

    • Upvote 3
  18. I'm posting this not to slam Line 6. But to give them some honest feedback.

     

    I bought the Helix recently because of all positive word of mouth about it on the web.

    I really liked the UI design. But I just could not get the kind of sound I wanted from it.

    No matter what I did. The sound was always a little bit muddy. And it sounded like I was playing behind the band.

    I wrote several custom patches, and I tried every option it had (EQ, compression, etc.) But it just didn't have the "presence" I wanted.

    It always felt "Back of the Band". It lacked a cutting edge to my ears.

     

    I have been using a Digitech GNX4 pedal for about 10 years. And while most of it is total garbage. I do have one custom Joe Satriani sounding style patch that makes the thing sound pretty darn good. Although a little bit thin sounding.

    I spent $400.00 for this pedal roughly 10 years ago. And I'm basically only getting one good usable sound from it.

    I was hoping the Helix would give me a catalog of other sounds to use. Plus a better "Satch" sound than my GNX4 pedal.

    But I just did not like the bottom heavy and muddy sounds from the Helix.

     

    On my GNX4. I can switch quickly and easily between wah & pitch shifter with the toe switch using the on board rocker pedal. And I use that all of the time.

    On the Helix. You can't do that. You have to play this little game of disable the wah and enable the pitch shifter thing. That was very disappointing to me.

     

    With my GNX4. If I lower the volume knob on my guitar to about half. As I pick the strings. The notes start off muted and then slowly ramp up. As If I'm rolling the volume knob up by hand. Eddie Van Halen uses this volume knob rolling technique very heavily in his solos.

    This happens because the GNX is cheaper. But I have grown to really love this behavior. It makes soft songs sound so beautiful. And I use it constantly. And this behavior is gone on the Helix. Because the Helix is more accurate.

    I would severely miss this behavior if it was taken away from me. Maybe this "auto volume roll up" can be built in as an effect?

     

     

    In summation:

    -The Helix has a thicker, muddier, sound than what I wanted. It's not really bad. But it lacked a cutting edge to my ears.

    -My old GNX4 has a thinner, cheaper, sound than what I want. But I love the way the pedal works (even if it's inaccurate).

    -The Helix removes some of the GNX4 behaviors that I love and use all of the time.

    -The selection of amps was a bit limited compared to other pedals

     

    If the Helix cost around $600.00. I probably would not have returned it.

    I would have kept it and tried to mix it with my GNX4 pedal to try and get that middle sound that I'm looking for.

    But at a price tag of $1500.00. It made no sense to keep it.

     

    Please take these things as constructive feedback. And not criticisms. The unit just wasn't quite what I wanted or hoped it would be.

    I wasn't turned off by it. But I wasn't $1500.00 worth of turned on by it either. ;-)

    But it wasn't too far from the target. I actually thought about keeping it for a while.

    I can't wait to try out the next version.

     

     

    -ScottA

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