jamjameson

How do you know that? Are you just assuming it because Helix Floor has double DSP? Remember, POD HD500X allows you to run only 2 amps + 8 effects. HD300 only 1 amp + 4 effects. Helix Floor allows you to run 4 amps + 28 effects at once. That's way more than the increase in DSP power, meaning Helix models may even be using less processing power than PODHD models, which is entirely possible because improved software is often more efficient. Plus HX Stomp can now run 8 blocks on single DSP and that limit still likely to be artificial. Obviously how many you can run at once varies from case to case but overall everything points to both generations using somewhat comparable processing power. If HD500X were to run Helix models, they would likely not even remove any slots, even if that would make DSP LIMIT REACHED happen more often. Event if they turned it from 2+8 into 1+4, it would still be a spectacular update for HD500X owners, considering how much better Helix sounds. The reason they didn't do that is simply because that's not how their business works, not because of technical limitations. I wasn't making a comparison. I was demonstrating that chips don't determine modelling quality. You are actually supporting my point by further reiterating that more powerful processor increases quantity, not quality. And the reason why I think Helix Native is a particularly good example is because if Helix algorithms were challenging to run I'd expect PCs to be the first ones having trouble with that. Because GPPs used there are not only not designed specifically for audio processing but also vary a lot from PC to PC and they have to run the entire PC with all the drivers and everything right as they are processing that audio. I would assume this could cause all kinds of trouble for such time-sensitive algorithms as live amp modelling. Yet Helix Native runs rather flawlessly. You can play through it live as long as your audio interface is fast enough. This suggests to me that it would also run flawlessly on HD500x, and I'd bet even the next-gen Helix would. HX Stomp and Helix Native are good demonstrations of how Helix can run on more or less anything. They probably could even put it onto phones if they wished. But of course they are hesitant of making it too accessible, as that would reduce value perception. HX Stomp is already a pretty big hit on that front. It sort of opens people's eyes to the fact that Helix sound doesn't really require a big and expensive piece of gear. How can you assure me they are not holding anything back? I assume that would require full knowledge of the current development pipeline. What makes you so sure they don't have Helix HD ready and waiting for the right moment? Or that it's close to be ready for that matter. And if that was indeed the case, don't you think it would be in Line6's interest to publicly announce it so that people waiting for next-gen would buy the current one? Also, I don't think that how long they'll keep updating Helix 1 is very relevant for this topic. They may be updating it in parallel with Helix HD, that won't really make it any less painful if you cash out for Helix Floor a few months before Helix HD comes out.

There seems to be an overarching misconception throughout this thread. Guys, why are you all so certain that the power of the chips has any significant impact on the quality of the modelling? I don't think there is any reason to believe that at all. AFAIK in modern modellers chips mostly determine quantity of things you can run at once, not quality. Look at Helix Native: it can run even on really old PCs despite the fact that PCs run general-purpose processors that are dramatically less efficient at audio processing than dedicated DSPs. And the sound is exactly the same as on Helix Floor. The advantage of having dedicated DSPs in Helix hardware is at having consistent latency and reliability, not sound quality. I am almost certain that Helix modelling would run on PODHD hardware just fine. Meaning that Helix hardware was not introduced because they needed it for the new modelling, but because they needed a way to sell the new software. Line6 is a digital audio company. Their product is ultimately digital, their hardware is mostly just packaging. If they wanted to just keep updating PODHD with paid model packs, they could. Probably wouldn't be able to make much money that way though, hence came Helix Floor. At the same time, while I think Helix amps are good enough to be usable all the way to pro level, I don't think the modelling is perfect. There is definitely room for improvement, for some kind of Helix HD amps. They could sell them as paid updates for the Helix, but I doubt that would happen. If that were the path we would probably know about it by now. The fact that they keep shipping new amps with free updates tells me that they are not planning on refocusing their business model towards direct software sales (that would be a very big change). This means a new generation of Helix hardware can't be too far. Given the history of their previous products, it is likely to be very close indeed. Who knows, maybe they even have it ready and are waiting for this pandemic to be over. So with all that, I find it very hard to recommend buying Helix hardware right now, especially the most expensive models.