SaschaFranck

Ok. See, I *perfectly* get what you're saying. I also think there could probably be ways to gaplessly (and with delay/reverb trails) switch between patches in case they were pretty similar (was like that on older Boss GT models), kinda like a group of patches working as "snapshot supersets" or whatever. Also, as I have mentioned before, if there was something like a global block functionality (read: basically, blocks tagged as "global" would stay the same when you switch presets), quite some of these things would not be relevant anymore, as you could simply have a group of patches using the same "basic ingredients" but offering "different spices", so to say. In that case, one could arrange anything demanding quick switches (and/or FX trails) within one patch (most typical scenario: one patch per song), while still being able to manage and finetune multiple patches with ease (I'm sure we all know how unpleasant it is to even just dial in proper levels for a bunch of patches using more than one amp). Global blocks would also serve some other purposes just nicely. Anyway, that's not exactly what I wanted to say, but: I'm not sure how much you have explored the layout options for patches along with snapshots and nicely assigned switches, along with the various options to switch between modes. I'm usually playing gigs demanding a certain bandwidth of sounds. And so far, I have managed to get through each and every of these gigs using exactly one single patch all throughout the event. Usually, in most of my patches, there's two amp blocks, one IR block, two delay blocks, two reverb blocks, various drive blocks (2-4), some comp block(s), some EQ blocks (2-3), a wah block, a gate block. And most often, there's still enough space/juice for the occasional modulation block and a looper. The tones I can get within such a single patch can be *very* different, ranging from super clean to fullblown drive - with anything inbetween, so I can usually vary the clean amp from funky clean to thick jazzy leads or the driven one from mellow, just above breakup, to full riffing. Apart from the big Axe FX, I wouldn't happen to know of any modeler allowing me to do that. As said, with other modelers (especially with the GT-1000) there's different (and perhaps more effective or easier) ways to skin this cat, but the amount of things you can do within one patch on a Helix is still quite mindblowing. Fwiw, the fact that this is so has been the reason for me to go for a Helix instead of a GT-1000. In case I had to switch patches all the time because I would feel too limited otherwise, I would've bought a GT.

While the guys were quite cool, IMO that live video was lame and didn't offer any information to me that I wasn't aware of before already. They didn't bother to answer my questions about the lack of SPDIF, either (which will really annoy some folks).

Precisely. And it's absolutely as much of a pain in the butt with the Helix. And while snapshots are fantastic, they aren't really a solution, simply because I have to stuff so much things into one preset that there's no room for some fun stuff anymore. If they added a global blocks functionality, all that would be adressed just fine.

You just don't seem to get the point. So I'll rest my case.

Well, then the implementation is just bad (or it's the wonky bluetooth protocol, which really isn't worth anything). I mean, do you have issues with the touchscreen of an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy? There's no reason why the screen of the Cortex should be any worse.

So, would someone elaborate what's the bad thing about a touchscreen?

It is every bit the question. For the sake of the argument: In case two modelers sound identical and in case you don't need any other features than those both are providing, which one would you chose, the one causing lags when switching presets or the one switching instantaneously? And that's absolutely all there is about it. Now, I have chosen to go with the Helix as well, for a variety of reasons (see "other features" above), but I almost hadn't. As said already, Line 6 have it in their hands to change things pretty much dramatically by implementing certain things - and no, I'm not talking about gapless patch switching but about things that would make it superfluous. But in case they won't adress this issue (which even seems to be more of an issue for other folks but myself), I wouldn't be wondering why folks go for another modeler.

So what? When my ears tell me that something sounds good, I trust them.

Similar but with some more descriptions: https://helixhelp.com/

They're mainly not using bluetooth on the Cortex but Wifi - which usually is *way* more robust (and way faster, too). And as far as the touchscreen goes, I fail to see what's bad about it. Have you seen the video where they adjust the parametric EQ? That's just gorgeous. Also, dragging blocks around should be *heaps* quicker. No idea why one wouldn't want that.

I'm afraid I can't exactly agree. Less amps? Yes. Worse amps? Not really.

Try using one of these IRs at gig/rehearsal volume. Served me well for over around two years already in a plethora of different live situations playing different styles. And yes, I never use anything else but these two live. Might not be everybody's COT, but apart from loading them and turning up your FRFR to good volume, it won't cost you anything. Gen_01.wav Gen_01_bright.wav

For whatever reasons, preset switching on the Boss GT-1000 is *way* faster, almost instantaneous. In addition, as the main reverb and delay blocks are present in each patch, in most situations even reverb/delay spillover is possible. Anyway, if they added a global block functionality, all of this would be way less of an issue (I'd happily elaborate why that would be so).

Hm, I actually like the design of the Kemper a whole lot.

Yeah well, the Mooer functionality doesn't seem to be much more than a match EQ (and not even a good one at that). Same goes for PGs Bias Amp. Personally, I like quite some of the profiles available for the KPA. IMO the MBritt stuff is just excellent - and at least for some of these profiles, I wouldn't happen to know how to get there with the Helix. Anyway, regarding plain amp sounds, I really don't need much more (even if I could happily do with some Dumble things), but I could imagine having plenty of fun profiling (err... capturing) rather unusual things, such as, say, a combination of two amps doing different things in the high and low registers. Fwiw, I'm actually wondering why there seem to be so little experimental profiles - well, maybe there's a lot of them and they're just not very wellknown. Still, so far there's just pictures and no sounds or anything. But then, in 1.5 hours their live Q&A stream on YT will start. That should be quite interesting.

There's a list of some of the included amps somewhere already, containing all the typical stuff as well. Their Archtype plugins (ported to the Cortex) will only be an addon - kinda like the genuine L6 amps (Badonk et al). Fwiw, these aren't the tones I'm after, either. I like it quite a bit more raw. Yet, they demonstrate Neural DSPs coding skills quite fine - and I absolutely don't think you can get the same quality from each and every modeler, they're really detailed and dynamic. In case they manage to keep that level of dynamics and details with whatever standard amps, I'd be all in.

I'm not all *that* excited (and I'd never place a pre-order), but the specs are pretty awsome so far, the CEO is a serious guy in the MI business and their plugins are pretty much top notch. So, given just the description and ignoring things we don't know yet (for me certain things regarding usability would be most crucial), personally, this really checks more boxes than any other modeling product on the market. Nothing making me nervous, though. The Helix is serving me marvellously fine and in case it won't break, I would possibly never "need" anything else. I'm also not someone to quickly hop onto each and every new thing just because it's there. But then, from all that is known so far, this is simply too good to be ignored by anybody into this kinda thing.

While you're (probably) right, I know what I'd prefer, though.

I have no idea about the total number of failures, but I do know two guys personally who had to have their joysticks resoldered. Out of the, hm, 6 (or 7, there's one guy I don't really know...) Helix users (8 including myself), that's 25% already. Add to this the "non-lethal" issues, such as the thing wearing out (a lot too fast, if you asked me). Maybe it's been a bad production run shipping to Germany, maybe not.

And well, fwiw, you might even be able to run this thing from a powerbank (I absolutely don't like wall warts, but they're not the end of the world, either - and you could run 12V straight from a car battery).

Apparently they didn't "win enough" - otherwise Android phones wouldn't look 1:1 like iPhones. Besides, I think the case was more about multi gestures, swiping and such. And even regarding those Apple didn't win. Really, there's only so much ways to put icons onto a flatscreen and demonstrate a signal flow between them. Sure, they could've made them circles or triangles, but that's really about it. Apart from that, tried and trusted designs are copied, that's the way things go, absolutely no way around it. Fwiw, personally, I found it more amusing that they used "Cortex". Cortex vs. Helix... that's a nice little side stab. Anyway, they seem to be doing exactly what most people in the modeling world want: Combining modeling and profiling (err... amp capturing) in one unit and spraying massive amounts of CPU power icing onto that already delicious cake. All that with a great to use interface which will make any of the others completely pale in comparison. A touchscreen *and* enough knobs to twiddle, yay! Talk about decent fly rigs - weight comes in at a quarter of the Helix (and you could hide an EXP pedal between your socks). I'd also imagine their XLR outs will work without a phantom power blocker and their mic ins won't break once you actually use phantom power with them (sorry but no sorry, pun intended). In a nutshell: What's not to like? The only thing I see so far is the lack of a digital I/O, can't exactly understand why they leave that out. And perhaps the switches might be too close to each other (not *that* much closer than on the Helix, but I sometimes wish for a tad more space to do my stepdance already). Regarding the durability of the switches also serving as rotary encoders, I completely trust scandinavian engineering. I mean, TC has already shown it with the G-System that such things can work flawlessly over decades in case the quality is decent (unlike certain joysticks we all know...). Bottomline: I'm all interested. More than in anything else on the modeling scene.

Usually, mic combinations are merged into one mono IR.

As said several times before: add an option to couple IRs with patches and all is fine and dandy.

So, nobody on this? This is really spoiling quite some fun for me...

No. I'm talking about the full, registered version. I can reproduce that by 100%. So do other people. The trial version is even worse (I already reported that) - not because it requires online access but because it's as well regularly crashing in a reproduceable fashion. IMO this needs to be adressed urgently as plenty of people (myself included) don't show any understanding for a plugin calling home each time you open it. This should only happen once you try to access your account and/or the marketplace via the plugin UI but never ever in any other situation. Especially not in case these attempts to call home result in crashes. Unfortunately, this seems to be a fashion among plugin makers these days. Bias FX is trying to connect well over 20 web adresses each time you launch it (including Facebook, Googleads and what not). Absolutely ridiculous. I paid good money for it and yet, I uninstalled it. Won't transfer my license, either, as it'd be kinda un-ethical to sell something like that. Would not like to see HXN taking a similar route, but quite unfortunately, it looks awfully familiar.