Lachdanan0121

Native is a winner for me. Even though I got my Helix Rack before they released Native.

The updates /improvements they have done with the Helix lineup cements me into not even remotely thinking of going with an alternative route for my needs. Native is probably the single largest contributing factor. The Helix platform is fantastic for me as a studio musician, and mixing engineer. Native paired with the hardware makes Helix in a class of It's own.

Speaking only on "amp" models below.

270 amps? That is a lot. I don't know if I would want that, that would be a lot to shift through. I am also a studio musician, and mixing engineer, so that is coming from someone that uses quite a wide spectrum of sound, and many different styles.

Fairly, the helix currently has most of what I want/need. I can pretty much get close to the sound I want already. That said, I can think of about a dozen amps for additional flavors that I would want in the helix (many of which are mentioned in WilljRock's list). But I also know that there are some amps I haven't even thought about that I may really enjoy.

100-ish amps total in Helix over the next few years is not an unreasonable want. But almost triple that is too many Imo.

38 minutes ago, Kilrahi said:

 

Eh, it's hard to know. Truthfully, you know more about the guts of the Helix than I do, and if there are detailed stats on the Boss GT 1000 I haven't seen them. Plus, as far as I know you can't exactly hook both of them up to a benchmark site and stress test them. However, there are some perceptual things to think of:

 

1. Generally speaking, processors get both cheaper and more powerful by significant amounts over time. The GT 1000 came out over two years after the Helix.

2. I believe the Helix Processor is a dual core and the GT 1000 is a quad core. As a general rule, with exceptions, quad core is more powerful.

3. The GT 1000 brags that it's the first processor with "32-bit AD/DA and 32-bit/96 kHz internal processing." Advertisement after advertisement focuses on how powerful their little engine is. While all companies suffer from hyperbole, generally there are granules of truth to them and so I suspect that Boss made sure they could brag about their processor compared to their rivals.

 

Still, you're right, we just don't really know. I'm just working on a hunch.

 

However, as Apple has consistently demonstrated over the years, programming prowess is far superior to processing power as long as the disparity between the two processors is not light years apart. I believe Line 6 has the Apple edge in this case.

Let's hope that L6 doesn't take the Apple edge in pricing: Charging upwards of 3 times for a product that has similar specs/function/quality as it's competitors while constantly losing the stability edge that it is overwhelmingly praised for. ;)

like Cruisin said above. The ones that actually know haven't said anything other than new models are coming eventually in future updates.

That said, I have hopes, but they are more along the lines of the following:

more Engl

Diezel

Satan

XTC

More unknown amps like Diamond amps, or Revv amps.

More Line 6 originals.

Several more years is good to hear. I would be quite happy if we got another good 3 years from now of real support/updates, and more amp/FX models.

Anything more than that I would just consider super extra bonus fun time!

Be cautious

Be aware

Be careful

Hopefully, the crews battling this fire get it under control soon.

If any of you guys do studio work, or dabble in recording then I can't recommend Helix Native enough.

It is my favorite aspect of the entire Helix lineup.

It is the best sounding amp sim vst you can get for under $100.

Take advantage. Capitalize on such a great deal.

Coming from the set you have, yea a headphone upgrade will probably yield better results. Speakers are always an important part of the equation. Them being attached to your head doesn't change that fact.

I went from HD280 pros to a set of AKG K712 Pro. It is a night & day difference. Matter of fact those K712 Pro are the best I have heard/used.

If you were coming from something like the AKG K702 or Q701, then I would say it would be a lateral move at best, and a good chance of a downgrade while wasting money.

This past weekend I was dialing in a metal bass guitar tone with the software in my DAW. I have a parallel setup with EQs set to have one path be the lows, and the other path be the signal chain for the mids/highs. I got a decent chain doing this, and was thinking about popping Fabfilter's Saturn in there for a little distortion. However, I opted to try the Helix native with the bass pedals.

The Clawthorn was alright but not what I wanted, but as soon as I tried the Obsidian after adjusting parameters I had what I wanted, and didn't even need Saturn. I actually got better results with it than I was expecting from Saturn. So I have to reiterate that the Obsidian pedal is one very nice addition to the Helix for bass work.

IF it only happens in the DAW try this step.

I have to do this every time I open FL Studio, and open a project I am working on.  Its simple, but it is a true solution for me. 

Go into the ASIO/Driver section of options in your DAW once you have it open. 

Choose a different ASIO/driver option. Doesn't really matter which as long as it is a different one that won't immediately crash your DAW.  Now only after a few seconds, immediately back to Helix ASIO drivers. Give it a try now. 

I do this in FL Studio to refresh any under-runs that happen due to loading certain instruments within the project, or a project that is already open. Sometimes if I don't do this, it sounds like static running through a guitar amp. Once I do this everything is clear as day.  It only takes a couple of seconds honestly, and learning to work with the kinks/quirks of one's system is part of any audio engineer's trade. Its so habitual for me at this point its just part of the start up process. 

2 hours ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

Tread cautiously, my friend... lol ;)

Don't you mean thread cautiously, friend?

bah-dum-tish

4 hours ago, cliftonclyde said:

Thanks for all the responses. I took all the suggestions here and finally found the tone I was chasing. I used the ANGL METEOR amp, tweaked it some, then added a few pedals. I now have a super tight, aggressive tone. This is the tone that I have been dreaming of. I will post it on the Line 6 site for download when I get a chance. 

 

I am really happy that I have been a long supporter of Line 6 since I got the Spider II a long time ago. The Helix is simply amazing. 

I am glad you were able to work it out. 

When I first got my Helix I was having woofy-fart problems with my high gain tones with Helix.  I haven't been dabbling in mix engineering very long before I got it, and I  was mainly just home recording before that with 11R, and Pods. Now, as I have learn to dial in so much over time I have the best guitar tones I have ever dialed in, and I will continue to improve in that regard.  Same with Helix Native, better actually with Native cause I can automate almost anything in it.  

1 hour ago, bsd512 said:

Awesome amp! One of my favorites in the Helix.

I just recently dialed in a tone with the 1 Engl amp in the Helix (the ANGL METEOR) cause it is quite nice. This is also one reason why I really want them to add another Engl Amp to the Helix. 

3 hours ago, GuidedWay said:

 

This is what got me curious, posted by phil_m in another post.

 

"Seriously, though, there's a lot of stuff going behind the sceneswith this update that's setting the table for better things in thefuture. The GUI couldn't support a strobe tuner previouslybecause the refresh rate of the screen wasn't high enough. This update addressed the refresh rate, thus making something likethe strobe possible. There are other features in the future thatcould make use of that... Think of this update as more of amaintenance update than anything else. It's like getting the oilchanged in your car - not sexy, but necessary."

I saw the same post. Speaking of the screen refresh rate. This is one of the reasons that was explained to me from a few posters why the Helix doesn't have metering, refresh rate of the screen was too slow.

So, I am hopeful that this does indeed pave the way for metering, and clip indicators.

20 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

a missile launcher....;)

I need to find a way to mount this to the car. Lol

20 minutes ago, amsdenj said:

It's possible that Line6 is phase aligning the cabinets in the dual cabinet block, but they are not exactly phase aligned when in separate blocks. You should be able to see this in Logic.

 You know I have been thinking. 

I have seen your posts before quite a few times on here, and you are pretty damn knowledgeable. So I figured I would run this by you.

What about a setting/parameter in the cab blocks, and IR blocks of course,  that allows for manual adjustment phase alignment.  A knob/slider that allows you to set the offset in the cabs so you can blend the phase how you like?  

Is this a far-fetched idea? I assume it could be implemented to where people who don't want to mess with it won't ever have to touch it, and thus not mess up previous presets. I am not sure how much of a programming job that would be, but it would really allow for some surgical editing. 

Don't mean to steal thread, But it may be relevant.

12 hours ago, bsd512 said:

 

 

 

Known Issues:

• Loading a Distortion > Kinky Boost block can sometimes result in an audible thump

 

That cracked me up! I don't think that's a reference to an actual audio artifact. Lol :-)

 

It is isnt' it.  I mean if it was wordplay it would be "result in an audible hump."

I think I have read some users having a slight pop/thump when loading a blockl, could very well have been the kinky Boost.

Just now, tenorkeith said:

 

That's fine. How does one do that?

I think you have to ask the mods to do it, I am not sure if the OPs have that option when creating a thread.

5 minutes ago, tenorkeith said:

 

Nice try. But perhaps having lived in the real world longer gives you a better perspective on things. And yes, the polar bear was meant as a joke.

It must be exhausting to be professionally aggrieved.

Yep that is the same BS rhetoric that older generations use.  Even in the face of facts, numbers, statistics, history, logic, and science.  

I was not at all referring to your Polar Bear comment, just your Millennial shaming one.  

Anyway, moving on. Lets just end this.

13 minutes ago, tenorkeith said:

 

...is wording trying to demonize (or at the very least discredit) the older people of this time.... See how this works?

It was a JOKE!

Not quite, but nice try.  It is always people of older generations demonizing younger generations largely because they understand the problems of the the time a bit better. (and this will happen with each new generation theoretically) Those older are more set in their ways and largely don't want to adhere to knew understandings, and thus discredit the younger generation. This cycle has been extremely overt as the older generations are literally trying to turn the term Millennial into a negative word. AND anytime a young person says something along the lines of you need to learn how to use some technology, they are told "respect your elders." So again nice try, but no!

Ahh, the joke shield. I love a good joke, and that one was not. LOL

But anyway this thread is a time waste for me, and I am not gonna carry this on anymore.

1 hour ago, tenorkeith said:

 

Any other millennial shaming you'd like to do? Did I inadvertently kill a polar bear, too?

"Millennial shaming"  is wording trying to at very least discredit the younger people of this time because they seem to understand a problem better than you, or most of your generation.

20 hours ago, PiFromBRC said:

I know how you feel, brother.  When I was but a lad on the precipice of adolescence, I came up with the idea that male and female organs might actually fit together somehow.  Now all kinds of people are doing that and not one. single. person. has thanked me for the original concept.
 

LOL. Now that was pure gold. Thx for that.

49 minutes ago, PeterHamm said:

Also, there is this. They had to unify a code base for yet ANOTHER new product, and are preparing for other things in the relatively near future, if Eric’s hints are to be believed.

So, an update with no new amps or FX shouldn’t be a big deal.

I am not really disappointed by the update. I am glad that they did things under the hood for a longer support lifespan. I love the new strobe tuner, and glad they fixed some of the phase issues when using dual amp blocks. I hope with future updates (and yes I do expect them as it has been stated they are coming) I hope we get more goodies. But that doesn't mean I come in here, and lollipop & moan like the OP.  (I am grateful for this update if it indeed lays foundation work for future updates/support)

That said, I see Helix Rack + control, Floor, LT, HX, and now Stomp. I personally do wonder when they will slow down on new hardware, and put more focus into the hardware that is already avail. At this point I don't really see what they could add on the Helix hardware line that they don't have covered.  What a Helix combo amp,  desktop bean, or a pocket Helix, the Helix Cloud? (lol that last one was for my fellow gamer guitarists)

Nothing wrong with this sentiment...

I like the new strobe tuner.  I have used a couple of strobe tuners that weren't as intuitive. This one is nice.

I will say that with Helix, you can also get Helix Native (sold separately).  Presets interchangeable, and the sound is indistinguishable between Native, and Helix Rack... providing a quality front-end. (absolutely identical when using the Helix Rack as your audio interface)

With Bias you only get software

With AxeFX you only get hardware

With Helix you have access to both. Being able to completely meld the two like that has been a game changer for me in my studio.

Just thought I would throw that in there since you mentioned you will be primarily recording in your home studio.

Also I will point out for the price of a single AxeFXIII you can get a Helix rack, floor control, 2 mission expression pedals, Helix Native, and all the cables to use it. Then probably still have money left over. That said, AxeFXIII is a beast, I have heard some really great tones out of it. 

As long as the update actually does lengthen the lifespan of the current Helix Lineup then I am cool with the under the hood fixes, and the tuner being the only actual additions. I just hope the next update gives us some goodies.

The marketplace idea seems cool, but I am not sure how much I would actually utilize it.

Spikey, how much sharpie have you used?