What's the difference?

[Peckanina]

a topic I haven't seen yet. What's the difference in the floor unit and the rack and floor unit? Besides a missing expression pedal on the rack and floor unit and an equal price point. What separates the 2?

[phil_m]

From a functionality perspective, none really. You get a few extra ins and outs with the rack, but both units are running the same firmware, and if you have the Rack and the Helix Control, the functionality is the same as the floorboard. They're just different form factors. Some people want all of their audio connections in a rack so they don't have to have any "mission critical" stuff on the floor.

[Peckanina]

first and foremost thank you for the speedy reply. I've had my helix preordered for some time now and I'm very excited. The idea of not having a mission critical device in the floor is awesome idea. The helix rack is basically going to replace my old spider 2 hd75 now.

 

Why wouldn't the helix control have an expression pedal on it but have the same price point on it? For those that preorder the rack unit and DONT have an expression pedal now have to additionally invest in an expression pedal.

 

Thank everyone for their time in answering or even looking at this thread.

[ColonelForbin]

Yeah, the extra expression pedals can get expensive! I just picked up a b-stock from Mission for $100:

 

http://missionengineering.com/?product=b-stock

 

But that's just the regular L6-EP1, which will work with Helix or Helix rack or Rack floor control:

 

http://missionengineering.com/?product=ep1-l6

 

They (Mission Engineering) are also now making a L6-EP specifically for the Helix Rack. The Rack floor control has a specific input for a toe switch, so you can use this pedal with two cables, to emulate the toe switch toggle on the regular Helix:

 

http://missionengineering.com/?product=sp1-l6h-line-6-helix

[PeterHamm]

...Why wouldn't the helix control have an expression pedal on it but have the same price point on it?...

 

If the control has an expression pedal, it won't fit in a 2sp rack drawer. Simple really.

 

 

The Rack/Control unit has no expression pedal and of course no scribble strip for the EXP. It should be noted that if you have volume pedals and existing EXP pedals, they MAY work just fine with Helix, but if you get the rack and must have an EXP with a toe switch, you have to buy the Mission above. Mission makes good stuff, so don't sweat it.

 

The Floor unit does not have Word Clock in. If you don't know what that means, I seriously doubt you need or want it.

 

That's all.

 

As of the forthcoming firmware 1.0.6, even patches will be shareable between them.

[Peckanina]

If the control has an expression pedal, it won't fit in a 2sp rack drawer. Simple really

Good call! Honestly the thought never crossed my mind! It makes total sense though. I actually found a "tutorial" on making an old cry baby way into an expression pedal.