Line 6 support Bad reputation ?

[dan007]

Hello,

I come to share here my disappointment about the Line 6 support.

On January 6, 2016, I opened a ticket, to report problems of artifacts and distortion with my Helix.

The last response of support Line 6 (Mr.wvolkmann) dated January 8/16.(Attach Files)

I tried 3 times (8, 13 and 20 January) to re-contact the Support Line 6, but in vain nobody answered me.

If a manager of Line 6, conscious brand reputation, could prove to me that customers Line 6 are not cash cows, I will be grateful.

Thank you.

[silverhead]

I have flagged this to the Line 6 Customer Service manager. He should get back to you soon, either here or via Private Messaging to your account.

[fukuri]

The response to tickets is not great in my experience

I've had one open for weeks about the audio issue

Last updated 8th of Jan when they asked me to try other computers

I can't do that. It doesn't mean I don't have a problem

I can't use the Helix as an Audio device for my Mac

It's an advertised feature and it's not like Line6 don't know it's a problem although I really don't like the way it's been underplayed (occasional pops and glitches my arse)

Mind you after the amount of time it took to fix Bluetooth on the Amplifi (over a year) I'm a little concerned

[ozbadman]

Hello,

I come to share here my disappointment about the Line 6 support.

On January 6, 2016, I opened a ticket, to report problems of artifacts and distortion with my Helix.

The last response of support Line 6 (Mr.wvolkmann) dated January 8/16.(Attach Files)

I tried 3 times (8, 13 and 20 January) to re-contact the Support Line 6, but in vain nobody answered me.

If a manager of Line 6, conscious brand reputation, could prove to me that customers Line 6 are not cash cows, I will be grateful.

Thank you.

To be honest, Line 6 support generally has an excellent reputation. Far better than most modern companies. And because L6 QA has not always been so great, L6 support has to step in to fix some strange problems sometimes. I don't know why you're having a bad experience, but hopefully now the Service Manager is stepping in, you should be sorted out. But, as I say, Line 6 support has generally been very responsive, and flexible about doing whatever is necessary to try to make the customers happy. Personally, I have only ever had really good experiences with L6 support.

[arislaf]

Have to agree with Oz.. L6 has a great support, but a terrible QC. 

[PeterHamm]

My experience with Line 6 service has been stellar.

Had a JTV a few years back. needed service, they took care of me like I was really somethin' special.

 

As far as QC goes, I've owned POD, upgraded it to POD 2.0, XT Pro with foot controller, X3 live, M13, DL4, HD 500 and now I have a Helix.

That JTV was the only service issue I ever had, so my own personal experience of their QC is excellent.

[amsdenj]

I too have had good experiences with Line6 support, having had many Line6 products over the years. In the past, the Line6 products were in the upper end of consumer electronics marketplace. At that market position, and given the nature of change in the amp modeling and digital signal processing fields, I was not surprised to see some quality control issues, and rapid obsolesce; disappointed, but not that surprised. I took it as my own risk in being an early adopter of emerging new technologies.

 

However, Helix is a different story at a different time. First there's the 3X price point compared to the 500X market position. That raises expectations for capability, quality, durability and life-time. Its still not the same as a $3K guitar, but I hope Helix isn't obsolete in a year. Second, the market is different. There's lots of great digital amp modeling solutions out there including Kemper Amps and Axe-FX. Plus there are a number of excellent options for iPad (BIAS FX) and computer (S-Gear) that really rival what is possible in dedicated hardware units.

 

Helix is a big step forward for Line6 and the modeling industry. Let's give them some time to address some of the issues that can only be discovered in practical usage scenarios, fill out the available models (amps and effects), address the Mac OS X USB audio issue, etc. I have faith in Line6 that these problems will be addressed and we will be happy for a long time with our investment in Helix.

 

[dan007]

To put the record straight:

--The Helix USB problem has been known for several weeks.

-I do not ask support Line 6 an immediate solution, but just an answer, for me, it is a courtesy rule.

 

Since then, Line 6 support replied ..
But it took a post on the forum and 14 days of waiting.

[cruisinon2]

...but I hope Helix isn't obsolete in a year.

Almost everything is obsolete in a year's time, now. It's not even about necessity anymore, it's the tech-obsessed, instant gratification culture we've created. I've made my peace with it. It's either that, or go broke buying every new piece of gear that's released. You could bounce from one rig to another every 6 months if you wanted to...but I have neither the time, the energy, nor the funds to do that.

[gkinder]

 

Helix is a big step forward for Line6 and the modeling industry. Let's give them some time to address some of the issues that can only be discovered in practical usage scenarios, fill out the available models (amps and effects), address the Mac OS X USB audio issue, etc. I have faith in Line6 that these problems will be addressed and we will be happy for a long time with our investment in Helix.

 

Well said sir.....real world bugs and fixes take time and the Helix certainly appears to be a unit that is capable of expansion/revision over a long life cycle...in all fairness to Line 6, they have been pretty responsive, IMO, to making updates and expansions already.....how long has it been out? Not even four months and we've already seen a number of updates, new FX, and next week new amps, FX, librarian and editor....not bad support at all....

[PeterHamm]

Almost everything is obsolete in a year's time, now. It's not even about necessity anymore, it's the tech-obsessed, instant gratification culture we've created. I've made my peace with it. It's either that, or go broke buying every new piece of gear that's released. You could bounce from one rig to another every 6 months if you wanted to...but I have neither the time, the energy, nor the funds to do that.

 

There's truth to that, but the 5+ year old HD 500 is still current and is still perhaps the top of its class. An Axe FX Ultra is still making a lot of people money day after day. And the Kemper has been around for a few years now. Still current.

 

Helix will be a top-tier product from them for, I bet, 3 - 5 years, and will be useful to me long after that.

[duncann]

It's probably a good thing that guitar processors don't progress as fast as computers. I have a feeling I'll being using my Helix for quite some time to come. A decade maybe.

[cruisinon2]

There's truth to that, but the 5+ year old HD 500 is still current and is still perhaps the top of its class. An Axe FX Ultra is still making a lot of people money day after day. And the Kemper has been around for a few years now. Still current.

 

Helix will be a top-tier product from them for, I bet, 3 - 5 years, and will be useful to me long after that.

Of course you can continue to use stuff. That won't stop the next shiny new toy from coming, however...and there will always be those folks who cannot resist the allure of the next "big thing". The new gadget, whatever it is, will always upstage the current units somehow, with some feature or function that you're current one doesn't have. And they'll keep coming faster and faster as the years go by. NAMM wouldn't bother having a show twice a year if this weren't the case.