ChubbyJerk Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Electro Harmonix is releasing yet another pedal in their line of <type>9 effects, the Mel9. If you're unfamiliar, check out the videos for the Mel9, Key9, C9, and B9. These things are crazy cool. Limited use, perhaps, but incredibly cool. And of course, they've got the older classics, POG, POG2, HOG, Micro and Nano POG...Pitchfork...maybe one or two more? I didn't submit an IdeaScale for the Mel9, because there are already several for other variations, but this is a line of pedals that I would pay to add on to my Helix. Yes, I would gladly pay for an add-on pack to a $1500 unit that gave me some of these effects. If there isn't the specific fuzz pedal you want on the Helix, you can substitute one of the existing models and have something similar. Same with reverbs, delays, and so on. But there's nothing that can get you the sounds of the Mel9, Key9, etc. Even the octaver in the Helix, which is pretty good, is just not up to the standards of the POG line (in my opinion). Glenn D has a decent organ patch, but he made an entire patch for that and it still isn't in the same league as the B9/C9. So here's my suggestion, which will probably get me mocked, ridiculed, and downvoted. (Is downvoting a thing here?) They have a head-start and they've already nailed this stuff. You can't catch up. So work with EHX, license their code, and sell add-ons for the Helix that contain these effects. They've got this style of effect down. They know what they're doing, and they've clearly got a generic code base that does the tracking for them to use in all these separate pedals. There are two reasons I would pay for this: 1) I don't think it would ever be possible to get it done without licensing the code from EHX. 2) They're very niche effects. Not so much the generic octave sound, but the B9/C9/Key9/Mel9 definitely are. It's a lot of development effort, even if you license the effects, for such a niche effect. (To be clear, I am not claiming it would be simple to implement these from the coding side, even if you license their codebase. I understand it's built on a different platform and would not be something you could just drop in. But there's got to be math and formulas and so on that you could pull out and refactor for your code, right? Or sub-contract their developers to work on your system...) Side note: having just sold my Boss SY300 to help fund my Helix purchase, I'm pretty disappointed in the synth effects on the Helix. I know the Helix can't compete with a $600 box whose soul purpose is to create synth tones, but you're still behind your old Line 6 models in this, and even things like the Zoom B3 have better synth sounds. It makes me sad. :( I really really want my $1500 multi-effects pedal to be the only pedal I use, but right now there are some areas that are lacking. Obviously, this is all subjective, just my opinion, and so on. You're free to disagree. Having said all that, I do love my Helix. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graemey Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I'm currently morphing from one live set up to another centered around Helix. I will be building a new pedal board over the next month and will be incorporating my C9, Key 9 and possibly my Hog and it's foot controller. The Helix is awesome, but I would miss the polyphonic EHX devices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d0stenning Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 I actually think it would be good if Line 6 were to produce their own unique killer delay, harmoniser, boost effects - etc - ones that don't merely compete equally with the boutiques etc.. but better them by miles.... becoming "go to" effects i their own right ! after all L6 have been in the DSP and effects game for longer than many of the boutique pedal manufacturers so should have the edge. I confess I always avoided the effects in my Pods and HELIX named L6 - assuming that since they weren't a copy of anything they couldn't be any good - or were probably ultra clean "digital" - but maybe wrongly so. Wouldn't it be cool if people over time actually ended up using Blocks that were pure L6 inventions ? inspired for sure by existing pedals but not a copy of any particular one of them - instead being true Line 6 "originals"... taking things further ? bettering them ? Just my tuppeneth.. Maybe they need a better "Brand Name" for their own range than L6 - ( how about "Fat Freddy" ? ) - And even sell the effects through a new "boutique" stomp pedal range ? put them up against the competition ? so many pedals out there are basically DSP inside anyway arena they these days ( delay/reverb/harmoniser/chorus/tape echo sim etc ) ? and then of course give or sell us these in the HELIX too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRalphN Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 It is an interesting idea. While I would have zero use of these I know man people would. I have a close friend who loves his B9 and has used it in recordings already. I have wondered if there will be third party plugins with the Helix. This would require Line 6 to release or sell a developers kit. I do not know if that is even possible with how they describe the process of component modeling. But it would be a cool idea. How about a Korg SDD 2000 delay plugin? My favorite of all time. Or a Dallas Arbiter Rangemaster? Or even a company like JHS making a Helix line? I think the problem will be, even if this is possible, that the research and development time might be too great for most companies to try it. What would they need to charge? I would pay $50 for three o four effects or amps but if they were $50 a piece I might not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suckamc Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 By a mile, the pedal I'd most want to have emulated is the POG/HOG. No one does a pitch shifter that sounds the same. Most have that Eventide tone (which is fine). The POG is just...special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Just gimme "Heel down wah off" settings on my mission pedals. Thats all I want... Edited- see below lol..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 The problem I think MIGHT be that any of these may end up being serious resource hogs, and at that point, I think I'd rather just have a POG2 or maybe a HOG2 this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loann Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I like your idea but there are other things I'd want to jam in the Helix more. Modelers will never nail all of everyone's favorite pices of gear which is kind of a beautiful - though inconvenient - thing. We wouldn't want to put innovative builders out of business would we? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theKennyG Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I like your idea but there are other things I'd want to jam in the Helix more. Modelers will never nail all of everyone's favorite pices of gear which is kind of a beautiful - though inconvenient - thing. We wouldn't want to put innovative builders out of business would we? I bet this was one of the main considerations for putting 4 effects loops in Helix. We can have the best of both worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loann Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 I bet this was one of the main considerations for putting 4 effects loops in Helix. We can have the best of both worlds. Sure and it's great that they're there. On the other hand, it's heavy and big enough as it is that many people myself included would be discouraged of fitting it on a board with other pedals. I still use the loops for various purposes in my home studio but live I'll likely only ever use 1 send for my in-ear premix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricstudioc Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 After my first gig with the Helix, just by itself on the floor, I've since dug into the closet and pulled out an old pedalboard I made some years back. Lower shelf fits the Helix and 2 EX-1 pedals - the upper tier currently has my G50 receiver and my POG2. As said above it just has a vibe to it (and poly!) that nothing else comes close to. Did some measuring on the top tier, and I think there's a Mel9. C9, and Key9 in my immediate future. They'd provide an enormous addition to my available palette without having to go the whole 13 pin route - I've got whole racks on wheels dedicated to earlier such setups. Gimme a Variax, Helix, and some EHX pedals and I'm 80% of the way there - close enough, and utterly portable.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChubbyJerk Posted March 18, 2016 Author Share Posted March 18, 2016 Some solid points, like the effects loops. And some good alternatives, like an SDK. The true power behind the iPhone / Android platforms is the app store, right? And Line 6 did something similar with the ToneCore platform, although that never took off. Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't mention that... :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterHamm Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Just saw the mel9 demo.going to pre-order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Just saw the mel9 demo. going to pre-order. Yea thats a wild little box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graemey Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 Starting my pedal board... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Kewl board!!! Now Im thinking B9 and Key9 for my Helix rack! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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