Helix and AX8 are shipped!

[Hattrick17]

I am looking for a digital modeler and have been in a quandary as per which one to buy?   That being said I ordered both a Helix and an AX8 and will be comparing them over the next 15 days.   The main purpose for this is to move towards a more compact FRFR guitar rig with a combined pedal/amp board and a pair of powered FRFR guitar wedges.   Here is what I presently own.

 

Rack

 

Furman Power Conditioner

A pair of Sennheiser Wireless systems, (one for acoustic one for electric guitar)

Egnater M4 Pre-Amp with TD, VX, SL2, and EG5 modules

Palmer PGA-05 Speaker simulator (amp load for M4)

Rane 6 channel stereo mixer

 

Pedal Board

 

Boss TU-2

Teese RM3 Wah

Keeley Time Machine Boost

H9 and H9 Core (Rane Effects loop)

 

Acoustic guitar channel 1 Rane

Electric Guitar (Egnater > Palmer) channel 2 Rane

H9, H9 Core > effects loop Rane

 

Speakers

​

A pair of Xitone 1x12 Matrix powered FRFR coaxial wedge monitors.

This is all for performing and recording.

 

Replace rack and pedal board with Helix or AX8

 

Thoughts?

[glideman]

I got rid of the AX8 and bought another Kemper for my alternate rig to go with Helix.

[Hattrick17]

Hi glideman,

What were the main reasons to sell the AX8?   Why Kemper and Helix?

[roscoe5]

No experience with AX8, but Helix could replace it all. But you can keep some pieces of you'll stuff in play with Helix if you wanted.

 

A lot of users here have an H9 on their boards with Helix though.

 

And man, the Egnater modular stuff sounds great. The EG5 module is stellar. You could keep that in a loop in Helix and control it easily with Helix as well.

 

Patches with loop blocks for outboard gear are easy to build in Helix. I don't know about AX8.

[Hattrick17]

No experience with AX8, but Helix could replace it all. But you can keep some pieces of you'll stuff in play with Helix if you wanted.

 

A lot of users here have an H9 on their boards with Helix though.

 

And man, the Egnater modular stuff sounds great. The EG5 module is stellar. You could keep that in a loop in Helix and control it easily with Helix as well.

 

Patches with loop blocks for outboard gear are easy to build in Helix. I don't know about AX8.

 

I will most likely keep everything, until I realize it is gathering lots of dust.  I also have an interest in the Synergy Module Tube System but for now I want to see if FRFR will do the trick with Helix or AX8

[roscoe5]

I've been watching the Synergy stuff too. I haven't gone full FRFR yet. I really like Helix into tube power amp and V30 cab. I think I have a good neutral tube power amp in an old Line 6 Spider Valve HD100 right now, but that SYN50/50 stereo tube power amp could be really nice.

 

I had a Randall RM100 with some modded modules that I loved. Ended up selling it a while back.

[glideman]

I'm just done with the world of deep edit and 1000 menus. I don't gain enough for my usage style with the Fractal stuff. I had Axe fx II XL+ and Kemper Rack before Helix and got rid if then after I was satisfied enough with the all in one pedal solution Helix afforded.

 

I ended up missing the Kemper. So I bought a used toaster and kpa remote pedal. I was using the Behringer MIDI pedal with my Kemper Rack.

 

Helix did well at the biggest most important gig I've played with it yet last night! Sounded great in the mix. I'm about tweaked and volume balanced now. So the base sounds are ready for prime time and proven.

[Hattrick17]

I'm just done with the world of deep edit and 1000 menus. I don't gain enough for my usage style with the Fractal stuff. I had Axe fx II XL+ and Kemper Rack before Helix and got rid if then after I was satisfied enough with the all in one pedal solution Helix afforded.

 

I ended up missing the Kemper. So I bought a used toaster and kpa remote pedal. I was using the Behringer MIDI pedal with my Kemper Rack.

 

Helix did well at the biggest most important gig I've played with it yet last night! Sounded great in the mix. I'm about tweaked and volume balanced now. So the base sounds are ready for prime time and proven.

 

Great to hear as per using the Helix Live.  So I presume you don't use the Kemper live?

[fiveways]

I borrowed a kemper and didn't enjoy it at all.  Nice amps, mostly awful effects.  If amps are your real priority it might work for you.  The helix has a hiwatt model that is good enough for 99% of my direct stuff, I mostly use it for the effects so my needs are different than the average user.

Helix and a FX8 seems to be where i am heading.  I really hope they add a reverse reverb to either of those units. 

[glideman]

 

I'm just done with the world of deep edit and 1000 menus. I don't gain enough for my usage style with the Fractal stuff. I had Axe fx II XL+ and Kemper Rack before Helix and got rid if then after I was satisfied enough with the all in one pedal solution Helix afforded.

 

I ended up missing the Kemper. So I bought a used toaster and kpa remote pedal. I was using the Behringer MIDI pedal with my Kemper Rack.

 

Helix did well at the biggest most important gig I've played with it yet last night! Sounded great in the mix. I'm about tweaked and volume balanced now. So the base sounds are ready for prime time and proven.

 

Great to hear as per using the Helix Live. So I presume you don't use the Kemper live?

I used to use the Kemper Rack live all the time. It will actually be nicer with the Kemper Remote and my two Mission for Kemper expression pedals I kept.

 

I'll probably use Helix live and Kemper in the studio unless I feel like a change of pace for a few gigs. If you can afford both, it's a win/win situation. You always have a great backup rig, too.

 

It still boils down to personal preference in my opinion concerning Fractal/Kemper/Helix at this stage of the game. Obviously I'm not a fan boy, finding great things in all of them. Just been blessed to have owned them all.

 

My church band audition this week after work should be interesting with Helix. The girl that plays electric for them is using an X3 Live (yeah, I had one of those, too. LoL!) Still gets some really cool sounds for that genre with it, too.

[Hattrick17]

I now have both the Helix and the AX8 my first findings are they both are awesome devices!  Yeah I know no news flash here.   The first test I did was to see if these could replace my analog rack rig and pedals and the answer is yes!  That was great.  The first one I will be working with is the Helix being it seems a bit easier to navigate right out of the box.  One question I have already is how do you toggle between Expression pedal 1 & 2 if you assingn 1 for volume and 2 for Wah?  What is the work around for doing "Scene" type settings with the Helix like the AX8?

[roscoe5]

The toe switch on the expression pedal toggle 1 & 2...engage it like a wah.

 

I don't know a workaround for true scenes, like Pod HD and my M13 had. I use banks for preset "scenes" and switch to foot switch mode for pedalboard stomp type "scenes".

 

I believe scenes are in the Line 6 to do radar for Helix.

[PeterHamm]

there are some inherent advantages to Helix if you're going to do acoustic, though, I suspect.

I do both at the same time with it. Just awesome.

[Hattrick17]

I must be blind where is this toe switch? 

[PeterHamm]

I must be blind where is this toe switch? 

 

you have to press down on the EXP on Helix HARD to engage it. It loosens up a little over time, but not much. 

 

You MUST have the unit on the floor and use your feet. Your hand will never engage it.

[Hattrick17]

:D LMAO, I was trying to engage it with my hand on the table.  LOL

I got it to trigger on and off.  Reading the manual it looks like volume is defaulted to toe as is volume.  I don't find much need for a volume pedal but for fading in and out delay or other modulation effects yes.