Can Helix clean tones 'respond' like a valve amp?

[Monter]

Hi, I have owned 5 PODs since 1999, and still have my trusty old V2 and XT, which I still use from time to time and get some decent tones from. I have always enjoyed Line 6 gear, and now I'm umming and arrrring about Helix .... BUT the very fact that all processor-driven devices time-out so quickly (= devalues fast) plus the fact that the cost of a Helix is not far south of a decent amp head makes this a completely different proposition.

 

But i'm still curious, and there's one thing that might persuade me.

 

I'm a great believer in getting a good basic amp tone ... not masked by gain or other effects ... just a simple tone say, of a Plexi or AC30 with no heat dialed in at all. Over the years I have been able to get an approximation from the XT, but then when I A/B it against my Marshall 1987x or Blackstar Artist I am sorely reminded what all those components are doing! Both amps give great dynamic clean tones, and are a joy to noodle around with without any effects.   I well remember from my first beanie how important it is to have that benchmark, because it's so easy to go off piste with modelling. 

 

So is Helix really able to re-create the glorious base tones and dynamic of a good valve amp? Most of the U-Tube stuff tests hi gain models which I know L6 do well (remembering now my 500x) but I haven't seen evidence that Helix can perform well at clean and 'just clipping' tones.   

 

I'd like to hear from a Helix owner who doesn't always do hi gain tones, and has perhaps compared the playability of the Helix against a decent valve amp.