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Helix II


MattRyan3777
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Didn't they just do a giveaway of Brendon Small's Helix or something?

 

That makes me wonder if they have a Helix II in the pipeline and are having artists try it out.  It may be as simple as a Helix with more DSP.

 

Since I JUST got a Helix finally, I kind of hope this isn't the case. lol

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4 minutes ago, guitars69 said:

Didn't they just do a giveaway of Brendon Small's Helix or something?

 

That makes me wonder if they have a Helix II in the pipeline and are having artists try it out.  It may be as simple as a Helix with more DSP.

 

Since I JUST got a Helix finally, I kind of hope this isn't the case. lol

 

It's not the case. There's much life left in the Helix line.

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2 hours ago, phil_m said:

 

It's not the case. There's much life left in the Helix line.

 

Which got me wondering, just how much memory space/room is left in Helix for adding more stuff?

 

Anyone know?

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I would guess a Helix II would debut around 2022 January NAMM.  Just my guess as it gives a couple more years life to the current Helix.    

 

I would love for the Helix II to include a built-in receiver for wireless Guitar Transmitter and also for editing presets with an Mobile Device (refer to H&K Grandmiester/Black Spirit/Fender Mustang GT).  

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13 hours ago, TRENDKILLCFH333 said:

I would love for the Helix II to include a built-in receiver for wireless Guitar Transmitter

 

This has been discussed before and not only it would add a bit to the price, but a lot of people wouldn't use it, including me.

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15 hours ago, TRENDKILLCFH333 said:

I would love for the Helix II to include a built-in receiver for wireless Guitar Transmitter

 

Please no.... 

  1. Good wireless units are not cheap... this would raise the cost substantially. Building in a bare bones cheap receiver would be a mockery to the Helix.
  2. Users would still need to buy compatible transmitter(s)...
  3. Users that don't use wireless would pay (steeply) for something they don't use
  4. Users that do use wireless would be forced into using this one.... or they could still use their own and #3 would apply to them as well. 
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/2/2019 at 1:41 PM, phil_m said:

 

It's not the case. There's much life left in the Helix line.

 

The Pod HD500 was released in 2010.

The Pod HD500x was released in 2013.

It was basically just a newer release of the same unit using a newer DSP and some colored footswitch LEDs...

 

Helix Floor was released in 2015.

It is now 2019, almost 2020.

 

In my opinion, it seems entirely possible that a Helix "X" could be released with a better DSP any time.  And I for one would welcome a bit more power if it weren't for the fact that I just finally got one.

 

Anyways, I obviously have no idea.

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15 hours ago, guitars69 said:

 

The Pod HD500 was released in 2010.

The Pod HD500x was released in 2013.

It was basically just a newer release of the same unit using a newer DSP and some colored footswitch LEDs...

 

Helix Floor was released in 2015.

It is now 2019, almost 2020.

 

In my opinion, it seems entirely possible that a Helix "X" could be released with a better DSP any time.  And I for one would welcome a bit more power if it weren't for the fact that I just finally got one.

 

Anyways, I obviously have no idea.

 

The DSP bit wasn't L6's idea, as I recall... the old chip that ran the 500's was no longer available, so they were forced into an "upgrade". Why they chose to replace the footswitches is anybody's guess.

 

Regardless, I wouldn't expect any changes to the Helix hardware anytime soon unless their hand is forced again. Once production is tooled-up, changing the recipe costs money. Without a compelling reason to do so, it really isn't in their be$t intere$t... and I seriously doubt that an incrementally "better" chip that wouldn't make a noticeable difference for the vast majority of users would qualify as a good enough reason. If the current "brain" becomes unavailable again, OK... otherwise, it's a waste.

 

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1 minute ago, Kevin-M said:

One thing that might make sense for new hardware is if they go down the path of polyphonic synth/pitch shift and the current processors can’t keep up

 

Fair enough... and that would certainly be a compelling reason. However there's one absolute certainty that would go along with that: legions of royally pissed Helix owners who'd have to either pony up for a new unit, or forego polyphonic pitch shifting. It would be a PR nightmare... so I'm gonna vote "no" on that too.

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5 minutes ago, Kevin-M said:

One thing that might make sense for new hardware is if they go down the path of polyphonic synth/pitch shift and the current processors can’t keep up

 

Not going to be an issue...

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4 hours ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

The DSP bit wasn't L6's idea, as I recall... the old chip that ran the 500's was no longer available, so they were forced into an "upgrade". Why they chose to replace the footswitches is anybody's guess.

 

Regardless, I wouldn't expect any changes to the Helix hardware anytime soon unless their hand is forced again. Once production is tooled-up, changing the recipe costs money. Without a compelling reason to do so, it really isn't in their be$t intere$t... and I seriously doubt that an incrementally "better" chip that wouldn't make a noticeable difference for the vast majority of users would qualify as a good enough reason. If the current "brain" becomes unavailable again, OK... otherwise, it's a waste.

 

 

Ah interesting to know.

 

You're probably correct that they have not compelling interest to upgrade without running out of supplies.

 

Too bad.  I'd like to see one with more power, because it would be handy to run more than one musician through it.  You can now, but the options are pretty limited for the signal chain.  If I could run a full rig in Path A and another in Path B that'd be pretty sweet.

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16 minutes ago, guitars69 said:

 

Ah interesting to know.

 

You're probably correct that they have not compelling interest to upgrade without running out of supplies.

 

Too bad.  I'd like to see one with more power, because it would be handy to run more than one musician through it.  You can now, but the options are pretty limited for the signal chain.  If I could run a full rig in Path A and another in Path B that'd be pretty sweet.

 

Maybe. The thing is though, we always want MORE. Any processor created will always be able to have more power for one user than if it's split between two users. 

Historically, what two users can do with a Helix now is pretty crazy (each can have their own amp block, reverb, delay, modulation, wah, compression AND distortion and in most traditional cases they won't max out the DSP). 

 

However, BECAUSE we've seen how crazy one user can get with the Helix, we automatically wish that two people could do the same. For the next generation processor the same thing is likely to happen. You'll still feel like two users are limited, even if it's more advanced than what 99% of guitar players have done for decades. 

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7 hours ago, guitars69 said:

 

Ah interesting to know.

 

You're probably correct that they have not compelling interest to upgrade without running out of supplies.

 

Too bad.  I'd like to see one with more power, because it would be handy to run more than one musician through it.  You can now, but the options are pretty limited for the signal chain.  If I could run a full rig in Path A and another in Path B that'd be pretty sweet.

 

Fighting over footswitches on the same device with another overly picky, tone obsessed guitar player? I'll pass... let the other guy buy his own gear.

 

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23 hours ago, guitars69 said:

Too bad.  I'd like to see one with more power, because it would be handy to run more than one musician through it. 

 

Two musicians falling all over each other to access one pedal board?  No thank you.

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On 10/18/2019 at 10:50 PM, guitars69 said:

 

Ah interesting to know.

 

You're probably correct that they have not compelling interest to upgrade without running out of supplies.

 

Too bad.  I'd like to see one with more power, because it would be handy to run more than one musician through it.  You can now, but the options are pretty limited for the signal chain.  If I could run a full rig in Path A and another in Path B that'd be pretty sweet.

The term "Analysis paralysis" springs to mind here, .. i think that the options are pretty wide and varied for two guitarists .

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