Line6 Helix Modeling is amazing!

[rosskoss]

Seriously....the amps sound stunningly accurate to the real thing - both tone and feel. Vox AC15, Fender DR, Marshall Plexi, Soldano - I'm playing through SS power amp into guitar cab and I'm absolutely blown away by how good they are (maybe it's just me and I'm just late to the modeling party?). The Detailed Ingrid model (Trainwreck) alone is incredible - beautiful touch sensitivity!

 

I feel the same way about the drive pedals - extremely accurate. My only points of critique / suggestions are the following - 

 

a) Mesa Mark Model - something about this sounds a little off to me. I used to own a Mark 2C+ and the model seems off from that (I know different amp - I was also playing real amp into EV speaker and now I'm playing modeler into Greenback equipped cab). I only feel this way about this particular amp model. 

 

b) Minotaur - It seems it rolls off the low end end too much when engaged. I've never owned a Klon Centaur so not sure if this is how the pedal is in real life as well (i.e. not the most transparent with respect to bass frequencies) 

 

c) Dynamic Sag Option - I wish there was an option for the sag levels to go up a little automatically when the master volume is cranked higher (or maybe that's already taken care of in the amp modeling?)

 

d) 1-1 Volume Mode Option / Switch - It would be great if the tapers on the knobs on the actual amp were modeled exactly the same in this mode of operation. That way, I could, for example, go to a '2' on the amp and the equivalent '2' on the model and know that they were the same. 

 

e) Bogner Ecstasy Model - Wish there was one! This is a unique amp and difficult to dial in equivalent tone and feel from some of the other modeled amps. Would love it if the Blue channel were modeled here!

 

Note - I'm playing through the Pod Go which is my introduction to Helix Amp modeling but I'm really amazed at how far things have along in the modeling world and how great they are! 

 

 

[spikey]

44 minutes ago, rosskoss said:

Note - I'm playing through the Pod Go

 

I feel the same about my Toyota Camry. It runs great and gets me to my destination, but it just doesn't accelerate like the Kia Stinger twin turbo does...  ; )

 

All kidding aside, any suggestions on Improving Helix from what it is right now are more than welcome.

 

 

[dacop13]

I had an LT and returned it for a Kemper. I found myself missing the Line 6 format so I picked up a Pod Go which reminded me how great the Line 6 was. I returned the Go and got the LT back. So now I have both the LT and Kemper. Overkill yes, but both are great.

 

If you want even more out of the Pod Go...pick up a powered FRFR speaker, even if its the $99 JBL 305 studio speaker. I tried the Line 6 Powercab but didn't like it. Then I tried the Headrush 108 and it was perfect...really sounds amazing out of that HR 108 and its only 200 bucks and very loud.   

[rosskoss]

Thank you for the suggestion - I'm definitely not doing the FRFR thing or headphones either. I've found that both of these are too much of a compromise with respect to the amp-in-room tone and feel. Wasn't a big fan of the PowerCab either when I tried it. 

 

With FRFRs, you have dial in low pass filters, Q, slopes etc. and I dealt with enough of that when I had the Boss Nextone. 

 

I now run PodGo output into SD170 into actual guitar cab with cab-modeling disabled. The SD170 is a little expensive for what it is but the end-result is near perfect with superb tone and feel.

 

Something very special about this combo - I've owned owned some expensive amps in the past (Mesa Mark 2C+, Bogner Duende, Ceriatone stuff etc.) but I'll honestly put this rig up against any of that. The key is actually volume - esp. when you get that speaker break-up going! (which kind of defeats the point of modelers but I look at it more as a solution to acquire a large number of amps, effects in a compact format than as a low volume solution).  

[dacop13]

I have also used the Line 6 stuff with a power amp and real cabinet. Are you using full AMPS or PREAMPS?

[phil_m]

The Klon does roll off the bass frequencies when engaged. This is one reason why it works great as a boost for dirty amps. It’s not really a “transparent” overdrive (I think people overuse that word when it comes to overdrives, for the record).

[rosskoss]

5 minutes ago, dacop13 said:

I have also used the Line 6 stuff with a power amp and real cabinet. Are you using full AMPS or PREAMPS?

 

I'm using full amps with (cab modeling disabled) into SD170 into actual guitar cab. 

[rosskoss]

4 minutes ago, phil_m said:

The Klon does roll off the bass frequencies when engaged. This is one reason why it works great as a boost for dirty amps. It’s not really a “transparent” overdrive (I think people overuse that word when it comes to overdrives, for the record).

 

Got it - thank you. I've often heard the Klon Centaur being referred to as the most transparent overdrive which I didn't find to be the case with the Minotaur model. It doesn't have the TS mid-hump but it definitely modifies signal tonal characteristics (from what I can tell from the Minotaur)

 

I find some of the others like the POT and Kinky Boost more 'neutral'. 

[MusicLaw]

6 hours ago, rosskoss said:

<Snip>

c) Dynamic Sag Option - I wish there was an option for the sag levels to go up a little automatically when the master volume is cranked higher (or maybe that's already taken care of in the amp modeling?)

You could use Snapshots to control changes to these parameter as you wish so that they adjust in unison as you change Snapshots. You could also use Controller Assignments for each of these parameters, assigning them to the same Expression Pedal controller assignment such that each parameter would be controlled by your Expression Pedal adjustment. And, you could assign each a Min and Max value as you wish. 

[codamedia]

On 12/30/2020 at 9:28 AM, rosskoss said:

a) Mesa Mark Model - something about this sounds a little off to me. I used to own a Mark 2C+ and the model seems off from that (I know different amp - I was also playing real amp into EV speaker and now I'm playing modeler into Greenback equipped cab).

 

Exactly.... different Amp. A Mark IV is very different than a Mark IIC+...

MESA brought back the C+ voicing in the Mark V.... but the Helix models are based on the Mark IV. 

 

Well... that AND the speaker difference would certainly contribute to the differences you notice :) 

[rosskoss]

  

21 hours ago, codamedia said:

 

Exactly.... different Amp. A Mark IV is very different than a Mark IIC+...

MESA brought back the C+ voicing in the Mark V.... but the Helix models are based on the Mark IV. 

 

Well... that AND the speaker difference would certainly contribute to the differences you notice :) 

 

I actually haven't played through a MarkIV before - I'll check out some youtube videos to see how they sound. Hearing John Petrucci play through the 2C+ and the MarkIV sounded similar to me so I assumed they'd have the same general tone. 

[rosskoss]

On 12/30/2020 at 5:04 PM, MusicLaw said:

You could use Snapshots to control changes to these parameter as you wish so that they adjust in unison as you change Snapshots. You could also use Controller Assignments for each of these parameters, assigning them to the same Expression Pedal controller assignment such that each parameter would be controlled by your Expression Pedal adjustment. And, you could assign each a Min and Max value as you wish. 

 

Thank you for this tip. Didn't know you could do the controller assignments thing!

[rosskoss]

I find it hard that anyone (Fractal, NDSP etc.) can improve significantly over this (using amp modeling....not profiles). We're talking diminishing returns at this point. 

 

Folks who wish to gear hunt will keep jumping around but I truly believe that there are limited incremental gains from this point on.