Returning Back to Line 6 Processors

[chstd]

Hi everyone, as i am a long time Line 6 user (since pods, lots of amps, variaxes,helix lt), i have changed my Helix and bought AxefxIIXL back in 2019 and yesterday i sold it and want to change again my processor with another Line6 product.

 

A little information for those wondering, of course i was happy with the tones in the axefx but i am bored and the unit started to feel a little old, the editor was slow and the pitch effects weren't as usable so i wanted to change it..

 

There will be some limitations for me of course, there were hundreds of amps/cabs and especially hundreds of storage for third party IRs in axefx but i want to change it and see what's coming from Line 6 couple years after..

 

Because of the prices, Helix LT still seems to be the cheapest one to choose for an all in one solution at home recordings and small gigs nowadays.

 

Does the helix family a little old too, what do you think? (and yes kempers are outdated and much much more limited than it's competitors i think)

 

I think after those years, there were some good additions with updates and the tones sound good to me but i am not sure if the storage capacity allow to add much more amps etc?.. And are the updates coming twice a year or so? Adding small numbers of new amps if i'm not wrong..

 

So maybe Line 6 folks have 10 times big new amp collections and keeping them for a new unit :)

 

I might buy a Helix LT again but any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Cheers,

 

 

 

 

 

[codamedia]

On 7/31/2022 at 6:18 AM, chstd said:

i was happy with the tones in the axefx but i am bored and the unit started to feel a little old,

 

On 7/31/2022 at 6:18 AM, chstd said:

Does the helix family a little old too, what do you think? (and yes kempers are outdated and much much more limited than it's competitors i think)

 

I think you are victim of yourself. Buying, selling, searching for the elusive... it's a never ending game. 

 

Nothing is old and outdated when it still sounds great! It's up to you to buy into the platform that suits you best. Next time you get bored, learn something knew about the product you already own, don't go searching for something when you don't really know what that something is. 

[pianoguyy]

On 7/31/2022 at 10:57 AM, codamedia said:

I think you are victim of yourself.

 

George Lucas once said... 

A movie is never 'done'. You set a release date, and that is when you hand it in. If you don't have that 'end date', you would continue to tweak and edit and re-shoot. 

 

And we all know what happened to Chinese Democracy by Guns 'n Roses... 

A 15 year wait for a mediocre album by a band no one cared about anymore. 

 

 

 

At some point, you just have to shut up and play. 

 

[DunedinDragon]

We've been assured by some significant Helix insiders that the Helix is nowhere near capacity, so that's not something I'd worry about.  There's more than enough packed in there now to keep you busy for years.  If you want to get a head start on seeing what's in there now I might suggest to purchase Craig Anderton's "Big Book of Helix Tips and Tricks" from Sweetwater.  It's and extremely valuable and completely up-to-date resource on everything that's there and how to use it.  And since it's a downloaded resource you'll continue to receive updates as they come out.

Helix Big Book of Tips and Tricks

[craiganderton]

Thanks very much for the props on the eBook, but I couldn't have written it if I hadn't "committed" to the Helix back in 2015. That book is the result of 7 years of familiarity, coupled with the (superb!) updates that have extended what Helix does. I expect there will be more updates that extend its "new product" lifetime further, but frankly, I can get pretty much any sound I want now. I just wish it had a four-way crossover module...

 

BTW because the book is a download, it comes with over 200 presets. The intention was to give users a shortcut to playing with the new features, but any time there's a new update, it's worth treating Helix like a new product. Several "workarounds" I did in the past for my presets were no longer necessary when an update appeared.

 

Helix may not be "perfect," but neiither am I, so we make a good team :)

[Paulzx]

So the OP is obviously a bit of a gear head just looking for something a bit newer or newer tech etc, the Helix is what, 7 years old? So it's not a new platform. It's a hard one to answer because the big players at the moment, Helix, Axe III, Kemper, none are new but frequently updated. If you want the best platform with the most options, you would end up with one of those, but if you're looking for a newer platform then it would have to be the Quad Cortex, that's a newer unit, interesting and high quality - but lacking the overall variety of the others.

 

I suppose the real question is, what's more important... a unit that can give you the best results or just something newer that you've not used before?

 

I've had an in depth look at all of these units but I've come back to the Helix, simply because I realised I wasn't getting the full potential out of it and I'm still

discovering new ways of getting results - and bang for buck there is nothing better, the fact that it's not new tech is irrelevant, but if I really wanted to lose all

of the variety of the Helix for something just newer, I would go for a Quad Cortex and accept it's still waiting on updates and improvements etc.

[chstd]

thanks for your answers. for an all in one solution and considering the price point, i think i have to choose Helix Lt again after 3 years. Quad cortex is too expensive and there is no editor software if i am not wrong. the only other device would be fractal FM9 for me but i couldn't buy from anywhere soon. If i would compare, i think Helix has the least amount of amp+cab options, i always wish some more high gain amps, much more cabs, maybe a tonematch feature to see in Helix but for now i will give it a chance again..

[craiganderton]

On 8/3/2022 at 9:03 AM, chstd said:

 i think Helix has the least amount of amp+cab options

Don't forget about IRs. Also, the equalizer modules are quite flexible. I use quite a few cabinets that were fashioned out of multiple stages of EQ. They won't emulate a physical cabinet exactly, but you can tailor the response any way you want.

[chstd]

i agree...also i miss the ability to change too many parameters with snapshots.. i used to use them for EQ blocks mostly for tone shaping and change them between rhythm and lead tones in the same preset. fantastic!

[silverhead]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:48 AM, chstd said:

...also i miss the ability to change too many parameters with snapshots.. ..

Not sure I understand. Helix supports changing up to 64 parameters using snapshots. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone report that they’ve encountered that limit.

[chstd]

no prob. with helix about that feature :) i try to say that after 3 years without helix, i miss that feature..

[Mako2112]

Long time Line 6 user here. Currently I am running a Kemper for AMP and a Helix LT for IR/CAB/Effects. The best of all the worlds.

 

The Kemper seems to have the better AMP simulations (though they cant be adjusted like the Helix since they are not models, but captures). And the Helix has the better effects and flexibility. However, the Kemper seems to run some form of compressor at its input so it always sounds compressed and lifeless to me. Not dynamic like a real amp. So your mileage may vary.

 

But as others here have said, I would be happy with either one by itself if I wasn't chasing tone and just playing. In fact after I got the Kemper I started profiling my POD HD, which I never really liked, and now I use it all the time. My POD XT Live and UX8 have always been my goto processors so I never really used the HD. But I now know so much more about creating a great tone that I can finally appreciate what the HD does. It took time and knowledge to creep in to appreciate it.

[MGW-Alberta]

You're bored and you want something with a faster processor and a more up to date interface because it feels old.
I get it.  Really.  I do.  You're not a guitar player and that's OK.  You're an f/x fiddler.
You probably don't own anything as pedestrian or mundane as a Stratocaster or a Les Paul.

Not enough buttons to push and the interface, fingers on strings, well that is just soooo outdated.

I wish you all the happiness that boredom, impatience and unbridled consumerism can offer you.

Not sure what we musicians can to do help you with your problem but thanks for dropping by just the same.

[chstd]

thanks for your answer, i really do. everybody has different tastes and thoughts but i really can't understand how you decided i am not a guitar player? if searching something new and feeling some equipment is old is not normal, we wouldn't meet in this forum. why are you here? use the first invented amp and just one guitar, play until it stops... so people search and experiment some new things thats normal and most of the time it's inspiring and makes you want to play more. even updates are keep coming for the same reason i think. to keep it attractive.

 

So as to explain my first message, i used helix lt in 2017-2019 and then i switched to axefx2xl.

 

Both units sounds great but the number of the amp/cab options and the processing power made my desicion to change helix.

 

After using it 3 years, i think axe still sounds incredible, fantastic unit but every device has it's own pros and cons.. several reasons makes me get bored and scared.

 

* the editor was slow, everytime i change preset,the editor stops and thinks a little

* the pitch effects were not for me, especially couldn't create drop tune presets

* hard to use and too many parameters to get confused (even i learned really well to use it)

* need to use seperate controller switch+exp pedal

* most important one, 8 years old unit is getting old,i have nowhere to go in my country for service if i have any problems, the screen seems discontinued even in USA etc..

 

i just ordered a helix lt and can't wait to see it's improvements after 2019 :)

 

after all my experiments with both units, i will write the pros and cons of helix too, maybe someone from Line 6 see and makes additions to upcoming updates