Rachmaninoff Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 My last serious band ended during COVID years, and since then I've not really been playing. I own a Helix LT, and the last firmware update I installed was the one with the Poly Capo, which I loved and used extensively to play songs in different tunings. Fast foward to last week. I was invited to join a new band, and I noticed there was an update for the Helix. Then I installed it. I read about the changes, and there was a new amp, a few other minor things, and that's it. Okay, nothing that would affect me, but no problem. Then yesterday I found something about a cab update, which was a previous update which I missed. After googling it, I found a different cabinet screen, which I didn't even know it existed. Plugging my Helix, yes, this new screen was there. All my patches have been moved to "legacy cabs". Okay. Then I decided try the new ones, and... HOLY SH*T. HOLY SH*T. I'm still in awe of the tones I'm getting out of this black box. I didn't even had to tweak much, every setting sounds incredible. And being a compulsive tweaker myself, I can't stop experimenting with the new cab settings, different combinations and tones. It just sounds so good. So good. Every amp sounds open and alive now, in particular the Cali IV, which I use for high gain stuff. I just wanted to share this moment, when the Helix brought me so much joy. Thank you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulzx Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Yep, I keep mentioning this over on the TGP and on the Fractal forum, the cab update really opened things up especially for high gain players. I've got a very nice JMP1 type Marshall tone using two blended cabs one of which is the Cali IV. All my high gain presets were previously using IR's because the original cabs were horrible for the most part, I know some people used them but most high gain players moved to IR's very quickly. However, for the most part now, my high gain presets have all moved back to these new cabs because they do have an edge over the IR's. That update probably stopped me moving to another platform to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
errxn Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 Yep, absolute game changer. IMO, it's the best single feature update they've made yet. I used to have to do some pretty wild stuff with a Parametric EQ just to get tones right, and now, it's just icing on the cake, because you can do SO much with some simple mic placement tweaking. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somebodyelse Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 Hurrah! Makes a change from reading complaints all the time. Yeah, the mic positioning thing is something I've had in my 'amp sim' plugin for about a decade, so I was made-up when it came to the Helix. They just need to get it on all the mic models, now. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codamedia Posted September 15, 2023 Share Posted September 15, 2023 IMO, the cab blocks were the weakest link in the Helix. The result was many people resorting to steep high cuts & radical EQ settings, or simply finding some IR's they preferred - which is what I did. The new cabs are a huge improvement.... again, IMO! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.