Helix LT is now available for order. Cut down version - ish.

John_A

Good choice!  There's a guy in Bulgaria on eBay sells a padded case for about £50.  I got a Gator G-mix 12x24 case which is nice and fits really well, has wheels too:

https://www.studiospares.com/Accessories/Cases-Other/Gator-G-MIX-12X24-Wheeled-Mixer-Case_471190.htm

Or you can get a custom made flight case for less than the price of the backpack

Sporky

Voxman said:

I'd be interested in comparing the Headrush FX (£899) with both Helix and Helix LT - it must have been a factor in Line 6 bringing out the LT and Helix prices reducing.  

Line6 have said (as, of course, they would) that the LT was in development before the Helix was announced at all.

The timing and price point may not be coincidental, of course...

Musicman20

I've been tempted to jump for one of the full fat models but I just LOVE having lots of specialist individual pedals, so I'd probably have fun with the Helix then barely use it...which would be a shame. I'll see how this new model pans out.

Teetonetal

Musicman20 said:

I've been tempted to jump for one of the full fat models but I just LOVE having lots of specialist individual pedals, so I'd probably have fun with the Helix then barely use it...which would be a shame. I'll see how this new model pans out.

That was my worry too.
Reality is that I've ended up using helix and real pedals a lot. Helix just makes me play more. Simplest practice rig ever.

stickyfiddle

John_A said:

Good choice!  There's a guy in Bulgaria on eBay sells a padded case for about £50.  I got a Gator G-mix 12x24 case which is nice and fits really well, has wheels too:

https://www.studiospares.com/Accessories/Cases-Other/Gator-G-MIX-12X24-Wheeled-Mixer-Case_471190.htm

Or you can get a custom made flight case for less than the price of the backpack

Cheers. I'll hold off on the case for now. I'm not gigging anyway so it'd only be for storage purposes. Now I need to have a big clearout of the "guitar corner" to make room for the thing! 

gearaddict

Has anyone seen a comparison of the Helix versus the Pod HD through a power amp into a guitar cab?

I am pretty tempted by the LT but most of the comparisons I have seen are using the cab sims into a DAW and that's not how I would use it. I'm conscious that people often say the main weakness of the Pod (soundwise) is the cab sims, so into a guitar cab there might be less of a jump in sound quality.

fretmeister

gearaddict said:

Has anyone seen a comparison of the Helix versus the Pod HD through a power amp into a guitar cab?

I am pretty tempted by the LT but most of the comparisons I have seen are using the cab sims into a DAW and that's not how I would use it. I'm conscious that people often say the main weakness of the Pod (soundwise) is the cab sims, so into a guitar cab there might be less of a jump in sound quality.

That's how I use it.

Helix - power amp - Zilla 2x12 with Creambacks in it.

Not had amp gas since.

(and anyway - the stock cab sims are excellent. I've certainly not had a reason to go down the rabbit hole of other IRs)

stickyfiddle

I'm planning to use it with my Badcat 90% of the time. Mostly FX into the front end, but will experiment with using it as a preamp too. 

guitarfishbay

gearaddict said:

Has anyone seen a comparison of the Helix versus the Pod HD through a power amp into a guitar cab?

I am pretty tempted by the LT but most of the comparisons I have seen are using the cab sims into a DAW and that's not how I would use it. I'm conscious that people often say the main weakness of the Pod (soundwise) is the cab sims, so into a guitar cab there might be less of a jump in sound quality.

If you listen to a comparison using the exact same cab IR in a DAW that would be pretty representative of the modeling differences as the unit would be the only variable.  

Starting at 2:30 



Personally I always found the HD500x low end hard to control through a SS power amp and cab.  It was either bassy but boomy/loose in the wrong places, or it was tight but quite thin sounding.  I've not owned a Helix

John_A

Had both the HD500 and now have a Helix, the difference is huge.  The Pod was a great bit of fun to use at home and seemed to get lost in the mix live.  The Helix makes the best sound live I've ever had.  Demos through headphones probably don't show the full story, in use they are miles apart

John_A

stickyfiddle said:

John_A said:

Good choice!  There's a guy in Bulgaria on eBay sells a padded case for about £50.  I got a Gator G-mix 12x24 case which is nice and fits really well, has wheels too:

https://www.studiospares.com/Accessories/Cases-Other/Gator-G-MIX-12X24-Wheeled-Mixer-Case_471190.htm

Or you can get a custom made flight case for less than the price of the backpack

Cheers. I'll hold off on the case for now. I'm not gigging anyway so it'd only be for storage purposes. Now I need to have a big clearout of the "guitar corner" to make room for the thing! 

Also, a Novation backpack apparently fits and they come up on eBay quite frequently for not a lot of money

fretmeister

Celeb use spot

Cabicular

gearaddict said:

Has anyone seen a comparison of the Helix versus the Pod HD through a power amp into a guitar cab?

I am pretty tempted by the LT but most of the comparisons I have seen are using the cab sims into a DAW and that's not how I would use it. I'm conscious that people often say the main weakness of the Pod (soundwise) is the cab sims, so into a guitar cab there might be less of a jump in sound quality.

I've owned both
the Helix is superior in almost everyway 
its a total no brainer

Strat_a_tat_tat

@fretmeister... who's that?  Is it you at a recent gig?

guitarfishbay

Guy on the left is John Mayer, no idea on the right.  But as he's got a PRS possibly John Mayer's dentist

gibsongretschfan

Cabicular said:

gearaddict said:

Has anyone seen a comparison of the Helix versus the Pod HD through a power amp into a guitar cab?

I am pretty tempted by the LT but most of the comparisons I have seen are using the cab sims into a DAW and that's not how I would use it. I'm conscious that people often say the main weakness of the Pod (soundwise) is the cab sims, so into a guitar cab there might be less of a jump in sound quality.

I've owned both
the Helix is superior in almost everyway 
its a total no brainer

There's no almost about it. 

Sporky

guitarfishbay said:

Guy on the left is John Mayer, no idea on the right.  But as he's got a PRS possibly John Mayer's dentist

I like to think that Mayer's setup isn't plugged in, and that one Helix is doing all the work for both of them...

stickyfiddle

Fairly sure it'll be David Ryan Harris, JM's long-time on/off sideman. 

guitarfishbay

Sporky said:

guitarfishbay said:

Guy on the left is John Mayer, no idea on the right.  But as he's got a PRS possibly John Mayer's dentist

I like to think that Mayer's setup isn't plugged in, and that one Helix is doing all the work for both of them...

I'm imagining he's just done the solo to slow dancing in a burning room and hit the 'octave super fuzz + lots of reverb before the fuzz' button by accident instead of the 'tender emotional haunting mids' button on his switcher.  He's about to throw his guitar at his pedalboard.

The other guy is walking off stage in an 'I told you so' manner.  And is going to go back to dentistry as he's yet to find suitable bandmates

guitarfishbay

Either that or the stage light is really bright and John forgot his sunglasses.