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

Sporky

Digital_Igloo said:

Sporky said:

Would Helix Rack not suffice for such? Stick some rubber feet on it and you're away.

I really pushed to make Helix Rack in a wedge-like form factor—3RU, but angled up when placed on a table, kinda like this. It would've also made it the new Helix bean. Was outgunned at the time.

At the time, huh?

*reads far too much into the phrasing*

I wonder if the success of the Helix makes a desktop version more likely - though as you mentioned a while back there's always a question of how well it'd sell.

stickyfiddle

I think a desktop with a touchscreen and soft fingerpads (is that a word) instead of footswitches could be great for the minimal home-studio people, but I can completely understand why it hasn't happened (yet). 

As for the screen vs scribble strips thing, I'm glad I went Fat-Helix. Still haven't a clue how to work the thing yet - that's this weekend's job, but having labels on the switches themselves is great, especially as that's how I had my M9 (ish...)

gearaddict

Is the fx modelling in the M9 the same as in the HD500?

robinbowes

Digital_Igloo said:

Sporky said:

Would Helix Rack not suffice for such? Stick some rubber feet on it and you're away.

I really pushed to make Helix Rack in a wedge-like form factor—3RU, but angled up when placed on a table, kinda like this. It would've also made it the new Helix bean. Was outgunned at the time.

That would have been a really cool thing. It would rack mount, if required, but also sit on a flat surface. Very nice.

R.

professorben

digitalscream said:

Freebird said:

Is this LT unit going to impact on the new & used prices of the other premium Amp/FX modellers that are already out there?

Yeah, the Headrush will be found in the bargain bin at Morrisons...

Honestly I doubt this. 

Its more likely to be in that odd middle  bit in Lidl. 

guitarfishbay

gearaddict said:

Is the fx modelling in the M9 the same as in the HD500?

I think so

menamestom

So, just tried an LT.  I've never tried a Helix before, so probably should have done so before selling most of my pedals.

Had about half an hour, effects only into a Blues Junior.

Initial impressions:-  Sounds good.  The Teemah! sounds pretty much like my Timmy clone, I was worried it would in some way sound digital but it sounds good like any Timmy does.  In half an hour I taught myself how to set up all the switches and expression pedal with pedals and had a rummage through the sounds.  Everything sounded pretty good, I'd need to tweak properly at home to get a really good impression, but at first glance it will do me well.  It's really easy to use and I've got to say I'm pretty excited about getting one now.   The Wah was nice, delay was cool, trem really nice.  I was basically able to create the pedalboard I'd use in 30 mins with no prior use of the unit.

So it's past the ease of use and FX only into an amp test straight away.  A few hundred more to raise and I'll get one ordered, but certainly trying one out has helped me let go of a few things, mainly my pedaltrain junior and power supply.  I think really, the POG is the only thing I will miss that I'm not keeping.

robinbowes

menamestom said:

  I think really, the POG is the only thing I will miss that I'm not keeping.

Keep the POG, put it in a loop.

I've not managed to produce a 12-string sound with the Helix that is anything like as good as my POG2.

[which reminds me - I will pull my classified ad!]

R.

menamestom

robinbowes said:

menamestom said:

  I think really, the POG is the only thing I will miss that I'm not keeping.

Keep the POG, put it in a loop.

I've not managed to produce a 12-string sound with the Helix that is anything like as good as my POG2.

[which reminds me - I will pull my classified ad!]

R.

Too late, it's on ebay.

I'll get another one at some point but need the funds!

Perhaps line 6 will come out with one in a firmware update before I get round to buying another...

robinbowes

menamestom said:

robinbowes said:

menamestom said:

  I think really, the POG is the only thing I will miss that I'm not keeping.

Keep the POG, put it in a loop.

I've not managed to produce a 12-string sound with the Helix that is anything like as good as my POG2.

[which reminds me - I will pull my classified ad!]

R.

Too late, it's on ebay.

I'll get another one at some point but need the funds!

Perhaps line 6 will come out with one in a firmware update before I get round to buying another...

And at that point, I'll be selling mine

R.

Sporky

menamestom said:

I was worried it would in some way sound digital

I've never understood this idea of things "sounding digital" - a CD doesn't sound like a Eventide harmoniser, which doesn't sound like an Alesis Bitrman, which doesn't sound like a Dante link...

guitarfishbay

Sporky said:

menamestom said:

I was worried it would in some way sound digital

I've never understood this idea of things "sounding digital" - a CD doesn't sound like a Eventide harmoniser, which doesn't sound like an Alesis Bitrman, which doesn't sound like a Dante link...

Surely you do understand this though? I know the point you're making relative to gear available now...

Really early digital distortion tended to sound flat dynamically and fizzy tonally - often with static harsh frequencies in the high end. The Helix is a massive jump away from the early PODs in this respect (I had a Flextone 2 as my only amp for years, which is basically a Pod 2 into a power section - much as I loved it the current stuff does sound better). Things like reverb and delay have been able to sound as good if not better in the digital realm for a long time - but distortion seems to be another ball game

Sporky

guitarfishbay said:

Really early digital distortion tended to sound flat dynamically and fizzy tonally - often with static harsh frequencies in the high end.

There's plenty of analogue kit that sounds like that too though. It's not an inevitable consequence of going digital.

I remember when I had my ME-5 someone telling me the drives sounded digital. They were pure analogue. It's meaningless - just a way of saying "I don't like it".

fretmeister

It's like the "it's fizzy" people who have never actually cranked a real plexi - massively fizzy thing.

fretmeister

Sporky said:

Digital_Igloo said:

Sporky said:

Would Helix Rack not suffice for such? Stick some rubber feet on it and you're away.

I really pushed to make Helix Rack in a wedge-like form factor—3RU, but angled up when placed on a table, kinda like this. It would've also made it the new Helix bean. Was outgunned at the time.

At the time, huh?

*reads far too much into the phrasing*

I wonder if the success of the Helix makes a desktop version more likely - though as you mentioned a while back there's always a question of how well it'd sell.

That would have been excellent. I love my rack, but there's no doubt it's a big bugger and really less transportable than the floor unit.

guitarfishbay

Sporky said:

guitarfishbay said:

Really early digital distortion tended to sound flat dynamically and fizzy tonally - often with static harsh frequencies in the high end.

There's plenty of analogue kit that sounds like that too though. It's not an inevitable consequence of going digital.

I remember when I had my ME-5 someone telling me the drives sounded digital. They were pure analogue. It's meaningless - just a way of saying "I don't like it".

Right but there are 2 issues at play here

1. I agree it gets used as a blanket term for 'don't like it' possibly also loaded with a bit of prejudice.

2. I agree that some analogue kit doesn't sound great, but digital is something that has (I think) demonstrably improved over time. If we were discussing older digital units, as in the previous low-mid priced units and earlier generations (which I guess would be @menamestom 'a reference point) I do think 'sounding digital' could be a valid description. 

Jonathanthomas83

Digital_Igloo said:

Sporky said:

Would Helix Rack not suffice for such? Stick some rubber feet on it and you're away.

I really pushed to make Helix Rack in a wedge-like form factor—3RU, but angled up when placed on a table, kinda like this. It would've also made it the new Helix bean. Was outgunned at the time.

That is so cool, would love something like that!

guitarfishbay

fretmeister said:

It's like the "it's fizzy" people who have never actually cranked a real plexi - massively fizzy thing.

As are loads of amps, most high gainers can get fizzy... but there's fizz and there's fizz. Just like there's low end and there's low end -  if you've listened to that video comparison Drew posted there were some interesting differences between a real amp, Helix, and Fractal.

menamestom

Sporky said:

menamestom said:

I was worried it would in some way sound digital

I've never understood this idea of things "sounding digital" - a CD doesn't sound like a Eventide harmoniser, which doesn't sound like an Alesis Bitrman, which doesn't sound like a Dante link...

I think there is a distinction between something that just captures audio digitally to something which produces or shapes the signal digitally.   That's why modelling technology has taken so much longer to become acceptable to most people than say, hard disk recording.

Perhaps it isn't the fact they are digital, but to me all digitally produced distortion up until the latest generation of effects had a very definite sound to them.  May be  it wasn't the 'digitalness' I was hearing, but whatever it was it was there and it sounded shite.   Cd's on the other hand sounded good straight away.

Of course analog devices can sound shite also, but somehow a nasty analog fuzz I could find a use for, wheras a nasty POD fuzz would sound nasty in a turn it off and never put  back on way.

Digital_Igloo

Sporky said:

Digital_Igloo said:

Sporky said:

Would Helix Rack not suffice for such? Stick some rubber feet on it and you're away.

I really pushed to make Helix Rack in a wedge-like form factor—3RU, but angled up when placed on a table, kinda like this. It would've also made it the new Helix bean. Was outgunned at the time.

At the time, huh?

*reads far too much into the phrasing*

I wonder if the success of the Helix makes a desktop version more likely - though as you mentioned a while back there's always a question of how well it'd sell.

There are two things stopping a tabletop version of Helix:

• POD HD (Bean) sold considerably less than its floor and rack brethren. In the end we blew them out for $199 US. Both HD500X and HD Pro X still sell quite well
• The original POD was designed as a recording device, when non-DSP-accellerated computers weren't fast enough to run amp modeling plugins (like Amp Farm). Now that everyone and their mom uses a computer to record, the closest thing to a Helix desktop solution is Helix Native with a decent audio interface with either a variable (or ~1M Ohm) impedance input