Line 6 Helix HX effects unit leaked....

Wazmeister

Im thinking of one to use with the covers band... now around £480.

I dont need the drives (or an amp models) as the Redplate covers all that

How does anyone rate the verbs and delay ? My previous early Helix, I thought that they were just ‘ok’

John_A

Wazmeister said:

Im thinking of one to use with the covers band... now around £480.

I dont need the drives (or an amp models) as the Redplate covers all that

How does anyone rate the verbs and delay ? My previous early Helix, I thought that they were just ‘ok’

Some of the new delays, particularly the space echo, and the new HX reverbs are fantastic

gibsongretschfan

Wazmeister said:

Im thinking of one to use with the covers band... now around £480.

I dont need the drives (or an amp models) as the Redplate covers all that

How does anyone rate the verbs and delay ? My previous early Helix, I thought that they were just ‘ok’

The space echo is as good digital copy of an analog delay as I’ve ever heard.

sgosden

Just been playing with the cosmo (space) echo into a split path of search lights and glitz verbs, tbrough headphones whilst drummer edits a track... 
Accidently lost an hour... 

Wazmeister

Stuff it.

I've ordered one from Amazon. It'll be here tomorrow, so let's see how this lines up...

Kebabkid

Let us know how you get on, Waz.

meltedbuzzbox

Wazmeister said:

Stuff it.

I've ordered one from Amazon. It'll be here tomorrow and in the classifieds by Monday...

FTFY

Wazmeister

meltedbuzzbox said:

Wazmeister said:

Stuff it.

I've ordered one from Amazon. It'll be here tomorrow and in the classifieds by Monday...

FTFY

Ha ! 

No, thats the beauty of Amazon mate... I’ll send it back if it doesn’t cut the old mustard

Wazmeister

Well, its arrived today and here are my initial thoughts after only about an hour of playing.

1.) Version 2.4.Only just realised this, so Ive just updated to 2.5 (But not yet played this update)

2.) The tuner is much improved and is very good indeed

3.) HX Unit silent with Rambler and Redplate amps. Distortion effects add hiss and noise, but this might just be the factory settings with gain too high.

4.) Seems to be much easier to get unity volume, than the Helix floor I had

5.) Very very impressed. Built a preset intuitively, and added a looper which was a delight to use. 

6.) Some noise (from my single coil Strat) as per the previously owned Helix - when I gentle touch the looper switch. Almost like a bad earth, but it is negligible.

7.) It was a piece of cake, without even referring to the unopened manual, to get a great stereo set up with the Rambler and Redplate.

8.) Reverbs and delays (version 2.4) much improved. 

In all, a very impressive unit. Simple to use, with infinite routing options. Be intersting to see how it fairs noise-wise in the band set up.

Fiftyshadesofjay

Finally had time to hook mine up 4cm with my Rockerverb and managed to get the channel switching working as well. 

This thing is an absolute bargain for what it does. No untoward noise either so far.

Wazmeister

Well, this is where I am...

Im fortunate to have a fair bit of expendable corn, so Ive tried em all...

- FX8
- AX8
- Helix
- Helix LT
- Kemper

etc etc

All of em have a steep learning curve, and none of em sound quite as good as quality analogue pedals, imho. All of em have been sold.

Im now in a covers band (where we play just what we want to play !) and since gettng my Redplate CDS2 Ive stopped using pedals at rehearsal. However, its good to have some for some tracks is it ?

Ive now bought a HX, and it is a keeper. For the first time, the new verbs and delays (always the Line 6 weak area imho) are very good indeed, and the whole thing works superbly. A big sell off has begun, and Im gonna run with just the HX (and maybe a few faves !) for a while.

Im getting a breakout box from Redplate to help change the amp channels through the Helix.

Add the EHX 95000, and we are really good to go.

I think that HX has many hidden features that dont get raved about too often; simple stuff that simply works. For example, running two amp in stereo - no phasing issues, no separate a/b switches. Multiple looper options, infinite channel routing options etc.

Yep, Im delighted and currently running HX via Carr Rambler and Redplate CDS2.

Divine !

Kebabkid

Nice one Waz.

Just to be clear, how many external pedals can you run as aren't there just 2 loops?

Are the Wahs any good?

I look forward to hearing more and sounds like a good, straightforward but versatile set up!

thomasw88

I raised a ticket with Line 6 over mine, as 3 of the presets I created went corrupt for no reason.   

I'm liking it alot tho in general.  had mine nearly 2 months now - not gigged it much as I'm not rushing into ditching my old board yet but got a couple of gigs on sunday at a small festival. I think I'll take it along for that.

I do like the drives on this unit compared to the FX8 - I find they work better with my amp and other drive pedals.   

I am struggling with the tremolo and the rotary sounds. Don'tt get anywhere near the mobius  or the FX8 imo. 

Cabicular

thomasw88 said:

I raised a ticket with Line 6 over mine, as 3 of the presets I created went corrupt for no reason.   

I'm liking it alot tho in general.  had mine nearly 2 months now - not gigged it much as I'm not rushing into ditching my old board yet but got a couple of gigs on sunday at a small festival. I think I'll take it along for that.

I do like the drives on this unit compared to the FX8 - I find they work better with my amp and other drive pedals.   

I am struggling with the tremolo and the rotary sounds. Don'tt get anywhere near the mobius  or the FX8 imo. 

I like the tremelo but it (at least in the Helix) it works better on a parallel path
the leslie I really haven’t got on since they modelled the cab as well it works best if you disable the actual cab emulation when you engage it , but I don’t know what you could do with that in the HX

Lebarque

Hmm.

This could be worth considering, since I’m currently thinking about a programmable looper and have too many pedals. @Wazmeister ; and other owners - I’d be really grateful of your opinions on the following:

• I use amp dirt, so wouldn’t use the Helix drives. What’s the quality of the other effects like? (like Waz, I’m pretty choosy!) I would want to use tape delay, chorus, compression, phaser, univibe, wah, volume and possibly reverb.
 

• What’s the bypass tone like? Hopefully it sounds like a 10ft cable straight into your amp? And what’s the deal with buffers?

• Does rolling back your guitar volume to control my AMP dirt (not Helix drives) still work OK when routing through this unit? 

Wazmeister

I’m rehearsing tonight @Lebarque so I’ll get back to you tomorrow, as my set up is similar to yours !!

Cabicular

A lot of it is highly subjective
ive never heard a better Univibe, the chorus and flanger models are exactly what I’m looking for
i like the reverbs and delays but full disclosure, I’m a rock guitarist so my needs are a lot simpler there
the HX when I tried it didn’t noticeably colour the tone and drives and impedance work as you would expect

Lebarque

How did the rehearsal go, @Wazmeister ?

Wazmeister

Lebarque said:

How did the rehearsal go, @Wazmeister ?

Well, a bit of background...

We are a covers band that just plays the stuff we want to play !
Quite loud, with me blasting my Tele into the Redplate CDS2 amp.

It started as one of those nights... neither the Line 6 G10 or the HX were working to begin with. Both had independent problems, but these were soon sorted.

The HX was in 'Analogue Bypass' mode and this was quickly switched. Then, the HX needed re-booting and then all was fine... so, in reality no dramas.

I only tried a couple of FX and it worked really well. Simple, dead easy to change on the fly.

We were stuck on one part of a song (In The Crowd - The Jam), and so I quickly looped the bass line and played over it.

I'm very impressed thus far. I don't need amp modelling, as Ive got two belting amps.

And as a result of the HX, Ive sold the Timeline and Big Sky (which I love).

gibsongretschfan

Cabicular said:

A lot of it is highly subjective
ive never heard a better Univibe, the chorus and flanger models are exactly what I’m looking for
i like the reverbs and delays but full disclosure, I’m a rock guitarist so my needs are a lot simpler there
the HX when I tried it didn’t noticeably colour the tone and drives and impedance work as you would expect

I honestly can’t get a satisfying sound from the vibe. I must be doing something wrong