Helix, HX Stomp or HX Effects?

Musicman20

I've come to the conclusion I'd like to try a smaller version of the Helix. 

Whilst I would love to get the full floor model, I bought one brand new about 18 months ago but sold it on due to not having any time for it.

I was incredibly impressed with the build quality and ease of use. I didn't really get too involved in finding my sounds as I didn't have time, but I know they have added a lot to it.

Part of me wants to go for the full Helix, but the price is now about £250 more than I paid, or more! It's one of those moments where you tell yourself you can't pay THAT much more for the same item.

I wasn't even interested in the HX effects as I wanted the amp/cab etc options, especially because I will also use it with bass as well as guitar. So that leads to HX Stomp.

HX Stomp is now only £390, which is less than a third of the price of a Helix! I know it is stripped down...but that price point is really good.

Then I started to like the idea of just using effects and having more blocks and switches, hence HX effects.

Can anyone point me in the direction of good full fat Helix deals or indeed just recommend the Stomp?!

Thanks

Tenebrous

Have you considered an LT? Smaller & a lot cheaper than the big daddy Helix while still having all the features/processing power apart from a few cabling options & the scribble strips. Also have the added benefit over the Stomp/FX of having an expression pedal built in, rather than having to use one separately.

Snags

<not helping>
Local bass player of more than some competence and skill uses the HX Effects with nary a problem.
</not helping>

brucegill

Friend has the FX and it’s great if you don’t want the amp sim side of things. Nice to use and a good size. 

I bought a stomp, love it, just wish it had one or two more blocks as 6 can get restrictive. Thinking about selling the stomp and getting a LT when funds allow. Though it did sound a bit like the stomp may get more than 6 blocks at some stage via an update....

Wazmeister

I've become a big fan of the HX Stomp, and its surprisingly good, especially live...

I've never once yet run out of blocks, tbh, but Im not a massive FX person. I do run my KOT and Duellist through the loop of the HX, and assign it to a switch. Superb.

sgosden

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/142161/the-helix-buying-guide#latest


Ross did a great write up a while ago

Musicman20

Thanks! 

Lebarque

Pedals. Sorry

Musicman20

Lebarque said:

Pedals. Sorry

I do love individual pedals, so I think I'll go with the Stomp and integrate it into what I'm using...

gearaddict

I was just wondering if people are finding the HX Stomp a usable unit, even with the limitation of 3 buttons? Is it the case that you definitely need other pedals and just use it as part of a pedalboard or can it replace a whole pedalboard?

Wazmeister

gearaddict said:

I was just wondering if people are finding the HX Stomp a usable unit, even with the limitation of 3 buttons? Is it the case that you definitely need other pedals and just use it as part of a pedalboard or can it replace a whole pedalboard?

Ive played live with my HX Stomp a few times, and rehearsed many many times...

And Ive actually sold mine, and then re-purchased one again this week. It is amazingly versatile, and the 3 buttons are perfect for me. 

gearaddict

I did the same with the Helix LT - bought it, sold it, bought it again, sold it again. I have been using the Digitech GSP1101 since then and it sounds great but the form factor is not ideal and the editing is very old school. I was thinking about the 6 button amplifire but reviews of that vary from "amazing" to "complete shit" in an almost 50:50 ratio and I've never had a chance to try one.

Shame the HX stomp couldn't have just one more button...a bit more like the Headrush gigboard. 

paulphoenix

It's cheap enough to add a dual footswitch with cable (£14 combined for both on a popular auction site) and voila you have a 5 button HX Stomp! 

WiresDreamDisasters

2nd hand Helix Floor can be had for £800ish.

NelsonP

gearaddict said:

 I was thinking about the 6 button amplifire but reviews of that vary from "amazing" to "complete shit" in an almost 50:50 ratio and I've never had a chance to try one.

I've got an Amplifire (12) and am in the "amazing" camp.

Cons:
The user interface is much better on Helix / HX stomp.
Effects are a bit of a pain - you don't get a "Here's our Boss CE2 model", like you do with the Line 6 stuff. The effects have waayy too many parameters for normal folks and it takes a while to get the hang of that. On the flip side, once you do it is incredibly flexible and can be made to mimic pretty much any of the mainstream effects out there - compressors, boosts, flanger, chorus, phase, trem, reverb, delay et. You are also stuck with a single line of blocks (including only one boost and delay). 

Pros:
The sounds are incredible - not just for the money, but excellent overall. Particularly some of the Marshall models but also the Fender Deluxe.
It integrates very nicely with a larger pedalboard (particularly the Amplifire 6) and pedals do exactly what you'd expect them to do into an amp.
It has more buttons to push - which is a good thing.

Once you get it set up the pros massively outweigh the cons.

In your shoes I'd be taking a trip to Andertons' to A/B the Stomp vs the AA6.

TTBZ

I like my HX Stomp and haven’t run into any issues with the block limit but again I’m not much of an fx user. My presets are basically overdrive > amp > delay > IR > room reverb. OD and delay assigned to switches 1&2.

I do think the Atomic modelling sounds better but the usability/editing is crap compare to Helix. Most of the Helix amps sound a bit muddy and over compressed with my setup but the P75, Litigator, Badonk and Placater cover enough bases for me anyway.

gearaddict

paulphoenix said:

It's cheap enough to add a dual footswitch with cable (£14 combined for both on a popular auction site) and voila you have a 5 button HX Stomp! 

Can you just plug in a standard 2 button switch and assign anything to it? Obviously the capacitance function won’t be there.

John_A

gearaddict said:

paulphoenix said:

It's cheap enough to add a dual footswitch with cable (£14 combined for both on a popular auction site) and voila you have a 5 button HX Stomp! 

Can you just plug in a standard 2 button switch and assign anything to it? Obviously the capacitance function won’t be there.

No, not anything, you are restricted to a few options like patch up/down or mode change, of fx on/off.  It means you have to think about setup a bit more, but really does give you a lot of additional flexibility.

gearaddict

I've been thinking of getting a Stomp to replace my GSP1101 setup...I'd prefer something without an expression pedal (I'm left footed, so the pedal on all of these units is on the wrong side for me and I prefer my switchless wah anyway) - and more user friendly.

I am also tempted by the Headrush - it looks lots of fun to use but it's still a fairly chunky unit and I've read a few stories about unreliability and poor service. I suppose one good thing about the Stomp is if I decide not to base my whole rig on it, I can bung it on my pedalboard and just use it to replace selected stompboxes.

I have some experience of the Helix so I know they sound good. One major advantage of the Stomp over the Amplifire 6 or Headrush Gigboard for me is I can probably smuggle it past the wife without a Spanish inquisition! 

Dominic

" NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION "'

gearaddict

Our two chief buttons are delay and boost and chorus...our THREE chief buttons...