Power amps for Helix

Jetfire

So I'm musing around trying a power amp and traditional cab for the Helix Lt. If I had to go and buy one today, I'm liking the look of the SD Powerstage but there's a few others which do seem cheaper,Hotone (?) being one  of them. 

Are they much of muchness or is there a real field leader in the sub £500 bracket?

Handsome_Chris

Matrix Amplification are pretty good, and their customer service is brilliant.  They also have a great trial policy, because you ain't gonna know how it works with your gear, unless you use it with your gear.

I believe that one of these may fit what you're after.  

rossyamaha

We do recommend the Matrix. There are cheaper or more versatile options but the Matrix stuff just makes things louder which with something like a Helix is all you want. 

Jetfire

I had a matrix before, and used it with a Ironheart IRT studio and a G Major 2. The matrix didn't like it when the G major was connected. Only thing I dislike is the fact is the matrix is rack mount only..

Beexter

I've used the effects return of a Quilter 101 Mini head which works well and have recently picked up a Powerstage 170 which is also brilliant. The PS170 is even more compact so fits more easily onto a pedalboard and the tone controls are really useful. It's what i will now use to run my AX8 into a guitar cab. 
The Quilter serves double duty as it is a full on amp in its own right and is also my backup solution for whatever rig i choose and means I have a simple and portable option if i want to mess with wet/dry or stereo options. 
Both are plenty loud enough for gigging. 

Jetfire

@Beexter so why did you go for the SD too? Just because of the size? 

Handsome_Chris

rossyamaha said:

We do recommend the Matrix. There are cheaper or more versatile options but the Matrix stuff just makes things louder which with something like a Helix is all you want. 

Well you can't beat that for a recommendation. I've been using Matrix gear with Axe-FX II and Boss GT-1000 with no issues.  @Clarky is a big user of the Matrix GT-1000 FX as the power to weight ratio is fantastic compared to valve solutions, which is much appreciated when gigging.

@Octatonic, did you have something to do with the development of the GT-800 FX?

Handsome_Chris

@Jetfire , in which way did the Matrix amp not like it when the G Major 2 was plugged in?  @paulmapp8306 , did you have a G Major 2 and Matrix amp,  although not necessarily at the same time?

digitalscream

Another vote for the PS170 here. My concern with it was the fact that it's ~85W into 8 ohms (my 2x12" is 8 ohm). It wasn't a problem, that thing's ridiculously loud, as in "louder than your overactive drummer can possibly manage".

It's also light and easily fits in the Helix rucksack or the Novation 25 rucksack I use for my LT.

Finally, there's its killer feature that the Matrix doesn't have - the active EQ. It's so much more useful than the usual passive EQ stacks, whereby (for example) you can add as much bass as you want and you actually get more bass, rather than more mud.

Jetfire

@Handsome_Chris it just shut it down. The g major was in the FX loop of the IRT but was fine with it on its own. However, this was about 3 rigs ago so I forget the set up. Matrix was great though! 

Handsome_Chris

Jetfire said:

@Handsome_Chris it just shut it down. The g major was in the FX loop of the IRT but was fine with it on its own. However, this was about 3 rigs ago so I forget the set up. Matrix was great though! 

Fkn 'ell.  That is a show stopper. 

Beexter

@Jetfire ;There were a few factors. My full modelling rig is an AX8 which I have previously used with a Yamaha DXR10 as a wedge monitor in front of me for my own monitoring with a signal sent to FOH. However,  the new band I've joined are quite old school in their approach and prefer a traditional (read loud) backline so I've switched to poweramp and cab as backline with a separate feed to FOH with cab simulation from the AX8. The smaller size of the SD means I could fit everything on a compact board, the tone controls are really useful as i can tweak my on stage sound depending on which cab i use and it doesn't affect anything else. It also means I still have a backup solution by bringing the Quilter.

I suppose the Quilter has the most flexibility but if I was ONLY looking to provide a poweramp for a modeller, the SD would probably be my first choice given the size and tone controls. I know the purists will say that a poweramp shouldn't need tone controls as it's sole job is to make stuff louder, but they are handy to fine tune different cabs/ rooms.

Jetfire

@digitalscream I'm glad youre reporting good experiences. What does make me wonder ks why you'd want EQ, especially as you have massive amounts of EQ available I the helix. I guess if you didn't want it, you'd leave the dials at 12 o'clock (or off, however it works)

Jetfire

@Beexter you hit the nail on the head about eq on a power amp for me, but your clarification is awesome lol 

digitalscream

Jetfire said:

@digitalscream I'm glad youre reporting good experiences. What does make me wonder ks why you'd want EQ, especially as you have massive amounts of EQ available I the helix. I guess if you didn't want it, you'd leave the dials at 12 o'clock (or off, however it works)

Yep, I asked myself that same question - however, in practice it's much easier to adjust for different rooms using the EQ on the top of the amp than it is to muck around with the Helix. Don't get me wrong, the Helix probably has the best user interface of all the modellers, but for quick on-the-fly changes at soundcheck an immediately-available option is far more convenient.

Jetfire

@digitalscream what cab set up are you using?  

digitalscream

Jetfire said:

@digitalscream what cab set up are you using?  

Ironically...a Matrix NL212

Beexter

@Jetfire , as a real world example, I've got a 1x12 MJW cab fitted with an Eminence Cannabis Rex and a couple of the Bluguitar Nanocab's. I usually choose to take one or other to a gig, depending on how strong I feel ( the Nanocab's are really light).The Nanocab's are quite a bit brighter so being able to dial back the highs from the SD makes a big difference to the onstage sound and has no impact on the signal going to FOH.

Handsome_Chris

digitalscream said:

Jetfire said:

@digitalscream what cab set up are you using?  

Ironically...a Matrix NL212

You've bought another one?

Jetfire

I did run the helix onto the FX loop of my H and K GM36 into a Bogner 1 ported 1 X 12 cab which sounded glorious but wasn't loud enough to gig with. 

octatonic

Handsome_Chris said:

rossyamaha said:

We do recommend the Matrix. There are cheaper or more versatile options but the Matrix stuff just makes things louder which with something like a Helix is all you want. 

Well you can't beat that for a recommendation. I've been using Matrix gear with Axe-FX II and Boss GT-1000 with no issues.  @Clarky is a big user of the Matrix GT-1000 FX as the power to weight ratio is fantastic compared to valve solutions, which is much appreciated when gigging.

@Octatonic, did you have something to do with the development of the GT-800 FX?

They sent me one of the first ones and I said what I thought, but that is basically it.