Right so this and many other forums are awash with good folk espousing the virtues of Helix and Katana.
So is this a fad?
Ive been active on this forum for about 18 months and I can't recall two singular products causing such a stir or radical re think of peoples set ups.
A freind of of mine has recently 'gone helix' and I respect his playing and tone, I also remember the journey into other digital modelling gear and it mirrors my own experiences.
Hear it, love it, omg it's gonna change my whole life/playing/appearance etc, buy it for a grand, use it for a couple years sell it for less than half, couple years after that it's worth less that 1/4 of its new price etc etc.
So my wondering is, have we reached the tipping point, where Tone or sound quality is no longer the deciding factor? Is it more work flow, ease of use etc
do we think that in say 5 years, the Helix units now will still be used?
updates and expansions obviously keep units relevant, but how much is an AxeFx #1 now? Compared to new prices at the time?
my Preamp is 30 years old, my power amp 25, they are creating relevant authentic tones now as they did when new.
At what point does the technology get to the stage where it's beyond conscious human perception to tell the difference?
Or that the price point of new drops to the point where budget digital Amps can give 95% of the results of old tech Valve or ss amps?
Are we at that tipping point now?
Caveat: I've tried neither and Axefx or a helix, or a katana
" Why does it smell of bum?" Mrs Professorben.
Comments
Lot of younger guitarists are being brought up on music that doesn't use real amps anyway
Lot of people live in houses where they can't play an amp loud so something Digital that sounds good with headphones or on monitors is a good idea
Ditto for home recording
Plenty of people have wanted to go digital for years, but this current gen of modellers is the first time it's been competitive as a credible alternative. Plenty of people can't reliably tell a recording of an amp from a current high end modeller - which means same for through a PA etc.
The Katana seems to do the same thing for a different price point and set of needs.
Plenty of people recommend Telecasters all the time for guitars. That's been pretty unchanged for decades
Will the Helix sound as good in five years as it does now? Well, on the one hand, obviously yes. On the other it is possible that modelling will move on further. I think the sounds are essentially there now, so it's more likely to be about more flexibility of routing and control if anything.
I do think the Helix platform has a rosy future - Line6 are providing updates and expansions fairly regularly...
http://uk.line6.com/timeline/
My feedback thread is here.
So many people use solid state drive pedals into valve amps and it still sounds valvely, but running a valve preamp into a solid state poweramp can be pretty stiff sounding. That's where the power amp sims on modellers can make a difference. IMO anyway. Caveat is I'm basing this on ears and an extremely basic understanding of amps, one of the more knowledgeable guys would know better
My feedback thread is here.
It's a giant sound card, with on board fx, fx loops and extensive routing options. I can record guitar, vocals, HW synths etc, I can use it as a pre or post fx box, I can add my moogerfoogers to the loops and run VST snyths through them. I can reamp a dry signal (of any instrument of VST). I can use it as a conventional amp modeller, I can use it in 4cm with my valve gear. I can use it's footswitches to trigger samples, midi loops, control a roland SPD:
Come on, this thing is fucking amazing. Best piece of music gear released this century in my opinion. sure, there are individual boxes that can beat it for modelling, or fx, or as a sound card, etc but as a do it all, all in one solution for the home musician? What out there is better?
A few years ago I bought a Blackstar HT20 but couldn't get on with it because the clean channel was clean right up to full volume and the overdrive channel couldn't be cleaned up enough to get a just-on-the-edge-of-breaking-up sound.
I sold it and bought an AC15C1 which I liked a lot apart from having to buy valves for it
The AC15 went a few years ago but recently I felt like getting something to muck about with at home, and a quick google suggested the Katana would do what I wanted without valves so I fetched one home from PMT.
It does everything I want from a combo and the modeled pedals are a nice extra, a 12" speaker so it doesn't sound boxy, and all for only £189.00.
Bargain
For a couple of years I used a Pod X3 Live but was unhappy with the sound. It just didn't have that 'last 10%'. Switched back to an amp and pedals for another couple of years, but realised I was doing a tap dance at gigs. Have now switched to the 80's, my old ADA preamp, dedicated rack FX, and a midi pedal board which I can lay out to give me four stages from clean to dirty with a boost for each one. Lets me switch from clean to dirty boost and back to crunch in two stomps instead of four or five. Doesn't sound like much but when you're on edge at a gig as I tend to be every little helps, so to speak.
Now the modelling gear is up to snuff - the Helix sounds absolutely amazing - I'd be interested to try it but don't fancy dropping the price of a USA Strat on a floorboard when I've got several other setups that'll do the job.
What's good though is that you guys keen to try them, and fair play to you, are driving the market and soon the price of this stuff will inevitably drop. When it does, bollocks to humping all that junk of mine upstairs to a pub to play in front of 30 people. I'll be all over it. I'm no amp snob, and my lower back is a disaster area as it is.
Keep up the good work folks!
Alot of guitarist will end up keeping one or maybe two valve amps and then have a modeller rig. Those valve amps will be turned on less and less.
Mojo is real.
Right but realistically people are now being brought up on the sounds of modelling which will tip the scales over time. People often want the same equipment as their favourite bands.
I wonder how many young Periphery fans want amps vs want an Axe FX for example.
Misha definitely has a collection of amps and was involved in that recent Peavey amp design.
Referring to your clips back a few months ago, yes, the amp sounded favourable compared to the digital stuff, but not so much so that I thought "I need to go back to valves".
I listen back to old recordings of mine and think that it sounds beautiful, but I know I can get indistinguishably close with my current gear. I really don't miss valves at all. Sorry, I'm trying not to do this again...really sorry!
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922