Line 6 Helix

Digital_Igloo · February 5

UnclePsychosis said:

If you want a specific example, the latest Boss modellers have a more intuitive take on A/B behaviour, in that they behave as as true A/B by default.

And I honestly wasn't having a go before, but if you're claiming that the functionality of "turning a split function off makes it into a perfect Y splitter" is intuitive then I'm afraid I'm in violent disagreement.

Okay, I worked for Roland/BOSS for five years, so I'm intimately familiar with their UI protocols.

A Split block acting like an A/B switch is absolutely not the most common use case. Again, the vast majority of users want no split at all or to divide the signal evenly for parallel processing. In Helix-land, most users use snapshots to set the Split > A/B's Route To parameter to A 100 (A), B 100 (B), or Even Split (Y).

If we were to copy BOSS' current Split controller implementation, we'd need to merge all current (and potential future) Split blocks into a single Split block with a Mode parameter (wasting DSP and forcing multiple parameters to be assigned to snapshots), which would still force the user to read the Owner's Manual to build a manual A/B/Y switch.

I'll admit that bypassing an A/B, Crossover, or Dynamic (all much less common) Split to return routing to Even Split isn't as discoverable as it could be, but we'd rather err on the side of consistency and speed than dumbing things down and slowing the process to a slog. The difference is reading the manual, thinking "huh, that's kinda odd", but accomplishing exactly what you want in 6 seconds vs. reading the manual, thinking "okay, I guess that kinda makes sense," and taking a minute or longer to dive through nested menus to accomplish the same thing. After a while, you stop bothering.

Matt_McG · February 6

I might ask a similar question in the main FX channel, but ...

I mostly use an HX Stomp as the core of my home rig, but I've been consistently using it with an external reverb and delay, and external drive pedal and compressor. This was partly because prior to the last few rounds of updates, I wanted to save the blocks for IRs and amp models, and because I wasn't super happy with the drive models or reverbs.

Now, however, there are a few decent drives and reverbs, and having extra blocks available mean that I can get a lot of mileage from the Stomp alone.

However, if I get rid of all of my other stuff, there'll be some cash left over burning a hole in my pocket for some additional stuff to run alongside the Stomp.

I'm thinking:

1. Midi controller (as I often want an expression pedal _and_ a couple of extra footswitches)
2, Some kind of "character" pedals purely for the fun of it: Chase Bliss delay or similar in the FX loop, that sort of thing, or maybe a good preamp pedal (as I don't love all of the HX Stomp models), e.g. a Magma57 or similar.

Anyone have any experience of a similar rig, or preferences for pedals that play nice with the Stomp?

Jota · February 6

Matt_McG said:

I might ask a similar question in the main FX channel, but ...

I mostly use an HX Stomp as the core of my home rig, but I've been consistently using it with an external reverb and delay, and external drive pedal and compressor. This was partly because prior to the last few rounds of updates, I wanted to save the blocks for IRs and amp models, and because I wasn't super happy with the drive models or reverbs.

Now, however, there are a few decent drives and reverbs, and having extra blocks available mean that I can get a lot of mileage from the Stomp alone.

However, if I get rid of all of my other stuff, there'll be some cash left over burning a hole in my pocket for some additional stuff to run alongside the Stomp.

I'm thinking:

1. Midi controller (as I often want an expression pedal _and_ a couple of extra footswitches)
2, Some kind of "character" pedals purely for the fun of it: Chase Bliss delay or similar in the FX loop, that sort of thing, or maybe a good preamp pedal (as I don't love all of the HX Stomp models), e.g. a Magma57 or similar.

Anyone have any experience of a similar rig, or preferences for pedals that play nice with the Stomp?

I have a Supatrem and a Hudson Broadcast along with the Stomp and, most of the time, I only use them when playing my real amps.
When I'm using HX amps I hardly touch them.

My setup is very simple and I'm so happy with it that this board hasn't changed since the beginning of 2021!

Image: https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?attachments/img_20230617_184158-jpg.1003227/

Matt_McG · February 6

That looks good. Are the Midi Baby and the two footswitch switch controlling the Stomp?

Jota · February 7

Matt_McG said:

That looks good. Are the Midi Baby and the two footswitch switch controlling the Stomp?

Yes.
MIDI Baby does Snapshot/Stomp modes, Preset mode and tuner.
I use the dual switch for a lot of different things but, usually to turn on/off one or more blocks.

Zapple · May 1

I’ll just leave this here….

https://www.thomann.de/gb/line6_helix_guitar_processor_ltd_pt.htm

on offer at £868

stickyfiddle · May 1

Zapple said:

I’ll just leave this here….

https://www.thomann.de/gb/line6_helix_guitar_processor_ltd_pt.htm

on offer at £868

I don;t think I need it but that seems absurd?!

Zapple · May 1

stickyfiddle said:

Zapple said:

I’ll just leave this here….

https://www.thomann.de/gb/line6_helix_guitar_processor_ltd_pt.htm

on offer at £868

I don;t think I need it but that seems absurd?!

It does! New version on way or just a Thomann 70th deal????

Plus 3yr warranty.

Been round the houses with most of the modellers but super tempted by this.

guitargeek62 · May 1

Bloody hell, that's a great deal - almost used prices there!

guitarmangler · May 2

Wow. Why is it £500 is cheaper than the standard one? Cheaper than an lt and almost the same love as a stomp xl.

guitarmangler · May 2

Zapple said:

stickyfiddle said:

Zapple said:

I’ll just leave this here….

https://www.thomann.de/gb/line6_helix_guitar_processor_ltd_pt.htm

on offer at £868

I don;t think I need it but that seems absurd?!

It does! New version on way or just a Thomann 70th deal????

Perhaps both?

stickyfiddle · May 2

Well this is disappointing...!!

Image: https://tfb-user-images.eu-central-1.linodeobjects.com/f8ffe77557a3cabab82538eed8db6b49bb775792cd271dd533

Zapple · May 2

stickyfiddle said:

Well this is disappointing...!!

Oh that sucks!

stickyfiddle · May 2

Zapple said:

stickyfiddle said:

Well this is disappointing...!!

Oh that sucks!

I know! At that price I'd be tempted to buy 2 and sell one in a couple of months!

Honestly I'm still half tempted to send one to my folks in the UK to hang on to for me

Zapple · May 2

Ah you're not in the EU/UK at the moment!

stickyfiddle · May 2

Zapple said:

Ah you're not in the EU/UK at the moment!

Yeah, Abu Dhabi. Which is great occasionally because it means no 20% VAT but sucks when things like this come up!

Zapple · May 2

Whether or not there's something new on the horizon, the Helix has plenty of life left in it. Still the best board for routing, I/O and usability.

Daiganzen · May 2

I am hoping for Helix + Which still keeps the same OS and Moddeling but can Run More things at Once

guitargeek62 · May 2

Daiganzen said:

I am hoping for Helix + Which still keeps the same OS and Moddeling but can Run More things at Once

Aye, there's not much I'd be looking for from a 'new' Helix apart from additional processing power really. Things like native wireless etc might be nice, but aren't essential and are just more things to go wrong.

Tbh I'm surprised that they didn't release the rack version as a HX 'Pro' model with additional SHARCs etc.

rossyamaha · May 2

Daiganzen said:

I am hoping for Helix + Which still keeps the same OS and Moddeling but can Run More things at Once

So they do work on making the existing models in Helix less dsp heavy. Happened at least a couple of times but there are plenty of ways round the DSP limitations to get what you want.

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