Helix is a new kind of guitar processor: it's not only a tour-grade multi-effect pedal that souns and feels authentic, it takes user experience to a new level and can act as the nerve center for your entire rig. Whether you spend your time in the studio or on the stage, Helix is the next generation guitar processor you've been waiting for.
S/PDIF, AES/EBU, and L6 Link digital outputs
Capacitive touch-sensitive switches for parameter recall
Assignable RGB LED color rings
Customizable LCD scribble strips
Preset or stompbox modes
Integrated looper
Solid-aluminum construction
Tour-grade footswitches
That screen looks awesome, but it's pricey. $1500!
Last edited by Muse FTW on Thu Jun 11, 2015 6:34 pm, edited 2 times in total.
So, they are trying to go for a stompbox version of an Axe-FX, I take it. Not bad, I'm sure the prog-metal crowd is going apeshit over this. I love the interface.
Chankgeez wrote:
We should have a game show à la Name That Tune
Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 5 pedals.
other contestant: I can shoegaze that tune with 4 pedals.
Inconuucl: I can shoegaze that tune with 3 pedals.
other contestant: OK, shoegaze that tune!
Inconuucl:
Inconuucl wrote:So, they are trying to go for a stompbox version of an Axe-FX, I take it. Not bad, I'm sure the prog-metal crowd is going apeshit over this. I love the interface.
Seeing as how Axe-FX is coming out with the AX8 soon (amp + effects modelling in pedalboard format), this looks like a direct competitor that might give them a run for their money. This certainly has a better display and general interface, from the look of things. The biggest thing will be how much the quality of effects has improved. I really dig the external routing options and the looping. Apparently it's 120 seconds of mono looping and 60 seconds of stereo looping, which is great for me.
I'm usually not big on these big multi-fx boards but I have grown to appreciate the concept of scenes, as my pedalboard can be a nightmare to navigate at times (switching multiple effects on and off in time is becoming impossible). If I ever went this route, I could simplify my actual board to be this thing with a handful of my irreplaceable pedals.
I had an M9, FM4, and four DL4s and have never been satisfied with the most of sounds, though a few oddball effects were pleasing. I would be impressed if the had all new algorithms inside. The price isn't terrible if it delivers in sound. People would be nuts for a device like this from Strymon or Eventide. Also, the upcoming Fractal FX8 is effects only, no amp modeling, but suppose to be $1200.
I don't post much here but I signed up for an account because people talked about my old KWB pedal here fairly often.
Anyway, the reason I stopped making pedals is because I got hired by Line 6. Many of the models in the Helix were done by me. This product has been in serious development for years, and it's finally nice to be able to talk about it in public.
I'm not here to shill. If you like it, great. If not, that's fine too. But if anyone has any specific questions, I can try to address them.
Are all the effects new?
Does the looping sync to MIDI clock?
Almost all the effects are new.
The verbs are based on the Verbzilla reverbs, but they are tweaked and they have more comprehensive EQing of the wet path.
Eight of the ten wahs are from HD500/M9/13, but have added features.
The rest of the effects are all new.
I do not think looping has midi sync right now. It might be in an update, but I can't say for certain.
Cool to hear that the delays are getting overhauled. I love the DL4, but 99% of the time it is only for looping. To be fair, the DL4 came out in 1999 and processing power is different now.
That's great to hear that the effects are mostly new. The DL4 etc were cool but they're well over 10 years old now so i was disappointed with the effects in the M series being nothing much of an upgrade. Even companies like Eventide are still wringing money out of 10+ year old algorithms.
It'll be interesting to see if this can convert many people from using boards of individual pedals, or whether it will stay mostly in the Axe-Fx-type crowd market.
Not at all what I was expecting from the new Line 6 under Yamaha.
I predict a $500 Digitech/Lexicon competitor in the near future.
God only knows what sort of reaction spasm will come out of TC/Behringer.
I like where it's heading, I guess. That level of control just doesn't need to cost that much anymore.
I still have my boss ME-5 at home. Bust it out from time to time and have some fun with it, but it's a noisy fuckin' unit.
The Helix looks amazing. The foot editing concept looks intuitive, the design is super sleek, and it doesn't look like you need a phd to be able to edit it's parameters.
That being said the video on the site is enticing but until someone "real" (not some slick over-produced marketing bullshit) get's their hands on it and puts up some demos showing it's sonic possibilities I wouldn't plunk down a mortgage payment on it. It needs to have some legs in the retail market before I'm willing to take the leap.
Glad it's not one of the Amplifi iOS only POS things.
Looks interesting if it can deliver.
That's a lot under the hood if it sounds decent - L6 hasn't sounded good to me, well, to be honest, pretty much ever. Stuff was serviceable at best, but it seemed like nothing really new came out for the longest time.
I could see going down that road at the right price to go with my existing stuff though, especially if there's a rackmount or tabletop version.
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My pedalboard costs approximately 191 Metal Zones.
