Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Believe the hype. My Helix came last week, and I can't keep my hands off it. Infinite combinations of stomp boxes, amps, cabs, and mics. I am glad I made the investment and the jump from individual boxes to a multi-processor. It also looks great and comes with some stellar presets. I feel that there is a lot to learn in terms of getting "under the hood" and building custom set-ups, but it is very easy to use and fun to experiment with.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Getting Helix reminds me of switching to digital SLR camera after being a hardcore film user many years ago. I was waiting for years for an affordable and compact solution that would not sacrifice quality, significantly simplify workflow and maintenance and open new sonic horizons. My current analog rig consists of Mesa TA-30 amp and a few boutique pedals that I painstakingly selected over the years. I am not new to processors, used to have Boss GT10 (good clean effects and that's about it), POD HD500 (decent amp sims and ok effects). Now I got Helix, Yamaha DXR10 speaker and after few days of tweaking I was able to closely reproduce my rig and get gigging. Since I got Helix month ago I gigged five times and the Helix did not disappoint a single time. These are not drawbacks per se, but effects could be better documented (I either have to refer to original pedals documentation or browse the forums ) and I don't care for many effects Helix comes with, but the ones that I use I find excellent ( tape echo, leslie, chorus, reverbs ) and that's what matters to me. And most importantly, the amp simulations are outstanding. Thank you, Line 6!

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

im using the helix with my blackstar series one 45 with 4 cable method and this is hands down the best sounding set up i own through my prs custom 24. stomp box models sound amazing through front of amp and modulation/delays sound pretty good as well (still not a lot of chorus,phaser,flangers) but they are steadily updating firmware and adding new fx to helix which is awesome. when on bypass, helix is transparent and does not have any "tone suck" still have a few bugs to work out. mine has froze a couple times and im still un able to hook it up to my mac. works fine on windows. wha sounds i find are great but a pita to use the onboard exp pedal as it has too much travel so i just used my own wha into the send/return. buy this and youll spend less time adjusting settings and individual stomp boxes and stomping on and off all night. allows me to focus on the music and enjoy the set more as one switch can toggle 4 different fx on and off or boost etc.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I've been playing guitar for a couple years, and play daily. I've been playing acoustically without amp, pedals, essentially anything other than my guitars(3) and a couple of clean PA Speakers. I am a 'tone' novice and this is my first foray into that great world. I tried simulating on a computer. The sound was ok, but the latency was not worth it. I'm not looking to record at this point, just live playing experience. That being said I did my homework and compared all that was out there on the market right now( March 2016). The Helix fits the needs I have. Great Amps, Effects, et. al. with flexibility and ease of use. Right now I'm only limited by 2 things: (1.) The more I learn about tone, the more I don't know.
(2) I've spoken with Line 6, and they are only supporting the more current Mac and Windows Operating Systems. I'm a Unix/Linux and XP guy. What this means is that the software which is installed on your computer to communicate with the Helix (Drivers, Firmware, Updates, Patches, Librarian, etc) will not work for other OS. This will not effect most users, but maybe you, so check it out on the Line 6 Site if it matters to you.

The good news is this: Firmware 1.0 was the initially shipped and the number quoted in all the marketing is based on 1.0, so if you get anything newer then you'll have more effects & amps than advertised. Once I can update, I'll just have to back-up my custom work prior to the update and I can move forward without any issues. I've had the Helix less than a month and can tell you this: You don't need to hook the computer up to it. It great out of the box. Mine came with Firmware 1.04.03 pre-installed. Of the presets which come loaded and the one which are open for experimentation, here is what I count comes in the way of Presets in 1.04.03:
There 8 grouping of 32 4 bank Presets. That is a total of 1024 on-board the Helix. The first 2 are labeled Factory containing 210 factory patches. The 8th has 20 templates

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Perhaps the most well-thought design of any electronic piece of gear ever brought to market. Elegant looks, simple to use and the technology addresses just about every challenge a guitarist might face. It's highest and best use will be in the studio but if you use a direct-to-house approach or FRFR powered speaker systems, live applications will be pretty darned awesome too. Thankfully, the Helix is easy to tweak, because you WILL need to learn how to adjust the many tools provided to get a truly righteous tone, especially in live performance situations. That said, the more I explore the better it gets. Line 6, this is clearly THE product of the last several years!

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I have used Line 6 products in the past, but they have always felt to me like the sounds and response was off. This could be further from what this product brings. The key is to run it into a system that has adequate power. I've played mine via the 4 cable method, direct into a Line6 Stage Souce L2t, and 2 different PA's. The versatility is incredible. The tones are on point and the ability to integrate your favorite pedals into it, is perfect. Having the ability to add multiple expression pedals is also great. It is not cheap, but you are getting what you pay for. The youtube videos don't lie, but If you don't have a way to run it through a decent powered PA system or speaker, you should purchase the appropriate broadcast system. (Any quality amp head and cab etc).

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

The product was very clear sounding and crisp, but to my ears it made my amp sound like house speakers rather than an amp. The volume peaks when switching patches got on my pure nerves, but I heard they fixed this in the last update. They marketed this product very well, but they really need to come out with more effects. This unit makes the line 6 DT amp sound brittle. I have two Bogner Alchemist amps, a line 6 dt50, and a Fender DeVille 410. I have had countless of other amps and pretty much realize what a good amp sound like. I have been playing over 25 years

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I gig almost every weekend and I practice every day so I put a LOT of time on the Helix over 9 months. There are a hundreds of 'fanboy' reviews to read and watch but this isn't one of them. My review just hits the cons of some of the effects Helix and using it live.
Envelope filtering, pitch are terrible. Distortions are bad too. They sound good at low volume but when playing at stage volume they sound really bad. The wah modeling is all the same, but you can tweak the settings on them and the long travel of the foot pedal made it really hard to use the wah effectively. I searched for a way to shorten the throw of the frequency but I couldn't find it. The EQ's are all the same.
I found that changing patches also changed the volume output. Even with no effects in use between patches there is a +/- volume change. I guess because of the different effects in the patches but it's not good when playing live.
After 9 months I sold mine and went back to my stomp boxes. I can't speak to the amp modeling and running it live with IR's.
I wouldn't recommend this for anyone looking for something to use as a live rig but if you're looking for an expensive toy to experiment with and you're only playing for yourself then you'll love this.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Amazing sound, very easy to use. The best solution under 2000$ for playing straight thru a pa or recording. The most important thing is NOT to follow the names on the patches and letting you ears be the deciding factor. I was looking for a great clean sound and it was the pull me under patch, not the fender one that gave me the sound I was looking for. Easier to use than an axe fx.II. only missing is a nice software to edit patches.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Line 6 created an intuitive, practical, great sounding effect processor that sets a new standard for guitar multi-effects and amp modeling. But you do have to pay for it and it is 3 times more expensive than most other comparable devices. However, so far, I have to say it is worth it.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I read all the reviews before buying. Lots of initial wow factor going on. I'm glad you scrolled past all the 5 star ratings to see this. The wow wore off quickly for me.

I got the Helix thinking I would be able to use it as an intergration to my pedal board, recording tool, practice tool, and as an effects board for my acoustic guitar. Actually yes, all these things are possible. And it worked. The only problem is that it's never true bypass, so even if you intergrate your favorite pedals (running into your tube amp) into the effects sends, they don't sound as good as on your pedalboard. I could never get the line six out of the tone.
I set up some great sounding tones with my acoustic guitar. It sounded killer through my studio monitors, but when I got to the gig and plugged it in there was a VERY pronounced hiss coming from the Helix. I did all the troubleshooting, including putting it in mute, and the determanation was that it was in fact just what the Helix does.
As far as the headphone practice thing goes, I spent more time trying to dial into a decent tone ( that I never found) than actually practicing. The amp sims are just ok at best. I was never convinced I was playing through and amp. You will tweek for weeks in a rabbit hole and maybe kid yourself that you found something good. I've heard alot of guys use 3rd party impulse responses on this thing. I'm not about to join that party.
If you have a nice pedal setup and a nice amp- Keep it that way. This thing is not for purists like us. If you want to spend a bunch of money and kid yourself into thinking it sounds as good as the real thing, go ahead, but it doesn't. It's close, but not close enough for my ear.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I love it!!!

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I am so happy with this unit. The tones are authentic and extremely versatile. I had my helix for all of ten minutes and dialed in an amazing tone without ever looking at a manual. There isn't much of anything this thing can't do. My main unit was an orange rockerverb and now its for sale because this helix blows it away. I'm using a mesa 2 fifty for power and an avatar 2x12 with blue alnicos.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

The Line 6 Helx gets used daily and is played in a church setting. It is simple to use and can be adjusted quickly if necessary. It is the BEST product ever purchased from Line 6. I would definitely recommend it to any one who is in need of a device that is extremely capable. You will not be unhappy with the Line 6 Helix. It is worth the price to have the ability to reach any level of playing you desire.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

The Helix is worth the wait! I now have my absolute best guitar rig: Line 6 Helix to Hughes & Kettner Grandmeister amp head to Mesa Boogie Mini Rectifier 1 x 12 speaker cabinets (Celestion V30 16 ohm 60 W speakers). One cabinet straight, one cabinet slanted; looks like a Mini Stack. Using the '5 Cable Method' I connect my Parker PDF80 electric guitar into the Guitar In of the Helix and a cable into the front of the H & K amp. I also connect 2 cables from the effects loop out into the back of the Grandmeister (effects loop). Then, I connect a MIDI cable out from Helix to the MIDI in on the back of the amp. Now, I can not only get the great effects from the Helix to shape and color my guitar sound, I also use the Helix as a MIDI controller. I'll select an amp channel and settings, then use the Instant Command to select MIDI Channel and CC, follow the proceedure from the manual of the Grandmeister, and create a preset that calls up effects and amp settings at the same time! Great natural and complex overdrive & distortion from the amp, and thick, sweet effects making their way thru the effects loop. Plus, you'll have the coolest looking effects processor with full color screen and footswitches! Be the envy of your guitar buddies and get the very best from Line 6.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Longtime electric player who loves tube amps. I bought the Helix to try and minimize my gear, since most of my public playing uses IEMs (in ear monitors). After spending about 40 long hours with it, I finally realized it just wasn't fun to play. I even downloaded some quality IRs that were available and they all still had the same issue: Pick attack and touch sensitivity is not real. I tried everything to overcome this: compressors, dual speakers, dual amp heads, EQs, and it was inherent in the design.
In its defense, all of the models, including the hi-gain ones, played with great clarity and note separation. The downside is some of the depth of the tone and dynamics were missing compared to plugging straight into a quality tube amp.
If you re-amp this through an amp, it will probably do well as a pre-amp. And if you're used to playing through lots of solid state pedals, you may not notice the dynamics issues.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I have had the Helix a month or so now...I loved my hd500x, but this blows it away for sure...it's been on the sidelines ever since...I use the helix to practice guitar...since I can't turn my splawn up to 10 at midnite, this is a requirement for my sanity...what I'm noticing so far, which is not readily evident immediately, is the superior quality of the amp models...much more responsive to the volume pot, and the sustain has a rich bloom missing on the previous pods...the interface is incredibly intuitive, so fast to get a nice patch...which I love...I hade twiddling knobs when I should be playing the guitar,..so it's awesome for that...I really haven't even begun to plumb the depths of using it 4 cable method with my amp,..or for re-amping or for any of the other crazy things it can do...it can do virtually everything you want it to do....looking forward to experimenting with it...
The only caveat I have is that,..on certain patches,...I forget even which one,,.maybe the brian may top boost sound..there is a very audible weird digital artifact..a high end warbling...I have experienced this problem with certain digital delays too,...I'm no expert but sounds like maybe it needs a higher sampling rate??...the good news is,...it's only on one or two tones,...and if you avoid those,..you're good..
I love using two amps with different characteristics,..panned hard left and right...I only took a few minutes to figure out how to do that...especially with the computer editor,...makes it a breeze...
Overall more of an awesome inspiring guitar toy than I even thought it would be!!...I got a refurbished one for 1200...not too bad...I think it out does the axe fx and kemper overall...although those units are great sounding too,...the UI on Helix wins...the tones sometimes blow my mind with their amp-like quality!!!

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

All I can say is WoW! It really sounds great and is easy to use. It has tons of power, so please add more effects and an editor. Would be nice if they would let you make your own effects like POSITIVE GRID is starting to do.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

I was blown away by the sound quality and versatility of this unit. I have always, until now, been an "analog pedal into tube amp" player. The helix has me rethinking everything.

Comments about Line 6 Helix Multi-Effects Guitar Pedal:

Replaced at least eight pieces of gear plus amps and cabs and won't look back if they keep making this better. Jumped from convenience gadget to legitimate tool with the HX.