Line 6 Helix

monquixote · June 2015

Having seen the Helix the AX8 looks quite last generation by comparison.

Yamaha/L6 have huge economies of scale behind them compared to Fractal. If it's going to be the heart of a new generation of products for the next ten years they could well have designed their own custom silicon which is going to give them a significant advantage.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

monquixote said:

Having seen the Helix the AX8 looks quite last generation by comparison.

Yamaha/L6 have huge economies of scale behind them compared to Fractal. If it's going to be the heart of a new generation of products for the next ten years they could well have designed their own custom silicon which is going to give them a significant advantage.

Nah, the Helix has SHARC chips in it, it's not a propietary chip.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

From Digital Igloo (Line 6 product manager):

Preset footswitch mode can show presets on the top row, bottom row, or both rows. When set to top or bottom row, Stomp mode is visible on the other row.

digitalscream · June 2015

Excellent, ta.

To be honest, it's pretty easy to see why L6 released the AMPLIFi with X3-generation modelling now; they couldn't really spend any more money on developing it 'cos they had this waiting in the wings.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Perhaps. I pinged Digital_Igloo on the Line 6 forums. I think he's gonna pop on over here and answer some questions.

(This has totally killed my FX8 gas!)

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

RE: Switching... he says this on the L6 forum:

It's been addressed several times; I should probably add it to the FAQ. We don't know, as optimizing preset switching time is one of the last things to do. There's no such thing as perfectly seamless preset switching, unless we used four DSPs and charged waaaaay more. We're including templates for simple switching from within a single preset. The Split blocks can act as Ys, A/Bs, or Crossovers, and switching between the paths can be either instant (via footswitch) or dynamic (controlled via expression pedal, Variax knob, or MIDI CC).

I realise at this point I'm probably answering stuff for him, haha! But I've not been this amped up for a bit of gear in a long time.

Digital_Igloo · June 2015

Dude only said he'd been working on it for 4 years - he didn't say he'd been working on it for 4 years while working for Line6

The first conversations on what would become Helix took place in October of 2008. My first Illustrator mockup of what would become Helix was in November of 2011, and back then it had a touchscreen. In retrospect, that was a dumb idea, as touch footswitches are so much faster and easier.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Strikes me as well that this does some cool stuff with external gear - ie.... have your amp in one of the loops... have some pedals in the other three loops... control the signal flow from the Helix itself... so like...

Preset 1 - Guitar > Helix > Compressor > Sig X amp (loop 1) > reverb pedal (loop 2)

Preset 2 - Guitar > Helix > reverb pedal (loop 2) > Sig X amp (Loop 1)

Effectively doing the pedal-ordering swap with real pedals, not just the built in effects on the unit. I can already see interfacing my Eventide H9 pedal via midi, and throwing it into one of the loops.

Digital_Igloo · June 2015

I do wonder what sort of options you have with the signal chain compared with the outputs - for example, could you take an output before the cab model (or impulse) for your on-stage amp, and then one at the end of the signal chain for direct-to-PA?

Yes.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Digital_Igloo said:

Dude only said he'd been working on it for 4 years - he didn't say he'd been working on it for 4 years while working for Line6
The first conversations on what would become Helix took place in October of 2008. My first Illustrator mockup of what would become Helix was in November of 2011, and back then it had a touchscreen. In retrospect, that was a dumb idea, as touch footswitches are so much faster and easier.

Hello, glad you made it!

Digital_Igloo · June 2015

Thanks for the invite, Drew!

Heartfeltdawn · June 2015

@Digital_Igloo

Does the effects loop sum to mono at the Sends?

thumpingrug · June 2015

Digital_Igloo said:

Dude only said he'd been working on it for 4 years - he didn't say he'd been working on it for 4 years while working for Line6
The first conversations on what would become Helix took place in October of 2008. My first Illustrator mockup of what would become Helix was in November of 2011, and back then it had a touchscreen. In retrospect, that was a dumb idea, as touch footswitches are so much faster and easier.

Great to see you here @Digital_Igloo The Helix looks fantastic. Welcome to the forum.

Digital_Igloo · June 2015

Heartfeltdawn;669287" said:
@Digital_Igloo

Does the effects loop sum to mono at the Sends?

The Send/Return category has both mono and stereo subcategories, so yes.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Pulled these names from the Sweetwater video:

Dynamics:

Deluxe Comp
Red Squeeze
LA Studio Comp
Noise Gate
Hard Gate

EQ:

Simple EQ
Low and High Cut
Parametric
10 Band Graphic

Modulation:

Optical Tremolo
60's Bias Tremolo
Script Mod Phase
Ubiquitous Vibe
Gray Flanger
Harmonic Flanger
Courtesan Flanger
Chorus
(more...)

Delay:
Simple Delay
Mod/Chorus Echo
Sweep Echo
Ducked Delay
Transistor Tape
Bucket Brigade
Adriatic Delay
Elephant Man

I do wonder whether they're final options or if the Sweetwater guys were running an older beta firmware, because I'm missing a Reverse Delay - and in the video the delay category didn't have a little down arrow at the bottom of the list, indicating more available options - so I hope that isn't the lot for delay! It must not be really... coz they had the Harmony Delay in all the promo stuff, and it wasn't in the list in the Sweetwater video.

Anyone wanna take a guess at what an Adriatic Delay could be, or the Elephant Man?? My guess is the Adriatic Delay is some kind of huge washy ambient delay and that the Elephant Man is apeing a real world pedal of some kind, possibly a Memory Man - elephant's never forget and all that....

ThePrettyDamned · June 2015

Glad the sweep echo is in but I want the low res delay and a reverse delay!

That said, I suspect adding more algos is just a case of plugging into a computer and updating it...

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

I also noticed that in the reverbs, the 63 Spring had a low and high cut, which you did not get on the M-series units... and another page of parameters that we didn't get to see too. So even though the reverbs are ported over to the new HX modelling from the M-series era, we could still be looking at a whole host of additional parameters there for the tweaking.

I wanna see the parameter list for the Hall algorithm for sure!!

Also since you've got two signal paths to futz with.... I imagine you can send from one path to the other using one of the splitters, add a chorus, then a reverb, and then merge it back into your main chain at say 25% mix.... and you've got an instant Eventide "Blackhole" style algorithm!

Lot of creative uses by having a separate chain that you can tap into.

guitarfishbay · June 2015

@Digital_Igloo how does this address options for modelling interaction with speaker cab impedance and resonances? On the Axe FX to get a good result at higher volumes through a solid state power amp and traditional speaker cab you need to set the low frequency resonance parameter to match your physical cabinet otherwise the low end punch is 'wrong' at high volumes, I find it noticeable with closed back cabs. This was one of the major differences between the HD500x I had and the Axe FX 2 I now have - at higher volumes through Matrix GT1000 and Mesa Recto 2x12 I could get better response from the Axe FX with less tweaking. The POD was serviceable and had enough features, but IMO the Axe FX sounds and feels better when used that way.

KrisGee · June 2015

Hard to comment on the sounds as all we've heard so far is demo videos and they can sound whatever they make them sound.

All I can say now it just seems to small to me.
I really wish the spacing between buttons was bigger. Especially now when you can also edit patches hands free.
I digged my hd500x for a while but couldn't live any longer with the size of it, too many times pressed something else that I wanted.

Digital_Igloo · June 2015

KrisGee said:
I really wish the spacing between buttons was bigger. Especially now when you can also edit patches hands free.

Center-point spacing between Helix's footswitches is identical to that of M13.

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

A bit more copy-pasta:

Okay—here we go, one-point-oh:

Input Blocks:
None, Multi (Guitar, Aux, Variax), Guitar, Aux, Variax, Variax Magnetics, Mic, Return 1, Return 2, Return 3, Return 4, Return 1/2, Return 3/4, S/PDIF, USB 3/4, USB 5/6, USB 7/8

Output Blocks:
Multi (1/4", XLR, Digital, USB 1/2), Path 2A, Path 2B, Path 2A+B, 1/4", XLR, Send 1/2, Send 3/4, Digital (S/PDIF, AES/EBU, or L6 LINK), USB 1/2, USB 3/4, USB 5/6

Distortion Models:
Minotaur, Compulsive Drive, Valve Driver, Top Secret OD, Scream 808, Hedgehog D9, Vermin Dist, Arbitrator Fuzz, Triangle Fuzz, Industrial Fuzz, Tycoctavia Fuzz, Megaphone

Dynamics Models:
Deluxe Comp, Red Squeeze, LA Studio Comp, Noise Gate, Hard Gate

EQ Models:
Simple EQ, Low Cut/High Cut, Parametric, 10-Band Graphic

Modulation Models:
Optical Trem, 60s Bias Trem, Script Mod Phase, Ubiquitous Vibe, Gray Flanger, Harmonic Flanger, Courtesan Flange, Chorus, 70s Chorus, Trinity Chorus, Bubble Vibrato, Vibe Rotary, 122 Rotary, 145 Rotary, AM Ring Mod, Pitch Ring Mod

Delay Models:
Simple Delay, Mod Chorus Echo, Multitap 4, Multitap 6, Ping Pong, Sweep Echo, Ducked Delay, Transistor Tape, Harmony Delay, Bucket Brigade, Adriatic Delay, Elephant Man

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Reverb Models:

Plate, Room, Chamber, Hall, Echo, Tile, Cave, Ducking, Octo, 63 Spring, Spring, Particle Verb

Pitch/Synth Models:

Pitch Wham, Twin Harmony, 3 Osc Synth

Filter Models:

Mutant Filter

Mystery Filter [Hi, Stilwel—we miss you, brother!]

Drew_TNBD · June 2015

Wah Models:

UK Wah 846, Teardrop 310, Fassel, Weeper, Chrome, Chrome Custom, Throaty, Vetta Wah, Colorful, Conductor

Volume/Pan Models:

Volume Pedal, Gain, Pan

Send/Return:

Send 1, Send 2, Send 3, Send 4, Send 1/2, Send 3/4, Return 1, Return 2, Return 3, Return 4, Return 1/2, Return 3/4, FX Loop 1, FX Loop 2, FX Loop 3, FX Loop 4, FX Loop 1/2, FX Loop 3/4

Looper:

Mono, Stereo

Split:

Y, A/B, Crossover

Merge:

Mixer

hugbot · June 2015

couple of things missing from that effects list I want.

hugbot · June 2015

Namely the frequency shifter and lo fi delay models from the m series. A POG, reverse reverb and delay and some bass wahs. Hopefully the included filters can sweep low enough for bass as I had that issue with the M series.

spacecadet · June 2015

Worth remembering Line 6 always did the model packs. I don't see why this should be any different. It may be that (like the H9) you will be able to buy bolt on amp/ fx packages. Or they could just do regular updates and add more as they get round to modelling more.

longi · June 2015

Welcome to the forum Mr Igloo!

Will the harmonizer have the ability to have custom intervals programmed? Or will it just be standard modal intervals? ie will the harmoizer also have Phrygian/Lydian Dominant intervals added?

Fretwired · June 2015

monquixote said:

Having seen the Helix the AX8 looks quite last generation by comparison.

Yamaha/L6 have huge economies of scale behind them compared to Fractal. If it's going to be the heart of a new generation of products for the next ten years they could well have designed their own custom silicon which is going to give them a significant advantage.

If I worked for Fractal I'd be worried. With Yamaha's buying power Line 6 will be able to buy processors cheaper and will be able to take advantage of Yamaha technology and R&D.

It all looks very interesting ...

Heartfeltdawn · June 2015

Digital_Igloo said:
The Send/Return category has both mono and stereo subcategories, so yes.

So if I have a stereo delay prior to the Effect Sends and Returns and wish to use a stereo Send, that delay gets summed to mono?

If so, that's the same flaw the M13 and M9 had. That it's replicated on a device as expensive as the Helix is pretty bizarre.

stonevibe · June 2015

Wait till V2 hits the streets.

With Yamaha's clout behind them, this line will evolve fairly fast. Yamaha tend to have a model out for a few years max and then bring out a suped up version fairly fast.

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