Helix - Tony McKenzie Helix Tear Down

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http://www.tonymckenzie.com/line6-helix-effects-unit-floor-pedal-inside-and-out-review.htm


Comparisons With Other Simulators

It's a fact that because of the way that the Helix is built on dual processors that guitarists will want to compare it with other companies equipment. Thinking about this for a while there are really only a few companies that could be included for comparisons so let's take a look at the contenders.

DV-Mark Multiamp.  This is an amplifier simulator from DV-Mark of Italian fame. I did an inside and out review of the DV-Mark simulator HERE and as you can see it's not a bad piece of equipment. But it is in my opinion a simulator that in operation for the most part 'copies' the way a real tube amp works... all those knobs are across the front so the resemblance is high. Although the Multiamp is far more than just a simple product, it does use similar technology but only uses one Analog Devices SHARC processor. There are no 'blocks' to contend with in its design and everything is really designed for a guitarist that does not want to sit there all day playing as if it was a computer as some of this other gear in fact can make you want to do. So it is NOT a contender for comparison in my opinion.

Kemper Amplifier, The Kemper amp came along a few years ago developed by C. Kemper and took the market at that time by storm. I did a review of the Kemper amp IS-HERE.  Initially it was a pretty simple device, but over time with a multiplicity of upgrades the Kemper amp has become harder to use because of an incredible number of settings in the firmware. There is no Editor (there is a librarian) so getting completely new pre-sets set up exactly as you might want them involves some 'twiddling of knobs'. The unit uses DSP chips probably Analog Devices SHARC (likely just one), but utilized in a different way than the Helix does. Kemper chose the 'profiling' method of achieving a pre-set sound and that was unique at the time of launch of the device. Kemper has no 'blocks' either. The Kemper in my opinion is most like a computer in a box of all the simulators I have ever owned. The Kemper can keep you using it and setting up things for long times, but really overall I think that the Kemper amplifier remains unique in the simulators contenders out there and it is NOT really a contender for comparison either in my opinion.

Fractal Audio Axe-FX II. This is a simulator that's been around for a fair few years in one form or another. I did make a video review of the AXE-FX II but that's a story you can read about HERES-THE-STORY. In my opinion the biggest 'improvements' have always been by software updates. Remember that's just my opinion. Usually sold in the form of a rack mountable unit, but Fractal are bringing out floor units now (they may or may not compare equally to the Helix) so the format may change in the future. This simulator has had multiple firmware updates on a regular basis and the unit has (using its editor software) something that we can call 'block' mode representation. More importantly the Axe-FX II utilizes two Analog Devices 'Tiger' SHARC processors (they said) so again there is a pretty close similarity to the Helix type of technology.  I would relate the AXE-FX II as a contender for comparison based on all the many similarities between the two products; and remember that Line6 are releasing a rack version of the Helix presently so there's probably even more facets that one could reasonably compare between these two devices.

As I write this review it was inevitable that the boys on a competitors forum would criticize my review and I guess its pretty obvious why if anyone has had experience of those guys attitudes. Fortunately I don't have to listen to people that are clearly biased in one way or another towards other competitive equipment. However, I have to this point had many thousands of emails that tell me I did a great job of the reviews for the Helix and I prefer to believe the many compared to the few. So let's move forward with this Helix written review as I intended - completely unbiased and as a paying customer of all the brands I mention and have used.

The Helix in my video review achieved the ultimate accolade of 10/10 simply because I could find no manufacturing defects whatsoever, that the product was CE and RoHS compliant and marked on the equipment exactly as it should be, the unit has the country of origin actually printed on the unit also as it should by law, it is extremely easy to use, it costs less than $1500 (or £1099) on the street and has that vibe of 'dual' Analog Devices processors for the DSP that enhances the speed of the unit and allows for more 'blocks' to be used without the DSP side being unable to handle the extra load. Notice I did not say enhances the sound... they do not and never have. Whether there's one SHARC or two processors the sound quality remains the same. Also by far the majority of the pre-sets that are in the unit from the factory are useable and I would estimate just a few would be no use to me.

Comparing the Helix unit with the Axe FX II that I originally purchased shows why the Helix unit has achieved a 10/10 and when I did the Axe-FX II review I gave that a 7/10 which I felt was generous at the time from the experience I had with that unit. I still have the original review. My findings of the unit were very varied and included these features and issues. The unit had manufacturing quality issues relating particularly to the case which was very poorly welded, it had no CE or RoHS markings on it and I questioned the credibility of the CE approvals actually being carried out at that time as no test documentation from the Laboratory was forthcoming; The unit had no country of origin markings on it also required by law at that time as indeed it still is; I would say that the unit was more difficult to use (that might have changed now for the better hopefully); It was a very expensive unit at around £2300 (at least $3500 at that time) in Europe; it was the first to introduce dual DSP processors which was a plus compared to anything else at that time; the pre-sets that I heard were not really that great and while I did like many of the effects, the sounds of the amplifiers it was emulating in my opinion were not quite what I know tube amps to sound like.

But things have moved on in terms of products on the market these days compared to 2011 when I reviewed the original Axe-FX II that I bought. I never did go back and buy more so I cannot really say how the products from that maker have improved (or not) except to say that nowadays they do have CE, RoHS and country of origin markings on the latest products they make - probably because the law requires it.. as indeed I always said.

But many will compare the FA products with the Helix from Line6 today surely? Well I guess they will, and bearing in mind the difference in price between the Axe-FX II (or its latest rack incarnation) and the Helix Rack at £1099 (probably $1500) and both units having that dual processing power then it might be a hard decision to make. When you are considering what to buy from any maker there are many considerations including support, longevity of the product, quality, sounds, ease of use and of course price.

Bearing in mind that the price of the DSP chips now allows Line6 to retail the Helix for less than $1500 (£1099) that will surely have an effect of other manufacturers either coming out with 'also ran' gear or forcing others to reduce their price accordingly.

It's an interesting market in the amplifier simulator sector right now and I doubt that ANY of these makers are sitting on their laurels doing nothing about being at the top in this marketplace as it can for a manufacturer be a very lucrative place to be financially. But with that financial clout that the parent company of Line6 have - Yamaha have massive financials at their disposal for development and price crushing pressures to be yet really applied to the simulator sector I would not like to take bets on who will be the overall winners or losers. But one thing is for sure, Line6 is now a force to be reckoned with no matter which brand competes whether DV-Mark, Fractal Audio or indeed Kemper.

This concludes the comparisons section

Conclusions

I have spent considerable time on the Line6 Helix review indeed longer than any other product of recent times that I have personally bought. My views are simply personal views of how I found equipment to be and in the case of the Helix it borders on being near enough perfect especially at that street price; Line6 should be congratulated. As many readers will know I have not been a fan particularly of Line6 historically but I was genuinely surprised at what came out of the box when I opened it; genuinely happy with the build quality which was impeccable; genuinely surprised at just how good the unit sounded and genuinely amazed for what I got for such a reasonable price.

So the things that I liked can be summed up as follows:

The build quality 100%
The simplicity of use
The actual sounds and effects
The I/O
The streaming ability
The 'extra' power of dual processors
The support
The price
The included accessories
and what I liked less:

The librarian that needs work
No editor as yet but is expected
If you have read this far, I recommend that you don't just buy one of these units, but go out and TRY it - or buy it where there is a guarantee that if you don't like it you can send it back. That way if it's not for you then nothing is lost. There is nothing worse than buying something that falls short in someway that you only learn about later once you own it. Anyone who looks the other way where the Line6 Helix is concerned is doing themselves a bit of a disservice somewhat and may be ignoring a really great product that is sure to be around a long time.

I have no reservations about the Helix and I can recommend it unreservedly. Well done Line6.

Here is the video review that shows other aspects of the Helix. Be warned it is a VERY long video review and covers a multiplicity of information with audio and music:




hsuru4u

i like that guys vids. so the helix already has 32 bit floating? then the gt1000 isnt anything new in that regard?

sixeight

Quote from: hsuru4u on May 12, 2018, 10:13:25 AM
i like that guys vids. so the helix already has 32 bit floating? then the gt1000 isnt anything new in that regard?

Internally the Helix is 32 bit floating, but AFAIK the AD and DA convertor are 24 bit. The gt1000 has 32 bit convertors.