Line6 Helix Guitar Processor

I got this unit for replacing my earlier Line6 POD HD 500. I was very pleased with that too but the improvements for Helix made me to get it. I have been very satisfied with the unit. Here are some things I would like to tell.
I use Helix for rehearsing at home and gigging with our band. I have tested the Helix only for 1 gig at the moment but I was very pleased with the sounds and the dynamics that I heard. My earlier sound with HD 500 were based mostly on Fender, Vox and Marshall but with Helix I have made quite a lot of different setups. The potential for this unit is huge.
PLUS for Helix :
+ very easy to use
+ logical colors and buttons
+ well built, strong structure, wah/volume pedal feels good
+ real electric cord and separate power on/off button
+ good videos and info available, good support/forums available
+ lots of connections even 2 instruments at the same time even 1 bass and 1 guitar etc
+ possibility to use only with bass, vocals, acoustics etc
+ you can use it with amp in front or in the loop, straight to pa or to powered speaker system (but be careful how to setup this thing....)

MINUS for Helix :
- no editor software yet (march 2016)
- some menus and selections are quite difficult and you don?t probably know what it affects etc
- first I had huge problems getting good setup and sounds for 2 separate amps that I use (tube amp H&K Statesman Quad EL84 and solid state Peavey Studio Pro 112) maybe because the input impedances are different, go figure?!?
- the sound with headphones isn?t that good
- some models are too weak in master volume and some are very loud
- be prepared to dial and set Helix a lot to get your kind of pleasant sounds and compromise what you want to hear

Some guys say that the frfr could be the best setup with these new pedalboards but who knows yet? And the sound is always some kind of compromise and a personal thing. What I know about this unit you should try different setups and test a lot if you can, at least the outputs and settings with different amps and straight to PA or powered speakers. Maybe some friend has this or in store if you have time and they let you test it also with 2 amps, I can recommend this setup even with quite basic amps sound really good if you like "dual mono stereo" or even real stereo effect with some delays or reverbs just to mention...

Itse en korva kuulolta erottaisi aitoa Voxin putkisaundia Helixin tuottamasta mallinnuksesta. Erinomaiset ominaisuudet ja lähes rajattomasti variaatioita miten rakennella erilaisia soundeja.

Vanhaa putkivahvaria en ole vielä pois myynyt, mutta on tämä keikka käytössä helppo laite, kun kytkee vain PA:han kiinni. Oma monitorointi keikalla kannattaa hoitaa kunnolla, jotta kuulee varmasti myös itsensä.

Laitteen käytön opettelu oli myös yllättävän helppoa. Siirryin digitaali maailmaan analogista, kun kyllästyin jatkuvaan äänen säätämiseen keikoilla ja biisien välillä. Meillä on cover bändi, joka soittaa erittäin laidasta laitaan musiikkia. Nyt kun on löytänyt täydelliset saundit, niin keikalla vain valitsee oikean biisin/saundin. Itse olen järjestellyt saundit kappaleen nimien mukaan ja settilistan mukaiseen järjestykseen keikalla, joten käyttö sujuu mutkattomasti. Saundien järjestelyyn ja isompaan säätämiseen kannattaa laite kytkeä tietokoneeseen, jonka ohjelmistolla järjestely ja nimeäminen käy huomattavasti mukavammin kuin itse laitteella.

Vapaasti ohjelmoitavat painikkeet ovat loistavat ja myös kestävän oloiset.

Laite on fyysisesti kestävää tekoa joten toimii keikoilla.

Helixin omalta foorumilta löytyy myös muiden käyttäjien tekemiä saundeja joita voi ladata itselleen ja omaan Helixiin. Omia saundeja voi myös jakaa muille.

Laitetta voi suositella kaikin puolin.

Great sounding modeler that is extremely easy to use. The UI is the best I've ever seen!! I'm no hero when it comes to programming these things but I didn't even need to see a manual before starting using the unit - it really is that intuitive! Sound quality is very good and effects sound pristine. Quite heavy so if you gig you'd definately want the Helix backpack which is of high build quality and has plenty of storage for cables and such.