Bogner Helios owners, talk to me

  • Thread starter Thread starter ZEN Amps
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The same about Eclipse vs 100. The Eclipse has lost the essential of the sound the original has. Not worth to have separate clean channel. The input/channel switch mod was enough for using cleans on 100W.
I also have Smallbox but for me it was not even close...not bad but somewhat flat, not so dynamic, boring after while...Helios have the essence of the old Marshalls and the punch of the amp is comparable to Wizard MC II I already had.
 
I have the eclipse and I think its a really grat amp. Havent played the oh Helios and I also own a 20th XTC B.

I think Bogner missed the mark with the marketing of both Helios models, og and eclipse.
The eclipse is a totally different beast, it should have been rpesented as a 1 channel amplifier with 3 modes and 3 sub modes, with gain 3 and volume 3 on the back of the amp and with presence and depth on the front. They should have dropped the helios name and jsut go with eclipse. Anyway love the amp. chan3 Eclipse+ mode is a bit unusable though, i prefer chan2 eclipse mode.

Target audience is totally different too
 
ZEN Amps said:
Ok cheers guys, I'll chase the owner up and can maybe figure out this trade.
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The Helios is my favorite Bogner amp - bar none.

Haven't played the snorkler, though.

IMO the Helios is far more "woody" and has more snarl and midrange character than all of the other Bogner offerings. I even prefer the helios to the Uber and UU for high gain - and I play metal.
 
Had both the 50w and 100w Helios, both great. It's a highly tweakable amp so you kind of have to treat it like a Mesa Boogie in my opinion. Speakers make a big difference. If you don't keep the amp long enough to get familiar with each knob and switch, you do yourself a disservice. The volume level you're playing at also has something to do with how the other controls respond. In my personal experience, you kind of have to set it according to the volume you're playing at and step back to hear it from both corners of the room.

It doesn't have a "clean" channel but it's such a beautiful, warm, sparkly light gain that easily cleans up with the guitar and playing dynamics. It's so versatile. If you get one and don't keep it long enough yo get intimately familiar with all the controls and try a couple of different speakers then you never got to know it enough.

Bogner mids, in general, are overpowering for some people who are used to woofy plexis, Mesa Boogies, Fender amps etc. Some people like a more bitey, brittle high end but Bogners aren't like that. As it goes with any amplifier, expectation bias often kills the experience.
 
DanTravis62 said:
The Helios is my favorite Bogner amp - bar none.

Haven't played the snorkler, though.

IMO the Helios is far more "woody" and has more snarl and midrange character than all of the other Bogner offerings. I even prefer the helios to the Uber and UU for high gain - and I play metal.
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Do you have the 50W or the 100W? And I'm guessing it is just the regular version and not the eclipse you're referring to? I've always wanted to try a Helios. I love my 101b that I have.
 
jbru91 said:
Do you have the 50W or the 100W? And I'm guessing it is just the regular version and not the eclipse you're referring to? I've always wanted to try a Helios. I love my 101b that I have.
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I don't own any of them, but, I've played the 50, 100 and eclipse multiple times. I have a bogner obsessed best friend.

Honestly there isn't a ton of difference between any of them except for the eclipse obviously has the higher gain mode - personally, I think the standard helios with a boost is the best sounding for high gain, but they're all really really close to eachother.

The 100w has a tiny bit more low end. The Eclipse has a bit more gain and is noisier.

IMO there isn't a huge difference between any of them. They all sound great and there isn't a ton of wild differences in tone or voicing.
 
DanTravis62 said:
The Helios is my favorite Bogner amp - bar none.

Haven't played the snorkler, though.

IMO the Helios is far more "woody" and has more snarl and midrange character than all of the other Bogner offerings. I even prefer the helios to the Uber and UU for high gain - and I play metal.
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Yeah I ended up grabbing a 50 maybe 18 months back, cool amp. It's a little more traditional Marshall than an XTC or Shiva - never a bad thing.

You boosting it for metal?
 
ZEN Amps said:
Yeah I ended up grabbing a 50 maybe 18 months back, cool amp. It's a little more traditional Marshall than an XTC or Shiva - never a bad thing.

You boosting it for metal?
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Yes I like them with a boost

The more traditional marshall flavor is what appeals to me about the helios - it's got alot more complexity and woodiness to the midrange, and combined with an 808 with a clean blend or more modern od like a KSR Eros that has the clean blend built in, you can crank the gain quite a bit and retain some clarity - just need to be conservative with the EQ to keep it from getting honky with some speakers
 
Sounds like a lot of you find the Helios Eclipse too noisy, and losses the magic of the original? I'd prefer good channel switching options.

I like aggressive amps and this is one of the few Bogners I hear that is aggressive.other than the Uber.

That said, I do love my Bogner Shiva.

I've never owned an Ecstacy but can't really justify spending that much on an amp for me personally. Anything over about 2500 is difficult for me to justify, pre-owned or new.

And I was thinking the Helios would be more aggressive.

I'm looking to add to my amp collection this summer and the Helios has popped up on my radar.

Some other notable amps I've checked out are the Diezel D-Moll, EVH 5150 III 100w EL34, and Friedman BE-50 Deluxe.
 
PSGuitar said:
Sounds like a lot of you find the Helios Eclipse too noisy, and losses the magic of the original? I'd prefer good channel switching options.

I like aggressive amps and this is one of the few Bogners I hear that is aggressive.other than the Uber.

That said, I do love my Bogner Shiva.

I've never owned an Ecstacy but can't really justify spending that much on an amp for me personally. Anything over about 2500 is difficult for me to justify, pre-owned or new.

And I was thinking the Helios would be more aggressive.

I'm looking to add to my amp collection this summer and the Helios has popped up on my radar.

Some other notable amps I've checked out are the Diezel D-Moll, EVH 5150 III 100w EL34, and Friedman BE-50 Deluxe.
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I can't speak for the Eclipse, I've only owned the regular Helios. The 100 watt, and 2 50 watters. They are great amps, but you won't have channel switching.

That said, I don't think you'll find many as aggressive as the 5150 100 watt EL34. It's wicked nasty. The Friedman will be too polished. Maybe consider a Mesa Badlander as well?
 
Napalm, thanks bro.

I got to check out a 5150IIIS EL34 and love it. Getting one.
It reminds me of an old Marshall in the organic and natural feel of it, but Hella aggressive and modernized with a touch of Soladano. Hard to explain but very aggressive, organic feel, yet amazing harmonic overtones with sweet compression adm saturation.

That said, I'd love to add a Helios to my collection since I'm such a big Bogner fan. I have to have more. Lol.
 
ZEN Amps said:
Tried one briefly a while back and it didn't resonate with me, but am curious again. Think I was having a bad cab day or something, I recall my favourite 2203 also sounded off. Too much wax? Too little sleep? Not sure.

Tell me your Helios success (or otherwise) stories - one has appeared on my radar as part of an interstate trade so can't try first. It's a 50 watter.
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I played one and thought it was unremarkable, so same as you. But i have had that happen several times.

@RedB4Black told me it happens sometimes when going back and forth between amps
 
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