NAD 2015 Bogner Helios 100 Quick Review

  • Thread starter Thread starter Texhex
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@Texhex sounds great! I just got a 50w Helios yesterday. Making one of several vids shortly. Coming from a Slo30 and 100 the Helios is more organic for lack of better terms and the Soldano. I will say the Slo has more note definition. In my vids I will comment on the comparison to Friedman's, Slo's ect

Overall, having the very Marshall modded tone vibe going along with the KILLER sweep on the MV
coupled with the rear system volume it is so versatile. The smallbox and the Soldano's volume knob hits you so fast. Under 1.5 it does not push the preamps to sound good at all, and above that it becomes band volume then stadium volume so fast it kinda sucks.

Did you get an answer about the bias? I got mine new and will gig it a few times before I start thinking of changing tubes or bias.
 
cragginshred77 said:
@Texhex sounds great! I just got a 50w Helios yesterday. Making one of several vids shortly. Coming from a Slo30 and 100 the Helios is more organic for lack of better terms and the Soldano. I will say the Slo has more note definition. In my vids I will comment on the comparison to Friedman's, Slo's ect

Overall, having the very Marshall modded tone vibe going along with the KILLER sweep on the MV
coupled with the rear system volume it is so versatile. The smallbox and the Soldano's volume knob hits you so fast. Under 1.5 it does not push the preamps to sound good at all, and above that it becomes band volume then stadium volume so fast it kinda sucks.

Did you get an answer about the bias? I got mine new and will gig it a few times before I start thinking of changing tubes or bias.
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I own a 2014 Friedman Small Box and the amp sounds great just cracked on and has a really smooth taper or sweep with no big jumps in volume. The volume needs to be at about the 10:00 o'clock position (maybe 4 on the dial) before it is pretty damn loud. One of the reasons I love it so much is the great volume knob. I have had plenty of great and high end tube amps over the years and none of them sounded anywhere near as good as the Friedman at low volumes. Of course it just gets better as you turn it up more.
 
cragginshred77 said:
@Texhex sounds great! I just got a 50w Helios yesterday. Making one of several vids shortly. Coming from a Slo30 and 100 the Helios is more organic for lack of better terms and the Soldano. I will say the Slo has more note definition. In my vids I will comment on the comparison to Friedman's, Slo's ect

Overall, having the very Marshall modded tone vibe going along with the KILLER sweep on the MV
coupled with the rear system volume it is so versatile. The smallbox and the Soldano's volume knob hits you so fast. Under 1.5 it does not push the preamps to sound good at all, and above that it becomes band volume then stadium volume so fast it kinda sucks.

Did you get an answer about the bias? I got mine new and will gig it a few times before I start thinking of changing tubes or bias.
Click to expand...

I never did write Bogner about the bias, suppose I will when I need to. Now after having owned it for awhile I can absolutely say that I had it dialed in way to bright for that video and I screwed up playing in it a bit. I've made seven different Profiles so far and that original tone in the video is the brightest and my least favorite.

I played it through the speakers in a 2x12 EVH 5153 combo and it sounds really good with those Greenbacks in the room. I prefer Greenbacks in the room and V30s micd up and this amp sounds like I wanted it to both ways.

If I was a better player I'd post some more examples but I just muck about honestly. This amp nails exactly the type of tone I wished the DSL100 or 5153 could do which is why I bought it. I was torn between a BE100 or this and couldn't pass up the deal I got on this and I'm glad I got it but I'd still like to try out a BE100 or 50 Deluxe.

If anyone is interested in the Kemper Profiles I can put them up, Direct and Studio versions.

I wondered if I should have held out for an Eclipse but I think I prefer this amp, even though the Eclipse looks pretty bad ass I think the regular Helios is a better fit for now. Eclipse is over the top for what I wanted but wow can it get some good tones too.

 
Texhex said:
I never did write Bogner about the bias, suppose I will when I need to. Now after having owned it for awhile I can absolutely say that I had it dialed in way to bright for that video and I screwed up playing in it a bit. I've made seven different Profiles so far and that original tone in the video is the brightest and my least favorite.

I played it through the speakers in a 2x12 EVH 5153 combo and it sounds really good with those Greenbacks in the room. I prefer Greenbacks in the room and V30s micd up and this amp sounds like I wanted it to both ways.

If I was a better player I'd post some more examples but I just muck about honestly. This amp nails exactly the type of tone I wished the DSL100 or 5153 could do which is why I bought it. I was torn between a BE100 or this and couldn't pass up the deal I got on this and I'm glad I got it but I'd still like to try out a BE100 or 50 Deluxe.

If anyone is interested in the Kemper Profiles I can put them up, Direct and Studio versions.

I wondered if I should have held out for an Eclipse but I think I prefer this amp, even though the Eclipse looks pretty bad ass I think the regular Helios is a better fit for now. Eclipse is over the top for what I wanted but wow can it get some good tones too.

Click to expand...

Glad you love the amp. That is the best clip I have heard of the Bogner Helios so far. :cheers:
 
It's a fun amp! Not as articulate as the Slo, but it will hide my mistakes -Ha! But really more chewy and Marshall ish! The tone in my head!!
 
Both reviews shows Helios in good light. Great job. Best production modded Marshall.
SLO is more articulate but Helios is bigger sounding with great feel under fingers (I compared H100 vs SLO30).
Eclipse vs Helios 100…I like 100 better. It has right amount of gain and You can always boost it. Eclipse is more compressed and the modes aren’t same sounding as the ones on 100.
 
@bubucci exactly what I said in the vid above. My Slo fanatic buddy bet $ the Helios would not cut in the mix -like the Slo. I will find out at our next gig.

Very good to know about the Elcipse, one friend insisted I get that over the Helios, another friend said exactly what you did and thankfully I listened. Soooo tired of uber gained amps that are compressed dark and fizzy
 
Helios 100 70s mode, hot input is totally awesome. Takes a boost like a champ and is super open, raw and uncompressed. Your video nails it dude. Flip it over to 80s and it's like a different amp. I love it, exactly what I hoped it would be. Congrats on the new amp. Hope it works out well for you in a gig.

FYI this looks interesting too. It could be something to consider if you need more flexability changing channels.

 
Cool! I have not tried a 100w cause they always seems to need so much volume to get to the sweet spot (and I play loud) that I opted for the 50w

But reviewers say the 50w is sweeter -not sure exactly what that means other than maybe more harmonic content -likely cause they can actually push the tubes?? Funny the Helios is the only tube amp I have ever had where the MV is on 3/4 the way up, however that is with the rear system volume on the loop 1/2 way up. Still messing with the relationship with those two. Be nice to talk to Rienhold about that
 
Texhex said:
Helios 100 70s mode, hot input is totally awesome. Takes a boost like a champ and is super open, raw and uncompressed. Your video nails it dude. Flip it over to 80s and it's like a different amp. I love it, exactly what I hoped it would be. Congrats on the new amp. Hope it works out well for you in a gig.

FYI this looks interesting too. It could be something to consider if you need more flexability changing channels.

Click to expand...

I had that mod too and it is pure gold for Helios. True clean channel in plexi style.
70´s and 80’s mode are like two different amps and they really do what they promise. 70’s in Blackmore, Led Zep and 80’s is hair/glam Sykes Aldrich (modded plexi) heaven. Push in with TS and You get higain monster. 30/100W setting for different power amp behaviour. Man, I really miss that amp.
Master volume is excellent too, I think it is audio taper. On half way it is still not too loud (in 80s mode which is significatly quiter than 70s) and You get massive jump around 3 o’clock. And it is on par for low volume playing with Naylor, almost 😀 Two greatest low vol amps I had.
 
cragginshred77 said:
@Texhex here is my 50w Helios
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Your video of the SLO30 pushed me to get the SLO, now you do this and I am second guessing??!! I have a modded Marshall so pretty easy to get close to the Helios sound and feel but am really enjoying the SLO. So many great tones in there...
 
@mixn4him Ha! Yeah I should get a % for all the interest in the Slo30 my vids have generated. It is more articulate than the Helios for sure. I wish it had the flexibility of a system volume which would allow me to push the tubes hared without blowing windows out......
 
cragginshred77 said:
@mixn4him Ha! Yeah I should get a % for all the interest in the Slo30 my vids have generated. It is more articulate than the Helios for sure. I wish it had the flexibility of a system volume which would allow me to push the tubes hared without blowing windows out......
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Easy solution is a volume pedal in the loop after all effects, but I know what you mean. I have been able to find a good balance with just the masters, I run the crunch and OD no cleans and it works for me..
 
cragginshred77 said:
@mixn4him Ha! Yeah I should get a % for all the interest in the Slo30 my vids have generated. It is more articulate than the Helios for sure. I wish it had the flexibility of a system volume which would allow me to push the tubes hared without blowing windows out......
Click to expand...
I use the SLO 100 w/ the Boss Waza TAE.

 
Good idea! To turn this into a 3 ch amp watch this:

 
@tonedog just curious what did you like about the 100 over the 50? Everyone says 'Headroom, but man the 50 is plenty loud. Is the bass that mush tighter? And how is the Master volume sweep on the 100? Do you back down the Loop volume at all to tame or allow the front volume to have a wider sweep?
 
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