So I bought a Helix and a L6 powercab

[splatter]

I had been thinking about a modeler for a long time. I wanted it to use at church because of all the different styles played. So I spent 2k on a helix LT and a line 6 powercab plus.
I spent a day and a half trying to dial in some presets to use for church. I even bought a snapshot ( this is kinda like a preset that contains about 8 different sounds). Then yesterday at about 7 pm I packed it all back up in the boxes and it's sitting at the door waiting to go back to sweetwater.
I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

I'm the proof that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, cause the old dog just doesn't have the patience.
So in conclusion, if you don't want to spend hours tinkering don't go down that rabbit hole.

 

[sleewell2]

you get out what you put in. most of us would still be bad at guitar if we gave up in a day and a half.


has nothing to do with being old, lots of old people are embracing this tech and getting great results.


best of luck with whatever with whatever you choose but its not the product; the helix is amazing.

 

[bubucci]

I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

It is not about fiddling with setting and presets, it is just not as good as good tube amp in feel and response. And Helix sound most flat and artifical of modellers big 3. Convenience at first place, sound second...

 

[maddnotez]

I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

It is not about fiddling with setting and presets, it is just not as good as good tube amp in feel and response. And Helix sound most flat and artifical of modellers big 3. Convenience at first place, sound second...

Can't comment on the helix but if the topic was Kemper I would say you are wrong.

 

[bubucci]

I just tried to support splatter that he is not only one. I had all modellers, except Axe III, and tested them in all of my playing scenarios. They are great recording tools but I'm still playing live and rehearsals with tube amps.
When You mentioned Kemper...for me its like playing one sound with different sound textures but feel is the same. Nothing wrong with it if response of tube amp is not Your thing or doesn't matter generic feel of Kemper.

 

[PBGas]

I can totally understand. It does not work for everyone. I’ve had several Kemper units since they first came out. That unit just doesn’t work for me. For many, they love it and that is great.

Now, I have had my Axe III for almost two years now and I still love using it. It is an amazing unit and it sounds great.

With this being said, my JP-2C with the Waza TAE is an awesome setup for everything.
Like you, I do prefer an amp, however it is nice to have something else for some variety.

 

[Econ]

Could you explain how you are using the Waza with the JP2C?

I can totally understand. It does not work for everyone. I’ve had several Kemper units since they first came out. That unit just doesn’t work for me. For many, they love it and that is great.

Now, I have had my Axe III for almost two years now and I still love using it. It is an amazing unit and it sounds great.

With this being said, my JP-2C with the Waza TAE is an awesome setup for everything.
Like you, I do prefer an amp, however it is nice to have something else for some variety.

 

[slyym]

Helix sounds amazing.

 

[slyym]

I had been thinking about a modeler for a long time. I wanted it to use at church because of all the different styles played. So I spent 2k on a helix LT and a line 6 powercab plus.
I spent a day and a half trying to dial in some presets to use for church. I even bought a snapshot ( this is kinda like a preset that contains about 8 different sounds). Then yesterday at about 7 pm I packed it all back up in the boxes and it's sitting at the door waiting to go back to sweetwater.
I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

I'm the proof that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, cause the old dog just doesn't have the patience.
So in conclusion, if you don't want to spend hours tinkering don't go down that rabbit hole.

Not sure if you understand this but playing it through a line6 power cab your basically miking an amp and then listening to it through a PA. That will never sound like playing through an amp sitting in front of you.

 

[Kevin11]

Bought a PC+ last year for my Helix just to mess around with. Learned a few things very quickly. Not necessarily for the OP since he's already made his decision.

1) Like the previous poster said, you have to adjust to hearing what is essentially a miced speaker cab through a PA
2) If you want that setup to sound more like an actual guitar amp, there could potentially be a significant "futzing around" time commitment - depending on what you're after, you may get there or you might not
3) YouTube tutorials are your friend - lots of great help out there (JerEvil, Rhett Shull, etc.)
4) Fortunately, tweaking the Helix and PC+ is super easy, it's just the amount of it you have to do (high/low pass filters, EQing, compression, IR tweaking)

After a year, I'm still messing with it. I don't love it, but I don't exactly hate it either and I'm getting closer to tones I'd actually consider gigging with. My bigger issue is with the PC+ than the Helix. My friend runs his LT into a little plastic Mackie powered speaker and it sounds WAY better right out of the gate.

Live, I currently run my Helix in 4cm with my amp and use it for fx only and couldn't be happier.

 

[PBGas]

Could you explain how you are using the Waza with the JP2C?

I can totally understand. It does not work for everyone. I’ve had several Kemper units since they first came out. That unit just doesn’t work for me. For many, they love it and that is great.

Now, I have had my Axe III for almost two years now and I still love using it. It is an amazing unit and it sounds great.

With this being said, my JP-2C with the Waza TAE is an awesome setup for everything.
Like you, I do prefer an amp, however it is nice to have something else for some variety.

Amp —≥ Waza -≥ FOH

With the built in effects on the Waza unit, I sometimes don’t even bring a board. A bit of delay added and it sounds perfect to me.

 

[errrrrl]

I have the Helix native plugin, its ok but its not something that sounds amazing or anything to me. I got the Kemper and its ok for what it is too but I still manage to hear the digitalness of it when playing thru it but recording its super handy. I will say a good sounding IR makes a huge difference for both but that can send you down a rabbit hole for sure. Tube amps + load boxes still sound the best for at home convenience jamming with headphones or thru a DAW

 

[Chris6870]

Don't care for Helix tones but really like Fractal. It's easy to get caught up in it. You have to pick a few core ones, a few effects and just go with it. Don't spend days obsessing over every little feature. Just play the fuckin thing like you would with an amp. I've had my AX8 for 4-5 years and I have barely scratched the surface of it .

 

[Kyss]

A big mistake, you're going to sound like boss metalzone.

 

[splatter]

Bought a PC+ last year for my Helix just to mess around with. Learned a few things very quickly. Not necessarily for the OP since he's already made his decision.

1) Like the previous poster said, you have to adjust to hearing what is essentially a miced speaker cab through a PA
2) If you want that setup to sound more like an actual guitar amp, there could potentially be a significant "futzing around" time commitment - depending on what you're after, you may get there or you might not
3) YouTube tutorials are your friend - lots of great help out there (JerEvil, Rhett Shull, etc.)
4) Fortunately, tweaking the Helix and PC+ is super easy, it's just the amount of it you have to do (high/low pass filters, EQing, compression, IR tweaking)

After a year, I'm still messing with it. I don't love it, but I don't exactly hate it either and I'm getting closer to tones I'd actually consider gigging with. My bigger issue is with the PC+ than the Helix. My friend runs his LT into a little plastic Mackie powered speaker and it sounds WAY better right out of the gate.

Live, I currently run my Helix in 4cm with my amp and use it for fx only and couldn't be happier.

I have an fx8 I use for FX with my amps. IMHO fractal is miles ahead of L6 on the effects.

" After a year, I'm still messing with it" this is what I don't have time for and what I was afraid of happening.Also IMHO for the price tag is should sound amazing and it didn't. All together I had over 2k in it . I wouldn't put that in an amp unless it sounded Amazing.
I would have liked to try the AX FXIII but with a floor controller and a speaker that would have put me at 3K. Thats Diezel/ Friedman territory

 

[splatter]

I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

It is not about fiddling with setting and presets, it is just not as good as good tube amp in feel and response. And Helix sound most flat and artifical of modellers big 3. Convenience at first place, sound second...

Can't comment on the helix but if the topic was Kemper I would say you are wrong.

That's like saying I've never eaten steak but I can't believe you don't like it

 

[UltraGary]

Interesting how almost everyone here defending the Helix is somehow backing up the OP's negative opinion of it.

 

[ErikT]

I feel you OP. Just sold my Axe III, not for me. I want to plug in and basically go. I don't use a ton of effects either. Going to probably snag the Nolly plugin from Neural for all my computer guitar needs.

I'm actually thinking of going in reverse and making a tiny effects rack with a Voodoo labs switcher and ground control. Pedal board for now though as I need an amp first and then more money. Ha ha.

 

[splatter]

Don't care for Helix tones but really like Fractal. It's easy to get caught up in it. You have to pick a few core ones, a few effects and just go with it. Don't spend days obsessing over every little feature. Just play the fuckin thing like you would with an amp. I've had my AX8 for 4-5 years and I have barely scratched the surface of it .

This is what I was trying to do. Ultimately I couldn't find the "core" ones I liked.
Something I didn't mention earlier was that I had about 4 tones dialed in that I thought sounded pretty good. I was playing at a low volume as not to disturb the rest of the house. Then when I turned it up it all turned to mush. That was when I packed it up and sent it back.
I had a guy on TGP tell me "you have to make it sound like it has no bottom end at low volume.Then the bass comes in when you turn it up" WTF ?
I know no amp sounds the same in the bedroom as it does at stage volume but the difference is, in my experience is that tube amps sound better when turned up not worse.

I ordered a Bogner Atma today which will be my new church rig (hopefully). I would imagine after about 15 minutes with it I will have at least 4 different tones dialed in.

 

[splatter]

I had been thinking about a modeler for a long time. I wanted it to use at church because of all the different styles played. So I spent 2k on a helix LT and a line 6 powercab plus.
I spent a day and a half trying to dial in some presets to use for church. I even bought a snapshot ( this is kinda like a preset that contains about 8 different sounds). Then yesterday at about 7 pm I packed it all back up in the boxes and it's sitting at the door waiting to go back to sweetwater.
I like to play my guitar not sit fiddling with some POS that's never gonna sound like I want it to. I'm not trying to dis those of you who use the modelers. I've seen people using them and getting some great tones. I'm just not one of them. I"ve been playing tube amps for 40 years and I don't have the patience for modelers.

I'm the proof that you can't teach an old dog new tricks, cause the old dog just doesn't have the patience.
So in conclusion, if you don't want to spend hours tinkering don't go down that rabbit hole.

Not sure if you understand this but playing it through a line6 power cab your basically miking an amp and then listening to it through a PA. That will never sound like playing through an amp sitting in front of you.

The PC+ is marketed as making the helix sound like an amp in the room. That's why I bought it. I had read that when using a modeler one had to be ready for it to sound like it was being played in a studio in the other room and the tone you heard would essentially sound like your guitar through studio monitors.
The PC is suppose to correct that problem at least according to L6