HELIX or FRACTAL FM9 ? it's time to decide
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- So what would you do ? is one really better than the other ? . I will tell you the for and against opinions . It's time to let one of these units go . sit with me and at the end I'll tell you what I'm keeping . THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HIT SUBSCRIBE .
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which do you prefer, LINE 6 or FRACTAL ?
or motorcycles? 🙂
Line 6. Mostly because of Helix Native.
Honestly, Line 6 because I've played Line 6. I can't go play a Fractal; they're not retail products. You're right that we were perfectly happy with "one rig" for ever. This idea of four signal chains and wet-dry-wet and more-more-more DSP didn't exist until a bigger modeler was created. I hear comments everywhere that "Fractal amps sound better". Maybe they do, and I'd love to experience that. But Helix is half the price, easy to use, and easy to acquire locally or on the road.
Helix _ I got Native Free which is compositionally and Production HEAVEN, I used to route out my soundcard to the then Pod HD500x back in to the Daw - The fact that I now have a Plug-in Version that is compatible with the HElix Floor or HX Stomp is Awesome!!!! Plus a lot of people don't know this but if you take OFF Compatibility Mode on Helix Native you have a 32 Core DSP Helix ( Depending on your Mac / PC - CPU etc ) but there is A LOT of power under the hood of Helix Native ( If needed ) and the HX Stomp is THE BEST bang for Buck and the Helix Floor is just a beast. Great Videos as usual Jonny \m/
@@iresentdoingthis1550 yeah native is awesome 🙌.. thanks for watching mate
I'm in a covers band doing ABBA to zzTop, via Zep, amy winehouse, van Halen, Tina Turner, Ed sheeran, shania twain and many many more. I've never run out of dsp- and I run a stereo rig. 3 years in and I've scratched the surface, still "finding" new pedals and sounds. With the constant updates it stays way ahead of me. My first 'rig' was a Dm2, ce2 and a treble booster. Maybe I'm just easily pleased, but for guitarists a great time to be alive. Appreciate what you have, not that extra 2% of dsp
Next helix version will definitely have more DSP for quality amps and effects , I have no doubt .
You can already do gapless preset switching in the Helix but you lose one of the process lines (50% of the DSP).
Somewhere in the master settings I think and it came with version 3 I seem to remember.
Never tried the fractal range and do really love the Helix LT and HX Stomp that I have. Would love more DSP to use more of the newer Helix FX at a time but otherwise don't see myself switching platforms anytime soon.
Yes you can but it kills off the second row of DSP , you basically then have HX Stomp type DSP.
My main axe is a Variax Shuriken SR270, so the Helix is a must in order to take advantage of the full functionality of the guitar. I've been using this setup for a long while now, and I'm still blown away by what I can do with it.
Yeah I’ve had 3 shurikens , epic guitars .
Nah, man. I returned my Helix last year. To me, it did not sound like what I hear in UA-cam. I played for two weeks and followed everyone's presets/scenes, it's still under-average. it was enough for me to return back to Sweetwater. There are so much lacking. Actually, it sounds like my old Boss GT-10's a lot better than Helix. Lol. A few months later, I finally bought FM9, and I never looked back.
@heut4384 the FM9 is awesome
@@heut4384 you mean you were not able to make helix sound like it should? so you are the problem no?
@ozmusic3035 I'm not an idiot - if that's what you're asking. If you like Helix, then good for you. To me, Helix is a hype. Now I know now, I will never buy anything from Line 6. It wasted my money. My FM9 is almost good enough right out of box. Helix cannot compete with Fractal FM9. There's no question about that.
I have both the HX Stomp XL and the FM3. The FM3 to me wins hands down as far amps and effects plus I love getting lost in the deep settings. I use the Stomp live and the FM3 for recording so for me there's room for both. As with everything else, purely subjective but if I could only keep one of them, the FM3 and the Fractal world wins.
All valid points mate 😎
Let's face it, Helix and Fractal both make great units! I think it just depends what you are using them for and personal preference. I'm just glad we have multiple great options to choose from, including the Quad Cortex as well. I think these are the top 3 multi effects units available right now.
Well said!
I play in a Bowie tribute act and use the Helix ...I have had no issues finding all the sounds I need from it...and is very user friendly in a live theatre show environment....never tried the fractal, but the Helix gives me everything I need .
If it works it works and that’s all that matters .
Definitely Helix for me. I'm not one of those people constantly seeker a better tone. I find something I like and stick with it. Before I bought the Helix I hadn't even heard of Fractal or Kemper. Helix does what I want. That's all that matters to me.
Yep , when you find it , it’s awesome 🙌
I use both pretty regularly and I prefer the FM9. It took a little while to wrap my head around at the beginning but between those two and my ToneX pedal the Fractal gets me what I want to hear with the features I need. Especially now that they finally have gapless switching.
The gapless switching is amazing , every unit should have it .
where does the Tonex come in? Thanks
@JackReid-fo5to Tone X will go in
The loop if helix or FM9
dont forget helix native... i got that for free so can jam with the floor unit, record clean/raw and use native to do anything I want with the PC power and not be confined via DSP.. I do however just setup my system in stomp box mode. That way the DSP controls what I can and cannot do for a particular setup. So my patches are simple - I have 6 switches (LT Unit) - what do I want them to do.....drive, chorus, boost, delay are the bread and butter, the rest is just cream(eq, reverb)
Exactly! Native is awesome 🙌
Helix does it all for me as well. Especially with the new amazing 2203 JCM 800! It covers everything I need, from clean to classic rock, then add a super overdrive and into hard rock/ hair metal!
Couldn't agree more!
I'll be honest with you, I used to have a helix for unit for 5 years and then I bought an AX8 unit and bounce back and fourth. Since the FM 9 turbo I sold both my AX8 and the line 6 Helix. No regrets. Once you get over the learning curve it becomes easier to navigate. I just love the sound out of the FM 9 Turbo unit. Not that Helix is a bad unit just now I am very particular on the sound quality. The FM9 unit is a game changer for me.
I do want to add that you're right about the Drives in the FM9 unit. However, the amps sound so good that you don't need much of a Drive. The EQ does a nice job of getting the heavier metal sound.
All valid points mate .
I've used both Line6 since the "bean" and then to the Line6 AxSys 212 ... so that's a long time. Nothing is perfect, and 'chasing tone' isn't all it's cracked up to be over time (to me, anyway). I've generally used one set up on my Helix for 4-5 years now, simply updating software and tweaking a pedal or two along the way. I added the feedbacker recently, but that's been the only addition in a long while. And even though I still have my Vibroverb and Marshall (Slash) and Mesa Lonestar, I use the Helix for live performances. I have not tried any other modeler and I don't plan to as I don't need another learning curve. I'm in the 'good enuff' camp now. Thanks Jonny, for all your input over these months I've been following you!
Thanks for sharing mate I appreciate you being here 🙏
I'll be honest lately my favorite amps in the Helix are the original line 6 designs like the Oblivion so I don't really find myself wondering if fractal or Kemper etc does that model better. And I've basically settled on a patch that I use for everything which has pretty much maxed the dsp but there is so much in the patch I can't imagine asking any more from any unit. I do hope at some point line 6 updates their interface and gets rid of the sliders, I've never liked adjusting settings that way but otherwise I'm still completely happy with the helix
That is a killer amp !!
I have a Helix rack in the studio & a stomp XL for live. I would love to try an FM9 but I know I’d still use a real Marshall Gov’ner pedal in front of it no matter what modeller it was. The drive pedals in the helix are great but for that extra 3Dness I love a real pedal. Also my favourite thing about the helix is that it “plays nice with others”.
Exactly that !
I got the Helix and hated it.
Then, after all the updates and extra experience of tweaking it, I love it now.I am happy with the amps in there now.And it feels so intuitive.Loveable.
Of course , the prices remind me that you get what you pay for.
Play for the song is what I think of.
The new updates are awesome in helix 🙌
I bought a Helix for a week then returned it and got a Fractal FM9. Best decision I’ve ever made gear wise. 😊
The FM9 is awesome
I was an early adopter of Helix, I gigged it an loved it for several years. It is/was a great entry into the modelling world because the interface was so ground breaking. After using Fractal, I appreciate the grid layout, and block setup/workflow and the sheer power and depth of the unit. Others find the learning curve too steep. It's not a one size fits all world. I use still use Helix Native with my DAW, and its a great product. It's great to have so many solid choices these days, but it's also annoying that the community has become so tribal. Competition is good for the marketplace. Let's see what Helix II offers :) I get fed up with gear too sometimes, that's when I put it all away and just play an acoustic for a week or two. That usually renews my desire to jump back in.
I agree the tribes can ruin it .
Hi Jonny, from a selfish standpoint I am pleased that you are sticking with the Line 6. I do not have any experience with Factal,so can't comment on that but, as a Kemper owner (since 2014) I rencently bought a HX Stomp and in some ways I am getting more out of that than the Kemper. I was thinking of selling the Kemper but coupled with them bringing out the Player which has made a lot of people put their Kemper's up for sale and the fact that I just can't bring myself to part with it, the decision has been sort of made for me. The HX Stomp has made me have to simplify my presets, which isn't a bad thing but, once I have recorded stuff I can go into Native and add some of the stuff that the DSP in the Stomp doesn't let me do. Cheers 🍻🎸
I’m actually interested in the kemper player , I tried it at NAMM and was very impressed.
All current modellers are great, it boils down to which one you enjoy using and we're all different so nobody is "right".. I'm currently using an FM9, with a Headrush as backup, they're both great. I have to choose one thing for the rest of time? I'm taking a real amp.
Well said!
Now there something I don’t understand. I hear often that the amps are better on fractal, but I can get the same exact tone of the NAM player with my HX stomp. Same quality/ overtones, eq, grain, feel, etc. The NAM player is the most accurate, scientifically proven by inverting phase in many videos. Another example, I just sold the great ir-x Friedman preamp because I was able to copy both channels with the Stomp, running into the tube power amp (6V6) I have. Same quality, I spent hours tweaking, taking breaks, coming back the next day… I feel like Fractal may have better presets, or it just sounds better than the real amps?
I just find the fractal amps better to my ears .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist change yours ears when you play helix
So so happy with your decision JL. been a long time subscriber and love all you do for us here in the community. Never stop. Don't worry the next Gen will take care of those issues. BTW awesome Rush Moving pix shirt. That's the album that started it all for me inn Junior high school back in 1981-2 wanting to learn guitar and loving Rush and prog rock.
Yeah Rush are amazing ! Thanks for the kind words my friend .
Interesting clip. I love your channel, both for the insights and the deadly humor. I think we're roughly the same age, so I remember when having a chorus _and_ a phaser pedal meant you were the flippin' king. So it's easy to work within the 'limitations' of the Helix family and just my wee little stomp. But 'limitations' is, what, like 40 amps? I also really like that Line6 is still adding _great_ features to what is now an eight year old product. The new cabs mean that I basically quit using third party IRs because the cabs now really, really act like you're putting a mic on a cab. The new grammatico amps may not be eveyrone's style, but they're fantastic sounding new amps, and if that hot rodded Fender thing is your sound, then they 're great. I also wound up picking up a Walrus ACS-1 for some very, very specific reasons that are more about me t han it, but another thing I love about the Stomp is that if, like me, you're going to use another cab modeler, it's _still_ a great audio interface, a nice practice tool, and the reverbs/comps/delays are more than good enough for any tracking/live situations. For me, hard to beat. Great channel as always. And you're not a boomer! They're older than us . . . .
😂 thanks man , I’m happy to hear I’m not a boomer yet . I agree about the cabs , I rarely touch IR now . You have completely valid points mate .
I've been a long time Line6 user since the first bean came out and up until the helix floor. I also have a kemper stage (hardly use it) With that being said, I love tone hunting and am extremely interested in the FM9 or Axe FX3. I don't use DSP as I use mostly external pedals and don't really mess around much with effects. I am a simple bloke and just want a great in the mix slightly overdriven sound with amp like feel. I generally go through 6-8 month periods before modding my presets. I got to hear the FM9 and holy cow couple that with cab-lab i think it's a better unit hands down. Helix is just from my sentiments a reliable product as I've been with line 6 for 20 years at this point.
Yeah i still use my FM3 a lot it’s awesome .
Great video!
I bought the Helix shortly after release and the Helix always made me wanting more... The effects and layout are fantastic , But the tones are just nowhere near as good as some of the other units available. There's some amps that are great but some not soo good, i found myself only using like 2 or 3 amps inside the Helix because the rest kinda sucked..
I ended up buying an FM3 and i really enjoyed that unit , It sounded so much better than the Helix and the amp models had closer characteristics to the the different variations of amps.
Unfortunately i ended up having to sell my FM3 Due to Car Troubles.. But i then went back to line 6 for a cheaper alternative and replaced it with a HX stomp.
I managed to sort of match my tones in the FM3 on the HX stomp using the same IR's, But after a while i quickly became bored again with the limited DSP and Missing a lot of what was in the FM3.. i missed all those 5150 variations and parameters/Fx that the Helix/Hx stomp just didn't have.. I then hit a point where i was just getting fed up with tweaking rather than playing and that's when i bought a ToneX. And immediately it was just plug and play with any amp and overdrive available and it sounds incredible! The only downside is there's no effects.. But i literally picked up an Axe Fx 2 XL the other day, Very similar reason as i just wanted everything rack mounted with all my IEM system. And well i've been comparing ToneX and Axe Fx 2 and they sound so similar it's scary..
I'd %100 recommend any Helix/HX product user to pick up and pair a ToneX with it, Save up some DSP space inside the Helix and get the tones from that if you don't have the funds for an FM3/FM9/Axe Fx 3.
But if you just want everything in one ,The Fractal stuff kills it all and is worth every penny.
All valid points mate . 😎
Hx stomp XL is the perfect form factor for rockers who just need some choices and simple set up., It can do way more than that but its more than I or most people will ever need. The sounds are fantastic and its keeping up with everything new thats been released. Its mid priced and Helix Native and HX EDit are hands down the best PC interfaces.
Yeah I love how simple the stomp is .
Both units are great Modelers. I'd probably pick the one I knew best, as that's determines how good the tones sound, more than anything else.
They’re both awesome
Helix does have gapless preset switching. But if you sacrifice one of the signal paths.
Yes that’s correct
I am new to modelers got a Helix LT to get save on pedals and amps from the start and try a lot of stuff out. I just order a ToneMaster FR12 and hoping the combo works well for me sound wise. I kinda like the Fender Tonemaster Pro cause the interface is so easy to understand but the Helix LT is priced within my range.
Yeah the Tone master sounds very good .
Hands down Helix for me great sounding unit. And very user-friendly.
Agreed!
Jonny you made right choice, God bless you. I got Helix rack version too.
Yeah I got to get a rack asap .
Lol. I had Helix and I currently have FM9. I returned Helix. It's the worst. FM9 is the best for sounding like a REAL amp (and more). FM9 can change anything in my mind. Helix is almost on the same sound like my GT-10. It goes; FM9 stays.😅
FM9 is awesome
operator error
@nigeldaddyo No, not "error." Every time that I select any Presets, they're completely SCOOPED everywhere. It's like all the sound frequencies thru 150hz - 2.5khz are gone [or scooped (-100db)]. I followed everyone's instructions and my tones do NOT sound like what I hear in UA-cam. Maybe mine was a lemon(?).... I don't know. It's enough for me to return mine. There's nothing to change or adjust. It was just naturally -100db (150hz - 2.5khz). Fractal FM9 is flawless. 😁
@heut4384 gotta go with what works for you dude 😎
Hey Jonny. I’m with you when it comes to making stuff simple. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks working on 4 presets that will cover everything I want to do. Most of them are based on presets you’ve shared on this channel. Thanks for that. Also, I think I’m going to stick with the Helix. I’ve been a Line 6 guy since the “red Kidney bean” POD. It may be a while until the next gen Helix arrives, but I can’t help but believe it will be killer. Cheers!
I’ve still got my original pod !
Fractal all the way for me. I miss the UI of the helix on the unit and capacitive buttons for quick edit were a great idea IMO. Sound wise I found the Fractal was better at everything except drives. Like you noted the tend to all sound the same to me.
Fair enough!😎
Maybe not realistic, but I would love that line 6 would sell enhanced CPU to my Helix floor and we would simply go to an « official » tech to get it replaced and get rid of the old one. I know, wishfull thinking, most probably an Helix 2 hardware will come out. But it would be cool to have both choices…
Who knows what the future holds .
More likely new software to use less dsp and more outcomes my best bet. Adobe have done this several times over with their video editing software.
Hope so
I stick with Line 6. I had a Quad Cortex which was killer sounding but I certainly didn't need all the firepower it offers. In fact, I also sold my Helix LT as the Stomp and POD GO cover what I need in my home studio and for live gigs (should I choose to go digital over my analog pedalboard). Hell, last year I did a theatre gig with a tribute band using my POD GO and Fender Hot Rod Deluxe...the tone and fx options more than covered what I needed and the tone was damn good!
Good luck on the tone quest...it never friggin ends, eh? Lol. Love your channel 🤘
Yeah Pod Go is killer mate , I use one now and then .
If I could afford it I'd be getting a Kemper. But as it is I am firmly a Helix user.
The kemper player impressed me at NAMM
This is a wise decision, sir, cheers to ya, thanks for the honesty and I wish you some satisfying woodshedding and playing down the road. I've zero experience with Fractal. I started with Line 6 stuff around the late 90's with the POD, then the floor units and finally the Helix around 2015. I remain happy with Helix, am used to it and would buy the next generation (if that happens), as well. Couldn't afford to do both like you, too expensive for my budget. The Line 6 Variax modeling guitars didn't work for me ultimately, however. I still have a JTV-69H sitting around, but it's been demoted to a "broke a string" backup or maybe a drop D guitar for a couple songs, using only it's mag pu's. Was a good idea, but they never could get it right (the piezo's are the fundamental problem, imo). Maybe ChatGPT could figure it out, idk. Thanks Jonny, as always.
Cheers mate , yeah I still have my original POD from the 90,s . It’s a shame they’ve discontinued the Variax line now .
I have to say it’s FM9 for me. The helix requires a lot of tweaking to get the amps to sound good. I spend a lot more time playing with the Fractal then with the helix, and after a few days use it is pretty easy to program.
Yeah fractal presets are pretty good to go .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist I was shocked by how good it sounded. I’ve been tweaking on my helix for about a year and a half and never quite got a good sound that I loved. I loaded up a preset in the Fractal and just had a smile on my face for the next couple of hours of playing. Looking forward to playing and not tweaking like you were saying. Thanks for the great content. Appreciate all your helix content and hopefully looking forward to some Fractal content.
@@jodyinalaska1 yeah I’ll definitely be putting the Axe iii in this studio soon .
I have a Helix floor and a Kemper rack in the studio along with amps and a pedal board full of effects , i tend for ease of use just turn the kemper on and load up a H C 30 matchless patch i bought and i pretty much use that for 90% of my playing ,just the cost of that amp alone made the kemper better value and Michael Britt patches are awesome , i don’t know if the Helix has that amp i have kept it up to date but hardly ever use it .
There are matchless amps in helix yes . Kemper is awesome .
Hey Jonny thank you for this comprehensive breakdown!
I have unfortunately very limited time to play guitar due to my job and family responsibility, so I initially bought the Helix Floor to download curated presets/tone + IR presets community/other people made (including paid and free versions). I've been really liking some stuff I'm trying, but also wondering if FM9 also have wide range of these curated presets that i can buy? And if so, are they better in your opinion than Helix floor? Thank you so much!
Either helix and FM9 will get you what you want . Fractal do a great artist preset thing called “ gift of tone “ , ie the famous artist that use fractal give their presets away free. Helix has customtone , where you can download other people’s presets .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist very helpful, thank you so much!!
I’m a boomer ,life goes by fast , try everything , play everything , and if it looks good eat it , they’re all great units , I’m still in with helix , but I do want to try the Fender Tone Master Pro , just discovered you , subscribed 👍
Yeah I like the look of the Tonemaster. Thanks for being here , I appreciate it 🙏
Just bought a new FM9 and it’s nothing like a Kemper or a Helix. Sound so much better and realistic.
I tried the kemper player at NAMM , it was pretty good .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist It is, I’ve played it for about 3 years in a busy coverband. Thing is, the profiles are snapshots of other amps made with different guitars and different output levels. Mess with the gains and eq’s to balance and you get a good but totally different sound. For instance, ever heard a Fender Twin sound like a metal amp? :) That the difference with Fractal; it’s a modeling amp. Also, the dynamics of the Fractal feel less compressed. But nonetheless, Kemper is great as well. :)
Moved from helix to fm3 turbo in September.
Agree on your findings, fractal amps sound a touch better, the harshness that helix often has just isnt there in fractal. Always struggled with that in helix.
The drives are better in helix, not that the fractal is bad.
Tend to use the preamp boost section in the amp block as a ovedrive in fractal.
Right now i use my hx stomp in front of the fm3 on my pedal board. Use it for compression the feedbacker and some drives.
Best of both worlds😊
Now that sounds like a killer setup!
@JonnyLeeguitarist it is, quite happy with it.
i'm kinda thinking that whatever newer unit line6 will release(whenever they decide to) is a more fair comparison between these 2 technologies. i mean isn't fm series way newer than the helix platform?
Yes you’re probably right , the AXE 8 was the same time as Helix , but that was my point about helix needing updating . Great point tho 😎
I still think that with the exception of seamless switching which the Helix can achieve in snapshot mode ,if you have a good enough ear and a decent understanding of modellers you can get what you want out of either of these and other units. Some like the Fractal might get you in the ball park a bit quicker as it seems the factory presets are closer than the Helix but I have to say who uses factory presets anyway, for me they are really just an example or a starting point when it comes to building a useable preset. The way I approach building a preset is the way I would if I was using a real amp. Choose the amp then put pedals in front etc like you would in a real situation. I wouldn’t expect everything to be ready made because everyone has different needs when it comes to the tone they are looking for.
Helix is great for seamless snapshots but not for preset switching , you can do it but is sacrifices a whole dsp line to do it , fractal are clever with their factory presets as 90% are gig ready . I agree that simple building on the helix is the best way ( i addressed this in my last video ) . Either one wins at something I suppose . Thanks for watching.
@@JonnyLeeguitarist I use mine live in snapshot mode and never have any problems I've even tried the preset spillover function that you are talking about and that works but you sacrifice DSP that way.
@mickymalibu yeah its definitely too much of a sacrifice
@@JonnyLeeguitarist yeah but for me snapshot mode gets around this. My main sounds go from Knofler type tones to Gary Moore so in my signal chain I'll have a Fender and a Marshall and one or the other is on and I'll have a couple of drives and compressor, delays and reverb which are adjusted throught the learn controller thing and saved in various snapshots. I could have 8 presets but I use 8 snapshots and I'm good to go with seamless switching and delay trails. I'm a pedal guy at heart but this gives me much less of a headache than trying to do an impression of Fred Astaire lol
@@mickymalibu yeah snapshots was the ultimate game changer .
Thanks Jonny. I will continue to watch your journey as a helix user then.
Always helix for me mate , thanks for being here , I appreciate it.
I'm very happy with my Fractal FM9
Awesome 🙌
I own a Helix and Love it. That being said, I have the Fractal FM9 in my sights. Two different boards, technologies, pluses and minuses. I think if you owned both units, you would pretty much have the best of both worlds. Thanks for your professional opinion Jonny.
Thanks for watching mate and let me know if you get the fractal and your thoughts on it.
Kudos to the “Moving Pictures” shirt. Was introduced to Rush with that album, and instantly became a lifelong fan!
Thanks mate , yeah that album is one of my all time favourites .
But the Helix has the seamless preset changes too... they all have a similar implementation, which is what digitech did in the late 90's with the SGS and VSG 2101, 2112 and 2120 units
If you do that on helix you lose the second DSP line .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist which is exactly what occur(ed) on the Digitech units. However, I'm yet to use the feature, as I can have the helix do pretty much almost anything I want within the same preset and manage changes using snapshots. Only feature I wish the Helix had is the ability to assign modifiers to LFO's and Signal Dynamics. Hopefully someday (wishful thinking)
@@3l84r70 who knows what the future holds .
I've had the helix rack for a couple years, it was good but so much tweaking to get an OK sound. Recently got a QC as well as a fractal FM9 to shoot them out....both absolutely kill the helix. QC is way more user friendly than the the helix and fractal at first but once you spend time with the fractal you can tweak to absolute perfection. Im still on the fence with the fractal and qc but honestly, I sold my helix days after I got the others...no comparison
Interesting, I tried the QC but didn’t like it . Maybe it’s better now .
I rarely run out of DSP but in a new unit more would be nice. Don't care at all about a touch screen. Maybe a better search function to find a particular patch in all the hundreds you may have.
I agree and very valid points
Both units have great tones. It is all about your comfort level with each platform. I learned on Fractal and that’s my wheelhouse. In the end 99% of the audience can’t tell the difference. Use what makes you happy!
Exactly
Team Helix and no shit on chasing tones I spend more time pushing buttons than strings sometimes have a good day bud I mean mate
It’s a nightmare mate
Excellent thanks for the video
Very welcome
My Helix Lt is perfect for me. I pretty much only need three patches: thrash metal, death metal, and NWOBHM. Each has a rhythm and lead snapshot. For my basic needs Helix is perfect. When I chose it I compared the LT, Quad Cortex, and something from Fractal don't recall which one. The Helix sounded as good as the other two and was half to a third of the cost.* The only downside to helix that I've come across is you have to tweak a little more. The Fractal and Quad Cortex both had a more sensible default EQ I think.
That said I'd really like to try an FM3 or FM9. It's been a few years now and they've released a lot of updates and a lot of reviewers say Fractal is light years ahead now in tone and feel.
* I got a demo model of an LT with Helix Native for $800.00 US.
Valid points 😎
To each his own 😁 regardless, what a time for guitarists. There is a lot of choice out there and I think digital is becoming more prominent!
I completely agree 👍
For me its the best sounding, most realistic in feel and sound. I can put up with a steeper learning curve to get it. I had a Helix Floor for a few days and returned it. Put a lot of work in to it and it sounded like shit.
Helix in 4cm with my tube amp, wonderful combination…
Yes ! I did this with my soldano
Like guitars, whatever inspires you the most will sound the best. If not have 3 beers and they will all sound sweet.
Great answer ! 😂
My choice is 2 x 100w Marshall Super Lead heads and 2 4x12 1971 Marshall cabs (for crunch, lead, etc. -- run in stereo) and 2 x Fender Super Reverbs (for clean tones and occasional "special" crunch sounds -- also run in stereo) a host of 80's style outboard gear, along with pedals, all controlled by a custom pedalboard... oh, wait, we're talking modeller choice here, right?
Sorry... my bad! 😛
Actually I've switched from above because I am tired of lugging all of that gear around and I don't play large venues a lot any longer (although still my ultimate choice for rigs), and because I think both the Fractal and Helix are incredible modellers and obviously good enough to cause me to even consider leaving my old faithful rig. Having said that, my choice is my Fractal FM9, hands down, no hesitation between the two. I am new to both so my choice after serious experimentation was the Fractal FM9... mainly because of the DSP, better sounding amp models, and I like the UI and versatility of the Fractal software.
The Helix almost caused me to jump because I was on a waiting list for the Fractal FM9. But I'm glad I waited, tried the Fractal before choosing either, and then made my choice.
If you started with the Helix and are used to that I can see why you would stick with it... it is, after all, a great modeller. But for me Fractal has the edge in many ways, at least for now!
Great points mate
i agree tone chasing is my bad habit.
i wish i could find my tone and just play......HELP
You will find it , you probably already have it .
@@JonnyLeeguitarist if i email it to you will you check it out give me your thoughts
Same thing i do timker too much and not play more.
It’s a curse with modellers
Hey Jonny! 👍💪✌
Yooooooo 😎
100% helix for me
😎
Helix for me, fractal is way over priced in my view
It’s a little spicy yes
99% of guitar players don't need the mega multi effects systems that already exist. How many great distortions / overdrives, reverbs / delays, choruses, flangers, etc do you need?... Mostly it's keeping up with the Joneses... Having the very latest thing.. it's reached a point where it's meaningless. Guitar players need to spend time actually playing, rather than constantly wanting MORE of everything....
Exactly what I said in the video …. 😎
Saved me £2k on an FM9 thx
No problem
Fractal any time!
It does sound great
You said it, play more and edit less!! All the units on the market have way more than you "should" ever need and true some features outweigh others from unit to unit....
Exactly 👍
To me it comes down to product support with all the features these units have, if you don't know how/what to do in edit then they're all fall short and you waste your valuable playing time....
Without a doubt fm9 is unbeatable!!!
If it works for you , that’s all that matters.
Keep it up
Will do
FM9.
Don't get me wrong, I came from Line 6 world.
Seems a few in the comments have also made that switch .
Line 6 Pod Go
Great unit !
100% Helix
😎
Helix
I’m still using it 😎
The helix user
😎