I’ve owned my Helix LT for almost 2 years. Absolutely love it, and has simplified my life as a musician. No more heavy amps, I show up at my gigs with a guitar and the Helix. Direct to front of house, my setup time is 10 mins at the most. Snapshots are amazing. Helix all the way!!!
@@petarzdravkovic2253 it does translate well. You might have to EQ a bit for the room but usually the sound tech will take care of that. I also added a Line 6 Powercab to my setup which gives that amp in the room feel.
@@dr150 Yeah, forget these cancer patients with hospital bills or the family who lost their valuables in a home burglary, this guy needs a multi-effects board!
Quality piece again, Rhett. Impressed that you genuinely did 'pick one' too. It would be easy to sit on the fence for a comparison such as this.I'm not ready to move from amps and pedalboard, but if I did- based on your synopsis- I'd go for the Kemper!
You surprised me when you said you'd choose the Helix. I actually made the switch from Helix to Kemper Stage. Amp tone is the most important thing for me, which I think Kemper does way better out of the box. When it comes to effects, I try to keep it simple with delay and reverb. And I have never had any luck with digital overdrives, so I would just gain it up or switch to a dirtier amp. I love the effect options and routing flexibility of the Helix, but I almost never needed it. Kemper does what I need and the amp profiles sound amazing. Great video Rhett!
I totally agree with you men. The most important thing about all this Amp modeling is trying to get the Best Natural Tube Amp sound in a Digital world and for me The Kemper has that and also the Quad Cortes. Although the Helix and Boss GT 1000 does a great job also but when you compare for a Real Tube Amp feel, Kemper and Quad Cortes Win
The Helix I feel like is misunderstood. It has the curse of too much flexibility in a lot of ways. It absolutely can fool anyone in a blind shoot out when compared to any other profiler/modeler/recorded real amp rig, however it needs to be dialed in well and with all of the controls available, there is a lot of room for people to mess up their tone. You need to dive in to learn what everything does and how a recording engineer would set up a signal chain. A profiler like the Kemper makes it easy for people who don't want to learn what "sag," "bias," etc. mean to be able to just download a quick profile someone else made and run with it. You can certainly download Helix presets, but I've found that these usually need to be dialed in to taste and to adapt to your specific gear.
Same…I’ve owned the Helix Floor, Helix LT, and HX Stomp + pedals. The Kemper is absolutely fantastic. You don’t need the flexibility, because it just sounds great. I’ve owned a Fractal AX8 and an FM3. Fractal comes closer to competing with the Kemper than Helix, but that’s my opinion which is subjective. The FM3 was like the Kemper, everything just sounded great right out of the box. I hardly had to tweak amp settings. Same thing I’m now experiencing with Kemper. Just set it and play!
I own a Helix and wouldn't trade it for anything. The fact that I'm able to do a full wet dry wet rig for $1k is just awesome. I have sooooo much flexibility and control over my tone, so I can really get pinpoint accuracy with whatever I need.
Great, honest comparison. Love your atmospheric tones. I've had both, I'm a Fractal guy at heart but both of these units are fantastic. The Kemper can be instant gratification when you find the right profiles for your tones. Helix can get there too!
Great video, Rhett. I agree with your opinions except that my personal preference is to have a separate expression pedal that is not mounted on the main unit. Mechanical devices have components that fail at a higher rate than electronic ones and I don’t want my profiler shipped off to a repair shop because the onboard mechanical pedal had a failure when I can simply plug in a replacement external expression pedal and be good to go.
Tried both using lots of different profiles and presets made for both. I prefer the Kemper above and beyond the Helix because the amp sounds on the Kemper just feel and sound a lot better.
@@matthewf9500 I go from Dwight Yoakum to black Sabbath , SRV, ZZ Top, Sultans of swing. All sounded better with the Kemper . I thought The Helix had nice FX, just not real enough amp sounds
Matthew F I do. I have to add a pedal for better feel and sound too. They’re great for gigging guitarists but for home nope. Not getting rid of the amp that took a lifetime to find.
@@matthewf9500 I have a kemper and play a lot of Metal through it, have some profiles I made myself that I love and also some other ones I bought that are great! I just got the Messhugah ones and they are killer as well!
Whichever one you prefer and is easier to use live. Soundwise, the audience won't know the difference. Coming from the traditional amp/pedalboard, I found the Helix really easy and sounding great..
This. I simply do not see any value in gear reviews by players that get the equipment in, do a review and never touch it again. Getting an opinion from a player that has used the gear on tour for an extended period is gold.
Great video! I have both but I choose the kemper. For me is way closer to the real thing and I hate the tweaking. I just like to start making music as quickly as possible without having to spend ages fiddling with knobs. I am also very pedantic when it comes to wah pedals so prefer some a bit more custom than just a one size fits all. The kemper for me is the closest thing to a real amp out there!
Thanks for the comparison review! The only thing I’d disagree with is that being a traditional effects/amp guy for decades, I found the Helix very easy to relate to. The user interface, signal flow I found very intuitive. And liberating - so cool to be able to essentially perform previously studio only functions live.
i had both devices.When it comes to sound quality and what brings us closer to real sound the kemper is unbeatable. I'm a guitarist who only does live gigs and plays with various bands of 3,4 and more members, all the way to acoustic gigs with only one piano and singer on stage, various genres from oriental music to blues and metal and regional and domestic music in Europe and I've tried everything . If things don't sound good in live gigs, I'm not interested in functionality, display, cosmetics .... with a kemper you get a healthy, big tone right at the beginning, small adjustments are needed and you are in the mix and everyone is happy band, soundguy, singer....... if you have a cabinet and a kemper with power you are very, very close to the real tone the difference is felt only by you as a guitarist while playing, and even that difference is small, the audience cannot notice the difference even those who understand the tone and sound of the guitar amplifier So, for live music the kemper is better checked because I had both devices . I will not enter the studio possibilities because when I go to the studio to record something I just connect the kemper and play ... again everyone is satisfied I never tried Helix in the studio because I sold it right away I am not in any way connected with the company that makes the kemper..this is just one honest answer of a musician who had both devices and who lives and feeds his family playing the guitar
For me its the Kemper. I have purchased the Helix full version later tried the Lt even the stomp. For me the gain tones just don't do it for me. Maybe its me maybe I'm missing something since I have heard great things from the helix.The kemper for me is as close to a tube amp guitar tone as one can get without using a tube amp.All in all its a great time to play guitar with the options one has !
yeah, the thing is that, with these modelers it's just time-consuming to get that punchy tone we want, I went back to hear my first preset ever made in my Helix, it's just crap, compared to the ones I make know that sound sooo good (not bragging about) but In retrospective, I just had to really add more things to my chains and tweak the things to have these tones. Kemper amps just sound great out of the box hahah!
I started with a Kemper toaster, and due to starting to do some gigs and playing with people, I switched to Helix. both of these were used with a QSC K8 pa speaker. Now I have the Helix floor, and a power cab. I do not like this setup at all... I believe it's the powercab that has broken the spell, but now a days I just play my real amps... IF the Kemper floor was around when I started my digital journey, I likely would have been perfectly happy. but I've always found that amping these units up has been very difficult to be satisfied with. I think that studio monitors are probably the best solution for home use, and real guitar cabs with no cab sim are best for performing, if you can get away with it. But overall, I just really love amps... almost more than guitars sometimes ; )
I own a Helix Rack with the foot controller and the M-Audio expression pedals so I'm arguably somewhat biased. One thing the Helix does really well is act as a home studio interface. The mic input and preamp are great. The routing abilities are excellent. That said ... if I had unlimited money, I'll get an AxeFxIII now. It's way more tweakable than the Helix and the amp models sound better. It's about 30% more expensive here in Australia though so bang for buck, the Helix is still a good choice
I chose Kemper. I had a power rack version and sold it to buy the stage. I really like the way it feels, how touch sensitive it is. I had a Helix for about a week and than I bought Kemper. For my ears it sounds more realistic and "alive". And btw FX is not bad at all. Delays and reverbs are great. one thing that i miss is good autowah or envelope filter. if someone of you Kemper users know how to adjust that john mayer "i don't trust myself in loving you" tone - I'll become the happiest man :)
When you pair a Helix and a Variax Guitar the couple go to the stratosphere!!!! Is unbelievable!!! The way it sounds, flexibility , and is absolutely noiseless , great for recording and live sessions.
I've owned the Helix, Helix Stomp, Headrush Pedalboard and Gig Board, BOSS GT 1000 & Core, ZOOM G6, MOOER GE300 and keep going back to my Kemper Stage because IMO it sounds like a real tube amp and reacts to playing like a real tube amp would.
I Had the helix for a few years loved it great unit but i decided to sell it to purchase the kemper (toaster version not stage) as i was blown over with its capabilities watching videos on youtube so i took the plunge...18 months with the kemper and i wouldn't be without it now. The two units are diffent in many ways as described in this video so its not a like for like comparison but for me the kemper takes the win when all is concidered. Love your videos by the way you have a real honest and unbiased approach that genuinely helps us guys out! Great respect for that
You saved me some $$$! I have had a helix for a while and the flexibility, customization, and EASE OF USE is unbeatable. I had put about $3500 into a traditional pedalboard before the Helix, and it wasn't anywhere close to what I can do with the Helix. I have been looking at Kemper because every time I hear one the tone seems a step up from the Helix. Your video was very helpful though - no volume pedal, no software to control and create, limited effects. I want that tone, but I would get really frustrated being so limited. Thanks again!
I just made the switch from Helix Floor to KPA Stage and it is far better feeling than the Helix. Kemper does have editing software now and the effects are very comparable to Helix. After playing in the Kemper for just a few minutes I was blown away. So was my buddy who is all tube amp guy. I profiled his Morgan Dual 40 through his OX and it was pretty indistinguishable for him through our church PA. If you can, try and test one out. You won’t regret it. Now I gotta sell my Floor. 😬
Which of the two would I get? Hm... Quad Cortex :D Seriously though, I asked myself the same question when I decided to go full digital. I was leaning towards the Kemper even though the Kemper Stage wasn’t even announced yet, so it would have been Toaster + Remote. More stuff to carry, more expensive. But I knew the sounds would be there. Then Helix came on the scene and while a lot of people judged that its amp sounds were just a tad beneath Kemper, I scoured UA-cam for comparisons and found: if you know what you’re doing, you’re going to get great sounds out of both of them. I went with the Helix LT because of the super flexible routing options and integrated pedal and who would have thought: I use the routing options much more than I ever thought I would! So for me it was the right call.
Interesting video thanks for all the info. I bought my Kemper when they came out and after fiddling with it, I have put it aside. After 3 years the USB port failed on the Kemper being used only about 10 times . I called Kemper, it was probably 3 weeks after the warranty had expired. They sit about 30 mins away from me. It would not be covered under their warranty and I would sent it via package to them. Which I never did. There is no easy support for me and I never used my Kemper again. The reliability of this gear is not for me. If I was a Pro I would have no trust in such a behavior of the factory rep either. So they only sold me one product in my life. Build quality is important to me. Thanks again for your interesting comparison. Peace (also to Kemper)
I really love my HX Stomp for integration with my pedalboard of analog effects. the Stomp's something that's far easier to take to a quick rehearsal or integrate into an existing rig. I feel like the Helix takes a bit of learning, regarding how the parameters work in each effect; you can't just put everything at noon and it sounds great. However, once you spend a little time with it, the stuff Helix can do is just wild.
I'm getting an HX Stomp...they look and sound badass. I'm tired of wrestling with tech. I don't wanna be a youtube tweaker star...I just wanna play guitar!
@@BagusWibisono I prefer it. Just because I like different pedals than are available in the stomp. There’s a number of youtubers who have videos on how they’ve integrated their stomp in with a full pedalboard and how all that sounds. Heck, I even have a couple videos on my channel about that. I love a good analog delay, and there’s an “analog” delay simulation in the stomp, but I like my real one. Situations like that are why I preferred to add the stomp to a pedalboard.
Someone tell me cause the stomp with external pedal will be fizzy or plastic sounding, better with internal pedal. But, it just someone preference. Another people olso said like you. I plan to buy Hx stomp with BB preamp external pedal (booster for my high gain amp simulator on hx stomp). How about you dude?
thanks for a useful video! Definitely a Helix for me. I am tired of my huge pedal board and complex assortment of effects, so I might sell it all for the smaller footprint, lighter weight, and flexibility of a Helix. But I'm keeping my Eventide H9 and Blackbird pre-amp! They are both just too amazing to part with.
I've had them all. Kemper (toaster), Helix, sold the Kemper to fund a Fractal Audio AX8. I've just (re) bought the Kemper Stage and so far it's my favourite of the bunch. I've just got to the point where I'm done going down rabbit holes and endless tweaking. With the Kemper, I've simply bought a bunch of packs of my favourite amps from Michael Britt and Tone Junkie like you said and bam.....instant great tones with little to no tweaking.
This approach makes a lot of sense to me as I have already fallen down too many rabbit holes at this point in my life. You prefer the stage to the toaster? Thanks.
Having owned all the modelers, I went Axe FX 3. Love the Helix interface, love the Kemper feel, but Fractal puts everything together with bleeding edge amp modeling and in my opinion the best effects. They're all fun toys though!
I live in the UK where the axe fx 3 is £1000 MORE than the Helix and £500 more than the Kemper. For a £1000 difference between the Helix and the Axe fx, it is a no brainer to get the Helix and the customisation it offers.
Nice comparison. I didn't need a full blown Helix so I never pulled the trigger. When the HX Stomp came out it was exactly what I was looking for so I jumped on it. So far I love it as a home user. That's another Helix advantage. You can get in at several price points without sacrificing sound quality. You just get fewer features which some people may not need.
Also if you own a Helix you can pick up Helix Native for $99. You can bring over your Helix patches unmodified and use them in your DAW with a dry signal and then make changes to your Helix parameters in the plugin.
Fabulous real world no nonsense explanation of these two devices and makes as good of information involving the best way to use these devices in a variety of settings. Everything Rhett says is right on the money. Thanks for your honest thoughts and expertise on this matter. The helix is more versatile overall in my humble opinion. The kemper is a little more specialized and better used/more practical in a studio setting. Both are amazing products.
I’ve been using the Helix for more than 2 years now and was curious about the Kemper Stage when it was released. Thank you for making this awesome comparison video. Your video helped me confirm that for my tone tweaking needs, I’m good!
Great vid, as always. One quibble: I used to think an attached expression pedal was a plus, until I realized that - as the most moving part - it was doomed to fail long before the rest of the board. And also ridiculously hard to repair/replace (as opposed to standard footswitches). Yeah, it’s an extra cable/pedal, but much easier to swap out. Also, you can choose a “wah/short throw” controller or a linear “volume” pedal based on your needs.
Yea definitely a good point! Just look at how many Helix LT’s had failed expressions. BTW I’ve owned pretty much every modern modeler including all the Helix Variants minus the rack, Fractal AX8 & FM3, Headrush, and Boss Multis. I’m not partial to a brand. I get whatever gets the job done easiest. I recently bought a Kemper Stage and they must’ve really improved the efx section since this video? I’m thoroughly impressed with the effects, especially the delays and reverbs. The drives are as good as the fractal stuff. Also, they now have the phone app, that’s an easy win for me!
I used digital devices almost exclusively in the last 9 years and the Kemper is still unbeatable for the “amp feel” in my experience. If you know what you’re doing, you can get the job done with almost any digital device on the market imho, but Kemper got something right in the first place that others didn’t when it comes to amp tones in my opinion. On the other hand, Helix got a great set of fx, good amp tones (not on par with Kemper and they require some work, but definitely more than usable), tons of flexibility and one of the best features imho: scribble scripts! They can be a godsend on stage, especially for those who have multiple different gigs to play as the custom naming makes things a lot easier. Looking on the market, Fractal stuff is probably the best of both worlds at the moment: Helix flexibility and fx quality (well, actually even a tad more in my opinion, both from quality and flexibility point of view) plus “Kemper-like” amp tones (as I said, Kemper still wins for me, but Fractal comes really close). I don’t really like their new modular approach for their floorboard models and the price tag is quite high, but they pack a lot of stuff in there. A feature that’s often overlooked is the Controllers side: you have LFOs, ADSR filters, envelope, sequencer and all that kinda stuff that you can attach to fx parameters, which significantly expands the tone palette you can get from the machine. No other unit on the market offers this afaik and, paired with the quality and flexibility, makes this an amazing all in one unit. Getting back to the question, in my opinion it all depends on what you need to do with them: if you’re an “hired gun” that has different gigs and travels a lot on his own, I’d probably go with the Helix plus an HX Stomp as a backup; with this setup you’re pretty much set and done and - as an added bonus - Line6 has a quite bigger distribution network, which means that if you’re in the middle of a tour and something goes bad, you can probably get a replacement a lot faster than Kemper or Fractal. On the other hand, if you mostly play in the same context (band, church etc), if you’re an analog guy thinking about jumping into the digital world and/or if you like a more “old-school” approach to the hardware, you can’t go wrong with the Kemper unit for sure. Just my 2 cents obviously. Rock on Rhett! \m/
Use to be a traditional pedalboard and amp guy, switched to the Helix a few years and never turned back. Between my Helix and amazing amp modeling plugins, sold all my pedals and amps at this point.
@@officialWWM Headrush does have a cool touchscreen interface, but Helix is still the best unit for sure. I have all three and I'm trying to sell my Headrush. I never use it at all.
Chris Taggart depends what you want it for. I think Helix is great for recording or if your an endless tinkerer. For me, I just use it live. To be able yo dial up a great tone with a few basic effects in a few seconds makes the HR far superior for my needs. I also think is sounds better. I also have the Helix but it does my head in, lol.
it sounds like an extremely nitpicky thing, however the lack of scribble strips is really what kills them kemper for me. And the interface is fine for an amp, but if you want to quickly adjust something on the stage at a gig, you're there for a while
Great comparison Rhett. I totally agree with everything you said EXCEPT the in built volume pedal. On of the reasons I didn’t buy a Helix is that it has a built in pedal. I use my wah, volume and morph with my left foot. Having a built in pedal on the right hand side is a major turn off for me. I think Kemper got it absolutely right giving users the option.
I completely agree with your assesment on the helix. I've owned it since the beginning and haven't looked back on traditional amp rigs. I find that my friends, while they love their amp rigs, are a bit jealous of the swiss army like usefulness of the helix.
Thank you for this video! I've bought a Helix last year, almost didn't touch it since then....life was complicated. Now I want to start to get into it....and to be honest...I already have a headache when I think of how complicated it is....at least that's what many people say. I really hope I will learn to use it.
Great video! Love your playing and honesty. I’ve owned Line 6 gear since they first started in the late 90’s, and it all still works. Got the Helix a few months ago and totally love it. Never used a Kemper, but I’m not a huge metal player so I don’t see a reason to even consider it. Helix effects by far are superb and don’t regret my purchase.
Used to have the Line6 but my life changed after getting the Kemper stage. Profiling has been so much better than modelling. While you could spend a lot of time with the Helix and get things to sound great, there's a lot to be said about the feel of playing. The way Kemper reacts to subtle dynamic changes in my playing, changes in volume/tone knobs, Bright/Neck pickups, etc has been just like my previous Mesa tube amps. But to each their own.
A great and balanced overview of these excellent pieces of kit. I bought the Helix to replace a few amps and pedals, to get rid of the clutter - I only play at home these days. I don't find the Helix as accessible as an amp/pedal set up BUT it took me a while to realise why ........... there are soooooo many options, almost to the point that I spent more time learning "Helix" and tweeking than playing. I thought I was going to be able to plug in, switch on and play, which you can do, but you may be disappointed with what comes out i.e. it didn't sound like the YT vids straight out of the box. It takes a little investment of time because it ain't "amps and pedals", it's a computer. I had to be less lazy and put some work in, more than I expected to. I love it now though for all the reasons Rhett gave, I just found it hard work at the beginning. Now if Line 6 started to have a profiling facility ............. nah, the complexity would scare the s**t out of me. Enjoyed the comparison .......... oh, and I still haven't got rid of my amps and pedals so I have even more clutter now.
I bought the Helix 3 1/2 years ago and love it. I was using the Pod Pro with in-ears around 2001 and in the late 80s I was using an ADA tube pre with a midi foot switcher. With my band Blessid Union Of Souls I used Godin guitars on songs that I needed acoustic sounds and electric guitar at the same time so now I use a Variax guitar with a Helix connected with a cat 5 cable which allows you to run the modeled acoustic sound out of the Variax in the right channel of the Helix going through a preamp and eq and the magnetic pickups of the Variax going through the left channel of the Helix going through amp and guitar effects. Using snapshots to mute either one or have both at once. Line 6 all the way for me.
I think you may be selling the Kemper short on "tweakability". The amp profile (essentially a model as the result of profiling) has some pretty deep editing capabilities that can seriously alter the tone from the base model. In the right hands, it's no less tweakable than a modeller. The virtually endless number of freely downloadable amp profiles gets you to a good starting point and the deep tone tweaking gets you dialed in quickly. I like the Helix tóo. My bandmate uses the Helix and the tone quality is comparable. Where I see the difference is in software/firmware. Kemper is constantly adding enhancements. The new acoustic sim and additional OD stomps and delays are really good.
I got my Helix just over a year ago now 2nd hand and it's just fantastic So intuitive and sounds beautiful For someone who simply doesn't have the resources ie shops for vintage amps and gear nor the cash flow to acquire them the Helix is a fantastic facsimile All in all a Helix all the way for me
The Kemper sounds great. I tried it several times in the shop. But for me the usability was very confusing. I like the flexibility of my Helix. The cab simulation / IR selection can be intensive to model your favorite sound. But you are able to tweak many things.
Great Video. I bought the Helix and Profiler both the full units. I really enjoyed them both. I ended up trying the Fractal Axe FXiii and it blew my mind. I had what I considered to be the best effects and the best tones on the planet. It is crazy. I believe that all three units are good enough to play live anywhere. Anyone who says that isn't true, isn't paying attention. there are many pros using these units and touring worldwide with them. Thank you Rhett for outstanding thoughtful videos.! The guitars used for the testing were the following. Gibson Les Paul Dark Knight Fender American Pale Moon Ebony Vigier GV Wood Vigier Excalibur Supra
DAMN DUDE, i was leaning so hard for the kemper when i started watching this. but im selling my JVM410C and Pedals and going digital. Looks like you may have made line 6 a sale... Great Video
I'm a Kemper Guy, had the toaster for years and love it! Will be getting the Stage very soon.. But I agree with you 100%, I am a more traditional guitar player in the sense that I want my rig to resemble an actual amp and pedal board control setup, so for sure it's the one for me, but the Helix is very very good as well as well as the Fractal..
Having had both, I got rid of the Helix and currently have the Kemper Stage. I use it for all my effects except that I have a Strymon Deco running in the X-Slot for stereo separation. I just feel like it sounds and, especially, feels closer to the real thing. And, I have to spend far less time setting up the Kemper than I ever did with the Helix. Thanks for making the video!! All great points!!
Hey Rhett! Love your vids, especially on the Helix and HX Stomp. I've been a Helix user for about 5 years now, and do about 200+ gigs a year. I mainly play Acoustic Blues, Soul, RnR, and instrumental Fingerstyle, and the Helix is amazing for all of it. Too bad there aren't many vids out there (that I've found) on Acoustic guitar sounds with the Helix. It can be done. :) Two things about the Helix I really appreciate along with everything you mentioned are A) the benefits of the scribble strips for each foot switch, and B) that each preset is like a new pedalboard. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for all you do! Later brother man.
Helix, but in a stereo rig using two tube amps, Helix in the wet side through a Victory V50 and Mesa MK V in the dry with a couple analog effects in the loop. The sound is huge and controllable
Now going Wet-Dry-Damp with three amps. Mesa MkV completely dry Victory V40D with analog effects, Victory V50 with Helix. Complicated but the sound is glorious.
Just picked up a helix a few weeks ago. I debated picking up the kemper stage but ultimately it came down to price and the integrated expression pedal. I find the workflow incredibly easy considering all the things that you can do with your signal flow. I’ve also downloaded a few killer presets that have helped give me ideas on how to create my own presets and make them sound amazing. I’ve also downloaded a few impulse responses that have really made this thing sound killer! I’ve never owned or played a kemper, but all in all I have no regrets.
I'm team kemper all the way. But thats because I'm in it for the tones and limitless amp sounds. I could care less about a volume pedal and if I want effects I'd rather get individual pedals. In my eyes the kemper isn't designed to be an all in one solution anyways its simply designed to sound absolutely perfect and thats what it does.
I'm really stoked on my HX Effects. It let me downsize my pedalboard, and gives me great drive tones to the front of an amp, and when I want to get more complicated it allows me to do 4 cable method so I can still use an amplifier as my main tone if I want/need. I think the helix range of Line 6 products offers a solution for every live guitar scenario. You want to add an amp modeler to your analog board? HX Stomp. Want to downsize/replace your analog board, but keep your tube amp? HX Effects. You want to do either of the previous two things and have an all-in-one floor rig? Full size Helix (or LT).
Great vid, but I have to say that you missed a thing about the Kemper. Kemper is for who want to take his own amps everywhere. I live in Italy and here there are many great amps manufacturers like Brunetti, Masotti/Mezzabarba, Cicognani, MadCat, BRBS, and so on... They make great amps that aren't just better copy of most famous names, but have personality and unique sound. Well you don't find a Mezzabarba in a Helix, maybe you can find a similar Amp, but not the same. If it take years to find your sound why should you use a everyday amp model? In this case Kemper is the one for you, Helix, Fractal and Headrush are great machines and I love'em. But Kemper give you possibilities in creating your unique voice that others just can't. That's my opinion and I think that all of the ultimate modelers sound great. Even Mooer Ge300...
Great Comparison/Summary Rhett. I would agree with your assessment. I do think however the drive effects (and some time-based effects) in the Kemper may be lacking compared to the Helix. However the Amp models available with the Kemper can get you the drive/gain sounds that you may want so it hasn't been a real issue for me. I own both the Kemper Toaster and the Helix LT. The drawback to both of these is that it can be overwhelming when trying out profiles in the Kemper or tweaking or creating/presets in the Helix in the quest to get your desired sound. The quest for tone often leads to less time playing which in my opinion can be a detriment. However, tweaking and exploring tonal possibilities can also open up a lot of creative options. A person won't go wrong with either of these "tools". Both sound great and should give years of enjoyment. Peace....
Thanks! I had not considered the line 6 and now it seems like a better option for me. I’m really impressed by the preparation and organization of the information you provided! Really well done. Thank you!!
In my opinion Kemper Stage without any doubt, is small, light and the tone quality is embarrassing, the display does its job and does it very well, (it must be effective and reliable, for Netflix I use the TV)
Great analysis Rhett. I have just recently started using the Helix lt for bass. A great unit.... Like you mentioned per signal path.... So programmable. I use one xlr to feed front of house, the other xlr to feed our x32 for in-ears, and a jack out to feed any on stage backline (obviously without cab sim etc) . Works amazing for me!!! Keep up the good work 👍
I think that just some years ago they all were telling that they would never change their perfect old Fender/Vox/Marshall/etc amps/speakers for this soulless digital crap.
@@copych Have you seen the Andertons video where they compare the real amps, to the Kempers modelling with a blind test? A lot of times the Kemper won. I wouldn't call all digital solutions crap.
That is definitely what I have seen as well. Most of the professional musicians I have contact with have a Kemper. Most prefer real amps, but kemper is their choice otherwise.
All my professional musician friends don’t really care what gear they use ,they just like playing music and use anything that sound good .They are amazing players,got paid doing what they love to do so go out and play don’t let gear contemplating your passion for music.
Great review that folks can actually use! I would agree fully. After 2 years living with the Helix, it's been a fantastic rig. The only issue was stage volume when playing in a traditional band which can be solved with the MIssion IO powered cab. Then I bought a used 20th Anniversary Bogner Shiva (KT88) - now everything has changed including my stage set up and wow, I get all kinds of compliments on my sound now and how balanced my tone is at just about any volume level. I actually have folks that are not guitar players come up to me and say how the sound of my guitar gave them chills. That's pretty dang cool...
I owned a Helix floor for 2 years an I've owned a Kemper Stage 4 2 weeks, no comparison the Kemper is so much better tone wise. Bottom line is tone. Way less tweaking on the Kemper, the stock profiles sound awesome and without effects. In my opinion dont waste your time and money on a Helix, unless you enjoy watching 30 videos on how to get a good sound. I owned the Helix because the Kemper toaster was to expensive and I didn't like the format, as soon as I saw the stage I knew i had to check it out
Great video man! I’m a Helix user, but really enjoy Kemper...I think they make a top notch product. The one thing that really sold me on the Helix was the effects! I’ve noticed a lot of guys that run Kemper use an external pedalboard...not that that’s a bad thing, but for me, that was the main reason for getting the Helix...no amp, cab, or pedalboard to carry, no bad patch cables to worry about, and about a 1 minuet setup. I’m sure Kemper will get there with the effects eventually.
Hi Rhett! Like you, I have a Kemper rack patched into my studio system and also a Helix, which I use for gigs. For me, Kemper has bombed with the stage due to the lack of a foot pedal as you already mentioned and also the display, which looks like something from the 80's compared to the Helix. Great channel Rhett!!
excellent review and analysis Rhett. i'm a Helix guy and am totally impressed with how it has made my life so much simpler. i have all my old amps and effects from a 40+ year career and still like to haul it out for the right (i.e., more stripped down) gigs, but over the last decade found it increasingly necessary to embrace digital modellers for flexibility, convenience, and sometimes demands of the venue (worship). my primary $$ gig for the last few years has been doing all the David Gilmour parts in a Pink Floyd tribute band. I usually have at minimum 3 electrics, 1 or 2 acoustics, and steel. i'm able to run it all through the Helix and send a single line to the house. you nailed it with highlighting the snapshots feature. that feature alone is a huge lifesaver for me. just incredible how they got it right on so many things with this one.
@@jorgemauriciomercado288 - jees man, it doesn't have to be IOS vs. Android, or Apple vs. Windows. Fractal still doesn't have integrated volume/expression pedal either.
Had the line 6 HD500X loved it for years,tried the kemper sounded realy good, then a couple months ago I found the Hughes &Kettner Black Spirit 200 floor amp. Sounded so good I bought over the Helix and Kemper. Great vid by the way.
So I hear you on the expression pedal issue. I do think those are “high wear” items so it could be a benefit to have a separate pedal for that so you can swap out. But I definitely get where you are coming from.
I prefer the Helix over the Kemper.. Tried both Kemper and Helix as well as an Fractal when I went to replace my Pedals and rack gear being controlled by a Voodoo Labs Switcher and Controller ... actually now have a Helix Floor and a Helix Rack .. Helix floor for quick jams and practice away from home and Rack with my other gear for actually playing gigs.. Helix is so much easier to work with , sounds amazing and cost wise no comparison to Kemper or Fractal .. SO YES HELIX GOT MY VOTE !!!! and money.. lol
The thing is - in 2019 - we 're all spoiled rotten. As Rhett says both the Kemper and Helix are just fantastic. Same as for beginners just starting out they can buy a really great guitar to learn on for a very low cost. Gone (almost) are the days of crappy gear as we're just swamped with awesomeness we're liable to take for granted if not careful. Especially as, lets face it, over the next few years Helix and Kemper (and the Fractals and Headrushes etc... etc...) are gonna get even better.
This was a fantastic video - opinions aside I think you laid out the pros and cons very well and articulated them concisely. I'm not a professional musician, simply a hobbyist guitarist. I have been looking at both systems because I am primarily space constrained and need to be able to achieve a good sound at low volumes and I like to fiddle with effects and presets. I've been leaning toward the Helix for a long time because I'm familiar with Line 6 effects and agree they are top notch. This video was what tipped the balance strongly in favor of the Helix. I am planning the purchase of a Helix very soon. Thanks!
Just started recording with the helix and I love it. Plug it into my laptop via USB and run it into studio one. Then I record guitar and bass, use my interface for vocals and piano and program the drums in after
My first video course, The Tone Course, is available now. Check it out below!
flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course
Do you have a Line on :BASS Cab: IRS for a Helix?? Im looking for a great B15 or 1970s era ampeg 810..Thank you
Any thoughts about Positive Grid products?
i thhiink you meant S.O.O.L. Sool... :0
13:37 Is this still the case today? Is it time for an update on Helix vs. Kemper?
I’ve owned my Helix LT for almost 2 years. Absolutely love it, and has simplified my life as a musician. No more heavy amps, I show up at my gigs with a guitar and the Helix. Direct to front of house, my setup time is 10 mins at the most. Snapshots are amazing. Helix all the way!!!
Same
Still using it?🙂 Please tell me, when you are using helix across different PA system, does it translate very well...dosen't different that much?
@@petarzdravkovic2253 it does translate well. You might have to EQ a bit for the room but usually the sound tech will take care of that. I also added a Line 6 Powercab to my setup which gives that amp in the room feel.
@@jasonmaltz7040 Thanks bro!🫡
what a great video. thanks, man.
Thanks dude!
bro you are just awsome 😍😍😍
Two legends appear
Imagine having mateus watch ur videos
Mateus, I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject!
Actually it doesn't matter which one should I buy because I have no money 😂😂🤣🤣
Start a GoFundmMe page....You're welcome!....
@@dr150 Yeah, forget these cancer patients with hospital bills or the family who lost their valuables in a home burglary, this guy needs a multi-effects board!
@@dustin2006 Who are you to decide where people want to give their money to? If he gets his board with gofundme let him be happy.
Man this comment really cheered me up, thank you 😂😂
Daniel Ordoñez Did you get your Trump money yet? 😆
Quality piece again, Rhett. Impressed that you genuinely did 'pick one' too. It would be easy to sit on the fence for a comparison such as this.I'm not ready to move from amps and pedalboard, but if I did- based on your synopsis- I'd go for the Kemper!
You surprised me when you said you'd choose the Helix. I actually made the switch from Helix to Kemper Stage. Amp tone is the most important thing for me, which I think Kemper does way better out of the box. When it comes to effects, I try to keep it simple with delay and reverb. And I have never had any luck with digital overdrives, so I would just gain it up or switch to a dirtier amp. I love the effect options and routing flexibility of the Helix, but I almost never needed it. Kemper does what I need and the amp profiles sound amazing. Great video Rhett!
This is the comment i am looking for!
I totally agree with you men. The most important thing about all this Amp modeling is trying to get the Best Natural Tube Amp sound in a Digital world and for me The Kemper has that and also the Quad Cortes. Although the Helix and Boss GT 1000 does a great job also but when you compare for a Real Tube Amp feel, Kemper and Quad Cortes Win
The Helix I feel like is misunderstood. It has the curse of too much flexibility in a lot of ways. It absolutely can fool anyone in a blind shoot out when compared to any other profiler/modeler/recorded real amp rig, however it needs to be dialed in well and with all of the controls available, there is a lot of room for people to mess up their tone. You need to dive in to learn what everything does and how a recording engineer would set up a signal chain.
A profiler like the Kemper makes it easy for people who don't want to learn what "sag," "bias," etc. mean to be able to just download a quick profile someone else made and run with it. You can certainly download Helix presets, but I've found that these usually need to be dialed in to taste and to adapt to your specific gear.
Same…I’ve owned the Helix Floor, Helix LT, and HX Stomp + pedals.
The Kemper is absolutely fantastic. You don’t need the flexibility, because it just sounds great.
I’ve owned a Fractal AX8 and an FM3. Fractal comes closer to competing with the Kemper than Helix, but that’s my opinion which is subjective.
The FM3 was like the Kemper, everything just sounded great right out of the box. I hardly had to tweak amp settings. Same thing I’m now experiencing with Kemper. Just set it and play!
This is SO HELPFUL. These are very expensive units and I'm grateful as helllllllllllllllllll for this straight forward comparison.
I own a Helix and wouldn't trade it for anything. The fact that I'm able to do a full wet dry wet rig for $1k is just awesome. I have sooooo much flexibility and control over my tone, so I can really get pinpoint accuracy with whatever I need.
Great, honest comparison. Love your atmospheric tones. I've had both, I'm a Fractal guy at heart but both of these units are fantastic. The Kemper can be instant gratification when you find the right profiles for your tones. Helix can get there too!
Great video, Rhett. I agree with your opinions except that my personal preference is to have a separate expression pedal that is not mounted on the main unit. Mechanical devices have components that fail at a higher rate than electronic ones and I don’t want my profiler shipped off to a repair shop because the onboard mechanical pedal had a failure when I can simply plug in a replacement external expression pedal and be good to go.
The helix pedal is incredibly durable, but I also have 2 external.expression pedals and only use the internal for volume, usually.
I have an HX stomp with a mini crybaby and mini dunlop volume for my fly rig, and its everything I could possibly "need" for any gig (and more).
Do you use the mini volume as an expression pedal for the HX?
@@DJParkesie959II Yes
You literally released this video on the exact day when I was first wondering which one of these to get. Kudos!
Tried both using lots of different profiles and presets made for both. I prefer the Kemper above and beyond the Helix because the amp sounds on the Kemper just feel and sound a lot better.
MrDavemiley I wasn't feeling any of the high gain amps on the helix. Do you use high gain profiles on the kemper?
@@matthewf9500 I go from Dwight Yoakum to black Sabbath , SRV, ZZ Top, Sultans of swing. All sounded better with the Kemper . I thought The Helix had nice FX, just not real enough amp sounds
Matthew F I do. I have to add a pedal for better feel and sound too. They’re great for gigging guitarists but for home nope. Not getting rid of the amp that took a lifetime to find.
@@matthewf9500 If you want high gain metal sounding amps, check out the STL Tones packs. I agree the Helix can't compare to a Kemper
@@matthewf9500 I have a kemper and play a lot of Metal through it, have some profiles I made myself that I love and also some other ones I bought that are great! I just got the Messhugah ones and they are killer as well!
Whichever one you prefer and is easier to use live. Soundwise, the audience won't know the difference. Coming from the traditional amp/pedalboard, I found the Helix really easy and sounding great..
Gotta say man, I love your channel. No bullshit, by a musican for musicians. One of the few channels where I genuinely trust what you say. Keep it up.
Thanks Brian!
This. I simply do not see any value in gear reviews by players that get the equipment in, do a review and never touch it again. Getting an opinion from a player that has used the gear on tour for an extended period is gold.
Great video! I have both but I choose the kemper. For me is way closer to the real thing and I hate the tweaking. I just like to start making music as quickly as possible without having to spend ages fiddling with knobs. I am also very pedantic when it comes to wah pedals so prefer some a bit more custom than just a one size fits all. The kemper for me is the closest thing to a real amp out there!
Thanks for the comparison review! The only thing I’d disagree with is that being a traditional effects/amp guy for decades, I found the Helix very easy to relate to. The user interface, signal flow I found very intuitive. And liberating - so cool to be able to essentially perform previously studio only functions live.
i had both devices.When it comes to sound quality and what brings us closer to real sound the kemper is unbeatable.
I'm a guitarist who only does live gigs
and plays with various bands of 3,4 and more members, all the way to acoustic gigs with only one piano and singer on stage, various genres from oriental music to blues and metal and regional and domestic music in Europe and I've tried everything . If things don't sound good in live gigs, I'm not interested in functionality, display, cosmetics ....
with a kemper you get a healthy, big tone right at the beginning,
small adjustments are needed and you are in the mix and everyone is happy
band, soundguy, singer....... if you have a cabinet and a kemper with power you are very, very close to the real tone
the difference is felt only by you as a guitarist while playing, and even that difference is small, the audience cannot notice the difference even those who understand the tone and sound of the guitar amplifier
So,
for live music the kemper is better checked because I had both devices . I will not enter the studio possibilities because when I go to the studio to record something I just connect the kemper and play ... again everyone is satisfied
I never tried Helix in the studio because I sold it right away
I am not in any way connected with the company that makes the kemper..this is just one honest answer of a musician who had both devices and who lives and feeds his family playing the guitar
For me its the Kemper. I have purchased the Helix full version later tried the Lt even the stomp. For me the gain tones just don't do it for me. Maybe its me maybe I'm missing something since I have heard great things from the helix.The kemper for me is as close to a tube amp guitar tone as one can get without using a tube amp.All in all its a great time to play guitar with the options one has !
yeah, the thing is that, with these modelers it's just time-consuming to get that punchy tone we want, I went back to hear my first preset ever made in my Helix, it's just crap, compared to the ones I make know that sound sooo good (not bragging about) but In retrospective, I just had to really add more things to my chains and tweak the things to have these tones.
Kemper amps just sound great out of the box hahah!
I started with a Kemper toaster, and due to starting to do some gigs and playing with people, I switched to Helix. both of these were used with a QSC K8 pa speaker. Now I have the Helix floor, and a power cab. I do not like this setup at all... I believe it's the powercab that has broken the spell, but now a days I just play my real amps...
IF the Kemper floor was around when I started my digital journey, I likely would have been perfectly happy. but I've always found that amping these units up has been very difficult to be satisfied with. I think that studio monitors are probably the best solution for home use, and real guitar cabs with no cab sim are best for performing, if you can get away with it. But overall, I just really love amps... almost more than guitars sometimes ; )
Do you think that Kemper doesn't translate very well across different PA system in comparation with helix, or vice versa...?
I own a Helix Rack with the foot controller and the M-Audio expression pedals so I'm arguably somewhat biased. One thing the Helix does really well is act as a home studio interface. The mic input and preamp are great. The routing abilities are excellent.
That said ... if I had unlimited money, I'll get an AxeFxIII now. It's way more tweakable than the Helix and the amp models sound better. It's about 30% more expensive here in Australia though so bang for buck, the Helix is still a good choice
I use the helix in a home studio. very versatile. The routing can do insane things
I chose Kemper. I had a power rack version and sold it to buy the stage. I really like the way it feels, how touch sensitive it is. I had a Helix for about a week and than I bought Kemper. For my ears it sounds more realistic and "alive". And btw FX is not bad at all. Delays and reverbs are great. one thing that i miss is good autowah or envelope filter. if someone of you Kemper users know how to adjust that john mayer "i don't trust myself in loving you" tone - I'll become the happiest man :)
When you pair a Helix and a Variax Guitar the couple go to the stratosphere!!!! Is unbelievable!!! The way it sounds, flexibility , and is absolutely noiseless , great for recording and live sessions.
I've owned the Helix, Helix Stomp, Headrush Pedalboard and Gig Board, BOSS GT 1000 & Core, ZOOM G6, MOOER GE300 and keep going back to my Kemper Stage because IMO it sounds like a real tube amp and reacts to playing like a real tube amp would.
I am between Boss GT 1000 and Helix 😅
I've seen this video at least 5 or 6 times in the past 2 years and each time, it's been informative 👍🏻
Thanks Rhett ✊🏻
I Had the helix for a few years loved it great unit but i decided to sell it to purchase the kemper (toaster version not stage) as i was blown over with its capabilities watching videos on youtube so i took the plunge...18 months with the kemper and i wouldn't be without it now. The two units are diffent in many ways as described in this video so its not a like for like comparison but for me the kemper takes the win when all is concidered. Love your videos by the way you have a real honest and unbiased approach that genuinely helps us guys out! Great respect for that
You should do an updated version of this! That would be awesome because of the liquid profiles, the updates and new products now also!
Kemper. I had line6 and the kpa sounds more natural and dynamic, and foh is just phenomenal. Plus the kpa will serve the unit longer than line 6
You saved me some $$$! I have had a helix for a while and the flexibility, customization, and EASE OF USE is unbeatable. I had put about $3500 into a traditional pedalboard before the Helix, and it wasn't anywhere close to what I can do with the Helix. I have been looking at Kemper because every time I hear one the tone seems a step up from the Helix. Your video was very helpful though - no volume pedal, no software to control and create, limited effects. I want that tone, but I would get really frustrated being so limited. Thanks again!
I just made the switch from Helix Floor to KPA Stage and it is far better feeling than the Helix. Kemper does have editing software now and the effects are very comparable to Helix. After playing in the Kemper for just a few minutes I was blown away. So was my buddy who is all tube amp guy. I profiled his Morgan Dual 40 through his OX and it was pretty indistinguishable for him through our church PA. If you can, try and test one out. You won’t regret it. Now I gotta sell my Floor. 😬
Which of the two would I get? Hm... Quad Cortex :D Seriously though, I asked myself the same question when I decided to go full digital. I was leaning towards the Kemper even though the Kemper Stage wasn’t even announced yet, so it would have been Toaster + Remote. More stuff to carry, more expensive. But I knew the sounds would be there.
Then Helix came on the scene and while a lot of people judged that its amp sounds were just a tad beneath Kemper, I scoured UA-cam for comparisons and found: if you know what you’re doing, you’re going to get great sounds out of both of them. I went with the Helix LT because of the super flexible routing options and integrated pedal and who would have thought: I use the routing options much more than I ever thought I would! So for me it was the right call.
I have a Kemper and will stick to it, never tested the Helix so I can’t make a realistic comparison. Great video and analysis.
Interesting video thanks for all the info. I bought my Kemper when they came out and after fiddling with it, I have put it aside. After 3 years the USB port failed on the Kemper being used only about 10 times . I called Kemper, it was probably 3 weeks after the warranty had expired. They sit about 30 mins away from me. It would not be covered under their warranty and I would sent it via package to them. Which I never did. There is no easy support for me and I never used my Kemper again. The reliability of this gear is not for me.
If I was a Pro I would have no trust in such a behavior of the factory rep either.
So they only sold me one product in my life. Build quality is important to me.
Thanks again for your interesting comparison. Peace (also to Kemper)
I really love my HX Stomp for integration with my pedalboard of analog effects. the Stomp's something that's far easier to take to a quick rehearsal or integrate into an existing rig. I feel like the Helix takes a bit of learning, regarding how the parameters work in each effect; you can't just put everything at noon and it sounds great. However, once you spend a little time with it, the stuff Helix can do is just wild.
I'm getting an HX Stomp...they look and sound badass. I'm tired of wrestling with tech. I don't wanna be a youtube tweaker star...I just wanna play guitar!
hi sir.. hx stomp with external real pedal is better sounding than the internal hx stomp?
@@BagusWibisono I prefer it. Just because I like different pedals than are available in the stomp. There’s a number of youtubers who have videos on how they’ve integrated their stomp in with a full pedalboard and how all that sounds. Heck, I even have a couple videos on my channel about that.
I love a good analog delay, and there’s an “analog” delay simulation in the stomp, but I like my real one.
Situations like that are why I preferred to add the stomp to a pedalboard.
Someone tell me cause the stomp with external pedal will be fizzy or plastic sounding, better with internal pedal. But, it just someone preference. Another people olso said like you. I plan to buy Hx stomp with BB preamp external pedal (booster for my high gain amp simulator on hx stomp). How about you dude?
How do get Around the 60cycle hum ? As soon as I start adding amps its unbearable. The gates destroy any responsiveness.
thanks for a useful video! Definitely a Helix for me. I am tired of my huge pedal board and complex assortment of effects, so I might sell it all for the smaller footprint, lighter weight, and flexibility of a Helix. But I'm keeping my Eventide H9 and Blackbird pre-amp! They are both just too amazing to part with.
Hey Rhett,
Love the opening jam you did. Excellent sound🤘🎸
hell yeah.
Rhett, I love all the various jams you do. You play such incredibly tasty licks.
Kemper as a great sounding amp, Helix as a great home user interface and effects pedalboard.
A "Helix as a great home user..."?? Both items are home, recording, and on stage.
Troll
Sick opening jam, my dude!! 🤘
Great comparison, The Kemper just feels better.. I've had both..The Helix is great, the Kemper is Heavenly..
Kemper.
That’s all folks !
Kemper change vision to do the music.
Have owned the HELIX floor for 3 years now..love it! So much to learn, and you have helped me in the process, thank you.
Does it translate well across different PA systems?🙂 Not different that much...?
I've had them all. Kemper (toaster), Helix, sold the Kemper to fund a Fractal Audio AX8. I've just (re) bought the Kemper Stage and so far it's my favourite of the bunch. I've just got to the point where I'm done going down rabbit holes and endless tweaking. With the Kemper, I've simply bought a bunch of packs of my favourite amps from Michael Britt and Tone Junkie like you said and bam.....instant great tones with little to no tweaking.
This approach makes a lot of sense to me as I have already fallen down too many rabbit holes at this point in my life. You prefer the stage to the toaster? Thanks.
also, the helix is easy to use with a clicktrack... i program my patch changeovers / fx with the midi out in a daw
Having owned all the modelers, I went Axe FX 3. Love the Helix interface, love the Kemper feel, but Fractal puts everything together with bleeding edge amp modeling and in my opinion the best effects. They're all fun toys though!
I live in the UK where the axe fx 3 is £1000 MORE than the Helix and £500 more than the Kemper. For a £1000 difference between the Helix and the Axe fx, it is a no brainer to get the Helix and the customisation it offers.
does the Axe feel as good/real as the Kemper?
Nice comparison. I didn't need a full blown Helix so I never pulled the trigger. When the HX Stomp came out it was exactly what I was looking for so I jumped on it. So far I love it as a home user. That's another Helix advantage. You can get in at several price points without sacrificing sound quality. You just get fewer features which some people may not need.
Also if you own a Helix you can pick up Helix Native for $99. You can bring over your Helix patches unmodified and use them in your DAW with a dry signal and then make changes to your Helix parameters in the plugin.
Does that also hold if you own a Stomp?
@@driesvanoosten4417 Yes it does
Can't believe they don't give it to you for free.
but Helix is made in China and Kemper in Germany. I don't buy Chinese made products if I can help avoid it.
Renaissance Man The reason being... what exactly?
Fabulous real world no nonsense explanation of these two devices and makes as good of information involving the best way to use these devices in a variety of settings. Everything Rhett says is right on the money. Thanks for your honest thoughts and expertise on this matter. The helix is more versatile overall in my humble opinion. The kemper is a little more specialized and better used/more practical in a studio setting. Both are amazing products.
I’ve been using the Helix for more than 2 years now and was curious about the Kemper Stage when it was released. Thank you for making this awesome comparison video. Your video helped me confirm that for my tone tweaking needs, I’m good!
Great vid, as always. One quibble: I used to think an attached expression pedal was a plus, until I realized that - as the most moving part - it was doomed to fail long before the rest of the board. And also ridiculously hard to repair/replace (as opposed to standard footswitches). Yeah, it’s an extra cable/pedal, but much easier to swap out. Also, you can choose a “wah/short throw” controller or a linear “volume” pedal based on your needs.
Good point!
Yea definitely a good point! Just look at how many Helix LT’s had failed expressions.
BTW I’ve owned pretty much every modern modeler including all the Helix Variants minus the rack, Fractal AX8 & FM3, Headrush, and Boss Multis. I’m not partial to a brand. I get whatever gets the job done easiest.
I recently bought a Kemper Stage and they must’ve really improved the efx section since this video? I’m thoroughly impressed with the effects, especially the delays and reverbs. The drives are as good as the fractal stuff.
Also, they now have the phone app, that’s an easy win for me!
I used digital devices almost exclusively in the last 9 years and the Kemper is still unbeatable for the “amp feel” in my experience.
If you know what you’re doing, you can get the job done with almost any digital device on the market imho, but Kemper got something right in the first place that others didn’t when it comes to amp tones in my opinion.
On the other hand, Helix got a great set of fx, good amp tones (not on par with Kemper and they require some work, but definitely more than usable), tons of flexibility and one of the best features imho: scribble scripts!
They can be a godsend on stage, especially for those who have multiple different gigs to play as the custom naming makes things a lot easier.
Looking on the market, Fractal stuff is probably the best of both worlds at the moment: Helix flexibility and fx quality (well, actually even a tad more in my opinion, both from quality and flexibility point of view) plus “Kemper-like” amp tones (as I said, Kemper still wins for me, but Fractal comes really close).
I don’t really like their new modular approach for their floorboard models and the price tag is quite high, but they pack a lot of stuff in there.
A feature that’s often overlooked is the Controllers side: you have LFOs, ADSR filters, envelope, sequencer and all that kinda stuff that you can attach to fx parameters, which significantly expands the tone palette you can get from the machine.
No other unit on the market offers this afaik and, paired with the quality and flexibility, makes this an amazing all in one unit.
Getting back to the question, in my opinion it all depends on what you need to do with them: if you’re an “hired gun” that has different gigs and travels a lot on his own, I’d probably go with the Helix plus an HX Stomp as a backup; with this setup you’re pretty much set and done and - as an added bonus - Line6 has a quite bigger distribution network, which means that if you’re in the middle of a tour and something goes bad, you can probably get a replacement a lot faster than Kemper or Fractal.
On the other hand, if you mostly play in the same context (band, church etc), if you’re an analog guy thinking about jumping into the digital world and/or if you like a more “old-school” approach to the hardware, you can’t go wrong with the Kemper unit for sure.
Just my 2 cents obviously.
Rock on Rhett! \m/
That's a good 2 cents man
Kemper really really needs to update their crappy UI with a color LCD touch screen interface. Then I would buy one.
@@GuitarsAndSynths So you're not buying it because of the screen? "Americans".
@@unukalhai295 yeah.. why should usability be a factor, right?
@@mrburns366 Who said it was not usable?
Use to be a traditional pedalboard and amp guy, switched to the Helix a few years and never turned back. Between my Helix and amazing amp modeling plugins, sold all my pedals and amps at this point.
I don’t understand why Kemper didn’t give the Stage a better user interface, that would’ve given them so much edge over Line 6 and Fractal
Cody Carrig yep, Headrush kills all of them in that regard!
@@officialWWM Headrush does have a cool touchscreen interface, but Helix is still the best unit for sure. I have all three and I'm trying to sell my Headrush. I never use it at all.
Chris Taggart depends what you want it for. I think Helix is great for recording or if your an endless tinkerer. For me, I just use it live. To be able yo dial up a great tone with a few basic effects in a few seconds makes the HR far superior for my needs. I also think is sounds better. I also have the Helix but it does my head in, lol.
So true. They’ve had 10 years to make this thing more useable. They are good on the sound side. Poor on the software side.
it sounds like an extremely nitpicky thing, however the lack of scribble strips is really what kills them kemper for me. And the interface is fine for an amp, but if you want to quickly adjust something on the stage at a gig, you're there for a while
Great comparison Rhett. I totally agree with everything you said EXCEPT the in built volume pedal. On of the reasons I didn’t buy a Helix is that it has a built in pedal. I use my wah, volume and morph with my left foot. Having a built in pedal on the right hand side is a major turn off for me. I think Kemper got it absolutely right giving users the option.
Glasgow Guitarist - agreed. Where’s the lefty love?
I completely agree with your assesment on the helix. I've owned it since the beginning and haven't looked back on traditional amp rigs. I find that my friends, while they love their amp rigs, are a bit jealous of the swiss army like usefulness of the helix.
Thank you for this video! I've bought a Helix last year, almost didn't touch it since then....life was complicated. Now I want to start to get into it....and to be honest...I already have a headache when I think of how complicated it is....at least that's what many people say. I really hope I will learn to use it.
Keep em coming! I will buy Your old, stock tubeamps for the lowest market price available!
Great video! Love your playing and honesty. I’ve owned Line 6 gear since they first started in the late 90’s, and it all still works. Got the Helix a few months ago and totally love it. Never used a Kemper, but I’m not a huge metal player so I don’t see a reason to even consider it. Helix effects by far are superb and don’t regret my purchase.
Used to have the Line6 but my life changed after getting the Kemper stage. Profiling has been so much better than modelling. While you could spend a lot of time with the Helix and get things to sound great, there's a lot to be said about the feel of playing. The way Kemper reacts to subtle dynamic changes in my playing, changes in volume/tone knobs, Bright/Neck pickups, etc has been just like my previous Mesa tube amps. But to each their own.
THANK YOU for having, and actually expressing, an opinion. Very helpful Rhett. Great video.
You’re the working class hero of the guitarists of the world no joke
Really admire the consistency of your playing, kudos
A great and balanced overview of these excellent pieces of kit. I bought the Helix to replace a few amps and pedals, to get rid of the clutter - I only play at home these days. I don't find the Helix as accessible as an amp/pedal set up BUT it took me a while to realise why ........... there are soooooo many options, almost to the point that I spent more time learning "Helix" and tweeking than playing. I thought I was going to be able to plug in, switch on and play, which you can do, but you may be disappointed with what comes out i.e. it didn't sound like the YT vids straight out of the box. It takes a little investment of time because it ain't "amps and pedals", it's a computer. I had to be less lazy and put some work in, more than I expected to. I love it now though for all the reasons Rhett gave, I just found it hard work at the beginning. Now if Line 6 started to have a profiling facility ............. nah, the complexity would scare the s**t out of me. Enjoyed the comparison .......... oh, and I still haven't got rid of my amps and pedals so I have even more clutter now.
I bought the Helix 3 1/2 years ago and love it. I was using the Pod Pro with in-ears around 2001 and in the late 80s I was using an ADA tube pre with a midi foot switcher. With my band Blessid Union Of Souls I used Godin guitars on songs that I needed acoustic sounds and electric guitar at the same time so now I use a Variax guitar with a Helix connected with a cat 5 cable which allows you to run the modeled acoustic sound out of the Variax in the right channel of the Helix going through a preamp and eq and the magnetic pickups of the Variax going through the left channel of the Helix going through amp and guitar effects. Using snapshots to mute either one or have both at once. Line 6 all the way for me.
Helix! I use it live by itself, with my amp, and acoustic. Duplicated my amp / pedalboard rig with it. The flexibility and UI is the best!
I think you may be selling the Kemper short on "tweakability". The amp profile (essentially a model as the result of profiling) has some pretty deep editing capabilities that can seriously alter the tone from the base model. In the right hands, it's no less tweakable than a modeller. The virtually endless number of freely downloadable amp profiles gets you to a good starting point and the deep tone tweaking gets you dialed in quickly. I like the Helix tóo. My bandmate uses the Helix and the tone quality is comparable. Where I see the difference is in software/firmware. Kemper is constantly adding enhancements. The new acoustic sim and additional OD stomps and delays are really good.
I got my Helix just over a year ago now 2nd hand and it's just fantastic
So intuitive and sounds beautiful
For someone who simply doesn't have the resources ie shops for vintage amps and gear nor the cash flow to acquire them the Helix is a fantastic facsimile
All in all a Helix all the way for me
The Kemper sounds great. I tried it several times in the shop. But for me the usability was very confusing. I like the flexibility of my Helix. The cab simulation / IR selection can be intensive to model your favorite sound. But you are able to tweak many things.
This is what I thought as well, glad I'm not the only one.
Great Video. I bought the Helix and Profiler both the full units. I really enjoyed them both. I ended up trying the Fractal Axe FXiii and it blew my mind. I had what I considered to be the best effects and the best tones on the planet. It is crazy. I believe that all three units are good enough to play live anywhere. Anyone who says that isn't true, isn't paying attention. there are many pros using these units and touring worldwide with them. Thank you Rhett for outstanding thoughtful videos.!
The guitars used for the testing were the following.
Gibson Les Paul Dark Knight
Fender American Pale Moon Ebony
Vigier GV Wood
Vigier Excalibur Supra
DAMN DUDE, i was leaning so hard for the kemper when i started watching this. but im selling my JVM410C and Pedals and going digital. Looks like you may have made line 6 a sale... Great Video
I'm a Kemper Guy, had the toaster for years and love it! Will be getting the Stage very soon.. But I agree with you 100%, I am a more traditional guitar player in the sense that I want my rig to resemble an actual amp and pedal board control setup, so for sure it's the one for me, but the Helix is very very good as well as well as the Fractal..
Having had both, I got rid of the Helix and currently have the Kemper Stage. I use it for all my effects except that I have a Strymon Deco running in the X-Slot for stereo separation. I just feel like it sounds and, especially, feels closer to the real thing. And, I have to spend far less time setting up the Kemper than I ever did with the Helix.
Thanks for making the video!! All great points!!
Hey Rhett! Love your vids, especially on the Helix and HX Stomp. I've been a Helix user for about 5 years now, and do about 200+ gigs a year. I mainly play Acoustic Blues, Soul, RnR, and instrumental Fingerstyle, and the Helix is amazing for all of it. Too bad there aren't many vids out there (that I've found) on Acoustic guitar sounds with the Helix. It can be done. :) Two things about the Helix I really appreciate along with everything you mentioned are A) the benefits of the scribble strips for each foot switch, and B) that each preset is like a new pedalboard. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for all you do! Later brother man.
Helix, but in a stereo rig using two tube amps, Helix in the wet side through a Victory V50 and Mesa MK V in the dry with a couple analog effects in the loop. The sound is huge and controllable
Do you use the Helix in the loop fx?
I use the 4 cable method to hook the Helix up to the Victory.
Now going Wet-Dry-Damp with three amps. Mesa MkV completely dry Victory V40D with analog effects, Victory V50 with Helix. Complicated but the sound is glorious.
Just picked up a helix a few weeks ago. I debated picking up the kemper stage but ultimately it came down to price and the integrated expression pedal. I find the workflow incredibly easy considering all the things that you can do with your signal flow. I’ve also downloaded a few killer presets that have helped give me ideas on how to create my own presets and make them sound amazing. I’ve also downloaded a few impulse responses that have really made this thing sound killer! I’ve never owned or played a kemper, but all in all I have no regrets.
HX Stomp for amp/cab modelling + traditional pedalboard 🤘
That’s how my board looks 👍
I 2nd that.
I'm still using my amp as a gain stage but I use the cab sims in the Stomp for FOH
HX stomp is great. I have it integrated into my pedal board. You can even run wet/dry.
Yep its what I did. Best of both worlds. Insane tone.
I'm team kemper all the way. But thats because I'm in it for the tones and limitless amp sounds. I could care less about a volume pedal and if I want effects I'd rather get individual pedals. In my eyes the kemper isn't designed to be an all in one solution anyways its simply designed to sound absolutely perfect and thats what it does.
Best guitar content on youtube 🤟🏼 You should totally put your jams on Apple Music, id totally listen all the time
I'm really stoked on my HX Effects. It let me downsize my pedalboard, and gives me great drive tones to the front of an amp, and when I want to get more complicated it allows me to do 4 cable method so I can still use an amplifier as my main tone if I want/need. I think the helix range of Line 6 products offers a solution for every live guitar scenario. You want to add an amp modeler to your analog board? HX Stomp. Want to downsize/replace your analog board, but keep your tube amp? HX Effects. You want to do either of the previous two things and have an all-in-one floor rig? Full size Helix (or LT).
Great vid, but I have to say that you missed a thing about the Kemper. Kemper is for who want to take his own amps everywhere. I live in Italy and here there are many great amps manufacturers like Brunetti, Masotti/Mezzabarba, Cicognani, MadCat, BRBS, and so on... They make great amps that aren't just better copy of most famous names, but have personality and unique sound. Well you don't find a Mezzabarba in a Helix, maybe you can find a similar Amp, but not the same. If it take years to find your sound why should you use a everyday amp model? In this case Kemper is the one for you, Helix, Fractal and Headrush are great machines and I love'em. But Kemper give you possibilities in creating your unique voice that others just can't. That's my opinion and I think that all of the ultimate modelers sound great. Even Mooer Ge300...
Great Comparison/Summary Rhett. I would agree with your assessment. I do think however the drive effects (and some time-based effects) in the Kemper may be lacking compared to the Helix. However the Amp models available with the Kemper can get you the drive/gain sounds that you may want so it hasn't been a real issue for me. I own both the Kemper Toaster and the Helix LT. The drawback to both of these is that it can be overwhelming when trying out profiles in the Kemper or tweaking or creating/presets in the Helix in the quest to get your desired sound. The quest for tone often leads to less time playing which in my opinion can be a detriment. However, tweaking and exploring tonal possibilities can also open up a lot of creative options. A person won't go wrong with either of these "tools". Both sound great and should give years of enjoyment. Peace....
If Kemper released a Kemper Stomp then everyone would just buy that and a HX Effects, IMO.
Good call! Best of both worlds 🌎
Thanks! I had not considered the line 6 and now it seems like a better option for me. I’m really impressed by the preparation and organization of the information you provided! Really well done. Thank you!!
In my opinion Kemper Stage without any doubt, is small, light and the tone quality is embarrassing, the display does its job and does it very well, (it must be effective and reliable, for Netflix I use the TV)
Great analysis Rhett. I have just recently started using the Helix lt for bass. A great unit.... Like you mentioned per signal path.... So programmable. I use one xlr to feed front of house, the other xlr to feed our x32 for in-ears, and a jack out to feed any on stage backline (obviously without cab sim etc)
. Works amazing for me!!! Keep up the good work 👍
All of my pro musician friends who use analog pedalboards have a Kemper for some live use and studio.
I think that just some years ago they all were telling that they would never change their perfect old Fender/Vox/Marshall/etc amps/speakers for this soulless digital crap.
@@copych Have you seen the Andertons video where they compare the real amps, to the Kempers modelling with a blind test? A lot of times the Kemper won. I wouldn't call all digital solutions crap.
That is definitely what I have seen as well. Most of the professional musicians I have contact with have a Kemper. Most prefer real amps, but kemper is their choice otherwise.
@@DarrenHowseMusic huh i should have quoted these words. This was a sarcasm. I personally prefer digital crap)
All my professional musician friends don’t really care what gear they use ,they just like playing music and use anything that sound good .They are amazing players,got paid doing what they love to do so go out and play don’t let gear contemplating your passion for music.
Great review that folks can actually use! I would agree fully. After 2 years living with the Helix, it's been a fantastic rig. The only issue was stage volume when playing in a traditional band which can be solved with the MIssion IO powered cab. Then I bought a used 20th Anniversary Bogner Shiva (KT88) - now everything has changed including my stage set up and wow, I get all kinds of compliments on my sound now and how balanced my tone is at just about any volume level. I actually have folks that are not guitar players come up to me and say how the sound of my guitar gave them chills. That's pretty dang cool...
I owned a Helix floor for 2 years an I've owned a Kemper Stage 4 2 weeks, no comparison the Kemper is so much better tone wise. Bottom line is tone. Way less tweaking on the Kemper, the stock profiles sound awesome and without effects. In my opinion dont waste your time and money on a Helix, unless you enjoy watching 30 videos on how to get a good sound. I owned the Helix because the Kemper toaster was to expensive and I didn't like the format, as soon as I saw the stage I knew i had to check it out
Great video man! I’m a Helix user, but really enjoy Kemper...I think they make a top notch product. The one thing that really sold me on the Helix was the effects! I’ve noticed a lot of guys that run Kemper use an external pedalboard...not that that’s a bad thing, but for me, that was the main reason for getting the Helix...no amp, cab, or pedalboard to carry, no bad patch cables to worry about, and about a 1 minuet setup. I’m sure Kemper will get there with the effects eventually.
Man you're a great player. Well done.
Hi Rhett! Like you, I have a Kemper rack patched into my studio system and also a Helix, which I use for gigs. For me, Kemper has bombed with the stage due to the lack of a foot pedal as you already mentioned and also the display, which looks like something from the 80's compared to the Helix. Great channel Rhett!!
I gotta say, that intro is absolutely killer dude. Incredible.
excellent review and analysis Rhett. i'm a Helix guy and am totally impressed with how it has made my life so much simpler. i have all my old amps and effects from a 40+ year career and still like to haul it out for the right (i.e., more stripped down) gigs, but over the last decade found it increasingly necessary to embrace digital modellers for flexibility, convenience, and sometimes demands of the venue (worship). my primary $$ gig for the last few years has been doing all the David Gilmour parts in a Pink Floyd tribute band. I usually have at minimum 3 electrics, 1 or 2 acoustics, and steel. i'm able to run it all through the Helix and send a single line to the house. you nailed it with highlighting the snapshots feature. that feature alone is a huge lifesaver for me. just incredible how they got it right on so many things with this one.
2 years later, the Kemper effects are quite amazing now. And the amps were always better. I think a different conclusion would be reached now.
HELIX has been updated a lot of times too
The latest helix update’s amps are crazy good.
@@WarrenPostma Fractal is the King 👑
@@jorgemauriciomercado288 - jees man, it doesn't have to be IOS vs. Android, or Apple vs. Windows. Fractal still doesn't have integrated volume/expression pedal either.
@@John-pp8qv It was a joke, I’m just kidding and messing a little !!
Thank you so much Rhett for your great length of elaboration on the comparison between Kemper and Helix.
The kemper has 'snapshots' in a way too - with the morph function on the rig buttons.
Had the line 6 HD500X loved it for years,tried the kemper sounded realy good, then a couple months ago I found the Hughes &Kettner Black Spirit 200 floor amp. Sounded so good I bought over the Helix and Kemper. Great vid by the way.
Does the Black Spirit truly have elite sound quality like the Kemper and Helix? I know some pros are using the H&K for fly dates. Is it that good?
So I hear you on the expression pedal issue. I do think those are “high wear” items so it could be a benefit to have a separate pedal for that so you can swap out. But I definitely get where you are coming from.
This is what I thought as well. The solid-state Kemper will last years longer than a mechanical pedal. I think that's why they made it external.
I prefer the Helix over the Kemper.. Tried both Kemper and Helix as well as an Fractal when I went to replace my Pedals and rack gear being controlled by a Voodoo Labs Switcher and Controller ... actually now have a Helix Floor and a Helix Rack .. Helix floor for quick jams and practice away from home and Rack with my other gear for actually playing gigs.. Helix is so much easier to work with , sounds amazing and cost wise no comparison to Kemper or Fractal .. SO YES HELIX GOT MY VOTE !!!! and money.. lol
The thing is - in 2019 - we 're all spoiled rotten. As Rhett says both the Kemper and Helix are just fantastic. Same as for beginners just starting out they can buy a really great guitar to learn on for a very low cost. Gone (almost) are the days of crappy gear as we're just swamped with awesomeness we're liable to take for granted if not careful. Especially as, lets face it, over the next few years Helix and Kemper (and the Fractals and Headrushes etc... etc...) are gonna get even better.
This was a fantastic video - opinions aside I think you laid out the pros and cons very well and articulated them concisely. I'm not a professional musician, simply a hobbyist guitarist. I have been looking at both systems because I am primarily space constrained and need to be able to achieve a good sound at low volumes and I like to fiddle with effects and presets. I've been leaning toward the Helix for a long time because I'm familiar with Line 6 effects and agree they are top notch. This video was what tipped the balance strongly in favor of the Helix. I am planning the purchase of a Helix very soon. Thanks!
Kemper for me, I've already profiled a bunch of amps I could never afford. Priceless.
@@asr1143 watch the Andertons blindfold test lol
Just started recording with the helix and I love it. Plug it into my laptop via USB and run it into studio one. Then I record guitar and bass, use my interface for vocals and piano and program the drums in after