Real Amp and Pedals vs Helix, GT1000, Headrush & Atomic Amplifire 6
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- Опубліковано 8 лип 2018
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👆 How long does it take for the Captain and Pete to find a guitar sound that they love using a real amp vs using a digital modeller.
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe - bit.ly/2lFQPpH
Line 6 Helix LT - bit.ly/2Ky0RHx
Boss GT-1000 - bit.ly/2N6naCy
Headrush - bit.ly/2N9ATbH
Atomic Amplifire 6 - bit.ly/2tQ43E3
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To save folks some time:
Amp
1:57 clean
2:15 OD
2:38 delay
2:53 distortion
GT1000
3:25 clean
3:47 OD
4:04 delay
4:19 distortion
Headrush
4:40 clean
5:07 OD
5:23 delay
5:50 distortion
Atomic
6:19 clean
6:37 OD
6:56 delay
7:06 pre boost
7:17 delay
Helix
7:29 clean
7:52 OD
8:03 delay
8:21 distortion
8:31 delay
And I really enjoyed this, but it's hard to draw a conclusion because I'm sure there is more than one distortion on each unit, and more than one OD and so on. For example, the OD on the head rush was much dirtier than the others, but maybe it had a cleaner option or maybe the others had a dirtier one. No way to know. And there was something strange about the delay on the Atomic - like it was panned separate from the guitar or something.
Thanks a lot for clustering. It was a way more easy to quickly switch between fx. Even I understood that not every patch was setup same still I can hear that Headrush has most open sound and generally is most similar to amplifier sound. Thanks again ;).
When the pick hits the strings, and your heart starts to sing....that's Honoré
ahhh simp...lol
One trick with the modelers is to use the global eq and set a low pass filter around 8k. Many amp speakers don’t respond above that and that’s where a lot of the fizz is.
That’s for getting to the point, gents. Most focused video I’ve seen all day. Hats off to your constructive criticism. You were fair to everyone.
For me, I decided to go with the regular Helix in 2017. I wanted great variety of possible sounds and the ease of use. In the end, some might say that Helix doesn't sound good as a regular amp and real pedals. But for my personal use, at home, in the basement, all the sounds that I can get with the helix are just perfect for me. The Helix have so many options that I still have a lot to learn. I guess if you get any of these units, you just have to learn to use them and explore every bits of their vast program and you will get what you are looking for. For me, there is no winner here. Just different ways to get a good sound that will make you happy to play some good music!!!
I've found that impulse responses available from Celestion and Ownhammer are a great improvement over the stock cab sims in the Helix.
Some people (e.g., me and the Captain) really really don't want to "explore every bit of their vast programs". I don't want a rig that comes with sub-sub-menus and endless homework. (What I do currently want is one of the Mooer pre-amp amp-in-a-box pedals, because amps are also not welcome in my household.)
Chris ACT, this goes for the HeadRush as well. Been using Ownhammer IR's for all my presets. It just gives so much more body and a sort of realism to your sound.
Chris ACT Hey Chris, you got a link for these man?
I bought the full-blown Helix too. As others have said, 3rd party IRs can make a world of difference. I bought Ownhammer speaker emulations and Glenn DeLaune amp emulations. They really made the Helix come alive.
When will there be a Danish Pete simulator? I'd buy it, even if it's not as good
As someone in the 80% of modeler owners who aren't gigging, I went with the Amplifire 3. I needed something that I can use with headphones as I'm in the high % of people who can't turn up an amp past 2-3. I don't use the onboard effects (even though they are very good), instead I think of it as an amp in a box on my pedalboard. I have pedals in front and in the effects loop. Because the main amp controls are on the front, getting a good sound is about as quick as with a real amp and pedals. I either use the Fender Twin or Deluxe Reverb patch (I can't imagine jumping between a Twin and a 5150 even if I had them in front of me).
It's smaller and lighter (I travel a lot), it's cheaper and the sounds are comparable to the other units. It's also been around for a while so I picked one up for $380 US 2nd hand.
I think the main reason that amps and pedals are appealing is that fiddling with settings takes you out of the zone. When you've only got 45 mins a day to play, you want to get going as soon as you can. I try and make starting playing as frictionless as possible and this rig nails that. There was a time when fiddling with settings didn't take me out of the zone and I used a Pod XT Live. I think the bigger units are also a great introduction to how different tones are made but I've honed in on a clean tweed amp with a compressor, OD, fuzz, reverb and delay. Anything else distracts me from playing and getting better. Maybe I'm wrong and I'll come back here and reply to myself saying I've bought a Helix. I should rent one and see (to any Canadians, Long & McQuade has great rental rates on gear like this).
I'm truly amazed at how good all of them were, to be honest. Tech has come a long way since I started playing. The Boss rig sounded best to my ear, but I've no idea about the OS. I'd love to have something like this for recording and to run into an amp for gigs. Huzzah for versatility! Great video guys. Very informative. Have a wonderful day all!
i liked the sound of the headrush the best.
Valuable commentary as usual! Well done gents. Still messing round with my 10yr old Line 6 POD 2.0 but thats a pretty useful cheapy option to play around and learn about Amps, Cabs and trem/chorus/flanger/delay/reverb. I'm gearing up for an analogue pedalboard of my favourite sounds. Watching literally all of your vids...
I own and use a rack mounted Line 6 Pod XT Pro for gigging. I perform 48 weeks per year gigging full time and have done so for over thirty years. I've been performing direct to the board using no guitar amplifier on stage for about twenty-five years now. I monitor myself through the wedges in front of me. I've owned the Headrush, the Line 6 Helix, and tried out the Amplifire. I returned all three of those units and continue to use the old rack mounted Line 6 Pod XT Pro for gigging. Before I went direct to board I owned and used a variety of amps (all tube) including but not limited to, Marshall, Mesa Boogie, Fender, Seymour Duncan Convertible, Ampeg, etc. My favorite amp was the Seymour Duncan Convertible. When it died and I couldn't find anyone to service it, I knew I was in trouble. My group performs multiple genres of music including but not limited to: rock (modern & classic), country (old & new), dance, R&B, disco, Latino, big band swing, jazz standards, 50s, 60s, etc., pretty much every popular genre of music from the 1930s up until todays music, including hip-hop, but excluding any of the multiple varieties of hardcore metal. I have owned and used a variety of guitars, but the guitar I have been using since going direct to the board is a Parker Fly Deluxe I purchased in 1993. Using amps limited my menu of sounds without having to have a crap load of pedals. Combining the Line 6 with the Parker Fly Deluxe gave me an infinite amount of sounds using only one guitar and one pedalboard controller. For some reason I couldn't get the Helix to sound meaty, while still cutting through the mix. Gone. The Headrush couldn't sustain the driving lead sounds I need for the big classic rock sounds. Gone. The Amplifire sounded... Gone. I've heard great stuff about the Axe FX and have been waiting for Fractal Audio to drop their prices or perhaps start selling it through retail stores, but that doesn't seem like it will ever happen. I'm not trying to make Fractal Audio rich. I'm trying to make money for myself. The Pod XT Pro still works, though I've worn out two pedalboard controllers in the years I've been using it. I don't remember when I first purchased it, but before I bought it I used a plain old Pod. I got the Pod XT Pro because it was rack mountable and had more features, including the pedalboard controller. So, I'm still waiting for something that works in the real gigging world, that lasts, is simple to use, sounds great in the mix (lots of stuff sounds good by itself), and doesn't cost a fortune. Of the three pedalboards I owned, the Headrush was easiest to set up and use on stage. The Helix wasn't difficult, but you can't beat the Headrush's ability to automatically relabel each switch instantly. Both of those pedals are pretty big. You may have to pay rent for the amount of footprint they take up on stage. Someone is going to come up with something in the future, probably the Chinese. LOL I'll will be waiting to try it out. Meanwhile...
The Boss GT1000 sounded the best to me. The Version 3 update has made it even better! The Captain wouldn't agree though!
Thank you for the great work. I have been looking for a comparison like this but including an AX8 unit... We need that fight!
Here's my issue. After the first notes are played I've forgotten how the others sounded. If I was told they were all the amp and pedals I would believe it. I'm a helix user and the reason is the helix allows me to play a high quality vertical Mesa MK IV with two Mesa 4x12s with two different mic's and five pedals I've never had access to...in my basement. As someone that has never heard or played the MK IV live/in person (or 80% of the other amps/ pedals in all these devices) I can say that it's close enough for gigging, writing, and rehearsing.
Exactly, and it's what makes these "shoot outs" pretty useless. After 5 seconds they all sound awesome :-) I've got an AXE FX a Helix and a Headrush. Seriously I wouldn't know which one I'm hearing without looking at it. I'd like to think the AXE sounds better because it cost the most but I'd be lying. I tend to find myself taking the Headrush because it's just so easy to use at a gig when you need a little tweak. After 5 seconds and when the band kicks in...nobody can tell the difference anyway :-)
@@MrReStories May be someone from band should hear small differencies but audience for sure not. Its everything in our heads. I have nice pedal board and had some boss multieffect. Difference is huge but I can understand that differences between multi FX should be lower. To be honest my pedal board is heavy and not confortable for public transport. Therefore Im thinking to get some multi FX for easier transport and operation if Im not traveling by car. So Im happy to hear them to have some imagination about. Cheers D.
@@MrReStories what do u think is the easiest to use and program?
@@bluezsb The Headrush by a long shot. The interface is so easy to navigate. It works like a pedalboard with everything layed out in front of you. Tap a pedal and all the controls are right there to tweak. You only need the computer for updates or backups. My guess is that anyone could set this up without using the manual and get 99%of the way there. So well thought out. What amazes me is this unit is basically ignored by all the UA-cam guys. They are all about Helix and Kemper and Axe and never even mention one of the best sounding, best built and easiest to use pieces of gear available.
Very cool video. I love my Headrush and the Helix is always great. The convenience of presets and not having to carry an amp if you don’t want to is great and the majority of a crown just there to have a good time couldn’t tell the difference. Fantastic playing as always, Pete!
To me, It wasn't even close. The GT1000 sounded significantly better. I'm really shocked that so many people didn't hear it this way.
Imo it shounded second worst after headrush
Boss just sucks at advertising. Helix isn’t much better than the old pod hd500x in reality. But they made it look cool and marketed well. I literally never get suggestions for ANY boss videos on UA-cam. Whoever runs their seo marketing is awful.
I have the Hot Rod deluxe, the Helix LT and the GT1000 Core. I think they all sound great when set properly, but the one thing you didn’t talk about was feel. I find the Hot Rod and the GT-1000 just feel better under your fingers.
Thanks for the video 😊
I have been using the Helix LT for about 6 months and it is amazing. I run it to front of house in both my cover band and worship on Sunday mornings. I almost never use my analog board and amp. It was easy to use out of the box and the ability to download custom patches has been fantastic! In a gig setting the average person has no clue that you are not running and amp. Kudos to Line 6! All I bring to a gig is my guitar and the Helix. No more breaking my back on heavy amp!
This, absolutely! Mainly, the only people that notice techie stuff like whether you have an amp or plug direct to the FoH are the musicians playing through the gear. I get it too. I like the feeling of the air pushing at my back from a 4x12 cab & my Fender EVH III, but man, the Helix, & I'm sure some of the others as well, really produce an authentic tone when dialed in. And the stage volume is SO much better when going DI to the board. I REALLY enjoy still being able to hear at the end of a 3 hour show.
I found that none of the sounds were bad and it was cool how diverse a range of sounds one could get using the same guitar through the various overdrive and distortions even though they were set to be close to one another in output and drive. I did learn that I now need to get myself a Greer Lightspeed pedal.
I liked the angry Charlie best followed by the boss gt1000 . Great demo man Pete is such a great player make me wanna buy fender guitars man .
the problem with these kind of video's is confirmation bias, put it in a blind test and most of us are guessing which is digital or analog. especially through UA-cam, digital has come a long way these days.
I've beaten those tests before with the Kemper. These were very obvious as well.
Diax1324 Yeah, everybody says that. Sure buddy.
if you are talking abouth amp/modeller through same speaker/ir then that is quite impressive, especially with how accurate the kemper is when profiling an amp, even Rob Chapman could not tell the difference between his own amp and the profiled one.
What is not shown in this demo is have another amp, and another, and another with the press of a button. For the same price, modelling gives so much more. Maybe not authentic, but definitely usable. Helix FTW
I think the best way to go with this kind of stuff is to mix pedal modeling with a real amp and some real pedals. I use a digital multieffects for all the stuff that would cost me $200/each for pedals that I don't really desperately need, but would like to have (Like envelope filter for the 4 song funk-medley in the set, or vibrato because it's incredibly easy to produce digitally and seems silly to be a stickler about being analog) , and I use real pedals for stuff that I want to sound real (Overdrives, fuzz, tube overdrive, chorus etc).
Diax1324 I do the same with my VOX tube amp and a pedalboard which includes a bunch of boutique (and not) pedals, plus a pair of Hotone Xtomps to model the pedals I only use on certain parts of certain songs... I can load whatever I want on one of those and I'm golden.
This is the crux - what you get in a modeling package vs the difference in what you hear. Seriously, in the mix of a band the differences are not going to be heard. I have an Atomic Amplifire 6 that I gig with and a Kemper Profiler. I use the Amplifire 6 because of its size. My entire board, including my vocal FX fit on a Pedal Train Jr. I initially was trying to get the Atomic to sound exactly like my actual amps and that exercise is futile. So I then just concentrated on getting the sound I wanted out of Atomic and all was fine. Close enough truly is just fine. The Atomic amp models respond like tube amps even if the tone is not exact. That is what you want, the feel of the tube amp. The key with any modeler is to spend time with it to get the sound you want. Kemper really is the only one that is going to get you an actual replica of your amp (at a point in time). I'd be surprised if anyone could blindly tell the difference. There is a reason many professionals use the Kemper when they fly to have a lighter load AND to have consistency every night. Both the Amplifire 6 and Kemper will allow you to turn off and on the cabinet IR so you can use your own cabinet to get the amp in a room feel too. The Amplifire 6 and Kemper are worth it to me in terms of sound and portability. Especially if you only play at home or if you are gigging and don't have roadies!
My pedalboard was stolen, and I'm picking up my Helix today.
My plan is to use the pedal modeling in the Helix primarily, and see if I can reasonably use the amp (preamp) modeling in the Helix on demand, while using my actual amp whenever it makes sense.
Seems to be pretty much the best of all worlds.
First off...it's great that you guys built your own patches for this, instead of the usual "let's try the presets" approach. Secondly...I wonder if there's something up with the monitors you were using for this, because all of the presets sounded much more top-end-heavy than the amp did, and we all know that's not an inherent part of the sound of (at least) the Headrush and the Helix.
yeah, also they didn't say what kind of monitors they were using. powered full range studio monitor speakers? or like a powered stage floor monitor? why not just use a power amp (could even be tube for that matter) and a guitar cabinet, and turn off the cab sim? so many different setup possibilities with modellers.
Thanks for going back to amp + mic at the end... love it
I have always liked the amp in the room sound and the simplicity of an amp with maybe a handful of basic pedals. Quick easy and predictable. The thing about modelers vs amps is that the amp feels up front and in your face, it just makes it feel better and more interactive. Modelers always sound fine, but they feel like they sit back and never have quite the same physical presence sound in the room.
I mostly use modelers the few times I want to make a recording of my playing where it's less easy to tell the difference and a tube amp for when I'm having fun and want to enjoy myself. 90% of my practice and general jamming.
I take issue with this. The time required to actually build a pedalboard and plug everything in should have been included
I concur
Love the helix... and the pros use it.
@@seancriddle6227 the pros use head rush too. Look em up
@@seancriddle6227 im putting my hopes on the GT1000. As it has the most powerful hardware, so hopefully they'll make some good use of the hardware and push it over the years
I think you guys are missing what makes the GT-1000 so incredible. Sure you can plug all of these things into a PA and they can model an amp and cab miked.. But if you plug the GT-1000 into an amp and use the proper output selection, it will make your amp legitimately sound like the amp you are modelling. Not like the amp is miked; like it's actually in the room with you. And if you take a minute to make sure you input level is set correctly (the default was way too low for my tele) then the realism is just beyond anything else out there.
I tested the Diamond (AC30) model plugged into a different amp next to a real AC15 and it was actually able to reshape the preamp of the amp. These others just sound like you are stacking a different preamp in front of your amp's preamp. The Boss GT1000 will actually reshape your preamp and cab sound like the amp you are modeling. The result is pretty unbelievable. Next to a real AC15, even the response to playing dynamics was identical.
The other thing is that the pedal effects sound the best granted your input level is set properly. And I'm sure that applies to all of these and I don't know if you guys took the time to set it on all of them.
do you mentioning about 4 cables method? i just knew these, what do you call it ?
Nice, informative vid.
Great playing as usual from Pete.
The time factor isn't really true if you are used to the multieffect board. I got 2 external foot switches for my Boss. Just do a preset, setting your prefered single effects up to 8 single foot switches. Direct access to every single effect.
for me HeadRush have a really good clean
Thanks for doing this! I keep going back and forth on analog vs digital amp modelers. I actually use S-Gear which sounds fantastic but has it's limitations. I was surprised that I really like the Headrush's clean channel more the the HRD. But where digital seems to fail for me is when distortion is used. The delays sound great, but the distortion just isn't appealing at all. This has me thinking amp and pedals. But as Pete said, they both have their environments that can work well.
I play in a covers band where I have used an old Boss GT3 for the last 20 years. It’s been a brilliant live tool where you want perfectly passable sounds in a indestructible metal box that at the flick of a switch can go from drive to an acoustic at the push of the button and have a sound for every song. 👍🤘🏻🎸👍🤘🏻🎸👍🎸🎸
I'll say this for Boss. By far the most reliable equipment.
Preference order for this particular video would be:
Amp + Pedals
Headrush
Gt 1000
Helix Lt
(Amplifire is out of the scene tbh)
Agreed
I've always used boss multi effects, so I found the gt-1000 more intuitive myself, but I'd love to try a helix, as I really would like to try one of the products line 6 are known for doing well :) great video, and I loved the tones you guys created :)
The Helix is build as a tank. I use it in the studio and live. Thanx for the great video idea!
I had an AX8 and loved it but was worried about out of service warranty. I have recently been using a loaner Headrush and now I really like it. It will never get the idiosyncracies of many floor pedals but it is easy to use, powerful and all the sounds are excellent. I am a big fan.
Great vid guys
If you play Top 40's every night, GT-1000 hands down. But if you only need a few tones per gig, and have an assistant to lug it around and set it up for you, amps and pedals rock. 🤘
I liked this video it was pretty good thanks. I really liked the Headrush but I might be biased because I have one. The amp and pedals sure sounded good but as you guys said very different then the modelers. The modelers give you so many great options and they do sound really good it is sure hard not to give them serious consideration.
I use a Zoom 3Gnx which gives me a wide variety of effects in a customizable chain along with a looper and rhythm patterns. The sounds are pretty legit. It's like a full pedalboard.
I have Zoom G5N and Headrush and I tried combining the two of them the result is absolutely beyond my expectation. It was AWESOME!
Great video, thanks !
For the Boss GT1000 Which output IARD did you select for this video ? The unit is plugged into FR/FR speakers ? or in the return of fx-loop power amp ?
Thank's for your return.
Man that Headrush has some nice bottom end
Hey guys love the videos they’re really helpful. I live in apartment in the US so i have to play quite also I’m a bedroom player. So I’ve been looking at this type of product with my boss katana artist mkii. I think after this video I’m going to go with the Helix Lt because I like to play classic rock/ metal and progressive metal plus I work a minimum job so I have to save more than others lol but thanks for the awesome videos.
I just have to say Pete's playing is always on point! He's made me love the Telecaster and it will be my next big guitar purchase lol
The helix sounded fizzy. The fender with the lightspeed was my favorite tone for sure!
A Fractal FX8 Mk l and Mk ll are great multi FX units also... ✌🏿💯🎸
I can only hear that gorgeous Tele and the sweet sounds of Danish Pete!
Well done! I love your Andertons videos and this one brings up even some new aspects ... I'm thinking about buying some multi-fx ... cause your just showing and commenting the real players view. And my next UK visit ... I really should plan a stay in Guildford! Thanks for all these videos!
I really like the Boss and the Helix I’m debating on which on to get, also I think the Atomic is a perfect backup rig because of its size, I really like it a lot also
I love the Boss gt 1000.
You guys are awesome.... it would be cool to actually have you guys with a trio and demo this stuff so we could here how it performs live .. thanks
I like the Boss GT I use it more than my pedalboard now much more easier to carry
Damn, that Tele is gorgeous.
The cabinet emulation/IR on the Helix sounds way more realistic than the others to my ears. Maybe my ears are just old.
IR's are the way to go. Pretty sure you can load IR's into the Boss and the HeadRush too
that's all i can think right now. just bee a youtiful.
Anyone know what model tele that was? It was pretty! The binding is confusing me.
American Original 60s.
Great video & insight on these multi effects sound vs real pedals & amp. They all targeted the purpose of the intended sounds. It is only the matter of what OS (just like Cap10 said) the user prefers to get the tone. And since they all sounded great, the question lies in will these multi-effects units sound greatly the same in a live band context, just as the real pedal & amp normally delivers? just a thought. Cheers & God bless
For future videos like these, perhaps you can try the different sounds in a mix (drums, bass. and then add rythym guitar and lead).
at 15:12 - Are we really complaining that the Helix is big and heavy? Moving a pedal board with 4-8 pedals, power supply, patch cables, and a 50LB tube amp is easier?
This^^^ the helix is so much easier for load in/out. Lay your helix on the floor, plug your xlr into the board and you're ready to go. So glad I bought one. It makes playing 120ish shows a year so much easier. Helix ftw!!!
Exactly! In former times you had to haul around way more bulky, very heavy guitar rigs - and nobody ever complained.
It depends on what you compare it to of course, the Helix is much larger and heavier than the Boss GT-1000 which is a unit of very similar capabilities, but none of them are of course large and heavy compared to a half stack and a pedalboard. The size and weight difference of the modelers make a big difference if you carry it around and go by train rather than go by car.
I found myself liking the simulators more and more. But I did start with processors years ago. So now I have gained a lot of knowledge about them and how to move about them quickly.
Captain... Is the Boss’ “cumbersome” OS the only thing holding you back from a full recommend? What if it had an Appleish OS like interface?
Nice video as always. GIMME MOREEEE!
Love your videos. Very informative always and I’m always waiting for Pete to say something about bacon.
Cool vid. I was too surprised by how good the headrush sounded. As an eleven rack owner I might need to get one. It’s definitely a solid improvement. But my current rig is the Amplifire box and some pedals. Would be cool to try it with the pedals Pete was using. Best of both worlds. And just as quick and easy to dial in. That’s why I went this route. I got tired of having 1000’s of options. Just want a few knobs to think about. So much more fun imo. And I’ve had modelers all the way back to a Johnson jm250.
As a new guitarist, 1 year in, I started out with an FX unit. It fulfilled it's purpose initially, however I've now gone to pedals and an amp. With an overdrive, delay, chorus and distortion pedal, I can get most the tones I'm looking for or as near to them as I need to be. The thing I like with a pedal and amp setup, is how tactile the use is.Multi FX units are great if you need 1000's of tones. Pedals simplify your options and allow you to work with what you have.
Very interesting - completely agree about the GTK interface. I actually think it sounds fantastic and in particular it does 4cm really well but I bought one and returned it cos it was just such a pain to use (and I design microprocessors for a living) that I couldn't bear it.
Great idea for the video! I don't think the time factor of setting up is talked about enough. For a guy who does random gigs here and there and does lot of recording work on a time constraint none of digital devices seem appealing just for the fact it always takes me so much more time to set up stuff. If I would play in a regular band situation, then one of these pedalboard things might be pretty useful.
A someone who is new to guitar, I don't find a difference in setup time between either because I don't have the years of pedal knowledge longtime players have. I just got two new over drive pedals in the last month and I spend hours on both fiddling to see if I could get what I wanted out of them. No different from my Mooer GE200. The difference is, after I was done fiddling with the Mooer, I plugged it right into my PC and I was done. Pedals into my amp and now I have to learn mic placement.
However, pedals will always have the advantage that their interface is standardized. You know where all the cables go and you just turn the knobs. Every modeler does their interface differently so you'll always end up learning the interface first.
It's easy to set up patches quickly in a modeler if you really want to. The reason it can get time consuming is that there are more options available. You might be setting up a dozen patches with 8 or 10 amps... none of which you actually own. So, you spend the time searching for the amps you like best, then dialing in the best sound each has to offer. Following that... you start looking at the 100 options for effects, most of which you don't own. So, you start going through the effects, one by one, until you find what you're looking for, then you dial it in.
If you thought of this the same way as your real amp & pedals, you'd make do with one amp model, and a couple or three simple effects. You'd have a tone in minutes.
So, it's as complex as you want to make it. For me, half the fun of these modelers is spending the time setting patches up... I actually enjoy it. I can see that wouldn't be the case for everyone, though.
Try the Headrush. A 4 year old could do it in no time!
CatPick Studios well hello there vlad
Great point! To me too many options make me paralysed and I find myself not being able to commit to any sound. For me limitations actually end up inspiring me more and I end up finding new sounds from traditional gear. I also know guys who can go crazy creative if you give them all the options. As you said, to each their own :)
In figuring out how much time it took to get the desired sound I can't help but wonder how familiarity influenced the results.
I use an AMT f1 preamp with speaker emulation built in .To my ears it is much warmer than the units demo'd here and a lot cheaper too (around £130). It is a Fender Twin analogue simulation and is regular stomp box size so it is very practical.I would say that it does not beat the sound of my Princeton , none of these units really sound as good as the real thing they are all compromised when it comes to sound .
Is there any way to get the settings you used on these? In particular, I'd love to see your settings on the Amplifire 6. Thanks for the great video!
You should do a video of amp vs Helix with a Line 6 Powercab. It will eliminate the difference of monitors and 12in speaker in amp
The Atomic Amp sounds REALLY good!
We’ll demonstrated that it’s the time factor of dialling digital vs analog rather than what is the best one question as I think all of the current digital pedals are pretty good. But time is valuable and by far as shown the quickest method is still the amp! Presumably everything used was stock items if you decide to go the IR route you can add even more time onto each of those items. I would rather just plug and play rather than constant tweeking! Great demo as always!
That s exactly why I use digital stuff, I can do sooo much in seconds. For my gigs I need a lot of different sounds and I need them to interact in order to work properly. No analog device does that
I love analog anyway...
I'd argue that if you're a gigging musician you get that time back really fast when rigging up for gigs.
Factor in tear down and setup time aaaaand,
AndKento here I am ehehe
I have a Helix Rack with the Control. I bought it as a live effects processor but I'm finding that it is brilliant as a home studio interface. It has a balanced mic pre with phantom power, guitar inputs, and 8 channels of I/O between it and Cubase via USB. So I use it to record vocals, guitars and bass. Using Superior Drummer and some virtual instruments with a USB keyboard, I've got a complete studio setup in my home for doing demos. Obviously you wouldn't try to record a whole band this way but for writing and demo's it's just brilliant. Of course it's also fantastic as a guitar processor. :)
For me it has always been about what sound inspires you to do. These units - all of them have something to offer, so DO NOT be limited by your prejudice or preferences. Buy the thing, play the hell out of it - that is what I do and it brings me pure joy. Currently I run a 2*12 valve combo or a 2*12 digital combo with ONE pedal in front of it and I am in tonal nirvana. This, however does not mean, that I won't be in the same position using any of these lovely products, which have amassed great technology and human knowledge to cover great lengths and satisfy countless customers worldwide. Anyway - to recap - buy it, learn it, play it - in today's world it does not matter. Besides, I am pretty sure, that some of the greats from yester year would have used this sort of gear to write something godlike, and then we would all be like - yeeeeeeeeeeeah Hendix used it, therefore it is dope.
A sensible comment 😃
i want to play one of these direct in my amp. A have a Fender Blues Junior III. Which one will have the better sound ?
As with most digital solutions, some EQ (high end roll-off mostly) is needed to sort out the high-end fizziness. All of them have very usable tones. Most obvious advantage of the digital solutions is their convenience and portability. For smaller gigs where a valve amp just isn't practical, they can't be beat.
I play with high gain, no reverb, an no effects so a nice high gin head or combo is what I will stick with. But that headrush is awesome in person. Plus there are bands that use just the headrush into the front of house and it sounds awesome. Earth7 is one such band.
Can you guys please do a comparison video between the more affordable line of multi-effects processors? Eg. Boss GT-1, Mooer GE200, Zoom G3xn.
Double denim and a matching guitar
Loved the demo, however, frankly I couldn't tell a whole heap of difference.
A lot maybe down to Pete's ability to programme and his familiarity with the units.
To me they all sounded good, so horses for courses.
Superb playing from Pete as always.
andrew buckley exactly, buy what you like :)
Music Islife Absolutely agree, we mostly listen with our eyes and ego and buy what's popular. I have Tube screamers modified by someone or other and Tim pedals etc. They all have a sound but an incredibly similar one, certainly in a band context.
Interestingly I've had more compliments on my sound when I'm using cheap modelling into my amps return..... But what do they know eh....
andrew buckley I have the Headrush and I love it! The best thing for me is that it sounds exactly the same every night! Valve amps sound like crap at low volume and very few venues are big enough to crank em to the sweet spot round my area. I go straight to FOH and monitor with in ears. I can have it as loud as I want and the sound guy has complete control of the room. It's as close to perfect as I've found in 30 years of gigging. Anyone wanna buy an AC30 and about 20 pedals?
Music Islife mmm frustratingly for some, the future is probably digital
Valve amps crap at low level? Not true; and you can buy a low-watt valve amp and crank it and get a great smooth sine-wave distortion, instead of the crap square-waves these model amps put out.
I own the big Helix and the AA6. Both great products for what they do. I think the AA6 shines when you integrate it into a pedalboard. I added a wah and H9. The helix is great on its own. I use electric and acoustic, live and recording. It’s a great tool. Also, I use it with an FRFR cab, and sometimes with a separate amp (SD170) and Marshall 412. I will say that using a dedicated power amp and actual guitar speaker cab REALLY narrows the perceived divide between modeling and ‘real’. So close in fact, that the conveniences of Helix far outweigh any possible niggles with tone differences. Gone are the days of loading in multiple trips and carrying heavy tube heads and cabs and relying on a sound guy and the house mic and cabling to be up to snuff. I simply feed him my direct tone and I know it’s what I want and consistent gig to gig. My onstage monitor is for me, with my own volume control. Works great!
Is there a video like this with humbuckers? Using single coils is not great to test digital modelers for me.
What about running the digi-units through a tube amp/power amp and Marshall cabs?
The Amplifire 6 and Helix sounded great!
Gt1000 crunch took me by surprise - fab!
This is a cool video. Suggestion: record some guitar lines(either in a daw or in a looper) and route that signal to each amp/processor for consistency sake. As a bonus, maybe put these tones in a band setting to hear how they sit in the mix. Vacuum tones are cool in the bedroom, but aren't practical when playing with others. 👍
You should do a guitar of the day video series, short review, short play through, you do it until you do every single guitar you sell on the store, it can be do as well with pedals and amps
Would you like a job? :-)
Andertons Music Co working with you guys is my dream job
Very interesting review !! I think to be fair to the pedal board setup time versus the amp setup time you would need to put Pete in the store and get him to pick an amp, then pedals. From there he needs to carry them all to the room you were in and set them up then find a sound. Even though you mentioned the Helix is heavy, I don't think it outweighs that Hot Rod Deluxe ! Once that was timed have him do the same with the pedal boards and powered cab. I think the times would be much closer or even possibly in favor of the pedal boards. lol
I really enjoy your reviews guys.........keep them coming. Btw sorry to Pete if you actually needed to carry all the equipment you would need a new back. Hahahahahahahaaaaa. Cheers !!!!!!
Yall should do blind fold Kemper, Axe FX, and Helix challenge using Michael Britt patches
I’ve had a Helix LT for 2 years and mainly used it as a pedal board into my amp. Tonight I’m going to take the plunge and use it direct with no amp. Blindfold test and I’d have no idea which was the amp and any of the modellers.
I'm a jobbing guitarist and use programmable units for my work. I'm not overly concerned with the time taken to program the unit - as long as it sounds good and the UI isn't a pain... I'd been waiting for the Boss GT1000 to come out (as I'm a long-time Boss GT user) and have been impressed with the sounds but then again, the Helix and the Headrush sound good too - now it's just a case of popping up to Guildford and testing them myself... :-)
Cris Gibbons That's the point. I've worked with one of the best guitar players of my country. In his studio he has lots if amps and pedals... But when he tours with other artists, most of the times he uses a Line 6 Helix straight to FOH and in ear monitor. He told me that it's a matter of travelling light and consistency of tone. When he plays in clubs with some other artists,heses Blackstar amps. To be fair he is endorser of both brands....
I've got a Amplifire and a Helix. Of all the units I've tried the Helix is by far the easiest to use. Paired with some good IRs and a bit of EQ and you have some awesome tones. For larger gigs I'll use a valve amp all day long tho...
nitemunky76 same here, I use helix for effects an analog drive and the Amp that I find in the place. I don't rely to sound guy to set what I ear unless they are real pros.
I hated the headrush. felt very disconnected. sounded okay but I was far from impressed. I've also heard lots of people having problems with them and customer is awful. there are vids of people complaining about a common bug and getting no love from headrush peeps.
oh, and I so badly wanted the Boss to kick ass but it has this funky hi-fi thing going on. sounds very odd. could be the one I played at GC but it was odd - kinda like the effect on the Mustang GT series
Request for adding the isp theta pro into the mix. IMO the amp and pedals sounded best. The cc delay just has it
They all sounded really good.
Great to hear the older AA modelling standing up well to the new comers. However I would have to echo your comments about the fiddly OS though. Hopefully they'll take some of this on board for their next FW release.
We have a wealth of riches in amp modelling at the moment so there aren't really any terrible choices. I think the amp modelling on the Atomic is incredible, especially if you like Marshall tones. The Helix isn't too far behind, it's just not quite as good but it does have better effects and a built-in wah so the Helix box is all you need whereas you need to add things to the Atomic.
This is all about the player!! Thank you Mr. Pete!!😌😌
I tend to spend more time tweeking and less time playing with a modeling setup. Give me a good tube amp and a couple of pedal any day. Modelers are nice for recording situations for the variety you can easily achieve.
It takes a lot longer with the modeling things, but once you get a sound you like, you save it and the next time you have it instantly.
Reading the comments makes me wonder if all the professional touring artists who use modeling amps realize how lame they are??? I'm all for loyalty and heritage but let's stop the jiving. This technology is awesome and should be embraced. Sure, when you are sitting in a basement surrounded by your kingdom of gear - and no drummer - then you can contemplate "warm tones" and such. But in every other application they are awesome. To each their own, I suppose. Load in and load out takes me 15 minutes with my Helix running FoH and I get to have 5 different amps and about 100+ pedal configurations. And the cost? My Helix LT was $800.
Nathan Montover
I’ve been using the GT-1000, but the thing that killed it for me was the limited use I have for pedals. I have 3 control buttons. And I have to sacrifice my tuner to have my delay, my overdrive, and my boost for solos. If I could get a GT-1000 with a good 6 control buttons on it to not have to switch back and forth between presets, I would be all over it. But since a real pedal board gives me that actual freedom I look for, that’s what I go for
Right on!
Yeah people saying these things are no good mustn’t realise just how many bands are using them live these days. Monuments use Helix’s, David Maxim uses Helix Native plugins live sometimes. Real amps and pedals are a nightmare for the touring band (I’m a purely bedroom guitarist and I know that).
I've toured and played concerts and theaters for more years than I will admit, and I'll take a modeler over an amp just for the convenience. And the soundmen I've worked with rave about my tone. Boss has been the most reliable...I've never had one fail in my career. I've had friends who have had the Line 6 in the shop more than on the gig, but that WAS a few years ago and maybe things have changed. I think all these boats sound fantastic. The Headrush looks like the easiest to navigate. I thought the Amplifire wasn't as good tonewise. I'll still take the GT1000 over any of these. I don't know where these guys are getting the prices from, but a Helix is $1500, a GT1000 and a Headrush are $1000, and the Amplifire is $500. Nice demo, guys.
The guitarist equivalent to the 'tree in a forest' quandry... ;)
Tip: Would be cool if you had a decibel meter somewhere near where the player sits. Sometimes it is hard to judge if the difference I hear is the difference of the volume in the room. Also, some sound _sounds_ loud without it being reflected in dB.
A good way to have a similar feel for the player would be either plug all the the modelers into an FRFR cabinet and compare with the amp and pedals or record the amp and pedals in a studio with a recording room and monitor the mic'ed up signal in the control room through studio monitors.
Too much complicated for me. I’m very happy with Tech 21 Fly Rig V2. A more lightweight solution and very good sounds! If you don’t need an unusable amount of amps and distortions try this!
I feel modelers are adequate to produce good tones. At the end it comes down to what inspires your performance. For me, amps and pedals with a mic and monitors give the rockstar feel and it’s hard to go back in my home studio setting.
I would love to see a shootout between a full blown Helix Floor, an HX Effects through a valve amp and an amp and pedalboard. Would be interesting to see if the HX can bridge the gap between the digital guys and the valve guys
1.57 first set up! Top! ...do you sell these packages like amp, 3 pedals and the tele as a Andy-ou-tube..pack for us, so we can adjust sounds with light speed after going thru that instructional vid? Thanks
All of these sound good - but in a solo, bedroom situation. I would love to hear these sitting in the mix in a live setting.