Pete Thorn did a demo of the Helix, I must say I'm impressed now.

  • Thorn's playing was great, most of the tones sounded a bit thin. The video on the 3rd page (in this thread) sounded full and quite good, though. The guitarist demo'ing the unit in that video made it look easy, but if it were really that simple to pull that level of quality out of the Helix consistently, why do most of the tones I hear on YouTube sound thin and brittle?

  • Helix is tempting, but Kemper still has upper hand on amp sounds. However, I like the competition. I'm not sure if we'll see a Kemper floor unit. Though, it wouldn't require much development, essentially just putting the KPA and remote together in one pedal board shaped case. However, given that they had two designs for the remote and it took 2 years to come to market, I don't think they'll bother.
    If I was running Kemper, I'd already be rolling out plans for a 2nd generation and release that in a couple years. Put in latest chips and give it the ability to profile OD pedals that can be placed in slots prior to the amp block. Then a guitarist could not only capture their own amps, but independent OD pedals. Throw in a couple more effect loops, finish the planned delays and reverbs, the ability to have two amps combined, and roll out a floor board unit and a rack unit w/ optional dedicated foot controller, and Line 6 couldn't compete except perhaps on price.

  • [quote='burningyen','http://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/index.php/Thread/26575-Pete-Thorn-did-a-demo-of-the-Helix-I-must-say-I-m-impressed-now/?postID=292348#post292348'Believe it or not, some people like the Helix' amp sims as much as Kemper's.[/quote]


    Like, people with hearing impairments? :P
    Kidding - of course - but it still strikes me how people can be excited about this. I have had it for some 2 weeks, it really sucked IMO.

  • Indeed, fly gigs is the key phrase. He always uses amps live when he can. I asked him at NAMM a few years ago if he had to choose between that other game changing modeler and an amp which would he choose? He thought for a second and said, "I like amps.".

    The key to everything is patience.
    You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.
    -- Arnold H. Glasow


    If it doesn't produce results, don't do it.

    -- Me

  • He doesn't actually specifically say that he's going to use the modelling side, but that it's an option and is there, if needed. I fully expect him to use it for FX, control and routing. No more, no less. But what the heck, the earth will keep turning if he decides to flog his Suhr and CAE amps and just brings a Helix with him at the next show ;)

  • Must be using it for FX.


    Having played the Kemper, I can't imagine why he'd go that route, even just for jammin'.


    As he says in his post, he plans to use it for the amp sims direct for fly gigs. Believe it or not, some people like the Helix' amp sims as much as Kemper's.


    Oh, I believe that, Ben. Bad taste and judgement abound, and it's just as well IMHO, lest "everyone" buy a Kemper. As I suggested 'though, knowing that Pete's used both units, and given his "impeccable" taste, I can't imagine why he'd choose the H over the K.


    I know it worked out just fine for you, and I'm happy for you man. My L6 story is an epic and sorry one, fraught with tests of patience, financial sacrifices and "bad luck". I was bitten so hard for so long that I'm more than twice-shy. Mind you, had I entered the game today, I'd probably have been more than happy with a Helix rack... provided I hadn't heard the Kemper.


    He doesn't actually specifically say that he's going to use the modelling side, but that it's an option and is there, if needed. I fully expect him to use it for FX, control and routing. No more, no less. But what the heck, the earth will keep turning if he decides to flog his Suhr and CAE amps and just brings a Helix with him at the next show ;)


    Now that makes sense to me, Sam. Seems my logical assumption was spot-on.

  • I'd still place my trust more in Kemper or Fractal than Line 6 though. I also vastly prefer a rack-mounted unit to a floorboard.


    I never took Line 6 very seriously either, but Yamaha is no joke, and that's who owns Line 6 now. BTW, the Helix is also available as a rack unit (and a foot controller is available for it).

  • I never took Line 6 very seriously either, but Yamaha is no joke, and that's who owns Line 6 now. BTW, the Helix is also available as a rack unit (and a foot controller is available for it).


    I never had a problem with Line 6, the products I have experience with either didn't feel as solid as they could be (DL-4, mainly) or didn't sound as good as I wanted (any amplifier they made). I know you can get a rack, but I think the attractive part about the Helix is the floorboard all-in-one solution, which is something I don't need or want.

  • As he says in his post, he plans to use it for the amp sims direct for fly gigs. Believe it or not, some people like the Helix' amp sims as much as Kemper's.


    Yeah, I have heard about this somewhat strange behavioural trait. There have been sporadic reported sightings of myopic individuals squinting at the floor and madly stamping for the correct sim, whilst trying to keep up on the same riff... And maintaining a cheesy grin :P
    It's a devilish thing... :D

  • Anyway, I don't mind what people use to make music as long as it sounds musical...


    If there were only the Kemper available, imagine how this forum would look - totally overrun by show-casers, know-alls and competitive twits like me - Pure Hell. ^^


    Diversity results in harmony! :thumbup:

  • The Helix and Kemper are different products with a lot of overlap. My guess is that Pete will use the Helix for what it is good at: routing, good visuals on foot controller and perhaps a few handy effects. He will probably get his amp tones from his traditional tube amps. Since it offers all this flexible routing, in some situations where bringing amps will be difficult, he can copy and paste his presets and simply make a few changes to his routing and insert amp models into them. However, the only thing Kemper currently does better than the Helix is profiling vs. the limits of modeling and can match the quality of effects offered by line 6, but not the quantity, still lacking some basics like spring reverb. Understandably Pete can live with that for those minority of gigs. Kemper only offers one effects loop and the ability to send two PC midi messages only on rig changes, not assignable to a switch within a rig. The Remote doesn’t even offer convenient midi jacks for that purpose. Thus, unless Pete plans on regularly using a Kemper for his amps instead of his tube amps live, there’s absolutely no reason to use a Kemper live. The Kemper was designed for people have a no- sacrifice/any volume profile of real amps, with the ability to cover most guitarists effect needs and a little control of other gear. Kemper doesn’t even offer and all in one Kemper. Think about that. All they need to do is simply attach a remote to a Kemper and make a Helix-shaped case to hold the two components. There’s no additional software, programing, or anything. Just take the knobs, jacks, switches and led’s of the two products, connect with a Cat5e and put them in one metal box. They choose not to. Think about it. If you were committed to touring with real amps live, a pedal board with stomps OD’s and an Eventide H9, would you try to control everything with a racked Kemper and Remote and all the limitations it brings? Just so in a minority of gigs you’d have access to the subtle tone improvements of profiling over Helix modeling, likely unnoticeable in a loud boomy concert mix to 99.99% of attendees? Kemper as king of tone wins, the best all-in-one /any scenario solution it is not, however.


    I've personally been frustrated with how trying to have a simple all in one pedalboard with it is frustrating, as there's no logical place for me to put my Kemper other than on my pedalboard, since I'm going direct and using IEM's. Why should I sit the toaster on the floor or stand behind me, only so I I need to run a power cord, 3 guitar cables, a midi cable, a cat 5 cable to and from my pedal board? So my pedal board looks silly with the kemper sticking up, sitting behind the remote.

    Edited once, last by Grooguit ().