Helix Side By Side with Kemper

    Quote from burningyen

    No, the Helix doesn't sound better than the Kemper, and it's harder to dial in given the head start that the commercial profiles give you. But I can get it to sound equally "real" and great to me, and it packs features that I've been missing in the Kemper for years. So my Kemper is for sale. It's been a great ride, and I may be back if they ever release a floorboard version.


    It's cool Ben, that you found your toy of joy :) Could you reveal what are the features you were missing in Kemper for years? :)

    Yeah, was easy to tell them apart, just hard to know which one was the real amp without hearing the real amp originally. I got 100% wrong just like Sam did for similar reasons. But ultimately easy to tell them all apart just have to understand the helix qualities vs original amp sound qualities to get them 100% right.

    I got about 40% right in the blind listening test. The real test is how it sounds to me in person, and it passed that test.


    Quote from skoczy

    It's cool Ben, that you found your toy of joy :) Could you reveal what are the features you were missing in Kemper for years? :)


    Sure:

    • Floorboard format
    • USB audio
    • Expression pedal assignment to any parameter on a patch-by-patch basis
    • Better Univibe and Fuzz Face
    • Synth

    Plus other nice to have features:

    • Much more flexible routing, including dual amps and parallel everything
    • More FX variety and personality
    • Vocal FX
    • Scribble strips
    • Variax integration
    Quote from Geraldo7


    I think that if we have a look at the price tag, Helix is much much cheaper. Kemper costs 500 euros more with the remote plus 100-150 for a nice pedal...and also Helix is more portable.
    Very nice video!
    Congratulations Line6!


    In Germany the difference between the two products is 111.- Euro at Thomanns. The difference at Sweetwater is 489 Dollar, not Euro. Buying in the US is possible, but problematic here, because of custom duty which eats away most of the savings. Just for the record. If the gap were bigger like in the US, would be better for the product which will find its niche anyway.[/quote]


    I think that you are not so good in mathematics. :))
    Kemper in Germany costs 2.111 and Helix 1525. Also for the Kemper you will need to buy a volume/wah pedal for 100-150 euros. So the cost goes to 2210..It's 700 euros more..

    Quote from allegretto


    I think that you are not so good in mathematics. :))
    Kemper in Germany costs 2.111 and Helix 1525.


    And your comparison is completely invalid as you're comparing apples and oranges.
    The unpowered Kemper Head/Rack is 1.590 €.
    The Helix is 1.479 €.
    So everything that @Geraldo7 said is valid.

    Quote from Ingolf

    And your comparison is completely invalid as you're comparing apples and oranges.
    The unpowered Kemper Head/Rack is 1.590 €.
    The Helix is 1.479 €.
    So everything that @Geraldo7 said is valid.


    Thx Ingolf. yo, the difference between the two products at thomanns is and stays 111.- €uro. Although i have to confess that i forgot that the KPA would
    need a pedal to be fully comparable, so add the 166.- for the behringer FCB1010. okay? to me this is still not very attractive, but to burningyen it was. peace.

    My occupation: showing teenagers the many hidden secrets of the A-minor chord on the guitar.

    Quote from Ingolf

    And your comparison is completely invalid as you're comparing apples and oranges.
    The unpowered Kemper Head/Rack is 1.590 €.
    The Helix is 1.479 €.
    So everything that @Geraldo7 said is valid.


    Ok, you chose just what you wanted from my text. I've said that 2111 is the Kpa+floorboard. Didn't I? I said too, that the complete Kemper solution will like Helix will cost 2111 plus an expression pedal. So in summary you choose.

    Quote from allegretto

    Ok, you chose just what you wanted from my text. I've said that 2111 is the Kpa+floorboard. Didn't I? I said too, that the complete Kemper solution will like Helix will cost 2111 plus an expression pedal. So in summary you choose.

    Hi! If that is what you wanted to say you should have said so but you didn't and you
    chose not to..
    You can have a Kemper plus a Behringer FCB 1010 (which is quite a sturdy and capable controller) for far less than what you said.
    So I stand by what I said: Your information is misleading.

    Quote from Ingolf

    And your comparison is completely invalid as you're comparing apples and oranges.
    The unpowered Kemper Head/Rack is 1.590 €.
    The Helix is 1.479 €.
    So everything that @Geraldo7 said is valid.


    In your comparison you are comparing oranges and apples. I compared the kemper complete solution with line6's complete solution. Means helix from one side and kemper with kemper floor board at the other. I did'nt compare it or include a behringer floorboard neither a 1000 euros roland as I could..

    Quote from allegretto

    In your comparison you are comparing oranges and apples. I compared the kemper complete solution with line6's complete solution. Means helix from one side and kemper with kemper floor board at the other. I did'nt compare it or include a behringer floorboard neither a 1000 euros roland as I could..


    No offense, I see it is a bit difficult to compare the two units.
    But of course, thinking about your argumentation, you indeed have a point here.
    So I step back and bow down. ;)

    For a semi-more direct comparison,
    In the USA:
    The Helix Rack + Controller is $1998 advertised price.
    The KPA Rack + Remote is $2579 advertised price.


    So,
    If someone gets what they need from the Helix Rack + Controller, saving $581 is a great deal.
    If someone gets what they need from the $1499 Helix pedal, saving $1080 is an even better deal.
    If someone can only get what they need from the KPA, saving money by getting something else would still leave them wanting more.

    If the Helix works for you - great! I learned a long time ago I was personally better off spending more money in the first place for what I wanted than to try to make something cheaper work. If the Helix sounds better to you, or works better - go for it. But if it's all predicated on price... you generally get what you pay for. Again, just my opinion.


    Pete

    Maybe the "sounds equal" phrase is subjective for some. For me it´s so obvious that the Kemper sounds so complex, organic and reactive to pick attack...
    I have tried ALL kind of gear that can go direct to a mixing desk. Line 6 products never worked for me (direct to board and floor monitors in live situation) Always sounded like a guitar amp recorded in a oil tank :). Maybe the Helix have solved this and sounds much better in this aspect (cabs, mics, spatial sound...) but i can hear definitely the harshness of the distorted sounds and the lack of valve compression that the kemper recreates so well. That is what i love from the kemper, and what makes me play and play with a smile on my face :)
    At this moment im playing in my room through my studio monitors using the 5150 preset of MBritt (congrats mate for you GReAT work) with the guitar volume at 3 and the sound is clean and articulated, but the dynamics and touch sensitivity is there!! Sound growls picking harder. Sweet...
    I've never felt this with a digital "toy" before.


    Of course: You can play with a 100 bucks guitar and a battery powered micro Marshall and make great music, because what you transmit playing is the important thing. What do you feel doing it is another history :)


    (My english is not very good. Sorry!)

    Quote from Ralphez

    Maybe the "sounds equal" phrase is subjective for some. For me it´s so obvious that the Kemper sounds so complex, organic and reactive to pick attack...
    I have tried ALL kind of gear that can go direct to a mixing desk. Line 6 products never worked for me (direct to board and floor monitors in live situation) Always sounded like a guitar amp recorded in a oil tank :). Maybe the Helix have solved this and sounds much better in this aspect (cabs, mics, spatial sound...) but i can hear definitely the harshness of the distorted sounds and the lack of valve compression that the kemper recreates so well. That is what i love from the kemper, and what makes me play and play with a smile on my face :)
    At this moment im playing in my room through my studio monitors using the 5150 preset of MBritt (congrats mate for you GReAT work) with the guitar volume at 3 and the sound is clean and articulated, but the dynamics and touch sensitivity is there!! Sound growls picking harder. Sweet...
    I've never felt this with a digital "toy" before.


    Of course: You can play with a 100 bucks guitar and a battery powered micro Marshall and make great music, because what you transmit playing is the important thing. What do you feel doing it is another history :)


    (My english is not very good. Sorry!)


    Hi Ralphez. Welcome to the forum! :thumbup: Your English is just fine ;)

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer