Helix Native Review - Do you need it?

David continues his love affair with the Line 6 Helix products - this time investigating the VST plug-in "Helix Native", which lets you reproduce all your favourite preset entirely in software in your DAW. We make sure the sounds sound the same, evaluate how convenient and useful it may be in your setup, and record a test song using a variety of sounds.

"Native Speaker" song download:

Timestamps:

0:00 Intro
1:25 Taster
1:35 Overview
1:58 Clicks and Pops
2:54 Setup
3:54 First Test
4:22 Input Levels
5:25 More Tests
5:56 Importing Setlists
6:15 My Patches
7:26 Realtime Editing
8:04 Conclusion
8:32 Test Song
10:31 Outro

Equipment Used:
Sony ZV-1
Rode Videomicro
Studio One (+ VST add-on)

[drewdemaio]

Great video!!! I have a Helix and Helix Native. I found the one drawback is that because I collaborate on music with other people in my band, they would need to have the Native plug-in (and all the same pre-sets, IR's, etc..) to hear what I've recorded properly. What I wind up having to do is export the track as an audio file and then re-add it. Kind of a pain so I just record with the Helix.

[robertclarkguitar]

My son has this guitar. He played my 2001 S370 and loved the feel. He went above that and got the 2020 S1070 hahah. That top is beautiful man. He is selling his now, and prefers his prestige but I want to buy his. 1000 even 6months old. Man I may ....hahahah.

[jimmcdougall]

Great playing! I love “Native Speaker”. So good to hear an 80’s influence. Even though I am just a bedroom studio hobbyist, this video has me sold on purchasing HX Native. At first I could not see the difference between using the “Editor” software with my HX Stomp and Native. But it seems to add a lot more functionality. Thanks.

[lachimere]

Great review, you deserve more subscribers!

[pjhunton]

Good review, I have been a Pod Farm, Firehawk, Toneport user for years and I just got a Pod Go, I have to admit Ive spent more than I admit on LIne 6 gear, Native Plugin looks good but the fact that after spending a fortune using their gear, software and plugins they still want $400 off me to use this software. Theyre not great at supporting their loyal customers or encouraging them to stay with their gear by charging them full (or very lightly discounted) price. I now use Scuffham Amps when recording with Toneport Studio input, VOX IR and a free 1960 Marshall Amp IR which is incredible and 1/4 of the price. I could justify $99 but $349 or $399 is I think overpriced.

[mukulpratapsingh]

David i have a doubt whether the preset made for and by a user in his line 6 hardware unit ( helix/Lt/rack) whether that can be used in helix native.

[swanageurc]

I sincerely hope they GAVE you some kit after such a convincing demonstration. Do you teach?

[cshizz]

I was wondering if you could have just used the stomp for the audio interface to record your signal with no effect/amp/cab models rather than using your additional desktop audio interface. Would that be possible?

[kane]

Wonderful! Do you have any HX Stomp Patches available to download/share? or on L6 customtone?

[saltyhose]

I have the helix native, but when i use any fuzz effect like the octave fuzz or the arbitrator fuzz, it muffles the sound of my guitar and also produces a very loud noise, does anyone know or have any solution to this ?

[pandemic]

Excellent video! Question: If I already have a DI box, can I just record my wet Helix signal, and my dry DI signal which I'd then send back to my Helix when I'm ready to reamp? And if so, how is that setup?

[SLASHMPI]

Great! How do you record tour fake bass?

[EricXAnimated]

My opinion: It destroys every amp sim. Definitely worth it