Line 6 Helix vs Real Guitar Pedals Demo

A truly modern guitar effects processor with next generation, dual DSP processing and all the IO a gear addict could need. Browse presets and tweak effortlessly with the LCD display and smart controls. Hundreds of effects and amps, modeled down to the component level, whether it's distorting transistors, vibey photocells or funky wah inductors. All of Line 6's experience of recreating the classics and inventing whole new sounds has gone into HX engine.

The Line 6 Helix has all the power you need to create your dream rig with easy connections to your stompboxes, studio gear, live setups or computer. The Helix can sit as the hub of your guitar rig, with song writing inspiration and mid-song tweaks all possible via foot control and without reaching for your the board. Simply customise controls, name your scribble strips and play.

Every aspect of great amp design has been considered when creating the amp models for Helix, Real Tone whether you prefer gutsy blues tweed, sizzling British stacks or modern high gain. Line 6 stripped it all down and rebuilt from scratch for true, organic tone.

Smooth, Intuitive Interface

The Helix interface has gone through rigorous testing and optimisation, the lab coats at Line 6 have done all the hard work to ensure you have a system that's instantly familiar and intuitive. Fat stacks and huge tone without a massive learning curve.

In combination, the large 6.2 inch 800x480-pixel LCD display all but eliminates menu-diving and provides the same level of control you would expect from an external editor. Coloured LED rings and customisable scribble strips complete the user interface, letting you know what each footswitch is doing at a glance. When it comes to creating tones, Helix is as fast as you are.

Part of the goal in developing Helix was to allow guitarists to interact with technology in ways that are more intuitive, making the creation of tones easier. This means that - for the very first time - you won’t have to stop playing to tweak a knob. With Pedal Edit Mode, you can edit any parameter you like using your foot: simply select the block that you want to tweak, and its parameters spill out onto the footswitches. Select a parameter, and tweak the value using the expression pedal.

Giving you the ability to touch a footswitch and quickly tweak parameters or easily assign or learn controllers, Helix is the fastest tone creator of its kind on the planet. But that’s only part of the story – it’s also the most flexible. Helix has FOUR stereo paths per preset, allowing you to design complex routing scenarios for each patch. Creating variations on wet and dry routing schemes is as easy as loading a template or tweaking the joystick, and using the onboard effects models in conjunction with the 4 freely-assignable effects loops means that the tonal possibilities are truly huge.

The Nerve Center Of Your Entire Rig

As the most advanced guitar processor ever made, Helix can become the nerve center for your entire guitar rig. Easily integrate traditional effects pedals and other hardware into your environment, creating a seamless hybrid rig that incorporates the best of what software and hardware have to offer.

Helix has the most flexible audio routing ever seen on a guitar processor, thanks to its dynamically allocated DSP. Use the four effects loops to connect four separate pedal chains, or split them up and use them as freely-assignable inputs and outputs. In combination with four stereo paths, this means that you can process multiple instruments at once, send wet and dry signals to different places, and create large integrated systems that take advantage of both digital and analog I/O at the same time.

When you need to incorporate external devices via MIDI, Helix offers more flexibility than any multi-effect ever. In addition to powerful real time MIDI control, Helix can send up to six separate commands at patch recall that aren’t assigned to a footswitch, which means you can change a patch on a synth, start a sequencer, and turn up a fader on an external mixer, all with one press of a footswitch. Add three expression pedals, CV/Expression out, and external amp switching, and Helix can be the command centre for any size rig.

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[HerroYuy]

I think people look at the helix wrong. It is not going to emulate everything 100%. But you are going to get about 95% of the way there and at that point the audience can’t tell and you have to only lug around 1 piece of equipment and can completely change your pedals every song. That last 5% is made up with the convenience it offers.

[brandon]

I wish we could set up a blind test for all the analog snobs

[Mardukv]

This is exactly what I was wondering so many years ago when I got the previous L6 multi-effect pedal. This technology is really accurate.

[Claimjumper]

Awesome comparison. I tried it as well with my Ibanez SD-9 Sonic Distortion pedal vs. the Line 6 Hedgehog model and couldn't tell the difference either. I know a few people who bought the Helix, sold the pedals they no longer needed, and ended up with some extra cash in their pockets.

[tonepursuit]

There are super subtle differences that we can hear because its isolated and recorded direct. However, in a live setting those subtle differences completely disappear. In the end to me what matters is the feel. If the responsiveness is off, it can easily throw off your playing. Looking forward to demoing one of these!

[DeadRoman]

Playing live, with a band, no one would ever know the difference.

[redjacemory]

7 yrs later still the heart of my rig. My first one got stolen, and I literally couldn't function professionally until I replaced it!

[giuseppegagliardi]

A true musician can make anything sound great.

[antman]

I thought the real Univibe had more depth. But that may be merely a matter of settings.

[LarsBauer]

Thanks for this video! Paul is such a great guitarist!

[MrMyWord]

The Helix is certainly an outstanding piece of equipment!! Nice guitar work as well!!

[DavidMorisset]

Cools Video, this debate and comparisons will never end. I had a Vox Tone Lab LE and made the shift to pedals and a pedal board. If your fixed on your sounds, then great for what suits your needs. But for me, love tweaking individual pedals and even when not playing I just love the look of pedals on a board.

[Arzdback]

I didn't know Shame McMahon played guitar lol.

[BrockDavisson]

Very nice. I can't tell a difference. I love my HELIX.

[Silverjerk]

I picked up the Helix Rack, Control, and the EP1-L6 and SP1-L6 from Sweetwater. Grabbed a Trailer Trash pedal board, threw the helix in my favorite mount, and haven't looked back. I absolutely love this rig (this is coming from an old Axe FX guy).

[craiger]

Wow, you just sold me on Helix products. I mean this is the main point isn't it? That it sounds and feels the same? Just awesome.

[AdamStephenTaylor]

They sound pretty similar in character with slight gain / attack differences. if you wanted them 1:1 you could probably adjust the EQ to suite. the original univibe may have been slightly more organic to my ear. thought i could hear some nice tubular sounds coming from the low end, but it might have been the sweep at that particular moment. I own a helix and with some time you can coax some very usable tones out if it. I picked up the fremen settings pack for it and he has some great clean, crunch and lead settings already dialed in. better than the stock settings and easier to tweak to your liking.

[TheKevinNewsom]

Very nice! It's virtually the same. New tech has made leaps and bounds versus what we had in the 90s!

[davetubeful]

I tried it with my ocd and couldn't tell the difference, I freck'in love the helix,  and I don't even use the modeling.

[LordFuzzman]

Nice little vid.. the vibe was the only one I thought that wasn't quite cutting the mustard!