Line 6 Helix
LINE 6 HELIX £1,221
Line 6 goes upmarket with a do-everything amp and e ects modelling pedalboard
LINE 6
was a pioneer of
affordable amp
modelling hardware, from the
original POD through its many
successors. Lately, though, a new
breed of amp modellers have
occupied the limelight. The likes of
the Fractal Axe-Fx and the Kemper
Profi ler offer massively increased
processing power for modelling
that gets closer to the sound and
feel of the real thing. Now, Line 6
has responded with the dual-DSP-
powered Helix, which combines
amp and effects models in a large,
rugged fl oor pedal.
There are a massive 1,024 preset
locations onboard the Helix,
organised into eight setlists that
contain 32 banks with four presets
each. Each preset can have up to
four stereo signal paths, each
made up of eight blocks populated
with amps and effects. With the
current count of 41 modelled
amps, seven bass amps, 30 cabs,
16 mics, 80 effects and the option
of loading speaker impulse
responses, there’s great potential
for sound creation. Line 6 has
implemented an easy editing
system, complete with a joystick,
and – get this – touch-sensitive
footswitches offering a shortcut to
parameter adjustment; you can
even use these with your feet to
select a parameter before adjusting
it with the pedal treadle!
That treadle can be assigned to
plenty of functions, as can all of
the footswitches. There are two
main operating modes for these:
Preset recalls, well, presets and
Stomp turns individual effects on
and off, but switching between the
two is instant, and when playing
live, you can swap presets and
recall effects at will. If you want to
use any of your existing pedals, the
Helix even has four effects loops
that can be turned on and off
within a preset. The amount of
socketry round the back means
you can connect the Helix to just
about anything, including into an
eight-in/eight-out audio interface
for computer recording, with
headphone monitoring and mic
and aux inputs. MIDI or external
amp switching functions can be
assigned to footswitches, too. Add
in the coloured LED rings and LED
‘scribble strips’, and you always
know what function is assigned to
which footswitch.
Playing through the onboard
amps is uncannily like playing
through the real thing. As good as
the POD HD models were, Helix’s
efforts have an increased level of
both accuracy of sound and
playability, and will react to the
nuances of your playing style –
these are sounds that can stand
side by side with Kemper or Fractal
models. The onboard modelled
amps include a good selection of
vintage classics, some more
boutique choices and some Line 6
originals, while the effects run
from vintage favourites right up
to cult overdrives.
There are some great sounds
here, especially when you get
beyond the factory presets and
shape things to your own taste.
While many amp sims do
high-gain very well, it can be much
harder to recreate decent clean
and ‘just beyond clean’ breaking
up tones, but the Helix nails it.
We particularly like the Fender
Deluxe and tweed Bassman for
these. At the other extreme,
The sounds can stand side by
side with Kemper or Fractal
Photography: Joby Sessions
GEAR LINE 6
MAY 2016 77
AT A GLANCE
TYPE: Amp modeller/
multi-effects pedal
CONTROLS: Volume, phones,
1x joystick, 8x ‘soft’ knobs,
7x buttons, 12x footswitches,
ground lift switch, pedal treadle
EFFECTS: 70
AMP MODELS: 41 guitar, 7 bass
SOCKETS: Standard guitar input,
standard aux input, XLR mic input,
standard main outputs (L/mono, R),
XLR main outputs (L/mono, R),
standard stereo phones output,
4x standard send, 4x standard
return, S/PDIF digital in, S/PDIF
digital out, AES/EBU and L6 Link out,
Variax, MIDI in, MIDI out/thru, USB,
2x expression pedal, Ext amp, CV
POWER: Mains power (IEC lead)
CONTACT: Yamaha UK
01908 366700 www.line6.com
FOOTSWITCHES
A S well as handling presets
and individual effects
switching, the footswitches
are touch-sensitive for
on-the-fl y editing
JOYSTICK
A cool multi-function control
speeds you through the editing
process – turn it, push it or tilt it in
one of four directions
TREADLE
WHAT’S it to be: wah,
volume, pitch? There’s
also a toe switch to
toggle the two
parameter values
displayed in the
adjoining scribble strip
TGR279.gear_lead.indd 77 22/03/2016 11:16