Line 6 Helix Amp and FX Pedal Board
HELIX
In-Store
- 4 discrete stereo signal paths
- 12 capacitive-sensing footswitches and customizable scribble stripstouch to edit, hold to assign, press to engage
- Hands-free Pedal Edit mode lays out effect parameters across switches and expression pedal
- "Touch and tweak" - when it comes to creating tones, Helix is as fast as you are
- Peruse the full-color Helix cheat sheet for 5 minutes and you'll have 90% of Helix mastered
- Large 6.2 inch 800x480-pixel LCD display
- Extensive I/O for seamless integration with your entire rig - 10 inputs 12 outputs plus 8-in/8-out USB audio interface
- Four stereo FX Loops - integrate favorite pedals
- Up to 3 expression pedals, CV/Expression out, external amp switching and deep MIDI control
- AES/EBU, SPDIF and VDI interfaces
- Industry-leading 123dB of dynamic range on the guitar input, for tremendous depth and ultra-low noise
Helix4 of 6 customers found this review helpful




















Essential gear2 of 2 customers found this review helpful




















Speaking of snapshots, that's my favourite feature on the line 6.
For its price it's well worth it. The only problem I've encountered was the learning curve (mind you I've always been an analog efx guy. It's my first time with multi)
It's gonna sound rough for the first few days unless you know you're way around eqing and setting your parameters but that's really my fault not the helix.
Overall, I recommend buying the helix. I just bring the helix and my guitar to gigs.
Upgraded from HD500X, which I loved. And I've never looked back.3 of 3 customers found this review helpful




















Sound guys love it, which is particularly nice if playing in a range of venues. No amp, and stereo XLR outputs allow me to plug straight into the sound system, with no extraneous stage volume. IMPORTANT NOTE: turn off the phantom power.
Great versatility0 of 0 customers found this review helpful




















So many options. Presets are already enough for almost any style. Heavy duty for travel and gigs. Saving so much cash and space on pedal nightmares. That is probably my favourite feature. Adjustments for levels and the option to use the expression pedal on any effect works big time.
Play any immerse yourself into it.
Helix2 of 2 customers found this review helpful




















Line 6 Helix a lot of money but worth it.5 of 5 customers found this review helpful




















There is a bit of a learning curve just trying to understand how IRs impact the tone and getting use to the interface did not actually take that long.
Finally the Snapshot feature was a very pleasant surprise.
Great pedal, great sound I can't really ask for more and my wife will likely not let me.
Excellent!4 of 4 customers found this review helpful




















Right now I've got the Helix going straight into my H&K tube amp; I've also played around with the 4-cable method, meaning distortion from the Helix --> amp --> rev/del/mod Helix --> back to the amp. Both methods seem great. I will probably look for some smaller monitor speakers so that I can use the Helix straight into those in stereo, as opposed to going straight to my amp; this way you can take full advantage of the Helix's modeling capabilities. Although using the Helix amp models and going straight into my own amp seems to sound pretty good to me, provided I set my amp to sound roughly neutral (but you get no stereo of course).
All in all, the Helix gives me lots of options, it's easy to use, super fun, and seems quite high quality (although I've only purchased recently so can't comment on it's longevity).
I do have a couple of minor complaints; the first being that there's no rhythm at all, it seems like it can do so much, and then not to have any sort of metronome or basic drum beats seems weird, although I knew this when I purchased it. Secondly, the toe switch on the pedal seems unusually hard to press; which is good in the sense that you won't press it by mistake, but it feels weird to me.
Highly recommended if you're willing to spend a bit more money and want to experiment with a large number of sounds.
All I can say is WOW5 of 5 customers found this review helpful




















SWEET4 of 4 customers found this review helpful




















Wow!8 of 8 customers found this review helpful




















So much more than POD; equal to axe fx2, better than Kemper4 of 4 customers found this review helpful




















Helix Floor Unit6 of 6 customers found this review helpful




















I was able to re-create old favorite patches from scratch within hours of exploring the unit. Amp emulators and effects behave exactly like the real-world analog equivalents when playing. (I have some of them and was able to A/B). Pinchies and squeelies are all achievable (presuming of course, if you could already do them before on the equivalent analog gear).
Some surprises: I was still able to reach the DSP limit with some of my homebrew patches. I suppose I'm just addicted to the best of the best effects. But my expectation with this unit boasting double the processing power and 2 discrete DSP processors was that I wouldn't run into this challenge - meh. That being said, its at least equivalent in tone chain effects (8) as the HD500X. And, using less DSP demanding blocks, permits much more creativity and tone crafting. But the quality of sound and ease of use in a live setting is easily better than the best of the POD line; and i'll even say so of BOSS, Digitech, Sansamp, Korg, ZOOM etc. The Helix compares to the Kemper and Fractal (Axe FX2) offerings. and IMO is superior to the Kemper for sound quality, and equivalent to AxeFX2. The Helix outclasses all of them and is at least toe-to-toe with the AxeFX2.
My expectation for the unit is to be able to tone-craft at home, and then jack to the board in the house to deliver the tones I desire. This unit does that. Global setting permit in house tweaking during sound-check and balancing. Very nice when you don't have a lot of time for setup and break-down between sets/acts; and rooms have different active surfaces to contend with.
For the price point, I would like to have had still more processing power and put DSP limits in my past (hence my 4 rating). But truthfully, I'm an effects hog, and even my analog board is fully loaded and crying for footprint. In terms of what I wanted, which is a stand alone portable unit that gives me tone sculptures that faithfully reproduce the recorded tone for songs I play - this unit does deliver. This is a unit that finally, FINALLY, can deliver tones that are dangerously close to the original artists' rigs. Overall, I'm ecstatic with this unit. I was happy with the HD500X. But this is a Ferrari by comparison to a nice Audi. Too many additional features to mention here. Total midi and even control voltage for vintage gear. 4 effect send and return loops. SPDIF, XLR, USB,... If crafting tones ain't your thing, there is lots of support online to get the patches you desire. The interface is also a significant improvement over Podfarm and/or Monkey. I haven't explored how well it works with a rack unit as a slave. But this might be an option if I'm really craving more DSP.
One final comment on controls, The foot pedal is too stiff imo for good heel-toe wah action. Also, it can't be calibrated. But - maybe the external controllers can remedy this (2 additional expression pedals are possible) - and there is nothing to say i can't just put in a send/return to my Clyde Wah. All the buttons can be assigned to the effects or discrete parameters of the effects. Multi-switching also possible. (So i can run a very clean signal, and then punch in all my drive, gates, and gain effects with one toe-switch - Me Likey!).
Bah - quit reading. Go buy one!
If i could make one request, I'd like L&M to get the Line6 rep in to run some users clinics to share/teach tips and tricks for getting the most out of this unit.
This thing is amazing4 of 4 customers found this review helpful




















I own this and traded for the helix rack unit3 of 4 customers found this review helpful




















Tons of support on the support page for line 6 or on the helix group chat page on Facebook .
You can also make suggestions for updates for this unit @ line6.ideascale.com which is pretty Rad !
If you buy this you won't be disappointed have fun Ladies and DjentThallMen
Big Step Forward7 of 7 customers found this review helpful




















As with any multifx will this sound as good as your high end tube amps and boutique pedals? No, but they aren't that far off and the convenience and ease of use makes this board well worth the moment. By far the is the best UI I have ever come across.
Take the chance, you won't be disappointed.
Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty
A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.
Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.
How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
- Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
- Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
- No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
- Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
- Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
- Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
- Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
- Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
- Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.
Purchasing additional years of coverage
Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.
If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:
- NEW products: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
- USED products: 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. 4% for each additional year.
- GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
- BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
I have 25 other boutique pedals that are high end pedals, strymon big sky, korg sdd3000 delay, hughes & kentner rotosphere and many more and honestly I was at the point where I had too many pedals, they all sound great but my signal chain became overwhelming, coupled with the fact that I was looking at switching systems that isolate and power all these pedals and it can get really expensive to design a switching system that can handle all the pedals and create button presets, which led me to going back to having one system that does it all, the the Helix does the trick !
I will still keep my other pedals for specific applications but now I have everything in one unit which simplifies everything,,
The factory presets are OK but not near the potential that the Helix is capable of, so I purchased some online custom patches and wow I am glad I did because they are not expensive, they allow you to see how a professional creates the patches and snapshots so you have a guideline to follow, saving you alot of time figuring the unit out,, the custom presets I purchased online were simple to download and add to the factory presets and they did not disappoint,, I am so glad I purchased the custom patches,,
These patches also come programmed as snapshots, which means one preset becomes all the buttons, where you can switch on effects within one preset or patch and turn on overdrive or other effects for a solo or a bridge or chorus section of a song, click one button and your pedal board is back to presets mode where each button is its own sound,, very handy tool snapshots can be !
I also purchased 2 Headrush 112 FRFR full response flat response PA speakers, which you need to get the full enjoyment of the Helix because the unit comes with so many different Amp Models, you don’t really want to feed the output if the Helix into a Fender Twin or Marshall or Mesa Boogie amp because you will not get the true sound of the Helix because your Amp will alter the sound whereas a Flat Response Speaker will give you the true sound from the Helix, you can still run a Helix into your guitar amp but the FRFR speaker is the way to go, IMO,, and so all you need is Guitar straight into the Helix and the Helix into your FRFR PA or Console Mixer then out to the PA,, now you just have the guitar and pedal board to deal with.
I am really happy I took the plunge and bought the Helix, it is a solid unit and sounds amazing!! The staff at Long and McQuade Calgary are a great team who are knowledgeable and helpful in every way 👍
Steve J - Calgary, Alberta