Helix Talk

[molul]

I’ve got several friends gigging outdoors with Helix. No issues.

I'm having a hard time believing this. I've only played outdoors once, and I relied on knowing every footswitch press by memory. You can't almost see what's going on. Even worse if you're wearing sunglasses (which you might need).

If it's not fixable without increasing costs a lot, and no other modeler company has done it, then there's not much more to discuss. It's a known limitation and you can manage to cover it if you play outdoors very much.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I'm having a hard time believing this. I've only played outdoors once, and I relied on knowing every footswitch press by memory. You can't almost see what's going on. Even worse if you're wearing sunglasses (which you might need).

If it's not fixable without increasing costs a lot, and no other modeler company has done it, then there's not much more to discuss. It's a known limitation and you can manage to cover it if you play outdoors very much.

I can’t remember the last time I saw an outdoor gig without a canopy of some sort, giving shade to the musicians. Seriously.

I’m not saying it’s not an issue with color displays, but the notion of switching to a monochrome display like the GT-1000 just for this specific use-case is positively stupid.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I’ve got several friends gigging outdoors with Helix. No issues.

So how comes this has been a wellknown issue from day one?

 

[Sascha Franck]

I can’t remember the last time I saw an outdoor gig without a canopy of some sort, giving shade to the musicians.

As said, that doesn't help once the light is diffuse.

but the notion of switching to a monochrome display like the GT-1000 just for this specific use-case is positively stupid.

No. Because it's a win in visibility and not a loss in any other aspects (well, with the GT it actually is - but that's just because Boss doesn't know how to do icons anymore, it has not been an issue on older units). Sure, it's not looking as fancy, but once you've got the icons right, it's all fine in monochrome.

 

[paisleywookiee]

As said, that doesn't help once the light is diffuse.



No. Because it's a win in visibility and not a loss in any other aspects (well, with the GT it actually is - but that's just because Boss doesn't know how to do icons anymore, it has not been an issue on older units). Sure, it's not looking as fancy, but once you've got the icons right, it's all fine in monochrome.

I’ll have to ask these guys how they survive these arduous gigs with these subpar displays.
And there’s no way I’d buy a modeler with a monochrome display at this point.

 

[Sascha Franck]

And there’s no way I’d buy a modeler with a monochrome display at this point.

I did, last November. One of the reasons being it's vastly superior visibility on stage.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I did, last November. One of the reasons being it's vastly superior visibility on stage.

I guess all those people using QC’s, Helix, and Fractals are just flailing about, not knowing what’s going on. Would someone please think of Guthrie Govan! Poor sap is like a kid lost in a bowling alley with his FM9.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I’ve been digging into Helix Native more lately. So far, I’ve found the two amps that I enjoy the most are Line 6 Ventoux and Line 6 Voltage.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I guess all those people using QC’s, Helix, and Fractals are just flailing about, not knowing what’s going on. Would someone please think of Guthrie Govan! Poor sap is like a kid lost in a bowling alley with his FM9.

Both the QC and FMs have vastly better LEDs for their switches and from all I know, the display visibility is less of an issue, too.
As said, my cheap Samsung tablet beats the HX displays by a wide margin. So it's really not "all LCD displays suck". Well, they sort of do - but some suck more, some less.

 

[norminal]

I’ve been digging into Helix Native more lately. So far, I’ve found the two amps that I enjoy the most are Line 6 Ventoux and Line 6 Voltage.

The Line 6 original amp models are great. I find them a breeze to dial in a great tone quickly.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Both the QC and FMs have vastly better LEDs for their switches and from all I know, the display visibility is less of an issue, too.
As said, my cheap Samsung tablet beats the HX displays by a wide margin. So it's really not "all LCD displays suck". Well, they sort of do - but some suck more, some less.

There ya go then. Better color screen. Not monochrome.

 

[Sascha Franck]

There ya go then. Better color screen. Not monochrome.

Well, sure - but I still rather have a functional monochrome screen than a color screen that I can't use.

 

[Digital Igloo]

It's just not true.

<sigh> Dude, you seem to do this every 6 months or so—Make some grandiose, pointed statement with at best, flawed anecdotes and assumptions. Until you've dragged a dozen or more multieffects from ten different manufacturers into a parking lot in the SoCal summer sun with six pairs of eyes, optical measurement devices, cameras, polarized lenses, and the like, please sit down and trust the people who actually do this for a living.

 

[Sascha Franck]

<sigh> Dude, you seem to do this every 6 months or so—Make some grandiose, pointed statement with at best, flawed anecdotes and assumptions. Until you've dragged a dozen or more multieffects from ten different manufacturers into a parking lot in the SoCal summer sun with six pairs of eyes, optical measurement devices, cameras, polarized lenses, and the like, please sit down and trust the people who actually do this for a living.

I don't need to do all of that. I have seen multiple devices with my own eyes, partially side by side. And the HX devices don't do well in comparison. Besides, if you insist on using an LCD screen at all costs, then at least slap some decent LEDs in (an issue that you hesitate to adress).

 

[norminal]

at least slap some decent LEDs in (an issue that you hesitate to adress).

For the backlight?

 

[Sleezy E]

I'd even go as far as to say that most people using modelers don't play much gigs at all.

I saw more helices and fractal boards than amps last weekend in Nashville.

...by a lot

 

[paisleywookiee]

I saw more helices and fractal boards than amps last weekend in Nashville.

...by a lot

Yeah, Helix, Fractal and QC are all over here. Both local and national bands. My pal Gerald gigs every weekend from March to November in a country rock band with a Helix that I helped him program.

 

[Sascha Franck]

For the backlight?

No, for the switches.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I saw more helices and fractal boards than amps last weekend in Nashville.

And I was talking about the vast majority of modeler users. Which are home dwellers (the majority of amp users are as well).

 

[laxu]

I don't need to do all of that. I have seen multiple devices with my own eyes, partially side by side. And the HX devices don't do well in comparison. Besides, if you insist on using an LCD screen at all costs, then at least slap some decent LEDs in (an issue that you hesitate to adress).

Just adding a monochrome display mode to the existing display is unlikely to help when the issue is likely things like viewing angles, polarization and light output of the LCD. More light output = higher power use and more expensive display.

The design of e.g the BOSS monochrome LCD can be different to allow it to perform better in outdoor situations. The GX-100 likely does much worse with its color display.

From what I remember when I had the FM3, QC and Helix Floor...in summer indoor conditions it was actually the Helix that had the best performing screen for visibility. QC had worse viewing angles, FM3 had way worse black levels. Axe-Fx 3 display was a lot better but I never compared it to anything but the FM3.