IDEA: Helix Lunchbox Amp Head

[SKU]

Not suggesting that anybody would buy the following Class D amp to power a guitar cab because it's very expensive and probably wouldn't have enough power available for that anyway. Also, it would never end up in a L6 powered HX device for that cost reason because it wouldn't be viable; but I'm linking the Hypex NCx500 module here just to demonstrate that not all Class D power amps are trash or sound the same.

The THD figures are excellent.

Hypex NCx500 Class D Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Hypex NCx500 NCOREx reference design amplifier. It was sent by the company and kindly assembled by our local expert, @Rick Sykora. As you see the sample is a "monoblock" configuration (one channel) driven by Hypex SMPS1200 switching power...

www.audiosciencereview.com

There are a good deal of poorly designed Class D amps out there and / or they often contain cheap components and are usually built to a price point - and that might be the majority of them; so I can see why there is a dislike of them out there.

The point here is that the topology of Class D isn't inherently the problem in terms of the dislike that they receive. It's just a topology.

I bet there's some weird Opel prototype somewhere that can beat a run of the mill Audi A8 but it's super expensive and while in the lab tests and on paper it is better it's still not as nice to drive.

 

[JiveTurkey]

In the practice amp thread; Devin re-reminded me of the Yamaha TH100. That thing KILLED. I know @laxu has always been a champion of it as well. Since it's a Yamaha product as well, seems like there could be chocolate in the peanut butter that could happen

 

[JiveTurkey]

Actually yeah, a refined version of that would be killer.

Even if they refined and repurposed the power section and added some sort of HX front end

 

[jellodog]

Devin re-reminded me of the Yamaha TH100. That thing KILLED. I know @laxu has always been a champion of it as well.

Laxu already mentioned it in this very thread

IDEA: Helix Lunchbox Amp Head

Given the current prices of Helix/HX boxes, what would people be willing to pay for such a beast? We looked at a comprehensive Helix-in-a-combo and Helix-in-a-head years ago and felt it'd be too expensive to do right. But public perception may have changed by now. Considering the Helix is...

thegearforum.com

 

[kartikg3]

Even if they refined and repurposed the power section and added some sort of HX front end

I think this is it. @Digital Igloo !!! HX Amp 3 based revamped from TH100

 

[JiveTurkey]

Laxu already mentioned it in this very thread

IDEA: Helix Lunchbox Amp Head

Given the current prices of Helix/HX boxes, what would people be willing to pay for such a beast? We looked at a comprehensive Helix-in-a-combo and Helix-in-a-head years ago and felt it'd be too expensive to do right. But public perception may have changed by now. Considering the Helix is...

thegearforum.com

 

[jellodog]

@JiveTurkey To be fair JT, I know you've been hella busy these last few days

 

[kartikg3]

@JiveTurkey To be fair JT, I know you've been hella busy these last few days

@JiveTurkey yes esp. playing through that sweet BD2 clone!

 

[GuitarJon]

Just came here to say: YES!

 

[kartikg3]

Just came here to say: YES!

Lovely! Thanks for the support Jon. Big fan here!

 

[laxu]

In the practice amp thread; Devin re-reminded me of the Yamaha TH100. That thing KILLED. I know @laxu has always been a champion of it as well. Since it's a Yamaha product as well, seems like there could be chocolate in the peanut butter that could happen

I hoped for several years that Yamaha would make a 2nd gen version of it. But alas, no such luck.

 

[kartikg3]

I hoped for several years that Yamaha would make a 2nd gen version of it. But alas, no such luck.

Maybe they were waiting for this very moment. The introduction of a kick-ass 2203 into the HX and finally marriage

 

[jellodog]

The introduction of a kick-ass 2203 into the HX and finally marriage

But let's not forget that juicy Voltage amp!

 

[kartikg3]

But let's not forget that juicy Voltage amp!

To be fair, all of the amps esp. ones from the last few firmware updates, are really stellar. That Voltage, that Dripman, the Grammatico SGS, all the Line 6 originals etc.

 

[ragingplatypi]

If people clamour over A/B amps over D but don't like certain A/B amps, how can we ever believe that all class D are equally ?

Calling @James Freeman ! We need graphs stat!

 

[kartikg3]

This thread badly needs some Freeman love.

 

[James Freeman]

Class D is fine, it's what you do with it that matters.
I don't know if anyone has succesfully created a solid state power amp that has a negative feedback network that sounds and reacts to a cab like a transformer coupled tube amp does, so thete's a challenge.

You like graphs eh, here's one that shows POS Frequency by Year (not mine).

 

[Orvillain]

Class D is fine, it's what you do with it that matters.
I don't know if anyone has succesfully created a solid state power amp that has a negative feedback network that sounds and reacts to a cab like a transformer coupled tube amp does, so thete's a challenge.

You like graphs eh, here's one that shows POS Frequency by Year (not mine).

View attachment 17210

Piece of shit frequency?? I'm in!!!

 

[JiveTurkey]

Piece of shit frequency?? I'm in!!!

That's a silly take!

 

[GuitarJon]

A couple years ago I had an idea that I mentioned to the folks at Line 6: a mini Badonk amp with a solid state power section and stuff.

A Helix amp could be amazing though! How about an amp with the normal controls but a screen above it where you see the Helix images with graphical representations of the amps, similar to the TMP but on the front of the amp.