mercifulfuzziness
Roadie
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- 991
QC vs Helix
- Thread starter mercifulfuzziness
- Start date
molul
Roadie
- Messages
- 425
If the conclusion is that a next gen Helix device would only need to improve on amps modelling, well, I'm in.
On the other hand, I hope that effects keep being a strong point in the next devices. In my case, they're a essential reason I'm not moving to any other brand. There are so many effects I love that I don't want to loose. And I would love to have more.
I'm not in a hurry, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the next iteration from Line6 will be.
Final note: I would say the cabs are more than good enough since that update (was it 3.50?). I still want to try those beloved York IRs. Probably after summer, when we finish the next recording (I don't want to mess with the possibility of having to re-dial everything).
On the other hand, I hope that effects keep being a strong point in the next devices. In my case, they're a essential reason I'm not moving to any other brand. There are so many effects I love that I don't want to loose. And I would love to have more.
I'm not in a hurry, but I'm looking forward to seeing what the next iteration from Line6 will be.
Final note: I would say the cabs are more than good enough since that update (was it 3.50?). I still want to try those beloved York IRs. Probably after summer, when we finish the next recording (I don't want to mess with the possibility of having to re-dial everything).
mercifulfuzziness
Roadie
- Messages
- 991
York are my Zen. Because of York I know it can’t be the Cab if I mess something up
laxu
Rock Star
- Messages
- 5,622
I never trust the word of people who claim X modeler sounds so much better than something else that is considered top tier. That to me sounds like the user does not know how to get the most out of their modelers.
All the top dogs can be dialed to sound similar for amp modeling through the same IR. It's all the other stuff that makes the real difference.
All the top dogs can be dialed to sound similar for amp modeling through the same IR. It's all the other stuff that makes the real difference.
- Messages
- 6,735
I've read this before. I think it is just internet forumer waffle nonsense. I don't think it has any basis in reality.
For my money, having Axe3, Helix, and QC in my posession currently:
Helix Pros:
Helix has quite a lot of amps, and covers the essentials. There are also a few like the Revv models that are a little unusual, and sound great!
Tons of effects, which are high quality. I think Line6 adding all of their legacy effects to Helix was a master stroke of product spec design. It really makes Helix massively attractive to me.
Cosmos Echo, Transistor Tape, Adriatic Delay. Those are seriously good delays!
As a package, everything just sounds GOOD. There aren't many outright terrible sounds in there, truly.
Considering the price differential versus the Axe FX III, the Helix sound quality (conversion, signal to noise ratio, etc) is surprisingly top tier. If you're familiar with older units that Line6 did like the HD500 series, then you need to know that the Helix is leagues and leagues above that era.
Helix Native - for me, Helix Native is an essential bit of kit. I love the transferability between the software and hardware too!
Helix Cons:
Despite what I said about the effects, I'm not a fan of the reverbs. There isn't really a reverb that competes with something like the MXR M300 Reverb, the Meris MercuryX, or the Fractal Cumulonimbus algorithm; those long washy but smooth pad sounds are incredibly difficult to find on Helix.
I really do not like the tuner. I used it as my main tuner for years, because Helix was my main effects platform for years, and actually I had sort of forgotten how good your bog standard Polytune is in comparison. The Helix tuner is just not good, which is a shame.
QC Pros:
Running multiple captures in a single preset and flipping between them using scenes is GREAT.
The stock amps are all actually really decent. You don't have to use multiple models, you can just load a single block, and you can switch between the clean and crunch channels directly within it. Feels way more amp-like as a tweaking experience than the others do.
The tuner is decent. Not perfect, but decent. Better than Helix.
The touchscreen is useful. Not a gamechanger by any means, but it is useful. My experience with my current unit is quite different to the first one I had. So I've changed my tune here a bit.
The looper is fantastic! At its core... it is the same looping experience you'd expect from a DL4, or a Flashback X4, or any of those four button loopers. But it has quite a few cool additional features that make it stand out. I love being able to duplicate a loop 4 times and then track something else over the top that is longer. Very useful songwriting tool.
QC Cons:
Slow development cycle, and updates are always a bit lacklustre in my opinion.
The unit itself is small, which is both a good thing and a bad thing. The pooswitches are too close together, and it is very easy to mishit them.
The delays are bang average.
The reverbs are bang average.
The modulation effects are bang average.
The effects loops are not unity gain. There's no documentation about how to get a true unity gain signal path.
The unit is noiser. A lot noisier than Helix and Axe3. Turn off all noise gates and setup a typical high-gain recto style sound... and play a chord.. listen to the noise floor. It is not so good.
At the same time, the unit is quiet. The output of the unit always needs to be cranked, and then whatever your poweramp is, that ends up being louder than it would with the other units too - thus.... increased noise.
All in all, I don't think their hardware design is actually that impressive.
Between the two, for me it is very clear that Helix is the more well thought out and "planned for" unit - Line6 have a proper development schedule they're following, they have engineered a unit that will stand the test of time. Released in 2015, it has almost been 10 years. You don't see mass reports of hardware problems, of people being unable to get their unit repaired when they need to, power supplies randomly dying, etc....
Quad Cortex was released in 2021, and even now in 2024 I have very little faith that any of us will be using a QC in 2031. You read about hardware problems and weird little things that can't be reproduced all of the fuggin' time. Their discord is full of it. Their forum is full of it. And I think generally speaking, there is an air of frustration and unhappiness around the QC because of how they launched it, and how little they've developed it since release.
I like the QC, but I don't ever see me making it the cornerstone of my rig like I did with Helix. I gigged Helix from early 2016 through to 2022, and I went through a couple of units and always came back to it because as a platform it did everything I needed it to, and it was easy to use and sounded great.
These days, since TNBD ended, I'm less tied to it as a platform. But I still have the unit for now, and I think at this point I might go through to the studio and play with it for a bit!
ian_dissonance
Roadie
- Messages
- 585
I’ve always wondered what people expect from a tuner that makes the Helix bad in that regard. Tune my guitars down to double drop fuck and I’ve not had issues with it live or at home. I just wish it was an always-on option in native so I didn’t have to run ReaTune(hey guys, I use Reaper, Reaper is the best DAW! Pro Tools? More like SHIT POOLS amirite?!) in front of it recording.
laxu
Rock Star
- Messages
- 5,622
I don't remember if Helix has a strobe tuner option, but if not...that. Even the somewhat visually imprecise tuner on my Hotone is fine to tune the guitar, but e.g Fractal tuner is good enough to set your guitar intonation.
Lysander
Shredder
- Messages
- 2,280
I think it does. I really liked the QC when i had one, but i found it to have this exaggerated low end on everything i couldn't really dial out properly if i wanted to. It was specially noticeable when contrasted the same amp models with Helix or Fractal.
And i'm not even saying it sounds bad. But it's clear they do something different than everyone else in the industry.
- Messages
- 6,735
It aint skeuomorphic enough.
- Messages
- 6,735
Pound to a penny, it is down to the IR's and nothing to do with the amp modelling itself. They've just simply got no need to hype up the low frequencies in the way that people suggest. I still think it is forum nonsense.
TheTrueZoltan!
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,866
I like many of Neural's amp models, but basically they are like fast food. It tastes intense and good at first bite, but if you keep eating it you eventually realize that all the fat, sugar and other flavor enhancers have turned it into a caricature of natural food, and you ruin your sense of taste in the long run. Neural plugins, for example, have this deep, extended bass and a generally mix-ready sound characteristic that just feels so good when you play the first chord. But over time you realize - especially in comparison to real amps, but also to more realistic models from other manufacturers - that something is wrong and feels strange. The bass, which was so great at first, suddenly sounds as if the guitar is being underlaid with an octaver the whole time. And you just can't get rid of it.
Well, I don´t know. It maybe changed with updates or even my LT was a defective unit... but I can ensure all of you that my unit sucked signal to the guitar.
Guitar to the input, with every impedance setting, empty signal, no loops involved, then to the amp input... some kind of sliiiiiiiight cushioning to the signal. Something like if it had less attack than going direct to the amp. It was very very very subtle, but it was there. I realized randomly, making some tests... otherwise I maybe would´nt ever realized about it.
With a cheapo Zoom G1X Four it didn´t happen. The signal was absolutely intact.
That was the reason I sold it.
Guitar to the input, with every impedance setting, empty signal, no loops involved, then to the amp input... some kind of sliiiiiiiight cushioning to the signal. Something like if it had less attack than going direct to the amp. It was very very very subtle, but it was there. I realized randomly, making some tests... otherwise I maybe would´nt ever realized about it.
With a cheapo Zoom G1X Four it didn´t happen. The signal was absolutely intact.
That was the reason I sold it.
TheTrueZoltan!
Shredder
- Messages
- 1,866
reported.
Lysander
Shredder
- Messages
- 2,280
It's the exact same with the models on the QC - there's a reason why NDSP products are so popular with the low-tune, chugga chugga community.
And no, it's not the IRs. I actually quite enjoyed the IR block and the stock cabs.
JiveTurkey
Goatlord
- Messages
- 16,812
Orv finally got those palm mutes lacking in the Kemper 
- Messages
- 6,735
What do you mean broheme?Orv finally got those palm mutes lacking in the Kemper
JiveTurkey
Goatlord
- Messages
- 16,812
Kemper palm mutes suck and it sounds like the QC's do not
JiveTurkey
Goatlord
- Messages
- 16,812
I fondly remember SUPER LOUD palm mutes of my OG 5150 through my old Marshall 4x12. I miss them 
- Messages
- 1,377
I fondly remember SUPER LOUD palm mutes of my OG 5150 through my old Marshall 4x12. I miss them
the only thing better than this is seeing a room full of ppl beating the shit out of each other while youre doing it.
