Reverb & delay - Helix vs Fractal

[Jarick]

I always think the Helix stuff has more immediate character while the Fractal stuff has more fidelity. Both are really usable but depending on your tastes one could be better than the other.

 

[banned]

I don't really agree with the distinct between "rack" and "stompbox" tbh. I know it is sort of short hand for high quality and low quality, or high definition and complex versus crufty but simple and musical.... but I think the distinction is pretty meaningless.

I think there is a small difference - that slick 80s 'studio' sound is something Fractal does particularly well - PCM70, TC2290, Eventide style tones.

Guys like Dan Huff, Michael Thompson built their careers around that sound.



Not to say that other platforms can't do these sounds, but rather that Fractal time-based sounds sound more polished and closer to the sound that those rack units were famous for.

 

[FracKing]

I think there is a small difference - that slick 80s 'studio' sound is something Fractal does particularly well - PCM70, TC2290, Eventide style tones.

"Yes and no..." Because some contributors worked very hard on it... (and because it will be close enough for many less fanatical players)

At least Cliff recently said he may look into it if he has time, to make the Eventide micro-pitch sound closer to the original when selected as a type (I suspect), or to get that easier than to find your block by GNS/Leon (or maybe he could just add the block as a type).

OTOH, he did not want to give the option for the PCM-70 "ugly diffusion" a while back...

Lexicon PCM70: Pan & Circular Delays + TC1210 Chorus

Really cool! Here's a quick noodle using both at once, in parallel: is there a chance you can share the preset?if no is ok.sound pretty good,kudos to guitarnerdswe for making those blocks.

forum.fractalaudio.com

I've had the same feeling than the OP many times, especially on YT vids, i.e,, people floating on top of a "backing track" of New Age delays ("not connected" to it).

I've wondered about it and can see at least three possible reasons for it...

- as has been said, this is how the FAS presets generally are(?), and if you have a little knowledge you can tweak that out in seconds(?) and be more connected to your FX (if you feel that's an issue)

- I've seen many times that Cliff prefers things to sound pretty. I think we all want that option too, but to also have nastier and vintage options (which we can do in several ways). I wondered if the PCM-70 is a good example where Lexicon either got lucky to not have enough CPU or made the delay diffusion to sound "bad" on purpose, and this being an extra reason why some claim it sounds better? (may the "ugly diffusion" help connect the dry better to the FX?)
I think I've seen Cliff state you want sizzle/fizz in your amp sound because it makes you sit better in the mix? So this is an example where ugliness connects you to the rest. So why could "ugly diffusion" not be another example...?

- So many vids sound like people are playing through two drives + compressor and YT compression on top... I wonder if that further exacerbates the impression of the "disconnect." (I still have to play my unit much more to compare...)

All of this is, "not an expert; just wondering/trying to help."
I'm not hearing some of these details ATM (AFAIK), but I like to put trust in some more fanatical people and better ears than me re. some sounds that are "important" to me.