Pete Thorn did a demo of the Helix, I must say I'm impressed now.

1) His playing IS great.
2) It does sound better than COSM.

Quote from Laurens

I'd actually consider getting the Helix if I didn't already have the Kemper.

Indeed its a great player and an impressive Presentation.
I tested both at same time and decided for KPA.
Not because Helix is so bad. I like different basic sounds (amps) and effects for me are not so important.
It was a close decision but I don't regret

I think the main thing that the video has emphasised for me, is what a phenomenal talent PT is. I think the Helix is a revolutionary bit of kit, but sonically, it still doesn't match the Kemper IMHO. A great one-stop-shop though

I like the stomps in the Helix. (possibly better than in Kemper)
Amp sounds: not so much.

Proves one more time, that PT can force music to come from anything he is using. In other words, he can make anything sound good! While I enjoy watching his videos, I never could make a buying decision based upon them - unless I buy everything he demos

The Helix sounds fine here. No GAS though since the KPA for me. Still can't believe it myself.

Tone is in the fingers so they say, but i wouldnt swap my KPA for anything........... well maybe......... the Kemper 2 lol

I am a new Kemper user now, after I compared it with Helix and Atomic Amplifire. Actually, I already had my Kemper for some time, but til today I was stuck with my old setup and tube amps. I prefer real amps, but I want to carry less stuff around.

The amps in the Kemper sound and feel best to me. Comparable to my Koch Pedaltone tube preamp with a Two Notes Torpedo CAB or a good Plugin like Scuffham S-Gear oder the brainworx stuff.

With the tape delay, tremolo and reverb fx in the Kemper I am not 100% satisfied. For that reason I still play my pedalboard with two Eventide H9 an some analog pedals.

My personal review...

We already know that Helix is a great innovative all-in-one solution ... one physical HW block instead of two, both mic and guitar inputs, it works as USB audio interface, great routing flexibility with double chain for guitar with everything possible in between.

But ... it has 20 amp model to choose instead of thousands real amp profile/snapshot ... it seems it doesn't have so much output routing like our KPA (for example monitoring in stereo plus outputs for main PA), less memory / database available in the machine.

Finally I will go for Helix for an all-in-one solution at a very high quality level;
I went for Kemper (and stay!!!) for a transportable professional studio environment with unlimited sound possibilities.

In my opinion Helix will be in competition more with AXE FX, because it have same ideology, same mentality at half a price with almost same quality.

Kemper is a different level of idea, still unique, still incomparable ... the Profiling feature ... the only one that you can really compare A/B with real analog gear of thousands of dollars, all the rest is modelling, simulation. Having said that, the day when KPA will implement a full Top Level Delay, a full Top Level Reverb and a double chain with more routing flexibility, it will have nothing less of any digital machine on the market.

Quote from Maurizio70

My personal review...

We already know that Helix is a great innovative all-in-one solution ... one physical HW block instead of two, both mic and guitar inputs, it works as USB audio interface, great routing flexibility with double chain for guitar with everything possible in between.

But ... it has 20 amp model to choose instead of thousands real amp profile/snapshot ... it seems it doesn't have so much output routing like our KPA (for example monitoring in stereo plus outputs for main PA), less memory / database available in the machine.

Finally I will go for Helix for an all-in-one solution at a very high quality level;
I went for Kemper (and stay!!!) for a transportable professional studio environment with unlimited sound possibilities.

In my opinion Helix will be in competition more with AXE FX, because it have same ideology, same mentality at half a price with almost same quality.

Kemper is a different level of idea, still unique, still incomparable ... the Profiling feature ... the only one that you can really compare A/B with real analog gear of thousands of dollars, all the rest is modelling, simulation. Having said that, the day when KPA will implement a full Top Level Delay, a full Top Level Reverb and a double chain with more routing flexibility, it will have nothing less of any digital machine on the market.

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Well said Maurizio you summed it up well

You guys have already said exactly how I feel. But some of it bears repeating.

• Pete can make anything sound good.
• The effects sound good.
• The amp modeling is leaps and bounds over past Line 6 offerings. But in this video Pete is using third party impulses. Cabinet tone is critical to the tone. The use of Ownhammer impulses is likely have an positive impact on the "baked in" Line 6 modeling.

I could see using this as either a backup to my Kemper, or as an alternative solution if I ever find myself in need of some of the effects that the Helix offers.

as you can see in the video, he has a Profiler as well. i'd be really interested to hear him playing the same song again using a couple of rigs from his toaster.

Quote from mightypudge

likely have an positive impact on the "baked in" Line 6 modeling. I could see using this as either a backup to my Kemper, or as an alternative solution if I ever find myself in need of some of the effects that the Helix offers.

Ditto. I don't have immediate plans for getting a Helix but it's on my very very short list of things to get for a all-in-one, grab'n'go piece of gear and a backup for the Kemper.

Quote from G String

as you can see in the video, he has a Profiler as well. i'd be really interested to hear him playing the same song again using a couple of rigs from his toaster.

I'm certain that he is being paid/endorsed for that video as opposed to the Kemper. Maybe contact him?

I think the best possible backup for a Kemper is another Kemper

What a great time to be a guitarist! All these amazing pieces of gear available - all I can do is smile. Competition is a good thing, pushing all parties into newer and better products. As for me, I'm fully invested in Kemper, love the tones I'm getting, and I feel certain that there will be additional enhancements to make it even better.

Quote from workingtitle

With the tape delay, tremolo and reverb fx in the Kemper I am not 100% satisfied.

There isn't actually a tape delay in the Kemper yet, it's actually just a Tap delay. Kemper HQ have stated they are working on the delay though, so maybe we'll get one in a future FW update (did someone say NAMM...? )

Quote from Raoul23

Tone is in the fingers so they say, but i wouldnt swap my KPA for anything........... well maybe......... the Kemper 2 lol

I hope there will be no KPA2 - I think musicians would benefit much more if CK innovated with yet a new (and different) product.

Honestly, I don't think this demo sounds great.
PT's playing sounds great, not these tones. There's always this unpleasant grit to them.
BTW, I owned the Helix, and also "live" I didn't like the tones the least bit. A/B'ing with the Kemper made them even more of a joke (yes I can tweak, I've been toying with modellers for over 7 years). Effects were not bad, in some cases (delay and reverbs especially) were *really* good. Usability was a few notches above today's offerings, but not the tweaking heaven people think of. And most importantly, I don't care for easy tweaking, if I end up tweaking to hide a bad tone (that's what I felt like).

Quote from G String

as you can see in the video, he has a Profiler as well. i'd be really interested to hear him playing the same song again using a couple of rigs from his toaster.

Yes i agree, that would be really good to hear and give a great comparison