Which One Would I Buy? Kemper Stage vs Helix

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  • čas přidán 26. 08. 2019
  • www.rhettshull.com
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Komentáře • 1,4K

  • @RhettShull
    @RhettShull  Před 4 lety +23

    My first video course, The Tone Course, is available now. Check it out below!
    flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course

    • @svtbass
      @svtbass Před 4 lety

      Do you have a Line on :BASS Cab: IRS for a Helix?? Im looking for a great B15 or 1970s era ampeg 810..Thank you

    • @avielkharrat5788
      @avielkharrat5788 Před 3 lety

      Any thoughts about Positive Grid products?

    • @LittleRapGuy
      @LittleRapGuy Před 3 lety

      i thhiink you meant S.O.O.L. Sool... :0

    • @srhatfield
      @srhatfield Před 4 měsíci

      13:37 Is this still the case today? Is it time for an update on Helix vs. Kemper?

  • @MateusAsato
    @MateusAsato Před 4 lety +875

    what a great video. thanks, man.

  • @jasonmaltz7040
    @jasonmaltz7040 Před 4 lety +71

    I’ve owned my Helix LT for almost 2 years. Absolutely love it, and has simplified my life as a musician. No more heavy amps, I show up at my gigs with a guitar and the Helix. Direct to front of house, my setup time is 10 mins at the most. Snapshots are amazing. Helix all the way!!!

  • @danielordonezgtr2812
    @danielordonezgtr2812 Před 4 lety +532

    Actually it doesn't matter which one should I buy because I have no money 😂😂🤣🤣

    • @dr150
      @dr150 Před 4 lety +8

      Start a GoFundmMe page....You're welcome!....

    • @dustin2006
      @dustin2006 Před 4 lety +36

      @@dr150 Yeah, forget these cancer patients with hospital bills or the family who lost their valuables in a home burglary, this guy needs a multi-effects board!

    • @steveluth3139
      @steveluth3139 Před 4 lety +15

      @@dustin2006 Who are you to decide where people want to give their money to? If he gets his board with gofundme let him be happy.

    • @Anonymous.android
      @Anonymous.android Před 4 lety +3

      Man this comment really cheered me up, thank you 😂😂

    • @BobSince1981
      @BobSince1981 Před 4 lety +1

      Daniel Ordoñez Did you get your Trump money yet? 😆

  • @philh27
    @philh27 Před 4 lety +37

    Quality piece again, Rhett. Impressed that you genuinely did 'pick one' too. It would be easy to sit on the fence for a comparison such as this.I'm not ready to move from amps and pedalboard, but if I did- based on your synopsis- I'd go for the Kemper!

  • @dermatze2309
    @dermatze2309 Před 4 lety +18

    You literally released this video on the exact day when I was first wondering which one of these to get. Kudos!

  • @Rockefeller1
    @Rockefeller1 Před 4 lety +68

    Sick opening jam, my dude!! 🤘

  • @NOTMEORYOU69696
    @NOTMEORYOU69696 Před 4 lety +14

    This is SO HELPFUL. These are very expensive units and I'm grateful as helllllllllllllllllll for this straight forward comparison.

  • @daveporter3695
    @daveporter3695 Před 4 lety +1

    Great job Rhett. Looking forward to seeing your HX stomp board setup.

  • @kbxiong67
    @kbxiong67 Před 4 lety +15

    Holy cow @ that opening. Sounds so good!

  • @marshallmouth
    @marshallmouth Před 4 lety +3

    I’ve been using the Helix for more than 2 years now and was curious about the Kemper Stage when it was released. Thank you for making this awesome comparison video. Your video helped me confirm that for my tone tweaking needs, I’m good!

  • @stephenhepburn2220
    @stephenhepburn2220 Před rokem

    Have owned the HELIX floor for 3 years now..love it! So much to learn, and you have helped me in the process, thank you.

  • @stevemorgan9626
    @stevemorgan9626 Před 4 lety +16

    Thanks for the comparison review! The only thing I’d disagree with is that being a traditional effects/amp guy for decades, I found the Helix very easy to relate to. The user interface, signal flow I found very intuitive. And liberating - so cool to be able to essentially perform previously studio only functions live.

  • @robinvandervoort9569
    @robinvandervoort9569 Před 4 lety +13

    also, the helix is easy to use with a clicktrack... i program my patch changeovers / fx with the midi out in a daw

  • @petebrown3715
    @petebrown3715 Před 4 lety +184

    Hey Rhett,
    Love the opening jam you did. Excellent sound🤘🎸

    • @curt300s
      @curt300s Před 4 lety +1

      hell yeah.

    • @notbraindead7298
      @notbraindead7298 Před 3 lety

      Rhett, I love all the various jams you do. You play such incredibly tasty licks.

  • @awixtube
    @awixtube Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you so much Rhett for your great length of elaboration on the comparison between Kemper and Helix.

  • @mixmastermonte
    @mixmastermonte Před 2 lety +2

    Thanks! I had not considered the line 6 and now it seems like a better option for me. I’m really impressed by the preparation and organization of the information you provided! Really well done. Thank you!!

  • @Stereostupid
    @Stereostupid Před 5 měsíci +4

    You should do an updated version of this! That would be awesome because of the liquid profiles, the updates and new products now also!

  • @bobbyconti
    @bobbyconti Před 4 lety +38

    You surprised me when you said you'd choose the Helix. I actually made the switch from Helix to Kemper Stage. Amp tone is the most important thing for me, which I think Kemper does way better out of the box. When it comes to effects, I try to keep it simple with delay and reverb. And I have never had any luck with digital overdrives, so I would just gain it up or switch to a dirtier amp. I love the effect options and routing flexibility of the Helix, but I almost never needed it. Kemper does what I need and the amp profiles sound amazing. Great video Rhett!

    • @heavymetal11
      @heavymetal11 Před rokem +7

      This is the comment i am looking for!

    • @ccamacho9333
      @ccamacho9333 Před rokem +3

      I totally agree with you men. The most important thing about all this Amp modeling is trying to get the Best Natural Tube Amp sound in a Digital world and for me The Kemper has that and also the Quad Cortes. Although the Helix and Boss GT 1000 does a great job also but when you compare for a Real Tube Amp feel, Kemper and Quad Cortes Win

    • @jorgemartinez42069
      @jorgemartinez42069 Před 10 měsíci +1

      The Helix I feel like is misunderstood. It has the curse of too much flexibility in a lot of ways. It absolutely can fool anyone in a blind shoot out when compared to any other profiler/modeler/recorded real amp rig, however it needs to be dialed in well and with all of the controls available, there is a lot of room for people to mess up their tone. You need to dive in to learn what everything does and how a recording engineer would set up a signal chain.
      A profiler like the Kemper makes it easy for people who don't want to learn what "sag," "bias," etc. mean to be able to just download a quick profile someone else made and run with it. You can certainly download Helix presets, but I've found that these usually need to be dialed in to taste and to adapt to your specific gear.

    • @dustinw9692
      @dustinw9692 Před 7 měsíci +1

      Same…I’ve owned the Helix Floor, Helix LT, and HX Stomp + pedals.
      The Kemper is absolutely fantastic. You don’t need the flexibility, because it just sounds great.
      I’ve owned a Fractal AX8 and an FM3. Fractal comes closer to competing with the Kemper than Helix, but that’s my opinion which is subjective.
      The FM3 was like the Kemper, everything just sounded great right out of the box. I hardly had to tweak amp settings. Same thing I’m now experiencing with Kemper. Just set it and play!

  • @Jmorris433
    @Jmorris433 Před 4 lety

    Absolutely love your videos, not only are they so informative and interactive but your playing is insane! Keep it up man

  • @tonyleeglenn
    @tonyleeglenn Před 4 lety +1

    Really great review and advice. Thanks Rhett. I'm loving your channel more and more these days!

  • @TalleyWacker1000
    @TalleyWacker1000 Před 4 lety +6

    Great, honest comparison. Love your atmospheric tones. I've had both, I'm a Fractal guy at heart but both of these units are fantastic. The Kemper can be instant gratification when you find the right profiles for your tones. Helix can get there too!

  • @RezMusicMan
    @RezMusicMan Před 8 měsíci +6

    I've seen this video at least 5 or 6 times in the past 2 years and each time, it's been informative 👍🏻
    Thanks Rhett ✊🏻

  • @reddoggie100
    @reddoggie100 Před 4 lety +2

    Great video. This is one of the best and most logical comparisons I’ve seen on these units. Very helpful. Thank you!

  • @jts3339
    @jts3339 Před 4 lety +9

    Great video, Rhett. I agree with your opinions except that my personal preference is to have a separate expression pedal that is not mounted on the main unit. Mechanical devices have components that fail at a higher rate than electronic ones and I don’t want my profiler shipped off to a repair shop because the onboard mechanical pedal had a failure when I can simply plug in a replacement external expression pedal and be good to go.

  • @RJrules64
    @RJrules64 Před 4 lety +9

    The kemper has 'snapshots' in a way too - with the morph function on the rig buttons.

  • @rodneylucas2930
    @rodneylucas2930 Před 4 lety +5

    Rhett when are you going to offer up a recording of your music. I love, love, love the arrangement at the beginning of this video and it would be awesome to get a recording of some of your own work.

  • @jkatzan216
    @jkatzan216 Před 4 lety +1

    THANK YOU for having, and actually expressing, an opinion. Very helpful Rhett. Great video.

  • @joshboydguitar
    @joshboydguitar Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks for putting this video together. I found it a very informative and unbiased review of the two products. Cheers

  • @JHSmithmusic
    @JHSmithmusic Před 4 lety +48

    I own a Helix and wouldn't trade it for anything. The fact that I'm able to do a full wet dry wet rig for $1k is just awesome. I have sooooo much flexibility and control over my tone, so I can really get pinpoint accuracy with whatever I need.

  • @curtisharvey4852
    @curtisharvey4852 Před 4 lety +4

    thanks for a useful video! Definitely a Helix for me. I am tired of my huge pedal board and complex assortment of effects, so I might sell it all for the smaller footprint, lighter weight, and flexibility of a Helix. But I'm keeping my Eventide H9 and Blackbird pre-amp! They are both just too amazing to part with.

  • @markgabriel3015
    @markgabriel3015 Před 4 lety +1

    Great video! Love your playing and honesty. I’ve owned Line 6 gear since they first started in the late 90’s, and it all still works. Got the Helix a few months ago and totally love it. Never used a Kemper, but I’m not a huge metal player so I don’t see a reason to even consider it. Helix effects by far are superb and don’t regret my purchase.

  • @circa33
    @circa33 Před 4 lety

    Great review, Rhett. LOVE your Helix presets and also the Stomp

  • @sexyliam
    @sexyliam Před 4 lety +6

    I started with a Kemper toaster, and due to starting to do some gigs and playing with people, I switched to Helix. both of these were used with a QSC K8 pa speaker. Now I have the Helix floor, and a power cab. I do not like this setup at all... I believe it's the powercab that has broken the spell, but now a days I just play my real amps...
    IF the Kemper floor was around when I started my digital journey, I likely would have been perfectly happy. but I've always found that amping these units up has been very difficult to be satisfied with. I think that studio monitors are probably the best solution for home use, and real guitar cabs with no cab sim are best for performing, if you can get away with it. But overall, I just really love amps... almost more than guitars sometimes ; )

  • @InGratitudeIam
    @InGratitudeIam Před 4 lety +7

    Whichever one you prefer and is easier to use live. Soundwise, the audience won't know the difference. Coming from the traditional amp/pedalboard, I found the Helix really easy and sounding great..

  • @lrdstrahd1
    @lrdstrahd1 Před 4 lety

    What an intro! Love the tone. Informative vid. Thank you for doing it.

  • @acj1980
    @acj1980 Před 4 lety +1

    Great analysis Rhett. I have just recently started using the Helix lt for bass. A great unit.... Like you mentioned per signal path.... So programmable. I use one xlr to feed front of house, the other xlr to feed our x32 for in-ears, and a jack out to feed any on stage backline (obviously without cab sim etc)
    . Works amazing for me!!! Keep up the good work 👍

  • @kenmartinmusic
    @kenmartinmusic Před 4 lety +21

    I have an HX stomp with a mini crybaby and mini dunlop volume for my fly rig, and its everything I could possibly "need" for any gig (and more).

  • @RocketinExile
    @RocketinExile Před 4 lety +26

    Man you're a great player. Well done.

  • @musicman78626
    @musicman78626 Před 4 lety +1

    Great review that folks can actually use! I would agree fully. After 2 years living with the Helix, it's been a fantastic rig. The only issue was stage volume when playing in a traditional band which can be solved with the MIssion IO powered cab. Then I bought a used 20th Anniversary Bogner Shiva (KT88) - now everything has changed including my stage set up and wow, I get all kinds of compliments on my sound now and how balanced my tone is at just about any volume level. I actually have folks that are not guitar players come up to me and say how the sound of my guitar gave them chills. That's pretty dang cool...

  • @thebandcordero
    @thebandcordero Před 3 lety +1

    Great video man. Super helpful. Great job explaining the differences between the 2. Have used the lunchbox Kemper for several years and was just a little lack luster for me. Especially the onboard fx. Leaning towards a Helix all in one set up. Cheers!

  • @stephencarlson7297
    @stephencarlson7297 Před 4 lety +28

    The Tilly burst is a best. Like the best parts of a gretsch met novo and a prs super eagle. And that popped out. Damn

  • @jamesmcdonaldmusic1783
    @jamesmcdonaldmusic1783 Před 3 lety +11

    DAMN DUDE, i was leaning so hard for the kemper when i started watching this. but im selling my JVM410C and Pedals and going digital. Looks like you may have made line 6 a sale... Great Video

  • @Patsau
    @Patsau Před 4 lety

    Crystal clear explanations, as always ! Well done !

  • @TheVirginianRambler
    @TheVirginianRambler Před 4 lety

    Amazing video Rhett! If I ever go to buy one of these products, I'll make sure to keep all of this in mind!

  • @brendanhay8838
    @brendanhay8838 Před 4 lety +3

    I gotta say, that intro is absolutely killer dude. Incredible.

  • @rickbiessman6084
    @rickbiessman6084 Před 3 lety +7

    Which of the two would I get? Hm... Quad Cortex :D Seriously though, I asked myself the same question when I decided to go full digital. I was leaning towards the Kemper even though the Kemper Stage wasn’t even announced yet, so it would have been Toaster + Remote. More stuff to carry, more expensive. But I knew the sounds would be there.
    Then Helix came on the scene and while a lot of people judged that its amp sounds were just a tad beneath Kemper, I scoured CZcams for comparisons and found: if you know what you’re doing, you’re going to get great sounds out of both of them. I went with the Helix LT because of the super flexible routing options and integrated pedal and who would have thought: I use the routing options much more than I ever thought I would! So for me it was the right call.

  • @dennisbutler8393
    @dennisbutler8393 Před 4 lety +1

    The song you play at the beginning of this video is AWESOME! Love your videos bro. You're a monster player and I appreciate your advice and info on all things guitar. Keep up the good work Mr. Rhett Shull.

  • @horizontalblanking
    @horizontalblanking Před 4 lety +1

    Really great review, and I'm glad you kept it to features and your experiences. I'm in the Helix camp - for 2 years - so I am already biased. But I think you were right to break them down by "what type of player are you." Both are perfectly capable of making great tones... it just depends on your approach and what you are looking for.

  • @staffaykayser9467
    @staffaykayser9467 Před 4 lety +6

    Keep em coming! I will buy Your old, stock tubeamps for the lowest market price available!

  • @manu_mflwr
    @manu_mflwr Před 4 lety +4

    Dude. That opening Jam is one of my favourite ones you did so far! Any plans on releasing stuff like that by yourself?
    Keep up your amazing work!

  • @timothyjohnson9739
    @timothyjohnson9739 Před 4 lety

    Hey Rhett, thanks for all you do! I've been watching you for a few months now. Got introduced to you via your collaboration with Beato, and now you've got another grateful subscriber! I've been looking for a multi-effects for a few months now, and this video convinced me. Today, I went and traded my 78 Fender Pro Reverb in for the Helix. I've seen (I think) all of your videos featuring the Helix floor, and brother, if it's good enough for you I'm sure I'll be gassed when I get it. I've got a couple of days before it arrives from backorder. Can't thank you enough for your honest and road-tested information, as well as your video documentation and personal insights. Good luck and fortune for you and your wife always, and bless you for your good work. You're one of the Tubers I can REALLY trust when you "review" something. I'll be looking forward to purchasing your Helix presets when I get my unit and recover a little from the sticker shock! (Ramen and Peanut Butter for a couple of weeks!) -- Thanks again! -Tim

  • @scottakam
    @scottakam Před 4 lety +1

    Nice comparison. I didn't need a full blown Helix so I never pulled the trigger. When the HX Stomp came out it was exactly what I was looking for so I jumped on it. So far I love it as a home user. That's another Helix advantage. You can get in at several price points without sacrificing sound quality. You just get fewer features which some people may not need.

  • @danyavilaoficial
    @danyavilaoficial Před 3 lety +3

    When you pair a Helix and a Variax Guitar the couple go to the stratosphere!!!! Is unbelievable!!! The way it sounds, flexibility , and is absolutely noiseless , great for recording and live sessions.

  • @6stringks
    @6stringks Před 4 lety +3

    Interesting video thanks for all the info. I bought my Kemper when they came out and after fiddling with it, I have put it aside. After 3 years the USB port failed on the Kemper being used only about 10 times . I called Kemper, it was probably 3 weeks after the warranty had expired. They sit about 30 mins away from me. It would not be covered under their warranty and I would sent it via package to them. Which I never did. There is no easy support for me and I never used my Kemper again. The reliability of this gear is not for me.
    If I was a Pro I would have no trust in such a behavior of the factory rep either.
    So they only sold me one product in my life. Build quality is important to me.
    Thanks again for your interesting comparison. Peace (also to Kemper)

  • @adrianr2312
    @adrianr2312 Před 4 lety

    Love all the videos you do on these profilers!

  • @Wilson-PaintAudio
    @Wilson-PaintAudio Před 3 lety

    I'm touched so deeply by the openning song just at the first 2 seconds!!!

  • @countstoneula
    @countstoneula Před 4 lety +11

    Great video! I wish Kemper would make a smaller pedal about the size of a Strymon Timeline that I could run at the end of my Pedalboard. They’ve definitely got the amp simulation down.

  • @kyordy
    @kyordy Před 4 lety +11

    I really love my HX Stomp for integration with my pedalboard of analog effects. the Stomp's something that's far easier to take to a quick rehearsal or integrate into an existing rig. I feel like the Helix takes a bit of learning, regarding how the parameters work in each effect; you can't just put everything at noon and it sounds great. However, once you spend a little time with it, the stuff Helix can do is just wild.

    • @bobbyodell8676
      @bobbyodell8676 Před 3 lety +4

      I'm getting an HX Stomp...they look and sound badass. I'm tired of wrestling with tech. I don't wanna be a youtube tweaker star...I just wanna play guitar!

    • @BagusWibisono
      @BagusWibisono Před 3 lety +1

      hi sir.. hx stomp with external real pedal is better sounding than the internal hx stomp?

    • @kyordy
      @kyordy Před 3 lety

      @@BagusWibisono I prefer it. Just because I like different pedals than are available in the stomp. There’s a number of youtubers who have videos on how they’ve integrated their stomp in with a full pedalboard and how all that sounds. Heck, I even have a couple videos on my channel about that.
      I love a good analog delay, and there’s an “analog” delay simulation in the stomp, but I like my real one.
      Situations like that are why I preferred to add the stomp to a pedalboard.

    • @BagusWibisono
      @BagusWibisono Před 3 lety

      Someone tell me cause the stomp with external pedal will be fizzy or plastic sounding, better with internal pedal. But, it just someone preference. Another people olso said like you. I plan to buy Hx stomp with BB preamp external pedal (booster for my high gain amp simulator on hx stomp). How about you dude?

    • @offaithandfire3440
      @offaithandfire3440 Před 2 lety

      How do get Around the 60cycle hum ? As soon as I start adding amps its unbearable. The gates destroy any responsiveness.

  • @ccrosebrock1
    @ccrosebrock1 Před 4 lety +1

    Just picked up a helix a few weeks ago. I debated picking up the kemper stage but ultimately it came down to price and the integrated expression pedal. I find the workflow incredibly easy considering all the things that you can do with your signal flow. I’ve also downloaded a few killer presets that have helped give me ideas on how to create my own presets and make them sound amazing. I’ve also downloaded a few impulse responses that have really made this thing sound killer! I’ve never owned or played a kemper, but all in all I have no regrets.

  • @nino369
    @nino369 Před 4 lety

    Thank you for this clear and enlightening
    video. I completely agree with your review of the units (I'm a Helix owner). Great job!!!

  • @Jason-Taylor
    @Jason-Taylor Před 4 lety +3

    Hey Rhett, great video! I have both the Helix and Kemper Stage. My Helix has been my workhorse and love it for ease of use, routing and flexibility. I don't use it for amp and cab simulation very much as I'm using Synergy preamp modules and tube power amp for my tone however, the Kemper amps sound and feel really great. I was considering running both units together and connecting the Kemper into the FX Loop of the Helix and using it for just the amp tones while keeping the Helix for effects, snapshots etc. Have you thought about trying this? I tried it one night at practice for like 5 minutes but was getting a ton of feedback when turning up the volume on my power amp. It's probably just a setting that I haven't spent the time to figure out yet but I'd love to hear your thoughts on this type of setup?

  • @musicinsession
    @musicinsession Před 3 lety +17

    Great video! I have both but I choose the kemper. For me is way closer to the real thing and I hate the tweaking. I just like to start making music as quickly as possible without having to spend ages fiddling with knobs. I am also very pedantic when it comes to wah pedals so prefer some a bit more custom than just a one size fits all. The kemper for me is the closest thing to a real amp out there!

  • @MartyNightengale
    @MartyNightengale Před 4 lety

    This is a solid video!! Great job on explaining the differences clearly in a non-biased way!

  • @autumn-works
    @autumn-works Před 4 lety

    Great comparison! Thank you for making this vid!!

  • @revjeffg
    @revjeffg Před 4 lety +4

    Great vid, as always. One quibble: I used to think an attached expression pedal was a plus, until I realized that - as the most moving part - it was doomed to fail long before the rest of the board. And also ridiculously hard to repair/replace (as opposed to standard footswitches). Yeah, it’s an extra cable/pedal, but much easier to swap out. Also, you can choose a “wah/short throw” controller or a linear “volume” pedal based on your needs.

    • @RhettShull
      @RhettShull  Před 4 lety +3

      Good point!

    • @dustinw9692
      @dustinw9692 Před 7 měsíci +1

      Yea definitely a good point! Just look at how many Helix LT’s had failed expressions.
      BTW I’ve owned pretty much every modern modeler including all the Helix Variants minus the rack, Fractal AX8 & FM3, Headrush, and Boss Multis. I’m not partial to a brand. I get whatever gets the job done easiest.
      I recently bought a Kemper Stage and they must’ve really improved the efx section since this video? I’m thoroughly impressed with the effects, especially the delays and reverbs. The drives are as good as the fractal stuff.
      Also, they now have the phone app, that’s an easy win for me!

  • @millmoormichael6630
    @millmoormichael6630 Před 4 lety +3

    You’re the working class hero of the guitarists of the world no joke
    Really admire the consistency of your playing, kudos

  • @rigorhead01
    @rigorhead01 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow! What a great video! Very informative, thank you for this.

  • @GhostGuitars
    @GhostGuitars Před 4 lety

    Really useful video thanks Rhett. I have used a line 6 XT a lot (time to upgrade!) but you are right about the expression pedal being so useful especially live when stage volumes can be all over the place. Looks like I'll get a Helix next

  • @exileCH
    @exileCH Před 4 lety +3

    Kemper. I had line6 and the kpa sounds more natural and dynamic, and foh is just phenomenal. Plus the kpa will serve the unit longer than line 6

  • @brinepacer
    @brinepacer Před 4 lety +9

    Gotta say man, I love your channel. No bullshit, by a musican for musicians. One of the few channels where I genuinely trust what you say. Keep it up.

    • @RhettShull
      @RhettShull  Před 4 lety +2

      Thanks Brian!

    • @actionarnie78
      @actionarnie78 Před 4 lety +1

      This. I simply do not see any value in gear reviews by players that get the equipment in, do a review and never touch it again. Getting an opinion from a player that has used the gear on tour for an extended period is gold.

  • @karymwillemsen5564
    @karymwillemsen5564 Před 4 lety +2

    You are such a talented person. It is really nice to see someone with all of your skills. Your a great guitar player. You are great in front of the camera. Your editing is great. Also a good sound engineer. With that much talent only good things can happen. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

  • @solarpoint1
    @solarpoint1 Před 4 lety +1

    great content. thoughtful, concise, leading to a logical conclusion. both units are pro level and FOH loves them. I don't mind playing these rigs live because they sound great. I then enjoy my tube amps at home and in the studio.

  • @blessidunion
    @blessidunion Před 4 lety +5

    I bought the Helix 3 1/2 years ago and love it. I was using the Pod Pro with in-ears around 2001 and in the late 80s I was using an ADA tube pre with a midi foot switcher. With my band Blessid Union Of Souls I used Godin guitars on songs that I needed acoustic sounds and electric guitar at the same time so now I use a Variax guitar with a Helix connected with a cat 5 cable which allows you to run the modeled acoustic sound out of the Variax in the right channel of the Helix going through a preamp and eq and the magnetic pickups of the Variax going through the left channel of the Helix going through amp and guitar effects. Using snapshots to mute either one or have both at once. Line 6 all the way for me.

  • @jaricklosey4607
    @jaricklosey4607 Před 4 lety +23

    Having owned all the modelers, I went Axe FX 3. Love the Helix interface, love the Kemper feel, but Fractal puts everything together with bleeding edge amp modeling and in my opinion the best effects. They're all fun toys though!

    • @_NotEnoughMana
      @_NotEnoughMana Před 4 lety +11

      I live in the UK where the axe fx 3 is £1000 MORE than the Helix and £500 more than the Kemper. For a £1000 difference between the Helix and the Axe fx, it is a no brainer to get the Helix and the customisation it offers.

    • @coppulor6500
      @coppulor6500 Před 4 lety +1

      does the Axe feel as good/real as the Kemper?

  • @culturetrash3191
    @culturetrash3191 Před 4 lety +2

    Fantastic video, as always. Would love to see Kemper come out with something comparable to the HX Stomp.

  • @ryanbailey112
    @ryanbailey112 Před 4 lety +1

    You put a lot of work in your videos. Thank you.

  • @billdaggett7911
    @billdaggett7911 Před 3 lety +4

    I think you may be selling the Kemper short on "tweakability". The amp profile (essentially a model as the result of profiling) has some pretty deep editing capabilities that can seriously alter the tone from the base model. In the right hands, it's no less tweakable than a modeller. The virtually endless number of freely downloadable amp profiles gets you to a good starting point and the deep tone tweaking gets you dialed in quickly. I like the Helix tóo. My bandmate uses the Helix and the tone quality is comparable. Where I see the difference is in software/firmware. Kemper is constantly adding enhancements. The new acoustic sim and additional OD stomps and delays are really good.

  • @MrDavemiley
    @MrDavemiley Před 4 lety +43

    Tried both using lots of different profiles and presets made for both. I prefer the Kemper above and beyond the Helix because the amp sounds on the Kemper just feel and sound a lot better.

    • @matthewf9500
      @matthewf9500 Před 4 lety

      MrDavemiley I wasn't feeling any of the high gain amps on the helix. Do you use high gain profiles on the kemper?

    • @MrDavemiley
      @MrDavemiley Před 4 lety +7

      @@matthewf9500 I go from Dwight Yoakum to black Sabbath , SRV, ZZ Top, Sultans of swing. All sounded better with the Kemper . I thought The Helix had nice FX, just not real enough amp sounds

    • @robertwellington2616
      @robertwellington2616 Před 4 lety +1

      Matthew F I do. I have to add a pedal for better feel and sound too. They’re great for gigging guitarists but for home nope. Not getting rid of the amp that took a lifetime to find.

    • @DanieleGiannattasio
      @DanieleGiannattasio Před 4 lety +2

      @@matthewf9500 If you want high gain metal sounding amps, check out the STL Tones packs. I agree the Helix can't compare to a Kemper

    • @darklightstudios
      @darklightstudios Před 4 lety +1

      @@matthewf9500 I have a kemper and play a lot of Metal through it, have some profiles I made myself that I love and also some other ones I bought that are great! I just got the Messhugah ones and they are killer as well!

  • @blacksunlori
    @blacksunlori Před 3 lety +2

    Thank you for this video! I've bought a Helix last year, almost didn't touch it since then....life was complicated. Now I want to start to get into it....and to be honest...I already have a headache when I think of how complicated it is....at least that's what many people say. I really hope I will learn to use it.

  • @pawnshopninjas
    @pawnshopninjas Před 3 lety

    Love your playing dude. Nice work on the video

  • @chrisact9601
    @chrisact9601 Před 4 lety +7

    I own a Helix Rack with the foot controller and the M-Audio expression pedals so I'm arguably somewhat biased. One thing the Helix does really well is act as a home studio interface. The mic input and preamp are great. The routing abilities are excellent.
    That said ... if I had unlimited money, I'll get an AxeFxIII now. It's way more tweakable than the Helix and the amp models sound better. It's about 30% more expensive here in Australia though so bang for buck, the Helix is still a good choice

    • @juanvaldez5422
      @juanvaldez5422 Před 4 lety

      I use the helix in a home studio. very versatile. The routing can do insane things

  • @Zaddn1
    @Zaddn1 Před 4 lety +3

    So I hear you on the expression pedal issue. I do think those are “high wear” items so it could be a benefit to have a separate pedal for that so you can swap out. But I definitely get where you are coming from.

    • @WZW1982
      @WZW1982 Před 4 lety

      This is what I thought as well. The solid-state Kemper will last years longer than a mechanical pedal. I think that's why they made it external.

  • @stuarthossack7906
    @stuarthossack7906 Před 4 lety

    A great and balanced overview of these excellent pieces of kit. I bought the Helix to replace a few amps and pedals, to get rid of the clutter - I only play at home these days. I don't find the Helix as accessible as an amp/pedal set up BUT it took me a while to realise why ........... there are soooooo many options, almost to the point that I spent more time learning "Helix" and tweeking than playing. I thought I was going to be able to plug in, switch on and play, which you can do, but you may be disappointed with what comes out i.e. it didn't sound like the YT vids straight out of the box. It takes a little investment of time because it ain't "amps and pedals", it's a computer. I had to be less lazy and put some work in, more than I expected to. I love it now though for all the reasons Rhett gave, I just found it hard work at the beginning. Now if Line 6 started to have a profiling facility ............. nah, the complexity would scare the s**t out of me. Enjoyed the comparison .......... oh, and I still haven't got rid of my amps and pedals so I have even more clutter now.

  • @ivannamba1
    @ivannamba1 Před 4 lety +1

    Wow! Amazing sound, great quality. Good job, man! 👏🏻👍🏻

  • @debaleine
    @debaleine Před 4 lety +7

    Kemper.
    That’s all folks !
    Kemper change vision to do the music.

  • @loganboland
    @loganboland Před 4 lety +25

    Best guitar content on youtube 🤟🏼 You should totally put your jams on Apple Music, id totally listen all the time

  • @keokiheller4351
    @keokiheller4351 Před 4 lety

    Great USEFUL vid as usual! Thanks for the info!😎

  • @seanfullertonmusic9885
    @seanfullertonmusic9885 Před 2 lety +2

    Hey Rhett! Love your vids, especially on the Helix and HX Stomp. I've been a Helix user for about 5 years now, and do about 200+ gigs a year. I mainly play Acoustic Blues, Soul, RnR, and instrumental Fingerstyle, and the Helix is amazing for all of it. Too bad there aren't many vids out there (that I've found) on Acoustic guitar sounds with the Helix. It can be done. :) Two things about the Helix I really appreciate along with everything you mentioned are A) the benefits of the scribble strips for each foot switch, and B) that each preset is like a new pedalboard. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for all you do! Later brother man.

  • @mikerathbun5449
    @mikerathbun5449 Před 4 lety +25

    Also if you own a Helix you can pick up Helix Native for $99. You can bring over your Helix patches unmodified and use them in your DAW with a dry signal and then make changes to your Helix parameters in the plugin.

  • @formercakid
    @formercakid Před 2 lety +3

    I've owned the Helix, Helix Stomp, Headrush Pedalboard and Gig Board, BOSS GT 1000 & Core, ZOOM G6, MOOER GE300 and keep going back to my Kemper Stage because IMO it sounds like a real tube amp and reacts to playing like a real tube amp would.

  • @TheRickdoggie
    @TheRickdoggie Před 4 lety

    Great video, Rhett. Also great playing and tones.

  • @jlrgaming8754
    @jlrgaming8754 Před 4 lety +1

    This was a fantastic video - opinions aside I think you laid out the pros and cons very well and articulated them concisely. I'm not a professional musician, simply a hobbyist guitarist. I have been looking at both systems because I am primarily space constrained and need to be able to achieve a good sound at low volumes and I like to fiddle with effects and presets. I've been leaning toward the Helix for a long time because I'm familiar with Line 6 effects and agree they are top notch. This video was what tipped the balance strongly in favor of the Helix. I am planning the purchase of a Helix very soon. Thanks!

  • @tempest63132
    @tempest63132 Před 4 lety +12

    I completely agree with your assesment on the helix. I've owned it since the beginning and haven't looked back on traditional amp rigs. I find that my friends, while they love their amp rigs, are a bit jealous of the swiss army like usefulness of the helix.

  • @aintnothinbutdablues
    @aintnothinbutdablues Před 4 lety +14

    Kemper as a great sounding amp, Helix as a great home user interface and effects pedalboard.

    • @heut4384
      @heut4384 Před 2 lety +2

      A "Helix as a great home user..."?? Both items are home, recording, and on stage.

    • @lperry65
      @lperry65 Před 2 lety +1

      Troll

  • @danlewis8044
    @danlewis8044 Před 4 lety

    This is exactly the video I've been waiting to see. Thank you. This might be weird for a stranger on the internet to say, but...with all the new information you presented, I think you just changed my mind!

  • @lfigueroa97
    @lfigueroa97 Před 3 lety

    Thanks Rhett, very useful!!

  • @ChrisMadson
    @ChrisMadson Před 4 lety +3

    Having had both, I got rid of the Helix and currently have the Kemper Stage. I use it for all my effects except that I have a Strymon Deco running in the X-Slot for stereo separation. I just feel like it sounds and, especially, feels closer to the real thing. And, I have to spend far less time setting up the Kemper than I ever did with the Helix.
    Thanks for making the video!! All great points!!

  • @FelipeDSouza
    @FelipeDSouza Před 4 lety +68

    HX Stomp for amp/cab modelling + traditional pedalboard 🤘

    • @chronicmango
      @chronicmango Před 4 lety +1

      That’s how my board looks 👍

    • @liorodriguez7998
      @liorodriguez7998 Před 4 lety +1

      I 2nd that.

    • @alexwong7
      @alexwong7 Před 4 lety +1

      I'm still using my amp as a gain stage but I use the cab sims in the Stomp for FOH

    • @DrFearCo
      @DrFearCo Před 4 lety +1

      HX stomp is great. I have it integrated into my pedal board. You can even run wet/dry.

    • @LaminarSound
      @LaminarSound Před 4 lety +1

      Yep its what I did. Best of both worlds. Insane tone.

  • @Lidor-levy-guitar
    @Lidor-levy-guitar Před 4 lety

    Great video !!! You're Honest and professional in your review and also great music throughout ! thnx !!