Really different. I'd say 101B cleans up better like a plexi. The Helios is a take on a Jose mod Marshall, it has an added tube gain stage on the front end. It would be like have an always on pedal where you hear the voice all the time. The 101B is bouncy in feel and Helios is tighter. Both feel great to play. In the end I got a great deal on a Ecstasy Classic which sounded more classic JMP marshall to me. Beefier power amp. Helios is more hotrodded marshall can do Slash and EVH tones at reasonable volumes.
@@fattone thanks makes sense. I don’t mean this in a derogatory way (because sometimes that tone is just killer) but i get more of a trashy, skanky, greasy vibe from the Helios...the 101b seems to be more of a professional, complex, evolved tonality?
There are two inputs, Plexi and Hot Plexi input has two channels, a true clean channel 1 and a master volume plexi channel 2 and they are switchable. The Hot input has two channels, a hotrodded Marshall channel 2 and a non master plexi channel 1 with no eq and sounds similar to a superbass/jtm which is what the clean channel becomes on that input. You can not switch between the inputs with any pedal. I used the Hot input channel 2 and just rolled the volume on the guitar down for clean. It's best to think of the amp as a one channel amp with a lot of tone shaping, its not really meant to be a channel switcher.
@@fattone, i think similar, that this amp have a real true tone! but i have doubts because actually i have a Engl PowerBall and this is super versatile (clean, crunch, lead 1 and lead 2), but o would like change mi sound (more than 15 years with him). Also, i dont use lead 2, just for solos, if play metal alone and five minutes previously to play with the band jejeje. Really i play punk rock, but i want play blues and all rock variety. I want a raw, street hot rodded distorsion, and sweet moments, but they not are mi base sound. But, one moment, do you know Helios Eclipse?
@@jamalakao6384 The Eclipse is not the same gain or tone. It has a simple clean like the Helios (volume, presence and bright switch), but no plexi. It starts with a kind of Hot on channel 2 but gets more gain from there via tube gain stages and diode clipping, so much gain that some guitar pickups will squeal. The original Helios were more raw Marshall flavor but the Eclipse is more a channel switcher and smoother. The original Helios does have an 80's mode which has diode clipping and added gain. Crank up the treble and scoop out a bit of mids with bass halfway on B2 Ch2 and it gets very heavy but never harsh add a boost pedal or eq pedal in the loop for solos and it's very versatile but you wont have a true clean to switch to. Hmm, maybe a Diezel Paul?
@@jamalakao6384 This is 70's mode Ch2 B2 with mids at about 10o'clock and treble around 2:30. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-BxJFu2OnY2Q.html
