Why I don't use the Line 6 Helix anymore... 

“Main reason I don’t use the Helix any more is size”. // pulls out Helix-sized board Not sure your new board is any smaller than the Helix, and more components means more stuff to potentially go wrong, and harder to try things out, no?

Your content is good, you do not need the click bait titles that are getting overused all over RU-vid. You are the go to person for all my HX/helix needs. I wouldn't mind seeing you do a more in depth review of the Shure wireless in an upcoming video.

As soon as you said "Touring Preset", meaning you use one signal path for all your sounds, then of course the Helix is too much. For those of us in cover bands, we play a wide range of music. Makes much more sense for us. I probably touch at least 30 different amps in a 4 hour gig.

I just got hotone ampero 2 stage pedal and i'm pretty blown away. I had a quad cortex and a tonex pedal but sent them all back. This one feels like a good medium inbetween at a fair price. Takes after the quad cortex alot minus the capture ability. Could be worth checking out. Love the channel content! Cheers!

The new rig doesn't look much physically smaller than the Helix. Color me confused. I would think a Tonex Pedal (or other small amp in a box) into a multi-FX would be half that size.

Thank you for being so honest with us. You have been praising the Helix for so long and you were probably 50% of the reason why I bought mine years ago. But with time I used it less and less and I've also changed how I approach tones. I sold my Helix floor and kept my Stomp. Couldn't be happier. Love to see the evolution and the transparency, Sir.

Helix Floor for me. Perfect all in one! So convenient. Much easier to maintain than a bunch of pedals cabled together.

I built a simple fly rig around the HX Stomp and found I could do everything with that. I haven't gotten rid of my Helix, but I haven't taken it out of the closet in over a year either.

I started with the Helix LT, but have since downsized to an HX Stomp paired with an HX Effects, which has been a great combo. Pretty much the only thing it can't match the Helix on is dual signal path, which isn't an issue for me. I'm always looking at the Helix debating if I should get one again but videos like this remind me that I'm plenty happy where I'm at.

I always enjoy your presentations Steve. God bless you and all you love. What a wonderful choice of musical tools we have today!

I recall that you and Jessica used the one Helix. What is she going through now?

I'm happy to hear someone else say this. I have had a little stomp on my board with analog pedals for years now.

All a matter of preference, The discussion of modelers have been going on for ages, and for me, Line 6 with their FREE updates etcetera are a charm. Lots of space, especially if you use the entire board.

I'm finally getting around to seeing this after seeing you post it in the Helix group. Completely understand wanting to get more into the same footprint. Watching your videos had a lot of influence for me to get my LT. Now, since learning more about MIDI, it has become a great device to use for home recording. For what it's worth, thanks for providing that influence.

How much you want for it since you're not using it anymore?

I’ve been trying to get away from Helix floor for years, trying other options, and I’m still coming back to Helix floor.

I’ve gone from lots of pedals and complicated sounds to just plugging into an amp. On my HX stomp my rigs are very simple now too. Simpler is better. Good video Steve. Looking forward to hearing the podcast.

So much Wisdom here! TY Steve! Liking the Pod Casts!

I moved from a helix to HX Stomp board. Use an external Drive pedal and a reverb/delay pedal with it. Also run a Jet MIDI programmable foot switch with it. Running it all on a temple audio board with a clocks dc7 power supply. Compact, all in one and modular unit. I run all connections in/out and power from the side. Fits in a backpack.

What power supply do you use to run the Helix XL?

I was trying to figure out how to power my HX stomp since it needs 3A. Good to know that iSpot can power it.

I've been using wireless since the 80s. Started out with nady Tried almost every brand. the Shure GLXD16+ Digital Wireless By far is my favorite. it's the size of an overdrive pedal.

Great video man! Keep it up dude!

Great channel, Steve, I'm now a new subscriber! I'm getting ready to make my first jump into the multi-effect/midi world. I have a recently acquired RJM PBC/6X for loop switching and midi control. Also a Friedman IR-X pedal functioning as my amp, along with a fuzz and couple of dirt pedals. Everything else will come from a multi. Down to HX Stomp XL, HX Effects, Boss GT1000 Core and TC Electronic Plethora 5X. I don't necessarily need the amp modeling of the Stomp XL and Core, but don't mind having that as a backup. Any thoughts on these, in terms of ease of use and midi programming? I'm not by nature a tweaker type...just want to get through the setup process to make my gigging easier in the long run.

Only using my headrush now i sold the helix

Super helpful, thanks. I bought a used helix a couple of months ago and I love it, but I still have a pedal board just in case.

I agree about the expression / volume pedal. I played in a cover band for years. Never once needed this type of pedal with my modeler. I guess that’s why I love the Quad Cortex. The shure GLXD 14 is a very good wireless. Never let me down. Expensive but small and worth it.

The whole time I was just thinking, “why not use a fractal audio device” then you bust out the fm9. Solid device. I think the fm3 turbo would be a better live solution, but hey, what you have is working too so that’s cool! 👍

I’ve watched three of your videos and on each one of them you’ve gone out of your way to tell us about your world travels and how serious of a musician you are. I counted four times on one video alone.

Those half a dozen petals on that board look about as big as a helix setup. You said simplify but you're using half a dozen petals instead of just one with a lot of cables and connection between them. It may be more enjoyable and you may prefer it but it doesn't look much smaller or simpler to me.

But isn’t your new touring board the same size as the Helix? The overall logic is sensible though.

Line 6 should put out an update to the HX Effects that includes amps. It would be a great form factor for many situations. All these things should be the size of a smart phone if not for the foot switches. That Helix you held up looks the same as holding up a cellular phone in 1987!

I just picked up an HX Stomp XL. I have a lot to learn. I got it to go with my Tonex pedal so I can control the Tonex pedal from the HX Stomp XL through midi. I haven't done anything with the HX yet but trying to read the manual.

Hey Steve, Thanks for the rig rundown. Very helpful. I'm also a touring guitarist. Wondering what are those colored nuts on the back of your pedals? That makes it so easy to see what's what.

Would it be possible to connect your new board to a fender champion 50 xl (wired via the instrument input) or only to speakers?

Hi Steve. What do you use as backup when touring?

Yeah I get it but on the Helix and many other similar multi effects you can get one or several really good IR and just connect it to the PA and your are all set to go, no need to carry an amp of cab at all, also add an active monitor so you can hear your self if you don't use in ear system. Also that pedalboard you are using now is not very much smaller compared to the Helix actually. I want to get away from carry heavy amps and cabs and I think even cheaper Headrush and Line 6 Pod Go and Moore GE300 and such are very powerful these days thanks to built amps and cabs and capable of uploading IRs and stuff like that.. but anyway.. great video. Thanks.

I also experienced dropouts with the line 6 G10S, but have had very good luck with the G70. Granted, this is not as high-end as your shure system but the receiver is more compact, pedal sized and very rugged.

Great stuff...thanks so much! Maybe you've already been asked this question or done it...have you tried running a Friedman IR-X through a loop in the stomp XL (in place of an amp block)? That's been my go to for the past couple months. I go back to the Helix Floor and FM9 at times to see if I'm missing anything lol. They're still really great and handy but the Friedman sounds so good to me. I typically use the Friedman supplied Black Back 57 160 IR and some midi switching through to Stomp. It works best for CCM and most anything, in my opinion

HELIX is nice! Guitar processors can make a big difference in sound depending on the CAB IR you use. actually there are many IR products on the market, but I think DYNAX IR has the best sound. As stated in their product description, DYNAX IR is really fast. When using IRs, the pick attack is sometimes delayed, and it is difficult to add picking nuances, but their IR prevents all of that. It's revolutionary!

I have a Eventide H9 I agree I love the spring reverb and Harminizor

Been rocking with the LT for the last 8 years or so but I really want to switch over to the Stomp XL for it's size alone.

Thank you Steve!!

That board looks as big if not bigger than the Helix floor. Am I missing something here?

Fractal is so high level... You will get the best result for recording.. Line6 will come out with the next one... Great video.. Smaller is better these days..

Good vid, Steve. Sweet looking little board, too.

i use my Helix LT as a glorified effects-only pedal board to control my Suhr PT15, and like you, an H90 in the LT's effects loop. I'd love to go smaller but being in a Rush tribute band precludes it. Exp pedal is a must have, and i also use one w/the H90. Killer, killer tones from this rig. If you told me 5 yeas ago i'd abandon my stomboxes for a multi-effect unit, i would have laughed. 3 years w/this rig, still on the honeymoon. It's cool how Helix can be so many different things to different people, based on their needs.

You need the Line 6 feather duster. The best part of the G10S is it doesn’t POP when removing it from the guitar when switching.

Sold my Helix. I have an HX stomp in the studio that I don't use. I do use Helix Native on nearly every recording.

Headrush core? sticken with the helix lt as it has Variax input.

If it works for you, then that is awesome! I love the Helix, use wah and expression all the time, and suck up all the DSP with a variety of effects. As a lead singer and lead player, I can't let go of snapshots for simplicity lol!

Let’s get some Kemper profiles 😊

HX Stomp XL user here too. I use it mostly 4CM with a tube amp but have used it in full on modeler modeler mode as you do. I'm interested to see your signal flow on that board and where you put your boos pedal as well as that H90. Do you insert a loop for the H90 or put it after the HX Stomp?

For myself the Helix Stomp XL is TOO hard to understand and use. To me I cannot find a BASIC tutorial video. The manual is very confusing and cannot "name" their stuff consistently. Mine stays in my closet and I continue using my old XT Live.

What you finally discovered the Tonéx cause that kicks on stomp

As a Helix owner I would love an FM9.

Yeah man, I had the same happen. I LOVED my Helix BUT started kinda missing my individual pedals. Ive gone back to a small enough basic pedal setup with a Strymon Iridium and I’m just happier…. Not to shit on Helix, it’s brilliant, but huge and kinda ‘soulless’ if you like pedals. 😊

me who still has his Tonex + HX Stomp setup, but just bought the floor cause I wanted to have the easier time building presets on a dedicated platform instead of having to mess with presets, MIDI, and HX command center, and external pedal settings all the time just to get my desired tones. The floor I can get what I am after significantly faster. Plus the floor is honestly not that heavy, I would rather have the floor then haul tube heads and cabs all the time thats for sure.

How do you get the Helix LT expression pedal to do a more smooth and gradual volume increase from heel to toe? Mine doesn't increase volume gradually so I opted to use a separate volume pedal to handle that issue.

I couldn’t agree more on simple pedalboard layouts. I mainly play Worship, which is sadly infested with King Kong size pedalboards with the strymon trinity. I only use a QC. It’s all I ever need, and I have the capability of playing other genres if need be. I have also tried to limit myself of only using 2-4 scenes per song.

Dude, I'll take the Helix and give it a great home! And to lessen the pain of parting with it I'll even let you pay for the postage to Australia. Sounds like a great deal ... at least to me :)

That board looks just as big and heavy as the Helix, but with more points of failure. Why?

I don't get the size argument. That pedalboard seems as big and heavy as the full Helix.

Helix is too big... (pulls out a bigger, heavier, more complicated board) LOL. Just messing with ya. It's a good time to be a guitarist. So many great options!

So if you build a pedal-board around stomp with 1 or 2 Xpression pedals and an additional footswitch, you end up with a heavier and larger system-board with extra short cables and power supplies. Think about it...🧐

According to the Steve Lukather rule book you better have your expression pedal assigned to the EQ mid range. Because if you don't. He's going to think you're not serious about things. That could hurt everything.

So, you still use the Helix?

For me the expression pedal is why I havent left helix Floor for something else. I use it a lot and cant gig without it

Except you are still using the Helix. The HX Stomp XL is very much still “Helix”, right? 🤔

I love my helix

I use my Helix and use the expression pedal to _death_ 😂. I also run some xtra distortion pedals, but not through the effects loop; I run em on the floor straight into the guitar in on my Helix! Sounds awesome, just like smashing the front end of an amp.

You might want to check out the Meris MercuryX

wish i have a helix

I thought you were going to say you went to a REAL modeler... a Fractal FM9 (or any other Fractal product for that matter)! 😛 Helix is very good, as are some others. Fractal is awesome... at least as far as modelers go!

Never got along with L6 Helix and it never sounded good to me. After using fractal, nothing else really came close. Of course, this is my opinion ymmv

There is no greater impact on tone than practice.

I can see downsize'n to the smaller xl... I just don't get the click bait title.

I gotta echo some others’ sentiments, you didn’t really shrink anything down man. You seemed to have saved a couple inches maybe? But maybe that matters. I don’t tour.

Can I have it?

5:53 I'm a major player and I use digital stuff invite me dude xD

So the title was just clickbait. You're still using Helix.

The large all in one unit keeps line 6 relevant. The stuff Worship Tutorials puts out is keeping it in line with fractal, QC and others. I’ve even started using it as a straight in pedal board to a tone master deluxe reverb and blues cube for pub/brewery gigs. As an influencer, you need to stop speaking for consumers who are more than pleased to continue to use this and other units. The unit they should focus on is the LT version. Take the expression pedal off it and add scribble strips with the HX floor guts. Bothe well match sells.

$900 for the Shure QLX wireless - must be good.

R.I.P. helix and helix backpack.

Because NAM, AIDA-X and ToneX are better?😅

The new board is the same size, heavier, and more complicated... makes sense

Kemper rules. 🥇

HX Effects > Iridium Strymon 👌

the new rig is much more compact.....

I see you coming back after being tired of dealing with patch cables, power cables, pedalboard, case, plus comparable size to a Helix 😂

Honestly, it just sounds like this dude has absolutely no idea on how to use the Helix Floor, or even the HX Stomp XL when you consider the fact that he has a Stomp XL connected to the same floorboard as his H90. Thats just redundant and unnecessary. As someone who owned the Helix Floor (sold it because i needed money at the time) and currently owns an HX Stomp XL as it's replacement, i gotta say...i miss the Helix Floor. It did everything i needed and never gave me the same issues I deal with on the HX Stomp XL. If you are a simple and minimalist guitarist, who only needs a couple of effects, a modeled amp, and an EQ, then the Stomp XL will do. But if you are someone who really likes to add your own flavor with chained effects, and are the type to connect more than 4 pedals, including amp models, and perhpas IRS, then the Helix Floor is pretty much all you need. The HX Stomp XL just doesn't have the power. The Helix Floor is the same size as a floor board, and actually takes up way lay less space comparted to a stocked out floor board due to its thinner profile. I mean look at this dude's floor board and look at the helix. It is bulkier. Who wants that? But i do understand the fact that he is used to a pedal that isn't included in Helix or HX. But also, at the same time, it tells me that he really didn't fuck around with either system enough to get the sound that he likes. I have used pedals and effects in both systems that i have either never used or never liked, and have been able to reproduce the effects or sound that i was looking for. But granted, it takes some time to sit down with in order to experiment. All i can say, is that if it was me, I would take the Helix Floor over everything. It's one unit, you don't have to worry about physical chains, and it can produce any sound you are trying to get.,

Use a quad cortex. Smaller and far superior sound

where is your expression pedal. you don't need that anymore.

Your new board is no smaller than

it's a RHELIX now... :)

Steve: Helix is too big. Also Steve: Pulls out pedalboard slightly smaller than Helix. 🤣 We guitarists are a funny lot, eh? I have a couple of stomps, an XL and a full size Helix. If I ever roll out an amp for something again, I'll do a stomp in front and one in the loop on one board.

You should be Saying because you upgraded to a fractal

Helix is all shite. Stay with POD XT for life!!!

WIRELESS: You should try the BOSS WL 20 !!! Mine never let me down and if it did I have a cable ready or a spare boss. Takes zero space on your board!

if they removed the pedal it would save basically nothing lol