Models...no not those kind!

[Clashcityrocker]

You mean something similar to this collecting dust in my garage?

A little alcohol and a Q-tip and back in good shape!

 

[László]

Same company, but in the early 90s they were competing with Studer for the higher end of the analog studio market, so this one had Dolby HX Pro, automatic alignment and calibration, built in auto locator, center track SMPTE time code, and could take NAB reels, etc.

It was probably the most electronically advanced machine of its day, and was Otari’s last analog two-track. Here’s what it looks like:

 

[danktat]

I can't say that I have much experience in the modeling department. I am just dipping my toe in the pool with a Pod HD500X.....which, I fully understand isn't quite what a helix is. But, I am finding after tinkering around with it and after playing out with it that it is really quite easy. All I have done so far is to approximate what I had on my analog pedal board and am playing it through my tube amp. So, I haven't done much with the amp simulations as I am already playing through a Fender tube amp. What I can say is that it is REALLY close to having a bunch of stomp boxes if you are only running it as an effects processor. I can't say that I am fully sold on it taking over analog.....but then again, I haven't really sat down to figure out all that it can do. I bought it used and the previous owner was in a cover band that did quite a variety of different bands material. . And has many patches already in the unit that he used for playing out. To be honest, I haven't even dived into any of them. Sometimes, getting old and learning new things takes time. Much more so than it would have if I were in my younger years. So far though, I must say, it is a more pleasant experience than I had anticipated. And who knows.......if I really get into it and geek out, I may end up deciding to upgrade to an actual helix. We will see.

 

[Clashcityrocker]

I can't say that I have much experience in the modeling department. I am just dipping my toe in the pool with a Pod HD500X.....which, I fully understand isn't quite what a helix is. But, I am finding after tinkering around with it and after playing out with it that it is really quite easy. All I have done so far is to approximate what I had on my analog pedal board and am playing it through my tube amp. So, I haven't done much with the amp simulations as I am already playing through a Fender tube amp. What I can say is that it is REALLY close to having a bunch of stomp boxes if you are only running it as an effects processor. I can't say that I am fully sold on it taking over analog.....but then again, I haven't really sat down to figure out all that it can do. I bought it used and the previous owner was in a cover band that did quite a variety of different bands material. . And has many patches already in the unit that he used for playing out. To be honest, I haven't even dived into any of them. Sometimes, getting old and learning new things takes time. Much more so than it would have if I were in my younger years. So far though, I must say, it is a more pleasant experience than I had anticipated. And who knows.......if I really get into it and geek out, I may end up deciding to upgrade to an actual helix. We will see.

I'm no expert on modelling, I'm pretty much getting my info from feedback from users. Most of it is really good and these people have tube amps too. I've had the Johnson J-station in the early 2000s. Had 2 or 3 really good useable sounds and most of the others weren't good. I heard Johnny Hilland wanted to use this Blackface Fender model to record, it's that good. I got a pocket Pod. I never got the hang of tweaking it. Not as user friendly as the big old Pod. A Zoom R8. This is a recorder, modeler, drum machine all in one. This would better for me to have when I was a teenager and could get more into it. The recorder really wasn't fun after using PC based recording with a big screen. The models were good but not great. Has an early Van Halen preset that is fun to play once in a while. So the stuff I've played through isn't that great on the modelling side.

 

[Glide-bpm]

Annnnnndddd just like that...
They release the Kemper Profiler Stage and the lure of a pedal version of the Kemper pulled me in like a Siren's song... I forgot just how good my old profiles, plus some newer ones now included with the Kemper now were/are!!!

I love variety and multiple levels of redundancy... Muuuaaaaahahahahaaaaa!!!

 

[Dave Carroll]

It's hard to not love the hair-curling roar of a of a driven valve amp (or the sweetness of a clean one), but all I know is that since getting a Kemper about a month ago, I've been playing more than I have in the last twenty years! Admittedly, I'm just a home player these days, but it's amazing to have all these fantastic tones available in such a manageable device.