Hey GuitarFam members, as you might know I am pretty satisfied with my guitar tone. For 12 months I use a Line6 HX Stomp and use it mainly for amp and box simulation, eq, distortion and as a looper. This fits into the limit of 6 usable blocks within this device, for all other effects (reverb, delay, chorus, ...) I still use my lovely old Rocktron intellifex from the 80s in an out/in loop.

The HX Stomp is a small floor pedal and if I would upgrade to the "big" Line6 Helix for more native available blocks, it would be the Helix Rack version. I really love to tweak the tone by direct knobs on the device, but I am always sitting under my desk to fiddle around with the HX Stomp and the alternative via PC-Software does not feel so good. I only use it for backups and updates.

Advantages of the Helix Rack:

• more processing power (= more blocks, more tweaking)

• better to handle, more fun to use

Disadvantages of the Helix Rack:

• expensive (incl. Floor-control = 1500 € | HX-Stomp = 500 €)

• not as easy to transport for live-gigs (no plans yet)

The sound engine in both devices is the same, so it is no sound-upgrade at first.

A few friends tell me to better look for a AxeFX III ... but that is way to expensive and I am convinced that it is possible to create "your favourite sound" when using the appropriate IRs on both devices. So that is no option ... and I really like the Helix system, very easy.

What do you think?