6505 Blind Test REVEAL! I Can't Believe It! (6505 vs Axe Fx vs Helix)

Thanks for watching this reveal video for the recent blind test video in which we compared the Peavey 6505 (5150 Block Letter sound) to the Axe Fx III's PVH 6160 BLOCK amp model and the Line 6 Helix (Native) PV Panama amp model. Let me know how right or wrong you were in the comments below!
Here's the original blind test: • Peavey 6505 vs Axe Fx ...
York Audio Impulse Responses: www.yorkaudio.co/
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#peavey #6505 #5150 #blindtest #fractalaudio #axefx #line6 #helix

[@MrSneakyPants]

I am a loyal Axe FX user, and I have to say, the Helix is pretty fucking solid. very accurate

[@TVoltG]

Helix proving once again why I love mine. Good job Jon and Helix. All 3 sounded great but the Helix to me in the mix pops perfectly. I run three different amps with my Helix for my tones. And the Panama is one of them. I really like it. Combined with my Marshall head and speaker cabs it really sings. And like the original is just as noisy. LOL.

[@gdomeier]

I was one of those savages that watched the first vid and didn't comment 😉. I thought amp A sounded the best and was surprised that was the helix. Well done line 6!

[@Nikolashiin]

Time to get a Helix then 😅. I listened again and I was now able to hear that low end in C, though it was very subtle. Really fun test! Keep it up! It would be interesting to hear a comparison of your ENGL Fireball 100 with modelers. Haven’t heard any great models of ENGL so far (well, UAD Savage 120 is nice). I own a ENGL PB2 myself so it wold be fun to se if I can nail that ENGL sound. Cheers 🍻

[@justmehere6094]

When I watched original video, I flip flopped on A and B as to my favorite, in the mix. Here. I can hear how the Helix is a mix idealized version of the amp, in a way, where the Axe is closer to the actual amp (real close), but also adds just a bit to make it better in the mix than the real amp. MIND you, we are talking tiny differences, all of which could be tweaked on whichever. Even though the Helix is slightly less exact to the amp, it still sounds spectacular.

[@Lotastic_Films]

I bought my HX Stomp about a year ago since I wanted to start recording. I wish that thing was around when I started playing guitar back when I was 13. This is basically a game changer for me and my songwriting. Also the fact that this enabled me to record with outstanding good tones and got me some of my most desired tones (AJFA tone for example) by simply downloading. This would have blown my mind back in my young guitar nerd days. This comparison justifies the HX Stomp as a viable option for recording.

[@jorismak]

It also proves that with all the toxicity on forums and the internet about which platform is best or that all Amp Sims suck... This kind of thing proves that (extremely) good tones are possible with all methods these days, and - tone wise - it's very hard to make a bad purchase. This was different when I started :P

[@shadomal]

That is sick!! Really a great job from Fractal and Line 6.

[@FranciscoHernandez-xp9yi]

All three sound great! Happy to be a Helix user after watching this. It'd be cool if you did a blind test with the Plexi models as well!

[@LorcanWard]

I'm not good at dialling in patches but A and B each have noticeable things I don't like from the Line 6 and Fractal devices I've owned so that was an instant giveaway. C didn't have the attack/fizz/response/cut-off the other two so that was the amp. I think the main thing to take from this is someone who is experiencing can get these devices sounding just as good as the real thing in a mix but it takes a lot of experience with the more in-depth parameters. Also how important the Impulse Response is and how much it shapes the sound. One could argue it's the biggest part of the signal chain. I don't usually watch these videos but it popped up on SS,org, really good video! Subbed!

[@ArgentinaAgel]

We are living the future and it´s awesome... No more back pains.. i still can´t believe it. Magic!

[@jorismak]

Oh BTW. Awesome that you explain what _you_ hear in the differences. A lot of people don't, and with blind tests they are forced to think about what they prefer, and not what is right or wrong... But then educate us on what _you_ hear and like and don't like. This way we all learn something :P. Keep it up!

[@DarkSkarStudio]

I said A was helix and I was right! Such great tones! You can make almost anything sound amazing! Thanks for this!

[@conlondf]

I knew it! I was totally correct! Love it! Love my Helix (and love the PV model... Also love my 6505+...but at my age, lugging amps and cabs around is getting difficult) ...also have that same t-shirt 🤘 Loving the content, man! Keep it up! (Greetings from and Irishman in Belgium)

[@jannevaatainen]

What, Helix got me again?! Sounded the best, annd therefore I predicted that it was the amp. Wow indeed!

[@xsonicassassinx]

this confirmed 2 things for me. the real key to making the best of whatever hardware/software you have is to turn knobs until it sounds good. and that if all the settings were the same, the differences would be MUCH more obvious. i was waiting for the obnoxious high end of the axe-fx, but you compensated for it ahead of time to make it sound better.

[@ARCHIE_GRISH]

Helix sounds better than the other two! Wow! Great test, thanks!

[@hyperbolekid]

That was fun Jon, thanks. I have all these amps and modelers and have definitely come to the conclusion over the years that picking the right IR is critical. You know IRs better than 99.999% of all guitarists IMO. That is your super power. I want to learn more about how you dial in IRs with any amp, amp sim or modeler/profiler. You should create a master list of your preferences for optimal IRs matched up to specific amps to create certain popular tones and show all the settings/signal chain/optimal pickups/tunings etc. I would gladly pay for that handbook! You have covered much of this in your videos to date but it would be incredible to have an all in one handbook or guide to reference. You could make some decent $$ off that and we can support your channel more that way. Just a thought. Love your content!

[@patrolduty8715]

Sure. Perfect IR is responsible for 99% of a great tone. I bought many IRs pack. But in reality, I know that I just need less than 5 perfect IRs that will allow me to play all types of music I love. Browsing a library of 10000000 IRs is a torturing job and very anti-fun process. I would love to pay money for someone who is God-level guitar scientist to select 5 IRs for me. Or even just 1 excellent sounding one is enough.

[@OrangeMicMusic]

Jon, thank you for spending the time to shoot this video. I'm saying to people the same thing....do a blind test :) Problem is that almost no audio professional would wanna do this test because they'll be perceived as "fools". Very few are willing to say that they cannot hear the difference between amps vs modelers. One of them is Andy Sneap, the mighty metal producer who admitted he can't tell the difference between his collection or rare tube amps and his Kemper. I've owned Marshall, 6505, Randall,...also Helix, Kemper....and once you spend time to fine tune a sound and record it, you can't hear a difference. Second problem is, no matter how many videos like this would be, the purists will always say that a tube amp is the best :))))

[@drspody]

I watched them both today and i would have guessed wrong as the major part of people who voted! To me they were amp/helix/fractal but i was surprised to see helix on A and tbh even happy. With a good tweak that platform can be very close to a real amp. Nice video! Love blind tests!

[@adrianscarlett]

I have the helix because of the variax input. Love that i can change to different guitar sims and even tunings at the press of a foot switch.

[@Strapo129]

Love your preset for Helix. Even without IR sounds great. I would never be able to tweak it like that. Thanks mate !!!

[@MrSippycup]

I've always heard people comment about the high end fizz of the 5150/6505, but this side-by-side is the first time I've really been able to recognize that character of the amp.

[@skrabio]

Lol damnit Jon… I’m upgrading my stomp to a Helix rack… 🤘🤣🤘 Love your videos, and digging those DV77’s.

[@grafforlock]

I got it right and I find after doing several of these blind taste tests the way I usually tell is the modelers typically have a little more presence which i think is what throws people off. The other way is the resonance/bass, the tube amp has a little more low end boom to it which is probably why they sound really good through a cab and in the room. That being said the differences are incredibly subtle.

[@callumvernon7053]

Yeah dude, was gonna say the same thing. Every time I mic one up I always find myself adding EQ to brighten it up a bit. Like you say though, once post processing has been applied the differences are barely noticeable!

[@NUNUA]

Line 6 with its great tone, price point, user interface, simplicity, is mind blowing!

[@Sound_Stable]

That's funny. I noticed B handled the signal very similar to C, and A sounded like it was all processed and ready for a mix. Based off these blind tests, it kind of seems like the Helix in general goes for a more polished/enchanced sound while AxeFX is really after mimicking the amp characteristics. Fractal dialing in the dynamics in Cygnus has really made picking it out against a real amp hard. Both Helix and AxeFX have their place and sound great. I would have been happy with either of them.

[@InsomniacMatt]

That's something I've always liked about Peavey amps. You can keep it simple and still get a good sound

[@dvdpz89]

I was right for this test. Very hard to tell though. Thanks for this!

[@dendyadiluhung8315]

Aww I got it wrong, but its made me loved Helix more and I got SO MUCH FUN being participated in! 😄 Its really scary how internet and people opinion can led someone perceptiveness to some product, this video gave the proves and lesson learned As Helix user, I really like how you explained those extreme setting can impact the tones to get closer to the real deal, really informative! Until this time I just won’t do it because some of the mental blocks to stop me doing that and not to tweak the amp setting in the Helix far from factory settings Would you mind if you make some videos that gives tutorial and explanation to tweaking Helix amp parameter with more detailed explanation for each parameter like master, hum, ripple, bias, bias x, can impact the tone I am sure it will be great content videos and of course all Helix user that want to be good at tweaking and tone shaping like you do will appreciate it Jon! Thank you

[@matthuang4632]

I'm a HX user. PV Panama is one of my favorite models. I got the right guess for Helix, but wrong with the other two lol.

[@void_snw]

I'm glad I liked the Helix one a lot in the blind test, since I got a Stomp :D Still really close, only able to nitpick the characteristics, and even just that only when comparing to something else. Crazy times. Love it.

[@icenic_wolf]

Whoa. I didn't expect to be right about C being the amp... I also didn't expect to prefer the Helix to the AxeFX. Mind=blown.

[@GearStuffandThings]

Yo nailed it. It just doesn’t matter what we use anymore the technology is there now. Just pick one and write riffs!! So cool loved this

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Thanks man!

[@djpgreek]

Thanks for this comparison! Happy to say I got it right!

[@kmw5100]

Definitely noticed that thing with the lows you were talking about because watching the original video when clip C hit for the first time I immediately got breakdown stank face and started bobbing my head because of the way the low end was hitting harder.

[@ConsanguinitySlam]

B and C were closer than A was to either in my opinion. I love the more complex sounding distortion from the Axe and Amp but the Helix sounds really good as well. Very eye-opening.

[@gtrklem]

I didn't make a guess....because honestly, if you played the full mix for me without the knowledge that it was a blind test, I wouldn't have known. It's not as if I would have heard the track and exclaimed "that bloke changed his amp/modeler!" To be honest, same goes for the isolated tracks. Thank you for pointing out the subtle differences, very educational.

[@hellsing1983]

I was completely wrong, but this shows once again that I have invest in a Helix in the future. Right now I have to use AmpliTube on my phone with IRig. Works fine if you live in the middle of the jungle and can’t carry big units.

[@DrDannyMannGuitar]

Great job matching these! I identified the real amp correctly! Helix sounded surprisingly close - impressive. Axefx sounded worst to me :/

[@JorgeLFajardoG]

All my answers were wrong 🤣. I have a Helix and I really thought it was C. Anyways.. what a nice video. Thanks for all your content, it’s really helpful 🎸🙌🏼.

[@_mysilentblue2227]

He stumpped almost everyone, only 7 people guess correctly the lowest guess count.

[@ryanboye7716]

I switched the axe and the helix in my guess. I made my guess based on which I thought sounded “best.” I assumed amp would sounds best, followed by the axe, and then the helix. Goes to show, I should give more credit to the helix. I’m impressed.

[@BillVerdon]

This was fantastic! Please do one like this for the Friedman BE 100! I didn't guess... was way too close and I commented on the original vid

[@david_farmer]

FWIW I watch KZbin on a Fire Cube on my main TV and can't comment from that device, and conseqyently forgot to chime in on time. My choices were A-Helix, B-Real 6505, C-Axe FX. I was only correct on the Helix, but it wouldn't have surprised me if I was wrong altogether. They're all so close. For my money, and since I don't play live, there's no need for a physical amp any more. I'm glad they're still doing well in the market place though! Great options for tones are all over the place!

[@Gizmo-st1ky]

I got the helix correct! But had B and C switched. When I saw the first video I really liked C. All sounded amazing though! Great Video as always man!

[@picksalot1]

I have an HX Stomp, but none of the other gear, so I prefer to list my preferences instead of making random guesses which gear produced the sounds. My preferences were ACB. So, I'm happy that A was the Helix, but they were all so good it didn't really matter. You did a good job dialing in the tones. I think it ultimately comes down to personal use scenarios, and a Modeler works best for me. Future Blind Tests with a real Amp vs Modelers that I'd like to see would include Engl, Soldano, Bogner, Hughes & Kettner. And for Cleans, the Harmony H605 - Bet you didn't expect that one! Thanks

[@pjcb]

I liked A and B most, but it's important to note that this is not at all the sound I use my amp for. Using this sound the 6505 sounded comparably thin and washy. The Helix sounded fullest, but again using this sound it makes sense Love the video! Cool stuff 🤘

[@bobaattila6832]

Great informative video as always. Thank You for doing it. My personal recommendation for the next amp test is a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, of course.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I've already done that one on the channel!

[@bobaattila6832]

@@SonicDriveStudio lol. Cool. I will check it out. Thank You

[@flprmn9448]

I thought C was the worst in the blind test. Ive got a Fractal, so I'm happy the real amp is C! haha :) great video.

[@gabriel_guitar]

Wow... boy was I wrong, I thought C was the Helix after listening to all the clips, and clip A was the best sounding one imo (I was guessing either real amp of Axe-FX)... time to give the Panama another go then 😅

[@ЕгорРадио]

Джон - молодец, отличный контент. Услышал реальный усилитель (C), спутал Axe и Helix. Не обладаю ничем из этого. Гитаристы, использующие цифру и лампу, говорят об ощутимой разнице в ощущениях при игре. Слушал на мониторах Roland DS7. Разница между цифрой и лампой всё сокращается. Особое тебе спасибо за очень вкусные риффы.

[@balinhooofficial]

Great test! Would love to see a Mesa Mark comparison similar to this one. Maybe throw in a plugin as 4th option 😊

[@hinge611]

Well my first guess was C back when the first video was released. Today I watched it again and went the same with C but getting the A option as a backup if I was wrong. So glad I went with my gut feeling both times and nailed it, cheers bro!!!

[@uhoify]

Though the fact that the digital amp sim's became so great is true, I think to be honest, what this result tells us is that Jon's skill to manipulate the sounds to sound them so real and the same is just amazing. I think he can make the Pod xt to sound as great.

[@Igiul777]

That's a huge tweak compared with Helix default! I will give it a try 🙂

[@skrabio]

At this point, I’m 10000% sure Helix would soar if Line 6 just simply updated to better defaults and presets.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I think they do update the default settings from time to time

[@TVoltG]

@@SonicDriveStudio yeah I noticed that. Threw me for a loop the last time. But what's great with all their amps is the ability to fine tweak them to your ears with the bias, ripple, etc.. that is the real treat to the Helix to me. And it doesn't take much time.

[@Edika12]

I didn't comment on the original video, I guess I was afraid of being wrong lol! But my guesses were right even though the Axe FX and real amp were quite close, especially in the mix. You kind of gave it away with the Helix when you said it was a first model of the Peavey that a lot of people thought didn't sound like the 5150. It was the most different of all. Then when the Axe FX came on the sound filled up more due to the low end and then even more with 6505 but it did sound a bit more muddy. In a band mix the Axe FX was a lot harder to hear the differences form the 6505. Honestly though if I'd hear any of the mixes without any hints I'd have a hard time telling it was a modeller or a real amp. I mean you could attribute the cut and difference in the Helix to EQing and production!

[@sgeorgiev]

Great comparison.... I guessed it wrong. I would like to see engl ironball se vs. Mooer ge300 vs. Helix or headrish

[@DavidDexterMusic]

Yay, I got the real amp right 😀👌 my vote wasn't counted because I only guessed that C was the real amp, I didn't think to guess the others lol. I have a Helix and Axe FX III and Kemper and I have never used that Peavey amp but it was just similar to what I hear with my tube amps compared to the modelers, that real tube sound that my ears pick up on compared to the modelers.

[@李明-u5t]

Nice sound either in headphone or listening in car ! Really hunger for Soldano SLO-100 Blind Test with Helix and Axe Fx !

[@SonicDriveStudio]

I wish that would be a possibility

[@WholeLottaBulldog]

Surprising to say the least. Hey, unrelated but are you gonna demo and review the dark terror again some time soon? I know you had trouble with your first one

[@lodougherty]

I KNEW C WAS THE REAL AMP. Called it. The only reason I knew this, is because I've had a 6505 for years, and when you are around the real amp so much there is a texture to it I can't quite describe but you can hear in the low mid push, and the fizzle in the top end that modelers don't get quite right. I haven't messed with a Helix or Axe FX so I got those wrong (backwards on my guess), but I'm glad after years of hearing the real thing I was able to still hear it in a blind test. EDIT *there is also something in the chugs that feels meaner/more real than the modelers*

[@matthewfreeman33]

Baloney.... he could do this test 5 more times and you would have inconsistent guesses. You had a 1 in 3 chance of being right here.

[@lodougherty]

@@matthewfreeman33 Perhaps, but I've gotten blind tests with a 6505 correct in other videos before, but have always failed on which modeler is which. Guess we will never know.

[@OldAudioSlut]

modelers get it right but the 6505 has the high fizzle. 5150 does not have it :D

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

@@matthewfreeman33 Nonsense.

[@polviggen]

Nice to see I was right, differences are small though, C just had those nicer highs end you don't find in a modeller, and also deeper lows, like you mention. It is very close though.

[@Bilsuburbians]

I knew it!!!! C sounds more open and more headroom but fizzy enough to catch that is a tube powered! Kinda surprise A is helix tho (i am using helix my entire 5 years anw) And B for Axe FX is surprisingly weird because the sound is more compressed and feel small than the others. I stick with my helix then 😁👍🔥

[@lperry65]

Also the compression added by KZbin would change any subtle tone difference compared to being in the room 🙂

[@brett327]

The real take away here is that all were within slight EQ tweaks of each other. You've got great options to achieve amazing tone with all of this gear.

[@scottula]

I didn't guess in the other video. If I would have, I definitely would have been wrong! Wow!

[@timolebeck6405]

03:56 this was the moment in the original video when I knew, that this is the amp :D

[@satarello]

AXE fx III is so close !! amazing. Line 6 good work but a little lack of something.

[@LucasLeCompteMusic]

I figured I was going to get it wrong lol. They were all so close though. In the actual mix clips it was almost impossible to tell. I thought A was the axe FX, B was the real amp because of the mids and C was the helix. I own a 5150 combo and the 5150 is one of my fav amps in the axe FX. The biggest surprise to me is that the helix sounded so clean.

[@_mysilentblue2227]

That was my guess too & the helix surprised me also. I think maybe it was the load box on the real amp that flattened it out. Nothing you could do about that unless you miked the cab and then shot an IR with that exact setup to use in the modelers. Either way cool shootout.

[@Bleachdemon88]

I thought A was the axe fx but it was the helix. I thought A sounded best might be selling my peavey for a line 6 helix lt.

[@Mistertyrannosaurus]

I didn't guess in the comments on the other video but that was exactly my guess! That amp is unmistakable imo, maybe because I recorded with one for years, who knows! All very close though

[@ky9999]

Last video I commented “I like C the most”. I really liked the “thickness” of amp C

[@neverender2308]

Couldn’t have been more wrong haaa. And hats off to the helix, that sounded the best but there’s always many factors to consider along with tone being subjective

[@singleproppilot]

Though I didn’t get to watch the original blind test video until right before this one, I was at least correct about which one was the real amp. Digital amp sims have come a long, long way, but they still have a bit of harshness in the high end that’s hard to dial out. Plus the real amp just has that chewiness (natural tube compression) in the mid range that you hear every time he palm mutes and digs in with the pick.

[@artemivasyuk1699]

Having axe fm3 I'm able to do amazing sounding records nobody would ever listen.

[@MyWayne13]

I was expecting the axe fx to sound better. Of the 3 in the blind test it sounded kinda muddy. The Helix and the amp sounded really close to me.

[@justmehere6094]

All of the things you mentioned that distinguished the Peavey, can be dialed in with the Axe. Likely the Helix, as well, but I don't know the helix. The low end, sag, et al, all adjustable and then some in the Axe.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Believe me, I tried

[@MartinBrissonStudio]

My ears haven’t let me down this time 😎

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Very interesting. I got C. as the real amp right but got the Axe and Helix backwards as I thought A. sounded the best overall, good job Line 6!

[@AJDOLDCHANNELARCHIVE]

Using little Phillips earbuds mind you.

[@shredgd5]

I’ve always perceived scooped mids and brittle highs in tones created with the Helix, that’s why I thought it was B (i.e. the least good sounding of the three), because I thought the muffled highs in B were the result of you cutting down on them to make it sound better. However showing us the settings you used somehow confirmed my general impression, as you dialed in way more mids and zeroed the presence control, compared to the very high presence dial in the real amp. Of course I’m impressed nonetheless, because I’m one of the many who thought A was the amp, instead it’s the Helix indeed! I don’t own an Axe FX, but blindly perceiving it as muffled (as I said above about B) and hearing that you cut down on the presence control there too, may I say that maybe you could have dialed it a little better? PS: yes, I get what you described about the real amp bass resonance, unmatched by the modelers.

[@uhhDthOKAY]

All sounded great, I knew c was the real amp. Can't mistake the lowend on the palm mutes.

[@ashkan7158]

I was right about the amp but not the other two.

[@LoR2023]

Hi John. What plug in do you use to load your Ir's in Cubase?

[@djentleman5129]

Hey Jon, in the Friedman Blind Test Video you also showed the used IR. I would be happy if I'd knew which IR was used here, so I could buy it.

[@SonicDriveStudio]

It's the same IR

[@djentleman5129]

@@SonicDriveStudio thank you very much :D

[@dirtyandnasty9011]

The Helix sounds the clearest as I had bet, good job from Line6 !

[@DaltonPeters1]

I feel like a lot of people guess that the amp is the one they like the most, which is kinda funny psychologically. Interesting that the axefx was B, I don't have a lot of experience with fractal stuff but its interesting that it seems to have none of the fizzy high end I associate with a lot of modelers

[@gtrpls7300]

I guessed C on the Amp. There is just something about the low end, maybe it’s just the amps that were modeled that makes them different.

[@Gray-mætter]

Mesa boogie mark. Any of them. That would be a sweet video.

Helix surprised me :O this time AxeFX was the worst for me, it was a little muddy

[@maseratination]

Wow I got A right but thought B was the amp, and C fractal, mentioning that I liked B the best! Way to go Fractal 😀 Proof that tone is soo subjective.

[@dwftube]

I had a quick listen to the original video and the only thing I was confident about was that 'A' was the amp. Doh!

[@Basedboomerchadbear]

Wow. Didn’t see that coming.

[@BalconyMusicStudios]

Helix as surprised me against fractal but I could listen pretty quick the Amp not feeling bad 😅🤣

[@Slidezy]

I liked C the best with A being a close second and B a distant third. It was honestly hard to tell the real amp in the mix through phone audio... but my headphones 🎧 were in the other room and I'm

[@misticformula1485]

Tbh to my ears over youtube none of them sounded "better", just slightly differently eq'd. All sound great so at the end of the day enjoy whatever gear you have until gas makes you want to get something new.

[@skidogbill]

I would love you to do the Bogner Shiva drive channel, which is the best sounding mid and high gain amp in Helix (which I use).

[@ramonmancano6493]

Can’t beat the real. Next topic!

[@llgms]

It's about which order you set the clips. If real amp would have been alternative A, it would have won. First clip almost always gets most votes on comparison videos.

[@jjruizsoriano]

🤦🏻‍♂️ I chose A for the real amp, but I was doubtful between A & B. C never was an option 🤣🤣🤣

[@Gray-mætter]

Holy shit! I thought A was the amp!!

[@silverstaralchemist]

I was back and forth between A and C being the real amp, congrats to the Helix for fooling almost everyone!