Modeler Shootout REVEAL - Which one sounds best?

[@rossd001]

I had a Helix Rack and floor controller for about 3-4 years. I got it with the plan that it was a stepping stone towards getting a AxeFX eventually. AxeFX was what everyone had but at the time I didn’t have the money and in the UK they are a bit of a pain to get hold of one back then. Very quickly the Helix Rack became the beating heart of my whole rig. In’s/Out’s, channel switching, midi it did everything. It was so quick and simple to setup with the app on my PC. It was more than just a amp sim. About 8 months ago I finally got the chance to get a AxeFX and a Matrix Power Amp. I ended up with a AxeFX 2 XL+ to be accurate and a MFC. But I hate to report but I so very wrong. The AxeFX is so over complicated on the unit and in the software. Midi is like trying to put a man on the moon. Channel switching is non existent. In the end I got so fed up and feeling like I was trying to do everything with one hand tied behind my back and thinking this was so simple on the Helix. Why have Fractal made this so complicated. At first I thought it was me. But after having the same feelings over and over and over again. I just lost my patience. If the sound in the AxeFX was 50% better than the Helix then maybe I could justify having the AxeFX and putting up with all the stupid design ideas that has gone into it. But like in the clip there is pretty much no difference in the sound even though the Helix is old and outdated. A month or so ago I sold The AxeFX and the first thing I did was I got another Helix Rack. Im so happy now with the oldest, dated, bottom of the line unit. What I took away from all this is don’t get these things on just what other artists play. Go and have a go on one and really think about the impact these things will have if you change. Not just your tone but also think about the other things these units do for you and your rig. For me The Helix was the spine of everything and I ended up moving backwards in trying to move forwards. Don’t be a fanboy and think about these things.

[@stonemad35]

I didn't like the Fractal at all, but loved A and D. Tonex was ok too. I liked A best then D, C, B. Since I have a Helix LT I'm still happy with everything. Great video.

[@MarkJones-l9x]

I use HX stomp and the Tonex and the stomp is my effects in the loop sounds amazing I have the FM 3 FM 9 and all the Kempers and my favorite for feel is definitely the Tonex I still use them all all for different things I’m 67 years old I have been playing professionally since I was 16 it sure is a great time to be a guitar player. Thank you for doing this. It was really interesting.

[@skunkymuggles]

This is fun guys please do more of these... i learned more about how these modellers takes pedal now.

[@mcpribs]

In both, what I own was 2nd. Considering how inexpensive the Stomp is…and the fact I already have it, and can afford nothing else…I’m so satisfied. For the record, I love pedals into the Stomp. I also love their ecosystem. Thanks guys! Great vid, and much love!

[@KevinSPeace]

I own 3 of the 4 units. QC, AxeFx and Helix. What surprised me is how alike they sounded at lower gain, but the high gain is where they went different directions. I nailed the AxeFx ... mine just has never seemed to play well with external OD boxes in my opinion. The helix is was about 85% sure on. But the other 2, totally stumped. I was really shocked on how well the ToneX did! Great job guys! That was a fantastic comparison, really!

[@zachmyersmusic]

I envy your job Brian & Bradford… just get to nerd out at all times 😂

[@j-hud8528]

Great stuff fellas! I have used helix since it 2016 and love it. Moved to the QC last year and I am very happy with the switch. In the blind test I got both of those units correct lol. Such a great video to show you can get amazing tone from all these units. BTW still have the helix and use it like another guitar. Some Sunday's are helix other QC. Ya'll take care

[@00725817]

I use Kemper , Helix and Tonex since a week. While changing to MacOS iI remembered my Scuffham S-Gear license and was again astonished. It has it all on a pro level including effects with lots of reasonable presets for amps and presets. I don't know why (dopamine...) I still ruin my money and nerves with buying and adjusting Patches that do need hours to tweak, to sound like the KZbin videos, while Scuff is so easy and good.

[@tjkabdn]

As a QC owner this was a bit of a scary watch. Picked quad cortex as my top sound though so that's a win in my books. That being said - the difference between all of these was maybe 1-2% at most.

[@MacMFer]

I left HX Stomp Xl for a Tonex One and am quite pleased. I will probably get another Tonex One and either a HX Stomp or HX One.

[@picksalot1]

I guessed them all this time, though the HX Stomp was the only one I felt fairly confident about. I have an HX Stomp. Like the previous test, I was surprised that I liked the ToneX best, and the Axe FX least. They were all good. I've heard a number of times that Line 6 Helix Presets are made to sound good in a Mix. Maybe blind testing them in a sparse might be worth it. 🤷‍♀ I usually end up modifying my Presets for practicing by using the Cab High Cut, and adjusting the Amp Treble setting. I also recently discovered that Presets that posed more challenges than normal for dialing in, also had the Amp "Sag" at 5 or higher. Reducing that to below 4, and typically closer to 2, made dialing in a better tone easier for me.

[@dscataglini]

I couldn't tell which one was which. I hate to say it, but the AXE fx consistently scored lowest in most samples (sounded very muffled when distorted). The hx stomp sounded the best in the last example. QC was probably my favorite by the slightest margin with high gain,. In general QC seemed always to be more distorted then the rest. Tonex sounded awesome in all examples. IK released their idea of a smaller tonex (one), I can't wait for them to release their idea of the big daddy version, with all the Amplitude effects

[@СтаниславСавицкий-о7в]

"A" was my Favorite and I thought it should be Axe, C was the next in my list and I thought it was Quad... Possibily vise versa. So I'm fine with A = Quad, but I can't believe Axe is B because to me it was so weak and muddy, not exciting at all... Shocked 😮 Seems like Quad and ToneX need more attention now 😊

[@stringsattached67]

Tried them all and bought the fender TMP .

[@johnmcwhirter2526]

Fractal was my least favorite with both amps/videos so far. So, imo, def not worth double the cost of a Helix. Tonex was my fav and nailed it on both amps/vids.

[@picksalot1]

👍 Me too.

[@tonepilot]

Jeez, it’s been so long I have a hard time remembering. I think I picked A & D as my favourite tones.

[@john808welk]

Glad I got the QC right, as I couldn't stand the top end when I had it. Was pretty positive I had the Axe right as well. Interesting that I mixed up the helix and tonex, as those are the units that I have spent the most time with.

[@JoeSage55]

My guess was Fender TMP for A, B, C, D.

[@tonepilot]

You two are the consummate lap slappers.

[@newstuff1107]

Very interesting. I guess we can make them sound all the same with compression and EQ. The Stomp often benefits from compression between the amp and the cab. It would have made a great difference here compared to A.

[@tommanseau6277]

I clued into the amp like response of the capture devices. I've noticed the modelers seem to have a sheen to them. The QC & Tonex were simply too close to call, just too similar. Considering the Tonex at full retail is a quarter the price of the QC, it's a really compelling device. Now if IK can clean up the UI, it would be a no brainer. It's functional, but not intuitive. The one downside to the device is that it uses external graphics boards in you computer to vastly increase capture speed, so you would need a Windows PC totake full advantage. Oh, and while all credit to Alexander for having a great ear, that quote is just so off the mark. The amp pushes electrons, pushing a speaker driver. Tube amps are analog and can operate in an interactive manner, but he also said real tone can't survive outside a vacuum meaning the vacuum tube, which was just bizarre.

[@ElmanAuthement]

Not enough difference for me to sell what I have and get the other brand. You guys make great presets for all of the brands played

[@aaronthomas7790]

I thought A and C were the QC or tonex right away. Captures do just have an openness to the sound you can tell right away and react better to dynamics especially with effects added. Tonex one + hx stomp for effects is where it's at for relatively affordable killer rig.

[@ludlow555]

I thought they all sounded good, just that some sounded better than others depending on the clip. Even though my beloved Line 6 lacked depth in most of them, but liked it best with the overdriven samples.

[@lsmgaming0151]

It would be interesting to hear the units as simplistic all in ones, i.e. a simple rig all in one rig for the blind shoot outs as the fractal does not seem to take pedals as well through the youtube compression. Additionally it would make for an interesting comparison hearing the fxs on each units as well in this context (maybe excluding tonex if you wanted to do bigger rigs

[@JimmyWatfordGuitar]

Oh I'm just here for the entertainment. Quilter is good enough for me. Looking forward to the other amp videos.

[@dnottis]

The headrush prime just had a huge update with remote browser access. Honestly, its the easiest one to dial in a great tone on.

[@frankunger7242]

It all sounded good to me, but I wish you guys would do some more with the Tone master pro

[@Helix-Man]

I guessed D and B right. Even in old amp model Helix has that tubey breakup quality . And fractal is the one that has overly Saggy feel so it clean sound has more artificial sustain. Tonex and QC somewhat in the same level cant guessed both . People guessed B was helix but actualy fractal 😂

[@michael.darrin1963]

It's about preference...the Helix gets ragged on because it came first and has been out 10 years but, without Line 6, there may not of been a Fractal, Kemper, Tonex...Play this test video back without seeing the lettering when the sound changes from one brand to another and there's a good chance you won't know the brand has been changed. The variables play too much of a roll with comparisons such as pick attack, are you strumming the guitar at the same level, volume levels on the unit. To put it bluntly, the Helix is the Godfather, head of the table...but whatever you chose, they all sound great.

[@nickgriffis3405]

So my take, having watched this and done the challenges blind...I don't think the fractal takes pedals as well as the other ones, at least in stereo. There is secret sauce in the input jack, as I understand it. If you want to run "analog" pedalboards into a modeler, I think the capture stuff is the way.

[@RyanChansler]

I loved my Helix, but I have no regrets, switching to Quad Cortex. I also have a Tonex. They both sound amazing. The tonex has a horrible editor though.

[@vladrapchan5330]

REALLY strange Fractal being so veiled and somewhat muddy. It's a shock to me after reading and watching so many people's opinions about FM3 and FM9...

[@wttone]

I have to agree with this. Brian here - I use Axe-FX as my main live unit, but I use it as an all in one. I never really experience what was happening with these external effects. But we set it up as meticulously as possible with the signal routing.

[@jeremystephens6048]

Like the videos but gotta throw the real one in the mix too

[@Avatar7x7]

You sure this video wasn't sponsored by Neural DSP/ Quad Cortex ? .. The Quad Cortex sounded amazing on this video ... The AXE FX sounded like trash compared to all the other units yet it's the most expensive and considered the "Industry Standard" 🤔 !

[@blueeyephil]

Haven't finished the video yet, but like Brian, the cleans sounded the same to me. Some other clipss B sounded a bit different. Helix maybe. But to borrow the words of another youtubber Paul Harrell, "not enough of a difference to make a difference". Especially in a mix. I have a Helix Floor and Tonex One.

[@schlagdog]

Definitely thought the fractal with the pedals hitting it sounded completely different and way worst than the others.

[@ericmelvin10]

tonex sound the best for me.

[@ejw3006]

Kinda wish the Kemper was thrown into the mix since it's the OG capturing tech to see if you could figure out the difference. Especially since the Helix is also the oldest modeler here.

[@wttone]

We would have included it if we had two kempers so we could run stereo with it.

[@ejw3006]

@ I’m assuming you’re referring to the Player, since the other forms have stereo outs and loops? idk if the player does.

[@wttone]

We would have needed two separate Kemper’s to do this experiment. Stereo profiles. We ran all the effects into the amp blocks/models.

[@ejw3006]

@@wttone ah bummer, I forget you guys do the straight in method for all your wet effects instead of a loop.

[@0928andy]

I don't think fractal is darker than other amp modelers. However fractal is very picky about using IR.The IR at 3:20 seems to be the wrong choice.

[@nickmcvicker3091]

D was the best 🤷‍♂️ 🧬

[@BluesDocter]

Use my HX stomp live for years now with my old Tubescreamer and love it. Reliable 👍🏼 Plug it in my DAW and at home ready to go. Bought a ToneX one and its a nightmare! Software is shit an took hours and nothing but trouble. Its lying on the shelf.....

[@CoryLinn]

I had Axe Fx as "B"

[@landonoliver]

First Comment! LOL Thanks for the videos.

[@landonoliver]

I sent a question on Worship Tutorials when ya get a chance. :)

[@markinthemix6055]

No Kemper in the mix. One of my favorite channels has dismissed the Kemper. No complaints no problem. 🤔

[@wttone]

We’d need two Kemper’s to do this comparison. I only have one.

[@gdawgs101]

What? No Tone Master Pro?

[@MOAB-UT]

Just NO.

[@gdawgs101]

@MOAB-UT Lol why? Who asked you?

[@AdizeroAdizero-lh6kb]

@@gdawgs101 Hello no.

[@MOAB-UT]

@@gdawgs101 You posted to a public forum son. Life is too short for bad tone. Thing is, you don't get that- yet. You think your TM sounds good. ROFL. Maybe stick to your video games and guitar hero.

[@wttone]

@MOAB-UT Ease up dude.

[@gnaburns]

I thought the Tone X was (C) richer in well .. Tone. Followed by the (D) Stomp.The others were .. meh ..

[@MOAB-UT]

A. QC sounded best. Line6 the worst.