CAN IT DUMBLE? Line 6 Helix vs Actual Dumble Clone

Brilliant tone , wow I love the zen drive tone

Beautiful sounds! Thank you!!

Can’t wait to download and try this today!

Close enough.

Great video as always! Do you still stand by your G66 video where you imply the Fractal has better Dumble'esk tones?

This VHT is a 183 preamplifier circuit with 6L6 output tubes as opposed to 183 using EL34s . I have built and repaired custom amplifiers for 45 years I actually bought one broken for Cheap 600.00 US repaired it and modified some components. They are decent for the buck if properly modified. There is still something different with the headroom and compression with tubes and the way they react fluidity . Solid state still feels abit rigid and harsh just my opinion .

I cant hear the difference to be honest.

Almost same, Helix is a tad brighter, I'll pick the Helix any day over the amp, simply for ease of use and portability and how much more it can do over just a valve amp.

Nice! 👏🏻👏🏻

On the ball with the Gumroad upload there JNC 👍

Post Reveal:
The Amp sounded more touch responsive OR was it just a smidge louder ?
Tone-wise pretty well matched 👍

Had an original Line 6 amp and a SOB. The L6 always sounded thin and artificial. The SOB organic. Took the L6 send into the SOB from and voila a sound Im still searchng for.

VHT sounds richer

Sound wise both sound good in my opinion! What is the interface you are using if I may ask? I always struggle with latency when playing with a plugin

Can you get this on a hx stomp xl?

It would be interesting if you put the actual amp (with loadbox) in the loop of the Helix with the same IR and FXs on both for easy switching between the two.

All of it sounds great to me.

With your amp sim patch design experience John, I'm pretty sure the Helix can do most anything you want it to!

Thanks John. So glad I joined your google drive share as the patch is now there! The gift that keeps on giving.

I have a good ear. I could hardly tell the difference. Let's put it this way. The difference is so close how you built the preset it doesn't matter. I think note sustain on tube amps in general is one of the primary differences between modelers and real tube amps. It's an analog sine wave with harmonic components from pickup to final tube drive stage and speaker/cab. Getting the digital equivalent is so close these days.

This guy can plug straight into the interface and just add a little reverb and make it sound good. So that has to be taken into account. Basicly the amp or guitar has to be broken for it to not sound good.

Thanks for the comparison. They sounded so close that when I closed my eyes during the reveal, I could not tell when you were switching between the Amp and Helix. That makes another win for Helix.

My guess is that the difference one experiences could be associated with volume. I know that every small changes I make on my HX Stomp's master volume knob can have a profound difference in what I experience through my Studio Monitoring Headphones.

I use a Decibel Meter App to test how loud the sound is coming out of my headphone speakers. Anything over 85 Decibels is known to be dangerous. I usually play guitar at around 70-75 Decibels max.

Great video! I'm a huge fan of your content :)

The quest for the perfect tone often leads us down the rabbit hole of comparison, especially with the advancements in modeling technology. While it's true that the nuances between a modeler like the Line 6 Helix and an actual Dumble—not to ignore the fact a Dumble Clone was used for this video—can be dissected under a microscope, the question remains: is it worth it?

In 2024, modeling technology is undeniably better than its ever been. Every modeler brings something incredible to the table, and the subjective nature of tone means that what resonates with one person may differ for another. It's fascinating to see how even the original Line 6 POD can produce stunning sounds with a modern IR, a testament to the foresight in preamp modeling and the leaps in IR technology.

Yes, there are differences when we compare, but let's not lose sight of the bigger picture. The Helix is more than capable of getting you into the Dumble ballpark, and for many, that's more than enough. It's about the music. Embrace the technology that allows us to get closer to our sonic ideals without getting bogged down by the minutiae.

Between the 2. Id say the amp has a little more width.

Not enough to tell after a second listen.

Glitz rules

I correctly identified which was which (thought "A" sounded a bit richer), but that's because I knew there were two different setups. If I had not known that, I wouldn't have noticed the switch. It was that close.

The OD that's built in to the GSG amp model is quite constricting/reduces fidelity; if you switch that off and get the drive from one of the wider-response pedals (not the 808) you might find the clarity you're looking for..

has gumroad taken over from theGoogle drive patches?

How comes, that to me this settings sounds more like a synthesizer than a guitar ....

I assume A is the Dumble amp clone. Generally tube amps have a starting transient that is hard to replicate.

Doomblay

Those tones can be switched and you can't tell.

Great player first off and the video has what I am interested in. I cannot keep looking for on my HX Edit, are the meters you have in your HX Edit. Where is that setting? I'd love that on my end. Thanks again John.

I bought the presets, but my Helix won’t add the Dumble presets because it says my Helix doesn’t contain the models. 🤷‍♀️ Have you ever come across this?

I know this is an older video, but I love to come back to all John’s videos because his tone and playing is so inspiring, especially the Dumble adventure videos. I’ve been on that adventure for a long time with John which led me to the purchase of this VHT D-50 amp. I have to preface my ability to hear the difference between these two with that knowledge. The VHT has a certain high mid chirp and bloom and low mid fullness that is indicative of the Dumble style amps which is why I love them so much. John did a great job of getting them close in tone here, but the Helix Dumble models have just not gotten to the that specificity and feel yet. I still use it all the time, but it’s so comforting and therapeutic to just plug straight into my VHT with a little reverb and delay in the loop and let it sing. Thanks again John for all your content.