Line 6 Helix Rack

The Line 6 Helix Rack is a rack-mountable amp and effects processor: instead of a floor unit with built-in footswitches, the processing lives in a 19-inch rack unit you control from the front panel or from a separate foot controller¹. Line 6 says it leverages HX modeling to deliver the authentic sound and feel of modern and vintage amps, cabs, and effects¹.

What it does

The Helix Rack puts the same kind of amp and effects modeling as the floor-standing Line 6 Helix into a rack format. Line 6 describes it as using HX modeling to deliver the authentic sound and feel of modern and vintage amps, cabs, and effects¹. It runs on dual-SHARC processing².

Because it is a rack unit rather than a pedalboard piece, it has no built-in footswitches of its own. Line 6 offers the optional Helix Control foot controller, which adds capacitive-touch footswitches and customizable scribble strips, so you can switch presets and effects from the floor the way you would with a floor modeler².

At its June 2015 announcement, the Helix Rack carried an MSRP of $1,499, with the Helix Control foot controller priced separately at $499³⁴.

How players have used it

Guitarist Pete Thorn demonstrated the Helix Rack in a studio setting, using it in conjunction with a tube amp, a load box and impulse responses for recording, with the Helix Rack supplying effects rather than the core amp tone⁵. In that demo he described it as:

"it's going to be a great studio tool just having it sitting there and being able to call up these sort of virtual pedals"

Pete Thorn⁵

His view was that the unit works well as a studio tool for calling up virtual pedals and effects alongside an amp and impulse responses, with the core tone still coming from the tube amp⁵.

The Helix Rack sits within a wider Line 6 lineup that includes the floor-format Helix, the lighter Helix LT, the effects-only HX Effects, the compact HX Stomp XL and HX One, and the newer Helix Stadium XL. Earlier rack processors from the company include the POD HD Pro and POD HD Pro X.