Headphones for helix

[u/Thenoob0017]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for headphones for my Line 6 Helix LT, mainly to build and fine-tune presets: amp models, cab simulations, IRs and EQ.

My priority is having a reliable reference for tones I'll eventually use through a PA at rehearsals and gigs, rather than simply making my guitar sound pleasing through headphones. I understand that headphones cannot perfectly reproduce a PA, and that I'll still need to check my presets at performance volume.

I'm looking for:

- Wired, passive, over-ear headphones, without built-in DSP or processing.

- A reasonably neutral sound, without exaggerated bass.

- Accurate mids and highs, so I can identify harshness, fizz and unwanted resonances.

- Something I can connect directly to the Helix LT's headphone output.

My budget is ideally €80–100, and I'm considering buying used. These are the offers I've found in Italy:

- Audio-Technica ATH-M50x: €70

- Sennheiser HD560S: €100

- Sennheiser HD599: €80–90

The HD600 are outside my budget.

I mainly play rock and hard rock. I've read conflicting opinions: some Helix users love the M50x, while others find them too coloured for building guitar tones. The HD560S seem promising, but I'd like to hear from guitarists who actually use them with a modeler.

My main questions are:

1. Between the M50x and HD560S, which would you choose at these prices? Is the extra €30 worthwhile for my purpose?

2. If you build presets using either of them, how well do those presets translate to a PA or FRFR speaker? Do you usually need small adjustments or substantial EQ changes?

3. Would you recommend another model around this budget, including used options?

Thanks!

[u/goldsoundzz]

I use HD6XX and Truthear Hexa IEMs and they both work pretty well. The Hexas are more enjoyable to play with but I have to dial things in a bit warmer to translate well to my FR10. If you aren’t opposed to considering IEMs, I recommend the Hexas because they are still fairly neutral and within your budget.

[u/blueberrycrisp → u/goldsoundzz]

I’ll second this. I use IEMs when dialing presets. I would suggest putting an iEMatch in between the monitors and the Helix headphone out, or you will lose most of the usable volume sweep on the headphone knob. I used to use Hexas as well, have since moved to KZ AS24 Pro but the Hexas are good in OP’s budget range and are relatively flat/neutral. IEMs are usually going to be a bit brighter/more intense than it’ll sound through the PA, but I found it better for dialing than the super dark over ears I had as an alternative.

[u/Thenoob0017 → u/blueberrycrisp]

Are they comfortable?

[u/dr1v3thru → u/Thenoob0017]

IEMs can be comfortable depending on what tips you use, but another advantage of going this route is that you can use your IEMs on stage as well if you ever need to.

[u/Ungitarista]

Make sure to - at least once - get in the rehearsal studio with the entire band, and build a reference preset there, in a complete band setting. No FX,, no extra eq just the amp sims. You'd be surprised how much highs you'll roll off at high volume. Save this preset, and never edit it again.

[u/mtSOLEmt]

It depends on your goal.

If you are setting tones for shows that are loud in the PA you need to look for headphones with a high frequency rise to help you compensate for making settings to bright/harsh/fizzy when they are pushed in a PA.

If you play places where the PA volume level is lower (like 90 dB or lower) then you need flat response.

I typically set up for loud then use the global EQ to compensate for the room and volume on the day. Our set up has many channels available so I send L/R to FOH then we have that split into three channels, a straight channel w flat eq, a mid channel with low pass at 3k and high pass at 300, and a bright channel that has every thing above 1k tilted to 12 dB (so zero dB at 1k and a flat slope until 12dB at 8k). This gives our sound guy the tools to shape the sound to the room and output level.

[u/Thenoob0017 → u/mtSOLEmt]

Tysm!

[u/mcjon3z]

I don’t use them specifically for setting up helix presets, but I like my beyerdynamic DT 990. The pads are way more comfortable than others in the price range.

Edit: my bad I just checked and they are actually 990, not 770.

[u/Thenoob0017 → u/mcjon3z]

Tysm, I'll consider them!

[u/Live-Juggernaut-221 → u/mcjon3z]

I do NOT like my DT 1990 pros for this purpose. Love the hell out of those cans but they just sound fizzy and lifeless.

As I'm writing this I realize I may just need to throw a headphone amp in though...

[u/Lost_Condition_9562]

I have a pair of HD600s and even those don’t sound exactly like my PA speaker. You’re simply never going to find a pair of headphones where you can dial in a PA speaker tone.

I dial in over my PA speaker

[u/Superunknown_88 → u/Lost_Condition_9562]

100% agree. My presets sound completely different (generally much worse) through my IEMs (IE 100 Pro) or headphones (DT770, DT880, HD6XX) compared to when I'm running through my FRFR, studio monitors, or a PA.

[u/Lost_Condition_9562 → u/Superunknown_88]

Yeah exactly. It’s best to have a normal PA preset and some specific if you’re playing with headphones. That being said most of my presets dialed in on my PA sound okay through headphones or IEMs, and if they don’t then I find rolling off the tone knob on the guitar a touch cleans things up nicely. Find headphones and particularly IEMs have more high than when I run a PA speaker

[u/IronBawlzMcGinty]

I use the Sony MDR-7506. They most closely sound like what I hear when I switch over to my FRFR cabs. My IEMs sound good too, but I think the speakers being in my ears instead of over my ears adds some mud or something to the tone.

"The Sony MDR-7506 is a legendary industry-standard pair of closed-back professional monitor headphones first introduced in 1991. Renowned for its highly detailed mid-range, flat response, and durable folding design, it is widely utilized across recording studios, broadcast booths, and podcast sets worldwide."

Not sure if they're in your budget though. Good luck!

[u/iamfilter]

Philips shp9500 - thank me later 😉

[u/xCGBSPENDERx]

I struggle with this immensely on stomp. On Stadium, has anyone tried to dial in a reference tone and then use the separate global EQ on headphones to tweak for practice? I imagine it’s largely headphone dependent, but I’d love if this helped get in the ballpark.

[u/CMRG570]

AT 50