Bogner Helios versus Friedman BE comparison

[Everyonesdarling]

One of these will be my next amp. Do not have the possibility to A/B them so wanted to hear your opinions.
I am a shredder and a blues player who once in a while likes to play litt more heavy. I currently do not play in a band but as all of us i want to have as good tone as possible. And since i think i am quite good at guitar playing i think i have deserved a pro level amp.
From what i have heard so far both of these amps are top notch. The Bogner lies a little bit more on the darker side with a more organic sound while the BE has more gain on tap. Clean i guess both amps deliver. The BE is a little bit more versatile but costs almost twice as much here. With a Bogner XTC red pedal this could most likely be compensated for. FX loop seems to be top notch in both amps from what i have read. A few Bogner amps i heard sounded a little bit muffled. But i don not think this is the case with the Helios.
I heard the BE excels at bedroom volumes, is that right? What about the Bogner with regard to that?
Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences with regard to these amps!

 

[Everyonesdarling]

51 views and still no reply?

 

[Erock]

I only know of a couple guys that have had both, and I think both sold the Helios and kept the BE if that tells you anything. I have a Helios and love it though. I gravitate to the high gain side, and this thing has plenty on tap for me. I'm a boost junky, and I even enjoy this amp straight in. It's got one of my favorite cleans, even just rolling back on the guitar vol. I even like this amp boosted, which is rare for me if I like an amp straight in. I have a couple clips of mine. Just zoom vids, but u can get an idea of the gain. These are all 80s mode, ch II only, neck guitar vol for any cleans.

Straight in j75xV30. R7 LP w/bk abraxas
https://youtu.be/mo7xHD9VGjU

Straight in cream 65xv30. R7 LP w/abraxas
https://youtu.be/2qae054dMKo
https://youtu.be/bnZRQvzWAfg

Boosted w/ chandler colored boost. Neck for clean rolled back. LP standard w/bb pro
https://youtu.be/HbEGJHH7WIY


My next amp is probably going to be a BE or a JJ, so I'll be watching this thread too. Haven't had the pleasure to check out a Friedman yet, so I will be interested to see what peoples comparisons are.

 

[Everyonesdarling]

Thanks Erock for sharing! Very much appreciated. Found some clips from a guy who has both the XTC and Friedman BE. If you go through is videos it seems from his comments as if he prefers the Friedman. I find his Bogner clips better sounding than his Friedman clips. But clearly it`s not possible to judge from You tube clips + the XTC is not the Helios. But do not have the possibility to play both amps so... Thanks a lot for your clips!
Here is one clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzs3Czq ... Nsy5VwSKRA

 

[sjk]

I don't own nor have played a Helios, but have owned many bogners and still own a 20th XTC and a Friedman BE. So having said that I can offer no advice on a comparison you are looking for but may I ask how low of volume are you talking when you say bedroom volumes...and what amp are you using now to get those? I play pretty much exclusively in my basement and don't have any volume restrictions besides trying to not go deaf but I'm not sure I would say the BE excels at Bedroom volumes as you commented, I mean yeah it sounds really good at low volumes but I would not say it sounds great at mousefart volumes if you are looking for very low volume tones. So how low volume are you taking. I'm not even sure I would say it sounds great at volumes low enough to as not disturb neighbors if one is living in an apartment. Others may feel different but those are my own opinions.
Good luck in your search!

 

[Everyonesdarling]

I don't own nor have played a Helios, but have owned many bogners and still own a 20th XTC and a Friedman BE. So having said that I can offer no advice on a comparison you are looking for but may I ask how low of volume are you talking when you say bedroom volumes...and what amp are you using now to get those? I play pretty much exclusively in my basement and don't have any volume restrictions besides trying to not go deaf but I'm not sure I would say the BE excels at Bedroom volumes as you commented, I mean yeah it sounds really good at low volumes but I would not say it sounds great at mousefart volumes if you are looking for very low volume tones. So how low volume are you taking. I'm not even sure I would say it sounds great at volumes low enough to as not disturb neighbors if one is living in an apartment. Others may feel different but those are my own opinions.
Good luck in your search!

The statement "excels at bedroom levels" was unfortunate from my side. What i meant was that it still sounds good at lower levels. I play mostly at home in my house. I can turn it on quite a bit but do not have a basement. I had several amps the last was a Marshall JVM that i liked but sold and i still have a Marshall YJM. I can play quite loud at home. Playing any louder than i play here would damage my hearing noneseless so i want an amp that sounds good at below ear damaging levels.
Which amp are you prefering the XTC or BE and why? How about playing at not ear damaging volumes with the XTC compared to the BE?

 

[krueger]

They are both great and very similar and different. The Helios is really organic and has a bit more of an open midrange. I have a 1972 Hand wired Superbass with the BE mod as well. The BE has the same gain but is a bit tighter - it is not that the Helios is not tight it is just different in the midrange and not in that regular Bogner way. The Helios and the BE are by far the best modded Marshall tone out that that I have ever experienced. Both are really fun to play and become even better amps when the volume gets to 12 O'clock! Like most amps I would suggest playing around with preamp tubes. I have mostly NOS Mullards, RFT and some 8th generation Chinese in both.

I suggest buying both!

 

[RG955TT]

Have both XTC 20th and BE100. Prefer the XTC but that's just me. The BE is great and if I didn't have the XTC it would most likely be my #1. I need and like the versatility better on the XTC, I have the older BE which just switches between clean and BE or clean and HBE. Still killer amp. Sorry I cant help on the Helios. Both amp are great at very low volumes too but of course get better with volume, the BE really does the classic Marshall thing well. The XTC is more of it's own thing although has some of that Marshall goodness to it. The 20th is quite a bit more in this regard than the regular 101B.

 

[supersonic]

I have not played a Helios but I did own a Marsha and 100B at the same time. I sold the Marsha about a year ago and kept the XTC. From the clips I've heard of the Helios I would choose that over a BE but that is just personal preference. I found the loop in the Marsha to be noisy, the XTC is silent FWIW.

 

[King Guitar]

I have owned and played both allot at the shop. Both excellent, if I had to choose, BE for me.

 

[311boogieman]

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splawn

















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[Anonymous]

The hell with both of these amps

Wizard

 

[Jofipe]

The hell with both of these amps

Wizard

 

[Jay Strange]

+1!!!!

 

[Little B]

Id love to play a helios..I have a shiva 20th,and just bought a friedman BE 100.Man the friedman is a beast for sure.Love it for modded marshall tones.But as someone earlier so elegantly put,: it might not be the best for "mousefart" volumes.Hes right on that...I however can crank the heck out of any of my my amps,so much that any mouse within earshot will loose their ears..Im sure the helios is nice too.