Boost with Bogner Helios?

MrFlexx

Active member
I've just got myself a Bogner Helios 100 and would like to know which boost pedal/overdrive pedal you recommend to use with this amazing amp? It sounds great on its own, but everything can be a tad better or tighter :D :rock:
 
The Friedman Golden Pearl, and Buxom Boost seem to be getting rave reviews. Especially for marshall type circuits.
 
Been looking at the SD 805 for some time and maybe that's the one I'll try. Had the Buxom Boost before with my Friedman Smallbox and that sure is a great pedal. Hmm. Maybe I should get that one...
 
MrFlexx":1u2srf24 said:
misterspockyall":1u2srf24 said:
Try backing off the resonance and turn off the punch switch. It gets pretty damn mean and dry as such.
I'll give it a try tonight :rock:

Right on. A boost will do its thing, but sometimes I try addition by subtraction and get damn close if not better, and lately for me removing unneeded sources of bass/mud has helped me get that attack I want.
 
I am a fan of boosting amps, but for whatever reason my Helios 100 sounds the best to me in 80s mode with no boost. So much gain and still so tight. I boost every other amp that I own, but not the Helios 100.
 
hatrick00":2vzqd7lz said:
I am a fan of boosting amps, but for whatever reason my Helios 100 sounds the best to me in 80s mode with no boost. So much gain and still so tight. I boost every other amp that I own, but not the Helios 100.

Same, no boost I put in front sounds as good as 80s mode. You could boost on top if you want 5150 levels of gain.
 
I have been using my Helios 100 with my hard rock band (mostly 80s rock) and normally run it in 80s mode. No boost. I treat it like a single channel amp.

That said, I recently got curious to explore the amp more now that I have a place to set up my rig at home. I plugged into the Plex input and was having fun with the clean channel. Not that I never did before, but it reaffirmed that it does have a really nice clean sound on Ch1 in the Plex input. Then I was jamming on Ch2 in 80s mode and enjoying the lower gain...but really loving that channel pushed with my Cusack Screamer.
I think what boost to use will depend on what you are trying to do. I still don't see a need for one in 80s mode on the Hot input, but it was cool to find I have the flexibility of a clean channel, and a mid gain channel that can get pretty nasty for leads in this amp. I could see using that for blues and funk or jam band stuff I like to do outside of my band.
 
peckhart":36pdgq7z said:
I have been using my Helios 100 with my hard rock band (mostly 80s rock) and normally run it in 80s mode. No boost. I treat it like a single channel amp.

That said, I recently got curious to explore the amp more now that I have a place to set up my rig at home. I plugged into the Plex input and was having fun with the clean channel. Not that I never did before, but it reaffirmed that it does have a really nice clean sound on Ch1 in the Plex input. Then I was jamming on Ch2 in 80s mode and enjoying the lower gain...but really loving that channel pushed with my Cusack Screamer.
I think what boost to use will depend on what you are trying to do. I still don't see a need for one in 80s mode on the Hot input, but it was cool to find I have the flexibility of a clean channel, and a mid gain channel that can get pretty nasty for leads in this amp. I could see using that for blues and funk or jam band stuff I like to do outside of my band.

Agreed. I thought I'd primarily use it in Plex mode, have the full clean channel, switch to ch. 2 for crunch and boost ch. 2 for leads/metal. It can do this for sure, but damn if I don't love the Hot/80s mode and use it as you listed first, one channel amp and roll back volume for some gorgeous dripping cleans with just a touch of hair.
 
I love the 70 mode the most and what I want from a boost/overdrive pedal is to get a tad more gain for the solos. I have the gain set to approximately 3 o'clock and not higher because I feel that's the sweet spot and higher settings flattens the tone.
 
I’ve got an original Koko boost, mxr 6 band, and a golden pearl at my access. Lemme know if you want an impressions. But I imagine any boost that a Plexi normally likes would make the 70’s mode happy?
 
I love my The Distillery LUKE pedal. It works great with this amp (Helios 100), Helios Eclipse, my Shiva 20-Anniversary, as well as, but not limited to, my former Ecstacy 101b...
 
I tried several pedals in the front The Tumnus is ok and the Final Booster is pretty good. Also a Boss SD1 works well too. I tried an original Bad Bob in front and it was not doing it for me. Boosting in the loop seems the way to go for me and the Final Booster was OK here but the Original Bad Bob in the loop is magic with the Helios! Now I am running the final booster in the front and Bad Bob in the loop but I am still looking for what works best in the front as I am not totally please with the front end boost,
 
Hi, according to this video:



Lukather is using Rodenberg pedals to boost Helios on 80's mode :) It is some kind of Tubescreamer variation i suppose with bass/mid boost.

What is more, he is using this Bombastortion distortion pedal over top of the Bogner to obtain more compressed, liquid lead sound. Strange, cause on 80's voicing, this amp has already huge amounts of gain.

Also notice that he has helios gain on ~80% :rock:

Also check out this guy:



He is using TS mini to boost his Helios with 80's voicing. Result is awesome!
 
I'm quite impressed with the Suhr Koko Reloaded or Xotic BB going into my Helios 50. Timmy works nicely too.
 
IntenseJim":1fidzv99 said:
I'm quite impressed with the Suhr Koko Reloaded or Xotic BB going into my Helios 50. Timmy works nicely too.
I'm not much of a OD/dirt guy, but the one I do like is the BB Xotic whenever I "need" to use one.
 
hatrick00":1d9462u4 said:
I am a fan of boosting amps, but for whatever reason my Helios 100 sounds the best to me in 80s mode with no boost. So much gain and still so tight. I boost every other amp that I own, but not the Helios 100.
Just curious what your setting is on the gain pot when you say it sounds better without a boost. Not disagree as I dont have a Helios so I have nothing but curiosity. I found I like the boost better with less gain from the amp, but every situation is different
 
Helios 100 boosted in 80s mode on plexi input I am able to get 3 voicings from the amp. From clean to mean as I had researched and found users/postings that the amp can not go from clean to mean. Made me quite hesitant, as I like to be able to switch from clean to a rhythm crunch to a lead channel with a good amount of gain without being to compressed or over saturated and the tone staying somewhat warm, not to piercing in the highs.. Boosting in the Hot input as someone posted was about spot on that it doesnt work, or at least the sound doesnt stay tight and is undesirable for me and the boost I was using. A BB. Going into the plexi input in 80s mode eq on 11, has a very usable clean pending it's not an acoustic guitar clean and guitar used pick ups play a roll of course. As well in the clean , if the BB is engaged it is also a semi broken up plexi tone for rhythm or even less distorted tones. Switch to channel 2 and without BB it's very open sounding chrunch channel with ease. Engage the BB and the hiss is heard in the parking lot if the boost setting is at 3 o'clock. Not really sure how this isnt considered clean to mean* and with for an example a delay unit or similar that have available db boost then you basicly have added volume for lead channel. If a multi function pedal Is used, (midi, pedal looper, function switching) it's quite simple. Now as someone mentioned boosting 80s mode is 5153 levels of gain, I would agree somewhat , it is not as compressed in my findings nor is the hiss even 1/4 the noticable audible difference. YMMV , killer amp! Still dialing in some tones, but yet quite relieved it is able to be used as multi channel with a couple pedals, I do not think the helios100 has near the amount of gain a BE100 has in my findings, as I have to push the gain on the amp and the BB to get a somewhat reasonable amount of gain that enables my duck webbed fingers to be able to hack away YMMV :rock:
 
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