Line 6 HX Stomp

BottledAwesome · #1 10-11-2018, 07:33 AM

I searched and was surprised to not see any mention of this unit. Current street price is USD $599, and the first batch has already sold out pretty well everywhere it was available.

https://line6.com/hx-stomp/

You're basically looking at a Micro Helix. ALL of the same Helix models (amps and effects), IR loading, 12 ins and outs including MIDI that are all the same components in the full Helix, capacitive touch foot switches, snapshots, stereo signal path, works as an 8x6 USB interface...all of that and more in a box that is about the same size as a big Strymon.

Particularly with IR loading, this could integrate (or take over) an acoustic rig pretty handily.

Currently there is a 6 block limit on the signal chain, but there is a noise gate on the input and a global EQ on the output that don't take up any blocks.

DavidE · #2 10-11-2018, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BottledAwesome

I searched and was surprised to not see any mention of this unit. Current street price is USD $599, and the first batch has already sold out pretty well everywhere it was available.

https://line6.com/hx-stomp/

You're basically looking at a Micro Helix. ALL of the same Helix models (amps and effects), IR loading, 12 ins and outs including MIDI that are all the same components in the full Helix, capacitive touch foot switches, snapshots, stereo signal path, works as an 8x6 USB interface...all of that and more in a box that is about the same size as a big Strymon.

Particularly with IR loading, this could integrate (or take over) an acoustic rig pretty handily.

Currently there is a 6 block limit on the signal chain, but there is a noise gate on the input and a global EQ on the output that don't take up any blocks.

That 6 block limit is there to stay. There is half the processing power of the full Helix (one sharc processor instead of two). There are models coming in the next year that make the 6 block limit make sense. No hint as to what they are, but my guess is polyphonic pitch shifting and/or large code amps.

The lack of footswitches is what make it not work for me live (I use a Helix Floor). As an acoustic rig it would probably be fantastic unless you need the xlr mic input.

BottledAwesome · #3 10-11-2018, 10:07 AM

Line 6 staff have said that if enough noise is made about the block limit, they would entertain an increase. There are plenty of ways they could do it.

varmonter · #4 10-11-2018, 11:51 AM

I had a helix rack for awhile. I returned it
to the ebay seller because it was defective.
it worked fine just had one defective scribbled
strip not advertised. It was awesome though.
kinda wish i kept it now. Overkill for acoustic.
But it was really clever.
Really al you need and a ton more.

DavidE · #5 10-11-2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BottledAwesome

Line 6 staff have said that if enough noise is made about the block limit, they would entertain an increase. There are plenty of ways they could do it.

Start making noise!

tadol · #6 10-12-2018, 02:03 AM

I read OPs post 3 times, and it sounds awesome - just have no idea what any of it means! But I do remember from my childhood that I was frequently restricted by block limits, otherwise I could have built some awesome towers. So I am fully in on removing block limits, plus all that other stuff -

👍

RonD · #7 10-12-2018, 06:44 AM

I'm also interested in the HX Stomp but concerned about the need to add an additional footswitch to enable the "Bank Up/Bank Down" functionality. Otherwise, you need to bend down and press the Page buttons to move between banks. (I think this issue is highlighted in the Andertons demo video).

Maybe not the end of the world, but I'd like to avoid having to bend down and change pedal settings in the middle of a gig.

BottledAwesome · #8 10-12-2018, 07:54 AM

On the rare occasion, this pedal can become your whole rig. More likely though, it will integrate into an established one.

It can be controlled by MIDI and uses snapshots, so that can easy reduce bending over and getting hands on during a gig.

If you are the kind of player that tweaks to unique settings all the time while playing a show, this will PROBABLY not be for you. But it is highly capable and controllable...you should at least check out the short how to videos on the website and see it in action.

Ed_Saxman · #9 10-13-2018, 04:09 AM

Amazing device!

Even though I already have a Helix Floor, the new Helix Stomp is very tempting for me.

6 blocks can be certainly limiting for electric guitars, specially if you're using amp and IR blocks, that leaves only 4 blocks free. If you use the FX loop or a wah, that's another used block.

I think they had to make this design decision due to the highly variable DSP usage from the amp sims (there are some DSP-hungry amps already there), stereo FXs (more DSP consuming than mono versions), dual amp capability, the upcoming poliphonic/synth stuff mentioned on a earlier post, in addition to the user interface reasons mentioned by Digital Igloo.

Perhaps something like a "8 blocks mode" could be easily implemented introducing some limitations when using this mode. Some examples: no dual amps, mono FX only, low-moderate DSP amps only, etc etc

On the other side, 6 blocks should be enough for acoustic guitars, bass, keyboards, etc.... But again, in case you have some free DSP, why not allow 8 blocks?

An elegant solution could be some "dynamic block allocation": variable blocks amount given the available DSP.

They even mentioned somewhere that Yamaha could introduce some of their acoustic FX algorithms in future Helix firmwares! (Probably borrowed from the Yamaha Magicstomp?)

Definitely interested!

Year 2004: Yamaha MagicStomp

Year 2018: Line 6 HX Stomp

The Kid! · #10 02-13-2019, 11:46 PM

Before I pull the trigger on this Line 6 HX Stomp, I want to make sure it will do all of these things.

1. Button one push for guitar sound with its own EQ.

2. Button two push to turn octave effect for single note bass lines with its own pre programmed EQ that coincides with it.

3. Accept IR’s from my Tonedexter (it does) but working globally for both guitar and bass sounds.

4. Button three push to turn verb/delay on and off. In a perfect world, I would want no verb on the bass channel, and verb on the guitar channel. If that were possible, I could dedicate the third button to something else down the line.

This would cut down on so much space and weight for my floor board if it could do all of this.

BottledAwesome · #11 02-14-2019, 12:29 AM

It has been a little while since I have looked at the exact functionality of the switching, but the unit is amazingly programmable.

I think what would work best for you is using snapshots. As long as your chain is efficient enough to fit both guitar and bass rigs in a single patch, you can do all of what you want with a single button.

Snapshots allow you to "instance" effects, so as long as you use the same MODEL of EQ between bass and guitar sounds, you can alter the settings within snapshots and literally toggle between them and only use a single block.

Put the IR last in the chain and just make sure it isn't assigned to any switches and you're golden.

varmonter · #12 02-14-2019, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Kid!

Before I pull the trigger on this Line 6 HX Stomp, I want to make sure it will do all of these things.

1. Button one push for guitar sound with its own EQ.

2. Button two push to turn octave effect for single note bass lines with its own pre programmed EQ that coincides with it.

3. Accept IR’s from my Tonedexter (it does) but working globally for both guitar and bass sounds.

4. Button three push to turn verb/delay on and off. In a perfect world, I would want no verb on the bass channel, and verb on the guitar channel. If that were possible, I could dedicate the third button to something else down the line.

This would cut down on so much space and weight for my floor board if it could do all of this.

Well i think it will do most of this. Global Ir it wont do. and you
cant get efx button accesability in preset or snapshot mode.
so youll have to stoop over. But it will do all of this quite handily.
I play 3 inst . And this covers all 3 quite easily. but i do have to
bend over to change presets for bass mandolin and guitar. Using hx edit
and a laptop could solve this but id have to drag a laptop around.
If it had bluetooth and an app for ipad it would be a slick lil box.

AeroUSA · #13 02-14-2019, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

Well i think it will do most of this. Global Ir it wont do. and you
cant get efx button accesability in preset or snapshot mode.
so youll have to stoop over. But it will do all of this quite handily.
I play 3 inst . And this covers all 3 quite easily. but i do have to
bend over to change presets for bass mandolin and guitar. Using hx edit
and a laptop could solve this but id have to drag a laptop around.
If it had bluetooth and an app for ipad it would be a slick lil box.

Look up the Morning Star MC6

varmonter · #14 02-14-2019, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeroUSA

Look up the Morning Star MC6

Yea i have.. It adds alot more flexibility to
the stomp via midi.

The Kid! · #15 02-14-2019, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varmonter

Well i think it will do most of this. Global Ir it wont do. and you
cant get efx button accesability in preset or snapshot mode.
so youll have to stoop over. But it will do all of this quite handily.
I play 3 inst . And this covers all 3 quite easily. but i do have to
bend over to change presets for bass mandolin and guitar. Using hx edit
and a laptop could solve this but id have to drag a laptop around.
If it had bluetooth and an app for ipad it would be a slick lil box.

Thank you! Can I assign the same IR to different buttons?