Helix Stadium Desktop and AxeFx IV Desktop

[Boudoir Guitar]

Sometimes I still miss my OG bean that used to sit on my desk 25 years ago. I'm old.

Except when I remember the “hold this button down while turning that knob and try not to bang/drop your guitar or pick in the FUCK!!!!!

 

[Melodioso]

I think the Quad Cortex absolutely nailed the perfect form factor. 11 footswitches that are also dials, a big knob, and a touch screen, in a device about a foot wide. Perfection.

that + scribble strips = perfection.

 

[laxu]

I'll take Stadium Desktop, or Axe-Fx IV Desktop. I don't want rack units for this because they are bulky as hell and the rack format is not suited for large touchscreen displays.

It's always much easier to add footswitching to something than remove it. Can be a MIDI controller, or a proprietary footswitch unit.

Even for e.g the smaller HX Stadium I'd like to see a Helix Control type board that I could put on the floor. I'd pay more for that combination than the HX Stadium XL because having them separate gives me the kind of modularity I want.

 

[Dez]

At one point in time, I had my AxeFX like that. Even tried moving it closer to me to encourage me to use it on the device more.

View attachment 56200

Even then I’d end up still just resorting to Axe Edit and the cables and routing etc all became a bit annoying for me. I’ve since racked it off out to the side and accepted it’s Axe Edit all the way and much prefer it like that.

You need to get some coasters

 

[MirrorProfiles]

You need to get some coasters

Ha that desk is long gone, and my replacement has basically no space at all for coffee The old one had some kind of coating on the surface that gradually peeled off and kind of left marks easily. I guess I don’t have to worry about coffee cup rings so much with the replacement…

 

[Los-D]

After using the Helix XL the last few weeks I have come to realize what I really want from a next generation modeler, besides everything, is a unit without footswitches ideal for desktop, stand, amp top or two space slide out rack shelf that's integrated with a separate footswitch like Fractal's FC6 and FC12. I've barely touched the on unit UI because I like my footswitches on the floor so I can use my feet. So 95% of the time I'm using the computer editor and the fancy new UI goes untouched.

I find traditional rack mount units like the AxeFx III to big and bulky, limited on screen size without taking up like 6 rack spaces, and clunky on the desktop. I propose a compact desktop unit like the standard Stadium without the footswitches would be a more ideal form factor. Works well on the desktop, stand, on top an amp or mounted to a slide out rack shelf.

Anyone else want a Stadium or Fractal desktop unit somewhat like below?
View attachment 56172

I guess you could technically do an AM0 based on gut shots here from @AlbertA (not using the daughter board for the switches).

But as an FM0 advocate, I have no complaints on the size of the AM4 (for now lol). Of course, this is NOT an AxFxIV power-wise.

TL; DR

• TI SoC - 66AK2G12ABY100 KeyStone II Multicore
  
  • 1 Arm Cortex-A15 @1GHz
  • 1 C66x DSP @1GHz
• 512 MB DDR3 RAM
• 64 MB + 48MB NOR Flash
• Cirrus Logic CS4272-CZZ Codec - A/D + DAC

Gut shots

View attachment 56084View attachment 56093
View attachment 56085View attachment 56086

TI SoC - 66AK2G12ABY100 KeyStone II Multicore

• 1 Arm Cortex-A15 @1GHz
• 1 C66x DSP @1GHz

View attachment 56092

512 MB DDR RAM - 2 Micron MT41K128M16JT-125:K
View attachment 56091

64 MB NOR Flash - 2 Winbond W25Q256JVEQ
View attachment 56089

Another 48MB of NOR FLASH - 3 Winbond W25Q128JV
128KB EEPROM - Microchip 25LC1024

View attachment 56090

CODEC (DAC - A/D) - Cirrus Logic CS4272-CZZ

View attachment 56087

Digital Transceiver (for S/PDIF) - AKM AK4118AEQ
View attachment 56088

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I guess you could technically do an AM0 based on gut shots here from @AlbertA (not using the daughter board for the switches).

But as an FM0 advocate, I have no complaints on the size of the AM4 (for now lol). Of course, this is NOT an AxFxIV power-wise.

I asked Cliff about doing that with an FM3 -- unplugging the switches and lopping of that part of the case. H wasn't certain and wasn't going to take the time to dig, but he thought there would be boot errors if the ribbon connector was disconnected

Edit to add: my sad face clearly isn't THAT sad, because I never even got as far as trying it out myself...

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I'll take Stadium Desktop, or Axe-Fx IV Desktop. I don't want rack units for this because they are bulky as hell and the rack format is not suited for large touchscreen displays.

It's always much easier to add footswitching to something than remove it. Can be a MIDI controller, or a proprietary footswitch unit.

Even for e.g the smaller HX Stadium I'd like to see a Helix Control type board that I could put on the floor. I'd pay more for that combination than the HX Stadium XL because having them separate gives me the kind of modularity I want.

AxeFX has WAY too much I/O for a desktop IMO. I think the AM4 could work with a desktop version but even then it’s a tough sell IMO.

There’s pretty cool MIDI controllers with motorized pots and haptic feedback and screens etc that probably do a better job of the tactile thing. Performing certain tasks are fundamentally going to be easier to do with mouse and keyboard, while a specific few are nicer to use knobs and buttons for.

 

[Los-D]

I asked Cliff about doing that with an FM3 -- unplugging the switches and lopping of that part of the case. H wasn't certain and wasn't going to take the time to dig, but he thought there would be boot errors if the ribbon connector was disconnected

Edit to add: my sad face clearly isn't THAT sad, because I never even got as far as trying it out myself...

Yep, good call on that one. Probably need a different daughter board without the switches, maybe with connections to external switches, etc… but I’m pretty damn stoked with the AM4 size as it is.

 

[Los-D]

Some desk photos for context. I’m actually keeping it on a pedalboard at all times but just wanted to show how it looks.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Sometimes I still miss my OG bean that used to sit on my desk 25 years ago. I'm old.

I’ve had almost every bean: the OG, XT, X3, and HD. Am I missing any? The HD was my favorite, because it sounded the best and looked cool in black.

 

[laxu]

There’s pretty cool MIDI controllers with motorized pots and haptic feedback and screens etc that probably do a better job of the tactile thing. Performing certain tasks are fundamentally going to be easier to do with mouse and keyboard, while a specific few are nicer to use knobs and buttons for.

Except nothing supports them properly. Modelers are downright abysmal for MIDI knob control. All of them.

That's why I believe footswitching is much easier to replace.

Personally I always prefer actual tactile control over trying to move virtual knobs with a mouse or typing in values with a keyboard.

 

[holoholo]

Ha that desk is long gone, and my replacement has basically no space at all for coffee The old one had some kind of coating on the surface that gradually peeled off and kind of left marks easily. I guess I don’t have to worry about coffee cup rings so much with the replacement…

View attachment 56205

 

[Enchilada Jones]

The QC’s foot switches are perfect for a desk, they’re all encoders to edit device parameters

I think the Stadium will be almost perfect on a stand/desktop and I think it would be perfect and only fair if Line 6 used the encoder type footswitches on it since QC used the screen UI of Helix.
It’s not like QC invented the encoder footswitch concept, TC Electronics had it decades before.

 

[Digital Igloo]

TC Electronics had it decades before.

That's why we didn't do it. Plus, at least with our designs, it would've slowed things down and made cap-sense switches a bit funky. Besides, dedicated knobs don't increase the footprint by that much.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I'm with it. I'd want something equally as useful on a desktop as is on top of a cab, power amp, or in 4CM with a tube amp.

I no longer want the brains on the floor connected to the kick switches but don't necessarily want a large rack either.

I'd ideally like something between the size of a small audio interface and an OX Box.

Two way controller communication, I don't see how other than a proprietary controller.

Offload the deep-parameter UI to a tablet or not (I'll live without a touchscreen).

Basic analog (stereo) I/O, a loop, digital (USB, SPDIF), headphones. Can't think of much more one would need.

 

[mbenigni]

With a shit laptop power supply.

I still don't understand the fixation on this PSU. Not to split hairs, but it's not like any laptop power supply I've ever owned. The QC has a wall wart, just like the HX Stomp and a dozen other processors in my collection. (Actually the Stomp's supply is more aggravating due to cable length, the size of the barrel jack, and the size/shape of the "wart".) A laptop supply typically has a separate power brick you have to find a place for, and it's typically half the size of whatever you're powering in the first place. That's annoying.

Counterpoint:
- Switches are too close together

Agreed.

- No scribble strips

Inevitably a tradeoff. Scribble strips add considerably to size and cost, and they only add value (proportionately) in specific contexts. In the desktop context we're discussing here, not so much (IMO).

- Knobs that you both use your hands to turn and you step on with your shoes is revolting

Acknowledging your laugh emoji , more ado about nothing. No different from HX capacitive switches or the hundreds of other things we touch that touch that touch that touch things that are or have been on the floor. (Now where did I leave that pick? Did I drop it? Oops, it's in my mouth again. )

AxeFX has WAY too much I/O for a desktop IMO.

Too much I/O is a thing? Desktop is the one and only place I find myself wanting for more I/O... pretty much all the time. (And my studio is WAAAAAY simpler than yours.)

I asked Cliff about doing that with an FM3 -- unplugging the switches and lopping of that part of the case. H wasn't certain and wasn't going to take the time to dig, but he thought there would be boot errors if the ribbon connector was disconnected

I did a "GR55 0" back in the day, with only the mainboard and I/O; no daughterboard, footswitches, etc. It almost worked? Booted up, display was fine, audio was fine... but weird unexpected things would respond improperly, like the S1/S2 buttons on the GK pickup. Between that, the improbability of getting specs from Roland, and the need to fabricate a new enclosure (probably above my paygrade), I bailed on the project. It would have been cool, though. The GR55 is much bigger than it needs to be, most of its hardware controls are entirely useless, and that mainboard was about the size of a postcard.

EDIT: Found it.

 

[Dez]

I still don't understand the fixation on this PSU. Not to split hairs, but it's not like any laptop power supply I've ever owned. The QC has a wall wart, just like the HX Stomp and a dozen other processors in my collection. (Actually the Stomp's supply is more aggravating due to cable length, the size of the barrel jack, and the size/shape of the "wart".) A laptop supply typically has a separate power brick you have to find a place for, and it's typically half the size of whatever you're powering in the first place. That's annoying.

The VP4 also has a wall wart, as well as the ToneX. Aside from the FM3/FM9/AXEIII and Helix, I'm not sure what modelers actually use built in PSUs

 

[ChordInversion]

Correct. That's why POD HD was the last tabletop modeler we've made (14 years ago!). We didn't even bother with an X version when POD HD500X and POD ProX dropped years later.

I totally get it. Bummer for people like me, as I'd really like having a desktop unit. I'm just grateful that I could order the base Stadium without the expression pedal, keeping the size under control (and letting me use an external expression pedal, which I prefer enormously for ergonomic reasons).

 

[paisleywookiee]

I still don't understand the fixation on this PSU. Not to split hairs, but it's not like any laptop power supply I've ever owned. The QC has a wall wart, just like the HX Stomp and a dozen other processors in my collection. (Actually the Stomp's supply is more aggravating due to cable length, the size of the barrel jack, and the size/shape of the "wart".) A laptop supply typically has a separate power brick you have to find a place for, and it's typically half the size of whatever you're powering in the first place. That's annoying.

Sorry man, this is just a shit power supply.

You're right, it's not like current laptop power supplies. It's worse. It's like a laptop power supply from 2010. Macs and Windows laptops generally now have better power supplies, and then Fractal, Line 6, and Fender all have better built-in power supplies with an IEC on their flagship modelers.

HX Stomp is a tiny pedal meant to go on a board. Not what I'd consider the same thing.