In the neverending battle between full-featured and compact ... Helix vs HX Stomp question

[sleewell]

Yes I Agree , I think you should be able to run 1 poly effect per path if you wish and 1 amp / cab

I had said it before but if Helix could have a simplified version on Fractal channels maybe just A/B so you could have 2 amps on a block but only use 1 at a time that would be pretty cool
So snapshot 1 you have the Freidman on A
Snapshot 2 you have the Deluxe

So you have a limit of one amp per path but the AB actually gives you 4

tried that. the poly wont fit with the amps, delays and reverbs i am using. its not a huge deal, i use the pitch stuff on momentary switches so its not like i need perfect tracking. sometimes the shitiness of the simple pitch actually sounds cool lol.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I have a Floor and a Stomp. They both get used but working with the Stomp requires more thought, IE preset-per-song instead of kitchen sink presets.

For example, the guys I'm jamming with now, I'll bring my Floor if I know I'm going to want to use my IEMs to monitor myself. Guitar will get two paths, Send 1 goes into a Fender Deluxe before a modeled Deluxe goes into my IEMs only, a path for my mic, a path for an auxiliary input to monitor, all rolled into one preset. I have the same preset duplicated to run into my EVH Stealth in 4CM while changing channels via MIDI.

If I'm bringing my Stomp, I'll have three presets to span all of the songs and no IEMs.

If I want to explore what I can add to a song or a jam I'll usually bring my Floor as it's easier to navigate and try things out on the fly, pedal edit, etc.

If I'm showing up to a jam somewhere for the first time, or if I'm going straight from work to play, the Stomp rig usually comes with me

 

[the swede]

I have a Floor and a Stomp. They both get used but working with the Stomp requires more thought, IE preset-per-song instead of kitchen sink presets.

For example, the guys I'm jamming with now, I'll bring my Floor if I know I'm going to want to use my IEMs to monitor myself. Guitar will get two paths, Send 1 goes into a Fender Deluxe before a modeled Deluxe goes into my IEMs only, a path for my mic, a path for an auxiliary input to monitor, all rolled into one preset. I have the same preset duplicated to run into my EVH Stealth in 4CM while changing channels via MIDI.

If I'm bringing my Stomp, I'll have three presets to span all of the songs and no IEMs.

If I want to explore what I can add to a song or a jam I'll usually bring my Floor as it's easier to navigate and try things out on the fly, pedal edit, etc.

If I'm showing up to a jam somewhere for the first time, or if I'm going straight from work to play, the Stomp rig usually comes with me

I remember your video on setting up a ”freeze” in helix… think it was you… like 2017 or something. I think it was that video that made me go get a Helix LT. Since then i always had a Ganymede first in my presets, assigned to hold an infinite trail either with a switch or exp driving whatever comes after. Just works and is shapable by whatever comes before or after.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I remember your video on setting up a ”freeze” in helix… think it was you… like 2017 or something. I think it was that video that made me go get a Helix LT. Since then i always had a Ganymede first in my presets, assigned to hold an infinite trail either with a switch or exp driving whatever comes after. Just works and is shapable by whatever comes before or after.

Nice! It probably was, I was doing a lot of that kind of stuff around then, jumping the send/return to create delays, faux feedbacker, Hammond organ sounds. Now some of the newer effects make some of that stuff redundant but the bigger units allow for more freedom and creativity. Sometimes I need that, and sometimes I don't.

 

[dk_ace]

I maxed out the floor no problem. I then added an outboard reverb pedal and still maxed out the floor. I moved to an FM9, which I also maxed out quickly but not without getting all the things in there that I cared about.

I knew from the beginning I would max out the units though, so I’m a very different user than you are.

D

 

[GTR37]

tried that. the poly wont fit with the amps, delays and reverbs i am using. its not a huge deal, i use the pitch stuff on momentary switches so its not like i need perfect tracking. sometimes the shitiness of the simple pitch actually sounds cool lol.

ah sorry I worded that wrong . I meant to say they ( line6) should have enough power onboard to allow you to use those effects without compromise

 

[sleewell]

ah sorry I worded that wrong . I meant to say they ( line6) should have enough power onboard to allow you to use those effects without compromise

agreed

 

[the swede]

While the DSP discussion is on. How would the QC compare to Helix in terms of what one can do in a preset?

 

[GTR37]

I never really compared as it was so long ago, but I believe one path on the QC is almost as powerful as a the Helix floor ,

 

[burningyen]

Not sure how this helps OP, but to answer the question, I push my Helix Floor pretty hard. For one of my bands I've got:

• My Tele plugged into the Guitar input.
• My Variax plugged into the Variax input.
• My keyboard plugged into the Aux input.
• My violin plugged into Return 1.
• My vocal mic plugged into the Mic input.
• MIDI OUT running to my keyboard.
• 1/4" L and R running to our X32 mixer.

There's a handful of songs where I have to quickly juggle instruments mid-song. I also play the Helix's onboard synth blocks using the footswitches. I hardly ever use multiple amp blocks for gigs, but my routing can get pretty complicated.

For my other band I've got:

• My Variax plugged into the Variax input.
• My vocal mic plugged into the Mic input.
• Send 1 running to my talkbox.
• 1/4" L and R running to my floor monitor.
• XLR L and R running to FOH.

And there's one song where I'm again playing the Helix's synth blocks with footswitches. I have a couple of presets that use multiple amp blocks.

 

[the swede]

I never really compared as it was so long ago, but I believe one path on the QC is almost as powerful as a the Helix floor ,

Used prices here in Sweden put them against each other in interesting ways then… it’s tempting, both ways

 

[timbuck3]

 

[the swede]

View attachment 25326

That’s usually what happens when you show up

 

[laxu]

While the DSP discussion is on. How would the QC compare to Helix in terms of what one can do in a preset?

About twice the horsepower. But in reality this does not translate quite so straightforward. You can build for example a 4 amp block preset, but you will have a hard time fitting much else in there.

Realistically your presets will most likely look pretty similar to full Helix.

 

[dbagchee]

I have the Floor and Stomp - 90% of the time the patches I create on the Floor will run fine on the Stomp - but that 10% when I want to try totally new setups, pedals I haven't been able to deep dive with - or use the mic or wah/expression is where it comes in clutch. Between how long I've owned it and how many updates it's had, I consider it has paid for itself at this point.

 

[quadgear]

There's no getting around the tradeoff between Helix Floor's enormous size and HX Stomp's finicky UI, though. That's what drove me to QC - it's right in the "Goldilocks Zone".

Bingo!

Hope that Line6's "we have to build a unique, novel mousetrap, not just a great/better mousetrap" mantra will allow this.

 

[Iron1]

I have a Rack and a Stomp. Started with just a Stomp (after upgrading from an HD500x) and then to the Rack due to the Stomp's limitations in number of presets it can hold and number of things you can do within each preset. Then bought a second Stomp (sold the first to fund the Rack - well, actually went to an Axe FX, then to the Rack) to use live. I create the tones in the Rack, then load them onto the Stomp for live use.

 

[ragingplatypi]

I have a PodGo and a Stomp. Lately I use the PG about twice as often as the Stomp because most of my playing is basic meat and potatoes tones and the PG has the form factor I really like. I’ve set up some patches with the Stomp so that the two pedals together act in a modular manner.

It works well, but the downside is the “labor intensity” of routing and programming the effects loop and Stomp. It’s not really that intensive but my caveman brain always struggles to get the correct splits and effects loop settings.

 

[HomespunEffects]

Ok, next question: has anyone used a Helix rack in a live situation?

 

[Jarick]

About twice the horsepower. But in reality this does not translate quite so straightforward. You can build for example a 4 amp block preset, but you will have a hard time fitting much else in there.

Realistically your presets will most likely look pretty similar to full Helix.

Practically I did find the QC likely has 50% more DSP than the Helix, which is more than I'd ever need. Enough to make a preset that's too big to deal with anyways. Cool thing with captures is that they are lower DSP so you can run even more of them. Again, not sure how practical that is, but I have run presets with dual amp captures and 3-4 drive pedal captures out front, with lots of DSP for other effects.