Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[ian_dissonance]

Well, I for one hope that they do release some clips to compare the original helix sounds at OS 3.8 or 3.9 or 4.0 whatever it’s at versus the agora amps because this is probably what most people are really interested in and even though clips aren’t always the greatest you still would be nice to see the differences if there are any Sonic for some people at least with headphones or listening on really good speakers or whatever

"I don't need any clips" brigade incoming

What are you going to get from the clips? Are you expecting them to be night and day better? If this was a company with no previous products it would make sense to at least know what it sounds like, but unless it’s showing off a new effect or better tracking for pitch shifting, you’re not going to be able to tell. Unless you’re lying to yourself about your ears, anyways.

 

[timbuck3]

"I don't need any clips" brigade incoming

So it actually may be that the agora amps don’t really sound any better than the regular helix exams just from a programming state point of view it takes less time and effort to create them and maybe less internal processing power

 

[ian_dissonance]

So it actually may be that the agora amps don’t really sound any better than the regular helix exams just from a programming state point of view it takes less time and effort to create them and maybe less ram

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW THEY SOUND BETTER IN A CLIP ON YOUTUBE?

They could put 10 clips from Helix and 10 clips from Stadium up and randomize them and just say they were one or the other and you would never know.

 

[sashimi]

So it actually may be that the agora amps don’t really sound any better than the regular helix exams just from a programming state point of view it takes less time and effort to create them and maybe less DPS

Or it could actually be that you can’t tell the difference if you’re not playing it yourself.

I know I’ve said this before, but I understand why people want clips, and I also understand why line 6 isn’t giving them yet.

 

[timbuck3]

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW THEY SOUND BETTER IN A CLIP ON YOUTUBE?

They could put 10 clips from Helix and 10 clips from Stadium up and randomize them and just say they were one or the other and you would never know.

Yea I guess that’s right what was I thinking that for 2200$ it should sound better then the hx og.. my bad

 

[ian_dissonance]

Yea I guess that’s right what was I thinking that for 2200$ it should sound better then the hx og.. my bad

How. Would. You. Know. From. A. Clip?

 

[sashimi]

Yea I guess that’s right what was I thinking that for 2200$ it should sound better then the hx og.. my bad

HX OG sounds great in 2025, as good as anything else out there. At this point the difference is going to be the stuff you can’t hear in a clip.

 

[AlbertA]

How. Would. You. Know. From. A. Clip?

 

[Sascha Franck]

HX OG sounds great in 2025, as good as anything else out there. At this point the difference is going to be the stuff you can’t hear in a clip.

You possibly could, but it'd possibly really be almost "semantics", so to say.

Anyhow, as said, for me personally, pretty much any of the other improvements are vastly more important, maybe most notably the onboard editing. In case I'd ever get a Stadium (unfortunately not too likely in the foreseeable future), I could pretty much imagine this to be the reason to go for the vanilla version, as I could slap it onto a music stand and never ever use any editor at all. Given all currently available information, onboard editing looks as if it'll actually be vastly superior compared to using an editor.

 

[paisleywookiee]

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO KNOW THEY SOUND BETTER IN A CLIP ON YOUTUBE?

They could put 10 clips from Helix and 10 clips from Stadium up and randomize them and just say they were one or the other and you would never know.

I dunno man, it was pretty easy to determine the Kemper from the real amp in the other thread. maybe clips do matter?

 

[Enchilada Jones]

I believe DI said something like he ‘heard the sound of agoura modeling coming down the hallway from his office and knew it was an improvement or a real amp’

So clips or video of someone with credibility experiencing and confirming it would sell a few hundred units for sure. Send Pete Thorn and a few others one and let’s get on with it!

 

[ian_dissonance]

I dunno man, it was pretty easy to determine the Kemper from the real amp in the other thread. maybe clips do matter?

That’s because the Kemper sucks. And most people couldn’t tell which was which, they could just tell it was different. A couple of them even liked the Kemper better. Which is my point. All you’re getting from clips is if there is a difference, especially if they did something stupid like go amp for amp between the modeling engines. They could mislabel them in the video and Tim would like the Agoura clips that were actually HX clips better, lol.

 

[paisleywookiee]

That’s because the Kemper sucks. And most people couldn’t tell which was which, they could just tell it was different. A couple of them even liked the Kemper better. Which is my point. All you’re getting from clips is if there is a difference, especially if they did something stupid like go amp for amp between the modeling engines. They could mislabel them in the video and Tim would like the Agoura clips that were actually HX clips better, lol.

Maybe I’m just biased. In terms of preference, not tubes.

 

[GTR37]

I believe DI said something like he ‘heard the sound of agoura modeling coming down the hallway from his office and knew it was an improvement or a real amp’

So clips or video of someone with credibility experiencing and confirming it would sell a few hundred units for sure. Send Pete Thorn and a few others one and let’s get on with it!

It was the first time he heard Agoura
He went to find out why someone was playing a JCM800 cranked down the hall in the middle of the day
And found it was a computer playing back the 800 model

 

[ian_dissonance]

I believe DI said something like he ‘heard the sound of agoura modeling coming down the hallway from his office and knew it was an improvement or a real amp’

So clips or video of someone with credibility experiencing and confirming it would sell a few hundred units for sure. Send Pete Thorn and a few others one and let’s get on with it!

Yeah, I’d actually find that of some value. I don’t even need to hear them playing it. Just full-frame facial expressions while they mess with the unit, lol.

 

[I S]

The new audio engine, as great as it is, is the least interesting thing about Stadium! If audio clips are all you’re after then I think this product ain’t for you. You’re going to be sorely disappointed once the YouTube clips are out. Might as well start bitching in the forums now, get it all out, so that we can get a nice and pleasant launch in the Fall.

Go on…

 

[molul]

The new audio engine, as great as it is, is the least interesting thing about Stadium! If audio clips are all you’re after then I think this product ain’t for you. You’re going to be sorely disappointed once the YouTube clips are out.

So true. I can't speak for all Stadium future owners, but I'd bet what we're mostly looking for is the new footprint (especially with the non-XL model), the new UI, Showcase...

However, the thing I currently want to know the most is when it will be available in Europe and how much it will cost.

 

[Orvillain]

The new audio engine, as great as it is, is the least interesting thing about Stadium!

I couldn't disagree more really.

Helix was always a smidgen behind Fractal in terms of audio quality, latency, aliasing performance, and modelling chutzpah. I'm far more interesting in knowing more details in those areas than I am the new showcase and X/Y features, for example. Not that I wouldn't use them, but those alone don't convince me to upgrade to a Stadium.

If the Stadium Agoura modelling is some next level shit (and I have every reason to believe it will be) then my Axe FX 3 may very well end up on eBay.

 

[mikah912]

I couldn't disagree more really.

Helix was always a smidgen behind Fractal in terms of audio quality, latency, aliasing performance, and modelling chutzpah. I'm far more interesting in knowing more details in those areas than I am the new showcase and X/Y features, for example. Not that I wouldn't use them, but those alone don't convince me to upgrade to a Stadium.

If the Stadium Agoura modelling is some next level shit (and I have every reason to believe it will be) then my Axe FX 3 may very well end up on eBay.

Fair point on the technical aspects (aside from "audio quality" - not sure what you mean there). I want to know more about that too, and I'm looking forward to those details being revealed as launch nears.

Modeling Chutzpah is pretty vague, but I'll repeat what I always say having owned all of the major platforms: None of them have better amp models across the board. Each of them has some I think are done more realistically and better sounding than their competitors.

I'm extensively shooting out my FM9 and Helix right now, and it only reconfirms that Line 6 got almost all of the major food groups right as of 3.8. Fractal will always have them beat in terms of depth/diversity/selection across every category but bass amps. I don't think anyone disputes that, but that also matter less and less to me. If anything, I try to avoid the virtual amp collecting like the plague because it's antithetical to productivity.

 

[Sascha Franck]

If anything, I try to avoid the virtual amp collecting like the plague because it's antithetical to productivity.

Absolutely the same here (and true for both home and live usage). Once I found 2-3 suitable amp and cab combinations (in general I need 2, one for dirts, one for cleans, the rest is done with pedals), I tend to just stick with them for a pretty long time. I usually only fool around with different amps when something new is coming my way or when I feel bored. But whenever I just feel like playing, practising or recording, I never fool around but stick with what I know best. Feels familiar, I know how to utilize sounds and what not.