paisleywookiee
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Yeah I don’t really need to hear clips; I like the Helix already, and this is better.
Helix Backyard BBQ Stomp is a day one purchase for me.
Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion
- Thread starter Lysander
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Yeah I don’t really need to hear clips; I like the Helix already, and this is better.
Helix Backyard BBQ Stomp is a day one purchase for me.
TheTrueZoltan!
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I know I‘ve said this before… the SD-1 and TS models - at least to me - are the weak points of the current Helix firmware. I would definitely be delighted if they were completely overhauled. But Eric already stated that Helix Stadium 1.0 doesn‘t have new FX.
ian_dissonance
Shredder
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I’m glad that’s the only time I’ve ever seen that particular guy. Yeesh.
Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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And it's not even true. Run it through a better cab sim and it's pretty decent. What has been really bad with the GT-10 is its converters (or maybe the op amps, no idea). Tried to use it in 4CM with my Laney LC50 (pretty nice sounding amp IMO, even got it modded a bit) and I couldn't even remotely manage to keep the amp sound the same as without the GT. I actually suspect the input stage to be the culprit as the DIs I recorded (hence nothing bit the input was in the signal chain) didn't sound great, either.
But on its own, it's really not too bad. Heck, I used it for a run of gigs last year because it was the most practical solution (the big board was in another van for some days). Sounded absolutely decent through an AMT Pangaea (working as a cab IR loader).
I just made my girl friend order three in a row.
Dez
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“Why can’t you make me feel like the Stadium does?!”
The Helix Stadium was directly responsible for divorces and breakups across the world in 2026 - Stadium users became obsessed with the world class orgasms in Agoura, many even stating “it’s actually better than the real thing!”
Mooselake
Roadie
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Yep. I'll certainly listen to the clips and watch some of the reviews, but L6 team Helix is a known quantity to me, and wise or not, I feel they've earned the benefit of the doubt with me. Even if I overhype the player experience part in my mind, the productivity additions have me extremely interested, even though I'm not a gigging musician. I might even be a buyer if it was OG Helix modeling with some spec improvements and the revamped workflow tools.
Chocol8
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There is no reason any top tier modeling device can’t also run top quality captures, so I could see the top of the market converging. If there are two different top dogs, I think they will be different market segments.
Maybe Tonex for the low price, fewer features market, and Line 6/Fractal for the top tier super flexible high featured all in one devices. I don’t see a top tier capture/profile only leader like Kemper has been. It just doesn’t make sense anymore unless the market turns away from modeling. I don’t see that happening in the next 5+ years.
Lysander
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Hell, i'd argue Fractal has too many amps. I think the AxeFX III is close to 350 models now, which is just insane.
But yeah, if you want the ultimate in options and flexibility, it's really hard to go wrong with Fractal. It comes at a cost thou.
Note that Cliff is notoriously against capturing, and remains steadfast convinced modelling is a superior approach. Other brands, though? Seems we're there already.
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MirrorProfiles
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Not really like 350 amps though. Once you add up all the different Plexi’s with their various input options, the Mark amps with their different configurations, the 10 or so Friedman’s, as well as the multi channel stuff like the VH4, JVM’s, JMP-1, it’s more like just over 100 IIRC. Still not to be sniffed at but it’s pretty comparable to something like Amplitube when you do it like for like.
Chocol8
Shredder
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Yep, that is Cliff’s preference, not a technical limitation or a good business limitation. Personally, I think if he sticks with it, it is going to cost him sales. There have been a LOT of Fractal and Line 6 customers running their devices along with a Tonex Pedal or One over the last couple of years. I bet most of them would prefer the capture tech, for amps and/or effects, be built into their next device.
laxu
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That's just virtual amp collecting. If you want to do that, sure, stick with Fractal.
My experience with all that is that it's initially a lot of fun to have the wealth of options. Then over time you start finding your favorites, and everything else becomes "I'm bored and want to try something different".
laxu
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Helix currently has 46 unique real amp models if you combine the different channels into one amp. It also has 15 Line6 original models. That's currently spread over 94 different amp models in total.
The numbers I've seen for Helix Stadium Agoura amp models have been I think 16 or 22? If they can do 22, that would be close to half of the Helix's real amp models.
I think that would cover a lot of ground already if you skip some of the similar amps. E.g you have a JCM800 2203 model but not 2204, 5150 but no Invective, 100W Superlead but no Park 75 or Plexi Tremolo 50 and so on.
The numbers I've seen for Helix Stadium Agoura amp models have been I think 16 or 22? If they can do 22, that would be close to half of the Helix's real amp models.
I think that would cover a lot of ground already if you skip some of the similar amps. E.g you have a JCM800 2203 model but not 2204, 5150 but no Invective, 100W Superlead but no Park 75 or Plexi Tremolo 50 and so on.
Lysander
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39 Agoura amps/channels on launch, per the man himself. Some Agoura models include all channels, which you can switch using f.ex. snapshots
but a few (Revvs, notably) had to be split up.
ian_dissonance
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Virtual amp collecting was a draw for me 25 years ago with the Boss GT-6. Now the goal for me is something with 2-3 sounds that really work and a playground of shit all in one place so it stays fluid while I’m making music. I could still see the draw if I was doing 5 decades of rock covers or something, but even then it would probably be 3-4 core tones and then special fx because why would I do that to myself and the sound guy trying to get 120 unique tones for every song.
Sascha Franck
Goatlord
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F
From a single user POV it's certainly a collectors thing or, as you say, a "let me just fool around with this for a while".
Personally, within the HX realm, I'm now down to just two amps and hardly ever grab anything else (the Super Reverb and the Voltage).
But then there's other folks. And while their preferences might as well come down to just 2-3 amps, it might be completely different ones.
Hence, as a modeler maker, you rather need to be a jack of all trades, so you can satisfy all potential users. As a result you just have to cover a whole lot of amps if you want people to stay on your platform.
From a single user POV it's certainly a collectors thing or, as you say, a "let me just fool around with this for a while".
Personally, within the HX realm, I'm now down to just two amps and hardly ever grab anything else (the Super Reverb and the Voltage).
But then there's other folks. And while their preferences might as well come down to just 2-3 amps, it might be completely different ones.
Hence, as a modeler maker, you rather need to be a jack of all trades, so you can satisfy all potential users. As a result you just have to cover a whole lot of amps if you want people to stay on your platform.
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