Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[GTR37]

My hotub has a “ hype” button that turns on champagne air bubbles to add oxygen into the water

Ambient mood lighting ?

 

[Fireproof]

No rack means no serious big acts are going to use it. Even Kemper has a rack and 99 % of the time when you see it live that’s the format. Same for Axe, 3 is used by big acts and FM 9 for the pub players.

Define “serious big acts”.

That’s probably in the hundreds, right. If we are talking arena/stadium-playing acts.

Compared to club/pub players in the tens of thousands.

Compared to hobbyists and other casual users in the millions.


If I were Line6 - I’d do the exact same thing. Start with your biggest market. Use the profits to fund additional development for the smaller market.

 

[paisleywookiee]

No rack means no serious big acts are going to use it. Even Kemper has a rack and 99 % of the time when you see it live that’s the format. Same for Axe, 3 is used by big acts and FM 9 for the pub players.

Uh, tons of bands tour with existing Helix, QC, FM9T, and the Kemper Stage.

 

[Sascha Franck]

If I were Line6 - I’d do the exact same thing. Start with your biggest market. Use the profits to fund additional development for the smaller market.

Pretty much so.

Yet, and IMO that's defenitely a thing that shouldn't be underestimated:
- Professional users possibly allow for more effective marketing, especially in case they're really using your products.
- Professional users are likely to have at least quite some solid experience and could hence possibly voice a well back upped opinion on what could possibly be improved.

 

[EOengineer]

There’s nothing preventing someone from throwing the stadium in a rack drawer or shelf and running MIDI control. You can control A TON of stuff in Helix via MIDI.

I don’t understand the criticism.

I do trust L6 to respond the their customers and the market though. If there’s sufficient demand for a rack unit, I bet we see one.

 

[Mongillo19]

Yeah it's such a weird stance that gigging musicians use primarily rack gear when sales records show the Helix Rack lags considerably behind all their floorboard options

 

[Fireproof]

Pretty much so.

Yet, and IMO that's defenitely a thing that shouldn't be underestimated:
- Professional users possibly allow for more effective marketing, especially in case they're really using your products.
- Professional users are likely to have at least quite some solid experience and could hence possibly voice a well back upped opinion on what could possibly be improved.

Agreed.

And as was mentioned above - they seem to be doing ok in that regard and I don’t personally see the lack of a rack option out of the gate as a show-stopper or a big hindrance.

 

[Chocol8]

Racks have a limited use case, but those who prefer them tend to have a strong preference. I can't pretend to know if the market for a rack is big enough to cover the development costs for L6 as I don't know the market size or the costs. That said, I could see a two piece unit with a rack with little UI and the a floor controller with the screen and buttons using their own communication protocol via cable or wireless, or expanded midi to allow remote control of what would be a stripped down rack unit.

Either way, I am going to trust L6 is in a better position to evaluate the costs/benefits and they have a history of making pretty good decisions.

 

[Sascha Franck]

and I don’t personally see the lack of a rack option out of the gate as a show-stopper or a big hindrance.

Me neither. It's not as if there was a big rack comeback during the last years.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Controlling a racked device (that isn't a rack device) remotely SUCKS. Unless it's something that has a dedicated controller.

 

[Eagle]

Yeah it's such a weird stance that gigging musicians use primarily rack gear when sales records show the Helix Rack lags considerably behind all their floorboard options

That’s because the rack users are using axe 3 .

 

[Mongillo19]

That’s because the rack users are using axe 3 .

I would say I hope to be so confident in my opinions as you some day but I don't think it would be a good thing

 

[Vic Winters]

Nexus
MIDI
USB A/C
WiFi
Bluetooth

I'm sure you'll be able to make something work if you wanted to put the Stadium on a rack shelf.

 

[EOengineer]

I’m Amish so if this thing can’t be controlled by horse I’m out.

 

[Eagle]

Nexus
MIDI
USB A/C
WiFi
Bluetooth

I'm sure you'll be able to make something work if you wanted to put the Stadium on a rack shelf.

Yes my X88ir and axe 3 until they make a rack.

 

[Eagle]

I’m Amish so if this thing can’t be controlled by horse I’m out.

It’s a format that should be available. We also have to see if is sounds better than axe 3 first.

 

[Dez]

Or, it could be more of a gray area, where it’s steak that should be so fucking great that you don’t need steak sauce, but some people will still use it anyway. Ketchup is heresy, steak sauce? Hmmm…..I wouldn’t use it, but some might.

If I use steak sauce it’s because they overcooked it

 

[AlbertA]

When is everyone transitioning to MIDI 2.0?

But seriously MIDI 2.0 Profiles + Property Exchange would rule if manufacturers starting adopting it.

 

[Elf]

We also have to see if is sounds better than axe 3 first.

I can almost hear the thundering river of YouTuber's content coming our way!

 

[JiveTurkey]

If I use steak sauce it’s because they overcooked it

A1 is best