Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[Sascha Franck]

That has not stopped anybody. Kemper, QC and Tonex are littered with enough bad content each. It's not surprising "trusted vendors" (free or paid) are a thing on all of them.

Sure, but that's still a rather "controlled" environment. Kemper and QC require you to own dedicated hardware and creating a ToneX patch defenitely isn't even remotely as easy as dealing with two files (input and output) on Tone3000. Heck, even my 10y old son could create dozens of NAM files in case I showed him how to.

Captures have a major content management problem on all platforms where metadata is not sufficient to really find what you want, which makes it a chore to go through packs of files on any platform too. Doesn't matter if it's dumping files into a folder for NAM or loading them on device via some cloud service or computer app.

Of course.

But the currently available NAM plugins are one of the main culprits, too. None of them offers proper file management. Use any of them, then delete (or hide) the NAM file, reload the project and ALL of them will miserably fail. No way to get things back. Any proper tool loading whatever external files should as well come with an option to save "container" patches (or patch plus external file), just as software samplers do. And if you're still missing a capture file, they should offer a search function. It's the year 2025, ffs.
Btw, it's the same with all of those "glorious" free IR loaders. Switch computers, reorganize your data management in Finder/Explorer = lose all total recall instantly. It's why I'm using Logic's Space Designer most of the time. As long as the required IR file is on your computer, it'll find it. And you can have it to automatically save it along with the project.
I think the NAM folks said that something like that would be added around a year ago or so already. Yet, nothing happened. Same with Two Notes Genome. They said they'd defenitely look into it, yet nothing happend. And again the same with the current HX line. Miss an IR and your patch is doomed. At least Line 6 never said they'd look into it. They still should.

 

[Sascha Franck]

“Amp”, it’s an iPad hot glued to a speaker

And you're losing all other iPad functions in addition.

 

[Dez]

I’m excited to spend a ridiculous amount of time messing with preset audition

 

[Perrymusica]

Updated list based on feedback from @Digital Igloo

Stadium will have at launch:

1. Agoura amp models (around 16 models with about 42 channels)
2. Focus view
3. Hype control
4. Showcase features
5. Preset audition
6. More headroom than regular Helix
7. Stadium includes most things from the 1st generation Helix like effects, amps, and preset compatibility. However the following things have been removed. Older Hybrid cab engine, Dedicated VDI and L6 LINK jacks (Expand D10 is coming next year), CV Out jack (No one used it)
8. Excellent touch screen
9. Usability improvements including search, etc.
10. More processing power
11. Improved signal chain options
12. Basic librarian software

Stadium won’t have at launch:

1. Proxy (captures)
2. New effects
3. New synth sounds
4. New and improved looper (only minor changes at launch)
5. Pedal Edit Mode (They're talking about something different)
6. Preset Spillover (They're talking about something different),
7. Helix Stadium editing software

Thank you very much! So, of the cabs, only the old legacy ones were eliminated, but the current ones are still there, right?

 

[Dez]

Thank you very much! So, of the cabs, only the old legacy ones were eliminated, but the current ones are still there, right?

Yes!

 

[mbenigni]

PICKLE CHOICE, NOW!

Oh BTW: I was in Chicago last week, and it came to my attention that this is a thing:

Very concerning.

 

[mbenigni]

If there’s a stadium vst that will play proxy captures back then that will really be the best of all worlds.

But has anyone indicated that this is even on the roadmap? (And if so, what year?)

 

[AZG]

Oh BTW: I was in Chicago last week, and it came to my attention that this is a thing:

View attachment 51014

Very concerning.

WTF is that?

 

[mbenigni]

Ideally, as with the QC, that'd be available straight on the hardware as well.

Unless I've missed something, not quite. There's no way to browse cloud content with just the QC. You have to search on the iOS app or the browser-based app and select content in advance, and then it's available in the downloads menu on QC.

Fwiw, re: compatibility between the hardware and native versions, there should be a better way to synchronize loaded IRs (and Proxy captures). Ideally, those would be automatically copied with the patch...

(But this has, in fact, been implemented on QC.)

 

[Dez]

Oh BTW: I was in Chicago last week, and it came to my attention that this is a thing:

View attachment 51014

Very concerning.

Holy fuck

 

[mbenigni]

WTF is that?

It's called "Pickle on a Stick" or alternately "Pickle in a Bag". Allegedly a traditional Chicago (specifically, South Side) snack. Or maybe the entire internet (and a few kiosk owners in Chicago) decided to Punk me.

"Traditional" has to mean circa 1935. It looks like something your grandmother - well in the throes of senile dementia - would force you to eat. Probably at room temperature.

 

[Dez]

In my best New England accent “I got a fuggin bag you kin putchya pickle in!”

 

[mbenigni]

In my best New England accent “I got a fuggin bag you kin putchya pickle in!”

I'm reading that as more New York (City) than New England, but LOL.

 

[Dez]

I'm reading that as more New York (City) than New England, but LOL.

There are subtle differences that are hard to portray in writing lol

 

[mbenigni]

All the excitement re: Stadium has pushed the Quad Cortex thread off of page 1. Which, on this site, might be a net win for QC PR.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Unless I've missed something, not quite. There's no way to browse cloud content with just the QC. You have to search on the iOS app or the browser-based app and select content in advance, and then it's available in the downloads menu on QC.

Oh, didn't know that.

(But this has, in fact, been implemented on QC.)

How so? I mean, their stuff isn't available as a plugin (at least not completely), and from all I know, it doesn't work bidirectionally.

 

[Dez]

Re: proxy, I’m purely looking forward to capturing my own amp again, that’s what I ended up doing with my QC, also learned that I really don’t give a shit about 3rd party captures (except maybe 3? That I kept around)

I would love to capture my amp, and then sometimes take my Stadium into the other room or something, or a jam, and have my amp.

Also very much looking forward to Agoura modeling as well

 

[KingsXJJ]

For sure, like obsessing over science fiction TV shows and the like

It’s just a meme I enjoy playing with. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? I find it funny and That’s why I do it.

It’s unfortunate if it lives in your head rent free. That was never a consideration.

 

[AZG]

It's called "Pickle on a Stick" or alternately "Pickle in a Bag". Allegedly a traditional Chicago (specifically, South Side) snack. Or maybe the entire internet (and a few kiosk owners in Chicago) decided to Punk me.

"Traditional" has to mean circa 1935. It looks like something your grandmother - well in the throes of senile dementia - would force you to eat. Probably at room temperature.

Please tell me that is just a stick and not a candy cane

 

[mbenigni]

How so? I mean, their stuff isn't available as a plugin (at least not completely), and from all I know, it doesn't work bidirectionally.

Sorry, I crossed some lines here. (Glossed right over the word "native".) All I meant was that, when you download presets from the cloud, the QC automatically manages downloading and sorting any required captures (and I would presume IRs as well, though I have no specific experience with that.)