Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[mikah912]

Since it's been mentioned, I'm having a lot of fun with the Voltage amp. I have a preset template where in one instance I have the new 2203 model and one the Voltage. They pretty much do the same thing but have subtle differences that by switching back and forth every few days keeps them both sounding fresh to my ears. So far the other Catalyst models haven't really grabbed me but I haven't given them a ton of time either.

DI would probably cringe at me saying this, but I tend to think of the Catalyst-derived amps, as well as some of the other L6 originals, as being similar to an Augora amp with some liberal hype baked in, in the sense the algorithm designers likely started with basic topologies from real world amps and smoothed over some of the rough edges. I get that that's probably not what's going on in Agoura+hype situations, but from a simpleminded bedroom user perspective it probably covers the impact to me.

I don't think he would cringe at all. As far as I can tell, that's the exact design philosophy of Line 6 Original amps. They make them so you don't have to think about anything but volume, gain and your basic bass/middle/treble EQ.

Sometimes, that's exactly what I want. Maybe that will become less attractive as new amps launch with focus zones to eliminate guess work that made these Originals necessary in the first place.

 

[synthpenguin]

I don’t get the love for the Catalyst amps. There, I said it.

I think they sound good (I especially like Clarity with the boost engaged), and I think they successfully achieved the apparent goal of sounding polished and mix-ready (rather than fake), but that's not exactly what I want from an amp when just playing through it.

 

[banned]

I don't think he would cringe at all. As far as I can tell, that's the exact design philosophy of Line 6 Original amps. They make them so you don't have to think about anything but volume, gain and your basic bass/middle/treble EQ.

Sometimes, that's exactly what I want. Maybe that will become less attractive as new amps launch with focus zones to eliminate guess work that made these Originals necessary in the first place.

Yes, please less originals and more actual amps - including boutique amps - Naylor, Cornford, Fryette etc.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Yes, please less originals and more actual amps

I'd actually prefer way more originals. But then, I'm not the target customer at all.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Is there a Plex delay equivalent in the HX stuff? @Orvillain perhaps?

 

[Orvillain]

Is there a Plex delay equivalent in the HX stuff? @Orvillain perhaps?

There isn't. Particle Reverb is really good, but is its own thing really.

I'm really hoping Line6 can get some epic reverbs in the box after the launch and day 1 update.

 

[mikah912]

Is there a Plex delay equivalent in the HX stuff? @Orvillain perhaps?

Heliosphere delay is the closest equivalent to the Plex Delay/Plex Reverb block. It's a delay/reverb hybrid. Also, Cordy dials in an incredible dreamy cloud delay here with the Dynamic Plate, a compressor and one other unexpected block on a parallel path (Relax, I cued it to get right to it so you skip his Truefire plug and intro song/speech):

 

[Desertdweller]

Is there a Plex delay equivalent in the HX stuff? @Orvillain perhaps?

IMO there is very little out there that competes with Fractal’s Plex Delay. IDK why they haven’t released it as a stand-alone pedal.

 

[Orvillain]

(Relax, I cued it to get right to it so you skip his Truefire plug and intro song/speech):

I did lol when I read this, pressed play, and it was cued to like 8minutes in.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Heliosphere delay is the closest equivalent to the Plex Delay/Plex Reverb block. It's a delay/reverb hybrid. Also, Cordy dials in an incredible dreamy cloud delay here with the Dynamic Plate, a compressor and one other unexpected block on a parallel path (Relax, I cued it to get right to it so you skip his Truefire plug and intro song/speech):

Thanks. Too church-y for my tastes. The sound smothers the guitar. The Plex Delay does this thing I can't put into words it just does ambient right in a way that doesn't feel like I'm about to launch into some church music I would never actively choose to listen to. Ambinece for us folk

IMO there is very little out there that competes with Fractal’s Plex Delay. IDK why they haven’t released it as a stand-alone pedal.

It's something special.

 

[paisleywookiee]

IMO there is very little out there that competes with Fractal’s Plex Delay. IDK why they haven’t released it as a stand-alone pedal.

I'm kinda surprised Fractal hasn't done this with say Modulation, Delay, Reverb, and Plex. Their drives suck, IMO, so I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry for that.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I'm kinda surprised Fractal hasn't done this with say Modulation, Delay, Reverb, and Plex. Their drives suck, IMO, so I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry for that.

VP4 is probably their "final" take on that. I like their drives when used as the baked into the amp block boost.

 

[mikah912]

Thanks. Too church-y for my tastes. The sound smothers the guitar. The Plex Delay does this thing I can't put into words it just does ambient right in a way that doesn't feel like I'm about to launch into some church music I would never actively choose to listen to. Ambinece for us folk

It's something special.

Totally cool. I honestly don't remember it from my FM9 days. I think I liked the "cloud" reverbs Cliff added a few years back, and mostly stuck with them for ambient.

 

[Orvillain]

Cumulonimbus is my favourite Fractal verb.

 

[EOengineer]

There isn't. Particle Reverb is really good, but is its own thing really.

I'm really hoping Line6 can get some epic reverbs in the box after the launch and day 1 update.

I LOVE particle verb, use it all the time, but yeah…it’s almost more of an instrument than a reverb.

 

[banned]

Heliosphere delay is the closest equivalent to the Plex Delay/Plex Reverb block. It's a delay/reverb hybrid. Also, Cordy dials in an incredible dreamy cloud delay here with the Dynamic Plate, a compressor and one other unexpected block on a parallel path (Relax, I cued it to get right to it so you skip his Truefire plug and intro song/speech):

Wow...that sounds quite good in terms of getting those big expansive reverb sounds! Maybe I've been bashing HX reverbs needlessly.

Looks like he's really pushing that decay.

 

[mikah912]

Wow...that sounds quite good in terms of getting those big expansive reverb sounds! Maybe I've been bashing HX reverbs needlessly.

Looks like he's really pushing that decay.

The Decay is the key to getting those Dynamic reverbs to really get ambient and bloomy.

 

[Orvillain]

The main issue with the HX verbs - even the newer ones - you can't get the bright enough before they start losing the smoothness and clarity, instead turning into metallic shimmery aliasy mush. They CAN sound good... but within a window. Not as flexible as the Fractal ones.

You'll notice the Fractal ones have the same problem when you set the quality setting to economy.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Damn, THAT sounds like a great Plexi 800 to me.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Damn, THAT sounds like a great Plexi to me.

Sounds great! \m/