Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[Roncore]

Surely you're not referring to Fluff's demos. . But I've heard it on others.

Obvious chugging on a red channel is going to exaggerate the harshness, but yeah I'm hearing it on the vids as well.

A few have tweaked it down a little with some examples using the hype setting, but it's still sort of there - just less pokey for lack of a better description.

I hear that too, but I don't have that problem with my Helix Floor. There is a digital harshness that is coming from all of the high gain vids, very reminiscent of early Amp Sims. This isn't me judging, it's a new thing, but I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

[mikah912]

I’ve been thinking this too actually. Hopefully Jon is able to include the legacy models side by side with the new ones in his next video.

The boosted tones where guys have way too much gain really exacerbates what I’m hearing, and it’s not something I associate with real amps. I hear it with less gain too, but the more that’s added the more it sticks out as weird. I think the older Helix modelling didn’t have that quality either.

Looking forward to some amp comparison videos too - I think even having a real amp to compare sonically can lead you to dial things in different to how we do it flying solo on a modeller. What concerns me is I’m hearing it in ALL of the high gain tones.

For what it's worth, the Signal Theory/Worship Tutorial guys dialed their REVV patches in exactly how they dial the real life amp, and the guys from REVV told Line 6 they nailed the attack and palm mute/low end response with the Agoura version.

I'm not saying your ears are lying to you. They aren't obviously. But maybe consider that people who are owners and/or creators of the exact amp that Stadium is modeling have confirmed in multiple ways that they reproduced it faithfully. I'm sure @Digital Igloo put it through their double-blind A/B/X testing with a range of engineers/players trying to pick it apart as well.

I hear nothing unnaturally harsh about these amp models, and certainly not "digital". But we all have different ears and perspectives we come from....

 

[BenIfin]

I hear that too, but I don't have that problem with my Helix Floor. There is a digital harshness that is coming from all of the high gain vids, very reminiscent of early Amp Sims. This isn't me judging, it's a new thing, but I'm glad I'm not the only one.

This is a bit of a per peeve of mine.

Take *any* tube Amp ..... push to E.O.B and beyond .... stand 3 feet in front of it .... and Angle the Speaker so it hits you in the ears.

It is very harsh and very ugly and very unrefined - that's just the way they are.

Dear Invisible Sky Daddy ... do it with an AC30 and you may even run out of the room screaming no no no ....... where's that silky Brian May Tone or that classic Bryan Adams Keith Scott tone ..... ?

..... those tones were created by significantly massaging the raw tone at the recording desk through classic pre's .... different mic's and mic combo's ... soem room mic's ... racks of high end EQ and Compression and Limiting etc... etc....

Given the aim of Augora is to be as accurate as it can be - with the Hype knob off - I would be worried if they didnt have a good dose of "ugly harsh" and "unrefined-ness"

Its this good "ugly" that makes real [good] tube Amps sound so good and "cut" so well live.

 

[JiveTurkey]

This is a bit of a per peeve of mine.

Take *any* tube Amp ..... push to E.O.B and beyond .... stand 3 feet in front of it .... and Angle the Speaker so it hits you in the ears.

It is very harsh and very ugly and very unrefined - that's just the way they are.

Dear Invisible Sky Daddy ... do it with an AC30 and you may even run out of the room screaming no no no ....... where's that silky Brian May Tone or that classic Bryan Adams Keith Scott tone ..... ?

..... those tones were created by significantly massaging the raw tone at the recording desk through classic pre's .... different mic's and mic combo's ... soem room mic's ... racks of high end EQ and Compression and Limiting etc... etc....

Given the aim of Augora is to be as accurate as it can be - with the Hype knob off - I would be worried if they didnt have a good dose of "ugly harsh" and "unrefined-ness"

Its this good "ugly" that makes real [good] tube Amps sound so good and "cut" so well live.

I hope you can make it through this tough time of Fractal still hurting your feelings.

 

[ian_dissonance]

This is a bit of a per peeve of mine.

Take *any* tube Amp ..... push to E.O.B and beyond .... stand 3 feet in front of it .... and Angle the Speaker so it hits you in the ears.

It is very harsh and very ugly and very unrefined - that's just the way they are.

Dear Invisible Sky Daddy ... do it with an AC30 and you may even run out of the room screaming no no no ....... where's that silky Brian May Tone or that classic Bryan Adams Keith Scott tone ..... ?

..... those tones were created by significantly massaging the raw tone at the recording desk through classic pre's .... different mic's and mic combo's ... soem room mic's ... racks of high end EQ and Compression and Limiting etc... etc....

Given the aim of Augora is to be as accurate as it can be - with the Hype knob off - I would be worried if they didnt have a good dose of "ugly harsh" and "unrefined-ness"

Its this good "ugly" that makes real [good] tube Amps sound so good and "cut" so well live.

Standing at head level to a boosted 5150 that was dialed in by a guy who has their ears above the cab, scratchy/dry/harsh is exactly what it sounds like. I kinda wish Jon didn’t use his personal IR right away for the dialing-in demos, but overall I don’t hear anything I wouldn’t expect to coming out of a mic’s cab with no post processing.

 

[mavrick102000]

I hope you can make it through this tough time of Fractal still hurting your feelings.

 

[EOengineer]

I kinda wish Jon didn’t use his personal IR right away

This is a big pet peeve of mine and seems prevalent with many of the gear influencers. They all seem to have their own custom “sauce” that they want to force on every tone. I guess you could argue it provides consistency, but I’d rather hear the factory cabs without a bunch of crap added on.

 

[DanRad]

Any word on when the Backpack will ship?

 

[banned]

This is a big pet peeve of mine and seems prevalent with many of the gear influencers. They all seem to have their own custom “sauce” that they want to force on every tone. I guess you could argue it provides consistency, but I’d rather hear the factory cabs without a bunch of crap added on.

Unless it's the Leon Todd IR since it's something everyone just knows at this point (not saying it's the best)

 

[PorcinePicker]

I’m kinda relieved that a few other people are hearing it. Might be completely different in person, and I don’t want to make too much of it, but there is something in this first batch of high gain demos that….?

 

[SymphonicDischord]

Just got notification mine is ready for pick up at my local Long & McQuade. Of course today would have to be the father in laws 75th birthday. That’s over a full week ahead of when they told me I’d originally be getting it in the 28th.

 

[Fireproof]

Mine is out for delivery. Giddy up!

 

[sashimi]

 

[AlbertA]

Progress

 

[AlbertA]

I’m kinda relieved that a few other people are hearing it. Might be completely different in person, and I don’t want to make too much of it, but there is something in this first batch of high gain demos that….?

which ones?

 

[brianwahl]

Ridiculous video. Did y'all program the Sunday Tones factory presets?

Thanks! Yeah we made a handful of the factory presets. Bradford made the 'Sunday Tones' one.

I made Brit MegaGuitar, Double Double, US/UK Stereo, and Unlikely Pair. Tons of fun making those!

 

[sashimi]

Nothing is ever good enough for the high gain guys

 

[DanRad]

Progress

View attachment 55112

Mine is following the same route, but at different times.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Nothing is ever good enough for the high gain guys

I know it’s not the case and some here are very adept with gear, but every single tube amp I’ve ever played has “harsh and fizzy” in there.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I know it’s not the case and some here are very adept with gear, but every single tube amp I’ve ever played has “harsh and fizzy” in there.