Line 6 Helix Stadium Talk

[Karl Houseknecht]

My Nitro had few biblical references written inside the amp, something that's apparently common in Splawn amps.

Interesting. I never saw any inside mine.

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

there's a distinct difference that jumps out in those clips @Karl Houseknecht and if you cannot hear it, more power to you.

My hearing is pretty decent. Way better than it has any right to be at my age. And I’m listening through good monitors in a treated room with corrective EQ. I don’t hear any “distinct” differences that give one up over the other. There probably are minor differences for sure. I wasn’t trying to match them. I just set them on the same settings and let it rip.

The most distinct difference is probably my playing. I didn’t reamp this. I played the phrases for each.

 

[sashimi]

I don't own a Stadium and I can't speak for the Agoura models in general, meaning you might be right about the new line6 modelling on other amps or even this amp with different settings.

But come on, there is no distinct difference that jumps out in those clips. That's an hyperbole.

There is a difference, a small one, that in the context of those clips, the only one we can judge, is really irrelevant.

I have to agree. I don’t hear a distinct difference that jumps out, I hear possibly a very minor and inconsequential difference that I would probably never be able to distinguish in a blind test.

I am glad I don’t have golden ears, because some of the minuscule shit people nitpick is just ridiculous.

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

This would be a fun time to reveal that I played only the Stadium in that clip.





I didn't. I'm not that much of an asshole.

 

[Orvillain]

My hearing is pretty decent. Way better than it has any right to be at my age. And I’m listening through good monitors in a treated room with corrective EQ. I don’t hear any “distinct” differences that give one up over the other. There probably are minor differences for sure. I wasn’t trying to match them. I just set them on the same settings and let it rip.

The most distinct difference is probably my playing. I didn’t reamp this. I played the phrases for each.

The Fractal clearly has more high frequency energy, fizz, and raw aggression coming from that region. The Stadium sounds too polite.

I don't own a Stadium and I can't speak for the Agoura models in general, meaning you might be right about the new line6 modelling on other amps or even this amp with different settings.

But come on, there is no distinct difference that jumps out in those clips. That's an hyperbole.

There is a difference, a small one, that in the context of those clips, the only one we can judge, is really irrelevant.

Then you simply do not have critical listening skills. Even through Soundcloud compression it was obvious.

I come from a very different place to you guys on this stuff. I have a 20 year career in using my ears to make decisions about sounds. Having "golden ears" has literally fed me for two decades. I'm not going to apologize or accept any shaming language for being able to hear things.

Whether I actually care about the differences. Now THAT is a totally different topic. But even so, if you guys want to shit all over people who care about this kind of stuff, go for it. I won't lose sleep.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I can handle discussion that’s repetitive, but when it’s the same myopic bullshit over and over, with a condescending douche tone, it gets old.

Take a look into a mirror.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

The Fractal clearly has more high frequency energy, fizz, and raw aggression coming from that region. The Stadium sounds too polite.

This is basically where I stand. There is a difference, particularly in the top end. The part that I’m finding interesting is it seems to be across several amps, and is there when you compare against real amps or Helix Legacy or Fractal (or anything else). Does it always matter? probably not. I can totally understand if it’s not a problem, or a preference for some but even if it’s slight, it doesn’t seem correct to me and I’ll stand by that.

it’s another example of Agoura being darker/less aggressive, just as it is with the 2203 and Jubilee, and likely others.

Anyone can complain all they want about hair splitting but amp modelling is in a very good place in 2025. We’re well past the days of drastic differences, and given the levels Helix set with their last generation we should have high standards now.

I also can’t stand the phrase “golden ears”. I’ve never used it myself and the whole notion of it makes me cringe. I just care about sounds and like things to sound good. I don’t expect everyone to care but I’m also not going to suddenly just be less passionate about things I enjoy.

 

[mikah912]

The Fractal clearly has more high frequency energy, fizz, and raw aggression coming from that region. The Stadium sounds too polite.


Then you simply do not have critical listening skills. Even through Soundcloud compression it was obvious.

I come from a very different place to you guys on this stuff. I have a 20 year career in using my ears to make decisions about sounds. Having "golden ears" has literally fed me for two decades. I'm not going to apologize or accept any shaming language for being able to hear things.

Whether I actually care about the differences. Now THAT is a totally different topic. But even so, if you guys want to shit all over people who care about this kind of stuff, go for it. I won't lose sleep.

Cilantro ears. Neither good nor bad.

 

[Richard_G]

(…) I have a 20 year career in using my ears to make decisions about sounds. Having "golden ears" has literally fed me for two decades. I'm not going to apologize or accept any shaming language for being able to hear things. (…)

And you shouldn’t either.

My ears aren’t garbage, but I’m absolutely sure yours are a lot more refined than mine.

(…) Whether I actually care about the differences. Now THAT is a totally different topic. (…)

This is a very good point.

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

I should have saved the reveal for the new year because now that you know which is which, the posts that confirm your bias toward one platform or another will come out.

This should teach me never to do this again.

Edit: I just went back and listened to be sure I wasn't nuts. Guys (or gals)... I can't tell the difference. So I plugged in again and randomly switched between units via A/B switcher, making sure I didn't look. Again, could not hear OR feel a difference. I got it wrong more than half the time when I guessed. And I'm the one playing it. Maybe my hearing really is shot.


It's not.

 

[ch4920]

So, I went Friday to Sweetwater and played a Helix Stadium for a bit, dialed in a preset. Wasn't super jazzed with it, tbh. Even told the Turkey about it, and was just going to do an AM4.

Then my pal David brought his into the shop today, and we spent a few hours with it, but still all stock cabs. Wow. Seriously. Playing it through a single QSC K8, it's really, really good. For one thing, getting tones out of my stand-bys like the SLO100 and JCM800 was an absolute cinch. But I literally dialed in the new IIC+ with my eyes, and switched cabs (WTF Line 6; a 1960 with T75's is the matched cab?!) and bam. Perfect, right off the bat.

The IIC+ is going to end up being my main tone, for sure. I'm really, really digging it, and glad I didn't Timbuck my pre-order.

What cab did you pair it with?

 

[paisleywookiee]

What cab did you pair it with?

You mean what IR/virtual cab? Or what did I amplify the Stadium with? Latter question was the QSC K8. The speaker emulation was the Cali V30 4x12.

 

[GTR37]

I should have saved the reveal for the new year because now that you know which is which, the posts that confirm your bias toward one platform or another will come out.

This should teach me never to do this again.

Edit: I just went back and listened to be sure I wasn't nuts. Guys (or gals)... I can't tell the difference. So I plugged in again and randomly switched between units via A/B switcher, making sure I didn't look. Again, could not hear OR feel a difference. I got it wrong more than half the time when I guessed. And I'm the one playing it. Maybe my hearing really is shot.


It's not.

You should have totally just done Stadium only one clip with the treble / presence slightly up
Next time

 

[HotRats]

Then you simply do not have critical listening skills. Even through Soundcloud compression it was obvious.

I come from a very different place to you guys on this stuff. I have a 20 year career in using my ears to make decisions about sounds. Having "golden ears" has literally fed me for two decades. I'm not going to apologize or accept any shaming language for being able to hear things.

Whether I actually care about the differences. Now THAT is a totally different topic. But even so, if you guys want to shit all over people who care about this kind of stuff, go for it. I won't lose sleep.

Well , I'm a sound engineer, I mix stuff all day, every day of the year, you know is my work and is based on critical listening. I guess we are even here.

Anyway, I don't have to prove anything.

You are hyperbolic in your way to communicate things, that's your style, I guess you like it.

You've been hyperbolic in this answers too, writing "if you guys want to shit all over people who care about this"

Shit all over? Really?

 

[ch4920]

You mean what IR/virtual cab? Or what did I amplify the Stadium with? Latter question was the QSC K8. The speaker emulation was the Cali V30 4x12.

the ir/cab. Thank you

 

[Orvillain]

Cilantro

Isn't that an 80's car made by Ford?

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

Isn't that an 80's car made by Ford?

No, you're thinking of the Siesta.

 

[Orvillain]

Well , I'm a sound engineer, I mix stuff all day, every day of the year, you know is my work and is based on critical listening. I guess we are even here.

Anyway, I don't to prove anything.

You are hyperbolic in your way to communicate things, that's your style, I guess you like it.

You've been hyperbolic in this answers too, writing "if you guys want to shit all over people who care about this"

Shit all over? Really?

Oh, and people using the term "golden ears" isn't hyperbolic? Actually, no. It isn't. It's just straight up cunty.

I'm not asking you to prove anything. Asserting that I even implied that is ....

hype...
hyper....
hyper Japan?
Hyper schlongdriac?
HyPhEr69y2k.5!

oh shit, I just pasted in my Redtube password. Oh well.

 

[Orvillain]

No, you're thinking of the Siesta.

No no no. That's a Spanish word for "le sigh, time to do some work."

 

[HotRats]

This is basically where I stand. There is a difference, particularly in the top end. The part that I’m finding interesting is it seems to be across several amps, and is there when you compare against real amps or Helix Legacy or Fractal (or anything else). Does it always matter? probably not. I can totally understand if it’s not a problem, or a preference for some but even if it’s slight, it doesn’t seem correct to me and I’ll stand by that.

it’s another example of Agoura being darker/less aggressive, just as it is with the 2203 and Jubilee, and likely others.

Anyone can complain all they want about hair splitting but amp modelling is in a very good place in 2025. We’re well past the days of drastic differences, and given the levels Helix set with their last generation we should have high standards now.

I also can’t stand the phrase “golden ears”. I’ve never used it myself and the whole notion of it makes me cringe. I just care about sounds and like things to sound good. I don’t expect everyone to care but I’m also not going to suddenly just be less passionate about things I enjoy.

Every body here recognized that the clips sound slightly different.

You said you can't tell which is which and that should tell you something about it.

Different and taking about jumping out, golden ears, critical listening skills and other bullshits well those are different things.