Line 6 Helix Stadium Talk

Are you guys getting something out of the stadium sims that fractal can't do?

I ask, because previously saw comments implying fractal doesn't sound as good compared to the stadium clips that were out.

I haven't felt this way about anything I've heard from the stadium. Sounds great, but no better than what I'm used to with fractal.

But I don't have a stadium to compare. So it's difficult to have any real view on this, without testing things myself.

Maybe the hype knob makes a difference? Not gonna buy a stadium, but it's interesting to me nonetheless.
 
Dimiguitar said:
Are you guys getting something out of the stadium sims that fractal can't do?

I ask, because previously saw comments implying fractal doesn't sound as good compared to the stadium clips that were out.

I haven't felt this way about anything I've heard from the stadium. Sounds great, but no better than what I'm used to with fractal.

But I don't have a stadium to compare. So it's difficult to have any real view on this, without testing things myself.

Maybe the hype knob makes a difference? Not gonna buy a stadium, but it's interesting to me nonetheless.
Click to expand...
Its A Trap GIF



As a lover of FAS gear but a very surprised enjoyer of the Stadium so far; I'd say no. I'm also not approaching this as some sort of digital battle royale where 2 enter the octagon and only one comes out alive. Having a great time with the Stadium and not having issues with the HX modeling I have had, historically, when playing it myself in person. That's a big win in my book.
 
Dimiguitar said:
Are you guys getting something out of the stadium sims that fractal can't do?

I ask, because previously saw comments implying fractal doesn't sound as good compared to the stadium clips that were out.

I haven't felt this way about anything I've heard from the stadium. Sounds great, but no better than what I'm used to with fractal.

But I don't have a stadium to compare. So it's difficult to have any real view on this, without testing things myself.

Maybe the hype knob makes a difference? Not gonna buy a stadium, but it's interesting to me nonetheless.
Click to expand...
I currently have both hooked up to a ABY switch. So far I prefer the FM3 for most of the amps I compared. Especially the Plexi and 800. More dynamic, more KERANG. Turning up Hype helps with the kerang, but not dynamics. Still learning the Stadium so maybe I’ll have a breakthrough, but so far a little disappointed on the tone front. UI and hardware design is awesome.
 
AZG said:
I currently have both hooked up to a ABY switch. So far I prefer the FM3 for most of the amps I compared. Especially the Plexi and 800. More dynamic, more KERANG. Turning up Hype helps with the kerang, but not dynamics. Still learning the Stadium so maybe I’ll have a breakthrough, but so far a little disappointed on the tone front. UI and hardware design is awesome.
Click to expand...

This is exactly my observation.

I find it interesting that Hype turns up the kerraaang factor. I would have thought that it would smooth it out further to make it more radio ready. It does as you point, turn up the kerrang but in the process, squashing dynamics.

AZG - try the Helix 2203 model - on the whole, I find it better. Through a guitar cab - I don't have to touch a thing, and it sounds proper. Really good model!
 
Chocol8 said:
Based on some of the stuff I read about their SIC implementation, this might be a bit of a bug. I think you may need the cab block in the chain to set a SIC and then bypass it when going to a power amp and cab. What you are describing sounds similar to what you get when an amp has a fairly resistive load without the right curve (many attenuators). If it sounds better through headphones where you are presumably using a cab block, I would start there.
Click to expand...

I did play a little with this yesterday - not seeing a big difference. I'll test out more.
 
Chocol8 said:
Based on some of the stuff I read about their SIC implementation, this might be a bit of a bug. I think you may need the cab block in the chain to set a SIC and then bypass it when going to a power amp and cab. What you are describing sounds similar to what you get when an amp has a fairly resistive load without the right curve (many attenuators). If it sounds better through headphones where you are presumably using a cab block, I would start there.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that Agoura amps implicitly load with the SIC of their default cab whether or not a cab block is enabled. I don’t think there’s currently a way to get Agoura out of the unit without a SIC being applied.
 
How is everyone levelling their presets...? I'm guessing (similar to the QC) physical volume knob on full, and using the amp level to balance volumes between presets?
 
With Marshalls; I am kind of backwards anyway. The only FAS Marshall I use is the JVM. Which isn't available in the HX stuff obviously. So comparing the two on those models isn't really fair for me to do. I also had a good time with the TBP Marshall (yikes) so there's that :LOL:
 
JiveTurkey said:
Its A Trap GIF



I'm also not approaching this as some sort of digital battle royale where 2 enter the octagon and only one comes out alive.
Click to expand...
People do have preferences though, and there's cases where one unit cannot quite nail what another one does.. And sure, some of these differences are in the nuances, especially at this point in time, but may still matter to people.

(Whether they should matter or not... Probably a big topic).

For example, I prefer my tonex VH4 captures to anything I've been able to coax out the fractal diezel models. That, even after having matched a real VH4 with the fractal very closely (albeit the diezel tonex matched seems very different, god knows why). The tonex VH4 just feels better to play through, and nothing I did with fractal could get close enough.

(EQ matching helped but the feel is still subpar comparatively. For my taste, of course.)

Now in the the sense of a tribalist war, I have little interest.

But I am curious about what one technology and device can accomplish vs another. I don't think I'll buy another high end unit for many years to come, because can't justify the cash, but I'm still often fascinated by the above.
 
Karl Houseknecht said:
This is a cool testimony. What were the issues you had before?
Click to expand...
Disembodied distortion, weird eq tricks to make it behave how I want to. Oddball settings that do not correspond to IRL settings on the real amp to do what I want. Pick attack being slow and flubby. Never feeling like you had enough gain no matter how juiced up the tones should be given the settings at hand. That about covers it.

To be fair; I have an eq block in a number of my Stadium presets and I am cutting lows as I see fit in a number of blocks. I have a Minotaur block I am using to accentuate the pick attack a bit more. Or make it "stand out" better? It just doesn't seem like such a necessity now?
 
It would be interesting to compare Agoura 1.0 with AxeFx III’s release version to see how those amps compare…more for academic purposes than a cage match. Presumably Fractal has a nearly decade long head start on full component modeling thing.

I don’t need Stadium to surpass Fractal. I just need to enjoy playing through it. The impression I was left with from my time with Hx is that L6 is going to be constantly iterating and learning, and Stadium is going to be the recipient of those benefits.

Dimiguitar said:
People do have preferences though, and there's cases where one unit cannot quite nail what another one does.. And sure, some of these differences are in the nuances, especially at this point in time, but may still matter to people.

(Whether they should matter or not... Probably a big topic).

For example, I prefer my tonex VH4 captures to anything I've been able to coax out the fractal diezel models. That, even after having matched a real VH4 with the fractal very closely (albeit the diezel tonex matched seems very different, god knows why). The tonex VH4 just feels better to play through, and nothing I did with fractal could get close enough.

(EQ matching helped but the feel is still subpar comparatively. For my taste, of course.)

Now in the the sense of a tribalist war, I have little interest.

But I am curious about what one technology and device can accomplish vs another. I don't think I'll buy another high end unit for many years to come, because can't justify the cash, but I'm still often fascinated by the above.
Click to expand...
Tonex was what eventually pulled me out of the Hx ecosystem until Stadium. Particularly since V2 Tonex feels so lively and responsive to play. I really enjoy making and sharing captures too.

Anyway, I’m with you…I’d rather celebrate the awesome tools we have right now than pit them against each other. Every step forward is a win for all of us.
 
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