Line 6 Helix Stadium Talk

[synthpenguin]

As I noted above, everything you like about Fractal in those categories is present in the OG Helix's level of processing power in the FM3. I don't think that's a constraint at all.

I think this comparison needs the context that the architectures are completely different though. On the FM3, the amp (and iirc the delays) are on a dedicated core, and you can only have one reverb at a time and one amp at a time. The design considerations for what’s an acceptable amount of DSP usage are very different, and I’m sure that’s a factor.

EDIT to expand a little: if we are talking raw power, then any of these things are way more powerful than the “better” dedicated reverb units too, etc. But they have to consider how users will actually use them. If someone bought the then-flagship Helix (talking pre-Stadium here) and they can only run one reverb at a time and one amp at a time, and running the single reverb at full quality eats up half their DSP, they’ll be upset. The FM3 was sold as a lower powered unit, so those compromises, and some features of blocks being removed to keep things manageable, are more expected.

So, I’m sure the Helix CAN run way better reverb models using better techniques, but with massive trade-offs (and probably a customer service headache for Line 6). The Stadium shouldn’t require trade-offs that large, even if new models are still hungry enough that they won’t work in kitchen sink preset (in which case you just use the old ones) and Line 6 opts to not have a quality toggle for them.

 

[Orvillain]

I got my verbs already. Sod it. Not specific to Helix or Stadium, but I think I'm kinda done expecting one platform to be the be-all-end-all of guitar effects processing. I love my stompo's.

I will say I think the pursuit of "realistic" reverbs is part of the whole problem. This stuff should be creative and inspiring. I don't want to spend 30% of my DSP just to feel like I'm in a real hall. If I want that, I'll go to church.

 

[mikah912]

I think this comparison needs the context that the architectures are completely different though. On the FM3, the amp (and iirc the delays) are on a dedicated core, and you can only have one reverb at a time and one amp at a time. The design considerations for what’s an acceptable amount of DSP usage are very different, and I’m sure that’s a factor.

Line 6 has never seemed shy about allowing single-block resource hogs (e.g. PolyPitch). I just don't think they're throttling reverb horsepower.

Funny thing is while I loved those more complex reverbs while owning a FM9, I was never able to appreciate them in any sort of practical application. Any live patches I pout them into...all the details disappeared in the room. Any recordings I put them on....details got lost once the rest of the band came into the mix.

 

[synthpenguin]

Yeah, the best “realistic” reverbs are not actually realistic. Nobody actually wants that outside of really specific contexts imo (or like short room reverbs for headphone practice or something)

 

[EOengineer]

If I want that, I'll go to church.

 

[synthpenguin]

Line 6 has never seemed shy about allowing single-block resource hogs (e.g. PolyPitch). I just don't think they're throttling reverb horsepower.

Funny thing is while I loved those more complex reverbs while owning a FM9, I was never able to appreciate them in any sort of practical application. Any live patches I pout them into...all the details disappeared in the room. Any recordings I put them on....details got lost once the rest of the band came into the mix.

FWIW I think the Fractal reverbs sound amazing, but aren’t exactly inspiring usually either, at least not to actually use. The spring reverbs are a good example, where it sounds incredible, but it’s about 50x more annoying to setup than an actual spring reverb, and 50x less inspiring to tweak than the competing spring reverb sims, not to mention all of the different, similarly named spring reverbs to pick through.

As far as hearing the differences, I’m 50/50 on reverbs before or after amps, so maybe that’s a factor as far as pickiness. Agreed that it hardly matters in a live context though. Same with a lot of FX imo

 

[dean701]

I'm all for those iconic Lexicon type reverbs and delays, and even some convolution stuff, but as soon as it gets in the way of the mix then I have to duck it anyway. you can throw all that 80's synth trash reverb stuff away, it's fucking annoying. There, I said it.

You can take your Pegasus reverb and fly it back to candy cane lane.

I'm all for synth block stuff though as a dedicated instrument

 

[crispsandwich]

I have about a dozen of his packs and as far as I’m aware not a single one of them has been retrained to V2 yet. Not real pleased about how that has gone and have since stopped purchasing from them.

They seem more interested in making hour-long videos where they have a long ‘chat’ about each amp they capture.

 

[fr8_trane]

The modulations certainly aren’t a strong point.

Only those 2 have been an issue for me. I quite like the chorus, phaser, univibe, vibrato and trem

 

[synthpenguin]

The Liquifier is rad

 

[Deadpan]

Posted a di capture of my Rockerverb in the presets thread for anyone that wants to try it. The settings were the same as the Agora model in the also upped preset.

 

[Mongillo19]

Posted a di capture of my Rockerverb in the presets thread for anyone that wants to try it. The settings were the same as the Agora model in the also upped preset.

What were your thoughts on it?

 

[Deadpan]

What were your thoughts on it?

A quick comparison of the capture to the amp I felt they were very similar but the capture might have had a little less gain.

The Agoura model isn't miles away but it is different. A bump in the low mids and a little less clarity.

It could simply be the amps are biased different.

 

[Mongillo19]

A quick comparison of the capture to the amp I felt they were very similar but the capture might have had a little less gain.

The Agoura model isn't miles away but it is different. A bump in the low mids and a little less clarity.

It could simply be the amps are biased different.

Is the model confirmed to be a MkIII version?

Jk yes

"based on* the Orange® Rockerverb 100 MKIII"

 

[Deadpan]

Is the model confirmed to be a MkIII version?

Jk yes

"based on* the Orange® Rockerverb 100 MKIII"

Might be a color difference also. :)

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

[...] If I want that, I'll go to church.

What church?

 

[GTR37]

I've got loads of captures of my BE100 Deluxe, but they all have that annoying background fizz / distortion - so I'm waiting for Line 6 to fix it before re-capturing and sharing.

According to @la szum

That’s just how they sound

J/k

 

[molul]

One good example are the Fractal "cloud/space" reverbs. Some of them sound like you have a keyboard player playing right behind you like the Pegasus reverb that Cooper Carter demonstrates here:

Cool. It's similar to Helix's shimmer, but more mellow.

Any live patches I pout them into...all the details disappeared in the room. Any recordings I put them on....details got lost once the rest of the band came into the mix.

Well, the band should play softer if that kind of arrangement is to be played. Or the effect should be louder for lube usage. Shimmer or huge reverbs are totally usable live, but not when the band is playing anything loud.

 

[Digital Igloo]

I've got loads of captures of my BE100 Deluxe, but they all have that annoying background fizz / distortion - so I'm waiting for Line 6 to fix it before re-capturing and sharing.

What's your load box? There might be something weird with the Suhr (???); we're gonna order one to see if there's something we need to account for.

 

[Foxmeister]

If I want that, I'll go to church

You never struck me as a god-botherer, and, despite this comment, you still don't!