Line 6 Helix Stadium

[Chocol8]

ote bag filled with vegetarian chili?

WHUT?????? If it is vegetarian it ain't no fucking chili! Period!!!!

 

[DrewJD82]

I am guessing that job doesn't rely on your personality or charm.

Living in an area where there’s a bit more wealth than your average city, there’s a lot of people who do the best they can to create the image they’re wealthy. All the ones who flat out say it, never actually are. Ever.

 

[Chocol8]

This thread brought to you by the insecure LINE6 fan club.

By the way all the the new products are scrambling to cop NAM like tech, and put it in a box. GitHub freeware brings and industry to it's knees to win a space race that's aleady been one.
Everyone else is a copycat.

You mean Kemper like tech? Who exactly has won that space race in your mind. The top three right now as far as active users are Kemper, Tonex, and QC. While I expect Kemper and QC to continue to decline, Tonex is still growing and I could see Line6 Proxy jumping to number two in a year or less if captures can also be played on the existing base of Helix products even if capture is a Stadium only feature. As far as NAM, its a 4th place also ran, and I see a shrinking niche product that will live on but never be a big mainstream player. Too many issues that will be hard for an open source project to overcome at this point.

 

[timbuck3]

This might not be popular opinion, but a Line 6 floor modeler at Fractal prices? No thanks. I'm never paying that much for a modeler, especially since the more affordable solutions have started to catch up in both form factor, UI and fidelity of sound.

I don't even have a guitar that costs that much...

I get that for sure I’m still using my old box box stuff but it sounds good to me.
But everybody knows this is just the way it is right like I’ve said earlier. I remember when the HD 500 was like $599 then the helix came out and it was what 1599 or something and people are going crazy like that’s insane But in the end they paid it and they have no problem with it. Fractal was still more expensive but now not really I think fractal set the bar and everything else is managed to finally get up to that bar price wise.
It’s just the nature of the beast. look at the blue amp X bad things coming out and it’s probably gonna be over two grand and people were joking about it before years ago when it was announced but that $500 top model is now $1500 modeler now it’s $2000 modeler and probably next year it’ll be $2500 model and in two years it’ll be probably close to $3000 model that’ll be like the baseline for your top and modelers they won’t stop. It’ll probably peek out around that three grand I expect but I guess when people stop buying them cause they can’t afford them companies have no option but to wheel the price back, which I think they did with the TMP didn’t they

 

[timbuck3]

This might not be popular opinion, but a Line 6 floor modeler at Fractal prices? No thanks. I'm never paying that much for a modeler, especially since the more affordable solutions have started to catch up in both form factor, UI and fidelity of sound.

I don't even have a guitar that costs that much...

I think on this form, a lot of guys are playing guitars that are worth just as much if not more than that stadium plus there’s a lot of guys that own top-of-the-line fractals and helix and TMP. I mean their investment is like probably as much as a used car.

 

[timbuck3]

Um, flagship L6 devices were already at Fractal prices? And NDSP/Fender/Kemper et al, while we're at it.

Anyway, Line 6 is the one company offering products in every single price segment these days. Pod Go's are fantastic if you don't want to splurge.

But I’m sure the pod go will not sound near as good as the stadium at least according to the videos I would already even the regular helix, pale and comparison to the stadium so pretty much I’m getting the vibe that like wide by the regular helix anymore yet as I said many of these YouTube influencers will backpedal and say oh no the helix is still a great unit so they gotta walk that fine line between saying it’s amazing. It blows the helix away and saying no, it’s good. It’s it’s good but the helix is just as good almost blah blah blah.

 

[Mikael Dez]

Living in an area where there’s a bit more wealth than your average city, there’s a lot of people who do the best they can to create the image they’re wealthy. All the ones who flat out say it, never actually are. Ever.

If you’re bragging about how much money you make you are either A: a serious douche or B: a liar

Every friendly and down to earth wealthy person I’ve met has been just that, friendly and down to earth, and money doesn’t enter the conversation.

One rich dude I met owned a ranch a shit ton of cows, one day he roped a cow and the rope caught his finger and ripped it clean off. He kept the finger in a jar and WANTED to show me that shit he was so proud lol

 

[Chocol8]

What's the point of even trying to make a counterpoint here? Proxy is like a tangent of tangent of the overall Stadium product design.

I think Proxy could actually be a very big piece of the ecosystem. If done well, and I absolutely expect it will be, it can fill in a near infinite number of missing amp AND effect models with sound quality as good as anything on the market.

 

[timbuck3]

Living in an area where there’s a bit more wealth than your average city, there’s a lot of people who do the best they can to create the image they’re wealthy. All the ones who flat out say it, never actually are. Ever.

I’m poor I’ll say it right now. I guess this is why I just don’t buy every new thing that comes out even though sometimes I’d like to I wait a while and see what happens but in the Hyundai cultivate finances for something I really researched and would like to have Like a hot tub
Even though now, I wish I would’ve looked into saunas and got one of those instead

 

[mbenigni]

I think Proxy could actually be a very big piece of the ecosystem. If done well, and I absolutely expect it will be, it can fill in a near infinite number of missing amp AND effect models with sound quality as good as anything on the market.

Again, not trying to suggest it isn't important. Just saying it's only one part of the whole package.

 

[Mikael Dez]

I’m poor I’ll say it right now. I guess this is why I just don’t buy every new thing that comes out even though sometimes I’d like to I wait a while and see what happens but in the Hyundai cultivate finances for something I really researched and would like to have Like a hot tub
Even though now, I wish I would’ve looked into saunas and got one of those instead

I grew up with very little money (poor AF) and now I live a modest life where I’m very lucky that my wife doesn’t have to work so that she can be a great mom (her decision and it’s really nice). Coming from experience - money doesn’t make you any happier after your basic needs are met. You will be just as happy at the end of the day with a Pod Go as you would with a Helix Stadium if your priorities are in line and you pay more attention to dialing in your tone than you do window shopping.

 

[Desertdweller]

And perhaps even audio tracks, so your synthy bass patch could be ducked by the kick.

Second of all, for some reason Marketing insists we add the word "Floor" to any SKUs that could ever possibly end up with additional form factors, to ensure "Helix Stadium" can be used as an overall family name and doesn't pinpoint one particular SKU, which I guess can cause dealer inventory issues or something or other. I dunno. Our guidelines are that "Floor" has to be mentioned in official capacities and only the first time a product is mentioned in a manual or press release, but silkscreen never needs it (we didn't even silk "Rack" on Helix Rack's front panel), and in casual conversations, none of us in the building say "Floor" or even "Helix" any longer. Just "Stadium" and "Stadium XL."

I will proudly be one of the 5 buyers if Line 6 ever makes a 1U rack version of this. I miss 1U rack effects.

 

[LCW]

"It will make all these other products look like a Game Boy"

Ok, now I expect no less than a holographic UI

Note he didn’t say “Game Boy Color” or “Game Boy Advance”…

 

[timbuck3]

Another contender for Kemper MK2 is coming!

Line6 Helix Stadium

It's a nice looking product. People should be aware that we haven't exactly been resting on our laurels. Our next-gen products have what would've been considered super-computing power just a few years ago. ;) It will make all these other products look like a Game Boy.

forum.fractalaudio.com

I found this comment from fractal forum interesting but read the backpedal to say the standard helix is still good.. lol

[IMG alt="Brian Wahl"]https://forum.fractalaudio.com/data/avatars/m/44/44847.jpg?1632202561[/IMG]

Brian Wahl​

Member​

• Today at 2:06 PM
• 
  
• #214

I was at the L6 event in Calabasas, and I got to play through Stadium and interact with the unit for about 30 minutes (we posted a video about our experience here).

I am admittedly a huge fan of both Line 6 and Fractal, and I regularly use and create content for Helix and Axe-FX. I love both companies and what they're doing.

I was able to play four of the new Agoura amp models - the Deluxe Reverb, AC30 Top Boost, JCM800 (2203), and Bogner Ecstasy (red channel). In each case, they had dialed the amp models using an Agoura version and a regular HX version (that's the Helix modeling), and we could swap between the Agoura and HX versions of the same amp.

In every case, the Agoura model sounded significantly better than the HX. Not hugely different - like the Deluxe sounded like the deluxe in both cases, but the new modeling had a lot more depth, character, clarity, etc. I've felt this way when comparing HX amp models to Fractal models as well, so it would be very interesting to directly compare the Agoura models to the Fractal models through the same IR. Obviously that's not something we can do yet, but once these units ship I'll be very curious to try it.

I know the touch screen thing is contested, but it really is great. I have a QC, Tone Master Pro, and Headrush Prime. The screen on Stadium is better than all of them - it really is as good as an iPhone, which is impressive. You can still interact with the unit exactly like you can with a Helix, which (IMO) is best in class when it comes to use-ability. But I've spent more time on Helix than I have any other unit, so there's that. I've spent almost as much time on Axe-FX as Helix. Once you learn these things, you can do whatever you want on them easily - each company has their own sort of design language and workflow.

The newer quality of life stuff on Stadium is impressive - Focus zones, etc. I think the way Fractal does the Block Library has been superior to Line 6's Favorites - at least more functional. But the way Stadium will now let you organize favorites puts it on par, which is cool. And with Stadium/Helix, it all lives on the unit itself, rather than on your computer. I wish we could access the block library without being connected to the computer that has the blocks.

I personally LOVE capture tech, and I cannot wait to see if it'll come to Fractal. Super excited to try out the new Line 6 capture tech when it becomes available in 2026. Tone match is very good, but the market clearly wants capture tech. Whether it is 'better' or 'worse' than modeling tech - who knows (and honestly who cares). This is what the market is asking for.

Anyway - I could go on and on, ha. In conclusion - in my opinion. Axe-FX III has been the best in class digital amp/FX device. I've actually had a lot of conversions with Eric Klein about Fractal - he's a huge, huge fan of this company and has an enormous amount of respect for Fractal and for Cliff. He knows how good it is. I'll be super curious to get a Stadium here and be able to do direct comparisons between them.

While Line 6 was introducing Stadium, I couldn't help but wonder what Fractal has been working on in their next gen unit. I'm sure it will be amazing

 

[GTR37]

Just started listening, doesn’t sound like a slip. Dang it.

D

The good news and silver lining in that is the more time to port the amps to Angoura

 

[yek]

Game on.

It came straight out of DI's mouth. Unfortunately I don't have a timestamp.

08:55

 

[Mooselake]

... You will be just as happy at the end of the day with a Pod Go as you would with a Helix Stadium if your priorities are in line and you pay more attention to dialing in your tone than you do window shopping.

I don't have a POD Go, but did play a POD Express last night. At the end of yesterday I was not as happy as I would have been if I had my LT here with me. That's one of the reasons the Stadium NXL has me window shopping. It's footprint would work here. Alas, if only it had the scribbles so I would not have to rely on my aged memory which color goes to what.

One thing I learned is that once young family life passed and the ol' career faded into memory, a little nicety in guitar gear puts the bow on a lotta good days.

 

[OneEng]

What's the point of even trying to make a counterpoint here? Proxy is like a tangent of tangent of the overall Stadium product design.

That's fair, but contested by quite a few. I happen to agree with you that the Stadium features and tone is way (way way) more important that the quality of, or the existence of its capture tech. I believe this to be true of NOT ONLY the new Stadium, but all other devices that capture as well.

I personally LOVE capture tech, and I cannot wait to see if it'll come to Fractal. Super excited to try out the new Line 6 capture tech when it becomes available in 2026. Tone match is very good, but the market clearly wants capture tech. Whether it is 'better' or 'worse' than modeling tech - who knows (and honestly who cares). This is what the market is asking for.

Agree completely.

 

[EOengineer]

I’ll admit that Proxy is one of the features I’m most excited for. If the captures are done through the Helix hardware, it solves a big translation problem for basically anyone using the L6 hardware. It will help with consistency.

I like to capture my amps. I have some great ones. I’ll be excited to share them with you dumbasses.

 

[Digital Igloo]

Interested to hear that there will be no Agoura effects in 1.0 as per one of the youtube interviews. Having recently migrated back to analog drives, I've not loved the Hx drive effects in direct comparisons. I could see the increased hardware dynamic range being a factor there, as I have suspected that the dynamic range was where I was picking up what I didn't like about the Hx stuff.

Here's the best way to think about it:

We have been making a bunch of new effects while developing Stadium. Except they also happen to work in Helix/HX boxes (and most in POD Go), so we already gave them to everyone, without having to make everyone wait until this fall.

XL in Oct, standard in Dec!

Not sure where this started, but we've never said anything but "FALL" for XL and "WINTER" for Stadium. Even I don't have a date for when they'll finally ship.