Line 6 Helix Stadium

Frodebro said:
Actually, he said that what they have coming up will make everything out there right now look like Game Boys, which would include the Gen 3 Fractal lineup. The Axe FX 3 was pretty beastly at launch, I can only imagine what is in the works for Gen 4. Fortunately there will be enough time after buying a Stadium to rebuild the mad money funds for the new Fractal.

I can quit any time I want. Honest.
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cookie monster GIF
 
Stating that the next gen Fractal thing will make everything look like a Game Boy seems like a good way to keep doubtful Fractal users to jump to Helix Stadium.

I mean, there's no release date for that, but if you're a Fractal die-hard user, and you know something potentially mind-blowing is on the works, you might probably wait a bit before putting your money on another company device.

At least that's what would happen to me if it had happened the other way around. If Fractal had announced a device like Stadium and Eric then said that game boy thing, I would totally wait to see what it is before spending 1800-2200.
 
molul said:
Stating that the next gen Fractal thing will make everything look like a Game Boy seems like a good way to keep doubtful Fractal users to jump to Helix Stadium.

I mean, there's no release date for that, but if you're a Fractal die-hard user, and you know something potentially mind-blowing is on the works, you might probably wait a bit before putting your money on another company device.

At least that's what would happen to me if it had happened the other way around. If Fractal had announced a device like Stadium and Eric then said that game boy thing, I would totally wait to see what it is before spending 1800-2200.
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I think that’s a tactic of all manufacturers, I am still not convinced Kemper launching a marketing campaign for MK2 with virtually no changes to the hardware and a new profiling algorithm that is months out was not a preemptive strike against The imminent Helix stadium announcement they knew about
 
I just view Cliff as a DSP programming geek, and I don't worry too much about whether he blusters a little. Fractal is a tiny fish in this pond. You don't typically find a guy who can do the work of an entire company's DSP programming team and have him happen to be great at the nuances of PR.
 
GTR37 said:
I think that’s a tactic of all manufacturers, I am still not convinced Kemper launching a marketing campaign for MK2 with virtually no changes to the hardware and a new profiling algorithm that is months out was not a preemptive strike against The imminent Helix stadium announcement they knew about
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Yet the hype they generated didn't last long. Only a week after, the Kemper mk2 did look like a Game Boy compared to what was shown in the Stadium keynote.

Even an ex-bandmate, with whom I've had many "Kemper vs Helix" arguments during years (he has a Kemper Stage and I have a Helix LT), said he was disappointed with the mk2 the day they announced it ("it's not much more than my Stage, but now my Stage will sell quite worse in the used market!"), even more after and seeing the Stadium.

It will take years for Kemper to reach the Stadium features and usability, if they ever do it (and they should, as you can't keep selling an outdated device for too long). The only way they can keep selling this mk2 is that their new profiling is NOTABLY better than Agoura and Proxy tones. And I wouldn't put my money on it.
 
molul said:
It will take years for Kemper to reach the Stadium features and usability, if they ever do it (and they should, as you can't keep selling an outdated device for too long).
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They should probably drop out of the guitar market. They had a good run but their competitive advantage has completely evaporated, and catching back up now will cost them too much for what scraps are left in a very competitive market with NAM, Tonex and the Chinese brands at the low end, and Line 6 and Fractal eating their lunch at the higher end.
 
Chocol8 said:
They should probably drop out of the guitar market. They had a good run but their competitive advantage has completely evaporated, and catching back up now will cost them too much for what scraps are left in a very competitive market with NAM, Tonex and the Chinese brands at the low end, and Line 6 and Fractal eating their lunch at the higher end.
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I didn't want to sound cruel, but I certainly feel this might be the beginning of the end for them, unless they make an astronishing move in the next 2 years. But I would find more likely that they sell their technology to someone like Roland or Behringer.
 
molul said:
I didn't want to sound cruel, but I certainly feel this might be the beginning of the end for them, unless they make an astronishing move in the next 2 years. But I would find more likely that they sell their technology to someone like Roland or Behringer.
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For NDSP too I am afraid
You have too look at what they had that was unique when they launched

1.Touchscreen
2.Amp modelers and captures
3.Better capture tech than Kemper or anything available at that time

Those were their 3 selling points
Since then even lower level modellers have implanted touch screen ( Hotone)
Not even talking Helix level
Nam / ToneX and others have bettered their capture tech
PCOM which might have been their other cool feature has turned into pretty much a shitshow and crippled their development where maybe they could have got out 3 or 4 really good updates to stay in the positive light

Just for those keeping score Nolly X and Parralaxe X launched last July and the hope was 6 months for a pair of plug ins , they are literally about 1 month away from a year of the 2 above
 
Yeah, the state of digital guitar stuff is:

Doing fine:
Line6 - Just announced the Stadium line, and people are rushing to pre-order
Fractal - Leadership position on many fronts well known
Roland/BOSS - Do their own thing (synth stuff, X-amps) and are big enough and well known enough to not worry - and are cheaper than the high end

Maybe doing fine?:
Fender - I have no idea how popular the TMP is. I know that some like the sounds a lot, but it's far behind on content and features of similarly priced competition

Hurting:
NDSP - The unmet expectations have not been countered by any big splash - Nano Cortex was a nice bump, but IMO, it ultimately just takes possible QC customers away
Kemper - Still has some die hards, but sad trombone Mk2 announcement after a very long time without a refresh
Headrush - I haven't seen anyone care in months at least

Inexpensive/free and doing fine:
Tonex - not for me, but still has a robust following
NAM
Low price NAM players
 
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