Line 6 Helix Stadium

[MirrorProfiles]

Assuming this sounds at least as good as Fractal (which I believe L6 are plenty capable of), I dont really see how anyone can do better than this as a complete product. QC and TMP can probably update their GUI to something similar, I think Kemper and the Fractal units need almost a total ground up redesign to do anything similar.

Can’t wait for a tiny desktop unit with controller and plugin version (with expandable digital I/O adapter). Would make for a killer controller, real time DSP device and DI input/reamp box. Seems entirely possible to do with that platform.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I'm curious what Upper/Lower amp means.

GI

Ok, I’m out… that’s Fractal territory.

Someday, I hope we get past this "Line 6 needs to be cheap" mentality. They deserve as much dough, probably more so, than Fender or Neural.

Hmmm, could have sworn I saw in that Kemper MKII thread a few people claim we’re all just happy to shit on new gear if it’s not from our preferred company.

Nah, I just shit on dumb stuff.

 

[KingsXJJ]

Needs a Stomp or “Core” version for sure. Something for folks to put on the desktop like @MirrorProfiles said.

They’d sell a ton of those. I’d buy that for $699.

 

[mikah912]

I guess not. But unless Yamaha has taken over, there’s no way in hell that I’m putting 2K+ in to a brand like Line 6.

But all the fans can rejoice. They have a new platform for the next decade.

That's what people said about the $1500 Helix charged at launch, and uh....don't think you have anything to be worried about on that front.

It's worth it if you're interested at all in the product.

 

[[Nathan]]

Part of me wants to follow this thread for the lols but after the last few megathreads I can at least say to myself…. Don’t need to cross analyse marketing wordings or wonder what’s gonna be in there. I’m sold, amazing that it didn’t need 499 pages of forum speculation to get there.

This is how you pre launch

 

[KingsXJJ]

If it’s 2k+ and has 16 amps it better kick the shit out of Fractal. Annihilate it.

 

[mavrick102000]

At work, didn’t get to watch the stream. So if this is a helix device, what does that mean for the older helix devices…they get similar features (agora?) with a firmware update? Native too?

There's more in store for Helix, not abandoning. I doubt backward compatibility, more DSP and everything in Stadium. But Helix patches can move to Agoura on Stadium.

 

[KingsXJJ]

That's what people said about the $1500 Helix charged at launch, and uh....don't think you have anything to be worried about on that front.

It's worth it if you're interested at all in the product.

And I never did buy it. Too expensive to me.

 

[Lysander]

If it’s 2k+ and has 16 amps it better kick the shit out of Fractal. Annihilate it.

16 new engine amps. You still get the ~80 "classic" Helix amps on launch as well - and they still sound amazing.

I've been having a lot of fun with a FM3 MKII recently, and i genuinely think Helix and Fractal just trade blows when it comes to amp modelling quality these days.

Also, if there's two companies i trust to properly support their products long term, that's Line 6 and Fractal. These devices will only get better in the future.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Assuming this sounds at least as good as Fractal (which I believe L6 are plenty capable of), I dont really see how anyone can do better than this as a complete product. QC and TMP can probably update their GUI to something similar, I think Kemper and the Fractal units need almost a total ground up redesign to do anything similar.

Can’t wait for a tiny desktop unit with controller and plugin version (with expandable digital I/O adapter). Would make for a killer controller, real time DSP device and DI input/reamp box. Seems entirely possible to do with that platform.

Tbf, it could easily just be an ipad app and DI/reamp box.

Or if it’s a controller, make it even better than the stomp boxes and make it something that control several HW units on the same network. Something with haptic feedback knobs, USB ports so you can connect a keyboard (and maybe mouse).

 

[KingsXJJ]

16 new engine amps. You still get the ~80 "classic" Helix amps on launch as well - and they still sound amazing.

I've been having a lot of fun with a FM3 MKII recently, and i genuinely think Helix and Fractal just trade blows when it comes to amp modelling quality these days.

If I were interested in the legacy amps, I’d have a product. I’m not and I don’t. That’s like Fractal bragging they have Old axe amps.

If you think Helix and Fractal are equal… we have totally different ears.

 

[laxu]

If it’s 2k+ and has 16 amps it better kick the shit out of Fractal. Annihilate it.

It most likely has all the Helix amps too because the presets can be imported. Just in some legacy section.

16 doesn't sound like much, but with the right choices those could cover a lot of ground.

 

[[Nathan]]

And I never did buy it. Too expensive to me.

Wages and overheads aren’t cheap. The cost of flagships is what fuels the next big thing to come out otherwise they’d go bust. I totally respect the price points of these things are high but there’s a reason for it that’s way more than just factoring in parts and manufacturing.

The new product wouldn’t be here if everyone didn’t buy older helix products. It’s why I’m happy to grab the new one, they’ve put tons of resources into this thing from top to bottom and as a guitarist that gets me way more excited than saving a buck on a hotone (no shade everything has their place).

Knocking a flagship on price only has so much merit imo. Yeah it’s expensive but the alternative is the company doesn’t exist. It sucks but I don’t think you can complain too much. Plenty of competent gear at disgustingly cheap prices. If you want the flagship then that’s why the price tag is there

 

[mikah912]

If it’s 2k+ and has 16 amps it better kick the shit out of Fractal. Annihilate it.

Looks like it does in versatility, user experience and efficiency. The 16 guitar amps thing is super temporary.

 

[quadgear]

Paisley is definitely going to need a Sherpa to gig this.

The $249 Helix Stadium Backpack (true) comes with an antigravity field generator to reduce the load (fantasy).

 

[Mongillo19]

Knocking a flagship on price only has so much merit imo.

Especially when you think it should be an absurdly low price

 

[HotRats]

We should all agree that the word modeller is not enough anymore.

This Stadium is so much more than a mere modeller/multi fx and I bet they have big plans to make it even moaaaar.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I think loads of the Helix amps are pretty neck and neck with Fractal already. A few show their age, but I bet the whole Helix line will get some tweaks and improvements anyway. I hope the 16 are largely re-models of the ones in Helix that show their age most, maybe with some workhorses in amongst them. If they are 16 full amps, rather than 16 channels it means a lot more too. If you condense Fractals amp models down by amplifier type, things like the Marks and Friedmans eat a ton of slots which offering pretty similar sounds.

Looks like it does in versatility, user experience and efficiency. The 16 guitar amps thing is super temporary.

Plus machine learning, cloud training, easy external control, expandability, the stem/automation stuff. It’s so far ahead of anything else out there.

 

[Sedaxel]

I keep in thinking what I thought from the beginning: NAM is not an option for a company wanting to compete and differentiate in the top tier market.

Embracing NAM would mean that any brand would have the same quality as yours... So there'd be no reason for investing and developing something for everyone else's profit.

Besides, I still think that NAM, being great as a computer based solution, is still too CPU heavy for standalone units. It must be optimized so the price of computing power is not a problem.

For me, it's preferable that top brands develop their own capturing system. This guaranties more research, more improvement and better products, thanks to competition.

 

[mbenigni]

I called SW and put my name on the list. I told him I want the new Line6 Helium.

Vaporware joke?

Too soon.