Line 6 Helix Stadium

[GTR37]

Not sure where the December narrative came from. Stadium is "Winter." Even we don't know when it'll be ready.

Some dealers are saying December so I guess they are hoping based on Winter it could even be 2026 it sounds like

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

playing something called a stadium in front of 30-50 ppl is going to be a hoot.

Just use a large hall reverb and close your eyes.
Stadium ..

 

[Digital Igloo]

I know Igor mentioned you are running full amp models now instead of separate channel models which I think is great

Depends on the amp. All amps were single models at one point, but certain DSP-intensive ones (like the Revv and Bogner) had to be split into two.

 

[Chocol8]

You're fucking nuts for jumping without a net, but I admire your adventurous nature.

He’s nuts? Huh???? Betting on Line 6 delivering over NDSP is about the safest bet you could ever make. The guy who gave him actual money for a QC right now is the one who is nuts! I wouldn’t give $1400 in Monopoly money for a QC these days.

 

[paisleywookiee]

He’s nuts? Huh???? Betting on Line 6 delivering over NDSP is about the safest bet you could ever make. The guy who gave him actual money for a QC right now is the one who is nuts! I wouldn’t give $1400 in Monopoly money for a QC these days.

Only in the sense that he already knows and liked the QC, and he's jumping into the Stadium before even hearing it.
But yes, I tend to agree with your sentiment about the QC.

 

[Sascha Franck]

We discussed all sorts of ways to get there, including various types of pickup integration.

An external pickup sure would be great. From all I know, quite some folks (unfortunately myself included, and I defenitely tried...) didn't like the guitars too much. For me that was especially true for all vibrato equipped guitars, which is what I wanted.

Fwiw, I think a great idea might be to offer some bridge pickup replacements, serving both as standard magnetics and also as HEX pickups. Obviously and perhaps unfortunately the magnetic part needed some variety. But it'd possibly be the least intrusive way of adding that technology to an existing guitar (good lord, how much I hate those GK things...).

 

[paisleywookiee]

An external pickup sure would be great. From all I know, quite some folks (unfortunately myself included, and I defenitely tried...) didn't like the guitars too much. For me that was especially true for all vibrato equipped guitars, which is what I wanted.

Fwiw, I think a great idea might be to offer some bridge pickup replacements, serving both as standard magnetics and also as HEX pickups. Obviously and perhaps unfortunately the magnetic part needed some variety. But it'd possibly be the least intrusive way of adding that technology to an existing guitar (good lord, how much I hate those GK things...).

The one I liked the best was the hard tail JTV-89. Unfortunately, the electronics were f’d up. They’d literally change guitar models, without touching anything.

 

[Sascha Franck]

The one I liked the best was the hard tail JTV-89.

I actually only really liked the JTV59 ones, but I don't exactly like LP style guitars as main players in my arsenal. The strat style ones simply felt too bulky with the non existant belly shape and the reduced, kinda sharp arm shape. And the Pacifica-style things were just not as good a guitar as pretty much all other Pacificas. In case they'd been as good as the 612V, I would've been very tempted when I had the Floor.

 

[dk_ace]

I may be wrong, but I think DI said so in one of the interviews.

I get continuous development is a feature in current units, but I understand the sentiment that having the same effects as last gen on delivery is not ok.

I tried really hard dialing in the reverbs on Helix Native comparing them with other offerings from IK, UA, Soundtoys and Valhalla and I personally find them lacking. I was under the impression it was due to horse power, it needed to run on Helix hardware. But it was before I got an Yamaha Magicstomp. While not sounding particularly realistic, there's something very pleasing about how everything sounds. How it blends nicely with the core sound, even raising the effects volume it doesn't make things murky like Helix's reverb usually do, also the stereo spread is better. So I don't think its really the processing, it's something about the algorithms/filtering that's not IMO dialed in, at least for my taste.

Another example is the Pog2. Why did it sound so good and ultimately just musical? Trying to use pitch blocks in Helix is kind like ok, a bit harsh, I'd like to see at least a high cut on the effects block itself. But why did a simple octave up the Pog2 sounds so much better? If like to see this type of stuff addressed.

Shhh, don’t go telling people about the magicstomp. That’s a closely guarded gear secret. I need to plug mine back in and take it for a spin again…

D

 

[Digital Igloo]

I actually only really liked the JTV59 ones, but I don't exactly like LP style guitars as main players in my arsenal. The strat style ones simply felt too bulky with the non existant belly shape and the reduced, kinda sharp arm shape. And the Pacifica-style things were just not as good a guitar as pretty much all other Pacificas. In case they'd been as good as the 612V, I would've been very tempted when I had the Floor.

Yeah, that's the problem with technology guitars. If your $1200 guitar has $800 worth of technology in it, you don't get the fit, finish, or playability of a $1200 non-technology guitar. Another reason we don't make Variax any longer. I really like my JTV-59, but unless I'm using the Variax tech, I'll pick something else up first.

 

[Tito83]

From all I remember, what was said was:

- 16 Agoura amps.
- Full OG HX compatibility except the old hybrid cabs.
- Much more stuff to come.

None of that excludes the option of there to be one or the other new effect type thrown in as well at release. Guess only time will tell.

Personally, if I needed (or rather wanted) a new all-in-one unit, which might be the case some day, this would be enough already to justify purchasing it over any competitor's product or an OG Helix. Not because of the 16 amps or the promise of what might happen in the future but simply because so far I feel that this is possibly the most user friendly device there ever was. Heck, I'd even consider it if there was zero updated "sound content".

At about 9min on the Worship Tutorials interview Eric says there will be no new effects for Stadium 1.0. Yes, obviously there will effects added, but not at launch, and it was what I was addressing.

Ultimately I think this need of keeping things from previous gen a bit overdone. Personally I'd like to see a port of the Echo Park rather than the DL4, but honestly, I'd like to see new stuff, I'm not really a fan of the newer HX delays and reverbs.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Yeah, that's the problem with technology guitars. If you spend $1200 on something with $800 worth of technology in it, you don't get the fit, finish, or playability of a $1200 guitar. Another reason we don't make Variax any longer. I really like my JTV-59, but unless I'm using the Variax tech, I'll pick something else up first.

I know you'll never make it and it would end up being pretty expensive but as a concept a revstar with variax tech would be really cool.

 

[banned]

Powercabs be lilke "am i a joke to you?!"

Pretty much. They're a well built product but the sound quality just isn't there. But that applies to almost every other cab style "FRFR" I've tried. (Don't care for FR12 either)

The ones I'm curious about are the Laney "FRFR" and the Harley Benton. I just feel these might sound better but need to try

But for now, 100% satisfied with a my SS power amp and guitar cabs with Helix as is today. I don't find any big difference from real amps at all.

If I get the new Stadium, which I have on pre-order, it'll be because I just want the latest upgrade.

 

[LCW]

Some dealers are saying December so I guess they are hoping based on Winter it could even be 2026 it sounds like

Winter ends March 20th.

 

[holoholo]

So will Agoura just be the same amps redone from line 6’s vault? Will amp releases take the same amount of time as before?

 

[OneEng]

I hope they do.

Me too. But to your point, they haven't so far.

I am not personally a big effects guy; however, I think that at the high end, the all-in-one's should focus more effort on the verbs and delays. If you have good amps, verbs, and delays, the rest is all gravy (at least for me).

I think currently only Fractal and Kemper have good enough verbs and delays to compete with the better stand alone units. Helix should definitely step up. Seems like they have the processing power to do so (at least one would certainly think so with the Stadium).

 

[Sascha Franck]

If your $1200 guitar has $800 worth of technology in it, you don't get the fit, finish, or playability of a $1200 non-technology guitar.

Point defenitely taken. But then, I'd happily have paid, say, 1000 for a 612V which back then went for around 700. Or maybe even 1100.

Anyhow, maybe that makes it a good idea to sell separate pickup kits. That way nobody would complain about the guitars.

 

[Sascha Franck]

At about 9min on the Worship Tutorials interview Eric says there will be no new effects for Stadium 1.0

Oh ok, must've missed that.
Otoh, he also said it was *just* an anniversary event with not too much else to happen.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Not sure where the December narrative came from. Stadium is "Winter." Even we don't know when it'll be ready.

„Helix Stadium XL Floor will be available Fall 2025, and Helix Stadium Floor in Winter 2025.“

Well, December is the only remaining winter month in 2025.

 

[AlbertA]