Line 6 Helix Stadium Pre-Launch Discussion

[Digital Igloo]

The simple fact that they added a touchscreen but at the same time added more knobs and buttons is a strong good sign in my book.

The two additional push-encoders below the screen are obvious, but the additional shortcut buttons were chosen specifically because they speed up operation during the heat of a gig. I've gotten pushback on the dedicated XY controller button (to the right of Save): "Why waste a button on a feature many people won't use?" My answer is those who do use it won't want to dive into menus to get to it, specifically because it's a feature designed for performance.

Same with the dedicated output buttons. You shouldn't need to navigate the touchscreen at all to adjust the 1/4" vs. XLR vs. Phones levels.

 

[riffy]

The funny thing for me is I don't like L6 amp sounds but I think everything else is generally done really well. So capturing from them might trip my trigger?

This is me!

 

[ragingplatypi]

The funny thing for me is I don't like L6 amp sounds but I think everything else is generally done really well. So capturing from them might trip my trigger?

Can you capture a trumpet?

 

[mbenigni]

I have repeatedly asserted my awareness of the overboard nature of the opinion, though I will say that maintaining a fully parallel core amp sound functionality is more significant than your examples. And I know that nobody at Line6 is ever going to listen to me. I'm just a minority opinion shouting into the void. I like modeling, and I like it being the full resource focus of the devices that I use. If my device has less effect or amp models than it could have had because capture was added, maintained, and enhanced, that's a net loss for me. I completely understand why many people think that's overboard. But it's my preference.

Maybe at some point, I'll end up with a future Axe IV and nothing else.

It's not just overboard. It's flat out not how these things work. The closest thing to a rational concern you might have is that inclusion of capture functionality will have impacted cost and schedule... but these ships have sailed.

Maybe buy a roll of electrical tape and mask out the offending bits?

 

[[Nathan]]

It's strange to me that I present the opinion openly knowing that it's a bit out there, and people reply by stating that it's not logical. I know. We all have plenty of illogical opinions and preferences, if we're honest with ourselves.

Also, that's not what I said. I said I'd like to never run into it in the UX, and better yet, to be able to delete/disable it to be sure. And then I made clear I fully expect Line6 will not listen to that request. I did not proceed to stating that I am not going to buy one after all if they don't.

It’s good that you’re aware enough to know how irrational your hate for capturing is. It would be like buying a new car and ripping out the radio because you refuse to want to have music in the car. If that’s what you want to do then go for it it’s your life man!

But even you know it’s a game of 80/20 with this stuff, there’s just no way they’d have an option to rip it out of a helix. At most a device could maybe let you favourite stuff and you would favourite everything else except this one feature.

But yeah it sort of comes across like a whining crusade when it’s irrationally mentioned over and over. We get it you hate capturing! In the meantime the rest of the guitar community is stoked there’s going to finally be another device to dethrone the qc as the flagship modeller and capturer in one. It’s genius they added it because it’s a huge selling point which will sell units and fuel dev for…. You guessed it, more modelled amps and development

 

[JiveTurkey]

The subject of profiling has become the wettest fucking blanket this forum has ever seen. Whether it's an unhealthy addiction to absolute accuracy or blissfully wandering around unaware your alias ridden palm mutes actually sound like deformed blasts of diarrhea; the subject is a scourge on our daily conversational endeavors.

Boo, I say. BOO!

 

[FuzzyAce]

The subject of profiling has become the wettest fucking blanket this forum has ever seen. Whether it's an unhealthy addiction to absolute accuracy or blissfully wandering around unaware your alias ridden palm mutes actually sound like deformed blasts of diarrhea; the subject is a scourge on our daily conversational endeavors.

Boo, I say. BOO!

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[[Nathan]]

Boo, I say. BOO!

 

[HomespunEffects]

The subject of profiling has become the wettest fucking blanket this forum has ever seen. Whether it's an unhealthy addiction to absolute accuracy or blissfully wandering around unaware your alias ridden palm mutes actually sound like deformed blasts of diarrhea; the subject is a scourge on our daily conversational endeavors.

Boo, I say. BOO!

Maybe Tonex won’t be more fun anymore.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Maybe Tonex won’t be more fun anymore.

Spoiler

It never was

 

[HomespunEffects]

Spoiler

It never was

My silly, contrary friend. I do care for you.

 

[sashimi]

Back on the device itself: What are people hoping for in the initial Agoura amp lineup?

I'd really love a great AC30 or other EL84 amp (say, a Matchless), and I'd love a good Line6 original with the Agoura modeling technique.

I’d be interested in hearing how much better some of my favorite newer ones can be, like the grammatico gsg, the super reverb, or the bogner ecstasy. They are already really good so maybe there’s not as much room for improvement though?

Id love an updated whowatt, and agreed on the ac30. Id love an agoura tweed like the fullerton or the grammatico lg.

 

[[Nathan]]

If they think the demand is coming from captures, they'd likely put the resources back into captures.

History suggests not really, generally speaking once captures are added its pretty set and forget. Kemper took how long to bring out some updates? ToneX had one update a couple months after launch and its been 2 years since. I dont think QC has had any upgrades in captures. I don't think captures really warrant that much upgrading once its in there. If it's on par with NAM its already in the acceptable range for most people that could last a generation of that device.

If anything being able to run captures across the helix stadium range just sells more units.... and that money goes back into... you guessed it, the helix ecosystem aka more models.

I'll likely never use the showcase features but its cool they're there if the need arises, i'll just rationally ignore it when im not using it.

 

[TubeStack]

The subject of profiling has become the wettest fucking blanket this forum has ever seen. Whether it's an unhealthy addiction to absolute accuracy or blissfully wandering around unaware your alias ridden palm mutes actually sound like deformed blasts of diarrhea; the subject is a scourge on our daily conversational endeavors.

Boo, I say. BOO!

 

[GTR37]

Back on the device itself: What are people hoping for in the initial Agoura amp lineup?

I'd really love a great AC30 or other EL84 amp (say, a Matchless), and I'd love a good Line6 original with the Agoura modeling technique.

The AC30 is there , Divided by 13 , DrZ or matchless would all be cool

On heavier side 5153, SLO , Recto ,Friedman

 

[riffy]

The subject of profiling has become the wettest fucking blanket this forum has ever seen. Whether it's an unhealthy addiction to absolute accuracy or blissfully wandering around unaware your alias ridden palm mutes actually sound like deformed blasts of diarrhea; the subject is a scourge on our daily conversational endeavors.

Boo, I say. BOO!

I have a huge unhealthy addiction to

 

[mbenigni]

Can you capture a trumpet?

Shut up and take my money.

 

[mikah912]

The AC30 is there , Divided by 13 , DrZ or matchless would all be cool

On heavier side 5153, SLO , Recto ,Friedman

Don't forget the ENGL Fireball. It's unstoppable.

 

[laxu]

The two additional push-encoders below the screen are obvious, but the additional shortcut buttons were chosen specifically because they speed up operation during the heat of a gig. I've gotten pushback on the dedicated XY controller button (to the right of Save): "Why waste a button on a feature many people won't use?" My answer is those who do use it won't want to dive into menus to get to it, specifically because it's a feature designed for performance.

Same with the dedicated output buttons. You shouldn't need to navigate the touchscreen at all to adjust the 1/4" vs. XLR vs. Phones levels.

I really appreciate this. One of my big beefs with many modelers on the market is how much time it takes to get to stuff when you need to adjust. Doesn't matter if it is at home or at a gig. If it takes a lot of menuing to do something simple, it becomes a chore.

Always liked the Amp button on Helix, as well as the capacitive footswitches. Those did a lot of work to make it easy to use despite not having a touchscreen.

I think more people will also give the XY controller a try because it's easy to access rather than something buried deep.

Line6 would do well to make some educational videos at release that show where you could use it. The hard part of any controller whether it's MIDI, Fractal's modifiers or the Stadium XY is to come up with the usecase. It's just hard to imagine what to do with it until you come up with a concrete problem looking for a solution. "How about these things" videos would help give people ideas and "Wait, it can do that?" moments.