What's your favorite digital modeler in 2025?

[Jarick]

I honestly thought we'd see more Tonex!

 

[Jarick]

0 for Kemper is really weird.

It is a bit weird, but that was my suspicion and why there's very little excitement for the Kemper Mk2 on this forum.

 

[GTR37]

Surprised to see The QC not as once popular

I think they could be in some trouble
When QC came out it had a lot of things special about it
Compact , great new GUI
Good amp modelling , best amp captures in the business

But a lot has changed
in the last 2 yrs while they have been stuck with plug in compatibility

 

[Chocol8]

I honestly thought we'd see more Tonex!

I added another. Tonex has been my primary DIGITAL solution for around 2 years now. That said, over that time I have been using digital less and analog more. I would say more than 95% of my digital playing in 2025 has been with headphones for when even an attenuated amp is too loud.

Some of that was because my CLR puked a chip, but that is now fixed so who knows what the second half of the year will bring. Also, I have not played through my laptop at all in the last 6 months so NAM and other plugin usage went to absolute zero, but I did order the Sonicake pager looking thing so I will probably be spending some more time with NAM again after it arrives. I'd be shocked if it dethrones the Tonex One, but it will get a shot at it.

Otherwise, I have been playing tube amps through JohnH attenuators or a Suhr RL, or occasionally a tube pre-amp. I still love real amps and real cabs.

 

[Desertdweller]

Best digital modeler : Axe FX.
Best analog modeler: Mesa Road King.

 

[LScottK]

The title and poll are a bit at odds with each other. My favorite would be the Helix Floor, but I voted Other because I use the Hotone Ampero 2 Stomp as my primary modeler atm.

That's interesting . . . Why about the Hotone Ampero 2 put it at the top of your modeler list? This is a genuine question and I have zero intention of starting another "holy war" thread about which model is best. I'm a long time Fractal User. I owned a Helix for a short time (3 - 4 months) back when it ran firmware 1.x. I'm surprised that Ampero 2 had tones good enough to displace either Helix or Fractal. Maybe there's a thread that already discusses this . . . ?

 

[Mikael Dez]

It even has a scribble strip.

 

[deadpool_25]

This was more interesting than I expected. It made me think and I eventually picked Fractal even though my only Fractal device is the VP4. I almost picked the QC but the VP4 lives on the QC board when I'm using that, it lives on the board I use with real amps, and I think it'll also live next to Stadium when that happens (assuming it does). So basically VP4 is pretty foundational for me.

 

[laxu]

That's interesting . . . Why about the Hotone Ampero 2 put it at the top of your modeler list? This is a genuine question and I have zero intention of starting another "holy war" thread about which model is best. I'm a long time Fractal User. I owned a Helix for a short time (3 - 4 months) back when it ran firmware 1.x. I'm surprised that Ampero 2 had tones good enough to displace either Helix or Fractal. Maybe there's a thread that already discusses this . . . ?

I have a whole review thread of it, so check it out for details.

It's no Helix or Fractal, but it has a lot going for it:

• Cheap. Under 400 €, so like less than 1/3 what a new FM3 costs in Europe. Several hundred euros below HX Stomp.
• Compact. Barely larger than HX Stomp or GT-1000 Core.
• Modern touchscreen UI. It's very easy to work with without the computer editor.
• Good set of I/O. Separate stereo in/out, stereo fx loop, headphones, aux-in, expression.
• Capable enough DSP so you can build relatively complex presets.
• Effects, amp and cab modeling are not the best of the best, but for this price range mostly really good.
• It feels good to play and sounds good, you could easily do a gig or record an album with this without feeling like you should've invested in the "the best".

It's the current yardstick of more budget consciously priced modelers. Any pricier unit released in 2025+ that does not hit this baseline is IMO not that great.

I'm still moving to the Helix Stadium when it releases. But since there's not likely to be a HX Stomp successor until maybe next year at the earliest, I might keep the Hotone around for its form factor convenience.

I love Fractal for sound and features...but after years of fighting to get them to do anything to improve usability, I've given up on them until they release next gen products. Helix Stadium is way more aligned with how I want a modeler to work and I'm confident in Line6's ideas and execution.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I may get crucified for this but tbh I kind of like NDSP plugins better than any of the hardware modellers


Not that I actively use any of the above plugin/hardware/otherwise lol


Out of the list my “primary device” would be the HX stomp but I mostly use it as a multi fx unit

 

[Sedaxel]

Quad Cortex.

 

[Mikael Dez]

I may get crucified for this but tbh I kind of like NDSP plugins better than any of the hardware modellers


Not that I actively use any of the above plugin/hardware/otherwise lol


Out of the list my “primary device” would be the HX stomp but I mostly use it as a multi fx unit

I always like the sound of my actual amp through a load box more than any amp sim I've tried

 

[mbenigni]

Which Line 6 modeler and do I have to actually be using it yet?

 

[EOengineer]

This is like choosing a favorite child. I suppose mine will be the Stadium XL once it ships because of honeymoons and all that.

I’ve always thought the FM9 would be my ideal modeling unit, but I’m non-negotiable on the plugin so that has never materialized.

I’ve largely abandoned my Helix Floor outside silent rehearsals with the band. It’s probably time to sell the HXFX. Not yet sure what I’ll do with the Floor.

 

[JiveTurkey]

This is like choosing a favorite child. I suppose mine will be the Stadium XL once it ships because of honeymoons and all that.

I’ve always thought the FM9 would be my ideal modeling unit, but I’m non-negotiable on the plugin so that has never materialized.

I’ve largely abandoned my Helix Floor outside silent rehearsals with the band. It’s probably time to sell the HXFX. Not yet sure what I’ll do with the Floor.

With the pile of amps you have at your disposal; a plugin should be a non-concern. I get why people want a FAS plugin but it would never stop me.

 

[bucephalus]

I took my family on a road trip last week and we were in the car for 40 hours. Somehow I didn't even say this the entire time!

More punishing to keep going I guess

 

[dk_ace]

UA. Better sounding currently. Fractal users will whine and all that... But only because they know they are wrong.

Everything I’ve heard from the UA units sounds fantastic, but I haven’t used one due to the limitations of their current products (no presets, midi, etc).

What are the biggest differences you notice from fractal?

D

 

[ian_dissonance]

I’m quite confident I’ll sound like me no matter what I play through so for me it’s a lot about specific features and form factor. I want a floor pedal with an EXP built in that can do dynamic parameter mods and has a ricochet-style pitch effect. Moved from Helix to Boss over the last 3 months or so and I’m not mad about my choice.

 

[Orvillain]

Despite appearances to the contrary, I have very few loyalties in the world of modelling. I'll use whatever I need to ultimately, but there are some things I look for more than others. Sound quality is paramount, ease of use next, flexibility after that.

I would say on balance, I use plugins more than I use hardware modellers at the moment. Helix Native gets a lot of use, as do the NDSP plugins - specifically the Mark IIC+ Suite and Nameless.

I use my Axe FX III reasonably often too, and between that and Helix Floor, I'd probably use them live if I had to and couldn't take one of my valve amps.

When I had the Quad Cortex earlier this year, I was enjoying using it to jam around with on headphones and straight into my monitors via the RME audio interface. I did not really dig it outside of that use case, and I certainly wouldn't ever use it live.

When it is all said and done, I don't need a million amp models or captures. I just need a solid clean, edge of breakup type clean, mid-gain crunch, and high-gain rhythm tone which I also use for leads. Whack a wah, delay, reverb in front of it... and for 90% of scenarios, that'll do me.

 

[laxu]

When it is all said and done, I don't need a million amp models or captures. I just need a solid clean, edge of breakup type clean, mid-gain crunch, and high-gain rhythm tone which I also use for leads. Whack a wah, delay, reverb in front of it... and for 90% of scenarios, that'll do me.

My real needs are even more simple. For effects I could be happy with a reverb for cleans and delay for leads. I sometimes think wtf do I need all these pedals on my board. But like you, I have exceptionally versatile amps that don't need a whole lot of extras to make the most out of them.

At the same time, modelers are fun to explore and make sense as a "there's no drawback to having all those extra fx, amps etc...use them or don't", and it's nice to be able to save and recall your favorite settings at the push of a button.

For me an ideal modeler would be fairly close to "Hotone Ampero 2 Stomp with higher quality modeling, a few more encoders and switches". I'm really looking forward to whatever the HX Turkey Sandwich will be, and will in the meantime give the smaller Stadium a go.