I just got a Line 6 POD Express and I love the thing. It fits right on my desktop, is so easy to use, and really covers all the bases I need to record music. I've recorded with it for several weeks now, completed about 7 videos with it, and it just sounds great. I recommend it for Home Recording artists who want to keep it simple, but still have plenty of sounds available. I've been using Line 6 gear since 2004 (a POD XT Live) up to a POD Go I bought in 2022. And now the POD Express completes the circle.
I have been using my Helix more and more. I really love it as a preamp to my poweramp into my 412. My amps are collecting dust lately. Having everything in one unit has been fantastic. HXFX is also an amazing unit.
Very interesting. I love Boss stuff and for the same reason as in you can replace it anywhere and I don't need that, but I also love their tones with the Air'd stuff. I do like Yamaha and line six though as well and think their UI is among the best. Great video sir. ❤
I've been using all of the Helix family for years now, and I agree, the HX Stomp XL is the perfect hybrid for me. I use it standalone as a frontman, and the additional footswitches and 4th snapshot, plus the dedicated mode button and tap/tuner, are absolutely the perfect sweet spot. Great vid!
@Johnny-oy9fh helix has a XLR in. You create a signal Path and you can sing and play through it. Send both paths to a looper and reverb and delay, boom. You can sound like a record
We went to Helix's, a Pod Pro for bass, and an Alesis Strata Prime for drums, along with in-ears. Rock and hard rock covers/originals. The happy dance is real . Especially when the vocal harmonies get so much easier to nail because the drummer isn't shouting into his headset, just to keep the sound of live drums pulled down in the mix.
I have been playing with my band these last two weeks with the Pod express, lol 😅, believe it or not, i just add a external foot switch and its more than enough. The sound is as good as helix, without carrying the huge bag pack
Something I've been doing for a while is use an A/B box with A coming from my wireless and B open. This gives me both a dedicated mute switch as well as a direct input for a cable without needing to take the wireless off the board or even unplug it.
I just purchased the Helix LT from Sweetwater a few weeks ago, love it! My first Line 6 was the Pod Go, I wanted a little bit more, contemplated getting the Stomp XL to use with the Pod Go, but ended up deciding on the LT. Sweetwater is great to do business with, and Line 6 tech support is great. Thanks for the videos, Steve. Keep them coming!
I've been using an LT for three or four years now and I think it's the best bang for the buck modeler. It's probably the best piece of gear I've ever owned.
I bought an HX Stomp a couple of years ago and have toured with it a handful of times. It works great, but I have been considering trying out the QC, so I'm glad I watched this. I'm able to do everything I need with a pedaltrain nano which is a nice bonus, makes flying and loading in/out so much easier.
Been using the LT for the last 7 or 8 years but really want to try out the Stomp XL cuz it just seems like the pedal with just enough switches in a more managable and pleasent form factor. Just another small dual mode expression pedal, it will be perfect.
I have a Helix Floor and it's great in the studio. I use it on music theater gigs where I need diversity of tone. But it's just too big for situations where I need to travel light. So I picked up an HX Stomp for situations where I need to work on projects and do recordings but don't want to lug the Helix with me. It's great for tossing in a backpack with its power supply, a USB cable, a patch cable, and my laptop. All the amps and effects I have with the Helix I have with the HX Stomp. The only thing on my wish list for the HX Stomp is an XLR mic input with phantom power.
I'm not a gigger but have had the HX Stomp since it came out. I've used it in several ways over the years but for quite a while, it's been the jack of all trades on my pedal board. I have a bunch of analog pedals and the Stomp takes care of things I don't have. It all runs into a few tube amps I have.
I still gig with my HX Stomp XL and still a dream to play. And you’re correct the helix line is Pro sounding indeed. Even for recording it’s just a joy to play. Plus it’s lightweight bringing it anywhere. Still relevant till this day. I can’t wait for the next update though. I used to have an HX Effects, I used it as a amp controller and effects. For me the HX Effects is so useful if you’re touring with your fave amp and just wants to add effects to it. Then, that’s the go to.
I should add, I've run both HX Stomp and HX Stomp XL boards from single 1Spot PSU (the little one), using a Joyo ZGP for isolation. You do need an adapter to match the size of the plug, but they're pretty cheap.
I remember going direct to FOH for the first time with the POD HD500 back in the mid 2000s, I have a hard time justifying bringing an amp to a gig since, monitoring has been an issue but it's gotten better over time. Today if I had to select a unit it would be the full size Helix or the LT just because they're easy to power. I gig an HX Stomp and my only gripe with it is having to power it.
Thank you! I’m using the LT since 2019 and still love it. I don’t consider this an “old” unit. There are other digital products out there that are way older yet still sell (for example digital mixers like Behringer XR series). Line6 keeps adding new stuff to the Helix which to me means they essentially renew the unit with every update. I’m just an amateur playing in coverbands and have never run out of dsp. People who do may not be using the right unit for them but should not blame this on Line6 saying the technology is “old”….. just my opinion though :-)
I like the hx stomp for its form factor for how I use it but line 6 needs to update the power supply and make it internal with a c14 standard cord even if it means enlarging the hx stomp enough for it to work. I have bumped my hx stomp and had the small cord come out several times so I quit using it for now and went to fractal fm3.
I say go full-bore. The Helix is one of very few pieces of premium gear that is actually justified because it is future-proof. Just get the backpack for it if the size ever gets bothersome. For me, it isn’t-I’m ecstatic that I only have to make ONE trip to the car to load my gear in for practice or a gig. I see absolutely no reason to haul a traditional tube head and 412 around anymore just for a 5 percent difference in tone.
While I agree the full Helix is getting old, but just on power since the constant updates keep it up to par with the latest modellers soundwise, the Stomp series is yet to be matched I believe. I recently got to try the Ampero Stomp and, while good, it didn't have the flexibility this has for a unit you can put in your gig bag
One big advantage, not mentioned is MIDI: My HX Effects is also my MIDI command center for the rest of my pedals on my board and Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with my amp. If you use MIDI, the HX Effects is your goto device.
What about Helix floor vs LT? Considering the LT and as far as I understand the only difference is inputs and outputs, especially the XLR mic input. Is that correct? If new to the Helix family, would you choose LT or floor?
My dream pedal would be an updated version of the Hx Effects with amp modeling and another screen. A combination of the Hx Effects and the HX Stomp XL basically.
Do you carry a backup unit that mirrors your gig unit? Seems like that is one of the major benefits. Having a backup amp and pedal board seems exsessive unless you are a major act. But with Helix it seems like the way to go.
This is really great info Steve!! Thanks a ton!! Ok, got a question... As a singer/songwriter, can I run my vocal mic through these devices? I know the Helix has a mic input, so that would be a go. But if I were go with a hybrid solution, like an HX Stomp XL + a few select pedals, could I steer my vocals through that device as well? Would you do that? I'm just thinking about a little sweetness on my vocal, rather than a total dry signal.
A way to mitigate the power dongle is to tuck under the board with a compact power strip or short cable tethered up. You put the pedal power supply on there as well. Then you are just left with one standard length of "normal" power cord extending off the board.
Only thing missing is the LT - basically a normal floor, but without scribble strips and a bit lighter. Would love if Line6 would update it to make it smaller (QC size?), without the expression pedal, so it could fit into a gig bag
I have both the XL and the Stomp. I personally prefer the Stomp for modularity and portability, although I do miss having 4 snapshots. For ambience, it's nice to have a separate WSYWIG unit for on the fly changes; I use a Source Audio Collider for that. Funny enough, I'm thinking about building out a solo artist rig for myself with the XL and an H90. Maybe a looper too and maybe the Meris MercuryX, but the H90 is coming first.
If we're talking strictly professional then yeah helix line for sure. But just for home playing and even recording the POD Go is amazing. Literal same sounds and everything as the helix just more affordable.
Should try the two Notes OPUS, their cab sims are amazing! And now I have the hx one for its modulation, course, and Dimension style pedals. Whenever it’s needed.
Excellent and very informative video. It taught me that I don’t need any Line6 gear. Maybe in the future they’ll make something that would suit my needs.
I recently returned to the Helix family and picked up an HX Stomp XL. When I originally entered the modelling world I just couldn’t find the sounds I wanted so moved back to analog gear. What I’ve discovered is that simple is better. You don’t need multiple amps and a million effects to have a great sound, and only using what you need in a unit like this doesn’t mean you’re not using it to its potential it just means you have flexibility for the future. Are there better options out there? Maybe for your use case, but for mine it does everything I need in one convenient package with lots of space to be creative without needed to constantly buy and sell gear. For me it’s a keeper.
As an OG Stomp user, the one outstanding benefit over the competition is the near constant updates and added features. How much additional great stuff has come out in the five years I've owned it? New amps, effects, routing, fixes. They just keep improving it year after year. I'm sure at some point there will be a need to a new hardware platform but man, talk about longevity and bang for the buck.
Excellent video Steve!! Well done. I gig with the HX Stomp Xl with a mini foot pedal, and 3 external effects I’m a big fan of. A minimalist board, a great rig for me. Thanks for what you do!
Steve u didn't mention the Helix LT which is in between the full Helix and Stamp in price which is what I have and has everything most pro and non pro users need to go all in one if they don't need mic input and didn't want to deal with an external volume pedal that's flopping off to the side. Even Bumblefoot uses an LT live.
Just using the fullsize Helix Floor with a Bigsky, a Tonex and at the moment with a Double Barrel V4 which will be replaced by another Tonex. There is nothing this hybrid rig can't do. And most off all it is a fully controllable workhorse. The size and weight....okay....but consider this: how about in relation to a Marshall stack, no matter if it is half or full size one? Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. If I ever had to choose a smaller flyrig I think Steve has paved the way....or.... two HX Stomp and a controller like a Blackstar Live Logic. Steve, how about it?
The line6 stuff is amazing. I dont miss all my various pedals. Thanks for this cool review and thoughts on these products. Steve, I remember you saying you have your touring rig presets for sale. Are they available for HX Stomp XL and Pod Go Wireless. I would very much be interested in purchasing your touring presets. Please let me know Brother. Thanks
I have the stomp XL. I look at all the newer modellers and I think meh!....my helix does everything I want it to do and they all sound good. Like the difference in sound quality (tones) is so negligible they can all be tweaked to sound similar.
I bought the pod express for traveling but man it sounds better than the UAFX pedals, ToneX, and my boss gt1000... For real!!! So I'm using it as my main rig right now 😂
Awesome breakdown of the different units. I'm happy with my HX Stomp, Effects, and One. I agree, the power supply is wonky, but I heard Truetone was going to be making a dedicated adaptor for the HX series soon. Thanks for the opportunity to win a stomp XL!
@masterofreality230 the truetone cs7 comes with a red polarity reversal adapator and a green line 6 barrel fit that also reverses polarity. Gotta use em both to power a stomp or effects
@@scottyknows No, I just bought a $4 cable. 2 hook up to my power supply and 1 goes to the stomp. Its a green cable they sell on Amazon by Gator cases. There is no polarity reversal involved, but it does have the correct size barrel that is not standard for Line 6 devices. What would be cool is if they started putting a 2.5mm 1 amp output on a pedal power brick.
@masterofreality230 I'm just glad I didn't fry my pedals because I was connecting just the green adapter first. Had no idea it reversed polarity. Also fits the Eventide H90.
Great "use case" compare Steve. Love the Helix floor I have. Nice to get a sense of what would drive me to shift form factors. Sidebar question: what brand of footswitch toppers do u use, and are they transport worthy ( stay put ) or do u remove them and put them on each time.
First and foremost, thank you for your useful and interesting videos! I've been using a Pod Go for a couple of years now and I'm really happy with it, but I'd like to expand the number of slots for fx to reduce the number of presets I use. Also, I would like to control the reverb like a traditional stompbox depending on the venue, w/out the need to navigate the settings on stage. Do you think the HX1 would be a good choice for the FX loop of the Pod Go? Can it be run on stereo? Sorry for my English and cheers from Italy!
The HX one for me its cool but I dont have any analog hardware so the one at a time thing doesnt do it for ne, Possibly the HX stomp, I think the person that learns the helix how the buttons really work, you dont really need 12 buttons then smaller loooks better. The amps and fx are the same as the helix its all buttjns and IO
I just got the HX stomp XL. I have a voodoo 8x power supply and wanted to know if that is enough juice for it? I run 4 pedals but still have 4 outputs left and was thinking of doubling up on the outputs. I have never done that and don’t want to destroy anything. Just wondering if that would work. thank you and great video.
How come you disregard the Helix Rack completely? I personally have a Helix Rack and an HX Stomp (not XL). I tend to gravitate towards rack gear and avoid pedals when I can, except for specifially having a very small rig for spontaneous stuff I can lug around with minimal effort. Other than that, it's rackmount all the way.
I have a question, I have a pedal board that shares space for an overdrive and a collider for the wet effects for my vocals and the rest is 7 pedals for my guitar rig, that includes a wah, fuzz, 1 overdrive one boost, chorus and a vibe. Would it be possible to have something like this in any of the Line 6 products? Like have a path for my vocals always on and another path for my guitar that I could use also live time? If so which if the line 6 product will be? Cheers!b
I don’t know if you’ll see this 😅 I’m sure you’re a busy dude😊 But does your wife use a he relay g30 or g50? And is she the only one on a 2.4 ghz wireless system ? I just ordered the g50 and was wondering if she’s ever had any dropouts on tour.
@Smart-Alex no. Thats never been a thing from any company to suggest what we say. It's just coincidence a lot of youtube guys said it. They also had a huge marketing push we had no idea about that included over a dozen videos
Hey bud! Justin here formerly of Graphtech, been curious about the helix stuff due to the needs of a new project I'm in. Super stoked to see your beautiful fuckin' face pop up when looking for reviews about it
Line 6 stuff is cool, the only thing in my case is the DSP, if the HX Stomp XL could have at least DSP of the Helix LT, Line 6 will destroy every competence. As it does not have yet i decided by hearush products because of that.
What a great video! Not gonna lie, when I saw the notification my heart jumped cause I thought it was finally the episode of Silent Stage Podcast. I'm very eagerly waiting for that!
Hey Steve, I have a Helix Lt and I made a few presets I like, so I didn't play around much with all the different settings etc, I just play for hobby. I was wondering if you could help with something though. When I use the touch method with any foot switch, it does nothing and I did go in global settings to be sure I had the switch in "Touch" mode. any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!
I'm looking to replace my Iridium rig with either the Helix Floor/LT or the HX Stomp XL. I play in a cover band so I need a lot of different sounds. I like the idea of getting patches from online and setting up setlists that I can just bank up and down to the different songs. Has anyone had any experience with this?
I have to chuckle when reviewers comment that the full size amp-modeling floor pedal boards are "too big". What about the 'old school' 100w amp heads and 4x12 speaker cabinets dedicated to just providing the lead guitarist his tone? Those aren't too big??? OMG! Satriani had four 3D 100w amp heads and six 4x12 cabinets on stage at the Sammy Hagar 'Best of All Worlds Tour' show that I attended two weeks ago, just to provide the EVH sound he wanted, which was of course mic'ed and sent through the Budweiser Stage PA system speaker array, and ended up sounding muddy and further distorted almost beyond recognition. Much better sound could have been generated by just a single amp-modeling pedal board and sent directly into the PA system through a line cord rather than a mic. It really made me wonder whether any of these pro guitarists actually ever take the time out to sit in the crowd at a rock concert and hear for themselves what the end result of all the years of meticulous effort on perfecting guitar tone ends up sounding like in a big arena through an overdriven PA system that's been poorly adjusted by a sound engineer who's probably half deaf from years of accumulated hearing damage. Anyway, that's my rant for this year.
I gig with a Helix Floor for 3 years now...that thing is awesome and never let me down. Wonderfull Piece of Gear
I've used it for about a decade now and other than a lost knob that I can't seem to get replaced, it is a beast! LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!
I just got a Line 6 POD Express and I love the thing. It fits right on my desktop, is so easy to use, and really covers all the bases I need to record music. I've recorded with it for several weeks now, completed about 7 videos with it, and it just sounds great. I recommend it for Home Recording artists who want to keep it simple, but still have plenty of sounds available. I've been using Line 6 gear since 2004 (a POD XT Live) up to a POD Go I bought in 2022. And now the POD Express completes the circle.
Agreed, the thing is dynamite in a small package
I have been using my Helix more and more. I really love it as a preamp to my poweramp into my 412. My amps are collecting dust lately. Having everything in one unit has been fantastic.
HXFX is also an amazing unit.
Very interesting. I love Boss stuff and for the same reason as in you can replace it anywhere and I don't need that, but I also love their tones with the Air'd stuff. I do like Yamaha and line six though as well and think their UI is among the best.
Great video sir. ❤
I've been using all of the Helix family for years now, and I agree, the HX Stomp XL is the perfect hybrid for me. I use it standalone as a frontman, and the additional footswitches and 4th snapshot, plus the dedicated mode button and tap/tuner, are absolutely the perfect sweet spot. Great vid!
My Helix is still incredible. I use it stereo in/ out and sing through it. Quick gigs get the Stomp XL. Love all the sounds. Great video Steve
How do you sing through it?
@Johnny-oy9fh helix has a XLR in. You create a signal Path and you can sing and play through it. Send both paths to a looper and reverb and delay, boom. You can sound like a record
We went to Helix's, a Pod Pro for bass, and an Alesis Strata Prime for drums, along with in-ears. Rock and hard rock covers/originals. The happy dance is real . Especially when the vocal harmonies get so much easier to nail because the drummer isn't shouting into his headset, just to keep the sound of live drums pulled down in the mix.
I bought a line 6 pod go for my practice rig and my gigging rig i traded my pedal board for a line. 6 helix. Best decision ever!
I have been playing with my band these last two weeks with the Pod express, lol 😅, believe it or not, i just add a external foot switch and its more than enough. The sound is as good as helix, without carrying the huge bag pack
Something I've been doing for a while is use an A/B box with A coming from my wireless and B open. This gives me both a dedicated mute switch as well as a direct input for a cable without needing to take the wireless off the board or even unplug it.
I just purchased the Helix LT from Sweetwater a few weeks ago, love it! My first Line 6 was the Pod Go, I wanted a little bit more, contemplated getting the Stomp XL to use with the Pod Go, but ended up deciding on the LT. Sweetwater is great to do business with, and Line 6 tech support is great. Thanks for the videos, Steve. Keep them coming!
I've been using an LT for three or four years now and I think it's the best bang for the buck modeler. It's probably the best piece of gear I've ever owned.
I bought an HX Stomp a couple of years ago and have toured with it a handful of times. It works great, but I have been considering trying out the QC, so I'm glad I watched this. I'm able to do everything I need with a pedaltrain nano which is a nice bonus, makes flying and loading in/out so much easier.
Been using the LT for the last 7 or 8 years but really want to try out the Stomp XL cuz it just seems like the pedal with just enough switches in a more managable and pleasent form factor.
Just another small dual mode expression pedal, it will be perfect.
I have a Helix Floor and it's great in the studio. I use it on music theater gigs where I need diversity of tone. But it's just too big for situations where I need to travel light. So I picked up an HX Stomp for situations where I need to work on projects and do recordings but don't want to lug the Helix with me. It's great for tossing in a backpack with its power supply, a USB cable, a patch cable, and my laptop. All the amps and effects I have with the Helix I have with the HX Stomp. The only thing on my wish list for the HX Stomp is an XLR mic input with phantom power.
I'm not a gigger but have had the HX Stomp since it came out. I've used it in several ways over the years but for quite a while, it's been the jack of all trades on my pedal board. I have a bunch of analog pedals and the Stomp takes care of things I don't have. It all runs into a few tube amps I have.
Same here. All my analog pedals in front of the amp and the Stomp in the loop for everything digital. Works great!
I still gig with my HX Stomp XL and still a dream to play. And you’re correct the helix line is Pro sounding indeed. Even for recording it’s just a joy to play. Plus it’s lightweight bringing it anywhere. Still relevant till this day. I can’t wait for the next update though. I used to have an HX Effects, I used it as a amp controller and effects. For me the HX Effects is so useful if you’re touring with your fave amp and just wants to add effects to it. Then, that’s the go to.
The line 6 range reminds me of a good car companies range. There's something for every pocket and use case.
I should add, I've run both HX Stomp and HX Stomp XL boards from single 1Spot PSU (the little one), using a Joyo ZGP for isolation. You do need an adapter to match the size of the plug, but they're pretty cheap.
I need to go back and grab a helix floor it really was a good unit and I never gave it a shot with my amp I need to do that
I remember going direct to FOH for the first time with the POD HD500 back in the mid 2000s, I have a hard time justifying bringing an amp to a gig since, monitoring has been an issue but it's gotten better over time. Today if I had to select a unit it would be the full size Helix or the LT just because they're easy to power. I gig an HX Stomp and my only gripe with it is having to power it.
I just swapped an Iridium for a 2nd stomp, more power!
Thank you! I’m using the LT since 2019 and still love it. I don’t consider this an “old” unit. There are other digital products out there that are way older yet still sell (for example digital mixers like Behringer XR series). Line6 keeps adding new stuff to the Helix which to me means they essentially renew the unit with every update. I’m just an amateur playing in coverbands and have never run out of dsp. People who do may not be using the right unit for them but should not blame this on Line6 saying the technology is “old”….. just my opinion though :-)
I like the hx stomp for its form factor for how I use it but line 6 needs to update the power supply and make it internal with a c14 standard cord even if it means enlarging the hx stomp enough for it to work.
I have bumped my hx stomp and had the small cord come out several times so I quit using it for now and went to fractal fm3.
I say go full-bore. The Helix is one of very few pieces of premium gear that is actually justified because it is future-proof. Just get the backpack for it if the size ever gets bothersome. For me, it isn’t-I’m ecstatic that I only have to make ONE trip to the car to load my gear in for practice or a gig. I see absolutely no reason to haul a traditional tube head and 412 around anymore just for a 5 percent difference in tone.
While I agree the full Helix is getting old, but just on power since the constant updates keep it up to par with the latest modellers soundwise, the Stomp series is yet to be matched I believe. I recently got to try the Ampero Stomp and, while good, it didn't have the flexibility this has for a unit you can put in your gig bag
I'm running an HX Effects on 2 500ma outputs with a voltage doubler adapter, no sweat. You don't need their power supply.
I always use pedal supplies as well.
One big advantage, not mentioned is MIDI: My HX Effects is also my MIDI command center for the rest of my pedals on my board and Boss Waza Tube Amp Expander with my amp. If you use MIDI, the HX Effects is your goto device.
What about Helix floor vs LT? Considering the LT and as far as I understand the only difference is inputs and outputs, especially the XLR mic input. Is that correct? If new to the Helix family, would you choose LT or floor?
I've been using the Helix since it first came out. I still love it after almost 8 years of gigs.
My dream pedal would be an updated version of the Hx Effects with amp modeling and another screen. A combination of the Hx Effects and the HX Stomp XL basically.
Do you carry a backup unit that mirrors your gig unit? Seems like that is one of the major benefits. Having a backup amp and pedal board seems exsessive unless you are a major act. But with Helix it seems like the way to go.
I keep a quad cortex with us to cover any and all bases as a backup
This is really great info Steve!! Thanks a ton!! Ok, got a question... As a singer/songwriter, can I run my vocal mic through these devices? I know the Helix has a mic input, so that would be a go. But if I were go with a hybrid solution, like an HX Stomp XL + a few select pedals, could I steer my vocals through that device as well? Would you do that? I'm just thinking about a little sweetness on my vocal, rather than a total dry signal.
You should then buy a headrush core or prime or flex.
I think that's the best solution for vocalists
A way to mitigate the power dongle is to tuck under the board with a compact power strip or short cable tethered up. You put the pedal power supply on there as well. Then you are just left with one standard length of "normal" power cord extending off the board.
I use HX Effects with an amp when logical and HX stomp XL when no amp is needed
Only thing missing is the LT - basically a normal floor, but without scribble strips and a bit lighter. Would love if Line6 would update it to make it smaller (QC size?), without the expression pedal, so it could fit into a gig bag
I have both the XL and the Stomp. I personally prefer the Stomp for modularity and portability, although I do miss having 4 snapshots. For ambience, it's nice to have a separate WSYWIG unit for on the fly changes; I use a Source Audio Collider for that.
Funny enough, I'm thinking about building out a solo artist rig for myself with the XL and an H90. Maybe a looper too and maybe the Meris MercuryX, but the H90 is coming first.
i love my Helix floor, I wanted the rack w floor controller, but too expensive.
I use a pedal and I have a Helix Lt & PodGo. I have gigged with both for years.
If we're talking strictly professional then yeah helix line for sure. But just for home playing and even recording the POD Go is amazing. Literal same sounds and everything as the helix just more affordable.
Totally agree! Pod go is amazing
Hx effects with amp modelling would be the ultimate form factor for me.
That is effectively what the HX stomp XL is
@@basscoup I've currently gig the Stomp XL but just prefer the hx effects form factor and scribble strips.
Should try the two Notes OPUS, their cab sims are amazing!
And now I have the hx one for its modulation, course, and Dimension style pedals. Whenever it’s needed.
I've got a video on opus and use the 2 notes cabs all the time!
Excellent and very informative video. It taught me that I don’t need any Line6 gear. Maybe in the future they’ll make something that would suit my needs.
I recently returned to the Helix family and picked up an HX Stomp XL. When I originally entered the modelling world I just couldn’t find the sounds I wanted so moved back to analog gear. What I’ve discovered is that simple is better. You don’t need multiple amps and a million effects to have a great sound, and only using what you need in a unit like this doesn’t mean you’re not using it to its potential it just means you have flexibility for the future. Are there better options out there? Maybe for your use case, but for mine it does everything I need in one convenient package with lots of space to be creative without needed to constantly buy and sell gear. For me it’s a keeper.
I've seen you play! " you need a overdrive Special And a overdrive in front, reverb and a Dalay in the effx loop. "your golden" I hope this helps!
Why didn’t you mention the floor LT? This to me is the best compromise of all the helixes.
I spoke about all the ones I've used. The LT is awesome though!
You gotta try the pod express!! I love mine, I’m a super minimalist and it’s all I could ever need
As an OG Stomp user, the one outstanding benefit over the competition is the near constant updates and added features. How much additional great stuff has come out in the five years I've owned it? New amps, effects, routing, fixes. They just keep improving it year after year. I'm sure at some point there will be a need to a new hardware platform but man, talk about longevity and bang for the buck.
Helix us also a perfect studio machine.
Excellent video Steve!! Well done. I gig with the HX Stomp Xl with a mini foot pedal, and 3 external effects I’m a big fan of. A minimalist board, a great rig for me. Thanks for what you do!
Steve u didn't mention the Helix LT which is in between the full Helix and Stamp in price which is what I have and has everything most pro and non pro users need to go all in one if they don't need mic input and didn't want to deal with an external volume pedal that's flopping off to the side. Even Bumblefoot uses an LT live.
Just using the fullsize Helix Floor with a Bigsky, a Tonex and at the moment with a Double Barrel V4 which will be replaced by another Tonex. There is nothing this hybrid rig can't do. And most off all it is a fully controllable workhorse. The size and weight....okay....but consider this: how about in relation to a Marshall stack, no matter if it is half or full size one? Believe me, I know what I'm talking about. If I ever had to choose a smaller flyrig I think Steve has paved the way....or.... two HX Stomp and a controller like a Blackstar Live Logic. Steve, how about it?
How about the Pod Go? Any use case where you’d say it shines?
Running in between your guitar and a tube amp
Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. Hopefully the HX Effects will get refreshed to a smaller size and power requirements someday soon.
The line6 stuff is amazing. I dont miss all my various pedals. Thanks for this cool review and thoughts on these products. Steve, I remember you saying you have your touring rig presets for sale. Are they available for HX Stomp XL and Pod Go Wireless. I would very much be interested in purchasing your touring presets. Please let me know Brother. Thanks
Thanks for sharing. The giveaway is for US residents only.
What is your favorite overdrive on your board? I couldn't see it.
Nordland ODR C
I have the stomp XL. I look at all the newer modellers and I think meh!....my helix does everything I want it to do and they all sound good. Like the difference in sound quality (tones) is so negligible they can all be tweaked to sound similar.
I liked them quite a lot, but I do personally not see any scenario, where I would buy one.
Helix Plugin for free would be fine.
Okay
@@SteveSterlacciNow Kemper user, by the way. Before that I used and liked Line6 gear.
@steversterlacci , where did you get that 2 button switch for the HX stomp? That is rad
Pedalnetics! Tell them I sent ya
I bought the pod express for traveling but man it sounds better than the UAFX pedals, ToneX, and my boss gt1000... For real!!! So I'm using it as my main rig right now 😂
yeah man, the accessibility is probably priority number one out on the road. Love the video man!
Awesome breakdown of the different units. I'm happy with my HX Stomp, Effects, and One. I agree, the power supply is wonky, but I heard Truetone was going to be making a dedicated adaptor for the HX series soon. Thanks for the opportunity to win a stomp XL!
Gator already makes an adapter for $4. It takes 2 spots on your power supply.
@masterofreality230 the truetone cs7 comes with a red polarity reversal adapator and a green line 6 barrel fit that also reverses polarity. Gotta use em both to power a stomp or effects
@@scottyknows No, I just bought a $4 cable. 2 hook up to my power supply and 1 goes to the stomp. Its a green cable they sell on Amazon by Gator cases. There is no polarity reversal involved, but it does have the correct size barrel that is not standard for Line 6 devices. What would be cool is if they started putting a 2.5mm 1 amp output on a pedal power brick.
@masterofreality230 I'm just glad I didn't fry my pedals because I was connecting just the green adapter first. Had no idea it reversed polarity. Also fits the Eventide H90.
@@scottyknowsReally? I am working with all center negative here.
Great "use case" compare Steve. Love the Helix floor I have. Nice to get a sense of what would drive me to shift form factors. Sidebar question: what brand of footswitch toppers do u use, and are they transport worthy ( stay put ) or do u remove them and put them on each time.
First and foremost, thank you for your useful and interesting videos! I've been using a Pod Go for a couple of years now and I'm really happy with it, but I'd like to expand the number of slots for fx to reduce the number of presets I use. Also, I would like to control the reverb like a traditional stompbox depending on the venue, w/out the need to navigate the settings on stage.
Do you think the HX1 would be a good choice for the FX loop of the Pod Go? Can it be run on stereo?
Sorry for my English and cheers from Italy!
Where can I get little black box that has the 4th and 5th footswitch? Did you glue it to the HX stomp?
The HX one for me its cool but I dont have any analog hardware so the one at a time thing doesnt do it for ne, Possibly the HX stomp, I think the person that learns the helix how the buttons really work, you dont really need 12 buttons then smaller loooks better. The amps and fx are the same as the helix its all buttjns and IO
Hey Steve, what is your signal flow with the H90 and Stomp?
where does that line6 Pod GO fit in this mix? I don't recall you mentioning that...
Love my PodGo.
Not enough pod go love true!
I agree!! Such a great pedal!
I just might have most of those products. We all need to dust more, lol. Great video amigo.
Can you use 2 effects at the same time with the Helix one?
Unfortunately no. That's why it's HX ONE 🤷♂️
I just got the HX stomp XL. I have a voodoo 8x power supply and wanted to know if that is enough juice for it? I run 4 pedals but still have 4 outputs left and was thinking of doubling up on the outputs. I have never done that and don’t want to destroy anything. Just wondering if that would work. thank you and great video.
How come you disregard the Helix Rack completely?
I personally have a Helix Rack and an HX Stomp (not XL). I tend to gravitate towards rack gear and avoid pedals when I can, except for specifially having a very small rig for spontaneous stuff I can lug around with minimal effort. Other than that, it's rackmount all the way.
Mainly because I don't have one and prefer the floor format 🤷♂️. I wouldn't want to speak on something I had no experience with
Sidebar question: what brand of footswitch toppers do u use, and are they transport worthy ( stay put ) or do u remove them and put them on each time.
@barefootbuttons
They are amazing
I use gear by CEBA and they've been perfect
2x hx 1 , would that make any sense ? can't remember who, but i have seen a pedal-board with 2 hx1
I have a question, I have a pedal board that shares space for an overdrive and a collider for the wet effects for my vocals and the rest is 7 pedals for my guitar rig, that includes a wah, fuzz, 1 overdrive one boost, chorus and a vibe. Would it be possible to have something like this in any of the Line 6 products? Like have a path for my vocals always on and another path for my guitar that I could use also live time? If so which if the line 6 product will be? Cheers!b
super informative video, thank you.
I don’t know if you’ll see this 😅
I’m sure you’re a busy dude😊
But does your wife use a he relay g30 or g50?
And is she the only one on a 2.4 ghz wireless system ?
I just ordered the g50 and was wondering if she’s ever had any dropouts on tour.
I want the one that changes the game the most
Helix native definitely🎉
have you heard of TONEX ONE!?
@@SteveSterlacci Was that a "talking point" they gave to all the influencers?
@Smart-Alex no. Thats never been a thing from any company to suggest what we say. It's just coincidence a lot of youtube guys said it. They also had a huge marketing push we had no idea about that included over a dozen videos
@@SteveSterlacci makes sense thnx! Just was a term used a lot yesterday :) Great content man, keep it up
What I'd love is for Helix Native to go stand-alone and stand-alone iOS/Android.
Hey bud! Justin here formerly of Graphtech, been curious about the helix stuff due to the needs of a new project I'm in. Super stoked to see your beautiful fuckin' face pop up when looking for reviews about it
Dude!!! Great to hear from you. I was looking for you at NAMM. Ivd got like 200 something videos on hx stuff. Feel free to shoot an email any time !
Line 6 stuff is cool, the only thing in my case is the DSP, if the HX Stomp XL could have at least DSP of the Helix LT, Line 6 will destroy every competence. As it does not have yet i decided by hearush products because of that.
Wich One has no latency changing a tube amp channels using midi???
HX stomp vs. HX1 ? Can a stomp do the same thing as an HX1 ?
What a great video! Not gonna lie, when I saw the notification my heart jumped cause I thought it was finally the episode of Silent Stage Podcast. I'm very eagerly waiting for that!
Its coming!! Thanks so much for the support. Once I figure out how to get the audio version uploaded, we are off to the races.
Hey Steve, I have a Helix Lt and I made a few presets I like, so I didn't play around much with all the different settings etc, I just play for hobby. I was wondering if you could help with something though. When I use the touch method with any foot switch, it does nothing and I did go in global settings to be sure I had the switch in "Touch" mode. any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? Thanks!
What is the additional 2 buttons add on that you are using on the HX Stomp?
It’s an external foot switch to give you more buttons for sounds
Great video.
Tx man.
Thanks for checking it out
I'm looking to replace my Iridium rig with either the Helix Floor/LT or the HX Stomp XL. I play in a cover band so I need a lot of different sounds. I like the idea of getting patches from online and setting up setlists that I can just bank up and down to the different songs. Has anyone had any experience with this?
Who makes the two footswitch expansion in the video?
Pedalnetics!
@@SteveSterlacci thank you. Great video btw
@gregditmore3112 thanks for checking it out!
Where can i get a switch like on your stomp? 😮
Pedalnetics! Tell them I sent ya
Anybody know the name of the extra two footswitches on the stomp? visible at 10:04
I have to chuckle when reviewers comment that the full size amp-modeling floor pedal boards are "too big". What about the 'old school' 100w amp heads and 4x12 speaker cabinets dedicated to just providing the lead guitarist his tone? Those aren't too big??? OMG!
Satriani had four 3D 100w amp heads and six 4x12 cabinets on stage at the Sammy Hagar 'Best of All Worlds Tour' show that I attended two weeks ago, just to provide the EVH sound he wanted, which was of course mic'ed and sent through the Budweiser Stage PA system speaker array, and ended up sounding muddy and further distorted almost beyond recognition. Much better sound could have been generated by just a single amp-modeling pedal board and sent directly into the PA system through a line cord rather than a mic. It really made me wonder whether any of these pro guitarists actually ever take the time out to sit in the crowd at a rock concert and hear for themselves what the end result of all the years of meticulous effort on perfecting guitar tone ends up sounding like in a big arena through an overdriven PA system that's been poorly adjusted by a sound engineer who's probably half deaf from years of accumulated hearing damage. Anyway, that's my rant for this year.
It's the world we live in today 🤷♂️
The Helix floor hands down
What about HELIX LT ???!!!
I don't have one
Is there a tone difference between them?
None!
wait where did you get that hx stomp double footswitch that fits on there like that? 😮
Pedalnetics! Tell them I sent ya
@@SteveSterlacci 🙏
Can you load IR's on the Helix One?
Nope. I do mention that in the hx one section
Hxone could have killed off a lot of amp sim pedals. Headscratcher why you cant do amps when we know the processor could easily do so
No love for the M5/M9/M13?
Hx fx and hx1 are their new versions...
@@SteveSterlacci I stand by what I said.
@@korydeleon8236 they're legendary pedals. Nothing but love. I used my m9 and 13 for years