HX Stomp vs. the real thing: My verdict

[nobis17]

So I recently completed a project of the "epic pedal board" (pictures to follow in another thread). It is everything one would expect in a board:

1. It looks awesome
2. It displays personality
3. It has everything from a Klon clone, to a (actual) spring reverb (with visible spring chamber) - 14 pedals total
4. It has two switchable effects loops
5. I could go on and on, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out
6. It weighs a (light) 45 lbs.

I also have an HX Stomp (which is not on the board), that I picked up for when I'm on business trips and stuck in a hotel room.

I was playing the two side by side yesterday (into a Laney L20t-112), and I got to be honest, I really can't hear a difference between the real thing and the helix. They both sounded REALLY good. I picked the same (or similar) effects on the HX as what is on my board, and they are very very close. Of course the knob settings were different, but that is to be expected.

So, my final verdict? I'm happy I have both, so I don't have to choose, but as far as sound/tone is concerned, the HX is definitely as good as the real thing. I can honestly say that the only reason I have a massive pedal board is because it looks waaay cooler than one HX Stomp sitting at my feet (even if I did get it in "stormtrooper white").

 

[naveed211]

45 lb. for your pedalboard? Good lord!

I ditched the pedalboard for a Boss ME-50 and a Red Panda Context for bigger reverbs. About 8 lb. all in.

Though I’m a sucker for efficiency and utilitarianism, so I do wonder if I could get away with just an HX Stomp or similar. I just really like the “knobs/no menus or scrolling” of the ME-50 and it works for me and sounds great how I use it.

Good to know about your experience, maybe I’ll try that HX Stomp sometime and see if it’s intuitive enough for me.

 

[EugeneWeemich]

The multi-effects products coming out these are excellent, especially with the IR stuff....not to mention other functionality (presets, built in looping) that make for recording and performing easy.

Created my own slop pedal board which I like, but my inward laziness is leaning more to a simplic solution. We shall see.

 

[nobis17]

45 lb. for your pedalboard? Good lord!

I ditched the pedalboard for a Boss ME-50 and a Red Panda Context for bigger reverbs. About 8 lb. all in.

Though I’m a sucker for efficiency and utilitarianism, so I do wonder if I could get away with just an HX Stomp or similar. I just really like the “knobs/no menus or scrolling” of the ME-50 and it works for me and sounds great how I use it.

Good to know about your experience, maybe I’ll try that HX Stomp sometime and see if it’s intuitive enough for me.

It weighs about the same as my amp...

But I hate the menu thing too, that is one of the reasons I still prefer real pedals. The HX stomp isn't too bad after you figure it out. I took it to work one night and watched "how-to" YouTube videos with it in front of me. That really helped.

 

[D_Malone]

Through what amp?

 

[Guitarteach]

Just back in from playing out... used my Boss GT through the PA in glorious stereo... no amp. Had all the tones... and patches. So much more diverse stuff on tap. Full fuzz patch, retro patch, U2 style sounds patch... great to have a modern unit in the armoury. It has 40+ pedals in it, indistinguishable from discrete units.

 

[lefty73]

There is a magical quality to real deal amps and pedals. Haunting mids, earthy midrange, glassy top, tight bottom, transparent overdrive, unicorn farts, whatever you want to call it. The slightest change and can be inspiring, or enraging: different voltages, different components, different day of the week, partly cloudy versus partly sunny.

There is huge value in consistency, which is what I think is the real value proposition of any modeler. From bar to pub, living room to garage, PA to DAW, a single tone and all its qualities can be instantly recalled and ready to go in each new environment.

Thankfully there's room for both approaches. I for one have gone the Way of the Modeler, and arguably one of the most basic at that (Joyo American Sound paired with a few IRs loaded into my HX Effects). Haven't been happier as player. More joy, less fiddling. To each their own.

 

[Chipss36]

I like tube amps a great deal.

I also like helix, and amplitube.

wonderful time to play guitar.

 

[chris m.]

My experience so far with digital is: 1) doesn't quite have as good dirt tones as the real thing (to my ears); 2) the sound is still affected by volume level, and the PA and/or amp you're running through and their speakers. So the idea that you can keep your patches all the same and they will sound the same in all situations is just patently not true, IMO.

I'm the kind of player that is happy with three tones: clean, slightly dirty, and full on lead. Plus a few modulations like phase, chorus, echo, wah. So it doesn't take much to make me happy. No 45lb board required. If I needed a gazillion tones and patches I'd most likely be more willing to go down the digital path. But for me full analog is just a lot less hassle. I'm probably the perfect candidate for stuff like the Fender Tonemaster series or Quilter stuff once my tube amp tech retires.

 

[nobis17]

Through what amp?

I play through a Laney L20T-112 (all tube British amp) - the amp is great just by itself, but it takes pedals well too.

 

[nobis17]

I still prefer the ease of the pedals at my feet, no menues, everything is just right there. I also really like the way a pedalboard looks on stage or at my feet. But I'm just saying soundwise, they are pretty darn similar.

 

[beninma]

Now you make me want to weigh my pedal board. 45lbs sounds like a big board.

It definitely weighs a lot less than my Orange tube combo, even if the board is in it's gig bag and the amp has it's cover on but I never thought about what it weighed. Amp weighs 29lbs.

Though I will say the pedal board weighs enough for me to be lazy about taking it to jam. If I gigged it'd be mandatory with my amp though, since the amp doesn't even have reverb.

Mine is on a pedal train, I suppose if you made it out of some heavy hardwood that'd add a lot of weight.

 

[nobis17]

Mine is on a pedal train, I suppose if you made it out of some heavy hardwood that'd add a lot of weight.

It's made out of pine, mostly. It's made to look like a suitcase.