Thoughts on Line 6 HX Stomp

[Leonardocoate]

Hoping to find a TDPRI member review on the Line 6 HX stomp. I want one based on using a Pocket POD. I like to many of the POD's presets but I am looking for something that I can edit, save and access easier as well as be stepped on. Any users that can help....thx

 

[xjazzy]

I love it.
Great effects, good amps if you need to go direct although I think the stock cabs are not on the same level. IRs really bring the sound to a different level.
It's my favorite tool and sometimes I'm afraid because I rely too much on it for what I do.

 

[Leonardocoate]

I love it.
Great effects, good amps if you need to go direct although I think the stock cabs are not on the same level. IRs really bring the sound to a different level.
It's my favorite tool and sometimes I'm afraid because I rely too much on it for what I do.

Thanks for your input....Are the IRs separate or do you download into the HX Stomp

 

[Smokin OP]

Are the IRs separate or do you download into the HX Stomp

They are separate. A great and versatile piece of gear.

 

[Alex_C]

Check out Hotone Ampero II. It is slightly more powerful, same size and easier to get a good sound.

 

[sax4blues]

I wanted a modeler for two reasons:
1) home playing at low volume. Here form factor was important, I wanted something to sit on desk top where I can fiddle with easily.
2) church worship where direct is required. Here the three button snap shot is perfect for me as I just use a clean/crunch/lead setup.

I’m not a critical sound person so I think it sounds awesome stock.

 

[dreamingtele]

Its very good! I play with someone who has the HX stomp for his rig.. and it sounds great!

We play in church, and his direct tone is actually very good and actually can sound a bit better than a mic'ed tube amp backstage.. very consistent too!

 

[LaMarr-Bruister]

I wanted a modeler for two reasons:
1) home playing at low volume. Here form factor was important, I wanted something to sit on desk top where I can fiddle with easily.
2) church worship where direct is required. Here the three button snap shot is perfect for me as I just use a clean/crunch/lead setup.

I’m not a critical sound person so I think it sounds awesome stock.

Do you use monitors at home with the stomp?

 

[sax4blues]

Do you use monitors at home with the stomp?

KRK Rokit 8 pair

 

[LaMarr-Bruister]

KRK Rokit 8 pair
View attachment 957021

What a great setup. Really nice. I’ve never used monitors. Are they so directional that they won’t fill a small room for guitar noodling?

 

[sax4blues]

What a great setup. Really nice. I’ve never used monitors. Are they so directional that they won’t fill a small room for guitar noodling?

Much like any stereo system they will project. Where I find monitors to be better than my amps is lower volume, <70db because they are designed for up close listening, regularly referred to as near field. I experience nice full range, similar to listening to Metallica live on your home stereo, still sounds like cranked amps. Guitar amps are designed to project over distance, not primarily 3 feet, except maybe a Fender Champ style.

 

[LaMarr-Bruister]

Much like any stereo system they will project. Where I find monitors to be better than my amps is lower volume, <70db because they are designed for up close listening, regularly referred to as near field. I experience nice full range, similar to listening to Metallica live on your home stereo, still sounds like cranked amps. Guitar amps are designed to project over distance, not primarily 3 feet, except maybe a Fender Champ style.

Thank you for the information. I really need to delve into this world. Though I have larger amps, I spend a lot of time playing around 65-70db, typically with one of the older Marshall 1 watt anniversary heads and my usual pedalboard. It lets me play a long time, without fatigue, and without bothering anyone else. It also allows me to avoid headphones.

It sounds like I should be moving into this direction.

Thanks again

 

[dreamingtele]

Thank you for the information. I really need to delve into this world. Though I have larger amps, I spend a lot of time playing around 65-70db, typically with one of the older Marshall 1 watt anniversary heads and my usual pedalboard. It lets me play a long time, without fatigue, and without bothering anyone else. It also allows me to avoid headphones.

It sounds like I should be moving into this direction.

Thanks again

Dont forget speaker cab IR’s too. Ive found, (just my IMHO) that they can make or break your sound.

There are good ones out there and fortunately they are cheap, but you can get lost in all the options and option paralysis sets in. Ive found a few good ones I want to stick with and worked my tone around it. So now I dont buy anymore as I’m set.

 

[DanielK]

Highly recommended! And I'd recommend the Stomp XL if that is within budget. I use mine in three to four scenarios: ATH-M40x for silent playing, M-Audio BX5 monitors for playing at home, with the power-amp of a Silver Stripe Peavey Bandit, and finally, with a Mackie Thump 12A PA Speaker. I think the XL is really worth it for the extra foot switches. With the current 8-block limit on HX 3.15, you can really create presets that do a lot and that can be operated in stomp mode (rather than preset mode or snapshots, that are also very useful). I'm a really 'traditional' style player who handles most of my gain-staging with my guitar volume knob, and only use effects one at a time. My needs may be slightly less intensive compared to some other players, but the upside is that I can use the Stomp as an all-in-one rig.

With regards to IRs, I actually think the stock cabs can be used to great effect, they just require a bit of tweaking. Playing around with the mic type, mic distance, and most importantly, the high and low cut and overall output will produce results that in my own opinion are very comparable to IRs.

 

[codamedia]

Hoping to find a TDPRI member review on the Line 6 HX stomp. I want one based on using a Pocket POD.

The difference in these two products is staggering. One's a Tonka, the other is a Caterpillar.
(Tonka is fun and well built, but it's still a toy )

Are the IRs separate or do you download into the HX Stomp

IR's are not included with the Stomp.... or any HX/Helix product. However, once you get them, YES - they load into the Stomp.

Line 6 offers a Free Pack of basic IR's... https://line6.com/allure/
Outside of that, it's a rabbit hole with many company's and thousands upon thousands of choices. Some free, most others just inexpensive.

 

[Leonardocoate]

Highly recommended! And I'd recommend the Stomp XL if that is within budget. I use mine in three to four scenarios: ATH-M40x for silent playing, M-Audio BX5 monitors for playing at home, with the power-amp of a Silver Stripe Peavey Bandit, and finally, with a Mackie Thump 12A PA Speaker. I think the XL is really worth it for the extra foot switches. With the current 8-block limit on HX 3.15, you can really create presets that do a lot and that can be operated in stomp mode (rather than preset mode or snapshots, that are also very useful). I'm a really 'traditional' style player who handles most of my gain-staging with my guitar volume knob, and only use effects one at a time. My needs may be slightly less intensive compared to some other players, but the upside is that I can use the Stomp as an all-in-one rig.

With regards to IRs, I actually think the stock cabs can be used to great effect, they just require a bit of tweaking. Playing around with the mic type, mic distance, and most importantly, the high and low cut and overall output will produce results that in my own opinion are very comparable to IRs.

I just checked out the Stomp XL on their website and I agree, it could work better for me. The cab sims will do for now. I like the idea of moving the mic....Thanks for the input

 

[Leonardocoate]

The difference in these two products is staggering. One's a Tonka, the other is a Caterpillar.
(Tonka is fun and well built, but it's still a toy )



IR's are not included with the Stomp.... or any HX/Helix product. However, once you get them, YES - they load into the Stomp.

Line 6 offers a Free Pack of basic IR's... https://line6.com/allure/
Outside of that, it's a rabbit hole with many company's and thousands upon thousands of choices. Some free, most others just inexpensive.

love your analogy....I remember Tonkas well....I have also been using a Zoom MS-50 that I really like, but I know I can get better amp sims and overdrives. onward hoe!

 

[wilson_smyth]

Stomp and stomp XL are awesome pieces of kit.
First thing - if you're a die hard tube person, no moddeler will float your boat, yo will always think you hear some sound quality issue, or artificial-ness in the tone.

If you just want a great tone and huge versatility, the stomp can deliver.
It doesn't even take very much tweaking to get very decent tones from it.

There is a learning curve, and I still don't know all it can do, but I know how to create tones and switch between modes and that's enough to get me going.

It's great if you need to play quietly due to neighbors, you can have a highly distorted torn apart tones played at a very low volume through a studio monitor or something like a headrush stage monitor, and the headrush will also give you crazy volume of its needed too.

Unless I had money to throw away, I don't think I'd ever have the 3 or 4 tube amps I want, but that stomp gives them to me in a package I can carry in a bag. I don't hear any issues with tone, but I will say I'm not someone who spends hours after "the" tone, I find something I like and get playing within 10 mins.

So a lot of it depends on you and your attitude to gear, but if you don't mind the lack of tubes, the stomp is a terrific piece of kit.

 

[Leonardocoate]

Stomp and stomp XL are awesome pieces of kit.
First thing - if you're a die hard tube person, no moddeler will float your boat, yo will always think you hear some sound quality issue, or artificial-ness in the tone.

If you just want a great tone and huge versatility, the stomp can deliver.
It doesn't even take very much tweaking to get very decent tones from it.

There is a learning curve, and I still don't know all it can do, but I know how to create tones and switch between modes and that's enough to get me going.

It's great if you need to play quietly due to neighbors, you can have a highly distorted torn apart tones played at a very low volume through a studio monitor or something like a headrush stage monitor, and the headrush will also give you crazy volume of its needed too.

Unless I had money to throw away, I don't think I'd ever have the 3 or 4 tube amps I want, but that stomp gives them to me in a package I can carry in a bag. I don't hear any issues with tone, but I will say I'm not someone who spends hours after "the" tone, I find something I like and get playing within 10 mins.

So a lot of it depends on you and your attitude to gear, but if you don't mind the lack of tubes, the stomp is a terrific piece of kit.

Thanks for your input....today I bought the Stomp. I could have got the HX XL for the same price but the foot print would not have worked for me. I am off on a new gear adventure.

 

[Leonardocoate]

Thanks to all for your input. Today I traded a guitar and amp for a HX Stomp. I could have gotten the HX XL for the same price but the foot print for the Stomp seems more accommodating for my set up. For once I actually got more for my trade ins than what I paid for them. A good day...I am off on a new gear adventure. I will post a review in a month or so after the honeymoon wears off