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Line 6 HX Stomp

#2,101
I'm thinking of adding a boost or drive before the Stomp. I want to free up a block and a foot switch since drive is my most used effect.

What's a good pedal to go in front of the stomp? Not really after volume boost, more a 'pushing the tubes' type boost while adding some bottom end. My patches mostly use the SVT 4 amp model and LA Comp last.
 
#2,102
bassegg said:
I'm thinking of adding a boost or drive before the Stomp. I want to free up a block and a foot switch since drive is my most used effect.

What's a good pedal to go in front of the stomp? Not really after volume boost, more a 'pushing the tubes' type boost while adding some bottom end. My patches mostly use the SVT 4 amp model and LA Comp last.
Click to expand...

Not tried myself but based on popular opinion see this thread:
TC Electronic Spark Booster. Underrated champion of low-gain overdrives
 
#2,105
^^^ or you can use a "faux-tton" (which frees up the "tuner" footswitch)

Karl Kaminski said:
Any object the 'right size' would work as a faux button FS—Belgium Beer corks work great, Champagne or Prosecco too. The mushroom head shape holds nicely between the knobs, it's relatively soft, and no tape needed.
...introducing the "faux-tton"!
Click to expand...

 
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#2,108
symbolic_acts said:
So when are line6 going to up their game in the pitch shifting department? I've heard rumors but nothing concrete. As it stands the only two pedals I'm running with the Helix are an octavbre and a pitchfork
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I've heard the same rumors... I think it was discussion in the HXFX thread a while back about Line 6 hiring some people specifically for polyphonic stuff, but I think those same rumors said it was currently for some other project. I'd definitely like to see some progress here as well, along with synth stuff in the HX.

dave_bass5 said:
What do you prefer for 1 octave down? Ive been using the Bass Ocatver, but was thinking maybe the Simple Pitch might sound better?
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symbolic_acts said:
Simple pitch isn't polyphonic :/ and the bass octaver has lag the messes with me and yeah sounds not nearly as good as my octavbre or oc2
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MascisMan said:
I think the Simple Pitch sounds tighter than the Bass Octaver. The BO has a little more boom and low emphasis. The Simple Pitch sounds like the BO but with a high pass filter attached....sort of.
Click to expand...

Regarding the Octaver discussion: Octaver is pretty high up on my top fav effects list, so I did a pretty in-depth octaver comparison when I first got my HXFX, and posted fairly early on in the HXFX thread.
I compared to the other octavers I own, and original posts are here (#471) and here (#532) if you care to read further thoughts. I also included here (#471).

I agree with others that I prefer my Octabvre in a loop with my main HXFX board. The Bass Octaver does just fine in a mix though, and that's what I use when I bring just my Stomp to a rehearsal/gig. Respectfully, I'm on the other side of the coin from @symbolic_acts here: I've never noticed any more lag with the Bass Octaver than any of my standalone octavers (including the Octabvre or MIJ/MIT OC2), never had an issue. The OC3 is where I notice lag. ;);)

I do agree with @MascisMan that the Simple Pitch block does sound a little tighter (less beefy/boomy), but to my ears also sounds a little more "digital" (which I know is weird to say, since both models are from a digital effects unit). It sounds much more like my Boss Super Shifter than an octaver. That said, it's not enough to make me want to stop using it... it's quite effective in a couple cover bands to shift down a step for a song or two for the vocalists. Faster than switching basses or tuning down during a show, and WAY better than playing Living On A Prayer in D on a 5 string!:D

5sg.

Bass Octaver comparison 1200.jpg
 
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#2,110
fivestringgecko said:
Regarding the Octaver discussion: Octaver is pretty high up on my top fav effects list, so I did a pretty in-depth octaver comparison when I first got my HXFX, and posted fairly early on in the HXFX thread.
I compared to the other octavers I own, and original posts are here (#471) and here (#532) if you care to read further thoughts. I also included here (#471).

View attachment 3591752
Click to expand...

Thanks, ill check those out tonight.
I got my Helix FX today, and when i was copying my patches over (Manually)I didn't realise I had moved the Ocatver to path B. For a while I couldn't figure out why the FX sounded better than the Stomp. I normally have the Ocatver at the start of the chain anyway, but then it gets fed in to the BDDI. With it on path B it seemed to stay cleaner and a bit more defined as it wasnt getting EQ'ed. Think ill keep it like this and see how it sounds at rehearsals tomorrow.
 
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#2,112
A few pages ago, someone posted about dropping a half and while step. Sorry, I didn't go back to find the name and give credit, but please jump and take credit. I used the listed settings in that thread and tested at home for a few weeks. Today an opportunity presented itself with a song in Eb and so I took the stomp. I put the B15 A+C on the end of the chain and I use line level instead of a DI as well. The FOH said it was the best tone yet. Who knows, this HX stuff might be the real deal! :D:thumbsup:
 
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#2,114
Sorry to dissent but I just couldn't get the HX Stomp to get anywhere close to the clarity of my current (SpectraComp + Darkglass B7K Ultra v2) setup - whether it was playing through headphones or plugged into a basic amp at the studio. Tried various options: Stomp alone (Obsidian etc.), daisy chaining Stomp + DarkGlass, putting the DarkGlass into an FX loop, etc. but nothing satisfying: muddy, varying volume levels, etc. I eventually gave up and returned it. I'm willing to believe that if I had spent a few more evenings tweaking things I might have gotten it right but come on... it's supposed to be a stomp box! And if it is that temperamental at home, how will it be on stage?!

Note that I am not against multi-effects (and I kind of liked HX Edit): had a Zoom for several years, a SansAmp FlyRig Bass (best preamp in such a compact format) for a while. I also bought one of the original Line6 POD 20 years ago and loved it! But somehow I couldn't get along with the HX Stomp. YMMV.

In any case, thanks everyone here for the tips and suggestions during my testing and good luck.
 
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#2,115
Dem said:
Sorry to dissent but I just couldn't get the HX Stomp to get anywhere close to the clarity of my current (SpectraComp + Darkglass B7K Ultra v2) setup - whether it was playing through headphones or plugged into a basic amp at the studio. Tried various options: Stomp alone (Obsidian etc.), daisy chaining Stomp + DarkGlass, putting the DarkGlass into an FX loop, etc. but nothing satisfying: muddy, varying volume levels, etc. I eventually gave up and returned it. I'm willing to believe that if I had spent a few more evenings tweaking things I might have gotten it right but come on... it's supposed to be a stomp box! And if it is that temperamental at home, how will it be on stage?!

Note that I am not against multi-effects (and I kind of liked HX Edit): had a Zoom for several years, a SansAmp FlyRig Bass (best preamp in such a compact format) for a while. I also bought one of the original Line6 POD 20 years ago and loved it! But somehow I couldn't get along with the HX Stomp. YMMV.

In any case, thanks everyone here for the tips and suggestions during my testing and good luck.
Click to expand...

Definitely a case of YMMV. For me it has been incredibly plug and play as a stomp box. I don't use the amp/cab sims live however so maybe that has something to do with it. I do use the GK/Ampeg410 sim for recording however.

Good luck with your continued search :D
 
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#2,116
Dem said:
Sorry to dissent but I just couldn't get the HX Stomp to get anywhere close to the clarity of my current (SpectraComp + Darkglass B7K Ultra v2) setup - whether it was playing through headphones or plugged into a basic amp at the studio. Tried various options: Stomp alone (Obsidian etc.), daisy chaining Stomp + DarkGlass, putting the DarkGlass into an FX loop, etc. but nothing satisfying: muddy, varying volume levels, etc. I eventually gave up and returned it. I'm willing to believe that if I had spent a few more evenings tweaking things I might have gotten it right but come on... it's supposed to be a stomp box! And if it is that temperamental at home, how will it be on stage?!

Note that I am not against multi-effects (and I kind of liked HX Edit): had a Zoom for several years, a SansAmp FlyRig Bass (best preamp in such a compact format) for a while. I also bought one of the original Line6 POD 20 years ago and loved it! But somehow I couldn't get along with the HX Stomp. YMMV.

In any case, thanks everyone here for the tips and suggestions during my testing and good luck.
Click to expand...


Don't feel alone. It took me quite a while , several months, to arrive at what is now hxs nirvana. This weekends show I tried some new presets out and was floored at how good it sounded. My active Benavente 5 string into the svt pro4,...golden! Into the GK800, even more so! Finally, my passive Geddy Lee into the fullerton model,....absolutely fantastic! I still have some minor tweaks to do, but for all intents and purposes , the hxs has replaced my pedal board and my amp. I did cheat a bit and use my amp this gig, GK MBF800 with NEO 212, ran the hxs into the return of the GK, so pretty much all the tone shaping was from the hxs. After the gig, both my band and the FOH guy raved about my sound, especially with the Geddy.

It can take a while to figure out what works for you on the hxs, sure did in my case. But I'm beyond happy with the end result. Sorry it didn't work out for you.
 
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#2,117
It takes some work to make the HXS to do what you want, but it's the same for anything worthwhile. I had a spectracomp and it took quite a while to get a sound I liked out of it, and then because it didn't have gain to compensate for higher compression, I moved on. I can't think of anything similar that the HXS is lacking. Each model is like a piece of gear that you have to learn how to use, and that takes time, but I can't imagine anything more flexible. If I had to ding it, I would have to agree the cabinet models are kind of muddy, but I'm not sure I've spent enough time working on those to be confident they have to be. I've been using it live since I bought it, and it would be worth the cost if it only did a fraction of what it does for me.
 
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#2,118
Plastalmonus said:
Definitely a case of YMMV. For me it has been incredibly plug and play as a stomp box. I don't use the amp/cab sims live however so maybe that has something to do with it. I do use the GK/Ampeg410 sim for recording however.

Good luck with your continued search :D
Click to expand...

Cab simulation definitely was an issue and I quickly disabled it. In the end I went a slightly different route and bought an Eventide H9:
SpectraComp > H9 > DarkGlass B7K Ultra v2
Not quite as compact and flexible a setup as an HX Stomp but it allowed me to retire the Bass Clone and Tuner and gave me some extra exploration room with delays and filters. I wish I had just one stomp to carry and plug in...
 
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#2,119
Dem said:
Cab simulation definitely was an issue and I quickly disabled it. In the end I went a slightly different route and bought an Eventide H9:
SpectraComp > H9 > DarkGlass B7K Ultra v2
Not quite as compact and flexible a setup as an HX Stomp but it allowed me to retire the Bass Clone and Tuner and gave me some extra exploration room with delays and filters. I wish I had just one stomp to carry and plug in...
Click to expand...

That's obviously a nice setup, but it's also over a grand vs 500.00 for the stomp. Plus, if I were to use that on stage, I would have to get a switcher/combiner, midi controller, etc. and I'd be in for even more. A person can obviously get better sound elsewhere, but the value is outrageous. I use the stomp and a di, and that's all I need for a pretty complicated setup. I only have the di for the groundlift, so I don't know if I even need that. When I get everything hooked up, it looks like Spock's brain though ;-)

The Kemper Stage profiler is something that costs more, sounds better, and does more than the stomp, but in one box (albeit quite a bit bigger). Fwiw, of course.
 
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#2,120
KJMO said:
That's obviously a nice setup, but it's also over a grand vs 500.00 for the stomp. Plus, if I were to use that on stage, I would have to get a switcher/combiner, midi controller, etc. and I'd be in for even more. A person can obviously get better sound elsewhere, but the value is outrageous. I use the stomp and a di, and that's all I need for a pretty complicated setup. I only have the di for the groundlift, so I don't know if I even need that. When I get everything hooked up, it looks like Spock's brain though ;-)
Click to expand...

Could make or order a ground lift TRS to XLR cable for the Stomp, then (probably) no DI required!
 
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