HX Stomp: how good are the models? Did it replace all your stuff?

[tonymcbony]

Hi folks,

I read the whole of the HX Stomp thread and surprisingly still have only a vague idea of whether this sounds good enough to replace all my gear with one awesome box. I now know it does crazy routing and bits and pieces but there’s not that many testimonials.

I’ve been on a journey to find the best setup to use with IEM's at my church – I play fingerstyle on Stingray and Jazz basses and I like bit of grit as a constant factor, dialling the dirt up and down to suit.

Worked through a bunch of Preamps with cab sim (Two Notes Le Bass with C.A.B., Mesa Subway, Shiftline Olympic MkIII) and Tonehammer seemed to stick around as the AGS seems to act like a cab sim.

I've gone through all the Darkglass gear in some incarnation (B3K, B7K, VMT, VMTD, VMTU, AO, X7) and have never been quite happy with the grit - a little too coarse for me. Closest I got out of that line was the X7. I then switched to a DP3X which was a lot better and currently I mindlessly jump back and forth using that or a Tonehammer into a Cab Zone Le from Shiftline (The part of the Olympic MkIII I was actually using).

BUT I was thinking of dumping the lot (including my octave and comp) in the bin so to speak and replacing it all with an HX Stomp, using either their B15 or SVT amp with an IR or something.

 

[sifrancis]

Hi There,

The HX Stomp will most certainly be able to deliver what you're after.
The drives are really impressive and with the ability to have parallel paths and crossovers you can really dial things in just how you want. I often gravitate to the Amp + Cab block over Amp with IR purely as it covers Amp & Cab in a single block, leaving space for other effects.
You mention using dirt as a constant with the desire to increase/decrease as needed - the ability to use snapshots and/or set foot-switches to control parameter values will really aid you in that: allowing you to both increase the gain amount whilst also keeping the output at unity.

Depending on your tastes for compression I find the HX Stomp very capable for my needs of utilitarian compression and limiting.
As for the octave, while it won't really cop the "synth" tones of a Boss OC-2 or it's offspring (though there are some convincing effects combos within the Helix system that I feel can), but the Legacy Bass Octaver is wonderful for octave support or sub blasting and tracks better than any other octave pedal I have ever used.

In summation, I have no concerns for the quality of the tones and sounds within the HX Stomp - whilst it hasn't replaced my effects collection it has revolutionised my creative flow (saving me hours of pedal board building and rearranging) and has recently found it's way on to a number of recording sessions. Not once have any concerns or questions been raised about it's sound-quality. IN fact, quite the opposite.

Hope that helps.

 

[wvbass]

Yes. My Stomp replaced all my stuff. It is my pedalboard, my amp, and my DI. I use it for everything, including my upright bass.

 

[4stringmf]

I have the Line6 M9 for guitar, which is phenomenal. I plan on, at some point , sell the M9 to fund the HX (it has all of the effect of the M9)........ ONLY FOR GUITAR.

Bass is a different story. With much less needs, I keep a modest pedal count.

 

[carbonfold]

Basically the Stomp (to me) is like a dedicated FOH amp/cab rig. I maxed out all 6 block just in setting up how I route and dial in my bass rig. No block room for switchable fx (for me). I also have a few years experience with a couple of Helix Floor units. If it wasn’t for the fact I wanted to use other pedals, I would have stuck with the Helix Floor.

It is a little limited even when trying to limit yourself to only the Stomp “if” you are a big pedal guy. Can you make it work, sure. However, if you are a big tweaker and like to use several pedals and make some special amp tone concoction just for you... personally I think the Stomp will be too limited and I would recommend going LT or Floor. If you are going to mix it with other pedals, it works great.

 

[MoWBass]

It lacks DI, how do you route your signal to the board?

 

[Hypocrite]

It lacks DI, how do you route your signal to the board?

Outputs can be set for balanced or unbalanced. But I've never heard of a soundguy who would use anything other than his own DI, so it's not that big of a deal

 

[EastCoastThump]

It lacks DI, how do you route your signal to the board?

Use a 1/4" TRS to XLR cable to feed the splitters, stage snake, or digital stage box.

 

[javi_bassist]

IMO, it can replace all your stuff. It won't sound the same, but it can. I know many players who work only with the Helix. I've been thinking about the same thing for some months now. However, I think I will miss my pedals.

I will go with the HX effects, keeping my preamp and my Big Muff (and possibly my compressor). What Line 6 has achieved with their units it's amazing.

 

[Vic Winters]

It didn't replace everything, but it helped simplify things.

Instead of running: Board>Amp>FX Send>Mooer Radar>DI, I just split the signal in the Stomp. The one with amp sim and IR blocks goes DI>FOH, the one without goes to the amp.