I believe you are correct. Disappointing for sure, but the Dynamic splitter sounds extremely cool.
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Line 6 HX Effects
- Thread starter ChubbyJerk
- Start date
It looks like all the features I was hoping for in this update aren't available on hx fx. It seems like hx fx and stomp owners are the red headed stepchildren getting sloppy 2nds when it comes to these updates. Im not happy or impressed.
I have no doubt some of the stuff being left off is because of hardware limitations, especially in the HXFX and Stomp. Though I have no proof of that. But yeah, in terms of metering, it doesn't seem like there's enough here to have even bothered with it at all. Is it just to get the whiners to shut up? I don't think it'll be enough even to accomplish that. We'll see!
I can live without meters. Made it this far already! Ears are always the best test. Some of the other added stuff in 2.9 should be fun to mess around with.
I can live without meters. Made it this far already! Ears are always the best test. Some of the other added stuff in 2.9 should be fun to mess around with.
They can only do so much on some of these platforms. I love both of em honestly. I’ve been messing with the newer models and I’m diggin em. Really like the red llama model.
I don't know if it will be the same on the HXFX as I haven't updated yet, but all my global settings on my Stomp were reset to default when I updated it to 2.90. Just FYI.
5sg.
5sg.
Let’s see, on one hand, the HX FX does everything I have asked of it, and a boatload of stuff I never imagined. Fidelity, user interface, routing, models that kill, control options, price point, etc.
On the other hand, no gain reduction meters. Perhaps my disappointment is amplified by the fact that this is the ONLY THING LACKING.
In practice, I’d be thoroughly satisfied with a simple threshold indicator, but yeah, I can thrive without it.
So I guess there’s no need for me to be in a huge rush to update....a few new effects and that’s about it?
Dragging up an old post...did you ever try using the set screws as a “contact point” on the footswitches? I want to put the clear ones on mine, but I don’t want to lose functionality.
Dynamic split. Just sit in a quiet place for a moment, and think about a splitter that varies which path it feeds based on input levels. Just think about it..................
I've had my HXFX for a little over a week now, and holy moly this is the bees knees. I found a used one at my favorite local shop for a steal and I couldn't resist with all this unemployed spare time. It is almost everything thing I want it to be and nothing that I don't want it to be. I'm trying to grind through this thread and I'm at page 131 and definitely learning a lot from everything that has been posted. It's a bit of a drag that there are literal pages worth of complaints about how it lacks the HXStomp features rather than constructive HXFX conversation, but I'm still trucking.
My old board was:
>Line6 M5
>Eventide H9
(H9 loop: Source Audio OFD>EHX Iron Lung> Source Audio Manta> Tomsline Mario)
(EB Volume controlling H9)
(SA Dual Expression controlling M5)
Quarantine board now:
>HXFX
(HX loop 1: H9)
(HX loop 2: Manta)
(EB Volume controlling H9)
(SA Dual Expression controlling HXFX)
I'm on the fence about where to go from here.
Synths: I love them. I've used the M5, M9, & M13 as my synth generator in the past and I'm really familiar with how the legacy effects operate. They sound so much better and the advanced signal routing is what all these effects always needed. I intend to buy a Source Audio C4 soon to augment synth duties and free up a couple blocks.
Bit crusher: I'm underwhelmed. I've spent a lot of time with this effect and I'm frustrated that my $65 bit crusher is outperforming. Small complaint.
Filters: They are definitely usable, but I am so familiar and comfortable with the Manta I don't really feel the need to learn to replicate its sounds. Again, I see a C4 in my future to cover these bases.
Dirt: I like most of the dirt. I love the Vermin and the Obsidian, especially together. I do find myself missing some of the SA OFD gated fuzz tones. I can't seem to get there with the HXFX
Pitch: I've actually never owned a polyphonic pitch shifter, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I think the improvements from the M series are significant, musical, and very usable if you know what you're doing. Anything the HXFX is missing my H9 can certainly compensate.
Modulation: Overall they are very good and right in line with what I was expecting, but the real star of the show is the Bleat Chop. I find myself putting it in 2 slots with different settings and different expression control in most of my settings. It is so musical and interactive.
Delay & Reverb: I don't use a lot, but I've always liked what Line6 offers and they deliver. My favorite so far is the Adriatic Delay and Legacy Cave.
H9: I've had a long internal debate whether the HXFX could replace the H9, it can't. They overlap, compliment each other, and play well. I see myself using the H9 as a Pitchfactor 90% of the time, and to occasionally do any of its million other possibilities.
Dynamics: I like'm. The compressors are worlds above the M series. The hard gate is perfect at the front of synths in my chain to control triggering them.
So I'm at a crossroads now. I need a bigger board for 2 expression pedals, more power than a pp2+, and whatever extras I decide the HXFX can't cover. I'm trying to learn all the ins and outs I can before I commit to a new sized board or any new pedals.
Need: HXFX, H9, Manta (or C4?), 2 separate expression pedals
Want: C4, Bitcrusher, SA Aftershock
My old board was:
>Line6 M5
>Eventide H9
(H9 loop: Source Audio OFD>EHX Iron Lung> Source Audio Manta> Tomsline Mario)
(EB Volume controlling H9)
(SA Dual Expression controlling M5)
Quarantine board now:
>HXFX
(HX loop 1: H9)
(HX loop 2: Manta)
(EB Volume controlling H9)
(SA Dual Expression controlling HXFX)
I'm on the fence about where to go from here.
Synths: I love them. I've used the M5, M9, & M13 as my synth generator in the past and I'm really familiar with how the legacy effects operate. They sound so much better and the advanced signal routing is what all these effects always needed. I intend to buy a Source Audio C4 soon to augment synth duties and free up a couple blocks.
Bit crusher: I'm underwhelmed. I've spent a lot of time with this effect and I'm frustrated that my $65 bit crusher is outperforming. Small complaint.
Filters: They are definitely usable, but I am so familiar and comfortable with the Manta I don't really feel the need to learn to replicate its sounds. Again, I see a C4 in my future to cover these bases.
Dirt: I like most of the dirt. I love the Vermin and the Obsidian, especially together. I do find myself missing some of the SA OFD gated fuzz tones. I can't seem to get there with the HXFX
Pitch: I've actually never owned a polyphonic pitch shifter, so I don't feel like I'm missing anything. I think the improvements from the M series are significant, musical, and very usable if you know what you're doing. Anything the HXFX is missing my H9 can certainly compensate.
Modulation: Overall they are very good and right in line with what I was expecting, but the real star of the show is the Bleat Chop. I find myself putting it in 2 slots with different settings and different expression control in most of my settings. It is so musical and interactive.
Delay & Reverb: I don't use a lot, but I've always liked what Line6 offers and they deliver. My favorite so far is the Adriatic Delay and Legacy Cave.
H9: I've had a long internal debate whether the HXFX could replace the H9, it can't. They overlap, compliment each other, and play well. I see myself using the H9 as a Pitchfactor 90% of the time, and to occasionally do any of its million other possibilities.
Dynamics: I like'm. The compressors are worlds above the M series. The hard gate is perfect at the front of synths in my chain to control triggering them.
So I'm at a crossroads now. I need a bigger board for 2 expression pedals, more power than a pp2+, and whatever extras I decide the HXFX can't cover. I'm trying to learn all the ins and outs I can before I commit to a new sized board or any new pedals.
Need: HXFX, H9, Manta (or C4?), 2 separate expression pedals
Want: C4, Bitcrusher, SA Aftershock
Here is a track I made a couple days ago trying to get the most out of the HXFX synth sounds.
All sounds in this video were Bass, HX Effects, H9, Drums and vocal sounds in Garageband.
I can share or elaborate on my presets if anyone cares.
All sounds in this video were Bass, HX Effects, H9, Drums and vocal sounds in Garageband.
I can share or elaborate on my presets if anyone cares.
I'd love for you to walk through the patch, or even upload the presets and share them! Always keen to see how other players think when building cool/weird sounding patches. I learn the most interesting things.
Oh I’ll do the update for sure, but there’s nothing that’s making me rush to do it. The dynamic split definitely interests me, as does the new drives and phaser. I’ll do it in the next couple days I’m sure.
Ok Here goes, sorry this is so L E N G T H Y:
Hard Gate
Set to taste, helps control triggering the synth voices.
Split Y
Both A & B centered
Path A
Attack Synth
Freq: 16%
Wave: Square
Attack: 0%
Pitch: 50%
Mix: 100%
Stupor OD
Drive: 6.8
Tone: 8.6
Level: 5.0
FX Loop 1
H9 Quadravox
D Harmonic Minor 7th chords (1, 5, 10, 14)
Heel: no delay
Toe: 1/2 note delay
Throbber
Speed: 1/2 triplet
Freq: 13%
Q: 0%
Wave: Triangle
Mix: 100%
Gray Flanger
Rate: 1/2 Dot
Width: 7.8
Manual: 7.7
Regen: 4.3
Mix: 50%
Path B
Synth O Matic (Meatbox clone)
Freq: 1%
Q: 0%
Wave: 3
Pitch: 50%
Mix: 100%
Mixer combines A + B
Bleat Chop Trem
Speed: 1/4
Wave: Sine
Step 1: 2
Step 2: 1
Step 3: 1
Step 4: 2
Depth: 10
Sweep Echo
Time: 1/4
Feedback: 20%
Low cut: 300 Hz
Hi cut: 7.8 kHz
Mix: 38%
Filter: Bandpass
Shape: Triangle
Rate: .08
Freq: 205 Hz
Range: 2.8 kHz
Reso: 4.5
Duty C: 50%
Trails: On
I forgot to mention I used Zoom B3 Fender Bassman Amp and Cab sim and as my recording interface.
I use the Synthomatic as my Meatbox/Density Hulk model. I had A/B'd the Density hulk against the Synthomatic in my M5 years ago and The Synthomatic is a bit tamer and more usable, especially since you can set the pitch to 100% and not be stuck above the 12th fret. The synth voices in the Legacy effects are a little stale on their own but really open up when sent through some dirt. This ruins some of their low end, but thats the reason for the separate paths. I used to do this trick with an M5, M9, and Boss LS2. I love that I can do all of that again inside the HXFX with even more options.
I found a nice trick that if you press the Tap switch just once it won't change the tempo but it will reset the Bleat Chop pattern or the Throbbers filter sweep. This helps lock the rhythm back in if your devices aren't completely synced. Tapping it once on different beats in the measure gives you infinite options for shifting the pattern if you wanted to make things more interesting live. Setting the Throbber and Chop to different Tap values gave it that chewy quality you hear so many DJs use.
I'm sure I could have gotten a cleaner and better sound using some Hi pass and Low pass on each path or recorded them into 2 separate channels, but I ran out of effect slots and my recording set up is not that robust.
Thanks to snapshots and expression pedal I was able to do the whole recording in 1 take, no cuts or overdubs. I'm head over heels for this device.
Has anyone set up an easy way to share these presets so I don't have to type them all out or screenshot them if I do this again? lol
Sweet. I ordered from Barefoot Buttons this morning, figured I’d give em a shot. Got the clear ones for the HX and colored aluminum for my other pedals on my board.
I havent gotten to try the new stuff out but the only thing that really caught my interest besides the metering was the billy sheean comp
My thought is they could have used the led rings on the footswitches as clipping indicators like they used for the tuner mode on the stomp using green, yellow, and red seems it would be easy enough imho. But even so I'm happy to add the split dynamics drives, phaser, and new comp to the list. The ir naming and new footswitch commands are cool too. I was just personally really looking forward to adding the 3 types of metering as its one of my favorite features on my other gear that have it. I got abit bummed not seeing it only on the stomp and hx fx. I think even adding it in the hx edit would be nice for getting a basic balance on patches especially for getting my in ear level solid. I still adjust by ear as needed but it does help speed the process abit having some level of visual feedback.
I went home (staying at my partners house for social distancing) and pulled my Mantic Density Hulk out of the closet for a side by side comparison to my HXFX approximation.
Clean Tone (Sterling Musicman Sub 5)
Mantic Density Hulk (all knobs maxed)
Synth O Matic Wave 1 (Freq 1%, Q 0%, Pitch 50%)
Synth O Matic Wave 3 (Freq 1%, Q 0%, Pitch 50%)
Synth O Matic Wave (+6db @ 31.25 Hz, +6db @ 62.5 Hz)
Synth O Matic Wave (+6db @ 31.25 Hz, +6db @ 62.5 Hz)
I didn't spend a ton of time trying to get them exact, just showing my quick approximation. I added the EQ boosts to match the 30 and 60 Hz knobs on the Hulk. The Hulk definitely feels bigger but was more likely to distort if I didn't manage my dynamics. I think I prefer the Synthomatic and will probably sell the Hulk at this point. In parallel the Hulk just didn't sit as well with the other tones. I wish I could play them through a PA system to really see how close I think I am.
Clean Tone (Sterling Musicman Sub 5)
Mantic Density Hulk (all knobs maxed)
Synth O Matic Wave 1 (Freq 1%, Q 0%, Pitch 50%)
Synth O Matic Wave 3 (Freq 1%, Q 0%, Pitch 50%)
Synth O Matic Wave (+6db @ 31.25 Hz, +6db @ 62.5 Hz)
Synth O Matic Wave (+6db @ 31.25 Hz, +6db @ 62.5 Hz)
I didn't spend a ton of time trying to get them exact, just showing my quick approximation. I added the EQ boosts to match the 30 and 60 Hz knobs on the Hulk. The Hulk definitely feels bigger but was more likely to distort if I didn't manage my dynamics. I think I prefer the Synthomatic and will probably sell the Hulk at this point. In parallel the Hulk just didn't sit as well with the other tones. I wish I could play them through a PA system to really see how close I think I am.
I hace never played through a Hulk, but the Synthomatic has a bit of latency.
