Line6 HX Stomp

I have been using HX Stomp for the past 6 months and have some remarks.
1). It's really well-built, has tons of features & the sound quality is really professional - really nothing to complain about.
2). It has some added uses - about which you might have not known:
- it is a great practice tool - on its own - you can just plug-in your headphones to it and have a good time practicing while using the simulation of whatever amp you like
- it is a really good recording interface (via USB) with ASIO/midi etc.

2). It has some minor flaws which I would like you to be aware of:
- the quality of effects is not even:
- time-based effects (reverbs, delays, vibratos, choruses etc.) are simply superb;
- amp simulations - are really great - but require lots of effort to sound right - they just don't work like real tube amps which tend to sound ok at all the settings. These simulated amps CAN sound great - provided you found the settings which suit your guitar, pickups and playstyle. And believe me there are a lot of settings that can be set wrong.
- noise gate - it' simply is there - but it's really nothing sophisticated or special
- looper - it's there but the buffer is really short
- overdrives/distortions - I still prefer the real counterparts. Maybe I still did not find the correct settings? For me they do not sound ok - they do not clean up as they should and the tone/texture is simply is not there

- you really cannot use a standard power source from your pedalboard - you have to use the one provided with the unit - it is a 3000mA source. Not a big problem, but adds some mess to your pedalboard.
- you have to be good at word puzzles to use this one - due to copyright issues - example? What is "$$ for nada" preset?
Dire Straits - Money for Nothing :-) What is "2/3 beards"? - ZZ Top
Sometimes you will guess sometimes you will not - but this does not make the life easier.

I'm using the Line6 HX Stomp to 1) drive my speakers, 2) as an effects unit in the effects loop of my amp, and 3) as a silent practicing tool with my computer. All of this at the same time, which is incredible.

The unit itself is fantastic. The amp models are amazing, cabinets are great, ability to upload impulses is also spectacular. Sounds great!

Three areas where I would still be careful. First, practicing with headphones is SUPER dependent on the headphones. It sounded terrible until I got a pair of Sennheiser 650s, thanks to the open back and high quality speakers. If you want to use it for that, calculate extra costs for good headphones.

Second, my unit has frozen once or twice, forcing me to factory reset. I'm pretty sure this is due to a driver conflict with the computer, but still something to keep in mind. It is a super complex piece of kit, so you CAN run into issues with your other hardware.

Third, this thing can do so many things that the learning curve is very steep. It took me a few weeks before I found sounds that worked for me.

This was my first foray into the truly awesome world of modern digital modelling. Like a lot of guitarists in their early 30s I have distinct memories of how truly awful amp modelling was in its early years. Zoom, Digitech and of course Line 6 all did their best but it's taken until recently for the tech to really catch up. This thing absolutely delivers on its promises. Amp models are amazingly accurate, the smorgasbord of effects is enough to lose yourself in for hours and the degree to which you can fine-tune every little detail is just incredible. I'm using this primarily for recording and it's an absolute dream. Packing the processing power of a Helix into a compact package with minimal reduction in functionality is a hell of an achievement. Use the desktop software to set up your presets and it really is an absolute dream. Couldn't recommend it enough as far as bang for buck is concerned. I only knock off a couple of marks for build quality as the first one I recieved had a broken button, and one off for handling as adjusting presets on the unit itself can be a bit fiddly.