I recently got the Line 6 Helix Stadium after researching many of the available modelers and thought that it might be a good idea to share the reasons why I chose the Helix Stadium.
The guitar amp modelers that I considered were the Neural DSP Quad Cortex, Fractal Audio Systems FM-9 Mark II Turbo, Kemper Profiler Stage MK 2, and the Line 6 Helix Stadium. There are a few other modelers but I considered these the best units available.
Fractal Audio Systems FM-9 Mark II Turbo
I was looking for the following:
- Intuitive Workflow
- Innovative Features
- Value
While sound quality is often considered the most important factor, the truth is that modern flagship modelers all sound excellent. The real differentiators today are feel, workflow, latency, and how intuitive the overall experience is. If raw tone were the only goal, a free open-source solution like Neural Amp Modeler would easily win on value alone.
Intuitive Workflow
For me, the Helix workflow has always felt the most intuitive. Line 6 helped popularize the modern visual signal-path routing interface that many modern modelers now use in some form. The Helix Stadium is really easy to use and fun because of the new touchscreen and focus view.
Innovative Features
The Helix Stadium also has innovative features getting released soon like the showcase automation and playback engine, which I'm super excited about. One feature not talked about often is the Nexus connection. The Nexus connection will open the door for future hardware expansion as new technologies emerge.
Value
The Helix Stadium isn't the cheapest option, but when comparing it to the other modelers, Line 6 has consistently avoided paid model packs, making firmware updates fairly unified across users. I'm not a fan of subscriptions or additional model and plug-in purchases that other companies push because it fragments the user base. With the Helix Stadium, everyone has access to every amp, effect, and cabinet so presets can be easily shared. This is so important because it lets musicians work together as a community to create new innovative sounds. Fragmentation kills collaboration!
The Helix ecosystem allows for preset sharing and community preset libraries.
My first digital multi-effects floor unit was the Digitech RP-1, and it's so amazing how modern modelers like the Helix Stadium have allowed me to create the guitar sounds in my head and record them for the world to hear.
I'm excited about the future of guitar technology and I can't wait to see what comes next for the Helix Stadium and open source guitar modeling.