BigRalphN Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 I know Line 6 does not say when to expect updates or what they include but is one even in the works at the moment? It has been awhile and they seem even more quiet than usual. There is still a lot of room for improvement in all of the models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Don't know what's in the works. Don't listen to rumors or assumptions. If there's something, there will be "official" notice, or something will show up in the Line 6 Monkey,... if and when the time comes. Even I won't know until then. And I'm the guy that services JTV, Standard and Shurikens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 51 minutes ago, BigRalphN said: I know Line 6 does not say when to expect updates or what they include but is one even in the works at the moment? It has been awhile and they seem even more quiet than usual. There is still a lot of room for improvement in all of the models. Yes, the following is an assumption, but one based on past experience: I wouldn't hold your breath for any more JTV/Standard firmware updates.... it's been years since we've seen anything significant, beyond a bug fix involving how model names were displayed in Helix, and I believe that only affected the Shuriken. Generally speaking when any sort of updates cease for an extended period, it indicates that development for that device(s) is pretty much done. Doesn't mean that they'll be mothballed completely and taken off the shelves, nor does it mean that support won't continue for some time for the device as it is. But, progress marches on, and nothing is continually improved upon forever. Is it possible that I'm completely wrong? Sure... but I'll bet money that I'm not. The current Variax platform is 8 years old...in today's world, that's the technological equivalent of having been buried with the Sphinx. Smart money is on a new generation of Variax stuff showing up in the not too distant future... though exactly what and when is anybody's guess. Whatever it is might be backwards compatible with current Variaxes for all I know, perhaps available as a paid upgrade to existing guitars, similar to what they've done with model packs for the POD. Who knows? Anything is possible.... but I'll bet all day long that free major improvements/new models/ etc ain't coming. At some point, that always stops... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Platform may be 8-years old, but the last general firmware update was 2017, and a Shuriken update in 2018. And there's Workbench HD for those who want to tweak and adjust further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 5 hours ago, psarkissian said: Platform may be 8-years old, but the last general firmware update was 2017, and a Shuriken update in 2018. And there's Workbench HD for those who want to tweak and adjust further. We've been through this before... what was in the 2017 update? New models? Tweaked existing ones? No... minor bug fixes. In fact, I just scrolled through all of the JTV firmware, and the last update that included anything but bug fixes and/or support for newer operating systems was v2.1, all the way back on 4/22/14. So I'll stand by what I said. It's been years since anything has changed significantly. It's not a criticism.... merely a statement of fact. There is a difference between a product that is still being supported, and one for which there is still ongoing development. I don't expect any platform to continue to evolve forever, and frankly, I'm glad that they don't. Trying to keep stuff alive indefinitely is guaranteed to be technologically stifling, because everything has its limits, and absolutely nothing has the potential for infinite improvement....eventually you're "putting a silk hat on a pig", as they say. Sooner or later, everything requires a trip back to the drawing board if you want to see any real growth. How happy would Helix owners have been if a $1500 device had only recycled HD modeling with a new UI? And if I'm wrong, I'll happily admit it if you can point out any recent Variax firmware that the average user would actually consider an "update".... yes, bug fixes and support for the latest OS are good, and it's nice that time is still dedicated to fixing problems. But that's not what Joe Average is thinking about when he starts wondering about the next "update". He's thinking "What new/better stuff am I getting?", not "Gee, I hope they fix a half dozen bugs that I didn't know existed"...and the former we haven't seen in quite a while. Whether that's good or bad doesn't much matter....it is what it is. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 Significant,... not sure. But last year's v2.22 added Shuriken and some added support to already existing firmware (which would include minor bug fixes). And seldom, do I ever see a list of each and every minor bug fix. And in some cases, it's an update to be compatible with recent computer OS'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 3 hours ago, psarkissian said: Significant,... not sure. But last year's v2.22 added Shuriken and some added support to already existing firmware (which would include minor bug fixes). And seldom, do I ever see a list of each and every minor bug fix. And in some cases, it's an update to be compatible with recent computer OS'. Lol...that's everything I just said, essentially verbatim...bug fixes and support for new OS...4 1/2 years worth. We're going in circles here, and I have no intention of getting into a philosophical debate over the definition of "significant". By all means continue to fix things that don't work properly,... but no matter how many bugs get fixed, it doesn't change the fact that neither the guitar's basic functionality nor what the models sound like, have changed for a good long time. And again, that's not a criticism...I like mine, and I've figured out how to squeeze what I need from it... but its the same device it was 4 years ago, so we all may as well just admit it. And as I've already said... the average user is never gonna equate "oops, we found a bug and fixed it", with developing new sounds, functions, and features. They are two totally different things... one maintains the status quo, and the other says "here's some new $hit, enjoy!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 17, 2018 Share Posted September 17, 2018 " Lol...that's everything I just said, essentially verbatim...bug fixes and support for new OS...4 1/2 years worth. We're going in circles here, and I have no intention of getting into a philosophical debate over the definition of "significant". "--- Just wondering, wanted to be sure we were on the same page. Keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRalphN Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 I would just be happy if they fixed some of the integration issues I have with Helix (I just posted in the Helix group). I sold my JTV because it seemed abandoned. Then they had the Onyx edition and the Shuriken and I thought just maybe there would be updates. I could care less about more models. I just would like fixes and improvements on models, especially acoustics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinon2 Posted September 18, 2018 Share Posted September 18, 2018 28 minutes ago, BigRalphN said: I would just be happy if they fixed some of the integration issues I have with Helix (I just posted in the Helix group). I sold my JTV because it seemed abandoned. Then they had the Onyx edition and the Shuriken and I thought just maybe there would be updates. I could care less about more models. I just would like fixes and improvements on models, especially acoustics. Imho, you should have just kept the JTV... because you essentially replaced it with the same thing... the modeling is all the same no matter which version you buy. The Standard, Shuriken, and all the various "custom" finishes are little more than the repackaging of existing tech to appeal to different target demographics... with the added bonus of further monetizing an already developed and proven platform. And I don't blame them... companies exist to make money. If they don't make money, they go away, and then I don't get new toys to play with anymore. But the reality is the Standard came along to appeal to those shopping in the sub-$1K guitar category, the Shuriken is for the Djent/Nu Metal crowd, and the occasional nifty color is for the guys who want to be able to say "the are only 500 of these", while torturing all the dogs in a 3 block radius with a screetching, 110dB rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama"...;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRalphN Posted September 18, 2018 Author Share Posted September 18, 2018 48 minutes ago, cruisinon2 said: Imho, you should have just kept the JTV... because you essentially replaced it with the same thing... the modeling is all the same no matter which version you buy. The Standard, Shuriken, and all the various "custom" finishes are little more than the repackaging of existing tech to appeal to different target demographics... with the added bonus of further monetizing an already developed and proven platform. And I don't blame them... companies exist to make money. If they don't make money, they go away, and then I don't get new toys to play with anymore. But the reality is the Standard came along to appeal to those shopping in the sub-$1K guitar category, the Shuriken is for the Djent/Nu Metal crowd, and the occasional nifty color is for the guys who want to be able to say "the are only 500 of these", while torturing all the dogs in a 3 block radius with a screetching, 110dB rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama"...;) I agree with you except that I had issues with the weight of the JTV and my chest port. The JTV was real heavy. My friend actually has the JTV. I could possibly work a trade with him fr the Standard as he is talking about putting the Variax stuff in another guitar because he can't deal with the weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stridercan Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Anybody know where I can download the latest firmwares for the Variax 300 and Variax Standard? Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 They will be in the Downloads page here. If the particular Firmware does not show up in the selections, then the computer OS may be too current for something as old as a 300 Electric. The Variax Standard will be current and should show up in the Firmware selections. Check the posting in the upper header regarding MacOS 11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarlosBluesman Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Any news about my beloved Spider Jam and JM-4 Looper devices? Tight Hugz from Brasil. Carlos Mendes-Bluesman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psarkissian Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Haven't heard about any updates on those. Maybe some 3rd party widgets out there. But those would be program hacks, and reliability would be 50/50. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HermanRinger Posted January 14, 2021 Share Posted January 14, 2021 Well, for one I think the weakest feature is still the 12 string emulation and that hasn't change at all. It's 2021 and the 12 string (especially the 6th and and 5th strings) are full of annoying artifacts. Considering there's already an amazing MIDI polyphonic realtime software, I think the technology is there to bring the emulation with a hexaphonic pickup to the next level. C'mon Variax, don't let us down! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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