HX Effects or HX Stomp w/ MC6

[tappistrt]

I'm debating an effects-only setup for a conventional guitar amp, and I 'd want use either one with 4CM with the amp. Either would also be paired with a Mission SP1-L6H expression pedal to take advantage of the "dual pedal" design with the switch.

 

I have a couple of delay pedals that I want to use in addition to either setup, and I want either Helix (or MC6) to be able to change presets and control functions via MIDI on the external pedals, as well as do ramping for ambient/wash effects on the pedals (Sky 5000, for instance).

 

I want either of the Helix units to do most of the heavy lifting with effects: eq, pitch shifting, noise gate, compression, modulation, reverb, etc. when I'm not using the external pedals for their particular flavors of delays. Which would you recommend? Would 5 effective blocks with the HX stomp (after utilizing a block for 4CM) be enough in your opinion?

 

Thoughts?

 

[Kilrahi]

That's kind of an impossible question (i.e. is six blocks enough). 

 

It really depends on who you are. For me, yeah .... most of the time.

 

Personally, I think the Stomp is a better deal than the Effects unless the following two are true for you:

 

1. IF you are certain you'll NEVER want amp emulations, then get the HX Effects.

 

2. If a midi controller is important, and you don't need amp emulations, go effects.

[tappistrt]

2 minutes ago, Kilrahi said:

That's kind of an impossible question (i.e. is six blocks enough). 

 

It really depends on who you are. For me, yeah .... most of the time.

 

Personally, I think the Stomp is a better deal than the Effects unless the following two are true for you:

 

1. IF you are certain you'll NEVER want amp emulations, then get the HX Effects.

 

2. If a midi controller is important, and you don't need amp emulations, go effects.

I guess having the option of amp modeling would be nice, in case I ever get tired of the amp's 4 channels. :)

[rd2rk]

1 minute ago, Kilrahi said:

That's kind of an impossible question (i.e. is six blocks enough). 

 

It really depends on who you are. For me, yeah .... most of the time.

 

Personally, I think the Stomp is a better deal than the Effects unless the following two are true for you:

 

1. IF you are certain you'll NEVER want amp emulations, then get the HX Effects.

 

2. If a midi controller is important, and you don't need amp emulations, go effects.

 

Go HXFX. Never run out of FX Blocks, No need for the MC6, all the MIDI you need from the HXFX, virtually NO MIDI from HX Stomp.

What's more important to you, amps (you've got a 4 channel amp!) or MIDI? Your 4 channel amp doesn't use MIDI switching? How quaint!

If you really can't decide, get an LT or a Floor or, heck, get a Rack and Controller, they're givin' em away!

[Kilrahi]

10 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

 

If you really can't decide, get an LT or a Floor or, heck, get a Rack and Controller, they're givin' em away!

 

Sadly if that were true, I'd have one. 

[tappistrt]

7 minutes ago, rd2rk said:

 

Go HXFX. Never run out of FX Blocks, No need for the MC6, all the MIDI you need from the HXFX, virtually NO MIDI from HX Stomp.

What's more important to you, amps (you've got a 4 channel amp!) or MIDI? Your 4 channel amp doesn't use MIDI switching? How quaint!

If you really can't decide, get an LT or a Floor or, heck, get a Rack and Controller, they're givin' em away!

My thought for an advantage of the HX Effects is that having the second loop would allow me to place either of the pedals inside the Helix chain vs. sticking them in the FX loop output on the way to amp’s effect loop.

 

Are the rack units really coming down in price that much on the used market?

[rd2rk]

1 hour ago, tappistrt said:

Are the rack units really coming down in price that much on the used market?

 

I was joking! But the HX FX really does sound like what you want for your requirements.

[Kilrahi]

13 hours ago, tappistrt said:

My thought for an advantage of the HX Effects is that having the second loop would allow me to place either of the pedals inside the Helix chain vs. sticking them in the FX loop output on the way to amp’s effect loop.

 

Are the rack units really coming down in price that much on the used market?

 

The HX Stomp has two FX loops as well, but you are correct in that because the HX Effects has more blocks it's less of a blow to use two FX blocks. 

 

Again, to me it comes down to amp modelling. If you know you don't want it, HX Effects every time. Me, I couldn't live without it, so the HX Effects never tempted me for even 5 seconds. 

 

Well, it did tempt me to buy in ADDITION to my HX Stomp - but then I'd be beating myself up wondering why I didn't just buy a bloody LT.