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HX Stomp as my only device


hallissyc
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Considering selling my Mesa Boogie Mark V and going to an HX Stomp into studio monitors. I’m a bedroom musician and the Boogie, while nice, is entirely too much amp for my needs. 
 

Does anyone else just use the HX Stomp or am I going to regret it and need the Floor it the LT? I’m a simple guy. Usually Jerry Garcia/Santana tones.

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My HXS is my "office" box. I run it into a 3way Sony bookshelf system (2x6+10). Sounds great.

My Helix Floor lives in my "studio" and goes into either a PC212+ or a pair of Rokit6 Studio Monitors.

Sometimes I use it 4cm into an Egnater Tweaker 15-112 when I'm feeling nostalgic for tubes. Not very often.

I often create great sounding presets on the HXS and transfer them over to the Floor.

Some just sound better on the office rig.

 

If you do this, get a quality set of monitors with a sub. It adds that little bit of extra "body" to the sound.

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@hallissyc, in addition to the responses in your similar thread over on TGP, hang onto your Boogie unless you ultimately conclude that you no longer find it of any use. It is quite likely that you will find it is still worth keeping and using with an HX Stomp.

 

The HX Stomp can certainly serve with your Boogie. It can also serve with Studio Monitors and Headphones. After all, regardless what Amp models and FX you may use in your Helix gear signal chain, somehow you've still got to hear it!

 

The step up in DSP resources, ergonomics, and UI features of the Floor, LT, or Rack with Controller are all nice luxuries above and beyond what the compact Stomp or slightly larger Stomp XL offer, however all share the identical Firmware selections of Amps, Cabs, FX, etc.

 

If you buy from a dealer with a Satisfaction Guarantee, should you find the HX Stomp constraining, upgrade to a higher model and simply return the HX Stomp.

 

As I mentioned in my TGP response, I have a Helix Floor and added the HX Stomp a few years later. Each is outstanding. I can do just about everything I need on the HX Stomp, even though it has only 1 DSP and lacks an on board Expression Pedal. 

 

If I were to do it all again, I'd perhaps go with a Helix Rack Unit with the Floor Controller and Expression Pedal simply to have all the flexibility and features that would afford both on the floor and on the desk, and I might still also have an HX Stomp for more agile and compact use.

 

Have fun with whatever you decide and post back to share your findings.

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On 10/4/2021 at 1:58 AM, hallissyc said:

Does anyone else just use the HX Stomp

 

Yep, since more than a year now:

  • for electric or acoustic bass guitars
  • for electric or acoustic guitars
  • as a multi-channel (!) mixer for e.g. two guitars/two mics (it's a bit awkward to set up the preset and find the right balance, but it really works as a 4-channel mixer!)
  • at home, in rehearsal rooms and on stage
  • plugging it into whatever is there – mixing console, powered speaker, an amp – and fine-tuning the sound with the Global EQ or by enabling/disabling cabs as needed

Frankly, I'm still keeping my old amps. Especially the bass combo is important in my live setup with a rock band where I play bass, as I still need it on stage as a monitor while going straight to FOH from the Stomp.

 

Also, I have expanded the Stomp with a few external switches and an expression pedal – which I'd plug in only when needed, however. Modularity and small footprint was my primary goal from the start. At the moment though, I'm only adding the DMC.micro via MIDI when playing electric guitar to have two additional multifunctional footswitches. Other than that, I can do fine with just the Stomp alone. (I'm a musician, not a tap dancer… ;)

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Further to what @MusicLaw and @lou-kash said.

 

After I made my reply, I was looking at the old Eg and thinking "Mmm, haven't played you in a while."

I'd just spent a couple hours playing through the PC212+. I turned on the Eg (4cm to my Floor) and played for another hour, till dinner, then another hour after.

It really does sound different from the PC212+, which sounds great, especially for ambient stuff, but sometimes feels like it lacks...something..

The Eg weighs less than the PC212 does (32 vs 48), is smaller and easier to carry, and I can stuff the HXS in the pouch of my Steinberger's gig bag and be out the door.

Hmmm....maybe it's time to get that extension cab....yep! I'm keeping the old tube amp!

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1 dsp is barely enough imo...it is doable for the tones you mention I think...I use a Stomp XL along with 3 Source Audio pedals because the C4, Ultrawave and EQ2 are unlike anything in HX and I prefer them....saves me a bit of dsp so I have what I need....LT or floor buys me nothing really....I could use a second dsp, but it isn't really a struggle at all for what I need out of the Stomp XL...I don't use amps anymore...

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I would keep the Mesa if possible, and as soon as you are happy (and IF) with the HX Stomp, you can drop the Amp.

 

Saying that because we can all tell you all great things about the HX Stomp, but the only guy who can decide if it's good or not, is you. Also jumping from real amps to modeling usually needs some transition. As if the stomp alone can be enough, again  depends on you and your needs. For a bluesman that is used to guitar to overdrive to amp, is more than enough. For a pedal addicted, which wants 2 lines of stereo delays, reverb, dual amp/cab and stuff....no, not really enough.

 

100% Imho. :)

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