Pod Go or Helix LT or HX Stomp XL for home

[CreepingDeath99]

I have been looking over various forums and youtube videos trying to figure this out for my specific scenario, so if anyone can assist it would be greatly appreciated.

 

I am new to modelling pedal boards and I am looking at the 3 above in the title.

 

My situation is I want someone only for home use and some jam sessions, I won't be gigging.

 

My knowledge on DSP and usage is all new, I am looking for something that isn't frustrating to wrap my head around and basically following that I am looking to buy one and buy some possibly Choptones presets for Metallica and metal, tweak and plug and play. I have an amp and pc with studio monitors.

 

I can get a HX Stomp XL quiet cheap but have heard it has half the DSP I am unsure it this limits the ability to use preset packs or not...

 

I also don't want something with a large footprint if I can help it. I am fine with spending the extra if I will gain a benefit and future proof myself.

 

Any suggestions?

[rd2rk]

You know the kind of music you want to play. What kind of gear do the people who play that kind of music use?

 

HXS/HXSXL have 8 slots for amps/cabs/fx.

You know that you need an amp and a cab. That can be a single amp+cab (any L6 cab).

UNLESS you MUST have stereo.

It's OK to have your time based fx (delay, reverb) AFTER the amp+cab.

Putting them BETWEEN the amp and cab is NOT the same as having them in an fx loop, and comparisons have been done showing that it makes little or no difference.

On the records, they were probably added in post production anyway.

So, one block for amp+cab.

Gonna do Metallica? GOTTA have a WAH!

So- WAH,Amp+Cab,Delay, Reverb. That's 4 of your 8 blocks.

Now you have to consider DSP. Some amps require LOTS more than others.

 

Example - the PV Vitriol (PV Invective - Misha Mansoor/Periphery) - uses a HUGE amount of DSP.

There's THREE - Clean, Crunch and Lead.

On my HXS I was able to make a single amp+cab (LEAD) preset with WAH-Vol-808-Phaser-EQ-Delay-Reverb.

On my Helix Floor (LT with scribble strips) I was able to create a Clean/Crunch/Lead (amps only) preset with all of the above plus Cab and still had DSP - on Path 2.

All I could get on Path 1 was two amps and the WAH.

 

There's a DSP list (how much specific blocks use) here:

 

https://benvesco.com/store/helix-dsp-allocations/

 

So you see, you need to plan ahead for how much DSP you'll need to accomplish your goals.

The HXS preset I described above is an extreme example of DSP usage and sounds quite good to me, but then, I don't play that kind of music.

 

FWIW - If floor space is not an issue, I'd just get the LT if I couldn't afford the full-fat Floor model, but you can obtain very good full featured sounds with the HXS/HXSXL too!

[theElevators]

If you are choosing, get more DSP--Helix LT, so later you don't have FOMO.  Some effects take up a lot of DSP, some not.  If you have the Helix LT, then you can really go to town with different effects, transposition, freeze.  If you have the Stomp, then you may find yourself being frustrated because you have 1/2 the horsepower, and will need to think of what you can sacrifice.  

 

I own Helix LT, Floor and Pod Go.  I would be able to play nearly all my gigs with the Pod Go with some clever workarounds.  I love the form factor of the Pod Go.  I love that it has the expression pedal built in, and a decent screen.  The only downside to the Pod Go is the very very bad footswitches, that are even worse than those on the Helix, Stomp, etc.  The quality is severely compromised, so much so that after just a few months one of the buttons stopped working reliably.  It's a shame... Pod Go, if it only were built better is a much better option than HX Stomp. 

 

So in summary, get the LT IMHO.  They are pretty inexpensive now.  It'll be a complete package allowing you to accomplish a lot of different sounds.  Mine still works great after 6 years (with some minor maintenance).  The Pod Go on the other hand... I have it as a backup.  It would be nice if I didn't have to worry about the footswitches crapping out, because it sounds great, and I played several gigs with it, and just used it to jam at home...

 

BTW, if you want check out my Pod Go videos (there are more on my channel for the Helix as well):

 

 

 

[datacommando]

On 6/4/2025 at 12:07 AM, CreepingDeath99 said:

I am fine with spending the extra if I will gain a benefit and future proof myself.

 

Any suggestions?

 

HI,

 

Well, the simple answer would seem to be to go for the best one that you can afford. If not you will only regret it later. Remember you get what you pay for. The Helix LT has double the processing power of the other 2 options, plus you have an on board expression pedal.

 

But, hey, only you can decide. You pay your money and take a chance.

 

Hope this helps/makes sense.