Before becoming a regional guitar legend, John grew up on a farm in rural Devon which inspired his songs “That’s a cow” “Eggs again for dinner, mother?” and “Sister = Resist Her.”
Hey bud. I just got both of those pedals and have been looking all over for how people have connected the two. Could you describe your connections please? Are you 4cm or just straight in the front??
@@mXr118 You should connect your instrument to the HX FX and use an HX FX send and return to and from the TONEX pedal. This allows you to experiment with placing comp/EQ/FX before and after the TONEX amp/IR.
The HX Effects is the single best purchase I have ever made. It is a stellar midi/rig controller with scribble strips - second to none, on top of being a studio quality multi-effects unit to rival most rack based units. I gigged it initially with a tube head and mic'd up cab up until 4 or 5 years ago. I then paired it with a Tech21 Flyrig v2 for a while and eventually moved to pairing it with a BOSS IR-200 3 years ago and that combo has stuck as the most compact, versatile, and honestly best sounding rig I have ever used. Sometimes I use external drives and sometimes the built in drives, but everthing is controlled from the HX FX and all my time-based effects are run in the HX FX, as well as Compressor and volume pedal (external expression pedal). Having effects, midi and full rig switching lets me plug and play with real amps or modellers for any situation I might encounter. I have not been able to find another unit that does everything it does, and does it as well.
Agree 1000% with all you said. Now running a fairly complex (for me 🤣) board with a voodoo lab hex switch and 3 OD pedals connected to it. Switching by MIDI from HX FX. And it does the channel switching on my amp. I also have 2 Helix but went back to the HX because it does all I need!
the MIDI is game changing... I use external drives with it and those are connected to a DPC.Micro looper that is midi controllable, so I can program song parts through snapshots in the HX effects and it controls everything... scribble strips live is great... the only con is the size but it does a lot
I bought an HX Effects by mistake, though I was getting an HX Stomp... but clicked the wrong button. Best mistake ever... I use the HX Effects with my Dream 65 or Twin when I don't want to use the helix. I love it
Scribble strips rule. Whenever they get around to making new hardware for the Helix series, it'd be awesome if they worked in customization of the backlight to match the colors of the footswitches. But as of now, it's wonderful to have customizable labels for every switch. It's the main thing I miss when I run my HX Stomp XL on my bass gigs. HX Effects is completely slept on by most people - it's POWERFUL.
@benallmark9671 Scribble strips are the individual little screens on the face of the HX Effects, they show a limited amount of text, which can be edited so different effect chains can be named whatever the user wants.
One of my favorite intros of yours, JC. Nice voicings. Very tasteful. And yes as we all know the HX Stomp was not created by Line 6. It was created by God.
Billy Corgan started using HX Effects a few years back and ditched his analog and rack effects. He went into some detail about he was hesitant for years to get into a multifx, but the HX had the sonics that he required and other units lacked.
Love the HX Effects. I ran mine with an Atomic Ampli-Firebox amp modeler in the HX loop (so I could run effects before and after it), and it was an extremely powerful rig. Moving the modeling to a dedicated pedal allowed me to make much more powerful presets compared to the HX Stomp, and the ease of editing on the unit is really great.
The HXFX is the brain of my little gigging pedalboard, and has been since 2019. Fjord fuzz EMBLA in one loop, and the Chasebliss Mood in another, and a PDF 2.0 into the front of it. Super flexible and sounds great
I picked one up for $300 and it’s been fantastic! I prefer the HX Stomp paired with it vs a Helix (I had the LT). The addition of IRs helps now as I can use it for acoustic guitar.
The HX Effects is fantastic. I use it with a Mesa Mark VII and it's a great marriage of real amp tone + digital convenience. I have the Mark VII in loop # 1 and two real drive pedals in loop # 2 with a midi loop switcher to switch between the two drives, and the HX Effects runs everything via midi seamlessly.
Loved owning the HX Effects when I had it. Sounded really great and I made most of the same arguments you made as to why it is really competitive as a "Great" effects solution and not just as a "good enough" one. Ultimately sold it to switch to a HX stomp that I paired with an external reverb plus analog drives. Over time I started comparing the digital drives to their real pedal counterparts that I owned and I really couldn't argue that analog was better once you put time into dialing in the sound. Sold the Stomp and am all in on a full Helix as of this last year. Thanks for all of your videos on this stuff John!
Scribble strips are great. I use an HX effects as a midi controller for an axe fx for that very reason. Works great, plus it acts as back up for the effects inside the Fractal.
I haven't even been looking for gear lately, though I have been trying to help my friend / student find the right gear for him. Honestly, I enjoy these videos just for the playing, the gear reviews are great too.
hx effects is the coolest thing line 6 makes rn. i've found a couple for $300 secondhand here in the states. deff gonna pick one up! the effects loop makes it so versatile!. put a ik multimedia X-Drive in front, an ampero 2 or tonex in the loop for the amp/cab sim and u have the most goated and compact rig ever for under 1k if ur thrifty
I've been slowly slimming down my board for 2024 as I'm finding my HX Stomp just does everything well. Once I gave up on HAVING to run dual amps, I've freed up a ton of DSP. I've stopped running my Strymon Flint which I never though I'd do....The only things holding on are my drives because I can't quite lock in what I really want drive wise, and I just love my Peterson Strobostomp tuner. HX Effects seems like it's really solid, and I need to try one soon. Line 6 Effects are just that great.
HXFX is the heart of my board. I run analog drives, but it handles my reverbs, delays, MIDI, and allows for parallel effects (I run walrus audio Lore and Fable in a stereo loop for added textures).
I i just i picked one of these up two weeks ago after much debate with getting the HX STOMP. I decided to go with the EFFECTS mainly because of the scribble strips and how easy that makes it to navigate while playing. Its so nice to have all the pedals i would ever want in a compact space for about the same cost as about regular 4 pedals and no soldering!
I love HX Effect is good for me to live play, I used the built-in overdrive effect to connect the AMP and used the MIC IN method to send the signal to the MIXER. The actual sound was very good. And it allows me to adapt to different tone combinations. Small and lightweight.
I use it live...every time. I don't use modeling, and this guy is packed with essentially everything the Helix floor does. I've even used BOTH the Helix and the HX effects via the FX loop on the same "board". Yeah, it was a bit overkill, but it worked and sounded great.
Love my HX Effects, I've got my Midi pedal controlling mine so I can have different sets of 6 effects per preset, could potentially have 127 "pedalboards" and they sound really good as well :)
Hey Mark, due to convert to HX effects at the end of the month. How have you got this set up? What are you using? This is exactly what I want out of my HX effects!
@@jamescroxtonI switch the individual "pedals" on with CC commands and changing pedalboards for each preset with PC commands although most of them are the same "pedals" :)
I have one on my board. I use the two loops for a boost (via a Fulltone GT-500, which also gives me a 'marshallesque' distortion if needed) and King of Tone (which is modeled by the HX Effects, and which when A/B'd is indistinguishable from the real pedal, but since I have one might as well use it). I also have a JHS Muffaleto in that loop for when I need one. One notable downside is that the Fuzz Face models don't really work - they won't clean up using your guitar's volumes as the impedance is not right. So, you have to put a real one between the guitar and the HX Effects. Same if you use a vintage wah pedal. The delays, compressors, utility effects, etc., are all very good and close enough to the 'real' pedals as to be hard to differentiate.
I'm 100% addicted to the HX Effects. I had rack gear in the '90s/'00s and was getting back into playinga couple years ago. I bought a good "pedal platform" amp and started down the OD pedal rabbit hole. After making some mistakes I bought the HX Effects thinking it might be a good way to evaluate different stomp-box types, with the intention of replacing it with the "real thing" pedals later. I'm never letting it go. It sounds amazing, has twice as many effect models as when I bought it (for free!), and is a very capable controller for the built-in effects as well as my other gear. Combined with a MIDI loop switcher and 2 guitar amps with effects loops I have a ridiculously versatile stereo or wet/dry setup with a tiny footprint. HX Effects is amazingly deep and is an outstanding value.
I still have an M9 on my big board but purchased a second hand HX Effects and a Tone X and that has been an extremely potent combination with drive pedals I already had.
Pairing the HX Effects and the HX Stomp is more powerful and more portable than the full Helix, also, the HX effects is the perfect companion for a ToneX or amp sim like the new Friedman
Wow, that was an inspired jam at the start! The Pacifica/HX Effects combo is evidently a muse for you. The HX Effects was my first Line 6 purchase-a great piece of kit that lets me decouple effects from my (modeled) amp, and use it also for my acoustic guitars. -Tom
The Yamaha Pacifica, wonderful. Did you know the line 6 Variax standard is the Pacifica with the hd variax inside. I have 2 and I love them, pissed that line y stopped selling those now. 😊
Helix user, meself, however my dear old Dad plays, currently using a Zoom G3 and Vox VT20. No question, pairing one of these with a Catalyst CX60 would be huge step forward from what he's using. Just wondering if you've tried the HX through a Catalyst and what you thought?
I gig in a function band and my board is just the HX Effects with a Suhr Eclipse and wah pedal in the loop. Plug it into a clean amp and baby you got a stew going
I would love to see an HX EFFECTS XL, more footswitches and maybe just a couple of amp models or preamps that we can pair with IRs. Almost like a mini HELIX? Anyone ever try the Legendary Drive with an IR on HX EFFECTS? It gets pretty darn close to a proper amp model I think.
helix floor number 1 rig hxfx number 2 love em both to death, i use real amps and modeling, and the native plugin is also used daily, just amazing stuff
love your channel, went to your preset site, and I didn't see a folder for specifically HX effects, I use mine with either an Amp, or lately an IR-X, if you have any I'd love to get a hold of some, great playing and tone always \m/
I've always been tempted to pick a used HXFX to run with my FM3. It's cheaper than an FC6 while giving me access to hundreds of effects and a proper looper.
I'm not big into effects nor do I want/need amp models (I use software plugins for that), but when I want effects my HXFX works great as a effects board, floor controller and amp switcher. I use it in front of my tube amps, in the loop 4CM and amp control with my Catalyst 100 and my Mesa JP-2C. I wouldn't mind seeing a 1U HXFX rack unit, but then I'd need a floor controller anyway.
I've been using the HXFX 4CM with my JP2C for a few years now. Its been great overall. Do you have any noise issues on the JP2C with high gain ? I have to run mine through an Ebtech AND ISP Decimator II G String pedal just to make high gain usable.Just wondering if I'm missing something obvious.
The HX is the best tool I've bought in many years. I've had it for about 4 years now. It replaced my 100% analog 60lb board, plus gave me the ability to have presets, plus hundreds of additional effect types that I would have never tried before. the real time control is great. Snapshots are super useful, and the scribble strips are absolutely key because any switch could do anything, or multiple things, so you need to know what each one is doing for each preset. Its not perfect. I like my jekyll and Hyde better than the tube screamer model, but I like it better than a real tube screamer too. My home made univibe is deeper, but you don't need how deep it is. The only real weakness of it is the lack of adjustable impedance which makes some of the fuzzes not very useful.
Sold mine last summer for like $450 and now after about $1,200 in new pedals I’m almost back to what I mostly used the HX Effects to cover previously. Woo-hoo!
Oh, and I think I'm being a bit thick, but where are the presets? Interested in trying them out, as I'm using it as multiple pedal boards at the moment rather than patches in banks
Definitely been thinking about getting the HXFX. I’ve gigged a few times w a small board running a few effects and the DSM Humboldt Simplifier DLX. Has anybody here tried the HXFX with the DSM? I have a feeling it’d be a good “pairing.”
This hardware is very unrated. Not too much love for the HX Effects. I bought this back in the summer of 2020. I love this unit. I’ve been using this on my live rig since 2021. Glad to see you dusted the ol boy off and using it again John. Cheers!
Anyone got a solution for the lack of toe off / on wah?? The dead zone way of enabling doesn't quite work for me, it's the only gap for me in this (still using it though)
I had an HX FX for a while. I already owned an HX Stomp, and thought I would use them together. But I found the HX FX to be too large and too heavy for my taste. Functional, its fantastic. I think Line 6 algorithms are MORE than decent, I think they are very very good in most cases. But I am trying to avoid big heavy pedalboards, so it had to go. If I were a studio player, I'd probably still have it. I have added an HX One to my HX Stomp, and that is working out very well for me.
This is the second guitar I've seen you play recently with a reverse headstock. Do you notice any significant difference in the playability and string tension? With that design, the Bass strings are supposed to feel snappier and the trebles should feel slinkier. I'm very interested to know what your experience with that. Thanks
Love the HX FX. If a company would go ahead and create a new version of it, that would be great. I run it with both a Simplifier MKII (just got the new X) in 7cm or the Ethos Clean Fusion Deluxe (4cm). The Fractal FX8 is the closest thing, but older. Now if Fractal would ever release a new version of that, I think they would rule the market. Great reverbs, delays are good enough (sometimes great!), the drives are really good (one area maybe in general better than the HX FX), and everything keeps getting better since the III was released. One area where the older Fractal units faltered is with the Flanger block, not that I use it a whole lot, but they completely reworked that for the III. For now, I plan on keeping both, but I'd love to see an updated version of either/both.
what would a new version of the HX Effects offer that the current one doesn't? They already keep adding new effects every few months. Honestly I don't see any need for a new version, and I've been using it for 5 years already...
guys i need help. Im trying to figure out what is agood pedal that has 4 switches for patches that has decent quality sound , an acoustic sim and that is for live use. Got the quad cortex and i feel like its overkill, or is worth keeping when you have neural plugins? also got the ampero stage 2 which is great but i still feel it might be overkill. Is there anything on the cheaper side that has theese qualifications? i play on my own with backing tracks. Any help would be appreciated!
It’s odd, It seems that so many multi effects pedals now are geared toward recording where you can switch between presets but it’s kinda clunky to just turn a boost or a mod or whatever when you want. I feel like a lot of people who gig or even home players might something like the hx Effects. I’d love to see more like this. Although, I wouldn’t buy them because I have my Hx Effects 😁
Line 6 living off what TC did years ago with the G system. The G system to this day does way more than every else’s. I just don’t understand why the G system didn’t take off.
Hi John, we have had a few chats on the fretboard. I think that you have stumbled upon the real issue with using a HXFX vs a singular pedal and that is apathy. You have put the time into the HXFX and proved its versatility even in A/B tests against its singular counterpart. However I suspect that a lot of guitarists are unwilling to do what you have and expect the instant gratification a singular pedal gives. The HXFX is wonderful but plug in and play it’s not. That’s not its fault, it’s the limitation of the set out. At the moment I am using mine for just the delays and reverbs into the FX loop of my amp. The main reason is I have not had the time or if I’m honest the dedication to make the HXFX my entire board.
The cheaper chinese modelers prob don't compare for effects quality, fractal did have the fx8 but guessing sales were nowhere near what the ax8/fm3/fm9 are, so they didn't put out an updated one and dont think boss has put out a non amp modeler. Really wish Line 6 had done a HX Effects LT with 3-4 effects at once instead of the HX1. For not a whole more money you can buy a used HXFX.
I just wish Line6 would release a Helix mini in a form factor like this. Basically a competitor to the Cortex. They could price is under $1000 and sell them like hotcakes to all the Helix folks who want something lighter and don't need all the footswitches. Not a HX Stomp, which has half the processing power. This would be like Boss's GT-1000CORE but all the awesomeness of a Helix.
They need to break them down into modules. FX / EQ module, Amp / IR module and then an exprsion pedal module. Come up with a system that snaps together or the modules can be stand alone. < that also breaks up the cost. Id love to see the IR-2 built in that form factor. I think if they could do that and also make the interfaces stand alone it would make these pedals less overwhelming and usable. The MX5 I had is just incredible but its almost useless as you chase your tail around in circles. Trying to find things is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack and there is a fairly big learning curve using these modelers.
I have the hxfx and love it. The thing for me is that its hard to trust the digital thing completely. Last month i travelled back home for some gigs and thought of just bringing the hxfx but then i said well, what if it fails in a live situation or if the power adapter gets fucked? Ok, just in case i will bring my Timmy, Carbon Copy, Freeze and a reverb pedal. In the end i brought those pedals and left the hx behind
Line 6 effects are great and always have been. It's so weird modeler tribalism has made people second guess it. I really do think it stands up to anything digital.
I have bought and sold the HX Effects more times than I'd care to admit because it makes me look like a bigger idiot than I actually am. I get in the mindset that individual pedals sound better and are easier, yet always go back to the HXFX because it just makes sense, and it does sound quite good. Each go around I end up learning a little more about it and find different use cases. The only real drawback is the size.
@@sejuyz For reference I play in a cover band. I don't really get caught up in the whole "does the Precision Drive sound like a real one" argument. I'm more concerned with does that pedal do what I want to my amp. Once I actually took the time to tweak a few knobs I found the drives and compressors to be as good or close enough to analog pedals I own. The delays and reverbs can be amazing as well. Some of the modulation leaves a little to be desired, but I'm not a huge user of those types of effects. For me what always wins out is the convenience of pushing one button and doing many things. Snapshots are a lifesaver. honestly I can't find much fault in the unit and that's why I keep going back to it.
I hear you. I’ve almost sold my HX Stomp several times. So glad I didn’t. It’s so useful to have one of the HX units even if it’s not your main device.
I'm starting to have a sour feeling in my stomach about Line 6. Why do they release this unit that doesn't run these blocks, that unit that doesn't run those blocks. Don't tell me this thing doesn't have the horse power to run amps. The HX-1 should run every block in the Helix universe one at a time. I know this released years ago, this is the first example of that
I’m there with ya. I have the Effects and the Stomp. Wanna run Poly Capo for less guitar changes? Well too bad if you want an overdrive and fuzz and want the Adriatic delay. And being stuck in a snapshot universe. Can’t load up a clean amp preset and switch fast to a dirty one.
I hate scribble strips, i prefer what helix LT or quad cortex does by far. Not only is it easier to see in daylight, its also easier and faster to get an idea of what all i have programmed for the patch, whereas with scribble strips they are spaced farther apart and the color coating is sepereated between the footswitch and strip instead of combined like on qc. Easier to make split second decisions during songs
This pedal would be much more useful if it weren't so big and so expensive. For the difference of size and modeling, it makes no sense to get this over the HX Stomp. If the M( had an effects loop, it would be better (thought still too big).
Before becoming a regional guitar legend, John grew up on a farm in rural Devon which inspired his songs “That’s a cow” “Eggs again for dinner, mother?” and “Sister = Resist Her.”
😂🤚 “resist her”
That’s a Cow was the first 7” single I bought!
No! You heard wrongly, I told you Sister = Assist her! What were you thinking, bumpkin!
😂😂😂😂😂
I have settled on an HX Effects with a Tonex on my pedalboard and couldn't be happier.
Hey bud. I just got both of those pedals and have been looking all over for how people have connected the two. Could you describe your connections please? Are you 4cm or just straight in the front??
@@mXr118 You should connect your instrument to the HX FX and use an HX FX send and return to and from the TONEX pedal. This allows you to experiment with placing comp/EQ/FX before and after the TONEX amp/IR.
The HX FX has been a staple on my board for a long time. It is so versatile. I use it with Iridium and other pedals.
The HX Effects is the single best purchase I have ever made. It is a stellar midi/rig controller with scribble strips - second to none, on top of being a studio quality multi-effects unit to rival most rack based units. I gigged it initially with a tube head and mic'd up cab up until 4 or 5 years ago. I then paired it with a Tech21 Flyrig v2 for a while and eventually moved to pairing it with a BOSS IR-200 3 years ago and that combo has stuck as the most compact, versatile, and honestly best sounding rig I have ever used. Sometimes I use external drives and sometimes the built in drives, but everthing is controlled from the HX FX and all my time-based effects are run in the HX FX, as well as Compressor and volume pedal (external expression pedal). Having effects, midi and full rig switching lets me plug and play with real amps or modellers for any situation I might encounter. I have not been able to find another unit that does everything it does, and does it as well.
Agree 1000% with all you said.
Now running a fairly complex (for me 🤣) board with a voodoo lab hex switch and 3 OD pedals connected to it. Switching by MIDI from HX FX. And it does the channel switching on my amp. I also have 2 Helix but went back to the HX because it does all I need!
the MIDI is game changing... I use external drives with it and those are connected to a DPC.Micro looper that is midi controllable, so I can program song parts through snapshots in the HX effects and it controls everything... scribble strips live is great... the only con is the size but it does a lot
For live use, Line 6 HXFX and Bluguitar Amp 1 is my entire pedalboard, so effects and four channel amp in a board that weights about 6Kg
(At home too)
I do hope that you have remembered to update it as well as HX stomp, lot of great new stuff.
This was my rig for a while. Am using ToneX with TC Plethora now, but the Amp1 and a neo cab was as light as it gets.
Dream Rig 👍
I have exactly the same rig, I'm just configuring it now and I'm having so much fun!
I bought an HX Effects by mistake, though I was getting an HX Stomp... but clicked the wrong button. Best mistake ever...
I use the HX Effects with my Dream 65 or Twin when I don't want to use the helix. I love it
Scribble strips rule. Whenever they get around to making new hardware for the Helix series, it'd be awesome if they worked in customization of the backlight to match the colors of the footswitches. But as of now, it's wonderful to have customizable labels for every switch. It's the main thing I miss when I run my HX Stomp XL on my bass gigs. HX Effects is completely slept on by most people - it's POWERFUL.
Would you as kind to explain to me what exactly scribble strips are , please.
@benallmark9671 Scribble strips are the individual little screens on the face of the HX Effects, they show a limited amount of text, which can be edited so different effect chains can be named whatever the user wants.
One of my favorite intros of yours, JC. Nice voicings. Very tasteful. And yes as we all know the HX Stomp was not created by Line 6. It was created by God.
Billy Corgan started using HX Effects a few years back and ditched his analog and rack effects. He went into some detail about he was hesitant for years to get into a multifx, but the HX had the sonics that he required and other units lacked.
He's using analog again. I bought mine because of him, but I'm not great at using it as far as midi controll options.
Love the HX Effects. I ran mine with an Atomic Ampli-Firebox amp modeler in the HX loop (so I could run effects before and after it), and it was an extremely powerful rig. Moving the modeling to a dedicated pedal allowed me to make much more powerful presets compared to the HX Stomp, and the ease of editing on the unit is really great.
The HXFX is the brain of my little gigging pedalboard, and has been since 2019. Fjord fuzz EMBLA in one loop, and the Chasebliss Mood in another, and a PDF 2.0 into the front of it. Super flexible and sounds great
Hx fx is still the best pedal I've ever bought i run a tone x thru the effects loop and its pretty much been a game changer
I picked one up for $300 and it’s been fantastic! I prefer the HX Stomp paired with it vs a Helix (I had the LT). The addition of IRs helps now as I can use it for acoustic guitar.
The HX Effects is fantastic. I use it with a Mesa Mark VII and it's a great marriage of real amp tone + digital convenience. I have the Mark VII in loop # 1 and two real drive pedals in loop # 2 with a midi loop switcher to switch between the two drives, and the HX Effects runs everything via midi seamlessly.
Been running 2 HX effects on my board for over a year, endless possibilities and love having stereo loops. Very looked over units!
Loved owning the HX Effects when I had it. Sounded really great and I made most of the same arguments you made as to why it is really competitive as a "Great" effects solution and not just as a "good enough" one. Ultimately sold it to switch to a HX stomp that I paired with an external reverb plus analog drives. Over time I started comparing the digital drives to their real pedal counterparts that I owned and I really couldn't argue that analog was better once you put time into dialing in the sound. Sold the Stomp and am all in on a full Helix as of this last year. Thanks for all of your videos on this stuff John!
Congratulations on such a beautiful intro jam!
I bought it a month ago, and it is really cool... I use it as a midi controller too, switching amp channels, awesome
Please always share your signal path in the notes. I am a faithful watcher.
Beautiful playing.
Scribble strips are great. I use an HX effects as a midi controller for an axe fx for that very reason. Works great, plus it acts as back up for the effects inside the Fractal.
I haven't even been looking for gear lately, though I have been trying to help my friend / student find the right gear for him. Honestly, I enjoy these videos just for the playing, the gear reviews are great too.
hx effects is the coolest thing line 6 makes rn. i've found a couple for $300 secondhand here in the states. deff gonna pick one up! the effects loop makes it so versatile!. put a ik multimedia X-Drive in front, an ampero 2 or tonex in the loop for the amp/cab sim and u have the most goated and compact rig ever for under 1k if ur thrifty
I've been slowly slimming down my board for 2024 as I'm finding my HX Stomp just does everything well. Once I gave up on HAVING to run dual amps, I've freed up a ton of DSP. I've stopped running my Strymon Flint which I never though I'd do....The only things holding on are my drives because I can't quite lock in what I really want drive wise, and I just love my Peterson Strobostomp tuner.
HX Effects seems like it's really solid, and I need to try one soon. Line 6 Effects are just that great.
Great video. I've been on the fence with the HX effects and been trying to decide between this and a pedal switcher.
I just got my hxfx for my tonex board and i love it. The scribble stripes are a must for me.
HXFX is the heart of my board. I run analog drives, but it handles my reverbs, delays, MIDI, and allows for parallel effects (I run walrus audio Lore and Fable in a stereo loop for added textures).
I i just i picked one of these up two weeks ago after much debate with getting the HX STOMP. I decided to go with the EFFECTS mainly because of the scribble strips and how easy that makes it to navigate while playing. Its so nice to have all the pedals i would ever want in a compact space for about the same cost as about regular 4 pedals and no soldering!
I love my HX Effects! I have a bunch of analog boards but I will gig with the HX once and awhile. The Hedgehog distortion is so good.
This song is so relaxing and beautiful (3:43) that it soothed me to sleep. Awesome!
I love HX Effect is good for me to live play, I used the built-in overdrive effect to connect the AMP and used the MIC IN method to send the signal to the MIXER. The actual sound was very good.
And it allows me to adapt to different tone combinations. Small and lightweight.
I use it live...every time. I don't use modeling, and this guy is packed with essentially everything the Helix floor does. I've even used BOTH the Helix and the HX effects via the FX loop on the same "board". Yeah, it was a bit overkill, but it worked and sounded great.
I have a Helix Floor, and the scribble strips are really helpful,.
Love my HX Effects, I've got my Midi pedal controlling mine so I can have different sets of 6 effects per preset, could potentially have 127 "pedalboards" and they sound really good as well :)
Hey Mark, due to convert to HX effects at the end of the month. How have you got this set up? What are you using? This is exactly what I want out of my HX effects!
@@jamescroxtonI switch the individual "pedals" on with CC commands and changing pedalboards for each preset with PC commands although most of them are the same "pedals" :)
I have one on my board. I use the two loops for a boost (via a Fulltone GT-500, which also gives me a 'marshallesque' distortion if needed) and King of Tone (which is modeled by the HX Effects, and which when A/B'd is indistinguishable from the real pedal, but since I have one might as well use it). I also have a JHS Muffaleto in that loop for when I need one. One notable downside is that the Fuzz Face models don't really work - they won't clean up using your guitar's volumes as the impedance is not right. So, you have to put a real one between the guitar and the HX Effects. Same if you use a vintage wah pedal. The delays, compressors, utility effects, etc., are all very good and close enough to the 'real' pedals as to be hard to differentiate.
This combined with an IR-2 could make for a very interesting minimal set up for most purposes, and I already own the latter.
I'm 100% addicted to the HX Effects. I had rack gear in the '90s/'00s and was getting back into playinga couple years ago. I bought a good "pedal platform" amp and started down the OD pedal rabbit hole. After making some mistakes I bought the HX Effects thinking it might be a good way to evaluate different stomp-box types, with the intention of replacing it with the "real thing" pedals later.
I'm never letting it go. It sounds amazing, has twice as many effect models as when I bought it (for free!), and is a very capable controller for the built-in effects as well as my other gear. Combined with a MIDI loop switcher and 2 guitar amps with effects loops I have a ridiculously versatile stereo or wet/dry setup with a tiny footprint. HX Effects is amazingly deep and is an outstanding value.
I still have an M9 on my big board but purchased a second hand HX Effects and a Tone X and that has been an extremely potent combination with drive pedals I already had.
That reverse headstock Yamaha looks great
I would love to see more videos featuring the HXFX with the hx stomp
To me line 6 has perfected all its effects, and the amps are great too. 😊
what are you hxfx patches under on your web site?
Pairing the HX Effects and the HX Stomp is more powerful and more portable than the full Helix, also, the HX effects is the perfect companion for a ToneX or amp sim like the new Friedman
Yep, I concur on that. The HXFX is a fantastic unit with fantastic algorithms. It's not always my first go-to, but it always sounds fantastic.
Can stomp do 2 amp and 2 cab?
Totally agree!
@@pb25193 Yes
Modeler noob here, what does the HX Effects have that you can't get in the Stomp?
The hx effects is amazing, the 2 loops is one of the best features.
Wow, that was an inspired jam at the start! The Pacifica/HX Effects combo is evidently a muse for you. The HX Effects was my first Line 6 purchase-a great piece of kit that lets me decouple effects from my (modeled) amp, and use it also for my acoustic guitars. -Tom
The Yamaha Pacifica, wonderful. Did you know the line 6 Variax standard is the Pacifica with the hd variax inside. I have 2 and I love them, pissed that line y stopped selling those now. 😊
Helix user, meself, however my dear old Dad plays, currently using a Zoom G3 and Vox VT20. No question, pairing one of these with a Catalyst CX60 would be huge step forward from what he's using. Just wondering if you've tried the HX through a Catalyst and what you thought?
I gig in a function band and my board is just the HX Effects with a Suhr Eclipse and wah pedal in the loop. Plug it into a clean amp and baby you got a stew going
Scribble strips are great!
I have the HX effects on my pedal and use it as a channel switcher for my victory amp
I would love to see an HX EFFECTS XL, more footswitches and maybe just a couple of amp models or preamps that we can pair with IRs. Almost like a mini HELIX? Anyone ever try the Legendary Drive with an IR on HX EFFECTS? It gets pretty darn close to a proper amp model I think.
helix floor number 1 rig hxfx number 2 love em both to death, i use real amps and modeling, and the native plugin is also used daily, just amazing stuff
love your channel, went to your preset site, and I didn't see a folder for specifically HX effects, I use mine with either an Amp, or lately an IR-X, if you have any I'd love to get a hold of some, great playing and tone always \m/
I've always been tempted to pick a used HXFX to run with my FM3. It's cheaper than an FC6 while giving me access to hundreds of effects and a proper looper.
I love the HXFX but the one thing I'm not a fan of is the looper. It doesn't go long enough for me.
I'm not big into effects nor do I want/need amp models (I use software plugins for that), but when I want effects my HXFX works great as a effects board, floor controller and amp switcher.
I use it in front of my tube amps, in the loop 4CM and amp control with my Catalyst 100 and my Mesa JP-2C.
I wouldn't mind seeing a 1U HXFX rack unit, but then I'd need a floor controller anyway.
I've been using the HXFX 4CM with my JP2C for a few years now. Its been great overall. Do you have any noise issues on the JP2C with high gain ? I have to run mine through an Ebtech AND ISP Decimator II G String pedal just to make high gain usable.Just wondering if I'm missing something obvious.
The HX is the best tool I've bought in many years. I've had it for about 4 years now. It replaced my 100% analog 60lb board, plus gave me the ability to have presets, plus hundreds of additional effect types that I would have never tried before. the real time control is great. Snapshots are super useful, and the scribble strips are absolutely key because any switch could do anything, or multiple things, so you need to know what each one is doing for each preset. Its not perfect. I like my jekyll and Hyde better than the tube screamer model, but I like it better than a real tube screamer too. My home made univibe is deeper, but you don't need how deep it is. The only real weakness of it is the lack of adjustable impedance which makes some of the fuzzes not very useful.
My current gigging rig is HX stomp xl and HX FX on a small pedalboard and gives me all I need.
Sold mine last summer for like $450 and now after about $1,200 in new pedals I’m almost back to what I mostly used the HX Effects to cover previously. Woo-hoo!
John l pretty sure that line6 is working on a new HXFX mk2 👆🏾
Oh, and I think I'm being a bit thick, but where are the presets? Interested in trying them out, as I'm using it as multiple pedal boards at the moment rather than patches in banks
Definitely been thinking about getting the HXFX. I’ve gigged a few times w a small board running a few effects and the DSM Humboldt Simplifier DLX. Has anybody here tried the HXFX with the DSM? I have a feeling it’d be a good “pairing.”
I wonder how a 1U rack mount HX Effects would do in the market
This hardware is very unrated. Not too much love for the HX Effects. I bought this back in the summer of 2020. I love this unit. I’ve been using this on my live rig since 2021. Glad to see you dusted the ol boy off and using it again John. Cheers!
I have hx stomp which i’ve been using live but i’m really tempted to pick up hx effects and victory kraken v4 amplifier. Some day..
Anyone got a solution for the lack of toe off / on wah?? The dead zone way of enabling doesn't quite work for me, it's the only gap for me in this (still using it though)
You had me at Massive Rack
I had an HX FX for a while. I already owned an HX Stomp, and thought I would use them together. But I found the HX FX to be too large and too heavy for my taste. Functional, its fantastic. I think Line 6 algorithms are MORE than decent, I think they are very very good in most cases. But I am trying to avoid big heavy pedalboards, so it had to go. If I were a studio player, I'd probably still have it. I have added an HX One to my HX Stomp, and that is working out very well for me.
This is the second guitar I've seen you play recently with a reverse headstock. Do you notice any significant difference in the playability and string tension? With that design, the Bass strings are supposed to feel snappier and the trebles should feel slinkier. I'm very interested to know what your experience with that. Thanks
i have one with a tonex it is great
Love the HX FX. If a company would go ahead and create a new version of it, that would be great. I run it with both a Simplifier MKII (just got the new X) in 7cm or the Ethos Clean Fusion Deluxe (4cm). The Fractal FX8 is the closest thing, but older. Now if Fractal would ever release a new version of that, I think they would rule the market. Great reverbs, delays are good enough (sometimes great!), the drives are really good (one area maybe in general better than the HX FX), and everything keeps getting better since the III was released. One area where the older Fractal units faltered is with the Flanger block, not that I use it a whole lot, but they completely reworked that for the III. For now, I plan on keeping both, but I'd love to see an updated version of either/both.
what would a new version of the HX Effects offer that the current one doesn't? They already keep adding new effects every few months. Honestly I don't see any need for a new version, and I've been using it for 5 years already...
guys i need help. Im trying to figure out what is agood pedal that has 4 switches for patches that has decent quality sound , an acoustic sim and that is for live use. Got the quad cortex and i feel like its overkill, or is worth keeping when you have neural plugins? also got the ampero stage 2 which is great but i still feel it might be overkill. Is there anything on the cheaper side that has theese qualifications? i play on my own with backing tracks. Any help would be appreciated!
It’s odd, It seems that so many multi effects pedals now are geared toward recording where you can switch between presets but it’s kinda clunky to just turn a boost or a mod or whatever when you want. I feel like a lot of people who gig or even home players might something like the hx Effects. I’d love to see more like this.
Although, I wouldn’t buy them because I have my Hx Effects 😁
Outside of this being another great video… where’d you get the sweater?
So, my Wife got "Kirchem Knits" to knit me one which is like the reverse of what my daughter has ha
Where'd you get that Pacfica from?
Line 6 living off what TC did years ago with the G system. The G system to this day does way more than every else’s. I just don’t understand why the G system didn’t take off.
Trey Anastasio from Phish uses 2 M5's in his current rig
Are u using direct in front of amp?
Hi John, we have had a few chats on the fretboard.
I think that you have stumbled upon the real issue with using a HXFX vs a singular pedal and that is apathy. You have put the time into the HXFX and proved its versatility even in A/B tests against its singular counterpart. However I suspect that a lot of guitarists are unwilling to do what you have and expect the instant gratification a singular pedal gives. The HXFX is wonderful but plug in and play it’s not. That’s not its fault, it’s the limitation of the set out.
At the moment I am using mine for just the delays and reverbs into the FX loop of my amp. The main reason is I have not had the time or if I’m honest the dedication to make the HXFX my entire board.
The cheaper chinese modelers prob don't compare for effects quality, fractal did have the fx8 but guessing sales were nowhere near what the ax8/fm3/fm9 are, so they didn't put out an updated one and dont think boss has put out a non amp modeler.
Really wish Line 6 had done a HX Effects LT with 3-4 effects at once instead of the HX1. For not a whole more money you can buy a used HXFX.
I just wish Line6 would release a Helix mini in a form factor like this. Basically a competitor to the Cortex. They could price is under $1000 and sell them like hotcakes to all the Helix folks who want something lighter and don't need all the footswitches. Not a HX Stomp, which has half the processing power. This would be like Boss's GT-1000CORE but all the awesomeness of a Helix.
They need to break them down into modules. FX / EQ module, Amp / IR module and then an exprsion pedal module. Come up with a system that snaps together or the modules can be stand alone. < that also breaks up the cost. Id love to see the IR-2 built in that form factor. I think if they could do that and also make the interfaces stand alone it would make these pedals less overwhelming and usable. The MX5 I had is just incredible but its almost useless as you chase your tail around in circles. Trying to find things is like trying to find a needle in a hay stack and there is a fairly big learning curve using these modelers.
I have the hxfx and love it. The thing for me is that its hard to trust the digital thing completely. Last month i travelled back home for some gigs and thought of just bringing the hxfx but then i said well, what if it fails in a live situation or if the power adapter gets fucked? Ok, just in case i will bring my Timmy, Carbon Copy, Freeze and a reverb pedal. In the end i brought those pedals and left the hx behind
Think they call it the Stryfecta ;). Wouldn’t know to expensive for me 🤣😂
Line 6 effects are great and always have been. It's so weird modeler tribalism has made people second guess it.
I really do think it stands up to anything digital.
Put a UAFX Lion in the effects loop of an HX Effects and I’m good to go. (That’s how I run my HX Stomp)
Btw, the Lion takes HX drive pedals really well.
I have bought and sold the HX Effects more times than I'd care to admit because it makes me look like a bigger idiot than I actually am. I get in the mindset that individual pedals sound better and are easier, yet always go back to the HXFX because it just makes sense, and it does sound quite good. Each go around I end up learning a little more about it and find different use cases. The only real drawback is the size.
do you notice a real difference between the pedals and the HXFX? soundwise, which do you prefer and why?
@@sejuyz For reference I play in a cover band. I don't really get caught up in the whole "does the Precision Drive sound like a real one" argument. I'm more concerned with does that pedal do what I want to my amp. Once I actually took the time to tweak a few knobs I found the drives and compressors to be as good or close enough to analog pedals I own. The delays and reverbs can be amazing as well. Some of the modulation leaves a little to be desired, but I'm not a huge user of those types of effects. For me what always wins out is the convenience of pushing one button and doing many things. Snapshots are a lifesaver. honestly I can't find much fault in the unit and that's why I keep going back to it.
I hear you. I’ve almost sold my HX Stomp several times. So glad I didn’t. It’s so useful to have one of the HX units even if it’s not your main device.
@@allanb1402 thank you for your reply
8:14. Patch cable.
There are more like this. The line 6 M9 to name one 😂
I believe the TC Plethora X5 comes close, but not all the way.
Smaller format and it's a world beater. Just a bit too chunky for me
I'm starting to have a sour feeling in my stomach about Line 6. Why do they release this unit that doesn't run these blocks, that unit that doesn't run those blocks. Don't tell me this thing doesn't have the horse power to run amps. The HX-1 should run every block in the Helix universe one at a time. I know this released years ago, this is the first example of that
I’m there with ya. I have the Effects and the Stomp. Wanna run Poly Capo for less guitar changes? Well too bad if you want an overdrive and fuzz and want the Adriatic delay. And being stuck in a snapshot universe. Can’t load up a clean amp preset and switch fast to a dirty one.
@@R3dbudd Of course you can, what are you talking about??
I hate scribble strips, i prefer what helix LT or quad cortex does by far. Not only is it easier to see in daylight, its also easier and faster to get an idea of what all i have programmed for the patch, whereas with scribble strips they are spaced farther apart and the color coating is sepereated between the footswitch and strip instead of combined like on qc. Easier to make split second decisions during songs
This pedal would be much more useful if it weren't so big and so expensive. For the difference of size and modeling, it makes no sense to get this over the HX Stomp. If the M( had an effects loop, it would be better (thought still too big).