Line 6 HX Stomp Guitar Multi-effects Floor Processor - Black Reviews

In May of 2020 I was torn between the Strymon Iridium and the HX Stomp and I opted for "simplicity" versus "complexity" figuring that it would make more sense to start building a boutique pedal board around the Iridium. I owned numerous multi effects units from the 90s and 2000s that promised the moon and always fell short particularly in the preamp and overdrive departments and was afraid that the HX Stomp would fall into that same category. Needless to say, 4 years later I realized that it was a costly mistake going with the Iridium. IMO the Iridium just can't deliver great sounding hard rock or metal tones on its own or with boost, overdrive, or distortion pedals in front of it. I spent a lot of money over those past 4 years putting various pedals in front of the Iridium trying to get it to where I wanted it to sound but no dice. Plus the entire boutique pedal board thing got really expensive with the cost of all the patch cables and power supply requirements (e.g. this pedal needs 300 mA, this pedal needs 500 mA, etc.), never mind how time consuming it is just to experiment with pedal order on your board. I finally decided enough was enough and purchased the HX Stomp and it's worth every penny! Yes, there's a steep learning curve with the HX Stomp compared to traditional pedals, but just after a week of playing around with tweaking some of the presets, I can see that the HX Stomp is a tone producing magic machine! The fact it can do all sorts of fantastic sounding guitar effects as well as amp and cabinet modelling is the icing on the cake! I could have saved myself a ton of money (and headaches) by just going with the HX Stomp from day one.

It's the most versatile piece of guitar gear I've ever owned. It's an amp, cab, pedalboard, stereo effects, bass rig, audio interface, and even more. It's the best way to play guitar through headphones, and in an apartment , it's the only way I can get that cranked tube tone at decent bedroom volume. It's small enough to fit in any pedalboard, or live on your desk as a centerpiece to your home studio. For the price, you aren't going to get a better, more well supported modeler. But two.

This multi-effect unit is effective in so many situations. I like the stomp model as it sits in my pedalboard but can be easily removed and used on its own for portability. Be ready to spend some serious time learning how to use it properly. The lack of extra switches is an early trade off for the price I'm willing to make. Sweetwater has great customer service and kept up with me at every step of the sale and shipping. This review reflects my initial reaction after a couple of hours of use on the presets. I'll likely add a review. after a few months of using it and crafting my own patches.

This is an excellent piece of gear, I have been wanting one for awhile. It was off at Sweet Water so I got it. It is easy to learn and awesome to work with. It has exceptional amps, cabs, effects built in and I run my Tonex pedal, Woodrow , Dream and Revival Drive thru it using the Stomps effects and cabs.

I waited for a while to pull the trigger on this one, and I honestly debated it the whole time. Does it have all the processing power of its bigger sibs? No. Does it have all the control options at a toe's tap? No. But neither of those things really matter to me when it comes to the joy of playing with it. Yes, you are a little limited by the number of control blocks it'll stack in a single patch, but again, if you get creative, there's soooo many options to play with. This little box of rock is too much fun. I've lost hours at a time tweaking, finding a sound that inspires me and just playing around. Like really, hours at a time. It's such a spark to the sonic creative process that I think the price is more than justified. And layering it in with my other amps and effects? Holy moly, so many textures to be discovered. It's actually really touch responsive, and as I run mine stereo through two 212 guitar cabs, it actually FEELS awesome. I built my own cabs to optimize versatility for amps and amped up modelers, and it truly sounds awesome. If you're debating it, stop. For the price of a couple of high end stompboxes, you can have a whole world of sounds at your fingertips. Or feet. Or whatever. Killer.

This little box offers so much functionality. It is an amazing piece of tech.

I am really enjoying effects processor. I don't need to carry much with this pedal.

As the owner of a full-on Helix Rack + Helix Control who plays live, I felt like I was missing a backup in the unlikely event that the Rack would malfunction during a performance. I wanted something that I could swap out quickly in an emergency, that would be as seamless as possible and give me access to the same tones to finish out a show and act as a backup until the Rack could be repaired. The HX Stomp is MUCH more than a stand-in for the full Helix, but it will serve that purpose for me perfectly. It's processing power is of course 1/2 that of the full Helix. Thus, there are a few large presets I created with multiple snapshots on the Helix that could not be moved to the Stomp. But otherwise, for the standard tones that I use for the majority of a gig, everything I created on the Helix fits on the stomp. My goal is to never need to take the Stomp out of its road case. But in the event that I need it, I have the comfort of knowing that I have access to the same exact world-class tone and technology that I have in the full Helix Rack.

After downloading helix native trial, I had to purchase this unit, especially with the free native promotion. I was using Amplitube 5 but wanted something different with a physical unit I could easily move around. The selection of amps/cabs/effects is excellent. I've created and downloaded some killer presets, but I still feel like I haven't even scratched the surface with all the tonal possibilities that this unit/software offers yet.

There is definitely a learning curve for navigating and editing presets on the unit itself, but once you get the hang of it, it's quite easy. You could also just use the free HX Edit software if you plug into your PC.

Highly recommend. Sounds very good. I usually run a JCM2000 on a 1960 4x12 live. No more. This thing does the job.

I was sceptical at first about the HX stomp, but considering some of my colleagues (whom I respect) kept raving about the sound, I purchased one about six months ago. All in all, the HX is an AMAZING thing. The sound, routing (especially the routing), build quality are outstanding. I highly recommend getting one if you can.
There is a bit of a learning curve, but remember, YouTube is your friend. There are hundreds of vids on YouTube on how to use & program the HX.

Line6 ongoing development is unmatched. They are still releasing solid new updates. 3.5 makes separate IRs unnecessary.
Cons: Will get hot if you leave it running. One of my knobs is no longer working after a few years.

IF YOU PLAY ANYTHING WITH STRINGS THIS IS ALL YOU NEED.
GREAT FOR BASS AND FOR GUITARS.
DOES EVERYTHING YOU WOULD EVER NEED.

The HX Stomp has near-fully replaced every part of my rig. Using it in tandem with the HX edit software and an expression pedal/controller fills nearly every need I've had for practice/songwriting. And when paired with an FRFR speaker it absolutely kills on-stage. All the updates Line 6 have come out with really put it over the edge. This thing keeps getting better and better and every single time they release something new for it i find myself enraptured in the songwriting/tonefinding process for days on end. The new 3.50 update really inspired me to write this review. It's fantastic in every way, both the overhaul of the cab engine and the new amps are great. The more they've updated this thing the less regrets I've had buying it... I don't think I have any anymore! If Helix hardware intrigues you i highly recommend dipping your feet in the water with this little gem!

Fantastic multi-effects processor for bass. So many options and the amp/can simulators are spot on.

I bought this pedal over a year ago. Just now getting to a review. I love this thing and it is my main unit. If you aren't to uptight about gear and just want a wide range of great sounds this is all you need. It can do pretty much any genre you can think of. Not to mention it can be used as a audio interface. The construction is built like a tank. Like seriously this thing is a brick. The software it comes with makes everything easy as pie. In fact I have never built a preset on the unit itself I just use the software. Quick and easy! If you are gonna be a headphone user I would suggest going with some decent 250 ohm open back studio headphones. I started with 80 ohm and it can get kinda harsh. Plus being open back helps it sound more natural. I have tried to think of a negative for this pedal and can't really think of anything. If I had to choose one thing to tell people to keep in mind it would be (This is a smaller unit than the full Helix gear). What I mean by that is this has less processing power than the full units. So if you are one of those people that likes having more than 6-8 effects jammed into one preset you may need a more expensive unit. For most people this is more than plenty trust me.

As an entry-level worship & casual performer, the HX Stomp has been virtually everything I need. The amp presets sound good enough to get by at church venues with just a DI out and IEMs. The tonal versatility is incredible— I have dirties and some nice drives/distortions, as well as some pretty crisp cleans / chorus+reverb tones. Covers everything from rhythm to lead. If you are looking to start a pedalboard, start with a Stomp!

With all of my positives said, the Stomp has a very intense learning curve as you learn to operate and customize your own presets. As long as you stick with it and use your resources (Line6 Customtone, YouTube) you will be fine, but this certainly isn't a pedal that you can just immediately pick up and run with. The versatility is worth the learning!

What can't this do? Super versatile and with the use of HX edit on the computer it's super easy to dial in. I've sold off several pedals since acquiring this and think this will keep me entertained for quite a while. Now I'm listing after a powercab though….

I was taking an online class where we each had to record and submit our bass lines each week. The instructor kept remarking on one guy's Ampeg B15 tone and how well it fit the music. The guy confessed it was an HX Stomp emulating it. He was getting a better tube tone than I was trying to use actual tube amps but recording direct. So I picked one up. I have to say the B15, GK800 and SVT tones are absolutely killer. Well worth the $$$.

Does exactly what I need and want it to for bass, and it's roadworthy... love it.

Where to start this is probably the best modeler I've used dusk far. It's not easy to work at first you gotta put time into it to get the sounds you want it doesn't come out of the box good you really need to think about what you are doing I'm a bassist so I'm going to only put my info on that. Do not just think a 8x10 and a svt 4 is going to do it work on the other amps included. I love the Mesa m9 I love the Aguilar amp I really never been a fan of the svt even in real life working in the amp it's self can be difficult work on the gain and the volume use irs instead of the cabs included and a big one at the end of the chain use a eq block to really bring everything together. The amps are great on this unit the effects sound great I love the rat pedal you get with this you can blend your clean in and it sounds just like the jam pedal rattler the la studio comp works wonders and it's easy to use this can replace your whole board if you want it to it being small can be a issue and it can fill up fast just take your time and really work your amps to your liking after awhile it'll get easier and you can make amps sound good in no time. I record with this all the time and love it I would recommend this if you are looking to go this way.

After finally giving this thing a real shot, I've got to admit I'm fully sold. This thing is fantastic. Other than an expression pedal and maybe a midi controller, it is probably the only pedal most people will need. There is a bit of a learning curve and a lot of the factory settings need some tweaking, but I promise you can get almost any tone you need out of this thing.

The 8 block limit could be an issue if you're running tons of effects, but snapshots and presets provide a good workaround. If you think this will be an issue or if you need an XLR input, go with the full Helix floor model.

The only real downside is the lack of a mobile app and Bluetooth connectivity, but that is pretty minor.

I was a bit overwhelmed even before I bought this pedal watching all of the reviews and tutorial videos. But i am so glad that I bought it, it has given me access to a huge variety of effects. I have bought and sold so many effects just trying to test them out to see if they fit in my sound, this handy little box gives me access to all of them and it seems Line 6 just keeps adding more with each update! It can either be an all-in-one pedal or it fits nicely in my signal chain with a few other pedals. Great buy and it opened up a whole new world of sounds!

After a chat with my sales advisor Roq, I purchased a Line 6 HX Stomp as a replacement for an aging bass processor. WOW! this product is amazing! Right out of the box I found a couple of pre-set patches that sound fabulous. It's a bit complex but I've discovered that creating custom patches is pretty easy. If you are thinking of the HX Stomp for your bass guitar effects, stop. Look no further This is the product for you. I love it and you will too. Sweetwater is the place to buy your music gear.

I've wanted to get a Helix product since they came out with it and as the years passed I found myself with less room and less use for a giant pedal board or rack. Even though you only it has the ability for 8 blocks, that's enough for me to find the tones I like. This is WAY better than the Boss ME-80 I used to have!

I am a former Helix owner that got frustrated with the deep diving that the big unit allows. I had no issues with it, great sound, extremely rugged and full featured, but I just constantly tinkered with it and never made much music. I went back to a mid sized pedalboard and was happily making lots of music, but I was struggling a bit with filling the modulation slots without getting 5 or 6 more pedals. Enter the stomp and it's pedalboard friendly size, great prize and all the modulation goodness I would ever need. I actually like the fact that this unit is somewhat paired down from the big Helix and I'm using it in a way that works for me. It also has great reverbs and delays that nicely supplement the great pedals that I already owned. I also use the cabs and my own IRs as well as some of the bass presets. The point is that you can configure it to integrate with your own gear now and I the future.

All musicians have different likes and needs and there are some features of the HX Stomp that I don't use, I have tube amps that are used through load boxes, so I personally don't use the amp models in the Stomp. That is the beauty of this piece of gear, use all or just what you need, with a size, price and feature set that is a really pretty amazing! Not too big, not too small, but just right!

This thing Rocks! I've spent a lot of money on pedals searching for "that sound".. and I never quite get there until now. I'm an old school rocker and this pedal does the trick... it does all the tricks. You can pick one of the presets or customize your own sound. I'm 52 years old and I can get through the settings and presets pretty easy and I've only had it a few days. I haven't begun to scratch the surface of the capability of the stomp but already very satisfied with the purchase.
Quick tip: you should plug a patch cable into the effects loop because a lot of the presets won't work without that until you go into the menu and close the loop and for me (old guy) it was a simple solution until I got more familiar with how everything worked.

I highly recommend this to everyone. HX Stomp is a game changer! Sweetwater has amazing service as well, I'm always Satisfied

No matter how you intend on using the HX Stomp, it will shine. Effects only? This thing performs perfectly as the brains of an existing pedalboard into a proper amp. Full rig? This thing can go direct to PA or into a stage monitor.

Mine sits on my desk as I'm a bedroom player. I hook it to my computer and tweak in HX Edit. I'm monitoring through Presonus 3.5 Studio Monitors. This thing sounds so good. For a frame of reference, I had the Helix Floor as well as the GT1000 Core. I didn't prefer the form factor of the Helix Floor (despite the fact that it was more powerful) and while the GT1000 Core sounded great, it was a chore to work with. The workflow of the Helix line of products is second to none, really. Creating a simple patch with an amp and a few effects can literally be achieved in seconds. No barriers to creativity here like there are in other products whose main draw is being able to tweak literally every parameter known to man. The Helix line allows you to nerd out and tweak things, but the ease of use and great stock sounds are what drew me to this product.

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Sure, the HX Stomp is smaller than the XL, LT or full Floor, but if you're looking for a product that you can have on your desk (like me) or to add to an existing pedalboard, this thing will not let you down.

Purchased one of these bad boys from sweetwater for a gig 2years back during summer and did a great job . To me honestly price matches performance. Great team work .

Very impressed by the tech inside this small of a footprint. It is pretty much my full rig on its own.

Although I have been a long time user of Line 6 gear, I have been on hiatus and using regular amps and pedals. The older PODxt was a great practice tool of mine. But, I must say, this HX Stomp blow me away. Line 6 has definitely upped the game with the Helix family. Tone for days, and more power than should be possible in such a small package. Great guitar tones, and Bass tone. I was so impressed that I bought the HX Effects to replace all of my pedals and rack gear. Buy One, you won't be sorry.

This little thing is awesome. I originally had a Mooer GE200 and this thing makes it look like a toy. It is built like a tank. Everything feels quality. When compared to the Mooer there is SO much more. In terms of controls this thing is loaded. It has all kinds of adjustments such as Sag, Hum, Ripple, Depth, Bias, Bias X, the list goes on and on. So many options for getting that sound you are looking for. What makes this beat the POD GO is the ability to do dual cabs. Taking two cabs and blending them together with different mics, placements, distance, ect ect makes it super powerful for building that exact tone. I invested in Ownhammers Line 6 IR pack right away but I would encourage you to wait. I actually like a lot of the stock cabs in this more than the Ownhammer IRs. You get so much control with the dual cab options that it makes the IRs seem limited. So wait out on buying custom IRs you may be surprised.

THE ONLY DOWNSIDE....

The power wire is short and awkward. The brick part of it is kinda in the way. The wire is way short. But hey at least it has a power switch. The Mooer didn't even have that.

Overall I love this thing and you probably will to.

This unit is a no brainer for the price of 3 or 4 pedals you get a million of them and they are all tweakable,and that is just scratching the surface. And I got a Free G 10 wireless unit. Couldn't be happier! Jim Smith

So glad I got the stomp. Thanks to Robb and SW for helping me find this.

What an amazing piece of gear. My first one had some glitches. However, Sweetwater's world class service dept. sent me a new one. I use the HX constantly in 4 different ways. 1. Church services. 2. As an effects unit for live electric gigs. 3. Acoustic gigs because the reverbs, eq's and compressors work great in that context and 4.Recording. Great amp and speaker modeling. Get one!

It's the best amp, cab, distortion/fuzz/overdrive, delay, reverb, compression, chorus pedal a noob, like me, could ask for. If you're like me, and you're not sure how to start building a pedalboard, get this first. The hx edit is SUPER helpful and intuitive AND you can download it before the pedal gets there. But you must have the hx stomp to use the actual software. I use this for guitar and bass. This is sticking with me for a long time. Thanks Cody!

The Hx stomp doesn't need another 5 star review, but I'm going to leave one anyway. I use it for recording guitars and bass. I even use it on vocals. I love this thing. Buy it.

I have used the Helix stomp for about 14 months. Any problem I have had is operator error....lol. This pedal really does so much! I. use it with IR's that I downloaded for Worship guitar. I then plug my pedal board (20 pedals) into this as an effects loop. I go to a direct box, and then to the board. The tones are incredible! They are Versital!, and I also plug it into my Yamaha THRii that I purchased from Sweetwater. It gives me many more options, sounds great, and replaced big bulky tube amps.

Before, my tube amps were waaayyyyy too loud for a worship setting. The Stomp gives me the flexibility to use pre-amps, cabs, cabinets, combos, and Ir's at lower volumes. Not only that, I think it emulates something like 300 different components. There are better things out there; however, for the price, I dont think it can be beat.

I had a problem with my pedal board, and used it as a stand alone, and not one person noticed. A member of the band said, "Dude, you sounded great!!" He didn't know I used ONLY the stomp as my other gear failed.

The best part is that it easily fits in a backpack with my cables/in ears/and other accessories! I highly recommend.

Also a big shout out to Sweetwater. I have had issues with another much more expensive product, and they handled the situation wonderfully! I can't recommend them enough! Thanks Paul LaFemina!

I can't say much that hasn't already been said, but for the price this unit is incredible. I will probably eventually upgrade to the LT floor unit, so have more blocks, but for an intermediate level guitarist, there is an incredible ammount of versatility and great tones. Be prepared to do a bit of learning and figuring out how to tweak things to get the best sound. The "stock" presets don't always sound great before dialing them in, but great tones are in there with a little work.

MVG stands for "most valuable gear". After purchasing a guitar and amplifier, an HX Stomp is the next piece of gear any guitarist should buy. You can read the other reviews for the many, many uses for this musical version of Felix the Cat's magic bag. I have had mine for 2 years. It is central to my pedalboard. I have just downloaded the 2.92 update and now instantly I have even more effects and functions at my disposal. The Stomp is useful for any guitarist at any level. I bought mine when returning to guitar after 20 years. I had a lot to learn a lot about the newest technology. For the price of 3 good pedals you get sooo much. The Stomp taught and is still teaching me so much. Thanks to my Sweetwater rep, Logan Miller for recommending this to me.

A Helix or even an HX Stomp for a guitar player is like Photoshop for a photographer: You can get a lot out of it and still be just scratching the surface. I mostly use the HX Stomp in a studio or home environment on a tabletop position for easy tweaking and connection changes, so I'm speaking from that context.

Ways I use it:
1. Playing guitar with headphones: Guitar connected to Left In, with a simple Compression/EQ > Amp&Cap > Modulation > Delay > Reverb virtual chain.
2. Jamming with songs or backing tracks: Connection same as #1 except USB audio added from my computer. I also use this setup to track guitars into my DAW via the USB connection.
3.Working external pedals into a virtual signal chain: Attaching other guitar pedals to the effects loop and inserting that input wherever I want, before or after amp block, for example.
4. As a DAC when not playing guitar: Either headphones connected or L & R out connected to studio monitors. This gives a very high quality sound of whatever you're listening to. Also works great with a USB dongle from an iPad or iPhone.
5. Effects only (no amp sim) in front of my amps (Princeton Reverb, Vox AC10): I tweak EQ and other settings differently to suite the amp, and save those settings as separate patches, instead of using the same settings as with headphones.

As you can see, I'm only scratching the surface of this wonder box, but I'm using it several different ways. I had an AMPLIFI TT at one point, and I was wishing for years for a similar product with HX generation amps and effects. So I bought the HX Stomp as soon as it was released. I had a FireHawk FX on my studio desk for awhile and it just took up way too much real estate!

I found that I like the sound of time-based effects (delay/reverb) on "channel B", or in parallel rather than in series with the amp sims and other effects. This seems to make the tone more clear, less muffled, and supports the guitar sound rather than smothering it. The fact that I can choose either way for each block with a multi-effects unit is pretty cool!

Still learning about "gain staging" but I like that I can raise or lower input and output levels (before or after all the internal effects), or add a gain effect block, and the amp sims and many effects have level controls. I boost the HX Stomp output level if the record level coming into my DAW is a bit weak. Because I play a lot of clean sounds which can be quieter, this is very useful. Many guitar processors I've tried can't vary USB audio output level (only analog output levels).

Snapshots are awesome! One switch can engage or disengage many effects at once. It really helps make the best use of only having three switches on the unit. Most of my patches are set up with a snapshot for simple amp and reverb, #2 for modulation added (usually tremolo), and #3 for adding delays or a drive for a bigger sound, all on the same amp sim setup. There's a lot of other things you can do with switching that I have not explored.

For the effects, sometimes I don't know if my ignorance is the problem, rather than the effect just not sounding that great. There are a LOT of parameters to tweak, so I could be missing the magic formula. With that said, in my opinion, the reverbs, tremolos, and most delays are great, while the chorus and rotary effects seem to be missing something.

The price is high for something this size, but it's nearly impossible to find something this size that offers all the options and the incredibly high sound quality. And even though I am only scratching the surface and using it in simplified ways, it's definitely worth the price for me.

Incredible how much this pedal can do. Bought it specifically for bass and it is way beyond what I expected. Built like a tank. The presets alone are more than enough to keep you occupied if you want to tweak them. However, for the truly ambitious, you can create your own presets using practically unlimited paramaters. This thing is the real deal.

As a bass player (just a hobby these days and 95% just at home) I'm not a huge effects guy but I do like the occasional distortion, octaver, envelope filter, etc. I'm pretty old school and have generally stayed away from digital effects for bass, preferring to build a pedalboard. But I've really wanted some different amp sounds too, so I started looking at the Helix line. After a bunch of online research, some dabbling with the Helix Native software and most of all some invaluable advice from Justin Sunday and Steven Chamoun, I pulled the trigger on an HX Stomp and I couldn't be happier. Its bass amp models are excellent, especially the SVT and GK. And that's even before mixing in guitar amps, distortion pedals, etc!

If you're a bass player who wants a variety of amps and other effects but wants to keep it to something you can throw in your case, I can't recommend the HX Stomp highly enough. The only thing I miss is a DI but I'll probably buy a dual DI so I can route clean and modelled sounds and still be super-compact.

Thanks Sweetwater!

This pedal is flexible enough for several scenarios.
1. Home/Studio Recording: The ability to model cabs and heads, coupled with a large arsenal of effects. This allows me to dial-in a bass tone for any style of music I write and record.
2. Practice/Rehearsal: Being able to grab a bass, small combo, and this pedal means I can setup in a very short period of time. That, and to be able to have a productive session. Being able to dial-in a saved preset allows me to focus on the music. Often, if you don't have 'your tone', your concentration is distracted.
3. Live: I can run a full rig at outdoor volume, a small combo at a gentleman's volume, or go direct for worship/coffee house events - all with the same shape/sound. As long as I have time to dial-in a bank ahead of time, I may only need a slight volume or tone adjustment when the lights come on.

On-line forums as recent as February of 2020 say that two more blocks will be added to the chain, which moves this into the 'pedal board killer' category.

Leave the amp at home. No shame in modeling when it comes to this thing. BIG LEARNING CURVE but doable. 6 spots in here for pedals, amps, cabs, pre amps, etc... Sounds great and is the answer to bringing less gear and plugging direct that I've been looking for. I run a PRS electric guitar with humbuckers AND a piezo into this so it's my acoustic and electric rig all in one. Load in is simple now. No amp, no pedals, nothing. I plug direct and get great tones.

This is a great product for the bassist looking for a small, ready to go rig!! I admit as effects go, I really try to keep it simple, and the HX Stomp delivers. Tuner, Preamp, Compressor, Delay, and Octave. The other effects, I really don't use much, but I have used this straight into a backline amp, FOH, effects loop, and in studio without a single issue. The best part... IT FITS IN A GIG BAG!!

For many years I’ve been looking to get the right guitar sounds. The amps I want are $3,000, virtual instruments are endless hassles and I don’t have a quiet environment for the amps I have. This thing is like Nirvana to me. It takes a minute to feel your way around but once you do , HX Stomp is endless fun. Many connectivity options for computer, works amazing w pedals In front and in fx loop. My floor pedals never sounded as good in the AC30 module. My real amps don’t take pedals this welll. It’s also super smart with levels. Adding a boost in front of the unit causes tube like distorting not digital clipping. I was using a Katana head and this 100000 miles more advanced in sonic quality. It will take a while to settle on effects but first week in there are so many great options it’s super fun experimenting. I’m no pro, and I cant compare to more expensive units, but, this is creatively inspiring, intuitive, well designed and butt kicking sounding. Thank you line6. Lots of tube amp provides need to rethink their business models.

I already had an FDeck HPF preamp, a Diamond BCP-1 bass compressor and various guitar pedals, plus a Fly Rig and a Zoom G5n.

I was tossing around the idea of getting a Noble preamp and possibly a Neve RNDI to fatten up my DI feed, when I realized that those purchases alone were getting up into Helix territory.

I am all about quick setup on the gig, and it occurred to me that the HX Stomp could replace a host of other audio equipment and pedals, not only for my electric and acoustic basses, but also for electric and acoustic guitar.

I haven’t sold off all my other gear yet, but I’m already headed in that direction.

The Ampeg fliptop model on the Stomp is gorgeous, and customizable with everything from sag and bias adjustments to gain and 2 extra bands of authentic-sounding EQ. There are G-K and SWR models when I’m looking for a more modern tone, tons of cab models built in, plus the ability to import and run impulse responses of my favourite cabs, mic and room setups.

Sound quality is stellar. Pro-quality high and low-pass filters, parametric EQ, compression, etc., mean that I can bring the equivalent of most of my rack gear and plugins, without having to worry about the safety and security of an expensive laptop on stage.

The routing and switching options are awesome as well. I have a Thinline Tele with a piezo-electric bridge, and I can run stereo amps and effects to FOH, along with a separate mono feed for the acoustic pickup- all without having to carry a mixer. The three foot switches are all I need for bass, but I can easily add a MIDI floor board to expand the controls for live ambient guitar, etc.

Viewed through this lens, the impressive effects and amp modelling are just a free bonus!

I hesitated over the price at first, but now that I understand what it brings to the table, I realize that the HX Stomp represents a mind-boggling value...

I've been using the Helix family for about 2 years now, with no intention of turning back. Started out with the LT, which was so good, and so powerful, that I didn't use even a fifth of what it had to offer. I sold my LT, bought the Stomp, and it's been my all in one rig for going on a year now. 6 blocks is tricky at first, but it requires getting creative with routing and parameter adjustments. I think it challenges me to do more with less, and I like that. And MAN what an easy fly rig. Pop it off my pedalboard and bam, fits in a carry on with no problem.

Sound quality is fantastic too. With a little tweaking you can go from classic cleans to heavy metal. I can't say enough good about it.

Great product

I run a traditional rig: Les Paul -> pedals -> Marshall. I purchased this unit for use as a stomp box. It fit right in to my setup, all expectations exceeded. I won't get into all the effects (many other reviews and articles on this) but suffice it to say, they are all top notch. I eventually ditched all my pedals and my rig became this: Les Paul -> HX Stomp -> Marshall.

After I got comfortable using the HX Stomp as my sole pedal solution I began experimenting running direct. After some research (youtube) and experimentation I got the HX Stomp working for gigs. My only words of wisdom - do your homework, understand the tech and experiment. My rig now looks like: Les Paul -> HX Stomp. For some gigs I still drag out the Marshall when I need to look cool, but in those scenarios I just use the HX Stomp as a pedal.

I'm not much into recording but I played around with using it as an USB interface - worked perfectly. Haven't even touched the midi or advance routing capabilities.

I classify this unit as a game changer for two reasons: 1) It puts pro quality modeling at an affordable price point, and 2) flexibility - there are multiple ways to use the device and get superb results.

I can't imagine how a bassist of any type would not have one of these. 1) It sounds great 2) It gives an incredible amount on control 3) It is small and light 4) Did I mention it sounds great?

I was in the process of designing a pedal board. I decided to try this and save several hundred dollars. It works. This is now my pedal board.

I've had this for about 8 months now. I've never written a review for music gear before. Here we go.

I own VERY nice tube amps, and a JC40. Here's why i'm motivated to write. Sure - it sounds amazing, you've read that already. Here's what is important. 1. it is VERY easy to program right from the unit. it's also easy to use the hx edit app. I've never owned a piece of gear with this kind of complexity that was this effortless. the "workflow" makes perfect sense. 2. it fits on your pedalboard. I kept a compressor and a favorite overdrive. .the rest of my board is now dedicated to quirky things like a Mel9 or a wacky pitch shifter. or a great looper. i feel like the big helix doesn't accommodate your oddball pedal needs. Reverbs are good enough to remove a verb from the board. the delays are magnificent.
I'd recommend a cheap 2x pedal extension and use one for scrolling through modes and the second for tap/tune.

I'm not giving this a five star review because it's a new buy. I've been waiting to do this review to give an honest review of this unit. My first impression were it's cool. But it isn't what I'm looking for. Than of a sudden. I understood the unit and ever since than I've been blown away by it I may sell this to get the bigger unit this is amazing and I can't believe how good of a job line 6 did.

Been using Pedals for the last 10 years, and all this time I"ve had bad experiences with multiFX, either for not having everything I need or to complicated to setup. The HX Stomp sounds amazing, has everything I need and is so easy to configure, both in the unit or PC software. Kudos Line 6! You nailed it!

I record my acoustic guitar based originals in a small home studio. I always have some electric guitar elements in my songs. There was a time in my life when I spent hours in front of my small tube amps travelling to musical nirvana on the wings of the PAF's in my old SG, but for recording I have always preferred hardware emulation.

I was one of the first users of Line 6 Pod Pro. I graduated after that to Avid Eleven Rack. When the 11R finally gave up its ghost, my research led me back to Line 6. My needs are simple and my amazing Sweetwater rep knows that...so he steered me toward the HX Stomp.

After a very short learning curve I decided to re-record one of my old acoustic songs....all electric! In the space of an afternoon I was able to choose four different DIR presets, customize them a bit, and track them. I posted that song in my customary places, including the best known gear forum on the planet, and the response from folks who know my music well was overwhelmingly positive about the electric guitar tones. Some of those folks are serious tube amp tone hounds.

Line 6 HX Stomp is the perfect emulation box for a small recording environment like mine. Quite honestly, it stomps all over Eleven Rack tones. I may never use it as a stomp box, but I have already started a new all electric project. Leonard Scaper goes electric with Line 6 HX Stomp!!!!! Hey....it didn't hurt Dylan at Newport in 1965. Just sayin'......

The HX Stomp was something I had been looking at for awhile. I usually play with headphones through a UA Ox and my Supro but my 3 year old was now actually starting to use the room next to me for naps and could hear me strumming and playing still. I needed a pedalboard based solution so I could "grab and go" around the house as needed to play. The HX Stomp was now needed and it is AMAZING!!!

Line 6 has come a long way since Yamaha bought them. When they originally came out I was always underwhelmed with their products. I am sold on the Helix line now though. Unreal tones and flexibility. Works perfectly with my existing pedals and amps and effects on the Stomp sound like what they are replicating.

I don"t miss my amp or OX and have now converted to this. You will too.

best pedal

I wasn't ready to abandon my pedal board and go all in with the full size Helix. I wanted the HX Stomp so that I could downsize my pedal board and occasionally go direct to house. While I tend to favor traditional stomp boxes and tube amps, I've also used many types of hardware and software modelers in the past for recording (POD, AmpliTube etc).

The effects sound fantastic, all the legacy line 6 stuff is there. The amp models and cabs are really impressive. This box has all the effects and amps you need to pull off almost any type of music. Ability to load your own IRs is great to have. Absolutely no compromises on tone! Perfect to supplement / replace pedals on your main board and also great for going without an amp.

I originally bought this as a replacement for the ambient fx on my pedalboard to save space and to have more fx options. It did that amazingly well, until I tried out the drives and amp models and now I've ditched my entire board and use this thing exclusively!
I will say, being limited to 5 switches (using the additional external footswitch option) and 6 fx blocks has made me find clever ways to get the most out of each preset, however it is totally doable. The neat thing about the switches is that you can program them to do anything to any of the fx in the preset you're using. I use one switch to toggle between compressor on/off, amp gain low/high, amp eq change, noise gate on/off, and that's all with one switch tap. Also, the editing interface is very easy to use, with a little practice.
Line 6 customer support is the best out there(2nd to Sweetwater haha) and they have so many resources to make figuring out this pedal a breeze even if you're not very technically inclined.
Also, this thing really is small. It fits in the pocket of my guitar case, so I literally carry my whole rig with me in one hand. I love it.

It's a gateway drug.....led me right to the Helix. Seriously..it's an awesome introduction to the Line Six family....I just realized I needed more I/O and EFX loops...and blocks...and paths....and buttons....

After living with this pedal for a week now, I'm so glad I bought this over the full Helix. I need my pedalboard to do it all as I play in a variety of different places, genres, etc… and this pedal is the ultimate solution. If you already have a basic pedalboard/amp setup and you're willing to work around some potential drawbacks to this pedal, the Stomp can be so much better than the full Helix. I'll start with the drawbacks and then explain why they are worth it in the end.

Here are the potential drawbacks over the Helix
-There are only 3 buttons. This can make it hard to use it for a variety of reasons as there are only 3 options available
-There are a maximum of 6 blocks of DSP (less depending on the blocks you're using). This can be quite limiting
-If you want to use the effects loop, it also counts as one of your 6 blocks
-I'm not super blown away by really any of the distortion/fuzz pedals
-Having to switch through modes (stomp, preset, snapshot) to work around the limitations of 3 foot switches can be a challenge
-You miss out on the ability to control everything on your board with one click of a button

These are the workarounds that I use
-Get or make an external two button footswitch. Then you have 5 buttons at your disposal
-Use your existing pedals to free up DSP space. I already have a compressor, fuzz, 2 distortion pedals, a POG and a delay. I use the Stomp to run amps and wet effects that would be insanely expensive otherwise
-I avoid using the effects loop by primarily just using it for amps, IR's and wet effects at the back end of my chain
-I set up one of my external tap switches (via TRS cable by the way) to bank up through the different modes. This allows me to quickly switch between snapshots and then click on other pedals through stomp mode without having to bend over and page through menus
-In all honesty, I have been tap dancing with pedals for years. The fact that I can't one click my way to every preset I want is not an inhibiting factor.

Now the advantages over full Helix
-My pedalboard looks like a pedalboard with the Stomp. The Helix floor is attractive, but so not punk rock looking (sorry, but it's true)
-Depending on the venue I'm playing at I have way more options than the full Helix. Here are the potential rigs I can run now: a simple grab and go rig with just the Stomp that I can toss in my bag, an awesome acoustic preamp rig, if I leave the Stomp on my board I can run a killer sounding ampless rig with a bunch of cool effects, and if I want to have all the bells and whistles I can use my full board with Stomp and my amp and have a ton of effects at my disposal. It's a world of possibilities and setups!
-My distortion pedals sound way better than the Helix ones, so my rig sounds way better than if I had full Helix
-I can tie in my current delay pedal that has an external tap jack to the Stomp via the external tap switch, which allows it to sync up with the Stomp's tap. This frees up even more DSP space!
-I already love my current gear, and this just makes all of it way better. If I got full Helix, my current gear would get dusty in a corner
-My tone still feels like my tone as I'm using all of my previous gear.

This thing is just the best. I'm so pleased with it. If you're willing to put in a little more effort and creativity and already have a setup you like, this thing will put nearly unlimited options at your disposal.

When I first saw this I should have paid closer attention but I was remembering how bad the original Line 6 modelers were. A lot has changed since then and this thing is excellent. It's not just the sound, but how quickly I was able to get up and running, the build quality, size, and versatility of both virtual and hard signal paths. It's also really easy to tweak parameters like delays in real time. This replaced an IK Stomp IO and the difference is night and day.

The only thing I wish this had was an iOS app for extending real-time control, but I'm looking at how to use MIDI over USB to the iPad, and it seems that will provide what I'm looking for. My only regret with this purchase is that I didn't get it sooner.

I was looking into this particular unit because I needed something that could:

- Supplement my existing pedalboard with effects that I don't regularly use, but might need
- Act as a direct interface to record guitar to my PC
- Act as a direct-to-PA backup option in a live setting where my amp is unusable/unavailable
- Be a better sounding headphone option when playing at night when the rest of the family is asleep
and
- Possibly replace the delay pedal (and possibly the reverb pedal) on my board

So far, the HX Stomp has successfully fulfilled ALL of these needs. I've been VERY happy with this purchase. Build quality appears to be excellent and feels very heavy duty. Sound quality of the Amp Models, Cabinets, and Delays are just INCREDIBLE, and the drive and modulation pedals are very good too. I have not delved deep enough into tweaking the reverbs to determine whether or not it will kick my TC Hall of Fame off my board but so far, it seems like a very real possibility!

-Also, as a side note, I have successfully used my Dunlop Volume(X) pedal as an expression pedal for this unit. All I had to do was press the internal polarity switch inside the Volume(X) and then go into the HX Stomp's Global Settings>Preferences> and change the EXP TIP and RING settings to INVERTED.

I was skeptical of this little box, I'm a bass player and wanted to slim down all the pedals, I do own an Eventide H9 and that is a keeper, and it works well with HX stomp, I won't go into detail, plenty of people have done that, but I will say, it is an impressive box

This Thing Is Great. Warning. There Is A Learning Curve To Program This !

This pedal is just off the charts crazy in a good way,has all the bells and whistles as in midi,headphone jack, usb and some,and the plus is you have a helix in a small format.I use this in my studio and on live shows it just a great small package with big sounds.this is an awesome pedal!!!!!!

I bought it first as an FX and redundant system to my Kemper but right now it's on the same board (of analog pedals) with FX going to the Kemper and main out to the FOH. So I'm getting two totally different sounds from my current setup.
Sounds great and happy with all the options. And a big thanks to Joe on helping me get the unit.

This little jewel has all I need and lots more. Programming is a snap, but there is SO much there to experiment with. I'm running the simplest of set-ups and I love it, tone is awesome.

I'm giving a 5 star review not because every sound or setting sounds amazing, but it's how versatile and flexible the unit is. There are so many ways to use this unit. If you are looking for a digital solution to your sound and ability to have a direct to PA or recording, this is a great addition to your pedalboard. You won't regret it, do it! Make sure you read instructions and watch Youtube videos. Overall it take minutes to dial in a great patch! If you've owned or currently own the Helix floor unit, it's much simpler overall, but sometimes less is more. It's a great unit, great value!

This lil piece of gear is amazing...
The amps and cabs are so convenient because you never know what kind of Amps you'll be playing through and it saves so much time. It has also allowed me to remove 4 pedals that I've used religiously

Pound for pound a great option for those looking for value but pro quality sound in smallest size possible

Backstory: Blew a transformer on my carvin V3 and needed something FAST (10 days) to replace it while I waited to find another V3. I was already kindof turned on to the Stomp since I practice and rehearse with a Firehawk, and I like the tones (I use a simple soldano model program to practice in headphones), so I got on Sweetwater post-haste and ordered one up so I could program something acceptable up. As with all non-amp modeling stuff, I was really a little worried whether it would be a solid solution. Reading up already, I had figured out that I could easily stick it on my existing pedalboard with my Randall 4 button midi pedal in exactly the place my head and cabinet would go, which means a.) I didn't need a whole big Helix, and one would be a waste of my $$$, and B.) When I found another Carvin V3 at a decent price, I would be left with a a great, lightweight fly rig and a backup that I can literally stick in a guitar case...
(I also ordered a green 24" gator pedal board so I could make more room for the stomp on my board, and reeeeaally short midi cable to run from my footswitch to the midi-in on the Stomp, also from the awesomeness of SW.
However, I have a few friends/colleagues with Helix's and I was not exactly amazed by their tones, so again... concerned.

long story short. I am a couple months and several solid gigs in with it, and here is what I have learned:
1.) It sounds fantastic. The modeling is really, actually fat and about impossible to distinguish from a tube amp unless you notice I'm not using an amp onstage. I have been able to just about exactly duplicate my Carvin v3 tone using the Soldano amp model, clean, rhythm, lead.
2.) the Midi footswitch gives me 4 buttons which I use like my amp Lead, Rhythm, clean, boosted clean, and I can use a stomp or 2 from the models on the Helix (like a pitch shifter for my lead channel on demand). It is a little bit of a bummer that it doesn't let you EDIT the midi PC message of the user presets to make them recallable (my switch uses midi PC 0-3, so I HAVE edit and save programs 1-4 for midi PC program changes because I cant tell the Stomp to use different PCs... Small issue though, since the factory presets are holy-cow lame.
3.) It plays fantastically well with analog pedals. I have retained all my analag out front pedals (wah, phase, flange, a delay for repeat effects like Cathedrals, and a tube screamer). If you have your clean channel set right at that point of some pre/post distortion with a bit of picking, a TUBE screamer gives you the biggest, fattest 38 special style lead tone. It plays SO well with them, that I have skipped using an analog delay model to wet my leads and put my Carbon Copy in the FX loop, since it sounds so awesome (MXR CC rules).

4.) It sounds best direct into the house and coming out your monitors. I bring a Mackie SRM 450 to gigs to put behind me to emulate an amp and then run a through-cable to the house, so I get it in my monitors, as well. It sounds...just like my amp. Big, fat, and beautiful. Id post a pic of my board with the Stomp, but they wont let me. If you wanna hear my rig live, check out my youtube channel (my name). There is one fan video of me p[laying Hysteria with the STOMP so far.

I bought this at my local music store and had heard a lot of hype and gripe, but dont let the 6 module limit stop you from trying this out. While I ultimately found the initial "Block Accounting" a pain (limit of 6 effects blocks per preset) I ultimately bought this to be the heart of my Guitar/GT Synth rig. I wanted a powerful processor in a tiny footprint with full on midi control. It was not disappointing. This pedal, chock full of my custom and downloaded presets (with 1 or two factory) works seamlessly with my Morningstar MC6 Midi switch pedal, I stomp the mc6, the HX pulls up a preset with 3 snapshots (Cleaner, Dirtier, Lead Boost) and my Fishman FC1 Midi Guitar Pedal, chooses the correct patch, on the Roland SD-50 Studio Canvas Midi Sound Module.

There are abundant youtube channels that can show you how to navigate the device & build presets, however, it is surprisingly intuitive if you are not used to something different. If you are switching from some other Line6 Helix device, the transition should be easier, If you are like me and have been using some other device for a while it takes a bit of getting used to but overall I appreciate the ability to control the pedal with minimal buttons and knobs, the display is awesome for my blurry old eyes, the color coded/led lit switches, help to find the device and communicate well the on/off state of a switch.
I was impressed to find Impulse Response technology built in! (Costs a block)
I was happy to see that every patch gets a free input gate that does not cost a block.
I was also happy to see that you could save a block by using an Amp/Cab bundle while still being able to select them independently at the cost of 1 block each

The biggest downfalls for me (Im now nitpicking and these are minor for me):
The PS is a ridiculous shape and size
The touch sensitve switch function is a bit of a pain when you run the device by hand as it sometimes conflicts with what you are trying to accomplish
6 block limit - Incorporating my guitar synth (EFX RTN BLOCK), costs 1 of 6 blocks

Biggest headsup from personal experience:
1.be sure to review each and every input output, line level/Instrument level setting, if you miss one, it can make the whole pedal sound awful.
2. There are some idiosyncrasies with the software editor, that under certain conditions you can potentially loose some of the settings in your preset, but this may be resolved in the future via updates to the software. Google it.

Bottom line for me, money well spent, and a happy guitar player using this great little buddy from Line 6.

I"ve never been a fan of Line 6 consumer products. They all seemed very digital - especially in the area of distortions and modulation effects. From the first Pod to the Spider Amp series, there always seems something was missing. Just my personal preference.

Their studio based products, I was completely blown away by. Sound quality of their rack units, plugins, etc are pretty amazing.

I"ve seen very positive reviews on their Helix products and now I understand. This small form factor multiFX unit surpised the heck out of me. When I practice, I was using my DAW with Schuffman plugins to emulate amps, speakers, mics, IRs, etc. The plugin got me through using my guitar directly plugged into my sound interface.

First thing I do is plug the Stomp in, connect to my DAW, hook it up to HX Edit and start using their stock amps and IRs. Absolutely amazing tones. Whether it was rolling off the volume on my guitar to clean up an crunchy overdriven tone, or cranking it up and feeding my pedal board into it to overdrive the signal, it sounded very authentic. Really blew me away.

Then I started to explore the presets. Their clean tones with a Strat was amazingly real sounding, like I had my Blackface tube amp plugged in. It was a very surreal experience.

This product brings in the best of all worlds. Line 6 Studio quality effects and IRs in a consumer form factor that has great quality sounds, and really easy to use. Surprisingly good!

So I bought the stomp when it was released to give helix a try without spending over 1000 bucks. I bought it and figured I'd go through the return of an amp. A day after I ordered the stomp I ordered the headrush frfr. So the stomp came a couple days before the frfr. I hated the gain sounds I was getting through the return of the amp. Some clean sounds were good but I wasn't happy. The frfr made all the difference and now I get it. Sounds amazing. Now I'm thinking of buying another headrush frfr for stereo. I'll probably sell the stomp eventually for the big helix. If your underwhelmed with using it through an amp… the frfr it's totally worth it.

This unit is amazing. I got it to be a kind of jack of all trades box to help me in a few different situations. I didn't expect it to be a master of ALL. The main thing I wanted was an easy to use multi-effects that fit on my pedalboard. This certainly fits the bill and it sounds AMAZING. The second thing is I wanted something that could be used as a D.I. for a backup or for the occasional tiny gig where it's just not practical to take an amp. While I won't blaspheme and say this sounds exactly like my tube amp, I can say that nobody in the audience will ever know if I'm using this or the amp... The third thing I wanted was a preamp that I could run straight in to the FX return of my amp and give me a different tone if needed. This application is where this box really shines. I use either a Triple Crown for bigger gigs or a little Fender Hot Rod for smaller venues. I have this set up in one of the loops of my switcher and with the push of a button I can make my little Fender sound like a Mesa stack or make my Mesa sounds like a tiny tweed. I play covers and this really makes it easy to just dial in the sound of the song and play. Overall, I'm really happy with the sound of this unit. I can't say much for the onboard control as I'm using it in a loop switcher and controlling everything via MIDI, but I can say the MIDI implementation is fantastic. You can control any parameter via MIDI as well as change patches, turn individual blocks on and off, and change snapshots. This is a great addition to my pedalboard!

I have a Helix LT and bought this for its portability and to use on my audio production desk for recording and the sounds are identical. The HX Stomp is built like a tank and allows up to six blocks to be used, which should be enough in most cases but I can switch to the LT if I need nore.

For those not familiar with Line 6 Helix products, a block is a virtual slot and can be an amp, cabinet, effect, or pedal. Using two blocks for an amp and a cabinet allows for four effects or using the combined amp & cabinets that are available for use in a single block allows for five effects. If running the Helix HX Stomp into an amp, all six blocks can be used for effects. The HX Stomp can also be used for bass or keyboards and there are presets and menu items for each. The unit allows for 126 presets, with 24 blank at purchase although all can be overwritten and backed up on a computer using the Helix Editor. The Mission Helix foot pedal is available separately. This is a good purchase.

Juat … WOW!

This pedal has so many uses that it truly is a great value. I use mine in the effects loop of an amp for live gigs just to handle reverbs and delays. Then I have amp simulation patches that I use for playing direct at a church. I've also recorded with it direct into the computer and achieved great tones. All of these are very different applications but it does it all. The only downside for me is that I'm still not comfortable programming it with the onboard buttons and I tend to use the HX Edit app on my computer to make all of the changes. The unit itself has a bit of a learning curve, but its not terrible.

I think for what you get, the price may be a tick high, but after three other lower priced modelers, I'm very glad I found this little tone grinder. I just anted good tone. I pretty much have 2 maybe 3 sounds I use for recording. They get adjusted here and there but that is why I use went with the Stomp instead of the XL or LT. I use four blocks most of the time and it's crisp and very responsive to adjustments more like the dynamics of a real amp. Not exactly, but darn close. I play heavy music so I've searched for something that didn't get all flabby on the low end while still using plenty of gain. Well, you gotta tinker, but I am officially content at the moment. We'll see how this thing fares over the next few minths

I'm an endless tinkerer. I love being able to have lots of options to sculpt different sounds. I bought the hx stomp to facilitate this. This unit is fantastic! I could menu dive for years and still have sounds left to discover. I use this over my tube amps more and more these days as it sounds as good for the types of sounds I like but with loads more tweakability.

Pros:
- lots of options and controls
- Excellent UI for gigging (for example, being able to change settings on your amp on the fly - a problem I have with single channel vox and fender amps), the ability to use snapshots is a game changer.
- easy to use
- sounds as good as tube amps (for my purposes - e.g. singing leads, high gain, chimey vox type cleans, funky compressed stuff)
- Line 6's delays and reverbs are incredible.
- the option of using headphones (in stereo!!) to play at any time
- it simulates an amp under a microphone (I personally really like this)
Cons:
- stock presets suck
- lower processing power (the full helix would probably solve this problem)
- if you are into that super expressive, dynamic, mid gain sound that is very touch sensitive, this isn't the unit for you.
- if you don't like menu diving and want to just plug and play a simple rig, this unit isn't for you.
- it simulates an amp under a microphone - if you like the amp in front of you this might not be it (haven't tried it with a power amp and cab so I can't comment on how the "amp in a room" works out with this unit)

I think the biggest selling point to this unit is the absolute value you get. Line6 updated the total number of assignable FX blocks up to 8 per preset, which is pretty fantastic. Combine that with the fact that you are spoiled for choice when it comes to the various options to choose from, including being able to use 3rd party Impulse Responses - it is quite amazing. Additionally, Line6 is continually adding new FX and updates to the firmware of the units. That makes for a really compelling purchase.

I am newer to pedalboard rigs, typically running through plugins through my DAW. However, this past year I have been playing live at my church, and that is where this really shines. It is a reasonable size and being able to run compression, chorus, drive, amps + cab IRs, EQ, delay and reverb in this ONE unit is really amazing.

The software, HX Edit, is fantastic. Even the built-in menu system on the HX Stomp itself is pretty good, all-in-all. Now, I can see this unit being a bit of "analysis-paralysis" for individuals who are looking for the simplicity of a typical "what you see is what you get" amplifier or FX unit. You really can get lost in tweaking settings, rather than playing guitar. If you are a "tone chaser", this might be a blessing or a curse.

Compared to the cost of something like the Iridium, you just get so much more value. You get amp modelling and so much more. Essentially this unit will run you around 3-4 boutique pedals - which is absolutely incredible.

What are some of the drawbacks? Well, I like to use the snapshot feature, but unfortunately you are limited to the number of snapshots by the number of default switches on the HX Stomp (3). If you have a song with multiple parts where you want to be able to adjust multiple parameters, you are going to have that limitation. This also means you are limited to the number of Stompbox mode switch assignments as well, so you will have to choose carefully what you want to be able to turn off and on. While this isn't really a big surprise for those running a typical pedalboard arrangement, it is something to consider if you are running multiple FX on the unit.

If you have an existing pedalboard, and are not looking to replace much but rather supplement with it by providing amp modelling and some FX - I think this is the perfect option. If you are a relative guitar novice, and want something that gives you a little bit of everything to try, this is also a great choice. If you are looking for a complete all-in-one solution and need more routing options; or multiple amp configurations in stereo with nearly every effect imaginable, I would suggest to splash a bit more cash and get the Helix LT / Helix.

That being said, the HX Stomp is a capable little powerhouse that punches well above its asking price, so long as you are willing to work with the user interface to tweak things to your liking.

I bought my HX Stomp almost a month ago and there is no way to fully describe how much I love this thing. I bought it as an amp solution. I am coming from a Fender Mustang v1 and I needed versatility as far as amp choices go, which is why I didn't buy a real tube amp. When I initially started using it, I was blown away by the tones that I got with little to no tweaking. However, to get an authentic tube amp sound, you have to mess around with it for a while to get rid of the digital undertones that can creep into your sound (which is why I gave it a 4.5 and not a 5). The built-in effects are awesome, better than any plug-in I've ever used and it is definitely as good as most real pedals. For real, this thing cannot be beaten for the price. If you used it on its own, you can have an amp and cab and then 6 effects.....FOR ONLY $!!! That is absolutely insane. If you need an amp solution or a multi-effects unit, this really is the only way to go.

I bought this as light weight direct to PA alternative to my Kemper and CLA FRFR cabinet. I didn't really think it could be that great doing direct into my PA but I was willing to put in some time. Bought some presets and IRs from Michael Britt which I also use on my Kemper and my Amplifire....also bought a few different IRs that I am still experimenting with. I have replaced all my sounds for all my songs and I have to tell you it sounds pretty awesome. My only reason for not giving a full 5 stars is you run out of DSP now before you run out of blocks. By this I mean you have 8 blocks to use for all your amps cabs IRs effects etc....but you run out of processing power if you use things that use a lot of DSP. Comes with the small territory. If you want it all you have to get the full blown Helix. I use all wireless Bluetooth midi control with this as well so only having three switches doesn't have any bearing on how this is used. Good luck my friends.

This is a massive package for the price. I call this an amp on the go. This saved my back I went to the helix lt for awhile so I had it all but I missed playing with pedals so I sold it and went back to this best decision I made this is a killer pedal easy to use and plug and play.

after reading rob mullarkey's positive comments about the HX stomp on social media, i pulled the trigger on the HX stomp, and boy am i happy i did.

the three-button multieffects package is very much the spiritual successor to yamaha's groundbreaking magicstomp (yamaha owns line 6) - a beefy swiss army knife of signal processing. like the old magicstomp, the HX stomp draws a lot of power, but it's completely justified: it does everything it does very well, and it does a *lot* - a gazillion effects are only the beginning; add in amp+cabinet+mic models, flexible signal routing, a very well-designed intuitive interface, lots of expandability, a bomb-proof metal housing, and the fact that it can actually replace your entire rig, and it more than justifies its place in your signal chain. most of all, for me, it makes playing easy and fun again; it lets you do what you want easily and quickly and doesn't get in your way. i gave it 4.5 stars because, as great as it is, it does have one weakness: it does suck tone when engaged, even with no processing at all. but with any amp models (or even just a well-designed effects chain) in the signal chain, this is negated, so it's a trivial point, at least for my use case.

bottom line: sounds great, fits in your gig bag, makes you love playing again. highly recommended!

The HX Stomp met expectations. I was looking for a head phone rehearsal and low volume gig solution. I love the sound of high quality PTP wired tube amps but they can be a problem for low volume gigs. The HX Stomp is a good fit for me.

The HX Stomp is probably the best pedal I've purchased in a long time. Every year I seem to go through a different phase... little pedalboard, big pedalboard, true bypass, midi control, multi-effects, etc. The result is I've gone through a lot of pedals.

I currently have the HX Stomp on my pedalboard at the end of the signal chain. I really liked my pedalboard prior to ordering the HX Stomp but wanted the capability
1. Go direct to computer or soundboard
2. Operate in stereo without taking 2 amps
3. Function as a multi-effect when I used amps
4. Practice with my "live" sound without waking up the neighborhood

The HX Stomp is a perfect solution for all of these tasks. I haven't been a fan of many of the large multi-effects boxes I've tried so I was hesitant to spend the money for the HX Stomp but took the plunge due to its flexibility and size. There are many youtube videos and reviews of the Helix and HX Stomp so I'll get to my experience.

• I'll start with my biggest disappointment with this pedal...DSP limitations. When I purchased the pedal I thought the 6 blocks would be the only limit. I quickly noticed that not all pedals were available to be selected for the 6th block. After searching online I learned that each amp, effect, cab, etc. use various amounts of DSP so the pedal is capable of running up to 6 blocks (DSP permitting). Once you run out of DSP, any amp/effect that exceeds the DSP limit is no longer an option (grayed out). Not a deal breaker but it was disappointing and comes into play when running stereo amps and effects.

• The Editor is well organized and easy to use. The pedal display and controls are surprisingly easy to use considering how much this pedal can do.

• The possibilities with this pedal are endless. It can be overwhelming at first so I'm glad I purchased some IRs and Patches online to get me started which made the first few weeks more about playing and less about messing with menus and settings. It also helped me to see how experienced Helix users set up their patches which helps when trying to work around the 6 blocks and DSP limitation (ie. assigning a switch to change the amp gain or the level output instead of using a block for an OD/Distortion Pedal as a dirty or clean boost).

• Having only 3 buttons is a major limitation but a small footprint comes at a price. You can easily add external switches, expression pedals, or a Midi controller to add functionality. I'm currently looking at the Morningstar MC6 to allow for better control during Live Performances.

• The power supply isn't pedalboard friendly. I purchased a Truetone ACY-US to take the guesswork out of which cables/adapters do I need or does my power supply have enough juice. Also, I believe Goodwood Audio is planning on selling a Y power cable in the near future so that it only takes 1 cable instead of multiple (reverse polarity cable, doubler, L6 adapter) to power the Stomp with some of the more popular pedalboard power supplies.

Overall, I'm happy with my purchase. I don't love every effect or amp but there are plenty of good sounds in this box to make sense for a lot of different venues and users.... and given the size and price, you don't have to go all-in like with the Helix, AmpFX, or Kemper.

I've had a Line 6 Helix since it was first released. After leaving a band I was in for 20 years I decided it was time to downsize my rig(s). I saw the HX Stomp as a way to do quite a bit of what I liked about the Helix in a much smaller package. This HX Stomp and associated Mission expression pedal fits in my gig briefcase! As it turns out, with a few modifications, I have all the patches I need with this compact pedal. I use IR's, but for a few more intensive patches I decided the best route was to use the amp+cab to free up a block.

Sure, it does require getting used to only having three buttons in front of you, but I've managed to make that work and in some ways it has caused me to minimize my "stomping". BTW - I still am a big fan of the CARTOGRAPHER model. I could spend all my time with this, but I do have a few others I like.

I'm glad Line 6 came out with this at the same time I was looking for having a smaller rig.

Could get more user friendly , but after spending a few days
Now I can navigate easily .
Easy to carry and use
Small enough to fit any where and in between.

First off, there's a lot more flexibility than I expected in the amp settings (sag, bias, ripple, hum, low pass, etc) and the effects sound really, really good. I am kind of blown away. But it is frustrating that you only get 6 processing blocks, and they get eaten up very quickly. So far my patches are: Preamp > Compressor > Delay > Modulation > FX Loop (neunaber wet) > Cab. This doesn't leave me any room for playing with the distortions they have in the box, or other goodies. I wish that the FX loop didn't eat up a block, and I also am now considering getting a compressor pedal (even though I just sold an EQD Warden).

​One pleasant surprise, the Magic City Delay has a tap out jack that I've never used before. I plugged it into the back of the HX Stomp and voila! Now I can do whatever I like with the three buttons on the HX Stomp. But I'm not sure what to do with the buttons - Everything in my HX stomp chain is always-on except for the delay & modulation. I'm using the 3rd button for the FX loop but it feels silly - there's only one pedal in my FX loop.

I've also experimented with putting my reverb into the inputs and not using the FX loop. But when I do that, I lose my stereo path because the amp block at the beginning of my Line6 chain is mono. I think if I wanted it to be stereo, I'd have to create a second one, which uses a 2nd block anyway.

On the other hand, you get what you pay for, and this is well worth the money. I'm docking a star because of my FX chain woes, the awkward power adapter (I just wish it could rotate), and the fact that the software isn't out yet (my fault for being an early adopter)

I replaced my very old Line 6 POD with the HX Stomp to get better guitar modeling tones. I had heard the new firmware (3.5) had way better presets. This sounded great to me because I tend to just use these and not tweek settings much. The Stomp came out of the box with presets but they were unidentified ("New Preset #...). After much digging I found others had this issue and it just required a factory reset. Unfortunately, only the old presets downloaded. I tried a million (exaggeration) ways to download the new presets. Finally, I could download them into my DAW and then transfer them to my Stomp. Absolutely no YouTube videos describing that! Anyway, it shouldn't be that hard or mysterious. Now - I'm loving the tones. This thing is a little bit limited with only 6 spots for amps and pedals compared to the full Helix but it is plenty flexible for me. Overall, I am now a happy camper!

I reached a point in my guitar journey as a home/hobby player where I needed "something".....my foot stomping and facial changes signaled my search has came for "MY" sound. I'm a dumb-***, so I needed some help. I called Sweetwater and talked to my rep, Brian Hughes. I told him I was foundering and needed more means to find myself on the guitar. As always, Brian came through suggesting the MX Stomper. Brian has never failed to miss the mark in past inquiries/best choices for me. So, I bought one. The long and short of it; AWESOME! I set it up with my Trio Band Creator and thought I'd give it whirl before I went to bed. Well, I am very tired; and as John Lennon once yelled "I've got blisters on my fingers!"

Extremely versatile. Amps sound pretty good and community help is awesome.

It takes a good amount of time to figure this bad boy out, but when you do, it's pretty phenomenal. The presets aren't the best sounding, but you can easily go in and tweak them to your heart's desire. I mean, it's essentially 300 pedals in one. How can you beat that?

This is a pretty fun toy once you figure out how to navigate, which takes like a half hour at best if you're familiar with a signal chain or are used to programs like bias or amplitube. The sounds are pretty usable for studio use. Presets are good starting point to work from when trying to find the sound your after. Haven't tried to connect to computer to use that side of it but I've seen the demos and it looks cool .

Love this all in one amp/cab and FX guitar pedal! Sounds great, easy to program and works for even bass and keyboard players.
Tons of great sounding amp/cab models and tons of FX. My only complaint really is limit of six blocks compared to the larger limit of its big brother the Helix. Still it works great for a light compact fly rig or home practice.

I do recommend using the free HX Edit software to create your presets. It will let you build them faster and less pain. I hate using the editor on the HX Stomp to setup my presets. All in one great device. I recommend the Mission Control pedal for use as wah/volume pedal it works fantastic out of the box with the HX Stomp.

Had a Line 6 Helix which is great but it was heavy and too big for travel. Bought this to use in an 80s cover band. So far amazing.
Love the ease to update firmware and definitely get the HX Edit software for creating and editing presets. This replaced my heavy pedalboard and amps/cabs. Now I just hook into FOH club band PA system and ready to roll. I looked at Kemper but was twice as expensive and not easy to use and lack of color screen. Fractal FM3 is not out yet. Great piece of kit for any guitarist who plays covers.

So I am an old school musician and I have been using tube amps and analog pedals for the last 20 years, gigging and recording. I had been hearing great things about the helix products and what they were capable of. I was apprehensive about spending the money for the Floor or for the LT, but once I saw the stomp I said "this is worth the risk" After taking the time and dialing in sounds and patches I am floored by what this little pedal sounds like. I will be replacing my rig with this unit and an FRFR speaker in the coming future as I get more comfortable with it. I gave 4 stars rather than 5 not because of the product itself but because of the lack of instructions, it comes with a quick start guide but no manual, the line 6 website is extremely bulky and hard to navigate. You can DL the manual and print it, but i think thats a little ridculous... include the manual. That being said there are a ton of online resource to help navigate the stomp, the helix facebook page is a great community and if I didn't have them I probably would have returned this item, because they made it much easier to figure out the pedal. The only complaint I have about the Stomp is the power supply, it seems unnecessarily large, and the cable is fairly short. Most peoples complaints about the stomp are that it is not the LT or the Floor, but thats why its $... cheaper, its a great way to get the same sounds and ability in a more affordable way, if you are a simple set up musician this will be great for you, just take the time to learn how to program it.

I"ve been a Line 6 user since the very first POD. I"ve owned and used a lot of Line 6 instruments, amps and pedals over the years. I"m very pleased with the quality of the HX Stomp. It sounds great and with the assistance of the editor via USB/computer, very easy to control and use. I"m using the HX Stomp to round out my pedal board. When you add up all of amps, cabs, and FX that come with the HX Stomp, there is great value. It really seems like a steal at this price point. Bravo Line 6! And thank you, as always, to Mike Picotte for the great customer service.

I recently picked up an HX Stomp from my friends at Sweetwater. My plan was to replace one of the Helix Floor units that I'm currently using as a backup. Sound wise the Stomp is equal to its bigger brothers the Floor, Rack, and LT. Once you are comfortable with working with the limitations (less I/O options, limited to 6 effect blocks, 3 footswitches, etc) I think you'll be pleased. Sizing down the amount I'm carrying for backup purposes is a huge factor for me. I'll learn to live with feature limitations.

I wanted to replace the strymon iridium and get great effects. waisted 4 days trying to dial it in. it was a good inspiration to go all analoge ! The presets were great but when you try to customize them one change effects the others and it gets crazy.
Mini pedals and the Hotone Mojo attack solid state but natural. All my effects are at my finger tips no more digital nightmares.

Impossible to work with. To simply save a preset is a total nightmare. You would think that in 2022 it would be a simple process to save from one snapshot to the next. But one has to go thru step after step for each **** setting to save it, and that's IF it saves it, and that's a BIG IF.

Just hideous!

Why can't we just select a snapshot and make ALL the changes one wants and hit save??

This pedal turned out to be waaay more complex than I thought it would be and I just wasn't prepared to spend the kind of time required to master it so I returned it. I have lots of amps, pedals and mics so I figured I can get the sounds I need the old-school way. It would've been nice to have all those effects and models at my fingertips but not at the expense of my sanity. Don't let my experience dissuade you though--as you can see, most guys love it. However, here is what my experience was like:
The first thing I wanted to do was use the looper to build some tracks for practice and YT videos. Turns out the Stomp doesn't have an easily accessible looper. First you need to assign one of the footswitches to act as the looper start/stop footswitch. The online manual is 50 pages (only available online, they don't provide a hard-copy) and I spent well over an hour just trying to figure out how to assign the looper function to a footswitch with no success. So I searched YT and found a couple of videos that showed you how to do it. To say the process was complex would be an understatement and, in any case, why weren't the product instructions simple and clear enough to help me do something that should be quite simple? In the course of searching YT, I discovered a video where a British guy complains in detail about the issues he had using the looper (Search: "Line 6 HX Stomp Looper drives me INSANE!")---and he had figured out how to use it!! I concluded that if just getting a looper function enabled was that much of a headache that I would drive myself nuts trying to master the many other complexities of the unit. The Line 6 website has a 5 minute "getting started" video that zips thru the basic functions really fast and finishes by saying, "You'll be up and running in no time!" It's far from that simple---at least for me. YMMV.

I was given one of these by a friend who asked me if I wanted to try it.First,just let me say that compared to my Strymon pedals,this thing sounds very thin,weak and uninspiring.It is extremely difficult to navigate-50 page manual! I don't know how they can claim otherwise.The Boss ME-80 is easy to navigate.They crammed a lot into this unit,but it really doesn't do anything outstandingly well.For the price tag,I would expect a lot more.Playing it through my 2 Orange amps in stereo through the effects loop or in front of the amps,it didn't impress me.I spent hours trying to dial up sounds I can easily get in seconds from my other pedals and could never get there.To me,it's just a new version of a Digitech RP with a hefty price tag.The amp models can't compare to a real tube amp cranked.If this were priced around $200.00 it would be a decent buy for a beginner.I couldn't imagine ever trying to play a show with this.Good for practice,that's about it.

When I bought mine, I had heard that the USB port was weak, so I bought an extension so that I wouldnt have to keep using the port on the unit itself. It still failed regardless in less than 3 years with most of that time sitting in the same place. I took it to an authorized repairman and they want $300 to fix it, saying that the units power was bad as well, even though it worked perfectly fine when I dropped it off outside of not being able to connect to my computer.
The power cable is a huge PITA, so mine has been powered by a Cioks the entire time Ive owned it.
Also, dont expect much if youre a bassist. All requests basically get ignored in favor of guitar updates

Sucks a ton of tone from your signal. I had planned on using the four cable method to replace my entire pedal chain in a sleek compact unit. I was using the HX Stomp in conjuction with my Mesa Mark V:35 combo. Even with the buffered fx loop it reduced the brightness, clarity, and power of my signal to lifeless mush, which is a no-go with a tube driven amplifier.

It's a fun novelty as a headphones practice amp, and would probably serve well for anyone using a FRFR powered speaker or direct in to a PA, but not a good product for tube amp users.

Was amazing while it lasted. Excellent feature set and intuitive UI. Now I'm paying ~$30 return shipping and will be without the unit for an unspecified amount of time while it's repaired under warranty. Sweetwater allowed me to ship the HX Stomp back to Fort Wayne so I wouldn't have to deal with Line 6 directly.

This reminds me of the old green Line 6 DL4: Incredible device with horrendous reliability (I've personally owned three different DL4s). I was optimistic when Yamaha acquired Line 6 back in 2013. Hopefully my experience with the HX Stomp is just an outlier.

If you are a Guitarist that plays 70s or 80s music don"t recommend it.

this Line 6 it sounds to modern for me

Having owned a Helix Floor and HX Effects unit, I was unpleasantly surprised after I received the Stomp that Line 6 removed ALL of the typical Helix "Command Center" features from the HX Stomp. The Command Center empowers a Helix device to send customized MIDI commands at the tap of any of the foot switches. The Stomp has MIDI in and out ports, and touts "MIDI in/out for traditional MIDI switchers and advanced performance integration." Wrong!! And yet this shortcoming was not presented in any of the online or marketing info. I didn't find out until I directly compared the HX Effects and HX Stomp manual contents.

The amp sims and effects are great, and the size is amazingly compact. Still, I ended up sending it back because the MIDI support I had come to expect from Line 6 was an essential for me.

Disappointed.

After a week I have decided this is not for me. I am a big fan of the Helix and I was looking for something smaller that I didn't need to haul around. Thought this was it, but after playing with it for a week it is too small and not enough foot switches to use live. Sure I could add an expression pedal and external foot switch, but then I would need to break out my pedal board and I am back to something the size of the Helix and I need to worry about cables and power. Sounds great, but tough to similate a guitar rig. Also difficult to make work in the Studio with only 2 outputs. If you are a Helix user you may not like this. If you have never used the Helix and you are more of a pedal board guy this might be a good option.

Great pedal, terrible reliability. It died after about 26 months, never to be resurrected except after a repair. Same price as a new one. This pedal never left my studio, was on a UPS/surge protector at all times. Super disappointed by the reliability, even though it sounded great