Line 6 Helix Stadium Native

[Monkey Man]

Finally we have the plugin version of the Helix Stadium!

Helix Stadium Native

From the website:

Helix Stadium Native​

Plug Into the Power – Studio and Stage

The Helix® Stadium Native amp and effects plugin brings the supreme sound and immense tone-creation power of Helix Stadium hardware processors to your DAW with seamless integration between the two. It features the same guitar and bass amp, cab, and effects models—including many amps modeled using our highly acclaimed Agoura methodology—and also supports cab IR and Proxy clone loading. The player-friendly GUI lets you quickly and easily craft, edit, and navigate presets—and the default Hardware Compatibility mode ensures that presets created or edited within Helix Stadium Native are fully compatible with Helix Stadium hardware processors. But Helix Stadium Native isn’t just for guitarists and bassists. It also provides powerful tools for producers and engineers, sound designers, film/TV/game composers, electronic musicians, and anyone else seeking to craft new and inspiring sounds. A fully functional 15-day trial license of Helix Stadium Native is available, as is a more streamlined free Helix Stadium Native Intro license.

• New Agoura modeling methodology
• 132 Amplifier models with 152 amplifier channels
• 260+ Studio-quality effects models
• 60+ Speaker cabinet models
• Seamless integration with Helix Stadium hardware
• Cabinet IR and Proxy clone loading
• Hype control morphs between ultra-authentic and idealized amp sounds
• Focus View with contextual parameter control
• Per-preset info and clips
• Supports 6 sample rates from 44.1kHz to 192kHz
• AAX, AU, and VST3; macOS® and Windows®

... and the free, "Intro" version:

HELIX STADIUM NATIVE INTRO​

Plug In! For Free

The streamlined Helix Stadium Native Intro license lets you experience the sound and feel of Agoura amp modeling at no cost and with no time limit. It includes four guitar amps paired with matching cabs, an Ampeg® SVT® bass head and cab, and 16 studio-quality distortion, modulation, delay, reverb, and other effects. Cab IRs and Proxy clones can also be loaded. Plug into the world of Helix Stadium!

• 5 Amplifier models with 9 amplifier channels
• 5 Matching speaker cabinet models
• 16 Studio-quality effects models
• Cabinet IR and clone loading
• Supports 6 sample rates from 44.1kHz to 192kHz
• AAX, AU, and VST3; macOS and Windows

 

[Shask]

I have been playing with the free version the last few days. It is pretty cool. It has been years since I have tried Helix stuff.

 

[Monkey Man]

It has been years since I have tried Helix stuff.

... and it's been many years since I bought L6 stuff after patronising the company by buying practically everything from the original POD bean through to the HD500.

I struggled with the HD500 for years unfortunately, fighting abrasive, scratchy tones and a sore neck from hunching over the thing, hence my switch to Kemper, which I don't regret.

Gotta admit 'though that post-HD500 the L6 tones seem to have improved again AFAICT. The Stadium seems to deliver some sweet emulations but of course I was never gonna plunk down for one, having already got a Kemper.

This plugin looks tempting 'though, if for no other reason than convenience - so much variety in one plugin and it's not Guitar Rig.

 

[Jccobb2]

The free version is a nice move on there part that will probably bring some people into the ecosystem that wouldn’t otherwise.

That said the full thing is a hard sell when NAM, convolution reverb, and IR cab loaders / mixers are all completely free. Particularly to a hobbyist.

 

[Shask]

... and it's been many years since I bought L6 stuff after patronising the company by buying practically everything from the original POD bean through to the HD500.

I struggled with the HD500 for years unfortunately, fighting abrasive, scratchy tones and a sore neck from hunching over the thing, hence my switch to Kemper, which I don't regret.

Gotta admit 'though that post-HD500 the L6 tones seem to have improved again AFAICT. The Stadium seems to deliver some sweet emulations but of course I was never gonna plunk down for one, having already got a Kemper.

This plugin looks tempting 'though, if for no other reason than convenience - so much variety in one plugin and it's not Guitar Rig.

Similar story, lol. I had the Pod, Podxt, and HD500. That HD500 passed me off so bad I switched to Fractal and never looked back.

 

[Shask]

The free version is a nice move on there part that will probably bring some people into the ecosystem that wouldn’t otherwise.

That said the full thing is a hard sell when NAM, convolution reverb, and IR cab loaders / mixers are all completely free. Particularly to a hobbyist.

I still think NAM A2 and ToneX are the best for tone. I also think NDSP plugins and Fractal Pasadena have better dynamics. However, I do think the free Native is a lot of fun to play with, and I have dialed in some good tones. I will consider buying the full thing when there is a sale. I think $400 is too much. If nothing else, it would be a good effects suite.

 

[PurityS.L.G]

Not gonna lie, I’ve been digging on it and it sounds great but $399 is pretty damn steep for a plugin. I understand you get a lot of amps and all but still it’s a hard ask IMO

 

[Shask]

Not gonna lie, I’ve been digging on it and it sounds great but $399 is pretty damn steep for a plugin. I understand you get a lot of amps and all but still it’s a hard ask IMO

Yep, I will wait for a sale.

 

[Monkey Man]

Similar story, lol. I had the Pod, Podxt, and HD500. That HD500 passed me off so bad I switched to Fractal and never looked back.

As I said, I was wrestling scratchiness on that thing.

It was almost-impossible to get cream out of it, although after 2 years of diligent editing I did manage to make all the factory presets sound pretty-good. That said, by definition, when you're exploiting narrow ranges of parameters in order to extract said cream, you've pretty-much got nowhere to go from there so you'd better be happy with what you've got.

Was it a "can't get no cream" issue for you too?

 

[chumbucket]

Not gonna lie, I’ve been digging on it and it sounds great but $399 is pretty damn steep for a plugin. I understand you get a lot of amps and all but still it’s a hard ask IMO

You can save $200 by buying the old Helix native for $99 and then the Stadium version is a $99 upgrade.

 

[Shask]

You can save $200 by buying the old Helix native for $99 and then the Stadium version is a $99 upgrade.

I dont think you can buy the original Native any longer unless you have hardware units.

 

[Shask]

As I said, I was wrestling scratchiness on that thing.

It was almost-impossible to get cream out of it, although after 2 years of diligent editing I did manage to make all the factory presets sound pretty-good. That said, by definition, when you're exploiting narrow ranges of parameters in order to extract said cream, you've pretty-much got nowhere to go from there so you'd better be happy with what you've got.

Was it a "can't get no cream" issue for you too?

It has been several years back now, but I am pretty much a metal guy, so I think it was just thin and harsh. It was like playing a distortion pedal into the computer.

It was also the time that showed me I dont like giant floorpedals. I thought I would use all the switches, but it was mostly just in the way. Toe stubbing area.

 

[chumbucket]

I dont think you can buy the original Native any longer unless you have hardware units.

Yeah, it looks like you need to have Helix hardware or older software like PodFarm to be able to buy the original Helix Native.

 

[Monkey Man]

It has been several years back now, but I am pretty much a metal guy, so I think it was just thin and harsh. It was like playing a distortion pedal into the computer.

That's exactly it - the thin-and-harsh thing is what "prevented" me from extracting cream from it.

I can't remember how I finally managed to overcome this but if I had to guess I'd have to say it would've had something to do with EQ, cab and mic selection.

Still, one shouldn't have to fight a tool and by all accounts this is isn't the case with the Helix line(!). Having owned everything up until the Helix, including the Pro and bass versions, I'd say that for me the HD500 was the only "anomaly" in the series of models POD -> PODxt -> POD X3 -> HD500 -> Helix.

 

[nightlight]

That's cool news, thanks for bringing it to my attention, Nicky. $399 for a plugin is pretty steep for a plugin, I'd think, but if the tones are great, it'd make for a kickass laptop rig.

 

[rsm]

I purchased a new Helix Stadium XL and they still want me to pay $99 for it.

I will.

Eventually.

I still have the latest version of Helix Native installed but not the download file.

 

[rsm]

That's exactly it - the thin-and-harsh thing is what "prevented" me from extracting cream from it.

I can't remember how I finally managed to overcome this but if I had to guess I'd have to say it would've had something to do with EQ, cab and mic selection.

Still, one shouldn't have to fight a tool and by all accounts this is isn't the case with the Helix line(!). Having owned everything up until the Helix, including the Pro and bass versions, I'd say that for me the HD500 was the only "anomaly" in the series of models POD -> PODxt -> POD X3 -> HD500 -> Helix.

I've had better results with the Helix vs Fractal. Both can sound good IMO, Fractal takes a little more work for me vs Helix. Once you know a few basics with both it gets easier/faster.

The problem is there are so many videos and tutorials about how to do it, some good, some bad.

My approach works for me. I start with an amp, cab and mic placement. Get it to sound good to me. Always adjust the low/hi cut shelving and frequency then listen again to fine tune it. then I tweak the advanced parameters for feel if needed. Then build the rest of the patch from there.

I also don't have complex patches. In the Stadium I'm mono in front of the amp, I use a single amp and dual cabs then stereo effects after. Adjust the panning on the cab block, and the mix on stereo effects. Then I create snapshots usually clean, rhythm and lead.

 

[The~Kid]

Havent messed with these since a POD Bean XT......


They should remake Beans if they don't have them still but with Next Gen stuff *_*

 

[Chris O]

Didn’t read all the stuff - will this plug-in work as a “standalone”, so I don’t have to wind a DAW with it?

 

[PurityS.L.G]

Didn’t read all the stuff - will this plug-in work as a “standalone”, so I don’t have to wind a DAW with it?

Unfortunately no its a plugin only. It would be amazing if they added it as a standalone but something tells me they won't ever since they want you to buy the hardware to run it rather than the potential to run your laptop with it at a live show.