Line 6 HX Effects Processor

This unit is exactly what I've wanted for years; compact quality multi-effects with no amp modeling and the ability to place effects before or after my amp's preamp stage. This gizmo does everything but bring me a drink onstage.It's an interesting mix of really intuitive and really complicated-; very easy to choose and place effects but if you want to use some of the more powerful features (and you do) get ready to read manuals and watch videos. Fortunately there are tons of really informative videos online, this is a popular unit and for good reason. The free HX Edit software also takes a lot of the sting out of programming.I've only had it for a couple of weeks and haven't had a chance to use it live yet but all the effects I've played with sound fantastic to ... MoreThis unit is exactly what I've wanted for years; compact quality multi-effects with no amp modeling and the ability to place effects before or after my amp's preamp stage. This gizmo does everything but bring me a drink onstage.It's an interesting mix of really intuitive and really complicated-; very easy to choose and place effects but if you want to use some of the more powerful features (and you do) get ready to read manuals and watch videos. Fortunately there are tons of really informative videos online, this is a popular unit and for good reason. The free HX Edit software also takes a lot of the sting out of programming.I've only had it for a couple of weeks and haven't had a chance to use it live yet but all the effects I've played with sound fantastic to my ears; I've seen reviews complaining about excessive noise and "tone suck" using the 4 cable method but I haven't experienced any of this.I'm a weekend warrior musician with a day job and I can't justify spending thousands of dollars on all the pedals I'd like to have, plus I like to save as much real estate on stage as I can; the HX Effects serves all my needs very nicely.

I gave it five stars because I do feel it's the best all around multi-fx there is. I feel this way after buying one 18 months ago and returning it, only to spend the next 18 months chasing tone with both big name high $$ and boutique pedals and switchers, MIDI hell, and I even went through a couple of amps. The true value in the HX lies in its simplicity. Very easy to use and set up, and even easier with the HX Edit software. Some things to note if you are considering the HX. If you play live, learn all you can about Snapshots. They unlock the power for live use. If you are running it with the 4 cable method make sure you know what your FX send and return levels (line/Inst) are on your amp. You will have to do some adjusting within the HX to find the sweet spot that ... MoreI gave it five stars because I do feel it's the best all around multi-fx there is. I feel this way after buying one 18 months ago and returning it, only to spend the next 18 months chasing tone with both big name high $$ and boutique pedals and switchers, MIDI hell, and I even went through a couple of amps. The true value in the HX lies in its simplicity. Very easy to use and set up, and even easier with the HX Edit software. Some things to note if you are considering the HX. If you play live, learn all you can about Snapshots. They unlock the power for live use. If you are running it with the 4 cable method make sure you know what your FX send and return levels (line/Inst) are on your amp. You will have to do some adjusting within the HX to find the sweet spot that doesn't clip and still keeps the ouput of the amp consistent. Same if you use the loops for external pedals and drives. Don't use the stereo effects if your amp setup is mono, use the mono version of the effect. Also make sure the ins/outs on the HX are set accordingly. These were all things that tripped me up the first time around. So how does it sound? I personally find the HX sounds best with a dirty amp. The drives on their own still sound a little artificial to me and I didn't care for the sound into a clean amp. Put one of them in front of a near breakup or overdriven amp channel though and they work wonders. I also find the reverbs a bit dark and a little lifeless on their own, but you can stack verb types, add EQ and get close, CLOSE, to an RV-500-ish verb that is great for ambient or PW styles. The harmonizer could be better and to me is the least desirable effect. If you are into harmonizers stick with a TC Quintessence. The modulation and delay stomps are great as are the compressors. Does it sound as good as a 32" pedalboard filled with Strymon and Wampler pedals? No, of course not but almost all of the effects are quite usable, and some even shine. With the ability to easily re-route anything, 4 snapshots per preset, 9 effects per patch, and a zillion effects all for the price of 3 big name stomps you can't really go wrong. That's why I think this is still the best multi-fx on the market.

Fantastic! If you already have an amp you love, the HX Effects is a great companion. I upgraded from a Line 6 M9 to the HX Effects, and was able to get rid of some of my auxiliary pedals in the process. My pedalboard now consists of the HX Effects, an expression pedal, and the channel switch footpedal for my amp (Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36). I'm running it into the amp via the four cable method, and it sounds great. The vast majority of the effects sound very natural and analog-ish, even the drive effects. There's no amp/cabinet modeling, but Line 6 offers other options with amp modeling if that's where your interests lie.Most of the built-in scenes aren't particularly useful - they mostly serve to illustrate what the HX Effects is capable of. But it's easy ... MoreFantastic! If you already have an amp you love, the HX Effects is a great companion. I upgraded from a Line 6 M9 to the HX Effects, and was able to get rid of some of my auxiliary pedals in the process. My pedalboard now consists of the HX Effects, an expression pedal, and the channel switch footpedal for my amp (Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 36). I'm running it into the amp via the four cable method, and it sounds great. The vast majority of the effects sound very natural and analog-ish, even the drive effects. There's no amp/cabinet modeling, but Line 6 offers other options with amp modeling if that's where your interests lie.Most of the built-in scenes aren't particularly useful - they mostly serve to illustrate what the HX Effects is capable of. But it's easy to start from scratch and quickly get to some nice workable tones. Then you can tweak to your heart's content.The HX Edit software is very useful - while you can edit your patches on the device itself, being able to do so on your computer and have them updated on the device in real time is convenient.The only area that might be a bit lacking is the reverb patches. Most are carryovers from the M9 - which are fine - but if this is an area that's important to you, you'll probably want to stick with a separate reverb unit.Overall though, it's a whole lot of options in an attractive package that sounds great.

I was running 12 pedals plus the channel switcher for my amp. I started researching switching systems, when I came across the HX Effecct. I saw a couple videos & took a chance. I had experience w/ modelers & multi effects years ago, but they all sounded too digital. So far I'm extremely pleased with this unit. It's allowed me to go from a dozen pedals to 5 and do away with my amp's foot switch.The modulations, delays, reverbs, and filters are fantastic. The analog tremolo, chorus and flange models are pretty accurate. The BBD delay repeats distort like the real thing. It's fairly user friendly (more on that in a second) and with some tweaking there isn't much you can't do with this. That being said it isn't perfect either. Some of the distortions and ODs are very ... MoreI was running 12 pedals plus the channel switcher for my amp. I started researching switching systems, when I came across the HX Effecct. I saw a couple videos & took a chance. I had experience w/ modelers & multi effects years ago, but they all sounded too digital. So far I'm extremely pleased with this unit. It's allowed me to go from a dozen pedals to 5 and do away with my amp's foot switch.The modulations, delays, reverbs, and filters are fantastic. The analog tremolo, chorus and flange models are pretty accurate. The BBD delay repeats distort like the real thing. It's fairly user friendly (more on that in a second) and with some tweaking there isn't much you can't do with this. That being said it isn't perfect either. Some of the distortions and ODs are very similar and underwhelming (the OCD & King of Tone clones being notable exceptions). They don't react with your amp like a good analog pedal will. Also, the fuzzes leave a lot to be desired, they don't interact with the guitar volume/tone like a good pedal does, so I've added my analog dirt/fuzz boxes up front. As far as being user friendly, the unit itself is, but the instruction manual is pretty sparse. For example, it shows the cable routing for the 4 cable hookup, but neglects to tell you that you need to insert the loop in the signal, and where you should insert it. Also, a lot of the effect parameters could be confusing to someone that doesn't have experience using complicated effects. As big of an undertaking as it is, they really should have the manual scrapped and rewritten, and add an online resource on how to use certain effects; some of the synths come to mind. Petty complaints aside, I am extremely pleased with what I can get out of this thing. For the cost of 4 or 5 quality pedals, you get an entire pro level effects/switching system.

Amazing piece of kit

I'm a bedroom guitarist and this is perfect for my needs and more. It's very easy to use and the ui is very easy to pick up. I have it In 4cm and so far the only issue I had was not realising that if you don't put a fx loop block in the chain it will be very loud and your volume controls on the amp are bypassed. Once I'd worked that out and inserted the loop in the patch it was problem solved and everything works great. The tones are great too although don't be off put if they are overkill when you first setup. Tweaking is easy both on pedal and on hxedit although hxedit is much faster. Don't forget to save after editing your perfect patch 😀

Great alternative to Helix

I have a Helix that I've been using for a couple years now, but I don't think that the amp models feel "tubey" enough to my hands on the guitar (though they sound just fine, and my audiences say they love the sound of them), so to make myself happy, I had the Helix configured in 4 cable method, with some Helix effects, thru 2 Mesa preamps in one of the FX Loops, then stereo effects (delay, etc) then out to a Mesa 2:90 power amp and speakers.Realizing that I'm not using the amp models, I bought two HX Effects units, one for before the preamps and one for after, saved myself some weight, and gained 4 effects stomp buttons and one more expression pedal jack! (and, if HX Effects had been available when I bought the Helix early on, I could have saved hundreds of ... MoreI have a Helix that I've been using for a couple years now, but I don't think that the amp models feel "tubey" enough to my hands on the guitar (though they sound just fine, and my audiences say they love the sound of them), so to make myself happy, I had the Helix configured in 4 cable method, with some Helix effects, thru 2 Mesa preamps in one of the FX Loops, then stereo effects (delay, etc) then out to a Mesa 2:90 power amp and speakers.Realizing that I'm not using the amp models, I bought two HX Effects units, one for before the preamps and one for after, saved myself some weight, and gained 4 effects stomp buttons and one more expression pedal jack! (and, if HX Effects had been available when I bought the Helix early on, I could have saved hundreds of dollars to boot)One of my biggest peeves with the Helix was that you can put maybe 30 effects into your signal chain, but then you only have 8 stomp buttons (configurable to 10 if you don't need bank up/down) to access them without constantly switching presets or snapshots. with two HX effects, you get 12 buttons and 4 expression pedal jacks. AND the expression pedals don't need switches (heel position automatically switches them off) which is something I really love.I'm not aware of the Helix doing this, but I'll look into it.I use an outboard switchless Morley wah pedal (thru another FX loop) because I prefer switchless wah for what I do with it, then I have a couple expression pedals for Helix volume and pitch-shift (whammy pedal).Last weekend, I did a festival gig debuting the HX Effects pair vs the whole Helix, and my 10+ year old faithful Morley wah failed on me during soundcheck! Well, with a few easy button presses, I simply changed the whammy pedal into a Crybaby Wah and the gig was saved!Technically, I could have just as easily done the exact same thing with the Helix, but in either case, a life saver. Who brings a backup wah to a gig?Downside of the HX Effects vs Helix is # of slots

I keep going back to Line 6

Sound:Overall the effects in this box are excellent and sounds very good. The 3.x update added the Poly Capo and a few other goodies that are top notch and fun to play around with. I'm still not a huge fan of digital drives regardless of the manufacturer, but that's the beauty of this thing. It plays well with others.Features:I complain about the size but to make it smaller would lose the scribble strips. I tried using the HX Stomp as effects only and grabbed a Morningstar MC6 to control it, but maybe because I'm old I just didn't like it as much. The MC6 is great but as a focal point it's hard to see and I'd lose track of where I was lol. The other thing I wish Line6 would do in general is a native mobile app and maybe Bluetooth in the future. The BT on the ... MoreSound:Overall the effects in this box are excellent and sounds very good. The 3.x update added the Poly Capo and a few other goodies that are top notch and fun to play around with. I'm still not a huge fan of digital drives regardless of the manufacturer, but that's the beauty of this thing. It plays well with others.Features:I complain about the size but to make it smaller would lose the scribble strips. I tried using the HX Stomp as effects only and grabbed a Morningstar MC6 to control it, but maybe because I'm old I just didn't like it as much. The MC6 is great but as a focal point it's hard to see and I'd lose track of where I was lol. The other thing I wish Line6 would do in general is a native mobile app and maybe Bluetooth in the future. The BT on the Boss GT1000 is great for on the fly tweaking at gigs etc.Ease of Use:The HX Edit is a great way to tweak tones and easily drag blocks around. Quick and dirty changes are pretty easy on the box as well. As always read the manual and if you are using it in 4CM make sure to adjust your effects loop levels to make sure you aren't clipping. Digital clipping will make everything sound terrible.Quality:Built like a tankValue:Still very much worth the asking price!Manufacturer Support:I've owned a dozen or so Line6 products over the last 20 years and have yet to contact support directly. They have a great user forum and you will often see Eric Klein (Digital Igloo) the Chief Product Design Architect chiming in on threads a The Gear Page.The Wow Factor:Having all the delays, verbs, modulation, and SFX you could ask for in a single box. What's not to like?Overall:This is the third HX Effects I've purchased over the last 4 years. Why all the churn? Well the easy answer is I change my mind a lot lol. So after owning this 3 times I would have to say that most everything in my original review stands, but I've learned a few lessons along the way. Let's start off with things I still wish were different and how I worked through them.. First, the size. If you plan on integrating with existing pedals this takes up a ton of real estate on the board. After trying various shapes, sizes, and styles I found the Pedaltrain Novo series was the best for me. I use a Novo 18 and with the Pedaltrain Riser kit I am able to put this on the bottom row and have 3 other effects above it that I can easily reach and still have room for 4 other full size pedals and a couple micro pedals. Second, the PSU. I don't know what the @#)$ L6 was thinking when they spec'd out this transformer. The design is, well, stupid. The transformer is back in the box and I'm using a Truetone CS12 PSU that powers this and the rest of my pedalboard with MA to spare. Truetone and Strymon PSU are switching power supplies. Check out Vertex Effects on YouTube to learn all about powering the HXFX and Stomp with a pedalboard power supply. Lastly, the reverbs. They don't suck, but they don't sound great either. There's just something about them that I don't care for. They are too in your face vs how other big box reverb pedals sound full and ambient but leave room for your natural signal. I've found that setting the FX mix to max and pulling your reverbs down to a parallel path and using the Split A/B to mix them gives much better, more Strymon-ish results.

Opening up options!

Just getting started with the Line 6 HX Effects, but it already feels like home. It's easy to navigate, and once I really dig in and start using MIDI with my pedal switcher, things should start to get interesting. I plan on using this pedal mostly for modulation effects, relying on my stomp boxes for fuzzes, drives, and compression/boosts. I'm also enjoying the added benefit of being able to line out to 2 amps at once. I've wanted to hear how my Fender and Orange amps sound together running high gain--and now I know! The Line 6 HX Effects lets me to truly enjoy stereo effects for the first time--the ping pong delay sounds great! Longer term, I plan to create presets for all the songs we play--both modulation only, and modulation+fuzz (OD, etc.)--so I can either ... MoreJust getting started with the Line 6 HX Effects, but it already feels like home. It's easy to navigate, and once I really dig in and start using MIDI with my pedal switcher, things should start to get interesting. I plan on using this pedal mostly for modulation effects, relying on my stomp boxes for fuzzes, drives, and compression/boosts. I'm also enjoying the added benefit of being able to line out to 2 amps at once. I've wanted to hear how my Fender and Orange amps sound together running high gain--and now I know! The Line 6 HX Effects lets me to truly enjoy stereo effects for the first time--the ping pong delay sounds great! Longer term, I plan to create presets for all the songs we play--both modulation only, and modulation+fuzz (OD, etc.)--so I can either bring out my whole pedalboard, or just use the HX Effects.

Solid Multi-FX Device for Amp Lovers

I bought this to augment and simplify my pedalboard for gigging. It has an amazing amount of effects and signal routing options that make it perfect for what I want. I've tested this with my Blackstar Artist 15 combo (which is perfect for this), Fender 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb and my Bad Cat Hot Cat 30 head + 2x12 cab - all of them sound great with the unit.Like any piece of gear, you've got to play and learn the different effects and sounds and know what you are looking for. This unit does exactly what it says it will do - it uses the modeling tech from the Helix for the effects with no amp models.I can also put any combo of pedals that I want to keep and the routing allows me to do just about anything. I've got it mapped out to become 3 rigs - 1 full ... MoreI bought this to augment and simplify my pedalboard for gigging. It has an amazing amount of effects and signal routing options that make it perfect for what I want. I've tested this with my Blackstar Artist 15 combo (which is perfect for this), Fender 68 Custom Vibrolux Reverb and my Bad Cat Hot Cat 30 head + 2x12 cab - all of them sound great with the unit.Like any piece of gear, you've got to play and learn the different effects and sounds and know what you are looking for. This unit does exactly what it says it will do - it uses the modeling tech from the Helix for the effects with no amp models.I can also put any combo of pedals that I want to keep and the routing allows me to do just about anything. I've got it mapped out to become 3 rigs - 1 full integration, 1 standalone for quicker grab n go and 1 hybrid using my Atomic Amplfire 12 and just the HX Effects.I gave it only 5 stars because it was exactly as described and worked exactly as I expected it. Are all the patches great - no but that's your job to figure out what sounds you want. It is EASY to learn how to manipulate the sound and I love the power it gives me.It's an exceptional value because of the amount of effects you get and they are solid quality. At the end of the day, you craft the sound you want and this gives you options without having to break the bank.If you're not an amp lover then you should be looking at the HX Stomp and the Headrush or Helix stuff. This is effects only - no amp models.

Your Desert Island Pedal

I've owned this 3 years and have been using Line 6 modelers for over two decades. This pedal is where digital officially matches analog. I'm super picky and I went back and forth between the settings on here against my Timmy, RAT, and DOD 250 and it's 98% there if not 100%. I was a M13 user for years and loved everything about it except the overdrives, they were just lacking something. The Helix additions takes them to where I'd be fine using them in any setting. The new pedals they recently added in the last update are amazing. You have two King of Tones, the Red Llama 25th anniversary (my fav), and all the boutique metal/ stoner rock pedals you would ever need. Plus, there's a new acoustic guitar modeler that sounds great.The functionality is killer. A little ... MoreI've owned this 3 years and have been using Line 6 modelers for over two decades. This pedal is where digital officially matches analog. I'm super picky and I went back and forth between the settings on here against my Timmy, RAT, and DOD 250 and it's 98% there if not 100%. I was a M13 user for years and loved everything about it except the overdrives, they were just lacking something. The Helix additions takes them to where I'd be fine using them in any setting. The new pedals they recently added in the last update are amazing. You have two King of Tones, the Red Llama 25th anniversary (my fav), and all the boutique metal/ stoner rock pedals you would ever need. Plus, there's a new acoustic guitar modeler that sounds great.The functionality is killer. A little known fact is that if you hold down the mode switch you can operate the whole thing using your feet. I've always been the frontman/ guitarist in bands that switch genres song to song. These modelers proved to be the best way to do that quickly while keeping the energy up and joking with the crowd. I have my settings for each song saved as a different preset. Then once we figured out the set list I would arrange them on the software in about 15 minutes and then be able to switch my rig between songs in 3 foot clicks/ 5 secondsThe other thing about this is that you're getting an evolving product. The first couple years this pedal was out it had bugs that needed to be worked out. For me it would have difficulty turning on and rebooting. With each update these problems got more and more rare, and they keep adding cool pedals into it. Since getting this pedal I've taken a lot of things off of my board and put them into the closet for resale so in a way it might eventually pay for itself!