Anyone using hx fx for live ?

guitarmangler · September 2023

Anyone using a hx fx live? How are you getting on with it?

I’m seriously debating getting a line 6 hx fx for live. even though I already have a helix lt. Why?Space. Looking at the measurements, it’s smaller than A4 piece of paper and never have enough space by my feet (lots of cables, small pubs erc).

Are four snapshots enough? On the floor at the mo I use a spark boost (always on), tubescreamer and a wah ( maybe a delay, too) all in front of my amp. It’d be nice to have options of more some type of tremolo or chorus occasionally, too.

jasonbone75 · September 2023

I used snapshots live to great "effect" - albeit with a defined setlist to make life easier. I created a preset per song with 4 snapshots in each as Rhythm 1, Rhythm 2, Lead and Clean. The remaining two footswitches then become preset up and down so I could scroll to the next song and the four snapshot footswitches would then update.

Something to bear in mind - the preset defines what is available and every snapshot has everything from the preset in it. What differs is the on/off state of specific blocks in that preset. Snapshots can trigger different midi parameters though so they can switch amp channels and external effects via midi - hence my rhythm and lead and clean differences.

Snapshots aren't the only way to do it so you have options.

Mine is up for sale in the classifieds! Not because it isn't any good just because I tried it after nearly 30 years without effects and prefer the simplicity of not having any live :-)

jasonbone75 · September 2023

I can add to this - if you are up for the tap dancing I am pretty sure you can switch in and out of snapshot mode while staying in the same preset. This means you could do all of what I mention above but also for specific sections enable the stomps for up to 6 footswitches tied to individual blocks as well!

Fiftyshadesofjay · September 2023

I use one live, I don’t really use Snapshots unless it’s every song due to only having 4. Otherwise I just use it like regular stomps.

It’s a bit annoying for songs as it doesn’t have a main display so I need to rename a snapshot with the song title.

I’m likely going to go full Helix just for more snaps.

adamino · September 2023

Im very happy with mine.After going through the learning curve and editing the device via laptop,I can say that it is well worth it.

Bypass the overdrives and distortions,they are not up to standard IMO.

I run it in the fx loop as I feel that that its the best way.I run my drive pedals up front.

Im running it through a Marshall Origin 50 Combo.

equalsql · September 2023

adamino said:

Im very happy with mine.After going through the learning curve and editing the device via laptop,I can say that it is well worth it.

Bypass the overdrives and distortions,they are not up to standard IMO.

I run it in the fx loop as I feel that that its the best way.I run my drive pedals up front.

Im running it through a Marshall Origin 50 Combo.

And I thought it was just me hating the overdrives and distortions on the HX Effects. The other fx are great but I still am using my pedals for the distortion side of things.

LionAquaLooper · September 2023

It's my go to. Snapshots is the way to go. The different coloured lights on each switch is also really helpful.

Easier to use than Stomp as well because more footswitches means less stomping on two switches simultaneously to get around which I hate - unlike Stomp where you're limited to 3 switches (but maybe that's all you need). Only time I need to step on two switches simultaneously is to go in and out of snapshot mode.

jellybelly · September 2023

adamino said:

Im very happy with mine.After going through the learning curve and editing the device via laptop,I can say that it is well worth it.

Bypass the overdrives and distortions,they are not up to standard IMO.

I run it in the fx loop as I feel that that its the best way.I run my drive pedals up front.

Im running it through a Marshall Origin 50 Combo.

I couldn't disagree more about the drives. Any pedal I put next to it I can find a similar model and tweak it to be 99% the same. It's nowhere near as easy to do that though, I'll give you that.

I've been using a HX FX to process a guitar tone to an amp, plus creating a poly bass tone (crossover filter, poly Capo, zerobassDI) for the bass sound on the parallel path.

Sounds great - audio quality isn't an issue, neither is noise. 4 snapshots works for me, when I use them, but I generally leave it in Stomp mode and have no issues hitting the right switch

jasonbone75 · September 2023

And the 4 cable hookup allows you to place the drives in front of the amp like they should be and the other effects in the loop.

guitarmangler · September 2023

I’m pretty good at programming my lt ( thanks covid !) so that but should be fine. Four stomps might be ok, I suppose I can just mock it up on the lt and see if it works. Can you do stomps and snaps together?

jasonbone75 · September 2023

You have to switch modes - you can't have stomps on a couple of switches and snapshots on others at the same time.

Musicwolf · September 2023

jasonbone75 said:

You have to switch modes - you can't have stomps on a couple of switches and snapshots on others at the same time.

I'm pretty sure that you can do this. I can certainly do it with my Helix and I'm almost certain that I managed to set up my bandmate's HX FX to do the same at one point.

The key is to go into Command Centre where you can assign functions to each f/s.

jasonbone75 · September 2023

Musicwolf said:

jasonbone75 said:

You have to switch modes - you can't have stomps on a couple of switches and snapshots on others at the same time.

I'm pretty sure that you can do this. I can certainly do it with my Helix and I'm almost certain that I managed to set up my bandmate's HX FX to do the same at one point.

The key is to go into Command Centre where you can assign functions to each f/s.

That would be good! I'm happy to be wrong

Musicwolf · September 2023

Here's a video showing how to set things up on the HX Stomp. FX follows the same methodology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BPXtCGaZgU

TheBigDipper · September 2023

I used an HX FX live (covers band) for 18 months or so with an AMP1. It was absolutely fine once I'd dialled in the sounds I wanted. I liked the Rat and OCD drives on it (the OCD sounded as good as my "real" one) but most of the others were redundant for me because the AMP1 was so good at delivering analogue drive tones without pedals. 4 snapshots was more than enough for my needs - I used an approach of selecting the preset for a song and then snapshots for different sections within it.

I wouldn't like to drop down to the Stomp or GT-1000 Core. The form factor means you'd probably just need extra buttons to make it work, thus increasing the required board space.

If you don't have a MIDI controller but need to send MIDI to other pedals, then Line 6 Command Center is very useful.

guitarmangler · October 2023

Update. I bought a hxfx last week and used it for a gig the next day. It was, fine. I made a quick patch at home with an always on eq/boost, a wah ( which turns on automatically when you move the expression pedal), tubescreamer , a couple of delays and a modulation thing. I added a just in case noise gate as well, just in case.
Setup and footswitch assigning was a little harder than the helix, but a few YouTube videos helped massively.
I don't like the power supply dongle thing, much prefer the helix's kettle lead. Might look into a usb powerbank. Couldn’t really see the coloured rings for the first half of the set, but how often do
you play outside , in the sun, at 1pm?
It isn't as massive and heavy as the helix, so that's good.
I think it added a bit of background noise, but then we were playing outside.
I need to do an A/B against my old pedals, in front of my amp, to get everything just right.
Pedal board pics from last weeks biker meet-up gig.

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Anyone using hx fx for live ?

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