Amp and Preamp Blocks | Line 6 Manuals

Helix Stadium Native comes loaded with a wide variety of Amp and Preamp models, including a set of Amps created with the all-new Line 6^® Agoura™ modeling methodology, which sets a new benchmark for sonic detail and responsiveness. All Agoura Amp models from the latest Helix Stadium hardware devices are included in Helix Stadium Native—please see the introductory video below. Also included are classic, vintage, modern, special hybrid, and Line 6 Original Amps, with all the Amps and Preamps from the award-winning Helix family of multieffects.

Amp Models: The GUITAR AMP and BASS AMP subcategories consist of the full amplifier, including its preamp, tone stack, and power amp components, expertly captured to preserve the amplifier's unique sonic signature and tonal range. An Amp model provides essentially the same experience as plugging into your favorite guitar or bass amplifier, to which you’ll want to connect a speaker cabinet or IR (Impulse Response) speaker simulator to complete your amp tone. These subcategories include an ever-growing library of Agoura™ amp models, in addition to the previous generation’s award-winning HX amp models.

Legacy Amp Models: LEGACY GUITAR and LEGACY BASS amps are from original HX products; they’ve simply been moved to the Legacy category because an Agoura version of that same amp exists. And as more Agoura amps appear in firmware updates, you may notice their HX equivalents getting moved from the GUITAR AMP or BASS AMP subcategories to the LEGACY GUITAR or LEGACY BASS subcategories. In addition, Legacy amps & preamps provide compatibility with imported Helix and HX presets (saved with Helix/HX firmware or Helix Native Plug-in, version 3.50 or later). Amps in the LEGACY GUITAR and LEGACY BASS are often the newest and best-sounding HX amps, and as a bonus, they use considerably less DSP than Agoura.

Preamp Models: GUITAR, BASS, MIC, and LEGACY subcategories are included. As of this writing, all Preamp models are HX. They are captured at the preamp stage of the amplifier, where most tone shaping and initial gain staging occur. Volume levels between the different preamp models can vary significantly. This is normal and true to the preamp circuits of the actual amplifiers modeled. Adjust the Preamp’s Drive and/or Volume controls to achieve your desired saturation and level output.

Proxy™ Amp & Preamp Clones

Helix Stadium Native also supports Amp, Amp+Cab, Preamp, and Distortion Clone files created in Helix Stadium hardware via the Line 6^® Proxy™ Cloning process. Clone files can be exported from Helix Stadium devices and used freely in your Helix Stadium Native presets.

Please refer to the Proxy Clones page for additional details on loading and using them in your presets.

Tip: For the complete, up-to-date lists of all Amp, Cab, and Effect Models included in Helix Stadium products, along with the original gear they are based on, please see Helix Stadium Models on the Line 6 website.

Note that the Helix Stadium Native Intro version includes a subset of the Amp, Cab, and Effect models of the complete version. Please see the Helix Stadium Native Versions section.

See the US Registered Trademarks List. All product names used in this document are trademarks of their respective owners, and neither Yamaha Guitar Group nor Line 6 is associated or affiliated with them. These trademarks appear solely to identify products whose tones and sounds were studied by Line 6 during sound model development.

Selecting an Amp or Preamp Model

Model Browser Amp Selected.png — An Amp model is selected in the Model Browser

From the Model Browser, select the Amp or Preamp category in the left column.

Note: Up to two Amp, Preamp, or Clone blocks, in any combination, can be added to a path (and up to four Amp/Preamp/Clone blocks max per preset). Optionally, you can set Settings > Hardware Compatibility Mode to “Off” to remove this limit (but note that the preset will not be compatible with Helix Stadium devices).

Click the GUITAR AMP, BASS AMP, LEGACY GUITAR, or LEGACY BASS button at the top of the model list column to quickly scroll to its subcategory, then choose the desired amp/preamp model from the middle column list.
For Amp models, the Add Cab Block feature is enabled by default to automatically add a matching Cab block directly to the right of the Amp block. You can manually toggle this switch for any Amp model in the Model Browser, as shown below. When the switch is off, no Cab block is automatically added. You can also add a Cab block manually—see Cab Blocks and Cab IRs.

Add Cab Block switch.png — The Amp Model > Add Cab Block switch

The Focus View for Amp & Preamp Models

For all Amp & Preamp models, click the Focus View button to quickly and easily create settings using the Focus View XY graphical edit panel, as shown below. Please see the Focus View page for details.

IMAGE - Amp Focus View

Common Amp and Preamp Parameters

Below is a list of parameters available on numerous Amp models. Please note that you may occasionally see additional and slightly different parameters for certain amps. We typically include the same parameters as included on the original amps we model, along with their functions and sometimes quirky interactions, which can make classic amps special!

Note: Amp+Cab, Amp, and Preamp Clones offer their own parameter set. Please see the Proxy Clones page.

Parameter	Description
Bypass	Click in the Edit Panel to turn the block on and off, independent of any footswitch assignment.
Channel	Many Agoura amps have two or more amp channels baked in, letting you freely switch between them with the knob, parameter automation, or snapshots.
Drive or Gain	Adjusts the amount of gain applied to the signal, which influences the level of distortion. Use lower settings for cleaner tones and higher settings for added distortion and increased volume levels.
Bass Mid Treble	Adjusts the low, medium, and high frequency EQ of the tonestack, respectively. Note that some amps instead include only a simple Tone parameter and/or High Cut or Low Cut as alternative EQ parameters. Bass amp models often include Low Mid and High Mid controls rather than a single Mid knob.
Level	Controls the overall level of the Amp or Preamp block. Unlike the Master volume, it has no effect on the block’s tone. Tweaking an Amp block’s Level parameter is a helpful method of balancing apparent preset levels against one another.
Presence	Boosts the upper mid and high frequencies in the power amp, resulting in additional punch and bite and an overall brighter tone.
Master	Controls the Master Volume of the amplifier. This parameter is highly interactive with all other parameters—the lower the Master is set, the less effect the other controls will have. Different textures can be achieved using the Master volume in combination with the amp's Drive/Gain and Level. Higher Master settings typically result in more "power tube" type saturation, which can alter the amount of distortion and affect the amp’s "feel.”
Level	Adjusts the amplifier's overall output volume. Unlike Drive, Gain, Volume, and Master Volume parameters, the Level adjusts the overall volume with minimum distortion or coloration. The Level can be used to balance the overall volume between presets.
Sag	Controls the amount of sag, or how much the power supply compresses or “droops” in response to striking the strings hard. Higher values provide more touch dynamics, sustain, and organic feel inherent in vintage tube amps; lower values offer a “tighter” responsiveness for a more modern feel.
Hum	Adjusts the level of power supply hum that interacts with the signal. Preamp tube heaters in tube amps will leak a bit of 60 cycle hum into the audio signal. When this hum mixes with the distorted audio signal, a non-musical distortion is created at low levels. To some players, this low-level, non-harmonic distortion adds a bit of realism to the amp model.
Ripple	Controls how much AC ripple interacts with your tone. Power amp circuits will sometimes let a little bit of rectified 120Hz hum (that the power supply filter caps can’t quite fully remove) into the audio signal when the power supply is being pushed hard. Much like Hum, Ripple provides a bit of non-musical distortion to the power amp at distorted settings.
Bias	Adjusts the bias of the power amp tubes, altering tonality and distortion characteristics.
Bias X	Short for “Bias Excursion.” Determines how the power amp tubes’ voicing reacts when pushed hard. Set low for a tighter feel. Set high for more tube compression. This parameter is highly reactive with the Drive/Gain and Master settings.
Z PrePost	Determines the location of speaker impedance characteristics in the power amp, primarily due to negative feedback. Higher values mean the effects of the interaction appear at the output of the power amp (Post), and lower values mean more of the effect is fed back to the input of the power amp (Pre).
Hype	The Stadium Agoura Amp models were designed as accurately as possible to sound like the original amplifiers they are based on. However, this may not always be optimal for every situation. For example, when you want to tighten the low end, smooth the high end, or achieve a more modern tone and feel. Depending on the amp and/or amp settings, increasing Hype may subtly or dramatically adjust various behind-the-scenes parameters to make the amp sound and feel smoother, fuller, punchier, tighter, and/or more forgiving, but at the expense of accuracy. See the following video for a quick demo of how the Hype control works on Helix Stadium devices.