Mc with Hx Stomp vs Stomp XL

MIDI Control Line 6
#1

Line 6 have announced HX stomp XL.
There probably quite a few people who currently use an MS6/8 with an HX Stomp.

I can see why stomp xl is good, it has 8 switches and allows you to keep the switches and programming integrated within the hx stomp system rather than an external midi controller, 2 power supplies, learning 2 systems to program and carrying 2 devices and using extra footprint.

But what are the advanced advantages and capabilities of ms6/8 used with an hx stomp vs hx stomp xl?
Do I stick with hx stomp and ms or get the stomp xl?

I guess this is a chance for MS to highlight how their product offers things to users of hx stomp that the hx stomp xl doesn’t.

On other forums a good case is being made for why hx stomp xl is all you need.

Which is fair enough and people are free to choose what works best for them, but I’m pondering which way to go and if their are definite things MS with stomp offers that I would miss out on by just using stomp xl.

#2

I have the Stomp and MC6. I dont think I would dump that set up for the Stomp XL. In my opinion the midi command center and midi are clunky on the stomp. The MC6 is evolving every day it seems with updates. Just the waveform generator and sequencer on the MC6 alone are reason enough for me to keep my MC6 / Stomp set up. I think if you weigh the pros and cons the pros far outweigh the cons.
Also I have 6 other midi devices that I use with the MC6. I wouldnt even want to go through the hassle of trying to configure all that with the stomps command center. The MorningStar editor is much better for my needs. Just my opinion.

#3

Thanks for your reply I’m interested to hear people’s views.

Forgive me I don’t know anything about the waveform generator and sequencer, I will have to read up on it.
With the stomp in what ways do you use waveform generator and sequencer, what for and what’s the end result… im intrigued.

And yes certainly I can see with a larger set up the MS comes into its own.

I wonder If when the Stomp XL is released whether we will see any new tweaks to the command center and midi control, new options and things it allows it to be used for, im guessing not though.

#4

The biggest thing for me is multiple functions on one footswitch. Sure the XL has 8 switches, but they can only really do one thing each. Meanwhile with midi I can have my MC3 do 9 different functions on 3 switches because of release/longpress/doubletap. That’s half the footprint of the XL add on and more functionality. Plus I don’t need any weird converter boxes or cables with the MC3 to talk to my other midi pedals either, so it saves money that way as well. Not saying the XL is a bad idea per-se, but with midi you get so much more utility per switch.

#5

Thanks for your reply. Yes it great being able to do many things on one footswitch press.

Umm Stomp switches Only really do one thing each… I can hear line 6 advocates saying something like this… Mind you hx stomp switches allows 6 x instant commands, snapshots, effects bypass, bypass assign, parameter control, controller assign, command center control, tempo, midi cc, cc toggle, bank prog change, note on, mmc, qwerty hotkeys, expression control, looper commands…

I do wonder if there will be any new features in hx stomp xl’s switches midi functionality?

#6

I would say that if you’re looking at the stomp as your all-in-one solution for a pedalboard with maybe an fx loop, then yeah, the XL makes a lot of sense. I personally use a Boss GT-1000core into a HX Stomp. Both are controlled by the MC8. I hit one switch and change presets on both devices, I can set up banks on the MC8 for a single preset that controls individual blocks in both of the modelers. In addition I use the MC8 to control a program called AnyTune on my computer so I can start / stop / rewind / change songs as I go through my set list for practicing. I rarely need to take my hands off of my guitar thanks to the MC8. I’m not sure I could do all of that with the XL alone.

#7

In my opinion, if someone plans to use the XL as an all-in-one multi-effects in order to do everything, then it makes more sense to get it instead of an HX Stomp + a MIDI controller. The XL wouldn’t require any MIDI programming, MID cables and any dedicated power source. Also, it’s footswitches are touch sensitive and color coded, which really helps with the HX interface and looks really nice. In fact, the XL would be massively compelling if Line 6 had increased the DSP power in this unit, but well… it is what it is.

Having that said, I think that a rig that consists just in a MC8 paired with a regular HX Stomp is still more powerfull than just the XL.

In my case, I’ve already have a do-it-all rig consisting of a MC8 + HX Stomp + Dunlop DVP4 expression pedal, and I’ve configured a bank on my MC8 so I can have:

Page 1:
A: Preset Down
B: Snapshot 1
C: Snapshot 2
D: Snapshot 3
E: Preset Up
F: Tap Tempo
G: FS4 (release) / Enter Looper: Toggle page + engage the looper mode on the MC8 (long press).
H: FS5 (release) / Tuner (long press)

Page 2:
A: Stop
B: Play
C: Record
D: Overdub
E: Snapshot Up
F: Snapshot Down
G: Exit Looper: Toggle page + disengage the looper mode on the MC8 (long press).
H: Undo / Redo

I run my HX Stomp always on Stomp Mode, with the FS1, FS2 and FS3 assigned to inumerous parameters and blocks, and use the expression pedal to have some additional fun.

That way I can use the Stomp Mode with all 5 footswiches available plus an expression pedal, and always having direct access to all 3 snapshots, direct access to scrolling presets up and down, plus dedicated tap tempo and tuner switches. I even have full access to an eventual looper block that I may add to my effects chain, and with 5 dedicated switches for stop, play, record, overdub and undo/redo functions.
Everything at the same time, without having to change modes or views on the HX Stomp.

So, as you can see, it really is much more powerfull than the XL, but it’s much bigger and much more expensive.
If I had the chance to choose between the XL and this MC8+HX Stomp combo back in the day, I think I would have got the XL, just for the simplicity and the price.

But, of course: as soon as you start to add other MIDI capable pedals to the pedalboard, then the XL will inevitably fall short and the MC8+HX Stomp combo will be vastly superior.

1 Like
#8

The xl and regular stomp have the same dsp according to what I’ve read so it can’t do anything a mc 8 and regular stomp can’t.

That’s all I know cause that’s when I stopped reading about it.

#9

What if… dare I say it… one gets an HXSxl, AND an MC8?!!
Crazy?
Crazy Generous!