Announced at the 2018 NAMM Show, the new Line 6 HX Effects may be the compact guitar effects solution you’re looking for. Featuring more than 100 effects from their Helix products, HX can run up to nine effects at once, giving you the sonic firepower of a complete pedal board. It weighs in at 4.9lbs, making it very gig friendly. If you’re particularly spec-hungry, HX has an industry-leading 123dB of dynamic range, offering plenty of depth and ultra-low noise performance.

Which Effects Are Included?

HX Effects offers plenty of choices that will cover just about any guitar sound you need. You’ll find distortions, delays, reverbs, modulations, pitch/synth/filters, compressors/limiters, EQs and wahs. HX Effects even includes a six-switch looper. In addition to the on-board Helix effects, HX pulls from other legacy Line 6 products including M13, M9, M5, DL4, MM4, FM4, and DM4. Line 6 also included the option for users to load their own impulse responses.

On-board editing is done using the eight capacitive-sensing footswitches, six scribble strip LCDs, and color-coded LED rings. All you have to do is touch a footswitch with your finger and you can start adjusting the parameters of any effects.

Integrating With Other Gear

While it serves as a wholly independent virtual “pedalboard”, Line 6 engineered HX Effects to easily integrate with a variety of rigs. There are plenty of routing and control options, so you’ve got plenty of flexibility no matter where you’re playing. For the sonic purists, HX Effects offers a choice of analog bypass or DSP bypass with trails.  

Output options include parallel stereo signal paths, two assignable effects loops (which can be stereo linked), two expression pedal inputs, and up to four amp switching outputs. And, if you’re a DJ, keyboardist or a producer looking to make use of HX Effects, there’s a switchable line-level input, too.

Finally, HX Effects offers two different MIDI connections, 5-pin DIN or USB. This allows your HX Effects to communicate with other pedals and computer software, opening up even additional functionality.

Who Should Buy HX Effects

HX Effects should appeal to a variety of customers. If you’re new to the guitar pedal world and looking for an all-in-one solution, HX Effects is a great choice. With over 100+ effects on board, HX Effects is a bargain as compared to the total cost of buying your pedals individually. And with only one purchase to make, you won’t find yourself in “pedal decision paralysis” like so many other guitarists out there.

Other potential HX Effects customers are the gigging player, looking for an integrated solution that doesn’t require 16 patch cables, 1 or more power supplies and a pedal board. While there are few things more enjoyable than loading up your own unique pedal board, there’s something to be said for simplicity, especially when you’ve got to take your rig from one gig to another.