Line 6 is a

musical instrument A musical instrument is a device created or adapted to make musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can be considered a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. A person who pl ...

and

audio equipment Audio equipment refers to devices that reproduce, record, or process sound. This includes microphones, radio receivers, AV receivers, CD players, tape recorders, amplifiers, mixing consoles, effects units, headphones, and speakers. Audio ...

manufacturer. Their product lines include

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

and

acoustic guitar An acoustic guitar is a musical instrument in the string family. When a string is plucked its vibration is transmitted from the bridge, resonating throughout the top of the guitar. It is also transmitted to the side and back of the instrument, ...

basses Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass ...

, guitar and bass amplifiers,

effects unit An effects unit or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing. Common effects include distortion/overdrive, often used with electric guitar in ...

s, USB audio interfaces and guitar/bass

wireless Wireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most ...

systems. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in

Calabasas, California Calabasas (from Spanish ''calabazas'' " gourds") is a city in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, between the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna mountains.subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a ...

of the

Yamaha Corporation is a Japanese multinational corporation and conglomerate with a very wide range of products and services. It is one of the constituents of Nikkei 225 and is the world's largest musical instrument manufacturing company. The former motorcycle divi ...

Origin of the company

Marcus Ryle and Michel Doidic (two former Oberheim designers) co-founded Fast-Forward Designs, where they helped develop several notable pro audio products such as the

Alesis Alesis is an electronic music company that designs and markets electronic musical instruments, digital audio processors, audio mixers, drum amplifiers, amplifiers, digital audio interfaces, recording equipment, drum machines, professional aud ...

ADAT Alesis Digital Audio Tape (ADAT) is a magnetic tape format used for the recording of eight digital audio tracks onto the same S-VHS tape used by consumer VCRs. Although it is a tape-based format, the term ''ADAT'' now refers to its succ ...

, Quadraverbs and QuadraSynth, and Digidesign SampleCell. As

digital signal processing Digital signal processing (DSP) is the use of digital processing, such as by computers or more specialized digital signal processors, to perform a wide variety of signal processing operations. The digital signals processed in this manner are ...

became more and more powerful and affordable during the 1980s, they began developing DSP-based products for guitarists. As Ryle tells the story, the name "Line 6" came about because the phone system at Fast-Forward Designs only had 5 lines. Because the new guitar-related products were developed in secrecy, the receptionist used "Line 6" as a code word of sorts, and paging them for a call on Line 6 meant to stop any guitar or amp-related sounds so that they wouldn't be overheard by other Fast-Forward clients or callers.

History

Line 6 launched in 1996, with their first digital-modeling guitar amplifier, the AxSys 212, a combo amp using two 12" speakers. This was followed in 1997 by the Flextone. The company underwent a rapid expansion in the early 2000s (decade) due to the success of their '' Pod'' product line, which isolated modeling circuitry from the AxSys amplifier. Digital modeling attempts to recreate the unique characteristics of musical instruments and pro audio gear. Early Line 6 products used digital modeling to emulate the signature tone of a guitar amp/speaker combination. Further development of Line 6's modeling technology has extended the emulation to include numerous guitar amplifier / guitar cabinet combinations, guitar effects, microphones, and even different guitars and other fretted instruments themselves. Digital modeling offers countless virtual combinations of a variety of music gear, but only as emulations, however convincing as they may be. Though Line 6 began with a modeling guitar amp, their breakthrough product line was arguably the POD guitar processor line and its later variants, but this modeling technology has been the foundation for most of Line 6's products, from guitar amps to software and computer audio interfaces. Line 6 has an active user community, and provides software that allows users to easily download and share patches or device settings for many of Line 6's products. In early 2008, Line 6 acquired X2 Digital Wireless, who had introduced digital wireless systems for guitar. Further developing this technology, Line 6 developed and introduced a family of digital wireless microphone systems in 2010. In December 2013, it was confirmed that Line 6 was to be bought by

, to operate as a wholly owned

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a ...

with the internal management remaining the same.

Line 6 products

Guitar amplifiers

Line 6 produces a number of guitar amplifiers (combos and heads), all featuring amplifier modeling software. In 2004, the Spider II 112 combo amp was released. The Spider III sold over 12,700 units in 2011, the 15-watt Spider IV amp was the best-selling guitar amplifier in America. According to their website, the Spider IV has also been the best-selling 15, 30, 75, and 120 watt amps. The latest model is the Spider V.

Pedalboards/stomp boxes

Pedal boards range from Pod amp modelers to modeling pedals for delay and other effects, as well as a jam looper. In 2015 Line 6 announced their 'next generation' multi-effects processor/ pedalboard named Helix, similar in function to the Floor Pod and Pod Live series, but with a redesigned interface and body.

Portable recording devices

The BackTrack and BackTrack+Mic are portable recording devices for electric and acoustic guitars, respectively.

Audio interfaces/effects processors

The earlier audio interface produced by Line 6, GuitarPort, is replaced by the

TonePort TonePort is a line of USB audio interfaces from Line 6 which extended the earlier GuitarPort interface. The TonePort line was eventually replaced, except for the UX8 model, by the POD Studio line. The TonePort line included the following models ...

line. POD amp modelers are available in a number of versions.

Musical instruments

Variax Variax is the name of a line of guitars developed and marketed by Line 6. They differ from typical electric and acoustic guitars in that internal electronics process the sound from individual strings to ''model'' (replicate) the sound of specific g ...

is a line of acoustic, bass and

electric guitars An electric guitar is a guitar that requires external amplification in order to be heard at typical performance volumes, unlike a standard acoustic guitar (however combinations of the two - a semi-acoustic guitar and an electric acoustic gu ...

. Some of the original development team members for the first Variax model introduced in 2002 moved on to other companies, including Damage Control USA and Vox Amplification Ltd.

Software

Line 6 software includes the Variax Workbench, a software application that can interface a home computer with a Variax electric guitar; the Gearbox, tone editing software; and Pod Farm, which contains all of the modeling features of the POD X3 emulated on the computer.

Wireless systems

In May 2008, Line 6 announced it had acquired X2 Digital Wireless; it now sells wireless systems for guitar, bass, vocals and wind instruments. Spider V 60 MkII, Spider V 120 MkII, Spider V 240 MkII, and Spider V 240HC MkII all feature built in wireless and are compatible with most Line 6 wireless transmitters.

POD product history

''Guitar Hero World Tour''

Line 6 products were placed in '' Guitar Hero World Tour''. Line 6 guitar and bass amplifiers can be found on stage. In the ''Guitar Hero World Tour'' "Music Studio", gamers can use a stylized Line 6 POD to create their own songs.GameDaily.com
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References

External links

Official website

Marcus Ryle Interview
NAMM Oral History Program (2007)
Michel Doidic Interview
NAMM Oral History Program (2011) {{DEFAULTSORT:Line 6 (Company) Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States Guitar manufacturing companies of the United States Guitar amplifier manufacturers Manufacturing companies established in 1996 Guitar effects manufacturing companies Companies based in Calabasas, California 1996 establishments in California 2014 mergers and acquisitions Yamaha Corporation