OT: Yamaha buys Line 6

Given that Yamaha has some excellent modelling technologies of its own I am not so sure, heck I even prefer the Behringer pods over the L6 pods sound wise, I think it is more of a financial/production move, L6 has been in the doldrums financially and the build quality of their products has been complained about a lot recently. Yamaha is getting a brand well known in the English speaking guitar playing world, which is a sector that Yamaha has been under performing in since the 70’s, with the exception of steel string acoustic and classical guitars. Given the financial performance of L6 recently, Yamaha has probably not paid too much for the company either.

More recently one of the reasons for the bad performance of L6 has been the surprise sales hit of the Yamaha H series of modelling amps that competed directly with both processors and amps from L6. The companies tie up with a low budget provider of Chinese “pro” audio products was also not a good idea in the first place.

Much like when Yamaha took over Steinberg after Pinnacle had diluted the brand by releasing hopeless consumer products that were not even sold via the Steinberg channels, I hope this will lead to a refocused Line6 and fans of the brand should take heart in fact that the company has stated they will keep it as a separate entity with the current staff, when Yamaha took over Korg and Steinberg they left the companies operation independent and focused on rebuilding them rather than gut them for brands and technologies.

So did Steinberg BTW, all of the early Propellerheads products including rebirth were released under the Steinberg label.

They should buy Ensoniq and Emu from Creative Labs for $19.99 :smiley:

Steinberg and Propellerhead partnered up on ReWire and the first version of ReCycle, not ReBirth.

V1 versions of Rebirth were distributed by Steinberg, I sold them at the time with a Steinberg logo on the packaging.


“Rule, Greg. “Keyboard Reports: Steinberg ReBirth RB-338,” Keyboard 23:9:256 September 1997.”

I too have a Variax and a POD X3 Live! that have never given me a problem in 6 years. Guitar players that visit my studio are always impressed with the capabilities. I don’t see the “purist” guitar players giving up their Strats or LPs or their tube amps or pedals anymore than I see true Hammond and Rhodes purists using substitutes instead, but they do have their place. As a keyboard player who dabbles in guitar (and technology), I got them because I wanted to cover as many bases as possible. Kinda like my Kronos does.

I see Yamaha buying Line 6 as a good thing as Yamaha will be able to pour more resources into Line 6 R&D. It should be amazing watching what they come up with AND seeing that technology trickle down into Cubase. If you don’t know, they partnered with Bogner and developed a real tube amp a few years back and have developed a simple (idiot-proof) PA system that you can run from your iPad on stage or from the audience. Worth watching the videos on YouTube if you haven’t seen it yet.

You are right, I dug up the old box and there’s the big old Steinberg logo. My bad!

My biggest hope is that there now could be a VST-version of Line 6’ “Echo Farm”. This is most certainly the one plug-in I miss most when I come from working on TDM-based systems.

… not that the Echo Farm’s delay models would be so extraordinary - but the all JUST WORK. Maybe the most efficient FX-plug-in (sound-wise, that is) I used during the last 15 years or so …


My favorite: