Line 6 is a manufacturer of digital modelling electric guitars, acoustic guitars, amplifiers and effects processors. Line 6 was founded in the mid-1990s and is based in Calabasas, California.
After years of research and playing, Line 6 launched a patented technology in 1996, with the world's first digital modeling guitar amplifier, the AxSys 212. The company underwent a rapid expansion in the early 2000s due to the success of their Pod product line, which imitates the sound of various classic and modern guitar amplifiers, effects pedals, amplifier cabinets and microphones. The Pod X3 and Pod X3 Live products are the products most recently released from Line 6, and have dual tone capability, more simulations than earlier models, and effects and output options in a 'bean' or in a pedalboard package.
Line 6 currently has several other product lines in production:
Their current flagship amplifier is the Vetta II, which can model two amplifiers at once, plus multiple effects and effects chains, both pre and post amplification. The unit is software-upgradeable, so as new amplifier and effects models become available they can be added to the device. The Vetta I can be upgraded to a Vetta II with a software upgrade and the addition of a hardware interface. This interface provides both digital input and output for the amplifier, in both AES/EBU and S/PDIF formats, as well as a digital signal path for the Line 6 Variax brand of guitars. The interface takes the form of a standard RJ45 connector, which provides not only the signal path, but power to the Variax as well. The Variax portion of this interface is available on the PODxt Live and Bass PODxt Live.
Line 6 has an active user community, and provides software that allows users to easily download and share patches or device settings. This software covers all of Line 6's existing flagship products.