David, not sure what you mean by "stage grade", but the CPU of the Eventide stomps sure would make for an FX multi quality no human ear could discern from a single FX algo. Especially not for stage situations, where it's absurd to use a 25khz reverb resolution and play over guitar speakers wirh a +- 13khz freq limit. But no hiss, no flutter, lush, dense and clean reverb tails should be easily feasable within a multi algo, with a CPU power and ADDA resolution infinitely superior to our 80s/90s rack gear. Not just "good enough" stuff. What those CPUs can do today should provide more than enough room for brilliant multi FX.
When the intelli came out in 1987 or so, for around $1000, it was state of the art then. For that price NOW, with the incredible increase in CPU power and decrease in prices in microelectronics manufacturing, I'd expect somthing considerably better, smaller, faster…and cheaper. Premium prices? Well, yeah, so to speak, certainly in the context of the cost of today's microelectronics industry. Hell I can get a quadcore PC for under $600.
