Hotone Ampero II Stomp - Review

[Sedaxel]

That’s crazy never thought they would do that and like a month later after last update
They definitely seem committed to, also working on their software and GUI

No doubt they are pushing really hard. That´s great.

 

[GTR37]

Ok, so I tried the Tone Catch.

Signal chain:

1. Guitar -> A2 Stomp Input L
2. A2 Stomp Fx Send -> Lehle P-Split (for ground lift) -> BluGuitar Amp 1 Mercury Edition input
3. BluGuitar Amp 1 speaker out -> Bluetone Loadbox (reactive load)
4. Bluetone Loadbox line-out -> A2 Stomp Input R
5. Amp 1 set to :
   • Vintage channel (think Plexi)
   • Gain 6
   • Ch volume 5
   • EQ 5-5-5
   • Master volume 4 (no poweramp clipping)

First attempt ended up miserably. The capture sounded like a fizzy piece of crap.

Tried again, and this time I found the "Input R impedance" which defaults to 10KOhm. I switched this to 1MOhm and the sound came to life.
Did the capture again, and it got pretty close. I ran the Fine tuning process a few times playing chords.

Then I set up a patch like this:

View attachment 37094

Basically Scene 2 (RealAmp) turns off the Volume block and enables the Fx Send block. Then it's Fx send -> Amp 1 -> Loadbox -> Input 2 R on the second row, both going to my Bluetone 4x10 10" Greenback IR with SM57.

I don't have time to actually record this atm, but I think it sounds pretty close. The Catch is maybe a little bit less gainy and it's missing a little bit of "zing" from the upper frequencies. But this is about similar to what I remember getting out of the QC.

Pretty good for 2nd attempt capturing with this unit.

Yep same as ToneX and Nano
Seems to be slightly under gained and missing a lil top end , but easy fix with EQ

 

[laxu]

Yep same as ToneX and Nano
Seems to be slightly under gained and missing a lil top end , but easy fix with EQ

Yeah that's how it sounds to me. I tried messing with turning volume down on my guitar and playing softer and the capture reacted pretty well to that, just feel like I should raise gain a little bit and give it a tad more sparkle up top.

 

[laxu]

Some annoyances about the capture process:

• There seems to be no UI for it in the editor software, so you have to work it from the touchscreen. Works fine of course, but this is a case where the computer view would be nice.
• It doesn't explain the target level setting at all. It seems to reduce the level, and defaults to 0 dB. The target level meter looks alright, the sound seems fine and then you try the catch and it says that the input is clipping even though the meter was only on yellow and not red. So you have to tweak your levels coming into the A2 until the capture passes rather than being able to rely on the target level meter.
• It seems you need to have a saved preset with a cab or IR block in it to get a cab sim during the capture process.
• The Input R Impedance setting is on the next page and again not explained, so you have to just figure out that's the reason your captures ended up like crap. I guess the other settings are meant for pedals.
• It always seems to default to "save into slot 1" so you have to scroll through the slots to find the one where you want to place the new capture.
• The 16 character name length is an annoying limitation for putting any relevant info into the name. I could barely fit "BluAmp1 ME VTG 1" into it.
• There is no other metadata you could write, like a description.

Then the good parts:

• Connections are explained clearly, with graphics fitting on the small screen.
• There's no "wizard" type thing like on the QC where you have to go through a bunch of steps first.
• It's very easy to hit a footswitch to swap which you are listening in the capture process, so quick AB.
• The fine tuning does do something to hone in the capture. I do wish it was a bit more specific than "play chords on your guitar", like does playing harder and softer matter? Types of chords? Low or high on the fretboard?

 

[wgowwgo]

I'm having a bit of trouble with the Ampero 2 stomp software. I am not getting any sound output.

I am using the ampero 2 stomp software V1.0.3
My ampero 2 stomp is running V2.0.0

I connect the ampero 2 stomp to my macbook via USB.

I then plug my guitar into the stomp device.
When I play the guitar I can see the device is picking up a signal. On the top of the right hand of the screen, the green bar moves when I play.

When I open the software it recognizes the device.
However, there is no sound coming from the software.

I think there is a problem somewhere.

I will include some screenshots in the hope it will make finding a solution easier.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I'm having a bit of trouble with the Ampero 2 stomp software. I am not getting any sound output.

I am using the ampero 2 stomp software V1.0.3
My ampero 2 stomp is running V2.0.0

I connect the ampero 2 stomp to my macbook via USB.

I then plug my guitar into the stomp device.
When I play the guitar I can see the device is picking up a signal. On the top of the right hand of the screen, the green bar moves when I play.

When I open the software it recognizes the device.
However, there is no sound coming from the software.

I think there is a problem somewhere.

I will include some screenshots in the hope it will make finding a solution easier.

View attachment 37311View attachment 37312View attachment 37313

What are the Stomp's outputs connected to? That's where the sound comes out, unless you're trying to use it as an aggregate USB interface with another device handling output?

 

[wgowwgo]

What are the Stomp's outputs connected to? That's where the sound comes out, unless you're trying to use it as an aggregate USB interface with another device handling output?

I thought the ampero software would give an output. I guess not.

I opened garageband in the background and used the Stomp usb out to send signal.

 

[laxu]

I thought the ampero software would give an output. I guess not.

I opened garageband in the background and used the Stomp usb out to send signal.

The Ampero software is just an editor, think of it as an alternative user interface.

In Garageband you want to select the A2 Stomp as your audio interface, then connect either monitors to the main outputs at the back, or the headphone output on the side.

Plug in your guitar into Input L and then you should hear your guitar and whatever fx you have through your monitors or headphones.

DI tracks (only your guitar) can be recorded via USB inputs 7/8.

 

[Antipodes]

Audio interfaces need an ASIO driver installed usually if you are on PC - have you installed everything for the Stomp?. Your audio software can then select that ASIO driver for input and output.
Edit: I see Laxu has posted and his point that the editor software is not a sound source is correct.

 

[laxu]

Audio interfaces need an ASIO driver installed usually - have you installed everything for the Stomp?. Your audio software can then select that ASIO driver for input and output.

They're using a Mac and there's no ASIO driver for that.

Not sure if it's included with the latest updates, but they might want to install "USB audio firmware v2.01" from the Support -> Firmware -> Ampero 2 Stomp section on Hotone's website. It has some improvements to the USB interface capabilities.

Otherwise they want to update to firmware v2.2.0. Remember to back up your presets first though!

 

[wgowwgo]

Thank you to all the people who took time to respond. I have it up and running now. I use garageband to hear the output.

 

[laxu]

Further testing of captures.

I have now captured all 3 overdrive channels of my BluGuitar Amp 1 using the Bluetone Loadbox as a reactive load. I also tried capturing the Amp 1 Vintage channel with the master volumes pretty much cranked (channel master 10, main master 7).

• Fine tuning option seems necessary to get it closer. I always find there's something a bit off about the capture right out of the gate. Still unsure what chords would work best so I just try to play a bunch over the fretboard to get those lows and highs in there. Not sure what the fine tuning actually does, whether it's e.g a tone match, adjusting some weights of the model or what.
• When I cranked the Vintage channel I heard the capture noises through my loadbox. This is pretty common when you absolutely crank an amp. Sounded very similar to the noises from most capture products.
• The capture is most likely to fail at 4% with an input overload warning. Never happened otherwise. This is where you hear the strongest low frequency in the sample audio it plays through the amp. The solution is to back off the output level where you can (in my case the loadbox line out level), or if that's not enough, use the "Target level" control in the Ampero 2.
• Getting good levels seems important. I would recommend trying to get the failure to happen, then backing up the level a bit until it no longer clips. It's a shame the target level meter is not that useful for figuring this out before hitting the capture button.

Results are good.

• Vintage (like Plexi) and Classic (JCM800) channels with master volume around 4 (clean but loud poweramp) turned out very close.
• Vintage channel cranked seems a little bit different from the real thing, but fully in a "eh, close enough" territory. It also retains the slightly saggier feel you get when cranking it, as expected from powertube distortion.
• Modern channel (think Soldano SLO) seemed to struggle the most. I had to try the capture again because the fine tuning messed something up in the mids. With second try using a bit higher line out volume it turned out better. This is the most compressed channel in the Amp 1 so its volume can be a tad lower.
• Modern channel capture was missing a bit of the low end thump compared to the real amp. Could probably just add a bit more bass from the capture block to compensate.
• All captures react well to picking dynamics and guitar volume.

I also managed to replicate the Amp 1 3-band EQ using the parametric EQ in the A2. I used the Lo shelve 180 Hz, Mid peak 600 Hz and Hi shelve 1500 Hz filters listed in the Amp 1 manual, with the stock Q setting of 0.71. That worked well enough where I could make adjustments and expect reasonably similar behavior, it's just a bit less granular as the gain in the paraEQ block adjusts by 1 dB increments.

Interestingly I find that the captures don't suffer from the slightly dark sound found in the amp models.

If Hotone can increase the number of capture slots and reduce Tone Catch block CPU usage, this will be pretty killer. Now you have to make some decided compromises in the fx blocks you can use with captures, reverb and drives especially.

 

[wgowwgo]

I finally got to use the Ampero 2 Stomp at a live performance so thought I'd leave some thoughts.

The sounds are good. I run into the fx return of the guitar amp the venue provides (last night it was a Marshall MG50x) and experienced no problems.

The volume knob is very sensitive. I was worried about having enough output volume. Boy, was I wrong.

The switching is great. No problems, noises, or drop outs. The scenes work really well.

The footswitches are close together. A number of times I hit two switches at the same time. My feet are fairly wide, so it might be more of a me problem.

Overall, it did exactly what I hoped it would. I think the more I use it, the easier it will be to minimize any problems.

Thanks to everyone who answered my questions on this site. Money is a bit tight, so I need to make sure any big purchases are going to be worth it. And I think the Stomp is going to work out well.

 

[laxu]

Yeah it sounds pretty great through my Fryette PS-100 and Bluetone 4x10. I would happily gig with it using a rig like that.

 

[GTR37]

Yeah it sounds pretty great through my Fryette PS-100 and Bluetone 4x10. I would happily gig with it using a rig like that.

the Hotone ampero is actually a nice surprise now that it doing captures amongst all the other stuff it already does well , and a killer GUI the ToneX and especially the Nano Cortex , really do not seem like much value

 

[wgowwgo]

the Hotone ampero is actually a nice surprise now that it doing captures amongst all the other stuff it already does well , and a killer GUI the ToneX and especially the Nano Cortex , really do not seem like much value

I bought it just before they added the capture, so it was a really nice extra bonus.
I picked one up second hand for the equivalent of $275, and it included the extra footswitch.

If I had the money, I would have gone for something like the Quad Cortex, but it's almost 5 times more expensive where I live. Even the HX Stomp is double the price. I can't justify spending that amount of money.

But I watched a couple of Gear Masters videos on youtube and a lot of mid sized bands were using an HX Stomp into a power amp due to the ease of use, so I was really inspired by that. I thought the Ampero 2 Stomp was a decent alternative in my price range. I have shows lined up in March and April, so I'll be sure to post updates.