Hotone Ampero II

[Sedaxel]

I feel like Hotone wouldn't even need to do that much for me to buy it. What I'd like to see:

And... 800€.

Ampero is a good unit, yes. But it's not going to be cheap anymore when they launch the new gen with that list of improvements.

Reaching those prices, I think it's going to be less of a bargain. Even currently isn't exactly a bargain (generic effects, hit and miss models, CPU hungry, not very good latency numbers...).

I mean, it's good... But nothing too especial, IMO.

 

[laxu]

And... 800€.

Ampero is a good unit, yes. But it's not going to be cheap anymore when they launch the new gen with that list of improvements.

Reaching those prices, I think it's going to be less of a bargain. Even currently isn't exactly a bargain (generic effects, hit and miss models, CPU hungry, not very good latency numbers...).

I mean, it's good... But nothing too especial, IMO.

If they were to do that, I'd say that would be about right. The current pricing vs quality is also fine IMO.

I find it actually has good latency, I have had no issues using it as an audio interface or standalone.

Leo Gibson measured its latency as about 3ms, and 6ms if using the loop. That's similar latency to the QC.

 

[Sedaxel]

If they were to do that, I'd say that would be about right. The current pricing vs quality is also fine IMO.

I find it actually has good latency, I have had no issues using it as an audio interface or standalone.

Leo Gibson measured its latency as about 3ms, and 6ms if using the loop. That's similar latency to the QC.

With amp+cab it has almost 8ms latency.

The rest is often around 5ms.

Not horrible but still, not very impressive.

The quality of the unit is there... But there are also several aspects that aren't especially good.

The UI is really good. The rest is a mix between good and normal. If the price keeps on rising... Meh.

 

[GTR37]

With amp+cab it has almost 8ms latency.

The rest is often around 5ms.

Not horrible but still, not very impressive.

The quality of the unit is there... But there are also several aspects that aren't especially good.

The UI is really good. The rest is a mix between good and normal. If the price keeps on rising... Meh.

Did you try the latest updates
They apparently dropped the on board cab latency by a substantial amount
The old latency was 8ms w amp cab delay verb I believe

 

[Jkist7]

And... 800€.

Ampero is a good unit, yes. But it's not going to be cheap anymore when they launch the new gen with that list of improvements.

Reaching those prices, I think it's going to be less of a bargain. Even currently isn't exactly a bargain (generic effects, hit and miss models, CPU hungry, not very good latency numbers...).

I mean, it's good... But nothing too especial, IMO.

If you are ever paying full price for anything Hotone, you're doing it wrong. I got my Stomp 2 for $350 brand new. At that price it's a bargain. At regular price it's a solid choice.

 

[SpaceForceCMDR]

If you are ever paying full price for anything Hotone, you're doing it wrong. I got my Stomp 2 for $350 brand new. At that price it's a bargain. At regular price it's a solid choice.

Stomp 2 is available on ebay right now for $310 usd. These "sale" prices have been lower every year.

 

[Sedaxel]

The latency info of 8 ms is from Leo´s Stage review 11 months ago, so I think it´s after the update.

Besides, I´m plenty aware of Aliexpress/Ebay prices. I could have bought a Stomp for 260€ (and I didn´t, because I´m sure I would have ended up searching for something better). If We are going to compare, We should do it with official prices from stable shops. Tomorrow, Aliexpress can perfectly stop selling Hotone (as it happened with other stuff). Not to mention that, sometimes, customs grab your package and you have a nice surprise (yeah, not very common, but it happened to me a couple times).

Again, I think it´s a good unit, don´t get me wrong. UI is awesome and they´ve entered the capturing game (which still needs to be improved, since it´s CPU hungry). Still, there are several meh aspects in it. It´s my opinion.

 

[laxu]

With amp+cab it has almost 8ms latency.

The rest is often around 5ms.

Not horrible but still, not very impressive.

The quality of the unit is there... But there are also several aspects that aren't especially good.

The UI is really good. The rest is a mix between good and normal. If the price keeps on rising... Meh.

This is from when the Ampero 2 released, so with fw updates the Stage and Stomp now perform the same.

Seems I mispoke and the QC is a little bit better if you have drive+amp+cab+dly+reverb in the chain, but hey...at 3x the price it should be.

IMO the Hotone is the closest to the "Dual Cortex" concept that was flying around - a cheaper, yet still capable unit with similar behavior to QC.

For any future generation products that are likely expensive, obviously you need to also raise what the quality should be like. But I think the current Ampero 2 range punches well above its price point and can only get better.

 

[Sedaxel]

View attachment 36838

This is from when the Ampero 2 released, so with fw updates the Stage and Stomp now perform the same.

Seems I mispoke and the QC is a little bit better if you have drive+amp+cab+dly+reverb in the chain, but hey...at 3x the price it should be.

View attachment 36839

IMO the Hotone is the closest to the "Dual Cortex" concept that was flying around - a cheaper, yet still capable unit with similar behavior to QC.

For any future generation products that are likely expensive, obviously you need to also raise what the quality should be like. But I think the current Ampero 2 range punches well above its price point and can only get better.

I stand corrected regarding latency.

 

[BuleriaChk]

I just snagged a new Ampero 2 Stage for $400. From a dealer on Reverb, but it came sealed and the dealer had a 5 star rep.
(The deal isn't there any more, though). Everything works as advertised...

 

[JCW308]

I just snagged a new Ampero 2 Stage for $400. From a dealer on Reverb, but it came sealed and the dealer had a 5 star rep.
(The deal isn't there any more, though). Everything works as advertised...

Point Guitars?

 

[laxu]

This is pretty interesting, when in patch mode, the manual says we can assign a second function to each footswitch, like BOSS CURNUM:

Use PATCH FS FUNC to select additional functions for pressing footswitch

1-4 in the Patch Mode.

•

Patch: Press down the footswitch 1-4 to select between patch 1-4 in the

current bank. Press the footswitch corresponding to the current patch

again with no function.

•

Patch/FX Slot 1: Press the footswitch corresponding to the current patch

to switch the module on/off for this patch Effects Slot 1

•

Patch/Scene 2: Press the footswitch corresponding to the current patch to

switch to Scene 2 of this patch

•

Patch/Bypass: Press the footswitch corresponding to the current patch to

bypass the unit.

Forgot to reply to this. This feature is kinda poorly explained, but this is how it works:
It is not a function for each footswitch, it's an additional function for the currently selected patch's footswitch.

So as an example if I'm on the patch activated by the center footswitch on my A2 Stomp, then pressing that again will toggle a secondary feature if the PATCH FS FUNC setting is on any other setting than "Patch".

It's basically a quick way to e.g toggle between two scenes if you feel like you'd rather switch patches more often rather than whatever is configured in Stomp mode.

It's probably the most useful on the A2 Stage as you could have several presets under those footswitches, then stomp it again to activate another sound inside that preset without going into stomp mode with the leftmost switch

 

[JCW308]

Forgot to reply to this. This feature is kinda poorly explained, but this is how it works:
It is not a function for each footswitch, it's an additional function for the currently selected patch's footswitch.

So as an example if I'm on the patch activated by the center footswitch on my A2 Stomp, then pressing that again will toggle a secondary feature if the PATCH FS FUNC setting is on any other setting than "Patch".

It's basically a quick way to e.g toggle between two scenes if you feel like you'd rather switch patches more often rather than whatever is configured in Stomp mode.

It's probably the most useful on the A2 Stage as you could have several presets under those footswitches, then stomp it again to activate another sound inside that preset without going into stomp mode with the leftmost switch

Right....CUR NUM as I said.

 

[laxu]

Right....CUR NUM as I said.

Which means nothing to people who haven't used Boss stuff. Sorry if I posted redundant stuff.

 

[JCW308]

Which means nothing to people who haven't used Boss stuff. Sorry if I posted redundant stuff.

...."when in patch mode, the manual says we can assign a second function to each footswitch"

 

[mikah912]

So I was Ampero II-curious around January of this year and I loosely kept track of their progress since.

Between persistent sales on eBay, sound clone capacity being upped to 30 slots and new effects being added.....I figured why not take a flier while I wait for Stadium XL to drop?

It came in yesterday, and I gave it quite a run-through last night. So, rapidfire thoughts:

• Really nice hardware, actually. The out-of-the-box impression is a great one, except.....
• ...that just like Quad Cortex, it has a persistent hum/buzz issue. They have a ground loop switch in the firmware (and I think the Stage has an actual button), but it does nothing to help. Lots of online chat about it, but it makes headphone listening/playing annoying. I tried going with an unbalanced output cord going to my interface, but that did nothing to take the noise. I assume it's because the included power supply is ungrounded, but no one knows for sure and there isn't a magic solution. And this is both with presets with gain AND ones that are clean.
• What made it bearable is that they have an "AI Gate" block, which is supposedly an ISP Decimator model. It's mostly effective, and I'm going to play with the placement and see if that makes it even better.
• The UI required no manual reading whatsoever. Touchscreen is way better than Quad Cortex in terms of looks and responsiveness. Easy to get up and running.
• Factory presets are just OK. The included Celestion IRs are fine, but also not world-beaters. I will give them credit for having something like 10 different presets each for acoustic guitar/acoustic sims and bass. Very handy.
• Importing presets, clones or IRs via the editor is VERY clunky, but once you get them in there.....it's easy peasy to call them up. But, uh, about the clones.....
• So I grabbed @2112's preset/clone pack to get going, and it was clutch as always. But you can't just swap amp models in the factory presets out for clones. Because of the limited DSP, you need to start with a blank preset to really use clones. I highly recommend you only use clones with the IR baked in to save slots. You basically can add an AI Gate, a delay and a reverb. After that, you start running out of horsepower FAST.
• I also grabbed some capture packs from Matt Fig, as he was running a sale, and I like his Jose and Killer Kali clips. The 30 slots came in clutch, and although batch importing them was very clunky....I was able to make some great presets with them. They smoke the factory amp models for sure....even the "HQ" ones.
• There is a difference between the regular and TWO "HQ" models. It bodes well for future hardware, but it also means that I rarely want to try anything beyond the Soldano and JP2C (plus the captures I've loaded). You can just hear and feel an immediate upgrade.

Overall, I like it! You feel limitations throughout the experience, but they packed an insane amount of features into a small package with great UI. The engineering genius fell short when it comes to the noise floor, and I highly doubt Hotone will address these issues in this generation. But I'd rather have this than any other compact solution except for an HX Stomp. I cannot fathom why anyone would buy a Nano Cortex or any sort of Tonex when this is around.

 

[Jkist7]

So I was Ampero II-curious around January of this year and I loosely kept track of their progress since.

Between persistent sales on eBay, sound clone capacity being upped to 30 slots and new effects being added.....I figured why not take a flier while I wait for Stadium XL to drop?

It came in yesterday, and I gave it quite a run-through last night. So, rapidfire thoughts:

• Really nice hardware, actually. The out-of-the-box impression is a great one, except.....
• ...that just like Quad Cortex, it has a persistent hum/buzz issue. They have a ground loop switch in the firmware (and I think the Stage has an actual button), but it does nothing to help. Lots of online chat about it, but it makes headphone listening/playing annoying. I tried going with an unbalanced output cord going to my interface, but that did nothing to take the noise. I assume it's because the included power supply is ungrounded, but no one knows for sure and there isn't a magic solution. And this is both with presets with gain AND ones that are clean.
• What made it bearable is that they have an "AI Gate" block, which is supposedly an ISP Decimator model. It's mostly effective, and I'm going to play with the placement and see if that makes it even better.
• The UI required no manual reading whatsoever. Touchscreen is way better than Quad Cortex in terms of looks and responsiveness. Easy to get up and running.
• Factory presets are just OK. The included Celestion IRs are fine, but also not world-beaters. I will give them credit for having something like 10 different presets each for acoustic guitar/acoustic sims and bass. Very handy.
• Importing presets, clones or IRs via the editor is VERY clunky, but once you get them in there.....it's easy peasy to call them up. But, uh, about the clones.....
• So I grabbed @2112's preset/clone pack to get going, and it was clutch as always. But you can't just swap amp models in the factory presets out for clones. Because of the limited DSP, you need to start with a blank preset to really use clones. I highly recommend you only use clones with the IR baked in to save slots. You basically can add an AI Gate, a delay and a reverb. After that, you start running out of horsepower FAST.
• I also grabbed some capture packs from Matt Fig, as he was running a sale, and I like his Jose and Killer Kali clips. The 30 slots came in clutch, and although batch importing them was very clunky....I was able to make some great presets with them. They smoke the factory amp models for sure....even the "HQ" ones.
• There is a difference between the regular and TWO "HQ" models. It bodes well for future hardware, but it also means that I rarely want to try anything beyond the Soldano and JP2C (plus the captures I've loaded). You can just hear and feel an immediate upgrade.

Overall, I like it! You feel limitations throughout the experience, but they packed an insane amount of features into a small package with great UI. The engineering genius fell short when it comes to the noise floor, and I highly doubt Hotone will address these issues in this generation. But I'd rather have this than any other compact solution except for an HX Stomp. I cannot fathom why anyone would buy a Nano Cortex or any sort of Tonex when this is around.

All fair observations. I will say, my unit is completely noise free. Never been an issue for me. Perhaps dirty power or a faulty power supply?

 

[mikah912]

All fair observations. I will say, my unit is completely noise free. Never been an issue for me. Perhaps dirty power or a faulty power supply?

I don't think so. Reddit and Ampero forums I've seen have a TON of reports of the same. A lot of people thought it was just the headphone out, but I'm experiencing it through the other non-XLR output as well. Not the power in my house either. I've run FM9s, Helix, HX Stomp and Fender ToneMaster Pro all on the exact same outlet.....no noise.

How do you monitor your Ampero II?

 

[laxu]

Haven't had any issues with noise on my Ampero 2 Stomp either. Wonder if it's a Ampero II specific issue? You'd think it would be mostly the same hardware tho...

 

[Sedaxel]

Didn't notice any hum or buzz in 2 quad cortex from mates gigging big venues, and from my NC either.

They (and me) are using it alone, though. No hybrid analog+digital rigs. No amps, either. For stage monitoring, only wedge monitors, or SS guitar amp IEMs.

Zero noise issues.