Hotone Ampero Mini

[mojozart]

It is REALLY BIZARRE though that it has no on/off switch or bypass.

The Tuner has Bypass mode, in addition to Thru and Mute

There are other ways to Mute as well:

• There's a volume knob on the back
• If you assign the Cab to an empty IR slot, it functions like a Mute

(Mute is not exactly on/off, but similar?)

 

[Sascha Franck]

No, it cannot run from USB bus power

Hmpf, too bad. That should rule it out for me already.

 

[ericbr1]

The Tuner has Bypass mode, in addition to Thru and Mute

There are other ways to Mute as well:

• There's a volume knob on the back
• If you assign the Cab to an empty IR slot, it functions like a Mute

(Mute is not exactly on/off, but similar?)

I just mean an on /off switch like every other piece of gear has, or a button where you can bypass the processing without using your hands. It's no big deal at all, it's just a bizarre design decision, and out of the literally hundreds of pieces of guitar /pa gear I have it's the only one like that. What IS included though is fantastic and people can make great music with it

 

[mojozart]

or a button where you can bypass the processing without using your hands

You can press a button to engage the tuner, and this will bypass if your tuner is configured for bypass mode.

 

[Sascha Franck]

You can press a button to engage the tuner, and this will bypass if your tuner is configured for bypass mode.

But that's not ideal at all. You might want to use the tuner and obviously mute things while doing so. And you might want to bypass things separately.

 

[GTR37]

But that's not ideal at all. You might want to use the tuner and obviously mute things while doing so. And you might want to bypass things separately.

Again at a sale price of $169 USD I don’t think beggars can be choosers

 

[Sascha Franck]

Again at a sale price of $169 USD I don’t think beggars can be choosers

Well, seriously, a bypass function shouldn't be hard to add. Not even at half the money.

 

[ericbr1]

Well, seriously, a bypass function shouldn't be hard to add. Not even at half the money.

Yep, it's just a really odd choice. I have at least 50 guitar pedals and have had loads since the mid 70's. They all turn off. (obviously going into true bypass, buffered, or whatever, but the effect turns off. lol.. Every rack preamp , effect, etc I've owned turns off, every computer, every amp, every modeler, etc. . With this, you literally have to unplug it. Oh well.. Again I just think it's funny

 

[MadMaxG79]

Yep, it's just a really odd choice. I have at least 50 guitar pedals and have had loads since the mid 70's. They all turn off. (obviously going into true bypass, buffered, or whatever, but the effect turns off. lol.. Every rack preamp , effect, etc I've owned turns off, every computer, every amp, every modeler, etc. . With this, you literally have to unplug it. Oh well.. Again I just think it's funny

You've obviously never owned an Atomic Amplifire product...

 

[ChordInversion]

Yep, it's just a really odd choice. I have at least 50 guitar pedals and have had loads since the mid 70's. They all turn off. (obviously going into true bypass, buffered, or whatever, but the effect turns off. lol.. Every rack preamp , effect, etc I've owned turns off, every computer, every amp, every modeler, etc. . With this, you literally have to unplug it. Oh well.. Again I just think it's funny

Clearly it was designed for a use case in which it is a standalone piece of gear. That's certainly limiting, but I don't think it's accidental. And I'm sure they're selling plenty anyway, because the large majority of people who play guitar are not and never will be performers. To me, the really strange design choice that everyone keeps making is doing home gear in pedal format. :) I suppose it opens up the "emergency backup rig" market to do it that way, and it just looks/feels normal to the tradition-bound guitar gear market. Desktop units like the POD bean seem to have all dried up. Minor bummer for me, because I would love more updated units like that for recording.

 

[MadMaxG79]

Yep, it's just a really odd choice. I have at least 50 guitar pedals and have had loads since the mid 70's. They all turn off. (obviously going into true bypass, buffered, or whatever, but the effect turns off. lol.. Every rack preamp , effect, etc I've owned turns off, every computer, every amp, every modeler, etc. . With this, you literally have to unplug it. Oh well.. Again I just think it's funny

This is one of Dan from That Pedal Shows' favorite delays:

BIM – Oto Machines

www.otomachines.com

Just sayin'... But I don't disagree, it's an odd choice indeed and such a small thing to include - at least I would think, I'm not an engineer so I have no idea of the actual work that goes into something like that

...To me, the really strange design choice that everyone keeps making is doing home gear in pedal format. :) I suppose it opens up the "emergency backup rig" market to do it that way, and it just looks/feels normal to the tradition-bound guitar gear market...

I'm certain that this is the number one reason for this design choice. Going against the grain on something like this is a big risk. Just look at how many "traditional" guitarist in this thread alone that are showing interest in this kind of product. Even though they are far from what I would think was the core demographic for something like this, i.e. beginners and/or home guitarists on a limited budget (let's be honest, the vast majority of you guys'n'gals have something a lot more expensive and comprehensive as the center of your digital rig and are just looking at this as a fun grab'n'go / practice / backup solution).

 

[ericbr1]

You've obviously never owned an Atomic Amplifire product...

Huh? I have the Amplifire-Box since it first came out and love it. It has an enable/bypass switch.

 

[ericbr1]

Clearly it was designed for a use case in which it is a standalone piece of gear. That's certainly limiting, but I don't think it's accidental. And I'm sure they're selling plenty anyway, because the large majority of people who play guitar are not and never will be performers. To me, the really strange design choice that everyone keeps making is doing home gear in pedal format. :) I suppose it opens up the "emergency backup rig" market to do it that way, and it just looks/feels normal to the tradition-bound guitar gear market. Desktop units like the POD bean seem to have all dried up. Minor bummer for me, because I would love more updated units like that for recording.

Ha I still have a Pod Bean, and had since it first came out. I just recently discovered the TWEED BLUES (59 Bassman) setting that sounds awesome, using it with the built-in compressor, has gobs of gain, but cleans up perfectly with any of my guitars' volume pots. I'm shocked how good that sounds, as I never once used that setting before . As for your stmt about "Clearly designed as a standalone and not accidental" I agree 100% . There's no way a company forgets to put a bypass or on/off switch. haha.. It limits it quite a bit, but it's an incredible piece of gear, and my observation about that, is JUST THAT and not a complaint.. .

 

[MadMaxG79]

Huh? I have the Amplifire-Box since it first came out and love it. It has an enable/bypass switch.

Sorry, I meant the big red ones, Amplifire 3 and 6. It always annoyed me that it didn't have a switch.

 

[ericbr1]

Sorry, I meant the big red ones, Amplifire 3 and 6. It always annoyed me that it didn't have a switch.

No kidding!

 

[quadgear]

Sorry, I meant the big red ones, Amplifire 3 and 6. It always annoyed me that it didn't have a switch.

There is a way to assign a switch on the AA3/6/12 to bypass (per the manual)

A/B<->BYPASS: Toggles between a preset and BYPASS. Press once for preset“A”. Press again for bypass. Press again returns to preset “A”, and so on. Press andhold for two seconds to toggle between preset “A” and preset “B”. Each footswitchhas two presets, “A” and “B” which can be assigned to any of the 128 presets (seePRESET “A” and PRESET “B” sections below)

ALL BYPASS: Toggles the unit from ACTIVE to BYPASS, bypassing all effects andamp modeling

 

[Los-D]

Here is a comparison video against the Pod Express I saw online. Though I don’t have a PE, my experience when comparing to Helix Native is that I prefer the Line 6 tones with the built-in cabs (even after loading YA or ML IRs on the Mini).