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GMC Forum _ GEAR & PRODUCTION _ Hotone Ampero
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 12 2019, 05:29 AM
I've been wanting one of these since I saw it demoed online for NAMM. Finally got one!!! I just unboxed it today. I'll be testing it out and making some videos with it. The unit goes for about $400 (my plugin/pedal budget is about $150, so if you are on a gear budget, start saving!) which is a couple hundred less than line 6 and head rush smaller boards available that it's meant to compete with. It's got a COLOR TOUCH SCREEN which amazing considering the price point, but unlike the HEAD RUSH which has NO EDITOR APP, this one has a full featured software editor as well as the touch screen interface. Honestly, every board 1k and under should have both. Hotone has thrown down the app/color touch screen gauntlet 
It's guts are based on the XSTOMP which I have been a big fan of and so I can't wait to give this a whirl!!!!
Todd
Posted by: klasaine Mar 12 2019, 02:56 PM
When you start doing vids, can you do one that shows some of the clean, dry amp tones with a single 12" speaker model/IR?
Thanks!
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 12 2019, 06:24 PM
You mean not mega high gain 4x12 in every vid? Hmm. Sure thing!!
Todd
Thanks!
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 12 2019, 08:02 PM
Interesting, If you have a strat there could you dial in an SRV tone please, Tin Pan Alley kinda vibe.
Cheers
Posted by: klasaine Mar 13 2019, 01:08 AM
Todd
Ha, ha!
Yes, thank you.
Light drive and/or medium 'crunch' would be cool too.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 13 2019, 01:43 AM
I do have a Fretlight Strat, so a "near beer" strat as it were I'll give it a whirl on some mid gain/bluesy bits!
Yes, thank you.
Light drive and/or medium 'crunch' would be cool too.
Posted by: klasaine Mar 13 2019, 04:43 AM
I'll give it a whirl on some mid gain/bluesy bits!Even on one of your RGs would be cool. I play humbucking axes too.
I'm mostly interested to hear the guitars character through the device as opposed to the character of the device.
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 13 2019, 09:03 PM
https://youtu.be/4UNwEmrEPkM
Posted by: Mertay Mar 13 2019, 09:35 PM
I wouldn't be very optimistic about that, as its the main downside of every processor. Even line 6 couldn't fix that with their fx only unit;
I never had the chance to test but heard the Digitech gsp1101 is not bad in that area. Probably used prices are super low so might be worth a try. The G-system from TC Electronic should also be good but thats on the expensive side.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 14 2019, 05:12 AM
Good review and quite complete. Nearly an hour long. The last one I did that was this long was every single stock preset on my last hotone multi fx board. I"ve already started shooting so hopefully the first one going up soon!
I owned the GSP1101 and it was very good on cleans and even mid gain stuff. has it's own foot controller that was very nice. Best part is it's powered by a single ethernet cable, no power supply needed. They are very very cheap these days compared to years past. It fell down for me as it just would not chugg in proper form.
I never had the chance to test but heard the Digitech gsp1101 is not bad in that area. Probably used prices are super low so might be worth a try. The G-system from TC Electronic should also be good but thats on the expensive side.
Posted by: Mertay Mar 14 2019, 05:40 PM
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/hotone-ampero.1982859/page-33
This link might come in handy for you later on if you experience noise.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 15 2019, 03:06 AM
I'll coil split one of the rgs and give you mid gain low B on a 7 string
Todd
I'm mostly interested to hear the guitars character through the device as opposed to the character of the device.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 16 2019, 05:55 AM
Quick vid comparing the ampero and it's competition the Mooer unit near the same price point. I used to think the mooer unit had some good tones until I saw this. By comparison is sounds a bit awful imho.
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 16 2019, 11:57 PM
I've ordered one just to try it out. The ui looks much nicer than the Helix one.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 17 2019, 12:37 AM
I'm really impressed with the UI so far. It's very intuitive and very responsive. I"m more of a plugin/software control guy typically, but this touch screen is just so quick/easy to navigate, launching the software editor seems like extra work
Also, it does merit saying that if hotone can make a really nice, responsive, color touchscreen at this price point, certainly the "big boys" could do the same. It doesn't seem like it has pushed the price of the unit to far north to be sure, so that's not really a factor it seems. I'm guessing AXE FX/Kemper will be shamed in to adding color touch screens before to much longer
Todd
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 18 2019, 08:12 AM
I know from Jay's video that you can record wet and dry via USB, I emailed Hotone to ask if you can send the dry signal back into the Ampero for re-amping. Their reply is below, I don't fully understand what they mean. Maybe it's just the terminology I don't get.
Can you open my eyes please?
Hi Phil:
You can send dry signal to DAW through the USB of Ampero and receive sculpted audio from DAW through USB. And this audio would then go through our effects chain and will be output from either XLR or TS jack of Ampero. And if you want to get that output signal to your DAW, you would need another audio interface to do it.
Cheers
Posted by: klasaine Mar 18 2019, 11:15 PM
You'll need a second audio interface to re-amp back to your DAW.
Out your computer.
Into the Ampero.
Out the Ampero.
Into second audio interface.
Into DAW.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 19 2019, 04:09 AM
PHIL: KEN Nailed it!! That's what they are saying. You can re amp through it but you'd need to run it in to a second interface to get it back in to your daw. I think you are running out of your helix with audio in to an interface currently? So it would be just connect the xlr outputs from the ampero to your audio interface instead. I've always found that software reamping is the most efficient way to go for home recording. I tried to do re amping with my 11 rack and it was just a bit of a pain in the neck. So much so, that I just started using overloud instead for all re amping. Now that overloud THU supports amp profiling (ish) it's sort of a software version of a kemper which is killer!!
Back to the AMPERO!!!
Here is a quick test (NOT FOR KEN OF COURSE) to answer the question. "BUT WILL IT DJENT?"
Since that's the question I'm gonna get asked, so let's get it sorted
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 19 2019, 08:14 AM
Sounds good to my ears Todd, thanks for sharing
Out your computer.
Into the Ampero.
Out the Ampero.
Into second audio interface.
Into DAW.
Thanks Ken,
I sent them this reply:
Hello, thank you for getting back to me. I currently use a Helix which I send into a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 via xlr and use the USB for dry signal and reamping.
Is that what you mean?
And they replied:
Hi Phil:
Yes, you are correct with that method.
I don't re-amp very often but sometimes I like to so I always record a wet and dry signal. Sometimes I just modify the wet signal a little but sometimes it's nice to play around with the dry signal. Jay didn't think you could re-amp with it though, I'll let him know.
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 20 2019, 04:21 AM
Thanks phil I am really impressed so far with this unit. It's got a touch interface thats as easy to use as a big mouse driven editor app, and I dig the fx and amps and cabs. I'm gonna make some killer presets on this thing. I don't actually need my big 11 rack and midi foot controller anymore. This little guy has all the tone and it's a fraction of the size/weight and it's got a cool wah built in which is the one thing I didnt like on my 11 rack which is why I added the hotone wah. Well, this one has a hotone wah already in it 
Todd
Thanks Ken,
I sent them this reply:
Hello, thank you for getting back to me. I currently use a Helix which I send into a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 via xlr and use the USB for dry signal and reamping.
Is that what you mean?
And they replied:
Hi Phil:
Yes, you are correct with that method.
I don't re-amp very often but sometimes I like to so I always record a wet and dry signal. Sometimes I just modify the wet signal a little but sometimes it's nice to play around with the dry signal. Jay didn't think you could re-amp with it though, I'll let him know.
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 20 2019, 10:13 PM
Be nice to hear a comparison between Native and Ampero if you select the same amp/cab etc, just something without too many effects to check out the cab/amp sim.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 21 2019, 03:13 AM
That should be pretty easy to pull off. You have the NATIVE plugin I think? So you record a chunk and try it through the plugin, then either reamp through ampero or just play the lick through the ampero. I"m guessing somebody will do a vid like that on youtube if it hasn't been done already.
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 21 2019, 08:47 AM
Native plugin is terrible on my computer, all cracks and pops and I don't have an Ampero
https://youtu.be/oX2nk6ETBPs
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 22 2019, 04:20 AM
I thought you said you were gonna get an ampero just to play around with it? I may be going senile I thought I read that in an earlier post. I had no idea that the NATIVE plugin DIDN"T WORK!!! Lame!!!!!!!
Make that SUPER LAME!!!! It just won't work at all? Have you gone to their support and tried to work it out? Surely the support folks can offer some sort of advice on this? It's nearly 1k worth of software!!
It's expensive price tag is why I didn't buy it. So I don't have a copy and thus can't make such a vid. However, you can run some dry riffs through your helix and then put the dry guitar files as .wav files on dropbox or something and I can run them through the AMPERO and then we can cut a little video together going back and forth if you like
https://youtu.be/oX2nk6ETBPs
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 22 2019, 08:29 AM
I did order one Todd 
but not in stock until April 4th. I asked L6 about Native and why it was popping and crackling they just thought it was lack of resources in computer.
I'm just going to sit the Ampero on a tablet stand like Jay has in his video and have it plugged into two spare XLRs on my Scarlett so I can switch between the Helix LT (on floor under desk) and the Ampero.
It it correct that when you change banks it instantly switches to the patch of the same number in the new bank, ie: If you're on bank 1 patch 1 and you switch to bank 2, it switches immediately to bank 2 patch 1? Not good if you want to go to bank 2 patch 3, you'll get a few moments of bank 2 patch 1 until your foot gets to press the right switch.
Cheers
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 23 2019, 05:05 AM
Ahh Waiting for the restock. I have heard that a lot lately as they seem to have flown off the shelves pretty quick and now many folks are just out of stock. You'll dig it once it shows up for sure! You can do a quick A/B with the setup your talking about. I can't wait to hear it! If your rig is a Quad Core i7 with a Gig of Ram, it should run the native with no problem. That's sorta the base config these days for cpu hungry software. if you've got that and it's still pop/click then it's probably something else. It could be that you may have to reduce your samples (e.g. create more lag) to get it to run smooth, but that defeats the entire point of having a real time plugin. 
If it just won't run on your rig, is the license such that you can sell it to get your money out of it?
As far as the bank/patch question, I"m not sure. I"ll have to give it a whirl. One cool thing about the unit is that it's midi compatible so one could add any midi controller and program it any way one might like, e.g. stomp box mode with patches mode on other foot switches. Folks are already starting to do this
but not in stock until April 4th. I asked L6 about Native and why it was popping and crackling they just thought it was lack of resources in computer.I'm just going to sit the Ampero on a tablet stand like Jay has in his video and have it plugged into two spare XLRs on my Scarlett so I can switch between the Helix LT (on floor under desk) and the Ampero.
It it correct that when you change banks it instantly switches to the patch of the same number in the new bank, ie: If you're on bank 1 patch 1 and you switch to bank 2, it switches immediately to bank 2 patch 1? Not good if you want to go to bank 2 patch 3, you'll get a few moments of bank 2 patch 1 until your foot gets to press the right switch.
Cheers
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 23 2019, 11:19 AM
I had Native when L6 did the offer for Helix owners, £99 but got a refund.
I'm gutted I recently sold my Radial Twin City AB Y switch, might have to get another, stereo xlrs from Helix and Ampero into the front of my Scarlett, dry signal from L6 G10 into the back, flexibility
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 23 2019, 08:09 PM
Does the twin city allow all the outputs at once? So that you can go stereo out from helix, and ampero and still have a dry out from guitar all going in to the interface at once?
of course, both ampero and helix have usb recording, but only one can be set as a recording device at a time. if you use the cable method, you can record both fx units and get a dry signal at the same time hopefully, in case you want to reamp later on. Handy!
Sorry the native plugin didn't work out. have you tried other guitar plugins on your computer? For example, the new OVERLOUD THU? It runs smooth on my rig but I can't remember what your specs are off hand.
I'm gutted I recently sold my Radial Twin City AB Y switch, might have to get another, stereo xlrs from Helix and Ampero into the front of my Scarlett, dry signal from L6 G10 into the back, flexibility
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 23 2019, 09:04 PM
Here's the spec Todd, I really need to upgrade but keep procrastinating as I hate getting new computers set up with everything 
https://flic.kr/p/24FuSDk
I can record from the Helix via stereo xlr, (I don't connect via USB now because of https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=59822 if you remember), then I can send stereo xlr from the Ampero to the other two front inputs on the Scarlet. The Line 6 G10 has a 1/4 out AND an xlr, the xlr can go into a 1/4 input on the back of the Scarlett for the dry signal, the 1/4 out can go into the Twin City and then A and B from the Twin City can go to the Ampero and Helix LT, one or the other or both
http://www.radialeng.com/product/twin-city
It will give me many options
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 24 2019, 02:48 AM
your CPU is MORE than enough and your SSD is plenty and your graphics chip is fine for music stuff. So really, you just need a bit more ram. 16GB is pretty standard for music workstations. I'm guessing you'll have to just ditch what you've got in there if it's taking up all the slots, which always blows, but that's music for ya. The only thing I see is that your light on ram. Other than that, you should be able to run pretty much anything you want. Including that Native plugin. What part of your system did line 6 say needed upgrading?
Yeah that ab switch is the shiz!
Todd
. You
https://flic.kr/p/24FuSDk
I can record from the Helix via stereo xlr, (I don't connect via USB now because of https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=59822 if you remember), then I can send stereo xlr from the Ampero to the other two front inputs on the Scarlet. The Line 6 G10 has a 1/4 out AND an xlr, the xlr can go into a 1/4 input on the back of the Scarlett for the dry signal, the 1/4 out can go into the Twin City and then A and B from the Twin City can go to the Ampero and Helix LT, one or the other or both
http://www.radialeng.com/product/twin-city
It will give me many options
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 24 2019, 09:04 AM
They just said it sounds like I'm low on resources.
I don't have Native now anyway and I won't be buying it at the price it is, it was on offer when I got it £99.
Cheers
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 25 2019, 01:22 AM
I hear ya. $99 is a great price. Or was!
I don't have Native now anyway and I won't be buying it at the price it is, it was on offer when I got it £99.
Cheers
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 25 2019, 11:00 AM
Reality check.
I've given it a lot of thought over the weekend and decided to cancel my order for the Ampero. I think it will only serve as a distraction and hinder my practise. I have a Helix LT which is more than enough for my needs. I need to put practise first. It was just a case of "Boys' Toys Syndrome" and Jay was so enthused about it, it made me want one.
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Mertay Mar 25 2019, 01:44 PM
Makes sense to be honest, I actually sold my gt-1 today as I wasn't using even half of the features.
As all I need is 3 shades of gain (clean, drive, shreddy dist.) and some delay or reverb, I have my eyes on the new tech 21 flyrig's or Nux Cerberus. And if I don't like them after demo there's still the ultra cheap zoom G1 four...
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 25 2019, 02:00 PM
I only really got the Helix because of GMC and the collabs and creativity workshops. It gives a lot of scope.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 26 2019, 05:31 AM
You really don't need an Ampero to be honest. It's just more presets to mess with. You've got plenty of tone in the Helix. If you were still looking for a Multi I'd suggest the Ampero, you've already been dating the helix for a while so probably not time to strike up with a new girlfriend just cause she's new
I've given it a lot of thought over the weekend and decided to cancel my order for the Ampero. I think it will only serve as a distraction and hinder my practise. I have a Helix LT which is more than enough for my needs. I need to put practise first. It was just a case of "Boys' Toys Syndrome" and Jay was so enthused about it, it made me want one.
Cheers
Phil
Posted by: Mertay Mar 26 2019, 12:45 PM
Helix is a different beast to what I mention. I mean, everything is high-quality to my knowledge while the gt-1 is a do it all but enough to save the day type quality. I figured I'm after something simpler but higher quality for the price as to why tech 21 flyrig's got my attention.
Posted by: Phil66 Mar 26 2019, 09:06 PM
I do like the look of the UI on the Ampero though. Much better than the Helix sliders imho
Posted by: Todd Simpson Mar 27 2019, 02:20 AM
They did create a very spiff UI. I'm guessing it will impact other vendors UI in revisions of the future but time will tell I do think it's gonna be hard for other builders to get away with not having a color touch screen, especially when charging double/triple. Head rush has a cool color touch screen but no software editor! I gotta say it's handy to have both.
Here is a quick unboxing vid that I shot when I got mine in the post. Shot it before I did the firmware upgrade on the off chance I bricked it by accident!!
Posted by: Steve Gilfield Oct 26 2020, 04:08 PM
I came across a brand called Valeton.
It makes cheap pedals.
I searched a little bit and found that it is a member of the Hotone company.
That made me wonder whether they use the same components, same settings etc
Posted by: Todd Simpson Oct 26 2020, 08:48 PM
They have some great prices. This unit is meant to compete with stuff like the tech21 flyrig. It's a handy pedal and very portable. Great demo! I'm guessing some of the tech does drift between products from a given vendor.
It makes cheap pedals.
I searched a little bit and found that it is a member of the Hotone company.
That made me wonder whether they use the same components, same settings etc
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