Your experience with Ampero II Stage?

R

Roadrunner

Power User
Hi.
The Ampero II Stage looks like a VERY cool little floor unit which could be use as a backup / small gigs. Giving it a quick look, it has few goodies like B.T connection for Android and IOS based smartphones + the app and also for a PC, not to mentioned the touch screen.
It is loaded nicely with amps, FX, etc, anyone had one or have one and compared it vs. FM3/9?
 
Anybody know what can be different between scenes?
All "blocks" and their settings are the same, just some on or off in each scene?
Something else?
 
I didn't pay attention but Leon covers it in his last two videos. I just scrolled through but he creates a few scenes within a preset, I just don't remember what's inside.
 
Chromatizm said:
I didn't pay attention but Leon covers it in his last two videos. I just scrolled through but he creates a few scenes within a preset, I just don't remember what's inside.
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I watched the vid linked above, don't * think * he mentioned that, but maybe I missed it.
 
Dave Merrill said:
Anybody know what can be different between scenes?
All "blocks" and their settings are the same, just some on or off in each scene?
Something else?
Click to expand...
Scenes include on/off states AND settings for each block. So I could have Scene 1 with a clean amp, Scene 2 with a dirty amp and one OD to feed both with totally different settings for each Scene. That's a plus because the CPU runs out pretty quick if you're trying to build a kitchen sink preset. I did just that for the video below.

Sound-wise, it can't compete with anything Fractal Audio make. I'm not sure they want to either. You'll find 4-6 parameters, maximum, for most blocks which keeps it simple. None of the amps (in my experience) have the resolution, authenticity or detailed complexity that we're fortunately used to with Fractal products. There's latency too - not a lot - but it's noticeable. Other than that, the Ampero II Stage makes for a good grab-'n-go solution and will suit most people whose modeller choice might be dictated by price point.

 
Burgs said:
Scenes include on/off states AND settings for each block. So I could have Scene 1 with a clean amp, Scene 2 with a dirty amp and one OD to feed both with totally different settings for each Scene. That's a plus because the CPU runs out pretty quick if you're trying to build a kitchen sink preset. I did just that for the video below.

Sound-wise, it can't compete with anything Fractal Audio make. I'm not sure they want to either. You'll find 4-6 parameters, maximum, for most blocks which keeps it simple. None of the amps (in my experience) have the resolution, authenticity or detailed complexity that we're fortunately used to with Fractal products. There's latency too - not a lot - but it's noticeable. Other than that, the Ampero II Stage makes for a good grab-'n-go solution and will suit most people whose modeller choice might be dictated by price point.

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Hey Burgs, Love your videos, always great tones.
Just got a Stage 2 as a backup for my Axe 3.
Have you tried using IRs as opposed to cab block? I find the latency is far less noticeable.
 
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Dave Merrill said:
Anybody know what can be different between scenes?
All "blocks" and their settings are the same, just some on or off in each scene?
Something else?
Click to expand...
You can change anything within the block between scenes, level, eq etc. but you can't change block type. It's not as eloquent as the AFX but still does so much considering the price.
 
I just picked up a Stomp II to replace an HX Stomp XL for my backup to my FM9. I like it. Tones are just as good as the HX, at a fraction of the cost. The tweakability is limited compared to HX but it can run more blocks which is why I ditched my Stomp XL. I like it for a small grab and go.
 
Had one of these Hotones for a few months and played/tweeked it for about 10 hours over 2-3 weekends but couldn't abide with it's sound that lacked too much depth imho. It's not bad for the money at all but clean and break up sounds didn't make it for me also the modulation effects sounded flat to me. Worth the try though if you're just doing some rythm work along and singing. Guess it drowns correctly in a band mix, I didn't go that far with it.
 
Thus far I have jammed on mine that arrived today. Hands down easiest modeler I have used out of the gate. Simple and no symbols only thing like the QC. The size is perfect and touch screen is high res and super responsive in a good way. Just noodling around with stock presets I was impressed with the sound of clean, acoustic, grit and heavy. FX were good overall and this is a great grab in go or backup to your AX3. I will play more and see if I notice the latency that Burgs mentioned.
 
Tremonti said:
Thus far I have jammed on mine that arrived today. Hands down easiest modeler I have used out of the gate. Simple and no symbols only thing like the QC. The size is perfect and touch screen is high res and super responsive in a good way. Just noodling around with stock presets I was impressed with the sound of clean, acoustic, grit and heavy. FX were good overall and this is a great grab in go or backup to your AX3. I will play more and see if I notice the latency that Burgs mentioned.
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You will notice it if you are using the cab models
If you are just using ir like a York or Ownhammer the latency is comparable to the FM3 it’s about 3.3 ms
The Cab block they need to work on
 
I must say...I am having fun with this unit. The touch screen plus the bluetooth app is sick. Really quick to do what you want. Easy to set buttons to do whatever on the fly. Definitely having to think what I need as it only allows 12 blocks. I am a kitchen sink guy, so looking for possibilities still. If Fractal put out a Axe Fx 4loor with 12 buttons and a large long screen running in between the top 6 and the bottom 6......that would be my jam
 
Update: Could not get the wah to function no matter what cable I tried and tried different expression pedals. Nada. Forum is ghost town and get no answers. Few other things I did not care for. Cool unit but not for me.
 
My experience with the Ampero II Stage has been great. The operating system is absolutely fantastic. The Mac and iOS apps work perfectly. Bluetooth audio streaming also is perfect. Clean to edge-of breakup sounds, ambient, delays, reverbs, mods, all perfect. IR management is super easy. Noise floor is low. There's a LOT to love. I can't get very good crunch or lead sounds YET but I'm only on day one. They sound harsh and brittle compared to my FM3 and BOSS GT-1000 which were instant favorites right out of the box. Overall though, this thing is an absolute winner and at 1/2 the price of the GT-1000 and FM3, you really can't go wrong. Now make it in BLACK, Hotone!
 
The only thing that drives me nuts is the stupid way they implemented Tap Tempo on their Scenes There is no way to keep them all in sync to each other, so if you are using scenes for song parts, good luck. Scene1 is supposed to override all the rest and set them back to the same, which is partly a fix(but requires you to switch to 1 just to set tempo) but there is a bug on Stomp II where Scene3 will not reset with others even if you do it via Scene1. I have had this request to fix for at least 3 months now, since the firmware came out. they certainly arent as responsive about updates compared to Fractal and Line6.
 
guitarplayer1969 said:
The only thing that drives me nuts is the stupid way they implemented Tap Tempo on their Scenes There is no way to keep them all in sync to each other, so if you are using scenes for song parts, good luck. Scene1 is supposed to override all the rest and set them back to the same, which is partly a fix(but requires you to switch to 1 just to set tempo) but there is a bug on Stomp II where Scene3 will not reset with others even if you do it via Scene1. I have had this request to fix for at least 3 months now, since the firmware came out. they certainly arent as responsive about updates compared to Fractal and Line6.
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That’s a global setting / easy fix
 
jwoertz said:
That’s a global setting / easy fix
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No it isn't, at least on the Stomp II. There is no global setting but there is also a bug on the way they implemented Maybe they fixed it on the Stage II? The Tap Tempo BPM does not stay in sync with the other scenes if you need to change the BPM mid song. Try it - Go into Scene 2 for example and change the BPM - It will not update the other Scenes with it.. Additionally, if you make changes to just Scene 1 it is supposed to update all the other scenes to follow (As is the case for all the other settings to), but if you do this, Scene 2 will not update with it, just Scene 3. Support knows about this and its a bug.
 
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