When I first tried the product upon purchase, I think I was so stoked with anticipation after researching the functionality, specs etc... that I think I was closed to the necessary learning curve required to use the STOMP I/O. However, if this sounds familiar with your own experience, do yourself a favor and read on.
Before I get to my point, my gear: A modest 50 watt Boss MK2 Katana.
Up until this past week, I was plugging the line output from the Stomp I/O pedalboard to the pre-amp input on the amp. Now this works. It does. But something didn't always sound right and I found far too often the tones sounded 'plasticky' or just not dialed in enough.
I became so discouraged in fact that on two separate occasions I had come to the conclusion that if I wasn't able to make better use of it, I would sell/trade it in for something else.
Let me add that I am a well versed PC person, I work in IT too - for many many years, but admittedly am not the most MAC literate. Still, the gui (AmpliTube software) is made in a way that is mostly designed with mobile and touch screen device conventions in mind. So once you get that (same as your android or iphone > swiping does a lot, holding down to map to a stomp or the expression pedal, etc...) all that sort of stuff took a bit of time to get the hang of.
So let's skip forward now to about the beginning of last week. One thing that annoyed me up until then was that I didn't think you could start off with a 'clean' template of nothing. In other words - just an amp - no effects at all. Well, that is not the case. You CAN swipe ALL effects off, then save the amp in your preferred state. (or bank all the way to a free empty one and build from there)
Anyway, figuring out how to organize your amp and effects models, along with discovering and using the very well implemented virtual dual microphone cabinet placement ability - has allowed my sound and tones to come a long long way. They're bloody real now =D
But wait... if you're still reading and you've gotten to this point and everything matches - don't miss this next part:
This whole path allowed me to learn more about guitar sound amplification in general. And how many/most amps work. This particular model, the Boss MK-II Katana, well, like many, allows you to plug your instrument into a pre-amp, that shapes/boosts your signal through a built in boss optional effects chain - then to the master volume/output.
Another feature of this particular series of Boss amps, is that, for lack of better definition is that you can bi-pass the built in pre-amp and effects chain by plug into the rear accessible POWER AMP IN. OMFG. Instant dial in:
What does it do? Exactly what I outlined above. So, the STOMP I/O becomes the head/rig basically, that replaces the boss pre-amp with its own quality pre-amp and then also uses its own effects chain. That is pretty awesome because moving forward, I can add another cabinet or combo(so long as the later has a POWER AMP IN - I'll never plug this type of interface into another pre-amp. It works, but it's stacking your sound, saturating it and you end up with tones that are just off.).
Listen, every single amp model - without ANY effect models in use - sound amazing now having switched to plugging the STOMP I/O into the POWER AMP IN on my Boss Mk-II.
Moving forward, I plan on adding a pure 1x12 cabinet on the other available output, effectively giving me a real stereo output. Attention must be made to matching the watts, ohms between the STOMP I/O and whatever you plug it into, but through research now understanding, most cabinets are fine as the STOMP I/O has a very powerful pre-amp. I mean, I think you can put a 4x12 cabinet, definitely two 1x10 or 1x12 or a 2x10 or 2x12.
Another thing I started to understand was, how shall I say, the design of the product and what the different modes are. So, maybe I'm an idiot, I knew what stomp mode meant, but didn't really. Figured that out. Basically, for anybody else who for some reason got stuck on that... its your practice mode, where you have your ONE amp model and whatever effects you need to play your material available, with local control of all the pedals while in stomp mode, allowing you to toggle on/off or map buttons too.
Also, haven't used it much, but was extremely impressed with the quality and ease of use getting the looper to work. Having a few tracks you can mix and mess around with is awesome. (not just two!)
Haven't used the drum stuff, because I have a pretty good solution on my PC with a VST plugin for EZDrummer (this has changed names since, but that's the product i have license for) that I use with FL Studio. I haven't done any recording yet using my setup/software solution, so the jury is still out on that. To be continued.
The tuner works great. Kind of curious how much better the paid one can be.
Anyway - conclusion? I'm so happy I hung in there. This product is amazing. I have used Line6 stuff before and their stuff is good too. I'm now sold on this product. IK Multimedia has a winner here.
If you buy the pedal board and the two all in bundles, you're looking at what 6-700$ CAD? Sure you might get a setup for a little more that would kick ass too - but nowhere, absolutely nowhere near as versatile.
What I bought where a few pedals... but recently I bought the 5-6 individual amp models I like and the all effects in bundle. I'm set.
10/10 all around except for one thing. IK needs to have better instructors demonstrating the product functionality. Not one video I could find on the net outlined all of the above - I had to piece it all together myself. Not everyone will make it that far - and that is a shame. This product is more than worth it if you can get past the initial learning curve.
Hope this review helps.
