AmpliTube Metal - Released THIS month!!!

[A3ntar]

But whoever buys AT2 has the chance to get it for free.

Oh, wait, I thought it was a limited time offer.

As far is it coming from the beginning, the Stomp IO software had to be developed first in order to have X-Gear for AT2 users AND the full Stomp IO version.

Squids, I am not talking about the StompIO integration or AXG complex functionality (chaining, mingling, mixing, etc...). What I, and a lot of other people are talking about is a standard MIDI functionality in the standalone version of AT2, like all the other ampsim software modelers out there.

[Squids]

It's funny to me when I see skeptics say they think it was some kind of marketing strategy to announce something and then make people wait 2 years for it. If something is new in the marketplace, let alone a new territory for a developer as well (such as self developed hardware made by a software company) there's really no way of knowing how long it will take! I can tell you that if a company can go back in time and unannounce it early they absolutely would! But you can't go back in time. Meanwhile, two years later the time of release from AT Jimi Hendrix from announcement was incredible. The time of release from ARC announcement, since it is shipping next month is also fantastic. Holding off until a product is closer to completion is something you learn the hard way. Believe me, I've had to learn this myself. But, it's not a strategy intened to bait people for a long period of time. You can think that all you want but I am telling you it's not and I know for sure from my POV. The ideal is an announcement with a release in 6 months or less. It all depends on when the major trade shows are because this industry focuses on NAMM, AES and Frankfurt Musik Messe. It is such an incredible expense to do the shows that sometimes companies don't even attend now (like AES this year... IK was one of the only software companies there). You pretty much have to announce what you've got coming. IK thought Stomp IO would have been faster but it wasn't. It took as long as it took and now it is finally going to be available.

Anyway, I tried to prepare people for the price on the forum talking as well. I said it would be in the range of Digi 002 many times. Look it up. So in discussions here this shouldn't have come as such a big surprise. But, anyway, it isn't that it is made out of steel (although a plastic version would be less appealing to me). It is every aspect of it's components and design that make it cost what it costs. In order for it to exist there's a formula for it to work for both the developer, the distributors and the dealers. In this case, all parties have to sacrifice more than usual just to bring it in at THIS price. For instance, at a dealer like esoundz we make less selling this percentage-wise than we do just selling AmpliTube. But, it's a cool product that can reach more people and... well, from a dealer standpoint it is what it is too! So, either you carry it or you don't. Just like as a user either you like it and find a way to justify the expense or not.

But, there's no intentional deception or anything like that. Anyone who thinks that was "part of the plan" is being either paranoid and creative or just focusing on the negative. A flagship hardware software combination is going to cost more than something that has been out for a while with variations of the technology spread out amongst different products... kind of like the Korg OASYS cost and then the other products that have been based on that technology. It's something hardware users are more used to than anyone who grew up mostly using just software I think.

[Squids]

But whoever buys AT2 has the chance to get it for free.

Oh, wait, I thought it was a limited time offer.

As far is it coming from the beginning, the Stomp IO software had to be developed first in order to have X-Gear for AT2 users AND the full Stomp IO version.

Squids, I am not talking about the StompIO integration or AXG complex functionality (chaining, mingling, mixing, etc...). What I, and a lot of other people are talking about is a standard MIDI functionality in the standalone version of AT2, like all the other ampsim software modelers out there.

Limited time offer but you can STILL buy AT2 and get X-Gear for free right now. So, that's pretty darn fair.

Regarding midi, yes it was a sacrifice not to have it all this time but in order to have developed it and not have done it twice they developed the X-Gear system so they could be able to have both. Believe it or not it allows it to be cheaper (or in this case free). Other companies that included it from the start may not have had plans to do an elaborate controller as well. Then if they decided to they may have to start over with development unless they had thought of it from the beginning. That's how that works. Trade offs. Anyway, we're here now and have both around the corner so... time to celebrate if you ask me!

[vonRed]

As for the StompIO itself... are you telling me that everything inside that chassis is hand-soldered and hand-assembled? If so, they've missed an opportunity. Nobody--NOBODY--wants a "boutique" floorboard.

Anyone who tries to hand-solder a computer these days is either very brave or very stupid. Or maybe both. You can's solder many chips by hand at all. Similarly, sheet metal is cut using computer controlled laser-cutters, etc.

I suspect that Squids means the units are assembled and inspected by hand (where the populated PCB counts as a single part).

[A3ntar]

As for the StompIO itself... are you telling me that everything inside that chassis is hand-soldered and hand-assembled? If so, they've missed an opportunity. Nobody--NOBODY--wants a "boutique" floorboard.

Anyone who tries to hand-solder a computer these days is either very brave or very stupid. Or maybe both. You can's solder many chips by hand at all. Similarly, sheet metal is cut using computer controlled laser-cutters, etc.

I suspect that Squids means the units are assembled and inspected by hand (where the populated PCB counts as a single part).

If I am not mistaken, the Axe-Fx unit is homebuild not using any fancy robots.

Maybe the StompIO is the same.

[Lunch Money]

As for the StompIO itself... are you telling me that everything inside that chassis is hand-soldered and hand-assembled? If so, they've missed an opportunity. Nobody--NOBODY--wants a "boutique" floorboard.

Anyone who tries to hand-solder a computer these days is either very brave or very stupid. Or maybe both. You can's solder many chips by hand at all. Similarly, sheet metal is cut using computer controlled laser-cutters, etc.

I suspect that Squids means the units are assembled and inspected by hand (where the populated PCB counts as a single part).

I agree, I was just exaggerating... it's obvious that even 'personalized attention' for such a unit would mean exactly what you describe. But that's the same personalized attention that goes into pretty much any unit. Even your $50 ATI video card is inspected by hand, although not assembled by hand.

It's not "paranoia", though of course it may be focusing on the negative. That's what IKMM has wrought, at least in me. They have NOT learned from their Sampletank fiasco, and they DID announce far too early. They've earned their own sceptical criticism... it's not born from thin air, after all. Any sort of public perception backlash to their marketing strategy MUST only fall square on their own shoulders. It doesn't make sense to defend a fiasco by turning it around on the consumer. The company has to own up. But they won't, because they don't even seem to have their own spokespeople, instead relying on dedicated friendlies like Squids! Even without words, "owning up" would have been presenting better value for money. For example, 'swallowing' the development cost of X-Gear by just offering it (and relevant MIDI functionality) for free. Not just as a special offer or a time-limited offer, but as a free upgrade for all AT2 owners.

As to whether or not someone has used primarily software, that's not it at all. We all own hardware of some variety. And if not, we've at least seen reviews and advertisements for other floorboards, etc. It's an overpriced unit, period. Other companies manage to put out similar products for less than half the price. There are many amps--some of them even hand-assembled and rugged--that are in a similar price bracket. For a glorified soundcard+controller (without foot-pedal...) even the street-sale price of $900 is (to quote from a famous Line6 thread) OUTRAGEOUS!

Greg

[stag]

Fact: AT2 was announced. It was marketed along side with Stomp I\O 2,5 years ago. The controller would be optional(what else?).
Present day: Stomp I\O is sold, not as an AT2 option, but as controller to a myriad of AmpSims IK has released meantime.
So instead the AT2 owner being sold the Controller w\o being charged for the software he already bought, he has to pay for other software he hasn't bougth yet (because of a number of reasons), just because rules have changed.

Am i being paranoid? Have I misunderstood something?...or else?

[Sascha Franck]

So, does Stomp I/O work as a MIDI controller as well, should you plan to use other software alongside AT?

[stag]

My dream rig was AT", VG-99 and Stomp I\O to control both. I guess the FC-300 is going to get the punishment instead

[blank/diod]

Have I misunderstood something?...or else?

The part that said "Specifications subject to change without notice"...?

[stag]

Have I misunderstood something?...or else?

The part that said "Specifications subject to change without notice"...?

Ah I knew it got to be me!

[A3ntar]

So, does Stomp I/O work as a MIDI controller as well, should you plan to use other software alongside AT?

Well, Sascha, I am guessing yes. So if you plug an expression pedal into it, it will forward it through it's own midi port.

[Squids]

Greg, the fact is that X-Gear IS free for AmpliTube 2 users!!!!! It's FREE. FREEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! FREE. FREE and FREE. Limited time, okay so get it together and take advantage of the FREE X-Gear if you are an AmpliTube 2 user. There's nothing to complain about there. Just want to make sure this is clear for everyone.

As for them having a spokesperson, I often offer my Squids services for free for this at trade shows or on the forum because I can be articulate about this stuff in English and also speak the language of KVR (basically English + Patience). I think at one point someone from Italy tried years ago and it wasn't for them. Not every company is as readily available to talk to people directly. In fact, most aren't. Only on KVR do we have the brave independent developers (usually much smaller in size) who talk to you directly. I was one of the first developers on here to have a company forum and make myself personally available. Anyone who knows me knows that I have ZERO problem admitting a screw up on announcing something too early or anything else. I can own up for IK if it makes you feel better. That's why I tell you that IK or ANY company knows when a product was announced too early and in the case of IK a major effort has been made not to do that again... I know because I have had my hand slapped for delaying Studiophonik and IK won't announce my new SR/ST products until they are MUCH closer to completion... like SampleMoog and SampleTron for example. Remember IK has improved with the announcement times of the products I mentioned, AmpliTube Jimi Hendrix and ARC having VERY VERY fast release times relative to their announcement. Harping on it is pointless because you can't go back in time and unannounce something that wasn't going to be ready. Hindsight is 20/20 so it is easy to say.

Regarding the handmade, it's not that it is boutique but it is that it is not mass produced by robots either. High quality components, durable build and assembled with quality control in much shorter runs. There's even a limited supply coming to the US so we put it on pre-order at esoundz now just so we can reserve them for people. We have no idea how many to order so the best way is for people to pre-order it and then we can reserve them. Otherwise I am sure they'll all go to Guitar Center and other stores and then it could be a while before we get our hands on the next production run. There's about 500 arriving in the US next month and almost all of them are spoken for already by the big stores. I've reserved 25 at least for esoundz but in case there's more esoundz customers than that who want it... you'd have to pre-order to be sure you'll get it, at least from us and we offer $100 in free epointz on top or a free RAW Universal Groove Kit. Here's the pre-order

http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=1770

[Squids]

So, does Stomp I/O work as a MIDI controller as well, should you plan to use other software alongside AT?

Well, Sascha, I am guessing yes. So if you plug an expression pedal into it, it will forward it through it's own midi port.

Good guess. You are correct. It can midi control other things too.

[A3ntar]

So, does Stomp I/O work as a MIDI controller as well, should you plan to use other software alongside AT?

Well, Sascha, I am guessing yes. So if you plug an expression pedal into it, it will forward it through it's own midi port.

Good guess. You are correct.

Hey do I win a StompIO now?!

.