StompIO is truly about the integration
of software and hardware. The core software provided with the package is called
Amplitube X-Gear. X-Gear is essentially a
shell that houses Amplitube 2, Jimi Hendrix,
SVX and Metal (and future realeases).
All these software programs live within a
single interface, which means you can mix
and match anything (amps, cabinets, mics,
stomp boxes, etc) within the bundle.
The number of choices available borders
on overwhelming. There are over 150 modeled pieces of gear in total. There are two
separate software pedalboards available,
with up to six pedals on each. You can
actually run them all together into a single
amp; 12 pedals can be strung together
for a massive chain. There are 26 different amps, 26 EQ stages and 11 different
power amps. Any of these can be mixed
and matched to make custom sounds.
As for cabinets, there are 33 different models, and a variety of microphones. There
are also two separate rack systems available, with up to four modules in each (and
they can be ganged into a chain of eight).
Like anything else, some sounds are better
than others (even after tweaking), but you
can really get some killer tones with this unit.
Another great feature in X-Gear is what
they call the Speed Trainer. It’s a playback
device that lets you drag and drop songs
into it and alter their pitch and tempo.
You can also set loop points, and I found it
great to drag in drum loops to practice to.
It makes you want to play, which is always
good in my book.
StompIO, in conjunction with the
Amplitube software, is a powerful combo.
The variety of sounds that can be achieved
and controlled from the floor is impressive. Whether you are comfortable having
a laptop run your rig in a live situation or
not is a personal issue, but this package is
certainly up for the task. Aside from its live
application, it can be a powerful tool for
studio-based DAW recording—with both
guitar and bass. The fact that you can use
it with Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, live and in
many other ways makes it far more than a
one trick pony.
Since this is a computer-based program, it’s
important to review the minimum system
requirements. For Windows, it’s a Pentium
1Ghz/Athlon XP 1. 33 GHz, 512 MB of RAM,
Windows XP/Vista or later. For Power PC Mac,
it’s an 866 MHz G4, 512 MB of RAM and Mac
OSX 10. 4 or later. For Intel machines, it’s a 1. 5
GHz Intel Core Solo processor with 512 MB of
RAM, running Mac OS X 10. 4. 4 or later.
Buy If...
you want a flexible, powerful controller interface that effortlessly integrates hardware and software.
Skip If...
emailing and web surfing stretches
your computer skills to their limit.
Rating... 4. 5
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IK Multimedia
MSRP $1049 Street $899
ikmultimedia.com
