Like Digitech’s massive iPad pedal board before it, the iStomp’s design is a cut above the rest because it’s conceived with guitar players in mind. The important difference lies in how the hardware uses the iPhone. On other units, the digital sound processing happens on the iPhone, whereas on the iStomp the effects are actually loaded onto the device itself. From there, you don’t need your iPhone again until you want to change the effect. Guitar players are going to love this because it’s a lot like using any other effects pedal when the iPhone is disconnected.
But there are drawbacks to the iStomp. It is only compatible with DigiTech’s Stomp Shop App, which gives you access to only 20 different effects. But they cost $US4.99 each through in-app purchase. The iStomp’s closest known competitor, IK Multimedia’s iRig Stomp, will work with any of the many guitar/bass/instrument apps available. And there’s also the issue of price: the DigiTech iStomp costs $US230 whereas the iRig Stomp will cost $US60. For that price difference, broke musicians might find a 30-pin connector isn’t such a big deal. [DigiTech]
Pablo
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 5:08 PMCool enough, but if you can only have one pedal loaded at a time it’s nothing more than a very expensive gimmick. Most effects pedals don’t cost that much, and for the same price you can get a multi effects pedal that lets you use more than one sound.
James
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:52 AMPointless and stupid.
Enzo
Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 6:57 AM$US 230?????? Someone over digitech has gone too far with that Malta whisky lol! Be sure guitar players are NOT going to love this thing…