The Hotone A Station is a preamp and DI pedal aimed at the acoustic guitarist, or any acoustic musician, who needs to boost their instrument or microphone signal. Hotone announced it at the end of November 2016 alongside a bass-oriented sibling, the Hotone B Station, with both pedals described as coming in pedal form and available soon at a suggested street price of £129.99 in the UK and €149.99 in Europe12.
What it does for an acoustic player
The A Station sits between an acoustic instrument, or a microphone, and the rest of the rig. Guitar.com described it as being for "the acoustic guitarist (or any acoustic musician) who needs to boost their instrument or microphone signal"1. On the input side it carries an XLR microphone input and a 1/4 inch jack DI for instruments1; MusicRadar's review adds that the mic input can be mixed with your pickup sound or used as a dedicated microphone preamp3. On the output side there is a 1/4 inch parallel output for connecting acoustic amps or other gear1.
Controls and switching
The front panel covers the usual acoustic preamp ground, and the two footswitches handle stage duties32:
- Three-band EQ: MusicRadar's reviewer wrote simply that "the three-band EQ delivers"3
- Notch filter: a filter with a frequency control for eliminating unwanted feedback; MusicRadar notes the notch controls "allow you to eliminate unwanted feedback on specific frequencies"13
- Mute switch: footswitchable, for silent tuning or changes3
- Boost switch: footswitchable, with MusicRadar finding it offers "a useful volume hike should you need it"3; MusicRadar's news coverage describes the boost footswitch as upping the volume for solo moments2
The pedal is built in a metal chassis, which formed part of MusicRadar's positive first impressions3.
Power and connections
The A Station runs on 9V DC or a 9V battery1. Connections cover the mic input, the instrument DI, a parallel 1/4 inch output, and an effects loop, which MusicRadar counts among "a wealth of inputs and outputs"13.
What reviewers said
MusicRadar's review called it "a solid pedal let down by that annoying background noise"3. The noise issue was not a one-off sample: MusicRadar's reviewer reported a constant background noise whenever the A Station was activated, and noted that the same noise was present on both of the two units the magazine tried3.
That verdict is the main caveat on an otherwise well-received layout: the same review praises the metal chassis, the user-friendly layout and the footswitchable mute and boost switches3.
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Questions
Does the Hotone A Station have a microphone input?
Yes. It has an XLR microphone input, and you can either mix the mic with your pickup sound or use the input as a dedicated microphone preamp. Alongside the mic input there is a 1/4 inch jack DI for instruments, so the pedal covers both sides of an acoustic rig.
What does the notch filter on the A Station do?
The notch filter has a frequency control and lets you cut a narrow band of the spectrum, which is how you eliminate unwanted feedback on specific frequencies. For an acoustic player working near a PA or a loud stage, that is the control you reach for when a particular note starts to ring.
Does the Hotone A Station have an effects loop?
Yes. MusicRadar's review counts an effects loop among the pedal's inputs and outputs, along with the microphone input. A loop lets you place other pedals after the A Station's preamp section, which is a common arrangement on acoustic boards.
How much does the Hotone A Station cost?
When Hotone announced the A Station at the end of November 2016, the suggested street price was £129.99 in the UK and €149.99 in Europe. No US dollar price appears in the coverage from that announcement.
Sources (3)
- Hotone announce two new Preamp pedals, Guitar.com, 2016-11-30
- Hotone goes from A Station to B Station with acoustic and bass guitar preamp/DI pedals, MusicRadar, 2016-11-29
- Hotone A Station review, MusicRadar, 2017-05-19
