The Hotone Binary Amp is a compact digital preamp pedal from Hotone that models 16 classic guitar amps, each with its own high-quality cab simulators. It was announced in mid-2018 as part of the four-pedal Binary Series, alongside the Binary Eko, Binary IR Cab and Binary Mod, and carried a list price of $139 USD123.
What it does
The Binary Amp is a preamp modeling pedal covering 16 classic amps by Fender, ENGL, Marshall, Soldano, Mesa Boogie, Peavey, Orange and more, according to gearnews.com1. Delicious Audio, reporting from the 8th Brooklyn Stompbox Exhibit where the series was first shown, described it as delivering "16 classic guitar amp models, each with its own high-quality cab simulators"2.
Beyond the amp models themselves, the pedal includes Cab Sims, a built-in FX loop and a 3-band EQ1. That makes it usable as a direct-to-PA or recording preamp as well as a front-end for a power amp or the return of an amp's effects loop.
Where it came from
The Binary Series grew out of Hotone's XTOMP technology. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes the series as letting "loose versatile pro-level effects in compact" enclosures, "based on the same modeling/original effect library that amazed XTOMP users worldwide," gathered into single-effect boxes at a more affordable price4. MusicRadar likewise noted the pedals were "Derived from the [Xtomp multi-effects]"3.
The four Binary pedals, including the Binary Amp, were shown for the first time at the 8th Brooklyn Stompbox Exhibit and reported on 21 May 20183, with wider announcement coverage following in June 201813. MusicRadar's June 2018 report listed the Binary Amp, Eko and Mod pedals as available for $139, with the Binary IR Cab at $14931.
The Binary Amp was announced as available in June 2018 at $139 USD3. Prices and availability may have changed since that release date.
The Binary Series family
The Binary Amp is one of four dual-footswitch pedals in the series, all built on the same XTOMP-derived modeling platform43:
| Pedal | What it is |
|---|---|
| Binary Amp | Preamp modeling 16 classic amps1 |
| Binary IR Cab | Impulse response-based cabinet simulator delivering 100 vintage and modern guitar and bass cabinets, with CDCM-based studio microphone and power amp models and mic position (X, Y, Z) and room simulations23 |
| Binary Eko | Announced alongside the Amp, IR Cab and Mod in the Binary Series3 |
| Binary Mod | Modulation pedal in the same series, built on the XTOMP effect library43 |
The Binary IR Cab, the companion cabinet simulator, also comes with an AUX in and a headphone output1. Players pairing the Binary Amp with the IR Cab get a modeled amp and an IR-based speaker simulation as two separate pedals in the same family.
Videos
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The Pedal Guy
Sources (4)
- Hotone intros Binary series of budget pedals: Amp, Cab, Mod and Eko, gearnews.com, 2018-06-22
- New At The BKLYN Stompbox Exhibit: Hotone Binary Series, Delicious Audio, 2018-05-21
- Hotone unveils 4 “versatile, pro-level” Binary dual-footswitch pedals with OLED displays, MusicRadar, 2018-06-21
- Binary Mod by HOTONE, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
