In this article
Updated September 18, 2026. Written by Chaos Audio, maker of Stratus.
Both Stratus and current Amp Academy Stomp firmware play native NAM A2-Lite. Stratus focuses on building a personal chain: up to three simultaneous NAM models, mobile capture management, and FX Builder 2.0 for creating an effect around that chain. Amp Academy Stomp adds scenes, stereo cabinet processing, and external-pedal routing. Decide whether your next pedal should expand sound creation or consolidate those stage-control functions.
For a concrete Stratus preset, try captured pedal stages feeding an amp capture, then shape the surrounding effect in FX Builder 2.0. Up to three NAM A2-Lite blocks run simultaneously, with the whole chain sharing processing capacity.
What changed for Stratus
With the latest Chaos Audio app and Stratus firmware 1.0.100, you can run up to three NAM A2-Lite blocks simultaneously in one preset. Each NAM block uses roughly half the CPU it used before this update; every other effect in that chain still shares the processing budget. The same release brings FX Builder 2.0 to the iOS and Android app, alongside the released web builder.
Read the full Stratus and mobile FX Builder 2.0 release notes.
Side by side
| Feature | Chaos Audio Stratus | NUX Amp Academy Stomp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299; power supply sold separately | $329 at NUX USA on September 17, 2026; regional offers vary |
| NAM and amp sounds | Native NAM A2-Lite; up to three simultaneous NAM blocks with firmware 1.0.100 and the latest app; total chain CPU still applies | TS/AC-4K amp models, DeepImage profiles, and up to 30 NAM files; firmware 2.0.5 supports native A2-Lite and converted A1 |
| Effects and routing | 19 free effects covering all effect categories; reorder the chain and add custom FX Builder 2.0 effects within the CPU budget | Amp and effect blocks with routing rules, parallel/serial delay and reverb; firmware 2.0.5 adds a dedicated modulation block |
| Creating effects | FX Builder 2.0 generates editable FAUST effects from a description; 30 free AI builds every month | Adjust existing amp models, profiles, effects, and cabinet settings |
| Finding and loading sounds | Chaos Audio app for iOS/Android; install any of TONE3000’s 600,000+ amp and pedal NAM captures or your own supported uploads over Bluetooth | NUX Audio editor for firmware 2.0.5; Bluetooth app control through the NBT-1 module; check format compatibility before loading files |
| Live controls | Multiknob and footswitch; 14 directly accessible presets, up to 128 through MIDI; app editing | Three switches, screen and knobs; 27 presets with three scenes each; expansion footswitch support |
| Looping | Built-in five-minute looper with overdubbing | 30-second stereo phrase looper |
| Audio connections | Mono 1/4-inch input and output; no headphone output, stereo audio, or effects loop | Stereo TRS outputs, send/return loop, and headphone monitoring |
| Computer and MIDI | USB-MIDI; a USB host is needed with conventional MIDI controllers; USB-C is not a recording audio interface | USB audio at 24-bit/48kHz and MIDI control |
| Power | 9V DC, center-negative, at least 400mA; compatible USB-C power is another option | Use the specified NUX supply; confirm included accessories with the regional seller |
What the NUX workflow adds
Amp Academy Stomp offers a more conventional stage-modeler arrangement: physical amp controls, scenes, a send/return loop for other pedals, and stereo outputs. Its dual IR engine lets the two sides use different cabinet settings. These are practical reasons to choose it even if you never import a capture.
NUX’s firmware 2.0.5 notes are the key update: A2-Lite runs natively, while A1 files use conversion. NUX also replaces the older Monarch computer editor with NUX Audio for this firmware. Update the pedal and matching editor together. Stratus’s latest app and firmware 1.0.100 support up to three simultaneous A2-Lite blocks.
NUX’s 30-file library describes stored captures, not 30 simultaneous NAM blocks. Stratus’s three-block figure describes simultaneous processing. NUX also offers Bluetooth control through NBT-1; check whether the module is included in the package you are buying.
Building an effect with FX Builder 2.0
Create the effect that makes the chain useful for a particular song: describe a delay with darker repeats or a modulation sound with gentler movement. Audition it in FX Builder 2.0, refine it, and install it alongside the captures you selected. Hear FX Builder 2.0 examples for an idea of the results; these demonstrations are software-rendered.
Generation and installation use online services. Once an effect and preset are installed, Stratus processes your instrument locally and can play without the phone or an internet connection. A generated effect is an interpretation of a prompt; it is not a promise of an exact circuit clone or an artist’s recorded sound.
Libraries, limits, and ongoing cost
Stratus is US$299 with 19 free effects covering all effect categories, 30 free AI builds every month in FX Builder 2.0, and access to all 600,000+ amp and pedal NAM captures on TONE3000. See the product page for configuration, regional pricing, and shipping estimates.
Distinguish an amp-only capture from one that already includes a cabinet before adding an IR. All 600,000+ amp and pedal NAM captures on TONE3000 work on Stratus in A2 Lite mode. Stratus’s storage and total chain CPU limits still apply. See the linked FX Builder 2.0 page for generated-code terms.
Which fits your rig?
Choose Stratus to experiment with pedal captures feeding an amp capture, then save them with an effect tailored to the song. Prepare the chain on your phone and recall it from the pedal. Choose Amp Academy Stomp when scenes, stereo cabinet processing, an effects loop, or USB recording are the required additions to your rig.
Explore Stratus · Try FX Builder 2.0
Sources and current specifications
- NUX USA Amp Academy Stomp: current offer and Image loader
- NUX Amp Academy Stomp: firmware 2.0.5 release notes and technical details
- NUX native-A2 compatibility: available versus planned models
- Chaos Audio Stratus specifications and current offer
- Chaos Audio September release: three NAM blocks and FX Builder 2.0 on mobile
- FX Builder 2.0: workflow, code rights, and installed effects
Comparison notes: product images are scaled for visibility, not to physical scale. This article compares published specifications and workflows; it is not a controlled listening test. Check current regional offers and shipping estimates before ordering.
