In this article
Updated September 18, 2026. Written by Chaos Audio, maker of Stratus.
Stratus brings NAM captures, a looper, and effect creation into one mono pedal. With up to three simultaneous A2-Lite blocks, you can combine pedal and amp captures, then place an effect from FX Builder 2.0 around that sound as processing allows. IGNIS focuses on amp and cabinet processing, with its particular stereo modes and physical controls. Those are different roles on an existing board.
The shared format does not make the two pedals interchangeable. IGNIS offers stereo amp processing and physical MIDI connections. Stratus offers phone-based capture browsing and effect creation. Check which exact NAM mode you need: VTR distinguishes native A2-Lite in mono from its A2 PICO stereo implementation.
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 | VTR Effects IGNIS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299; power supply sold separately | Sold in Brazil; verify the current BRL offer, delivery region, shipping, and import charges with VTR |
| 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 | Native A2-Lite in mono; VTR A2 PICO in stereo; separate stereo amp-modeling engine |
| 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 models, capture playback, and cabinet IR processing; dual-amp mode uses modeling or A2 PICO |
| Creating effects | FX Builder 2.0 generates editable FAUST effects from a description; 30 free AI builds every month | Adjust supplied amp/cabinet and capture controls; no advertised description-to-effect generator |
| 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 | VTR Studio on a computer, with TONE3000 integration; transfer files over USB |
| Live controls | Multiknob and footswitch; 14 directly accessible presets, up to 128 through MIDI; app editing | Physical controls, footswitches, and 1.4-inch color display |
| Looping | Built-in five-minute looper with overdubbing | No looper advertised in the cited IGNIS specifications |
| Audio connections | Mono 1/4-inch input and output; no headphone output, stereo audio, or effects loop | Instrument input and left/right outputs; true bypass reported in TONE3000’s integration announcement |
| Computer and MIDI | USB-MIDI; a USB host is needed with conventional MIDI controllers; USB-C is not a recording audio interface | USB for updates/files; MIDI in/out |
| Power | 9V DC, center-negative, at least 400mA; compatible USB-C power is another option | Check the current IGNIS power-supply specification; USB-C file transfer alone does not establish USB-powered operation |
Stereo and dual-amp claims need the format attached
VTR’s product page explicitly assigns mono playback to A2-Lite and stereo playback to A2 PICO. Its dual-amp mode uses the modeling engine or A2 PICO. It should not be read as a promise that two ordinary A2-Lite captures run in stereo together. Stratus’s up-to-three A2-Lite blocks run within its mono signal chain.
IGNIS can make sense as the amp/cabinet stage of a board whose drives, delays, and modulation are already chosen. Stratus can occupy more of that chain: add a capture, place effects around it, and use the built-in looper. Both need an appropriate amplification or monitoring path; neither is a speaker cabinet.
Check VTR’s current IGNIS product page for the batch, destination, and dispatch estimate attached to your order. Likewise, the Stratus page gives its current shipping estimate; accepting orders does not mean immediate dispatch. Treat features marked in development as future plans, not shipping capabilities.
Building an effect with FX Builder 2.0
Describe a useful effect around your chosen captures, such as a delay with darker repeats and gentle movement. FX Builder 2.0 lets you audition it, ask for a change, and install it alongside the models in your Stratus chain. 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 for more of the sound inside one saved chain: up to three simultaneous A2-Lite captures, surrounding effects, looping, and an effect you can describe and refine, within the CPU budget. Choose IGNIS when a focused amp/cabinet stage and its documented stereo modes are what the rest of your board needs. A2-Lite and A2 PICO are distinct implementations.
Explore Stratus · Try FX Builder 2.0
Sources and current specifications
- VTR IGNIS: native formats, dual-amp modes, connections, and current batch status
- TONE3000’s IGNIS integration announcement
- 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.
