About This Item
Description
The Hotone Soul Press II SP-20 puts volume swells, expression control, and a two-voice wah in one footswitchable pedal, so you are not carrying three separate boxes to get vocal-style sweeps out of your amp modeler.
Which Hotone Press pedal is right for you?
| Model | Best for | Wah | Expression pot | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul Press II (SP-20) | Players who want volume, wah, and expression from one passive-footprint pedal | Yes (WARM/CLASSIC + Q) | 10 kΩ | 9V DC or 9V battery, or fully unpowered as an expression pedal |
| Wong Press (SP-21) | Players who want the Cory Wong signature take on the same 3-in-1 platform | Yes (same WARM/CLASSIC + Q) | 10 kΩ | 9V DC or 9V battery, or fully unpowered as an expression pedal |
| Ampero Press (SP-30) | The simplest, cheapest way to add volume and expression to an Ampero-family unit | No | 10 kΩ | None – fully passive |
| Ampero Press 25kΩ Edition (SP-30H) | Hosts that specifically call for a 25 kΩ expression pot, such as Pulze Control | No | 25 kΩ | None – fully passive |
| Ampero II Press (SP-35) | Ampero II Stage owners who also want an independent momentary footswitch | No | 10 kΩ linear | None – fully passive |
| Tuner Press (SP-30T) | Players who want a built-in chromatic tuner in their volume/expression pedal | No | 10 kΩ | 9V DC required (no battery) |
Not sure which one matches your rig? Check the expression-pedal input on your Hotone processor: Ampero Control (EC-4) is rated for a 10 kΩ expression pedal, while Pulze Control (EC-2) is rated up to 25 kΩ – that is the one case where the pot value, not the model name, decides the right pedal.
Why guitarists choose the Soul Press II
- Skip the wah/volume pedal shuffle: MODE switches between Volume (V), Wah (W), or a footswitch-toggled Volume/Wah (V/W) blend, so one pedal covers swells and vocal sweeps.
- Dial in the wah character you want: TONE selects WARM (290 Hz–1.4 kHz) or CLASSIC (360 Hz–1.8 kHz) voicing, and the Q knob narrows or widens that sweep.
- Play without a power supply: Soul Press II works fully unpowered as a passive expression pedal, or runs on a 9V DC adapter or a user-installed 9V battery when you need the wah and volume circuits active.
- Send volume and expression at the same time: the EXP OUT 1/4" TRS jack lets you drive a Hotone processor's expression input while the main output still carries your dry or amp-modeled signal.
- Built-in tuner routing: TUNER OUT feeds a Hotone Skyline Tuner directly, so you can mute to tune without patching in another pedal.
- Know the one bypass quirk before you buy: in V/W mode the footswitch toggles between active volume and active wah rather than a hard bypass – a detail Hotone states plainly in the manual so there is no surprise on stage.
Controls and switches
- MODE (V / W / V-W) – chooses whether the treadle controls volume, wah, or a footswitch-selectable blend of both.
- TONE (WARM / CLASSIC) – sets the wah's centre-frequency character from a rounder low-mid sweep to a brighter classic sweep.
- Q – narrows or widens the wah filter for a subtler or more vocal effect.
- Footswitch – engages/disengages the effect, or swaps between volume and wah in V/W mode.
- Hidden 3-way STATUS LED switch (in the battery compartment) – sets the LED to All Off, All On, or VOL Only so the light doesn't distract you on a dark stage.
Power and pedalboard compatibility
Runs on a 9V DC centre-negative adapter or a user-installed 9V battery (two Phillips screws to access the compartment), drawing a maximum of 30 mA. Used purely as an expression pedal, Soul Press II needs no power at all. Input impedance is 1 MΩ, output is 100 Ω, and the EXP OUT pot is 10 kΩ – the same 10 kΩ value used across most Hotone Press-family pedals.
Technical specifications
| Model | Soul Press II (SP-20) |
| Product class | Volume / Expression / Wah pedal (3-in-1) |
| Wah range | WARM 290 Hz–1.4 kHz, CLASSIC 360 Hz–1.8 kHz |
| Expression pot | 10 kΩ |
| Input / output impedance | 1 MΩ in / 100 Ω out |
| Power | 9V DC centre-negative adapter or 9V battery; max 30 mA; unpowered EXP mode supported |
| Bypass | Footswitch on/off; cannot be bypassed in V/W mode |
| Jacks | INPUT, OUTPUT, EXP OUT (TRS), TUNER OUT, DC IN |
| Dimensions | 16.2 x 8.1 x 5.1 cm |
| Weight | 500 g |
FAQ
Is the Soul Press II the same as the Ampero Press? No. Ampero Press (SP-30) is a fully passive volume/expression pedal with no wah and no footswitch. Soul Press II adds a footswitchable wah voice, a TONE/Q wah section, and 9V/battery power for those active circuits.
Can I use Soul Press II with no power connected? Yes. Hotone's manual states it can work without a power supply when used purely as an expression pedal. You need the 9V adapter or a battery only to use the volume and wah functions.
What is the difference between WARM and CLASSIC wah voicing? TONE = WARM centres the sweep around 290 Hz–1.4 kHz for a rounder, lower-mid vocal tone. TONE = CLASSIC centres around 360 Hz–1.8 kHz for a brighter, more familiar wah character. The Q knob then narrows or widens either sweep.
Can I bypass the pedal completely in V/W mode? Hotone's own manual states that Soul Press II cannot be bypassed in V/W mode – the footswitch instead toggles between active volume and active wah. Use V-only or W-only mode if you need a true on/off footswitch behaviour.
Which Hotone processors officially support the EXP2/FS jack for this pedal? The Ampero (MP-100) manual documents its EXP2/FS jack as "Perfect for Hotone Soul Press or Bass Press" – that is the one official Hotone pairing on record for this pedal.
Does it have a battery compartment? Yes, a 9V battery compartment secured by two Phillips screws, plus the hidden 3-way STATUS LED switch inside the same compartment.