Lekato ME-01..... Your Thoughts.......

[paulmcnamara]

Any thoughts on this ridiculously cheap Darkglass clone?

 

[stewblack]

Never played through this, however the Lekato brand has never let me down and I wouldn't hesitate to buy anything they produce.

[tauzero]

I've had several Lekato and M-Vave products (they seem to be the same company under two badges, and there's an M-Vave ANNBlack Box that bears a distinct resemblance to this) and they've all been good.

[rmorris]

On 26/08/2025 at 23:39, tauzero said:

I've had several Lekato and M-Vave products (they seem to be the same company under two badges, and there's an M-Vave ANNBlack Box that bears a distinct resemblance to this) and they've all been good.

 

Yes - the Lekato popped up in my fb feed and I'm now seeing the M-Wave Black Box seems to be the same / v similar.

[GR7G5TER]

@paulmcnamara Did you take the plunge?

 

I have 2 Lekato wireless systsma nd their IEM wireless and they're perfect.

 

If I didn't already have an HX Stomp I'd 100% give this a go if I wanted a Multi FX unit

[tauzero]

Seeing as the M-Vave Blackbox can currently be had for £35 off Aliexpress, it would be rude not to.

 

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007539930625.html

 

Note: there are three options - the Blackbox is £35.39, the other two which are called ANN Blackbox are £60. I don't know if there's any internal difference. Due to arrive by Feb 1st.

[dub_junkie]

M-Wave AnnBlackBox is an update on the BlackBox.

 

Key Differences and Shared Features:

 

Version & Evolution: The Annblack Box is considered an evolution of earlier M-VAVE models (like the Cube Baby or original Blackbox), offering a more complete feature set and improved sound.

 

Renaming/Branding: Some discussions indicate that "Annblackbox" may just be a name variation to avoid legal issues, although it generally refers to the newer, updated unit.

 

Features: Both devices offer 80 editable presets, Bluetooth connectivity, USB audio interface functionality, and a built-in battery.

Sounds: The Annblack Box is noted for having improved, more "natural" sounds and better-modeled amps and cabinets compared to earlier, more basic iterations.

 

App Connectivity: The Annblack Box features, or is used with, updated app software for managing presets. 

In summary, the "Annblack Box" is effectively the newer, slightly refined version of the "M-Vave Black Box" product line.

 

I have the M-Wave Cube baby for bass which is cheaper still and its a great little unit for the price of a Donner/Rowin single micro pedal

 

 

[tauzero]

Where did you manage to find that? I've been hunting for a comparison between the two. DuckDuckGo's search assist gets confused and compares apples and lunar landing modules:

Quote

Search Assist

The M-VAVE ANN Black Box is not simply a rebrand of the Black Box; it is an affordable amp modeler designed to provide amp modeling and effects capabilities, while the term "black box" generally refers to a system analyzed based on its inputs and outputs without knowledge of its internal workings. Each serves different purposes in their respective contexts.

 

[Wikipedia] [sixstringlab.com]

 

Understanding the M-VAVE ANN Black Box

 

Overview of the ANN Black Box

 

The M-VAVE ANN Black Box is an affordable amp modeler designed for guitarists. It features amp capture technology, allowing it to replicate the sound of classic amplifiers. Its compact design makes it suitable for musicians on the go, and it is positioned as a budget-friendly alternative in the market.

 

Comparison with the Black Box

 

The term "black box" generally refers to a system that can be analyzed based on its inputs and outputs without understanding its internal workings. The M-VAVE ANN Black Box does not appear to be a simple rebrand of a previous model called the "black box." Instead, it is a distinct product with its own features and specifications aimed at providing a unique user experience.

 

[tauzero]

Now in the country...

[tauzero]

Incidentally, I found this video:

 

 

which says in the description "M-VAVE ANN BLACK BOX is same as the original BLACK BOX, they just emphasized the ANN Training capability of their device."

[matybigfro]

Actually pretty impressed with the tone in that vid

[tauzero]

It's arrived (impressive, I ordered it on the 23rd so it's taken 4 days 8 hours to get here). Haven't started playing with the noises yet. And it says "ANNBLACK BOX" on the case.

 

The case is a little different to the Lekato ME-01 - the top doesn't have a downward slope. Other than that, the control layout is the same, and the Android and Windows control software is the same.

[tauzero]

I've had a bit of a play, after updating the firmware and PC and Android software to the latest.

 

Nice solid piece of kit. One conventional pot as master volume, one rotary transducer to set parameter values, with a click to select. There are two Bluetooth channels, one full Bluetooth and the other Bluetooth BLE, one for control and the other for audio interface.

 

Limited effects - there's a chain of up to six, which, just like the old days, are one of each type. However, they can be reordered if required

 

1) FX

• Noise gate
• Boost
• Compressor
• AI Gate MS - I have no idea what this is, it's a recent addition that's not in the manual

2) AMP

• 1-15 for guitar
• 16-20 for bass (the models are AgDb750, ApSVT, PJBuddy, DgXu, MarkLm - four of them seem obvious, I assume the Dg one is DarkGlass but not sure what Xu signifies)
• Same controls for all: Gain, Level, Bass, Mid, Treble

3) MOD

• Chorus
• Phaser
• Tremolo
• Flanger
• Vibrato
• Univibe (combines chorus and phaser)

4) DLY

• Analog
• Ducking
• dTape (I want to have a play with this as it emulates tape saturation, my favourite bass distortion)
• Dual
• Lofi

5) REV

• Room
• Hall
• Swell
• Spring
• Shimmer
• Cloud

6) CAB

• 1-15 for guitar
• 16-20 for bass (models Agula410, AgSVT410, DgDG212N, MbSway210, Tace412)
• Same controls for all - Level, Lowcut, Highcut

There's also a tuner which can be put in either Mute or Bypass mode, and the reference can be changed from 440Hz. It responds quickly and is easy to use and accurate (I put it in series with my Zoom MS-70CDR+ and it was as responsive and easy to use, and very visible). The Android software is easy to use too.

 

It also allows you to load cab IRs and AMx files (AM2, AM3, and AM4 AFAIK) which are equivalent to NAM files - NAM files can be converted to them. That's something for me to try to see if I can get an octaver and a pitch shift emulated.