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Coyote Pedal is a guitar amp and effects project built around the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-2.06. Its developer says it runs full-size Neural Amp Modeler A2 captures at 48 kHz, supports a USB audio interface and offers the same firmware as a browser-based WebAssembly build.
A GitHub project called Coyote Pedal describes a standalone guitar amp and effects pedal built around the Waveshare ESP32-S3-Touch-AMOLED-2.06. Its developer says the device runs full-size Neural Amp Modeler A2 captures in real time at 48 kHz, with a USB audio interface connected to the board and effects controlled from a touchscreen. The project also offers a browser version compiled to WebAssembly, letting users try the same firmware without the pedal hardware.
The pedal runs a 23-layer, eight-channel WaveNet model using block floating point and hand-written Xtensa kernels. The project says processing is split between both ESP32-S3 cores in 64-frame blocks. On an ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1, the developer measured use of 91% and 94% of the 1,333-microsecond block budget across the two cores, with no missed deadlines during those measurements. Those figures describe the reported devkit measurements; the source does not provide a broader independent performance evaluation.
The signal chain includes a gate, compressor, chorus and drive before the amp model, followed by digital delay and stereo spring reverb. Users can save amp, control and effects settings as presets. A tuner mutes the output while in use. The touchscreen lets players enable or edit blocks and browse captures; a short press of the BOOT button engages or bypasses the pedal, while holding it for 1.5 seconds opens maintenance mode.
Players can load their own captures from a microSD card, where supported, or select a folder in the browser build. The firmware accepts 48 kHz, eight-channel NAM A2 WaveNets, including supported members of a SlimmableContainer, and rejects other architectures, sample rates and layer shapes. The project says it prepares original .nam files on the device and can save a verified cache beside them. The first selection of a capture pauses audio during preparation, which may take tens of seconds.
A Full Amp Model on Small Hardware
The project brings a demanding style of guitar amp modeling to a compact microcontroller board. Its described workload and reported processor measurements give players and developers a concrete example of how an ESP32-S3 with 8 MB of PSRAM can be used for real-time audio processing. The reported figures suggest the software is designed close to the available processing budget, though they do not establish performance across every supported board or USB interface.
The browser build makes the project easier to inspect: it runs the same stated user interface, digital signal processing and neural amp model through an audio interface, with no board required. For musicians, that offers a way to try the sound and controls before assembling hardware. For embedded-audio developers, it makes the firmware’s model handling and effects chain accessible beyond the reference board.
Hardware flexibility is another practical feature. The touchscreen Waveshare board is the reference, but the project also supports an ESP32-S3 DevKitC-1 and bare S3R8 modules. Those versions use the BOOT button for control and rely on a maintenance API for settings. The project says the amp, effects and presets remain the same across boards, while screen-specific firmware applies only to the Waveshare unit.
Two Ways to Run the Firmware
The Waveshare reference board combines an ESP32-S3R8, 8 MB of PSRAM, a 410-by-502 AMOLED touchscreen, a power-management chip and a microSD slot. The developer identifies PSRAM as the place where the A2 model resides. A DevKitC-1 configuration is also listed, with 16 MB of flash and 8 MB of PSRAM but no display, power-management chip or card slot. A compatible USB port is needed to connect an audio interface as a host.
The source lists testing with the XTONE Pro and IK Multimedia iRig HD X, and says the iRig HD 2 uses a dedicated USB Audio Class 1 profile. It says interfaces are identified from their USB descriptors and describes support for devices exposing 48 kHz USB Audio Class 2 input and output. A bare module does not supply power to the USB host port, so its interface needs power from a separate supply.
In the browser, Coyote Pedal runs the firmware compiled to WebAssembly and uses a selected folder to answer the firmware’s storage requests. The project says the capture browser presents those files with the same names and identifiers as files on a card, and that original .nam files are prepared and cached in the same way. The project also documents maintenance features including authenticated Wi-Fi updates, remote diagnostics and Bluetooth Low Energy discovery; it says the radios are off during play.
Compatibility and Performance Limits
The project description does not state when Coyote Pedal was released, whether a finished pedal is commercially available, or what a complete hardware build costs. It also does not provide independent test results, latency figures, or performance measurements across the listed boards and interfaces. The reported core-budget measurements apply to a devkit run described by the project.
Compatibility depends on the capture format and audio interface. The source limits supported models to specified 48 kHz, eight-channel NAM A2 WaveNets and lists a small number of tested interfaces. Although it says descriptor-based discovery should support interfaces with 48 kHz UAC2 input and output, it does not publish a complete compatibility list in the supplied material. The project points readers to separate USB audio documentation for format and operating limits.
Trying the Browser Build
The project’s browser build is the most direct next step for readers who want to hear or inspect the firmware. It requires a connected audio interface and asks users to choose a folder for captures; the project says nothing needs to be installed. Those assembling a hardware version can compare the listed board requirements, check interface compatibility and follow the project’s capture instructions. On the reference board, captures can be placed under a nam folder on a FAT-formatted card, which must be inserted before power-up.
Further confirmation would come from additional interface tests, independent performance measurements and details about any finished hardware release. The project documentation currently describes the firmware, supported configurations and browser demo, but the supplied material does not announce a commercial product or give a release timetable.
Key Questions
What is Coyote Pedal?
It is a guitar amp and effects project for ESP32-S3 hardware. The project says it runs Neural Amp Modeler A2 captures alongside a chain of built-in effects.
Can I try it without buying a board?
The project offers a browser build compiled to WebAssembly. It runs the firmware and uses a connected audio interface; users select a folder for capture files.
Which amp captures can it load?
The documented format is 48 kHz, eight-channel NAM A2 WaveNets, including supported SlimmableContainer members. The firmware rejects other architectures, sample rates and layer shapes.
Does it require the touchscreen board?
No. The project also lists an ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1 and bare S3R8 modules. Versions without a screen use the BOOT button and maintenance API for control.
Source: hn
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