I am liking my Boss Katana MKII 100 watt head. It is a little wider than most desktop amps, but works on a desktop and the 5" speaker sounds pretty darn good at low volumes. Can also get pretty loud. Plug it into a cab and you got yourself a nice big amp you can gig with. In the US they are currently on sale for $299. The USB connection is an audio interface for your desktop computer, so you can watch and / or listen to music on your computer through the Katana. Great for headphone use jamming a long with songs etec...
The only downside with the Katana is that it is fundamentally a mono device - that includes the headphone output. You can have the stereo link, or the DI out, but not both.
@@valueofnothing2487 yep, lots of good options. None of these options are prefect and everyone's needs are a little bit different. There are literally dozens of things to consider when choosing one of these amps. Which few things out of that dozen are more important to you. I play my Katana head through a mesa cab with 1 x 12 Mesa Boogie Black Shadow (Celestion built) speaker. Sounds great going through the cab. I can also tone it down and just go through the 5", or even headphones. Suits me well. Again, everyone's wants / needs vary, and can vary over time. I just think this head/mini cab amp should get a shout out when discussing desktop / bedroom amps. I do not use many of the built in effects, rather I have a pedalboard for that. My Mesa Trans Atlantic head has no effects loop, and does not sound as good at low volumes. Also, no headphones for late at night. So many great options these days.
A quick shout out for the valve driven Fender Pro Junior, also at 15W, but with a 10-inch speaker, an even smaller enclosure, and just volume and tone. It needs to be used with a pedal to get any kind of break-up at home volumes and has no reverb, but it has a nicer tone, to my ears at least. The guitar players in my band both use 40W Fender Hot Rod Deluxes, but one had to use my Pro Junior as a last-minute replacement at a bar gig the other day (mic’d bass drum, vocal PA) and it cut through surprisingly well and sounded great. In terms of cost, it’s not much less than the Blues Junior, so doesn’t seem to make much sense, but…
Ideally the amp that makes you want the play the most. That might be just a pair of headphones and an ir, or it may take 100w full stacks and 5000 dollar boutique tube amps. Both are perfectly valid, as is everything in between. The only issue comes when financial priorities get compromised by gear purchases. I didn't play for a decade after a long bout of depression and it took a few purchases of decently nice gear to convince me to start being creative again. If i didn't get some loud amps and cool pedals i might never have felt inspired to play again.
I've just purchased the Katana 50 Mk2 from Andertons yesterday to replace my Marshall MG30 DFX from 2004. It's not night and day difference - It's a whole different Universe man. After not playing for 15 years because of the limitations of The Marshall in my environment , I'm looking forward to the next few months of discovery playing with the settings !!
For a new guitarist, the Spark Go might be the way to go. That thing can grow with you, you can network it using the Headphone / line out to a power amp speaker and gig with it. Positive Grid now offers a 140 watt cab for it or you can use the HeadRush 108 / 112 powered cabs. Both have the ability to network into a PA system. One rig can do all, it can be just practice set up or it can be a gigging system up all in one. Your sound stays the same!!
I love my Fender Tone master twin reverb! Because of the attenuator you can use it at home or at a big gig! Got a small Vox AC10 as well, great sounding.
Something you always see going between solid state and tube amps is… On the katana you were coming in at least 5 dB less than the blues, junior, at least. that almost always happens even to myself On my own gear, even when I’m conscious of trying to correct volume level. It is one of the reasons why tube amps always sound better.
I've bought a Fender Special Run Blues Junior with a solid Mahogany case from Andertons 9 years ago and absolutely love it - it looks sublime and sounds amazing too.
I sold my Boss Katana 50 MK.I and replaced it with the Positive Grid Spark 40 and am extremely happy with that choice! I didn't need the higher volume 'cause I don't gig or play with others anymore and besides that, everything about the Spark is more user friendly (from the size to the UI to the bluetooth to the app).
The full size spark is great. Total control from your phone without having to get out of your seat is convenient. Endless presets galore. I'm in an apartment so I've never really cranked it all the way up but at lower volumes it does the job for me .
i love my spark 40 im on my second one first one i burnt up . i understand an EQ will fix that boxy sound im going to add a boost pedal treble boost and EQ on the front end also putting a sock into the bass hole and going to mod the speaker in the spring. wish me luck i pair it with my HB tele with blues engine pickups a coil split and out of phase switch for that old blues tones. im also going to order a positive grid cab as soon as they work the bugs out of the first run@@mikanunx
I ordered the THR10II Yamaha, i think it's probably the best of the lot, it's a bit older, but from all I've heard of it it's much better sounding than a Katana.
Hi Lee, I have the blues jr, the boss, thr5. They all sound good. The blues jr is by far the loudest and I think sound the best. But I use it the least. The Yamaha GHR5 sounds good. Small amp perfect for the house.
The spark go just makes playing so easy. Clip the thing on my belt, plug a 3ft cable into it, and jam around the house. The headphone amp sounds AMAZING too. So many sounds. So cheap. So portable. I think regardless of which "bigger" amp you get (if you do get one), there is a place in everyone's arsenal for a spark go
Just got a Line 6 catalyst 100. As well as being solid state (environmentally friendly) and quite cheap, it has a built-in attenuator so the volume can be regulated for each environment. Brilliant!
Let’s not forget that the Mighty Space from NUX is also a guitar amp head; you can plug into a cabinet, like any other “head” - so, it’s not a “line out” situation, is an actual speaker output (it’s powered and you should use speaker cable for this application). No to mention, they sounds amazing on electric, acoustic or bass guitars.
Since i live in a flat and love me neighbors and play@night: 🙉 - Spark is great but too loud 🔊 - don't like headphones (ear problem occurred lately) - FlyRig is a great option 4 me got it a couple of years ago - @today i would probably go with the Spark Micro
I used guitar proccessor and now I use Orange Jim Root model and 75T 12 inch cabinet. I feel like propper cabinet does wonders for sound. So now I always suggest to people to go with a normal setup, solid state power section or valve with an attunuator. You can even buy a small solid state amp to pair with a processor and a normal cab. It does more magic than just IR loaded into monitors.
Plugging into a Marshall half stack after having a Roland cube (still a great little amp even for today) really ignited my passion. Even if your not "good" and just learning. There is something incredibly inspirational getting a half stack at some volume and moving to real air. You will start to understand why a lot of folks are keen on having a large amp/cab and able to play a some loud volumes. Try it next time you in the music store and have the okay to do it
If you don't know anything, then I would suggest the Positive Grid Spark 40 watt. It does clean, crunch and long sustain at low levels and fairly loud levels. You can jam and even play with a very quiet drummer. If you want more than that, then you can make that decision when you get there. You can get a bigger speaker, you can plug it into a flat response amplifier. Or you could just change direction and go to all the other alternatives out there.
The Laney Lionheart 5 Watt is absolutely amazing and you can get all the valve saturation tones at relatively low volumes. I’ve been watching your channel for years and don’t think I’ve ever seen you review one. Made in Britain and a bit more expensive then the Blues Junior but 100% worth every penny
Thanks for this! As a bassist, I do usually use a bass amp with a multi effects, but my wife is getting into guitar and wanted to get her a practice amp of her own, as a Roland cube owner around 10years ago (due to a video you and Chappers did) I think the Katana is perfect for us!
I've had them all and I've even done the whole plug to a computer and use headphones and a plug in but now I've sold them all and bought the katana go headphone amp its got all the same features as the katana combos with and added tuner feature that the combos dont have it features both bass and guitar modes and pluggs strait to the guitar or bass just like any wireless transmitter and you can directly plug a set of universal basn iems into the katana go wile being completely moble and have all the tones you will ever want or need for practice it's just great it fits in your pocket and you can take it anywhere and you arent restricted in any way you could even head out for a walk in the park while playing your rig if you want
Blues Junior - breathtaking sound when working hard (but will piss off the neighbours). The Katana is much more versatile and better range of sounds for bedroom and low volume playing.
I own a Blues Junior and master higher than 2 is not possible without summoning annoyed neighbors. Still love it, it works great with all my pedals and also sounds good at low volume.
Love the informative nature of your videos! Thank you! Not so much in love with the silliness. It tends to drag out the videos and takes away from the content. Just my opinion! Thank you for all of the technical information you provide to your viewers.
I've got a Spark mini and Spark go at home for my personal pleasure. Fantastic little amps if you just need some great tones for personal use. The mini is loud enough to play with another guitarist.
Nothing compares to a real tube amp! Not only for sound quality, but it just “feels” differently too. I have a Fender Deluxe Reverb (22 Watts) and I’ll admit it’s a bit much for home and I rarely play above volume level 3 in addition to usually a chain of two overdrive and boost pedals to get 2-3 diff gain stage breakup levels. I’ll eventually get around to picking up a 5 watt or less tube amp which I’m sure will be better, but I’ll never get rid of my Deluxe Reverb, sounds so great with my Strats and Tele’s!
For me all an amp needs for home use is a good volume taper. I've had small amps that were rubbish because the volume control was bad at being quiet, and massive valve amps that had superb volume controls..I've currently got one of the new Laney Dual Top head into a 212, and an Orange Super Crush 100. Both great for home volume. I've also got a little EHX 5mm pedal amp which is great at home for powering a pedal amp into a cab.
Im just using handmade JTM 45 clone 15W version with build in linear power reduction mod with bluesdriver and reverb pedal. That's it. Im set for life now :D
A Fender Hotrod DeVille should do it ... comes very handy, only 27kg, sufficient power, only 60W (tube), with volume cranked up to 4 it opens the windows and from 6 onwards it helps you rib down walls for fresh air ...
The practice solid state amplifier (Orange 20RT) I have is perfect, but I have been wanting to get into the realm of cabs and amp heads, just for the sake of having something to take gigging. Eventually I want to settle on an Orange Dual Terror Tube amp, since the ability to go to 5 watts, while also outputting 30 on a tube amp for gigs, is plenty loud with a PPC112 cab rated at 60 watts, and works for both home and live setting. Although, I get nervous about 5 watts still being too loud for home usage given I like to play some heavier styles. Is the Dual Terror the well known side of Orange, no, but I'd like a reasonable setup I could take to play live without developing health issues after years of doing so. Portable heads that are viable for live gigging are where I am most interested, just because taking unreasonably large gear around isn't something I'd like to do. These amps really toe the line between a desktop amplifier and a guitar head, since you can just output a line out signal instead and go through studio monitors for far better volume control for home use if needed. It's a much more recent development in amplifier technology, but one that I feel is very valuable to players that want a best of both worlds combo of home use and live use. I don't think I'll ever reach the point of needing something stronger than a 30 watt tube amp, because there isn't a stage in which I want that on without significant hearing protection.
I've gone through the lot, from THR to small valve amps via lots of solid state and digital modelling amps and sims. On balance, nothing has beaten my 10 year-old Micro Cube GX, which is why the others have all been returned or sold and the Cube remains. Size, range of sounds and effects, sound quality, length of battery life from rechargeable AAs, ruggedness, low and reasonably loud volume, ease of dialling in settings, You won't find a small amp that does all of these as well. it is the best home amp - but it can be used anywhere. Oh, and used they are ubiquitous and dirt cheap.
It's not psychosomatic with the tube sound. The katana sounds great, but I've been watching this video in chunks throughout the day and forgot where I was in the video and which amp Pete was plugged into, and the second he started playing I was like "oh no question that's the Fender". And of course it was.
Getting back into playing after a couple years of nothing. Have a Vintera II Tele coming tomorrow and am looking at amps for my apartment. Those Sparks look hard to beat. I have a Fender Super Champ XD but it gets a little loud with me being a 2nd shifter. Always count on the Captain and Pete.
Have a Blues Jnr and never found mojo with it... my THR is great for that distorted low volume + home practice and my Origin 50 head with 1W / 20W / 50W great for home + gigs
Blues Jr is a great amp, but I think a home valve amp would be a 5w amp like Blackstar HT5, and it has a low power button. Or an amp w a 10” or 8” speaker like Laney Cub or Vox AC4
If I was 16 again practicing at home and going to school and jamming with a drummer and friend the boss katana would be a fantastic choice. I am now at home with a little 1 year ago the positive grid go and Yamaha thr are my main stay around the house but I still have a orange dual terror valve head if start up a gigging again in a band. So take just buy for your situation. If you are in a variety of places the katana would be my go to. I still would have all types of amps but you could get away with a positive grid go at home and a valve amp for old school pub gigging
Misrepresenting the katana a bit with "6 effects" - it's more like 6 available on the front panel from a choice of 40 or so... Selectable via their software (so basically the same deal as the desktop amps)
All spund great to be fair, as you guys say, its all about application. I got rid of my laney gc30 and absolutely do not want a "proper" amp anymore. I dont gig anymore and dont want to, im not in a band anymore and dont want to be. I have a spark mini and play with headphones mostly, and for that application i could even have went for its little brother. I wants small and unobtrusive now
A 5w tube amp will work for low volumes if you run it super low along with pedals for overdrive and distortion but if you want to actually get the amp itself cooking even 5 watts is quite loud.
@@7171jay yeah, depends how much space you've got, or how good your relationship with your neighbours is 😂. You can also just crank the amp and turn the volume nob on on the guitar down. I just have no time for digital computer wizardry, I like plugging into an amp and playing, and I like looking at my amps. Solid state amps and computer plug ins are just not rock n roll to me.
@@RagggedTrouseredPhilanthropist Cranking a tube amp and dropping the volume on the guitar can get a nice sound but it won't drive the amp. I'm with you though on the small tube amp vs digital though. There's nothing quite like turning a tube amp up to the point that you have the whole amp (preamp, output tube, transformer, and speaker) being worked. If one has to be at conversational volume levels I can sort of see the point of these digital amps but if you can play your amp to the level of say a good loud singing voice then a small tube amp is definitely cool. The other route if you do need to be really quiet but still want to go with a tube amp is fuzz or overdrive pedals and the amp turned down a bunch. You do lose a bit of what the tube amp is capable of but it can still produce nice sounds although not exactly optimal.
I’m in the military and am living in an apartment, and just starting to learn how to play. so I was thinking of buying either the desktop one or the micro, but don’t want to buy both. HELP!
Great vid as always! No Marshall Code's in this shootout? In our shop here in San Diego, CA. I have personally sold over 500 Codes in the last two years and that is in store sales, not internet.
Only extra I’d like to see for fun in this comparison side by side is the inappropriate high wattage head and cab with n attenuator. Just for fun side by side.
I still don’t think you can beat the Blackstar HT-1 or HT-5 for home use. I’ve had a Katana 100 mk2 and have moved it on as it can’t compete with the valves in the Blackstars.
On the room mic, the Fender sounds irritatingly boxy, muffled, which it doesn’t normally have a reputation for. The Katana sounds competent and completely in its element. Yes, the noise of the valve amp has that je ne sais, but the price delta between those two only makes the Fender less appealing.
I have an Orange Crush 20 and like the clean channel, but the dirty channel doesn’t do it for me. I want to buy an amp that can do the valve amp overdrive sounds. Any suggestions? And does the Boss Katana sound better for rock type tones? I don’t want to go over around 50 watts. Love the channel, helped me buy my guitar. From South Africa
The Fender Blues Junior sounded more like a real traditional amp and closing your eyes sounds like it's someone playing in a band. The Katana didn't sound 'real' just good sounding.
Great video, Valve amp for my ears 💯.. I would like to see you both with the same exact guitars, one plugged into a solid state and the other in to a tube and then go directly back in forth instead unplugging talking etc that would give a closer comparison in my humble opinion. I also think it would be cool to do the same thing, but with 2 different tube amps, say a $6 hundred dollar Blues Jr vs say a $4 hun plus dollar Bugera V22 infinium. 🎸🎻🪕🎵💯 You guys Rock as always, Great vid... -Rick from OH, 🇺🇸
