A Katana too far - NAMM Artist Mk 2

darthed1981

To the surprise of nobody, Boss launched a Mk 2 version of the Katana Artist at NAMM.

At least puts the original down in price a bit, but for me, the new one selling at £569 might struggle for a market.

Anyone a bit tempted?

I have to admit to curiousity about how much better they actually sound than a regular Katana.

mrkb

What’s the difference vs standard ? Just a different speaker and cabinet?

Telejester

Buy a point to point wired amp it will last a lifetime, go solid state and mk 2 will be out in ,6 months

darthed1981

mrkb said:

What’s the difference vs standard ? Just a different speaker and cabinet?

Basically, yes, and a couple more controls in the new version which you get in the software on all of them.

BeardyAndy

Id be keen to try an Artist. Ive been impressed with my Katana Head and its “good enough” as my only amp, but I scratch my head a bit when people compare it to a valve amp. Maybe the artist is another step closer?

darthed1981

Telejester said:

Buy a point to point wired amp it will last a lifetime, go solid state and mk 2 will be out in ,6 months

Well, that's advancement in tech you may or may not need vs something that's deliberately low tech.

It's not quite apples and apples.  I'm sure some people have replaced mk1 kats with the same mk2, but not many.

midlifecrisis

ive had my 100 mark 1 for nearly three years and gigged it most weeks, very pleased with it. would i upgrade to a mark 2? no, definitely not. would i buy a mark 2 if i needed a replacement? possibly but at that price point i would seriously look at other stuff.

Voxman

I think the market for all amps has been reducing due over more recent years to a shift to lighter and more versatile mfx units. I wonder how many players here have moved from amps to an mfx unit either with headphones for home use or for gigging through the PA? 

skullfunkerry

According to a few people in the Katana group I'm in on Facebook the Artist does sound quite a lot better... I'm happy with my 50 so I haven't listened to any demos or anything though, so I can't confirm or deny that 

darthed1981

skullfunkerry said:

According to a few people in the Katana group I'm in on Facebook the Artist does sound quite a lot better... I'm happy with my 50 so I haven't listened to any demos or anything though, so I can't confirm or deny that 

In sure it's a bit better but you could very nearly by three kat 50s for an artist, that's a much higher price point.

Daiganzen

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

darthed1981

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Daiganzen

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

darthed1981

Daiganzen said:

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

I don't disbelieve you, but every other source says they all have A/B ...

https://blog.andertons.co.uk/learn/boss-katana-mkii-best-guitar-amp-ever

https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/blog/2019/10/03/differences-between-boss-katana-mki-katana-mkii/

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Kata50mk2--boss-katana-50-mk2-50-25-0.5-watt-1x12-inch-cosm-combo-amp

Teetonetal

Telejester said:

Buy a point to point wired amp it will last a lifetime, go solid state and mk 2 will be out in ,6 months

You say that, but whilst the amp might last a lifetime, it seems many owners love for it doesn't and they get moved on for something else all the same.

TimmyO

My issue with these and the Blues Cubes is the fact that are not designed to be fixed if they do fail (see old threads re issues getting parts or schematics from Boss/Roland)

darthed1981

TimmyO said:

My issue with these and the Blues Cubes is the fact that are not designed to be fixed if they do fail (see old threads re issues getting parts or schematics from Boss/Roland)

I believe that thread had a happy ending with Roland offering a fix?

Sad reality is, the rate of failure is so low and the amps so cheap, that they just aren't worth repairing most of the time, from the manufacturer's POV.  I suspect warranty "repairs" usually mean shipping a reconditioned job no questions asked.

There is a staggering premium for truly hand-wired absolutely-repairable amps, but if that's what you want you wouldn't have a Katana on your list anyway.

Certainly easier to come to terms with if compared more with other modern cheap electronics as opposed to far more expensive guitar amps.

YMMV of course.

Danny1969

Daiganzen said:

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

The normal one uses a TDA class A\B chip ..... basically a power amp on a chip 

darthed1981

Danny1969 said:

Daiganzen said:

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

The normal one uses a TDA class A\B chip ..... basically a power amp on a chip 

...so is it a different design on the artist, a discrete module?

The artist has never sold in anything close to the volumes of it's little brothers, and part of the reason is it is vastly more expensive and only a little bit better.

If it is also more robust, or it's 100w is a louder or more valve-like 100w, than the regular Kat 100, that is an interesting selling point.

JayGee

darthed1981 said:

Danny1969 said:

Daiganzen said:

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

The normal one uses a TDA class A\B chip ..... basically a power amp on a chip 

...so is it a different design on the artist, a discrete module?

The artist has never sold in anything close to the volumes of it's little brothers, and part of the reason is it is vastly more expensive and only a little bit better.

If it is also more robust, or it's 100w is a louder or more valve-like 100w, than the regular Kat 100, that is an interesting selling point.

For that matter does anybody know whether the speakers are the same?

Given the nature of the units which generally go into budget combos, and the difference that swapping in a nice well chosen (pair of) not-bottom-of-the-range Celestion(s), Emininence(s), or whatever can make to some amps this seems like an obvious differentiator - it’s also something I keep meaning to try with my regular common or garden 2x12 Katana MK1 (even just tweaking the wiring harness so I can try plugging it into my Marshall 1936 cab should give an indication whether it’s being “held back” by the stock speakers) but have never quite got round to...

darthed1981

JayGee said:

darthed1981 said:

Danny1969 said:

Daiganzen said:

darthed1981 said:

Daiganzen said:

FYI one big difference is it class A/B power section

I thought that was all Katanas?

Nope The standard katana is Class D the Artist is A/B

The normal one uses a TDA class A\B chip ..... basically a power amp on a chip 

...so is it a different design on the artist, a discrete module?

The artist has never sold in anything close to the volumes of it's little brothers, and part of the reason is it is vastly more expensive and only a little bit better.

If it is also more robust, or it's 100w is a louder or more valve-like 100w, than the regular Kat 100, that is an interesting selling point.

For that matter does anybody know whether the speakers are the same?

Given the nature of the units which generally go into budget combos, and the difference that swapping in a nice well chosen (pair of) not-bottom-of-the-range Celestion(s), Emininence(s), or whatever can make to some amps this seems like an obvious differentiator - it’s also something I keep meaning to try with my regular common or garden 2x12 Katana MK1 (even just tweaking the wiring harness so I can try plugging it into my Marshall 1936 cab should give an indication whether it’s being “held back” by the stock speakers) but have never quite got round to...

That part is well known - the artist is fitted with a posh "Waza Craft" speaker - which explains it's superior sound overall.

Of course, one could buy the head and pair it with whatever cab you want, so YMMV.