Line 6 Spider V

Fretwired

New amps from Line 6

http://uk.line6.com/spider-v/?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTWpneVpXSXlZbVU1WVRWaiIsInQiOiJRZDZheTZkQ05IYnJ3UE8rdm1ucXZKVnZFVnRJNHZVNXFxcFZuWVwvNEl5TjIydE81aUdzcmlIaE9GWFwvRVJGUXQzUngxMGFDN0hmWU5vcnd3YzV2VXF4R1wvTFpBNk11TEVQd00xTm9sNVBKOD0ifQ==

professorben

Absolutely what I expected. 

stickyfiddle

Good specs. Should very a very good practice combo.

Though I wish someone would do one of these that looked nice so I could keep it next to the sofa without it looking shit. Even tweed would be a start.

Drew_TNBD

Helix amp models?

bloodandtears

No head version... whilst I appreciate the amp is designed to work with FRFR type speakers taht are no doubt in the combo, it would have been nice to have the separation and choice to use my own..

bingefeller

The youtube demo sounds.......not so good.

Tuscan777

Cheesiest YT promo ever award...sounds weren't that great either, although i only listened through headphones.

impmann

Good to see they've finally listened...

Maynehead

All that money spent on development and still sounds worse than a Metal Zone.

guitarfishbay

bingefeller said:

The youtube demo sounds.......not so good.

Maynehead said:

All that money spent on development and still sounds worse than a Metal Zone.

It sounds exactly like a Metalzone.

I honestly think this video should be pulled.  Sorry to whoever worked on it, but it really doesn't sound good and won't help sell to this target market

menamestom

Like the new Boss ones, I'm interested in what the acoustic side sounds like as much as the electric.  If it sounds as good as my Fishman Artist, I could do away with 2 amps (Home/small jam amp and acoustic amp) and just have the one.  Also the wireless would be good for home use.

Fretwired

Drew_TNBD said:

Helix amp models?

I doubt it at that price. More like HD series.

ICBM

I think it looks great. It's not aimed at players who think tweed is cool. (Or top-mounted controls, thankfully.)

I'll reserve judgement on the sound until I play one myself because it's clearly not set remotely how I would I like in that demo… but nevertheless, the actual *tone* quality sounds pretty good, it's not as fizzy as the earlier Spiders can sound.

I like the idea of FRFR speakers too, it makes it potentially capable of much more interesting non-rock sounds, as well as being an acoustic guitar amp.

It also looks well-made and less of an empty MDF box with a speaker and an amp chassis bolted in than the older ones.

Fretwired

ICBM said:

I think it looks great. It's not aimed at players who think tweed is cool. (Or top-mounted controls, thankfully.)

I'll reserve judgement on the sound until I play one myself because it's clearly not set remotely how I would I like in that demo… but nevertheless, the actual *tone* quality sounds pretty good, it's not as fizzy as the earlier Spiders can sound.

I like the idea of FRFR speakers too, it makes it potentially capable of much more interesting non-rock sounds, as well as being an acoustic guitar amp.

It also looks well-made and less of an empty MDF box with a speaker and an amp chassis bolted in than the older ones.

Yamaha have invested cash and know how. If I were the likes of Axe FX and Roland I'd be worried. The next generation will have plenty of Yamaha tech and input and something the AXE FX guys don't have - lots of cash and technical resources.

hassleham

I've always thought people jump on the spider hate bandwagon far too easily. Yes the tone is nothing amazing when you compare with other stuff but for learners who have played a shitty 5 watt squier starter amp from day one, the modelling options can inspire them to play and practice more. They are also easy to use and the price on the older models wasn't bad either. (Not sure what the price will be on the new ones?)

The person who did the audio on the demo video was definitely on something though!

menamestom

Some nice clips on their website.  The low gain ones sound good.

guitarfishbay

Fretwired said:

ICBM said:

I think it looks great. It's not aimed at players who think tweed is cool. (Or top-mounted controls, thankfully.)

I'll reserve judgement on the sound until I play one myself because it's clearly not set remotely how I would I like in that demo… but nevertheless, the actual *tone* quality sounds pretty good, it's not as fizzy as the earlier Spiders can sound.

I like the idea of FRFR speakers too, it makes it potentially capable of much more interesting non-rock sounds, as well as being an acoustic guitar amp.

It also looks well-made and less of an empty MDF box with a speaker and an amp chassis bolted in than the older ones.

Yamaha have invested cash and know how. If I were the likes of Axe FX and Roland I'd be worried. The next generation will have plenty of Yamaha tech and input and something the AXE FX guys don't have - lots of cash and technical resources.

The Fractal business model isn't the same as the Yamaha/L6 one though.

Fractal have no hand in the lower priced market at all.

It will be interesting to see what happens long term as their high end tech develops.  Fractal might well have mis-judged the AX8 by making it one amp model at a time vs the flexibility of the Helix, but in the bands where buying the flagship Axe FX 2 isn't an issue they're still doing ok and I've not seen any major switching going on there.  http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/metallica-live-on-howard-stern-now.119544/#post-1422076

Fretwired

guitarfishbay said:

Fretwired said:

ICBM said:

I think it looks great. It's not aimed at players who think tweed is cool. (Or top-mounted controls, thankfully.)

I'll reserve judgement on the sound until I play one myself because it's clearly not set remotely how I would I like in that demo… but nevertheless, the actual *tone* quality sounds pretty good, it's not as fizzy as the earlier Spiders can sound.

I like the idea of FRFR speakers too, it makes it potentially capable of much more interesting non-rock sounds, as well as being an acoustic guitar amp.

It also looks well-made and less of an empty MDF box with a speaker and an amp chassis bolted in than the older ones.

Yamaha have invested cash and know how. If I were the likes of Axe FX and Roland I'd be worried. The next generation will have plenty of Yamaha tech and input and something the AXE FX guys don't have - lots of cash and technical resources.

The Fractal business model isn't the same as the Yamaha/L6 one though.

Fractal have no hand in the lower priced market at all.

It will be interesting to see what happens long term as their high end tech develops.  Fractal might well have mis-judged the AX8 by making it one amp model at a time vs the flexibility of the Helix, but in the bands where buying the flagship Axe FX 2 isn't an issue they're still doing ok and I've not seen any major switching going on there.  http://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/metallica-live-on-howard-stern-now.119544/#post-1422076

Low price market? The Helix isn't in the low price market.

This is technology - Yamaha's buying power (for processors etc), manufacturing skills and tech resources can help Line 6 to produce an Axe FX destroyer at a much lower price point. Line 6 created Helix on their own .. the next generation tech will be made with help from Yamaha. I could see the Axe FX as a dead product unless a company like Roland buys them.

guitarfishbay

Fretwired said:

Low price market? The Helix isn't in the low price market.

This is technology - Yamaha's buying power (for processors etc), manufacturing skills and tech resources can help Line 6 to produce an Axe FX destroyer at a much lower price point. Line 6 created Helix on their own .. the next generation tech will be made with help from Yamaha. I could see the Axe FX as a dead product unless a company like Roland buys them.

The Spider is in the lower end of the market, as are multiple other products from L6 and Yamaha.  Fractal only do high end.  Agree that the Helix is high end - and the AX8 is Fractals competing product in the price bracket, not the Axe FX 2.

The portion of the market that Fractal and Kemper aim at - pro recording/pro touring, does support high end products.  Helix is L6's first foray into it in several years, proof will be in the pudding if those people switch to L6 units.  I haven't seen it happening in any large numbers yet but that isn't to say it won't happen in time.

If L6 Yamaha make that quality at a lower price point then it isn't just Fractal who are in trouble, most traditional amp companies would be too.  This is just going to be the evolution of equipment in general and it isn't necessarily L6/Yamaha who'll get there first.

TimmyO

imho there has never been a good sounding Spider.

If they *have* done something new or different inside they should have launched a new range. If it's a tart-up of the usual quality, pfft. 

At least their website isn't stuck in the 90s, even if their tones are. 

hugbot

I remember hearing that the spider range is one of the best selling amps in the world but I might be pulling that out of my arse.