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First impressions are it sounds immense, way fuller and fatter than the THR10, I imagine due to the deeper cabinet. EQ wise it is much closer sounding to my full sized amps so I expect it will be better for testing pedals. Being able to adjust the sound from listening position is a massive bonus too. Really pleased
Are there any codes available at the moment? Don't know whether to wait to see if another offer comes on or just jump for it now.
@chickenchaser
Its an absolutely OK amp. Absolutely nothing more. The tones are fine for the amp models, the effects are mostly fine with a few duds, the build quality is good for the most part, the app is fine at best.
And that's the best way to describe this amp, its fine. If you're looking for an amp that has a good range of amp models amd effects that sounds good, there are plenty of better options. Yamaha THR is much more natural sounding, just a little thinner sounding due to the cabinet differences. The Katana has outright better tones, both in 50, 100 and Air formats, and has more effects which are generally better but does need a laptop or computer for maximum usability. Even the Fender Mustang GT/GTX series are superior in tone and effects plus have a similar app with much more flexibility regarding signal chains.
If its more the software side you're interested in, SmartJam, backing tracks, chord reader etc. Again, it doesnt really do anything revolutionary. SmartJam is OK, used it a handful of times and didn't find it as good as its made out to be. The backing tracks are just pulled from YouTube so you can just search YouTube for them. The chord learning isn't 100% accurate so kind of renders it a bit useless and it doesnt pull from Spotify playlists or Apple music playlists, it looks at what you have saved and again, pulls from YouTube which is lower quality and not always ideal for quality audio play alongs. Again, there are apps and ways of doing this which are better. Ultimate Guitar has better chord and tab sheets, the Trio+ from Digitech is a better jam tool, among the many others that exist. And due to the overall sound quality raking a dive when you jam along to songs while playing, a separate speaker for backing tracks will always yield better results.
If you want all of that in one package with having to spend extra to other stuff or for slightly more expensive amps, and don't mind iffy chord recognition and app integration. This amp is for you. But if you want a versatile modeller that has better tones, effects and a more flexible app. Buy the Mustang GTX.
In all, its just OK. I purchased it 90% on the strength of the app and its function and it isnt all it cracked up to be. Plus iPad use is patchy at best.
For me it isn't worth the admission fee with what else is out there.
And the bass modelling, but the Rumble LT and the Vox Adio bass both do it better. Albeit of course not attached to a guitar amp but still. Rumble LT and Mustang LT together is around the same price as the Spark.
Don't want it to sound like it was just a post of scathing criticism and I'm sure there will be a dedicated and loyal fanbase for the amp and I get that. The tones are good enough for it not to be a complete dud. I just think personally there are many better options than it out there and it perhaps isn't as clever and groundbreaking as Positive Grid made out.
Might get some 2 way car speakers for it too. Apparently the modelling is FRFR
I'm excited to get it as it will reside in the lounge with a guitar always plugged in and should encourage me to play a lot more as I suffer from "out of sight, out of mind syndrome" when it comes to playing.
I am also hoping another bonus is that my son might start to want to pick it up and play!
These speakers sound better overall but I don't think they have the excursion needed to amplify a guitar. Some buzzing/rattling noises. Also I had to hack the brackets to bits with tin snips to make them fit. I will try something a bit more robust in the new year
Overall I am still enjoying the amp but I don't think the stock speakers and cabinet colouration bring out the best in it
Things I like:
Things I don't like:
- It definitely adds a colour to the tone, and not for the better. Far from being transparent there's a massive mid bias.
- The app - to get the best out of the Spark you really need to have your iPhone/iPad on and connected.
- The app - I don't have an iPad but even with the iPhone 8 Plus the app feels a bit claustrophobic on that size screen.
- The app - has a lot of "useful" features I doubt I'll ever use.
- DAW interface - dial in a good tone and lay down a few tracks on your favourite DAW but play back on a different device and it sounds radically different.
Things I'd like to see*:- A desktop app - would be a lot easier to navigate a desktop app than the mobile app I reckon. As a lot of people will use it via USB with a DAW a desktop app makes sense rather than switching between PC/Mac and mobile device.
- Bias Amp/FX integration - the ability to sculpt tones in the Bias Amp/FX sphere and then save to the hardware and/or app, and conversely if you can get a great tone from the amp and then import the settings into Bias Amp/FX then I reckon that would be massively useful.
Overall it's a very useful little box and for the price it's hard to beat. I had the Yamaha THR10 v2 for a while and while I think the sound was a bit more transparent from the beige toaster it didn't sound as big as the Spark does. I also found my ears fatigued a lot with the THR, something I don't find with the Spark. The Spark also doesn't seem to suffer with the same tinny rattles and vibrations the THR did.Perhaps it's not a fair comparison since the THR came out quite a few years ago now, but pound for pound the Spark offers a lot more. The updated THR has some of the more up to date features already on the Spark but the price is also eye watering when placed next to the Spark.
* For all I know these already might have been done.
There is no 'H' in Aych, you know that don't you? ~ Wife
Turns out there is an H in Haych! ~ Sporky
Bit of trading feedback here.