the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

[ErikH]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

I had a Vox VT-80+ for a while. Great sounding amp, except I felt the cab was a little small for the 12” speaker.

I had a friend’s AC-15 at my house for a while, and the AC-15 patch on the VT was dead on.

Ironically I mostly used the Marshall patch.

Now I have a Marshall Code 100. Great amp, but I liked certain things in the Vox more. It had better built in effects.


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I used to have a AD50VT (the generation before the VT80+ was in) before this one. Only reason I sold it was because I wanted a lighter rig. That AD50VT was heavy as the Marshall head I had. It didn't help that I put a Celestion Classic Lead 80 in it. The AV30 weighs half as much and even with its stock 10" speaker, it is loud!

The delay in the AV30 is great. It has that analog delay sound and the trails get warmer as they fade out like the good old delays do. The only digital in the amp is the effects, and that's chorus, reverb and delay (with tap tempo).

[devastone]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Has anyone compared the Katana to the Boss Nextone series? I am looking for a smaller SS amp for practice and occasional gigs about 30 watts or so.

Not to be "that guy", but what the heck, they are modeling amps, not SS. Although yes, they use SS components but how they generate the tone is very different, you can hit the front end of a SS hard like a tube amp, may not always sound as good depending on the amp, but it will work similarly, modelers don't like to be overloaded and can cross into digital distortion which is ugly unless you are Trent Reznor. Not saying one is better than the other, I use a modeler, just saying they are different.

I haven't tried either, except I used to use a GT-100 which the Katana models are based on. From everything I've seen, I would think the Nextone would be better suited for your stuff Dave, although I really like the reviews/vids I've seen of the Katana Artist, I don't see either replacing my GT-1000 (although I'm still eyeing a Fly Rig).

[donaldr]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Has anyone compared the Katana to the Boss Nextone series? I am looking for a smaller SS amp for practice and occasional gigs about 30 watts or so.

Katana and Nextone are two different implementation of the same thing. They both are hybrid amps (SS front-end, digital preamp/effects, SS power amps). I don't have the Nextone but I have the Katana 50 (tried the Katana 100 but returned it: too big, too loud for my needs). For practice it's really nice at 0.5w and for occasional jams it's a perfect grab&go solution (25lbs) with a 2-button footswitch (for recalling 4 presets). So you need a pedalboard with the Nextone but you don't with a Katana (reported to sound pretty good with a pedalboard also).
The Katana 50 is a good little amp for the money, the Katana 100/Head/Artists are better for every week gigs. Katana is a SS amp but react (I didn't say sounds) the same as a tube amp, it has its own sound that you like or not (as any other amp).
The clean is good (but I added a Blues Driver, no gain, using the software) as is the crunch channel. I even managed to get a good acoustic guitar simulation (with internal effects and using the software) using my electric for the one or two songs where I need it. If you cannot get a good sound out of the Katana, it's not the amp fault, but don't compare it to a $2000 cranked tube amp with a $2000 pedalboard.
V2 add 2 concentric pots for OD/Mod and FX/Delay and a power amp input.
I don't regret my Katana, best $250 I spent on music gear and wish I had one when I started 30 years ago.

[Masta' C]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

...although I really like the reviews/vids I've seen of the Katana Artist

I moved up to the Katana Artist from the KTN-100 and have zero regrets. It's amazing. I've been downsizing my rig and it's the only thing (amp-wise) I'm set on keeping.

The only thing that could sway me to upgrade at this point would be an "Artist MkII", but even then, it better be spectacularly different, because this is the best combo amp I've owned and that includes some killer tube combos!

[devastone]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

I moved up to the Katana Artist from the KTN-100 and have zero regrets. It's amazing. I've been downsizing my rig and it's the only thing (amp-wise) I'm set on keeping.

The only thing that could sway me to upgrade at this point would be an "Artist MkII", but even then, it better be spectacularly different, because this is the best combo amp I've owned and that includes some killer tube combos!

Cool, good to know! I was quite impressed by the review/comparison of the Artist to the regular Katana by Chappers and the Captain. They both sound good, but the Artist definitely seems to take it up a notch.

[Masta' C]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Also, for anyone considering a Katana, if you want a more plug 'n play experience than the amp already provides, there's a great resource for patch sets:

https://jucaneryguitar.com/

This gentleman posts on YouTube regularly and you can't beat his "Crazy Deal" pack under the "Hot Deals" section in terms of quality and quantity for the money. He's put a LOT of time into the MkI Katana and creating turnkey tones for almost every style! The cost is tiny considering the quality of the patches and the time savings involved for most players.

Plus, he's about to begin offering MkII patches, so worth keeping an eye on!

[Gold star]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

..and unlike many modellers....it uses tubes - ECC83' s

[jeremy]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

..and unlike many modellers....it uses tubes - ECC83' s

what is that related to not the boss right? i havent heard anything about a tube in any of the katanas but i could totally have missed it

[Twang Banger]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Katana 100 MKii is on its way from MFriend. I have a CD Vibrolux, Dr Z Maz and a hand-wired (by Vintage Sound Amps) Princeton Reverb ... will be interesting to compare ... will post opinions upon arrival (probably next week).

[devastone]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Katana and Nextone are two different implementation of the same thing. They both are hybrid amps (SS front-end, digital preamp/effects, SS power amps). I don't have the Nextone but I have the Katana 50 (tried the Katana 100 but returned it: too big, too loud for my needs). For practice it's really nice at 0.5w and for occasional jams it's a perfect grab&go solution (25lbs) with a 2-button footswitch (for recalling 4 presets). So you need a pedalboard with the Nextone but you don't with a Katana (reported to sound pretty good with a pedalboard also).
The Katana 50 is a good little amp for the money, the Katana 100/Head/Artists are better for every week gigs. Katana is a SS amp but react (I didn't say sounds) the same as a tube amp, it has its own sound that you like or not (as any other amp).
The clean is good (but I added a Blues Driver, no gain, using the software) as is the crunch channel. I even managed to get a good acoustic guitar simulation (with internal effects and using the software) using my electric for the one or two songs where I need it. If you cannot get a good sound out of the Katana, it's not the amp fault, but don't compare it to a $2000 cranked tube amp with a $2000 pedalboard.
V2 add 2 concentric pots for OD/Mod and FX/Delay and a power amp input.
I don't regret my Katana, best $250 I spent on music gear and wish I had one when I started 30 years ago.

By that definition all modeling amps are hybrids. You can't digitally simulate the power to move a speaker. But, the Katana is a modeling amp, that's where all the tone shaping is done.

[Gold star]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

I was referring to ErikH post about the Vox AV30..the reply went in the wrong place...

[donaldr]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

By that definition all modeling amps are hybrids. You can't digitally simulate the power to move a speaker. But, the Katana is a modeling amp, that's where all the tone shaping is done.

True that modeling amps are all hybrids but not true that all tone shaping is done in modeling on the Katana. The power amp is contributing to the overall sound and the speaker is a regular guitar speaker, not an FRFR speaker.

[devastone]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

True that modeling amps are all hybrids but not true that all tone shaping is done in modeling on the Katana. The power amp is contributing to the overall sound and the speaker is a regular guitar speaker, not an FRFR speaker.

It's a modeling amp, you can run a direct line out with speaker sims. I'm not putting them down, they are great amps, I've thought about picking up a Katana Artist if I ever need an amp, but the "amp" part is a digital simulation. I think you are over-thinking the classification too much and trying to find grey (or gray) areas.

[Demanic]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

It's a modeling amp, you can run a direct line out with speaker sims. I'm not putting them down, they are great amps, I've thought about picking up a Katana Artist if I ever need an amp, but the "amp" part is a digital simulation. I think you are over-thinking the classification too much and trying to find grey (or gray) areas.

This may be true for a modern modeling amp with a class D power section.
Imagine running a Helix through an old Mosfet or Jfet power amp. Different story.

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[devastone]

Re: the new BOSS -same as the old BOSS ?

Agreed, but we are talking about the Katana.

FWIW, I used to run a rack with a Kasha Rockmod II through a Rocktron Replifex and Intellifex powered by a MosValve MV962 out in stereo to 2X 2-12 cabs, amazing sound (best I've ever had) and I could go from sane (not bedroom) volume levels to insanely loud. Of course, in those days, it wasn't a tube power amp so take your statement and change ___fet to tube and that's what would have been said in those days. I did have a small board in front with a phase 90, a SD-1, a MIDI controller, and, IIRC, maybe a Micro Flange and/or some kind of Uni-vibe pedal.