Boss Katana Gen 1 vs. Gen 3

[weepingminotaur]

I have a Boss Katana 50 Gen 1 that I use and love. But I'm eyeing the new Boss Katana Gen 3 models that released recently. Anyone have experience going from Gen 1 to Gen 3? Are the Tube Logic enhancements perceptible and worthwhile? I'm intrigued by the new breakup channel, as well as stuff like the channel variations that weren't introduced until after Gen 1.

I've watched a few videos on the new Katanas but I'm curious if folks here have any direct experience.

 

[Mincer]

I am not sure that there are many 3rd Generations out in the wild yet. Anyone here have one?

 

[weepingminotaur]

Yeah, maybe no one has one yet. I'm quite tempted to buy one!

 

[ICTGoober]

I have a gen 1 Katana 50 and a Katana Mini. I see no reason to buy the gen 3 version - as they both sound great.

Recently, Ola Englund did a Will it Chug video of the gen 3, and while he liked it - he thought there was no reason to deviate from his gen 1.

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

I had a gen 1 and two gen 2's
Not a whole lot of difference, some concentric pots, maybe software was a little easier to use and update the unit... They didn't sound any different.
.
I haven't used the gen 3 though.

 

[Mincer]

I have a Gen 2. So far, I haven't seen any concrete comparisons in sound and features with Gen 3.

 

[Seashore]

I'm interested in this. I might be in the market for a practice amp soon and the 50W combo looks promising. It would be good to have something streamlined. I haven't played any of these, but I suppose there would be no reason not to go for the newest version.

The Katana Air would actually be perfect to have around upstairs since I could keep it out of reach of the little monster, but it's more than I want to spend.

 

[weepingminotaur]

I have a gen 1 Katana 50 and a Katana Mini. I see no reason to buy the gen 3 version - as they both sound great.

Recently, Ola Englund did a Will it Chug video of the gen 3, and while he liked it - he thought there was no reason to deviate from his gen 1.

Yeah, I'm happy with the chugs on my Gen 1 Katana. I'm mostly curious about any enhancements to the overall tone, particularly with cleans and edge-of-breakup sounds. But this thread is making me realize that it's probably not necessary to spend the cash at this time. Particularly since I'm not gigging at the moment. Not even jamming, arg. Need to find people to play with in my area...

 

[Mincer]

People will dump Gen 1 & 2 for the latest offering, even if the improvements aren't a big deal (I don't know if they are or not). What that means is that you can get great deals on the older models as the new ones become available.

 

[Seashore]

People will dump Gen 1 & 2 for the latest offering, even if the improvements aren't a big deal (I don't know if they are or not). What that means is that you can get great deals on the older models as the new ones become available.

I'm not averse to a great deal, but I hardly ever buy stuff like this, so I wouldn't mind paying more for a new thing with a warranty and more features if I could afford it.

 

[Mincer]

Then just go for the 3. I think the new version has an option for bluetooth editing, which allows editing on a tablet or phone. In reality, I only needed to edit sounds once or twice as the hardware only holds 4 sounds, so once I picked those and stored them, I didn't need the editor.

 

[Masta' C]

I have a Boss Katana 50 Gen 1 that I use and love.

In every generation so far, the biggest difference I've experienced is stepping up from the KTN-50 to at least the KTN-100. If you know you like the "Katana" format and sound, the KTN-100 is most certainly the sweet spot in terms of tone and features vs price.

The second-gen made a lot of minor improvements that brought the entry level models closer to the original "Artist" in terms of features and usability, which is part of the reason I sold my first-gen Artist and got a MkII KTN-100.

If I was in your shoes and looking to upgrade, I'd either wait and snag a killer deal on a second-gen KTN-100 or splurge now for the gen 3 KTN-100 (not 50), knowing that it is more future-proof and comes with a warranty and better mfr support over the next few years.

 

[Seashore]

In every generation so far, the biggest difference I've experienced is stepping up from the KTN-50 to at least the KTN-100. If you know you like the "Katana" format and sound, the KTN-100 is most certainly the sweet spot in terms of tone and features vs price.

The second-gen made a lot of minor improvements that brought the entry level models closer to the original "Artist" in terms of features and usability, which is part of the reason I sold my first-gen Artist and got a MkII KTN-100.

If I was in your shoes and looking to upgrade, I'd either wait and snag a killer deal on a second-gen KTN-100 or splurge now for the gen 3 KTN-100 (not 50), knowing that it is more future-proof and comes with a warranty and better mfr support over the next few years.

I've read some posts elsewhere saying the Artist-level speaker and cabinet sound noticeably better than the regular line. Richer and less harsh. Anything to that?

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Gen 3 is worthy upgrade IMO, I had a MKII Artist combo which is a nice amp but I wanted something smaller so I went for the 100W Gen 3 combo. The added features and clearer tones in the Gen 3 were a no brainer for me... love the amp!

 

[Mincer]

Gen 3 is worthy upgrade IMO, I had a MKII Artist combo which is a nice amp but I wanted something smaller so I went for the 100W Gen 3 combo. The added features and clearer tones in the Gen 3 were a no brainer for me... love the amp!

Can you tell us what kind of upgrades there are?

 

[J.LaGrassa]

Can you tell us what kind of upgrades there are?

For starters having Bluetooth available is a plus I did buy the adapter so I can tweak away when not at home if I need too, the new pushed channel is very nice. Selectable contour is a nice option to have available, all the amp tones were re-voiced a bit I noticed a bit more clarity... these are just some of my observations so far, I've only had it for a few days but have used MKI & MKII katana's..

 

[Mincer]

Cool, thank you for that comparison. There isn't much information out there comparing the 3 different versions.

 

[Masta' C]

I've read some posts elsewhere saying the Artist-level speaker and cabinet sound noticeably better than the regular line. Richer and less harsh. Anything to that?

Absolutely. Between the bigger cabinet and the WazaCraft speaker, the Artist is easily the most refined and biggest/best sounding of the Katana combos in my experience.

I like the KTN-100 and it delivers about 90% of the sound and features that the Artist does in a smaller, lighter, less expensive package. In truth, 90% of players would be perfectly served by the regular 100.

However, that 10% "extra" is really what makes the Artist deserving of its premium price tag, at least to me. It sounds incredible, it feels like a nicer build overall, and the front-facing controls are SO nice!

I know lots of players have tried to upgrade the regular 100 to improve it's live tone, but the Artist is top notch right out of the box.

With that said, if I had the funds, I'd go with the head and a separate cab for maximum flexibility and better future-proofing (which I recommend everyone consider since these newer generations are entering the market every 3-4 years).

 

[Seashore]

Absolutely. Between the bigger cabinet and the WazaCraft speaker, the Artist is easily the most refined and biggest/best sounding of the Katana combos in my experience.

I like the KTN-100 and it delivers about 90% of the sound and features that the Artist does in a smaller, lighter, less expensive package. In truth, 90% of players would be perfectly served by the regular 100.

However, that 10% "extra" is really what makes the Artist deserving of its premium price tag, at least to me. It sounds incredible, it feels like a nicer build overall, and the front-facing controls are SO nice!

I know lots of players have tried to upgrade the regular 100 to improve it's live tone, but the Artist is top notch right out of the box.

With that said, if I had the funds, I'd go with the head and a separate cab for maximum flexibility and better future-proofing (which I recommend everyone consider since these newer generations are entering the market every 3-4 years).

Great info. Thanks for that. Since I would be using it at home I would probably find myself being nitpicky. The extra 10% would make a difference.

I'm feeling a bit conflicted looking at their range. I want a practice amp and don't really need another high volume live rig, but considering their prices, it would almost be dumb not to get something that could be a good backup for when my main head is in the shop.

 

[BeKindRewind]

Oh interesting, another refresh. It'd be neat if they sold upgrade kits but I doubt if they engineered it to be modular like that originally.

I still have my MK1 standing at the ready in case I need it, but haven't had to plug it in for a couple years now. It's just far too useful to have around for me to get rid of (in case I blow a tube or my DAW Frontend bites the dust).