Don't know....I still miss the days of dropping the needle on a vinyl record over and over and over again , trying to learn just one phrase. But it is very cool.
@@wwland I hear ya. That's the way all the guitar gods learned, as well, I'm sure. There's just something addicting about pressing a button and have that tone at your fingertips. Literally!
I think the 90s were a better time to be a guitar player: there was a wealth of gear available, especially used, if you knew where to look; more importantly, though, in the 90s people actually LIKED original guitar music, and would come to gigs. Now, people don’t go to gigs unless they are friends and family-if that!
Got the Spark 40 when they first came out. Absolutely love it! Lets me practice/mess around without plugging in my 100w 2x12. My neighbours love the Spark too! 🙂
@@rupe82 its actually bad when you need to put EQ cancelling some bass in every fking heavier tone. amp definitely shounds llike shit when its sitting on the floor. overall metal sounds are meh.
Thanks for capturing with a mic! Most vids go through DI, and it drives me bonkers because it tells us nothing about what it sounds like in the room. Thanks SO much for doing it right so we can hear the room sounds. ❤
I appreciate that they used mics instead of direct recording offering a better idea of the room sound (what we'll actually hear. These are some of the best guitar tones I've heard on their shows.
I've had my Spark Go for a week now and I absolutely love it! I am a Kemper Stage owner and they serve completely different purposes. The Spark Go is perfect for taking it to friends' houses and jam along. Loud enough for a room, extremely portable and great battery life.
Can we please acknowledge that amazing opening intro?! ❤ The Captain is really getting up there with Pete with those skills, it’s awesome. Y’all sounded so gooood! Loved the guitar selections for the video too!
I have had the spark mini for about a year now and love it. Really good sound, amazing selection of tones and great for learning and practice. Take it anywhere. I like to use it in our back yard while noodling and annoying the neighbours 😂
Thanks for the video guys! I loved watching you explore the possibilities of the software! You looked just like me, when I started to explore mine :) One thing that made this little amp even better for me, was when Positive Grid released their wireless footswitch last year. It lets you switch the effects on and off during the use of the amp. Very handy and also very well integrated into the software.
This is awesome! Haven't picke dup my guitar for maybe 5 years and just seeing all the tech now-days i'm going to have to pick up the Spark 40. Great video
I have the 40 watt but the convenience of the Go with headphones late at night is perfect for me working second shift! Thanks guys, always a pleasure watching the videos
I have the mini and I find it a great tool for practicing and even recording. For the money, I think the tones you can get are fantastic. I wish I had had this many years ago. This is such a great tool for beginners to get familiar with effects and modelling options before committing to a specific amp. Only caveat, no looper. This is the only thing missing for me.
Sup m’man….. Oh YES, you CAN add a looper if you purchase the Airstep SPK 5 button foot controller ($90) instead of the Spark foot controller The Airstep allows looping…I’ll have one in 4 days… Way too much to get into here…..
@@joethompson2910 I didn't get it, where is the looper as I don't see it as being within the Airstep? Or am I missing something? 'Cause that would be a really nice addition. Thanks!
Love my Spark 40, have had since 2020. They are also audio interface for computers. Came with Studio One DAW. Been learning guitar since 2020 and its so good to learn with because able to get so many Amp tones. Cheers from Canada
Welp, you sold me on the Mini! Great video guys! As a side note, one of my favourite pedals since picking up guitar again during the pandemic has been the Tone City Durple "Danish Pete" Honoré Overdrive that I got from you guys. I don't know how much input Pete had with this wonder, but it's a great little pedal for some lovely blues tones, punching waaaaay above its weight.
It would be great if Pete created a profile for us to Follow using this AMP. What type of music would Pete publish ? What are type of Genres of music would Pete post? What type of music will Pete post for us beginners? Thanks again for such a great video indeed, looking forward to the next post on this Video. Note that the Bias FX post updates often and there are some great new features. I wish we could get some loop demos from Pete! Log videos are just great!
To be honest, I didn't think much of these little amps until quite recently. I bought a Positive Grid Spark Mini, thinking it would be good for practice, but I believed it would never match my tube amp. Then, I had the idea to plug it into my JBL Partybox 310 at home and the sound was a revelation. I was not expecting that at all. I finally got the sound quality I was expecting from an amp and understood that generally, modeling is of very high quality, but it heavily depends on your sound system. Honestly, I can't make my tube amp, or any other amp for that matter, sound as good as it does through my speaker. So, for those who don't know or have never thought of it, you can plug a jack into the headphone jack of your modeling amp or pedal and if the sound system is good, it will sound really fantastic. What I don't understand is why nobody thinks of this, when I look online or on RUclips, many people go to the trouble of buying active speakers and such, which don't sound as good, while the solution is simple. Plus, my JBL serves all my needs. I also use it to play music from RUclips, Tidal, and so on at home. Even my old Roland Micro Cube sounds extremely good now
This. I have been using my helix with simple presonus Eris 3,5 monitors and sound was OK, but somewhat boring. After awhile I tried to use helix with home hi fi system and it was a blast. Sound was so full, live and fun.
@@shadowofhowl2744 Same for me, with modeling it's the sound system that makes all the difference. I recently got a 12-inch Headrush to make it even better.
Im using Spark Go on stages for year or so. Its part of my pedalboard. Its connected to spark LIVE (just to make it loud - trough line in) and sounds terrific. I had many setups trough years including many tube amps, helix modeling, amplitube, you name it. But this seems to be the best in sound/weight/versatility setup, i ever had.
I use a Spark and Spark mini with wireless guitar connection and Spark app on an iPad sitting on a music stand in front of me. Fantastic practice and improvisation set up. Most importantly- it’s fun!
Got the full size spark about a year ago, my one and only amp. Used to only ever play through my computer with headphones on. Then got into tone modelling on the amp. Now I just always have it on clean with some reverb and use a pedal board I assembled about 3 months ago, mostly bought from Andertons after one of your videos!
Mini is great because of the battery…move it around the house with ease… I started with the Spark 40, which I keep in my garage studio … the app works great and I play along with the RUclips jams and my favorite songs… I only wish we could modify the chords the Spark analyzes (shown on the RUclips jams) which are sometimes correct but often have errors
I’ve had the OG Spark for a while now, but don’t use it much since buying a PC setup with Archetypes, and a pedalboard with my Katana 100. However, I just got the Spark Go and this little guy RIPS! It’s perfect for when I want to noodle on the couch or anywhere other than next to my amps.
I have all three and agree that the Mini is the best bet for home and jams with acoustic players. Now there's a powered cab... You will have to review!
Does the mini offer all the same features through your phone as the 40. Also can you dial out the boomy bass on the 40 and does the Mini sound bass heavy , and can that be dealt with. Lastly which is best sounding out of the 40 and mini?
ive play sunset riding in D on my spark so many times its insane lol the backing tracks portion is what really makes it for me because its so easy to pull up anything you want and just jam out, ive improved a lot since i got the spark because its so easy
Big fan of PG I started off with FX2 Elite on my PC Then bought T he Spark40 and recently the Spark mini. Really pleased with them all And the mini travels everywhere with me The app is simply incredible. Thanks for sharing Still have loads to explore and learn 🎸💯🤘👍😎
I have had the Spark Go for about a month now. It is super convenient, but my many years of playing the drums make me always want it louder. It is a really cost-effective option for a practice amp. The 4 presets is plenty. With the smaller speakers, it removes the bass issue with the larger models. I do kind of wish I had bought the size up. Oh well, the wife is happy I did not spend more money ha.
Still using the Positive Grid Bias Mini guitar amp after 8 years. It’s never missed a beat. 150 watts into 8 ohms. Played outdoor gig with Mesa 4x12 and it was great. Good piece of gear. Positive Grid doesn’t get much attention these days. So much available tech.
I have the 40 and the Mini and use them quite often rather than always using my Fender Deluxe Reverb. As many have noted here, they're great tools to try things out but I think there's also a different way of thinking about them that's useful. Because you can try so many different things, you're able to sometimes decide, "hey, this sound isn't for me" and move on without sinking money into something you won't like when you plug it into a different amp. Conversely, I became so enamored of the 'Reflections' reverb I hunted down and purchased the real world version, the Wampler Reflection. They're great products, IMHO.
And you can use it as a full input/output audio interface on your computer! So many features on this little thing, I love my Go. Surprised you didn't use the line out into a powered cab or computer to record the audio.
I have the original spark and I got the spark go a month ago. I love both, the app is awesome. The spark go is good to just throw in my guitar bag and take with me. No problem with the volume in my living room. Great review.
I used to have the Spark 40. Used it over the amp cos was just so simple to plug and play. After getting a Pod go (and now fractal FM3) I found that the Spark 40 wasnt really using it cos the pod go does sound better and you can do much more and is also plug and play. But now I got the mini and yeah! Perfect since you can take it anyplace. Love that is smaller, love that sounds very good and is powerful enough. The GO looks great too but for my needs the mini is like the perfect blend of size and portability and having internal battery. The most important thing about something like the Spark is not the tone itself (although they sound good enough for sure), but rather if you actually practice and play more by having them. Thats their strength, that helps a lot to make it much easier to play more (and now to be out of the house or on the garden or on another room and being able to play)
Grabbed the Go recently... of note the headphone out is very good and can also be changed to mono line out. So plugging into a PA or monitors when at a desk sounds great. Then unplug when you want it to be portable.
The Spark app's library of effects is a great way to dabble with all the common types of effects, such as reverbs, delays, modulation, distortion, overdrive, etc. Selecting & tweaking the effects is super easy.
I picked up the spark go on preorder, I've found that laying it on its back helps with distorted tones but it's a great little amp for my home office where I don't have the space for a larger rig. It's also worth pointing out that the USB connection can also be used to run the Go as an audio interface for a PC. Mainly though, at the price of the Go, it's a bargain for the software/tone cloud that comes in with it.
I was thinking the same thing. Pay $129 for some really sweet software and get a nice little walk-about amp as a bonus. Plus I'll bet it works great strapped onto a cigar box guitar.
the sound on mine is good enough for what it is. if I don't want to lug around my bigger amps, this thing is great. I really like that it'll create backing tracks to practice to. as an added bonus, it works really well as just a regular bluetooth speaker!
I was an early adopter of the Spark amp and I loved it, as you say the app id really good(although the AI parts are a bit basic) as I live on a boat the Spark Mini is just perfect and has taken over as my main practice amp. I probably wouldn't buy the 'Go' because I already have the other two, but i think it would be excellent for home use especially for beginners. If you haven't tried one of these amps give it a go.
I had the Mini since the start. What a little practice amp that thing is. If you need an amp for bedroom levels or with headphones, this is a top tier option. If you want an amp you can carry around, it's loud enough to jam to a group of people outdoors. Line out into powered speakers (I use a hifi sometimes) and you can get a nice full sound. We've plugged it into a car audio system and blasted some riffs in a carpark.
They sound great man- the only issue I have with them is the phone thing. I'm old school and I have a cheapo phone and don't really want to have a buy a better one. Plus- I don't know about now but when they first came out, I knew a lot of ppl who bought one and said the app was continually crashing and giving them trouble. Phil McKnight says he has the same issues and ends up stuck on a preset unable to change it. But- maybe they've improved it by now- probably have.
I've had my spark 40 for over a year and i love it. It has become my best buddy! I play every day now. It sounds amazing once you dial in some sounds, and the reverbs are otherworldly in my opinion. Even turned almost all the way down the verb sounds like its all around you.
I have the Spark 40, had it for maybe 2 years and love it. I keep it in the living room because it blends in better than an ordinary guitar amp and when I need to play in the living room I can. I also have the Spark Mini which I keep next to my computer as both a headphone amp and a USB Audio interface. The Mini does not sound as good as the 40 but it still sounds good. I can not imagine the Go sounding all that good though. I do like the interface though and it is the same for both amps.
I have all 3 of these and the Mini is the most impressive - most surprising size/sound ratio. The go is maximally mobile, basically fitting into your gigbag front pocket (PRS gigbag)...
@@strawman3059 40 sits in our living room, mini originally for travels (family weekends, vacations), right now serves as the amp in my office, go goes literally in your gigbag or backpack and can be used at picnics or wherever...
I keep hearing fantastic things bout the Mini, but I ultimately chose the 40. The “battery power only” thing freaked me out a bit. What if the battery goes bad, or slowly loses it pa charge over time? I heard him can’t use it while it’s charging. Is that true? Thanks!
I have the original Spark 40 and a Spark Go. Love them both. Although I use the original Spark the most. The Go is something I plan to make more useful in the future. I recommend these for young players and students because they offer the best possible sounds for the least money. Not to mention the benefits of the app. Positive Grid has hit a homerun with these products. They are great.
I've had my Spark 40 since mid lockdown and its awesome but I would recommend for us older gents with failing eyes get a 10"tablet for the app helps a lot and looks so much better. but the Go and a phone will fit in a big pocket so very portable.
I remember preordering a Spark before they came out, and then they kept delaying them... and delaying them... and changing the specs... till finally I gave up and cancelled my preorder. I dunno if they're any better now, but PG isn't really a company I have a lot of faith in to execute things properly. I would be worried about getting a bad unit and struggling to return it if we're being honest.
I have the Mini, and it's brilliant. I took it to a band rehearsal and connected the Line Out to the PA. It sounded great, as you'd imagine. I used a Boss WL-20 wireless pair to connect the guitar to the amp, which was running on battery. I had the app running on an iPad mounted on my mic stand and I was using that to select the presets on the amp. Not as easy as using one of the XSONIC Airstep Spark units, but still workable. Because I was using wireless and had tucked the amp out of sight, no-one could see what I'd been playing through until I brought it out at the end. Astonishment all round.
Hello. When you say you plugged to the "line out" are you referring to the 1/8" headphone jack? If so, would you share what cable/adapter that you used and what ports you plugged into at the mixer/PA? I am going to perform at an open stage and I want to use my Mini but I want to be able to just give the sound man a cable from my mini to play through the PA. Thanks.
How did they not think to include this one basic feature?! It boggles the mind. I hope they can offer it as a software upgrade… even as a paid upgrade, I’d go for it (assuming the price isn’t outrageous). It’s a glaring omission.
I brought a spark mini a few months ago. I almost exclusively play at home or carry it with me when I travel. If you’re not playing live or recording it’s all you need.
Have the Spark Go and it’s great for practicing. Waiting for the Spark 2 to be released before going for the 40w as the ability to enhance practice and learning is fantastic. A far cry from my first attempts at learning as a kid in the mid 80’s!
Spark Go with an iPad mini and a Steinberger Spirit GT Pro Deluxe would be the ideal mobile guitar gigging and recording rig. Everything in one tiny guitar case.
This is very exciting. My question is, as a singer-songwriter, does an amp this small exist with 2 input? From what I can tell with Positive Grid Go and Mini it is only for guitar. Correct? Any recs for voice and guitar for busking? Many thanks!
I think the tiny strap on the spark go is to put round your guitar strap so you can walk round with it, and you just need a patch cable between guitar and amp
I just got my Spark GO in the mail. Awesome little amp. I wasn’t expecting it to sound as good as it did. Dialed in some great tones and it’s user friendly. The only con I noticed is the highs are not as prevalent when strumming chords with hammer ons as the low end drowns them out, even after making adjustments in the settings..
I've had the Spark 40 and Mini since they first came out. I like both a lot but the one I use all the time is the Mini. Judging by the upgrade forums, they probably should have come out with a Spark 4x12 rather than the Go!
I have owned all three and currently use the mini and go versions. The 40W version was way too bassy for me. The mini is great when I just want to play and not mess with my pedalboard. I love the go for its portability. It’s small enough to fit in my gig bag and is therefore great for lessons etc.
Thinking about some RUclips channels that seem to explode and gain millions of subscriptions it’s mind blowing this channel hasn’t hit a million subscribers yet. I remember when Andertons videos were only on rob chapmans channel and when they created their own channel on here
Have used all these amps. I would think of them like this. The GO is very portable and good to use with headphones. Good to travel with but speaker is not loud enough or full sounding enough to be satisfying as a main home practice amp. The Mini is loud enough and sounds good enough to be a home practice amp plus very portable with size and battery. Also easy to use with headphones. The 40 is much bigger and heavier and has to be plugged in. It gets loud enough to hurt your ears. It has quite a bit of bass to it. If you need the volume and will tend to not move it around much this might be the right choice. If your looking at the 40 there are other choices in the price range to consider as well. The Fender GTX 100 is more expensive but comes with looper and great foot switch. The foot switch for the spark costs extra and doesn’t do nearly as much.
I bought the Go for a low-volume and headphone amp, and it's great! The built in speaker is okay, but don't expect it to sound like a boutique rig. That said, once you properly set your expectations, the built in speaker works great, and can even handle bass guitar down to the low E (I tried it with a B string, and it *can* play it, but it's not "happy"). Where the little amp really shines is with headphones connected! The amps and effects sound great with headphones plugged in, and frankly, for a little bit more money, you get a lot more functionality out of the Spark GO than you would get with the Fender Mustang Micro.
The best part about the mini and the go IMO is that you can switch the headphone jack between headphone and line, so you can take a line out and send it through something like the Boss Katana power amp in and have a full-sized, full-powered amp
I have the spark and honestly I use it more than my Kemper. I also own all of their digital only products. The Spark sounds fantastic and I love it. BUT... I wish they would make a 100w version of the amp instead of going smaller and smaller. I also wish it would use the digital store that its software emulators use. The spark catalog of tones is FAR FAR smaller than the one for the Positive Grid Bias FX 2/Bias Amp 2, Bias Pedals and all those.
I think a company is successful when it offers you 3 products any you really can’t decide which one to buy. I already had a busking amp, the Roland Mobile Cube, so even if the Mini is SUPER kool, with the right balance of volume and portability (and attractive minimal design), I sadly had to say no.. Then, the 40 would’ve been my favourite, if I only had to choose ONE amp at that size - I just like playing with the knobs, finding it more enjoyable/tactile so it saves me time; AND i could still have the Spark app on top! So as you figured out probably, I went with the Go. It’s got the size of a guitar pedal if you know what I’m saying. It’s like the other 2 others feature-wise, and it can fit just anywhere. I can use it as a “pedal”: buy an eighth-inch jack to quarter-inch (or to twin-quarter-inch stereo, or to RCA), plug it into a speaker if you must and just lose yourself in the sound. It’s a pocket size pedalboard - like the iRig, but the software is better I think. And you can plug in your BASS as well? :O holy shit. It’s a real achievement to have all these features, literally a Swiss army knife tiny amp. And obviously it’s also a bigger speaker for your mobile. Guys, thank you very much for the nice presentation. I had bought it already and wanted someone to take me through in a relaxed way after a hard day’s work and you did that really well. Cheers both and have a good day. 🍻 🤘
I like my Spark, but I far prefer just using the practice speaker built inside the Katana head unit. Still small and portable, but to me it sounds better than the spark, and I have all the built in Boss effects in it, and I can hook it up to a 100w cab if I need more volume for gigs. Best of both worlds in one unit.
There has honestly never been a better time to become a guitar player than in today's age. Just amazing.
Don't know....I still miss the days of dropping the needle on a vinyl record over and over and over again , trying to learn just one phrase. But it is very cool.
@@wwland nostalgia is a helluva drug
@@wwland I hear ya. That's the way all the guitar gods learned, as well, I'm sure. There's just something addicting about pressing a button and have that tone at your fingertips. Literally!
I know, right!!!
Nothing better that being humiliated by 6 yo Japanese girl shedders
😂!
I think the 90s were a better time to be a guitar player: there was a wealth of gear available, especially used, if you knew where to look; more importantly, though, in the 90s people actually LIKED original guitar music, and would come to gigs. Now, people don’t go to gigs unless they are friends and family-if that!
Got the Spark 40 when they first came out. Absolutely love it! Lets me practice/mess around without plugging in my 100w 2x12. My neighbours love the Spark too! 🙂
Absolutely! I still prefer my 100w head and cabs but just not practical
I'm sure my neighbours can hear my Spark, it's bassy and can easily go over 100dB in my living room.
@@rupe82 its actually bad when you need to put EQ cancelling some bass in every fking heavier tone. amp definitely shounds llike shit when its sitting on the floor. overall metal sounds are meh.
@@zbigniewiksinski Yea I agree. I've been looking for a new amp to replace it with.
@@zbigniewiksinski Don't set on the ground.
Lee’s jokes always seem to fly under the radar but this dude is hilarious..😂😂
Around 33:05 he says: "purper neon rubber sleeves, ribbed for extra comfort". He almost killed me! 🤣
He slips em in there lol 😂
Thanks for capturing with a mic! Most vids go through DI, and it drives me bonkers because it tells us nothing about what it sounds like in the room. Thanks SO much for doing it right so we can hear the room sounds. ❤
I appreciate that they used mics instead of direct recording offering a better idea of the room sound (what we'll actually hear. These are some of the best guitar tones I've heard on their shows.
I've had my Spark Go for a week now and I absolutely love it! I am a Kemper Stage owner and they serve completely different purposes. The Spark Go is perfect for taking it to friends' houses and jam along. Loud enough for a room, extremely portable and great battery life.
How loud would you say the sound is? Thinking of selling my combo and just getting the GO or the Mini
How would the jack not constantly tip that over
@@DNYS8NI've got one and it totally does. It's got a rubber back which is way better but can still slide around a bit
@@kdt85i uses super thin cables ...or it tips over btw. with headphones it's killer
@@daves_ yeah I 3d printed a base for it which helps a bit but it's not ideal
Love the way Lee smiles around the 24:20 mark as Pete gets his funk on. A smile of respect and admiration for the quality of playing.
Can we please acknowledge that amazing opening intro?! ❤ The Captain is really getting up there with Pete with those skills, it’s awesome. Y’all sounded so gooood! Loved the guitar selections for the video too!
I have had the spark mini for about a year now and love it. Really good sound, amazing selection of tones and great for learning and practice. Take it anywhere. I like to use it in our back yard while noodling and annoying the neighbours 😂
How’s about the battery life? Doest it still hold it’s juice with the same power as it is was new?
Thanks for the video guys! I loved watching you explore the possibilities of the software! You looked just like me, when I started to explore mine :) One thing that made this little amp even better for me, was when Positive Grid released their wireless footswitch last year. It lets you switch the effects on and off during the use of the amp. Very handy and also very well integrated into the software.
This is awesome! Haven't picke dup my guitar for maybe 5 years and just seeing all the tech now-days i'm going to have to pick up the Spark 40. Great video
The more I hear, and play guitars with single coil pickups, the more I love them. That PRS sounds wonderful.
Me too. Check Rabea playing Metal with single coils. More articulation and string definition.
I have the 40 watt but the convenience of the Go with headphones late at night is perfect for me working second shift! Thanks guys, always a pleasure watching the videos
I have the mini and I find it a great tool for practicing and even recording. For the money, I think the tones you can get are fantastic. I wish I had had this many years ago. This is such a great tool for beginners to get familiar with effects and modelling options before committing to a specific amp. Only caveat, no looper. This is the only thing missing for me.
Sup m’man….. Oh YES, you CAN add a looper if you purchase the Airstep SPK 5 button foot controller ($90) instead of the Spark foot controller
The Airstep allows looping…I’ll have one in 4 days…
Way too much to get into here…..
@@joethompson2910 I didn't get it, where is the looper as I don't see it as being within the Airstep? Or am I missing something? 'Cause that would be a really nice addition. Thanks!
Agreed! Needs a looper and a spring reverb.
Spark 2 now out, with looper!
Love my Spark 40, have had since 2020. They are also audio interface for computers. Came with Studio One DAW. Been learning guitar since 2020 and its so good to learn with because able to get so many Amp tones. Cheers from Canada
Welp, you sold me on the Mini! Great video guys!
As a side note, one of my favourite pedals since picking up guitar again during the pandemic has been the Tone City Durple "Danish Pete" Honoré Overdrive that I got from you guys.
I don't know how much input Pete had with this wonder, but it's a great little pedal for some lovely blues tones, punching waaaaay above its weight.
Have a spark and absolutely love it for ease of use and variety of tones to hand.
I just bought one yesterday...I'm blown away by this little spark go device...so many fx and amps...can jam with drums and bass...just wow!
My Spark 40 has been my go-to practice amp since I got it in 2020. Great little thing.
It would be great if Pete created a profile for us to Follow using this AMP. What type of music would Pete publish ? What are type of Genres of music would Pete post? What type of music will Pete post for us beginners? Thanks again for such a great video indeed, looking forward to the next post on this Video. Note that the Bias FX post updates often and there are some great new features. I wish we could get some loop demos from Pete! Log videos are just great!
this seems like an ai generated comment
I love my Spark 40. Best practice amp ever, but I've also done wedding gigs with it.
Does it take headphones
To be honest, I didn't think much of these little amps until quite recently. I bought a Positive Grid Spark Mini, thinking it would be good for practice, but I believed it would never match my tube amp. Then, I had the idea to plug it into my JBL Partybox 310 at home and the sound was a revelation.
I was not expecting that at all. I finally got the sound quality I was expecting from an amp and understood that generally, modeling is of very high quality, but it heavily depends on your sound system.
Honestly, I can't make my tube amp, or any other amp for that matter, sound as good as it does through my speaker. So, for those who don't know or have never thought of it, you can plug a jack into the headphone jack of your modeling amp or pedal and if the sound system is good, it will sound really fantastic.
What I don't understand is why nobody thinks of this, when I look online or on RUclips, many people go to the trouble of buying active speakers and such, which don't sound as good, while the solution is simple. Plus, my JBL serves all my needs. I also use it to play music from RUclips, Tidal, and so on at home.
Even my old Roland Micro Cube sounds extremely good now
This. I have been using my helix with simple presonus Eris 3,5 monitors and sound was OK, but somewhat boring. After awhile I tried to use helix with home hi fi system and it was a blast. Sound was so full, live and fun.
@@shadowofhowl2744 Same for me, with modeling it's the sound system that makes all the difference. I recently got a 12-inch Headrush to make it even better.
Im using Spark Go on stages for year or so. Its part of my pedalboard. Its connected to spark LIVE (just to make it loud - trough line in) and sounds terrific. I had many setups trough years including many tube amps, helix modeling, amplitube, you name it. But this seems to be the best in sound/weight/versatility setup, i ever had.
I use a Spark and Spark mini with wireless guitar connection and Spark app on an iPad sitting on a music stand in front of me. Fantastic practice and improvisation set up. Most importantly- it’s fun!
Even if I was not interested in the product at all I still would watch you guys doin the presentation, endless fun 🤪
Got the full size spark about a year ago, my one and only amp. Used to only ever play through my computer with headphones on. Then got into tone modelling on the amp. Now I just always have it on clean with some reverb and use a pedal board I assembled about 3 months ago, mostly bought from Andertons after one of your videos!
Mini is great because of the battery…move it around the house with ease… I started with the Spark 40, which I keep in my garage studio … the app works great and I play along with the RUclips jams and my favorite songs… I only wish we could modify the chords the Spark analyzes (shown on the RUclips jams) which are sometimes correct but often have errors
I just got GO a couple of days ago. Fun thing. Great for jamming in the garden. Or wherever. Love it.
I do a lot of travelling in Australia, I have a Yamaha silent steel string guitar and the positive grid go is just the perfect match. Its brilliant.
I’ve had the OG Spark for a while now, but don’t use it much since buying a PC setup with Archetypes, and a pedalboard with my Katana 100. However, I just got the Spark Go and this little guy RIPS! It’s perfect for when I want to noodle on the couch or anywhere other than next to my amps.
I have all three and agree that the Mini is the best bet for home and jams with acoustic players. Now there's a powered cab... You will have to review!
Does the mini offer all the same features through your phone as the 40. Also can you dial out the boomy bass on the 40 and does the Mini sound bass heavy , and can that be dealt with. Lastly which is best sounding out of the 40 and mini?
@@justice100forwin2 The all use the same app. So they all have the same features.
@@johna.daquino8678 Thankyou mate.
ive play sunset riding in D on my spark so many times its insane lol the backing tracks portion is what really makes it for me because its so easy to pull up anything you want and just jam out, ive improved a lot since i got the spark because its so easy
The GO is a fantastic practice setup.
The Spark Mini is just an amazing little tool for practicing, learning and writing. I take it on the road with me all the time. Brilliant!
Big fan of PG
I started off with FX2 Elite on my PC
Then bought T he Spark40 and recently the Spark mini.
Really pleased with them all
And the mini travels everywhere with me
The app is simply incredible.
Thanks for sharing
Still have loads to explore and learn
🎸💯🤘👍😎
Morning gents! Great intro! Those little amps are quite awesome. I've been in love with little practice amps ever since I got my first THR10. 🤘🏾
I have had the Spark Go for about a month now. It is super convenient, but my many years of playing the drums make me always want it louder. It is a really cost-effective option for a practice amp. The 4 presets is plenty. With the smaller speakers, it removes the bass issue with the larger models. I do kind of wish I had bought the size up. Oh well, the wife is happy I did not spend more money ha.
Try using headphones .
@@roberteasleysr9108CAB
Still using the Positive Grid Bias Mini guitar amp after 8 years. It’s never missed a beat. 150 watts into 8 ohms. Played outdoor gig with Mesa 4x12 and it was great. Good piece of gear. Positive Grid doesn’t get much attention these days. So much available tech.
8 yrs? Really? The spark 40 came out in 2019-2020…the spark mini came out last year or in 2021…
Love the banter between you guys it’s as entertaining as much as the equipment reviews 😂
I have the 40 and the Mini and use them quite often rather than always using my Fender Deluxe Reverb. As many have noted here, they're great tools to try things out but I think there's also a different way of thinking about them that's useful. Because you can try so many different things, you're able to sometimes decide, "hey, this sound isn't for me" and move on without sinking money into something you won't like when you plug it into a different amp. Conversely, I became so enamored of the 'Reflections' reverb I hunted down and purchased the real world version, the Wampler Reflection. They're great products, IMHO.
And you can use it as a full input/output audio interface on your computer! So many features on this little thing, I love my Go. Surprised you didn't use the line out into a powered cab or computer to record the audio.
Bought a Mini from Andertons in March. Absolutely love it to bits.
I've had my go for months and with this video learned more about all of the apps in 35 min. than in all of that time. Thanks guys this is major.
I’ve got Spark Mini and it’s an astonishing bit of kit. Great sounds for guitar and great as an ultra portable Bluetooth speaker.
That go looks perfect for practicing anywhere
I have the original spark and I got the spark go a month ago. I love both, the app is awesome. The spark go is good to just throw in my guitar bag and take with me. No problem with the volume in my living room. Great review.
I used to have the Spark 40. Used it over the amp cos was just so simple to plug and play.
After getting a Pod go (and now fractal FM3) I found that the Spark 40 wasnt really using it cos the pod go does sound better and you can do much more and is also plug and play.
But now I got the mini and yeah! Perfect since you can take it anyplace. Love that is smaller, love that sounds very good and is powerful enough.
The GO looks great too but for my needs the mini is like the perfect blend of size and portability and having internal battery.
The most important thing about something like the Spark is not the tone itself (although they sound good enough for sure), but rather if you actually practice and play more by having them. Thats their strength, that helps a lot to make it much easier to play more (and now to be out of the house or on the garden or on another room and being able to play)
Grabbed the Go recently... of note the headphone out is very good and can also be changed to mono line out. So plugging into a PA or monitors when at a desk sounds great. Then unplug when you want it to be portable.
I already have the Spark Mini, it's an awesome little piece of kit.
The Spark app's library of effects is a great way to dabble with all the common types of effects, such as reverbs, delays, modulation, distortion, overdrive, etc. Selecting & tweaking the effects is super easy.
I picked up the spark go on preorder, I've found that laying it on its back helps with distorted tones but it's a great little amp for my home office where I don't have the space for a larger rig. It's also worth pointing out that the USB connection can also be used to run the Go as an audio interface for a PC. Mainly though, at the price of the Go, it's a bargain for the software/tone cloud that comes in with it.
I was thinking the same thing. Pay $129 for some really sweet software and get a nice little walk-about amp as a bonus. Plus I'll bet it works great strapped onto a cigar box guitar.
the sound on mine is good enough for what it is. if I don't want to lug around my bigger amps, this thing is great. I really like that it'll create backing tracks to practice to. as an added bonus, it works really well as just a regular bluetooth speaker!
I love my Spark Mini that I bought a couple weeks ago. Makes practicing much easier than playing with my gig rig.
I was an early adopter of the Spark amp and I loved it, as you say the app id really good(although the AI parts are a bit basic) as I live on a boat the Spark Mini is just perfect and has taken over as my main practice amp.
I probably wouldn't buy the 'Go' because I already have the other two, but i think it would be excellent for home use especially for beginners.
If you haven't tried one of these amps give it a go.
I had the Mini since the start. What a little practice amp that thing is. If you need an amp for bedroom levels or with headphones, this is a top tier option. If you want an amp you can carry around, it's loud enough to jam to a group of people outdoors. Line out into powered speakers (I use a hifi sometimes) and you can get a nice full sound. We've plugged it into a car audio system and blasted some riffs in a carpark.
Does it sound good with a good pair of studio headphones?
Have literally bought the Spark 40 from Andertons today, hope this video is positive !!🤣🤣🤣🤣
its positive ...grid
i'm out.
They sound great man- the only issue I have with them is the phone thing. I'm old school and I have a cheapo phone and don't really want to have a buy a better one. Plus- I don't know about now but when they first came out, I knew a lot of ppl who bought one and said the app was continually crashing and giving them trouble. Phil McKnight says he has the same issues and ends up stuck on a preset unable to change it. But- maybe they've improved it by now- probably have.
@@stoneysdead689 Well, its arriving tomorrow so I guess I will see for myself (heard great things though)
Have owned the Spark40 for 2-3 years, great amp. Hope you will like it.
I've had my spark 40 for over a year and i love it. It has become my best buddy! I play every day now. It sounds amazing once you dial in some sounds, and the reverbs are otherworldly in my opinion. Even turned almost all the way down the verb sounds like its all around you.
I have the Spark 40, had it for maybe 2 years and love it. I keep it in the living room because it blends in better than an ordinary guitar amp and when I need to play in the living room I can. I also have the Spark Mini which I keep next to my computer as both a headphone amp and a USB Audio interface. The Mini does not sound as good as the 40 but it still sounds good. I can not imagine the Go sounding all that good though. I do like the interface though and it is the same for both amps.
I have all 3 of these and the Mini is the most impressive - most surprising size/sound ratio. The go is maximally mobile, basically fitting into your gigbag front pocket (PRS gigbag)...
Not sure why you'd need the mini and the go?
@@strawman3059 40 sits in our living room, mini originally for travels (family weekends, vacations), right now serves as the amp in my office, go goes literally in your gigbag or backpack and can be used at picnics or wherever...
I keep hearing fantastic things bout the Mini, but I ultimately chose the 40. The “battery power only” thing freaked me out a bit. What if the battery goes bad, or slowly loses it pa charge over time? I heard him can’t use it while it’s charging. Is that true? Thanks!
I have the original Spark 40 and a Spark Go. Love them both. Although I use the original Spark the most. The Go is something I plan to make more useful in the future. I recommend these for young players and students because they offer the best possible sounds for the least money. Not to mention the benefits of the app. Positive Grid has hit a homerun with these products. They are great.
I've had my Spark 40 since mid lockdown and its awesome but I would recommend for us older gents with failing eyes get a 10"tablet for the app helps a lot and looks so much better.
but the Go and a phone will fit in a big pocket so very portable.
I remember preordering a Spark before they came out, and then they kept delaying them... and delaying them... and changing the specs... till finally I gave up and cancelled my preorder. I dunno if they're any better now, but PG isn't really a company I have a lot of faith in to execute things properly. I would be worried about getting a bad unit and struggling to return it if we're being honest.
Keep it up guys great stuff! Love my 40 and thinking about the GO for travel.
I have the mini. It sounds shockingly good and big/full in the bedroom. Love it.
Love videos that Anderton produces. Fun and informative, so thanks..
Have a question: Positive Grid Spark or Cube II LX?
I have the Mini, and it's brilliant. I took it to a band rehearsal and connected the Line Out to the PA. It sounded great, as you'd imagine. I used a Boss WL-20 wireless pair to connect the guitar to the amp, which was running on battery. I had the app running on an iPad mounted on my mic stand and I was using that to select the presets on the amp. Not as easy as using one of the XSONIC Airstep Spark units, but still workable. Because I was using wireless and had tucked the amp out of sight, no-one could see what I'd been playing through until I brought it out at the end. Astonishment all round.
Hello. When you say you plugged to the "line out" are you referring to the 1/8" headphone jack? If so, would you share what cable/adapter that you used and what ports you plugged into at the mixer/PA? I am going to perform at an open stage and I want to use my Mini but I want to be able to just give the sound man a cable from my mini to play through the PA. Thanks.
I have the original Spark 40. Would be perfect if it had a looper.
How did they not think to include this one basic feature?! It boggles the mind. I hope they can offer it as a software upgrade… even as a paid upgrade, I’d go for it (assuming the price isn’t outrageous). It’s a glaring omission.
the Lee and Pete show! huge fan for both guys! keep it up good sirs!
I brought a spark mini a few months ago. I almost exclusively play at home or carry it with me when I travel. If you’re not playing live or recording it’s all you need.
Have the Spark Go and it’s great for practicing. Waiting for the Spark 2 to be released before going for the 40w as the ability to enhance practice and learning is fantastic. A far cry from my first attempts at learning as a kid in the mid 80’s!
Sooooooo looking forward to this👍 Bought ALL 3 - I find that they all have their purpose, depending on the venue.
I love my spark 40. I run a 45 watt power pedal through the headphone jack into a 2x12 cab sounds awesome!
Thank you guys for sharing. Great sounding amps. Lots of fun
Great little practice and FUN tools ... love 'em all
Great demo guys ... thanks a lot
Spark Go with an iPad mini and a Steinberger Spirit GT Pro Deluxe would be the ideal mobile guitar gigging and recording rig. Everything in one tiny guitar case.
I have a mini and am waiting for my go. I live off grid and these are perfect for that.
I wish the Spark came with a looper feature & a second input for a vocal mic… then it’d be perfect! 😉
That’s exactly what I am searching for right now 😂
Run the line out into a bose S1 or little interface/mixer and problem solved :)
This is very exciting. My question is, as a singer-songwriter, does an amp this small exist with 2 input? From what I can tell with Positive Grid Go and Mini it is only for guitar. Correct? Any recs for voice and guitar for busking? Many thanks!
Thanks guys. I was so impressed with the Go that I've bought one. Just gotta find the time to use it when it arrives. :)
Take my money lol. Gonna get the GO so I can play guitar any time, anywhere. Busking, lessons, camping the list is endless. Can’t wait.
I think the tiny strap on the spark go is to put round your guitar strap so you can walk round with it, and you just need a patch cable between guitar and amp
I just got my Spark GO in the mail. Awesome little amp. I wasn’t expecting it to sound as good as it did. Dialed in some great tones and it’s user friendly. The only con I noticed is the highs are not as prevalent when strumming chords with hammer ons as the low end drowns them out, even after making adjustments in the settings..
Reminds me of all the presets that became available for synthesizers/electric pianos 20 years ago. The AI learning of chords for songs is a new level.
I've had the Spark 40 and Mini since they first came out. I like both a lot but the one I use all the time is the Mini. Judging by the upgrade forums, they probably should have come out with a Spark 4x12 rather than the Go!
I have owned all three and currently use the mini and go versions. The 40W version was way too bassy for me. The mini is great when I just want to play and not mess with my pedalboard. I love the go for its portability. It’s small enough to fit in my gig bag and is therefore great for lessons etc.
I had exactly the same thing, use the mini most of all
I agree with your assessment of the 40 as being too bassy. It’s a big turn off for me. The eq does help though.
Love my spark .was hoping they would make a full size amp
Thinking about some RUclips channels that seem to explode and gain millions of subscriptions it’s mind blowing this channel hasn’t hit a million subscribers yet. I remember when Andertons videos were only on rob chapmans channel and when they created their own channel on here
Have used all these amps. I would think of them like this. The GO is very portable and good to use with headphones. Good to travel with but speaker is not loud enough or full sounding enough to be satisfying as a main home practice amp. The Mini is loud enough and sounds good enough to be a home practice amp plus very portable with size and battery. Also easy to use with headphones. The 40 is much bigger and heavier and has to be plugged in. It gets loud enough to hurt your ears. It has quite a bit of bass to it. If you need the volume and will tend to not move it around much this might be the right choice. If your looking at the 40 there are other choices in the price range to consider as well. The Fender GTX 100 is more expensive but comes with looper and great foot switch. The foot switch for the spark costs extra and doesn’t do nearly as much.
We need a Captain & Pete uncut channel!
I bought the Go for a low-volume and headphone amp, and it's great! The built in speaker is okay, but don't expect it to sound like a boutique rig. That said, once you properly set your expectations, the built in speaker works great, and can even handle bass guitar down to the low E (I tried it with a B string, and it *can* play it, but it's not "happy").
Where the little amp really shines is with headphones connected! The amps and effects sound great with headphones plugged in, and frankly, for a little bit more money, you get a lot more functionality out of the Spark GO than you would get with the Fender Mustang Micro.
I've had the mini for a while, and it really does sound great. I use with headphones, think you get the most from it that way
Prefer no headphones
I have the 40 and use it everyday via guitar and currently listening to this show using Bluetooth speaker
Nice one boys! I've got an eye on that Spark Mini & the Blackstar carry-on guitar.. ;)
Loving that Sire Straty thing.
The best part about the mini and the go IMO is that you can switch the headphone jack between headphone and line, so you can take a line out and send it through something like the Boss Katana power amp in and have a full-sized, full-powered amp
I wish the 40 did that
Hello. Could you elaborate? Is this a function of the app (switching between headphones and line) or a certain type of cable? Thanks.
@@carloschavez4491 it's a setting in the app
I think we need a blooper reel for 2023. -> 10:54 😅Probably my favorite moment so far!
I have the spark and honestly I use it more than my Kemper. I also own all of their digital only products. The Spark sounds fantastic and I love it. BUT... I wish they would make a 100w version of the amp instead of going smaller and smaller. I also wish it would use the digital store that its software emulators use. The spark catalog of tones is FAR FAR smaller than the one for the Positive Grid Bias FX 2/Bias Amp 2, Bias Pedals and all those.
I think a company is successful when it offers you 3 products any you really can’t decide which one to buy. I already had a busking amp, the Roland Mobile Cube, so even if the Mini is SUPER kool, with the right balance of volume and portability (and attractive minimal design), I sadly had to say no.. Then, the 40 would’ve been my favourite, if I only had to choose ONE amp at that size - I just like playing with the knobs, finding it more enjoyable/tactile so it saves me time; AND i could still have the Spark app on top!
So as you figured out probably, I went with the Go. It’s got the size of a guitar pedal if you know what I’m saying. It’s like the other 2 others feature-wise, and it can fit just anywhere. I can use it as a “pedal”: buy an eighth-inch jack to quarter-inch (or to twin-quarter-inch stereo, or to RCA), plug it into a speaker if you must and just lose yourself in the sound. It’s a pocket size pedalboard - like the iRig, but the software is better I think. And you can plug in your BASS as well? :O holy shit. It’s a real achievement to have all these features, literally a Swiss army knife tiny amp. And obviously it’s also a bigger speaker for your mobile.
Guys, thank you very much for the nice presentation. I had bought it already and wanted someone to take me through in a relaxed way after a hard day’s work and you did that really well. Cheers both and have a good day. 🍻 🤘
My bedroom Practice rig is a silver sky SE into a spark mini, what a coincidence 😅
That was awesome and far exceeded my expectations… I too did serious time on bikes when younger. Both help each other in many ways… thk u -g
I like my Spark, but I far prefer just using the practice speaker built inside the Katana head unit. Still small and portable, but to me it sounds better than the spark, and I have all the built in Boss effects in it, and I can hook it up to a 100w cab if I need more volume for gigs. Best of both worlds in one unit.
Reminds me of how cool the Line6 stuff was back in the day, it wasnt like a pure analog set up with tube amps and pedals, it was a all in one
Love my Spark. Sounds great, feels very amp-like and the music playback is high quality. It also looks very cool