Guitarist Tone Lounge: BOSS Nextone Special
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- Опубликовано: 26 авг 2024
- Welcome to the latest in our Tone Lounge series. In this episode Neville Marten and Richard Barrett look at the Boss Nextone Special amplifier.
Here's what Boss says about the Nextone Special…
"Fuelled by BOSS’s acclaimed Tube Logic approach, the Nextone Special delivers premium sound, feel, and tonal versatility for stage players who demand the best. Fusing forward-thinking innovation with boutique design features and detail, this professional stage amplifier offers deep sound-shaping controls, enhanced reactive drive power amp circuitry with selectable voicing, a custom Waza speaker with vintage 'blue bell' tone, and much more. The Nextone Special provides a refined playing experience that stands alongside the finest tube amplifiers, enhanced with key modern advantages like variable power control, consistent sound, and maintenance-free operation."
Nextone amps are very underrated. They deserve more attention.
Great video guys! Thanks for demonstrating the ‘Special’ alongside the ‘Artist’! This is how it should be done in my opinion. Cheers from Bristol 🏴🍻
A blues cube vs nextone would be wonderful. That's for all you do guys
Thank you for this wonderful overview and review! The way you touch on each of the controls and how it reacts to the over all tone is wonderful.
The very best Nextone Special gemo of all. Great job. Thx
Great Demo of the wonderful Nextone Amp. Many thanks 👍
Dual guitars intro heaven. Neville Betts and Richard Allman or should that be Neville Turner and Richard Powell? More please.
Great video! Great playing! Great review! Great amp.! I always enjoy your 'Tone Lounge' reviews. Thanks.
Living in 2021, who needs the ancient technology of valves if guitar amps can sound and be versatile like this one, being all analogue, concerning the amplification circuits? You have got me upgrading from the Nextone Artist...
Just got mine. Just learned how to set it up how I like it. And dude... This thing is great! You can nail all the best tones aside from deep low end metal kind of stuff.
Stick to katana boss amps if you're more of a metal head. This is a solid state amp that says fender twin who? It's the best solid state amp that mimics tube amps really well. Can't hate such a glorious thing. I know some amps of the past that were solid state sounded like crap once but that was then. Today? Today is a lil different : )
@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 You are right! One thing I experienced is that all the tweaking possibilities kept me from practicing the guitar. So I went just for my personal panel-setting with help of the software...and done. It is really not comparable to a Katana. Katanas sound processed, Nextones sound like amps. Besides it, I use a simple 10 Watt 6l6 tube-amp. The only tonal difference is a bit more sparkle and overtones on the tube-amp.
Each to their own. I want this for my teaching but actually for me there is enough difference, especially in the fact that these amps sound too processed like the final track on a recording and subsequently losses it's uniqueness. I'll take my vintage style boutique custom with NOS tubes anyday.
It’s a digital amp with analog class ab power amp. Same platform as the katana and blues cube
Man these digital/modeling amps are really coming a long long ways. Very impressive and very tempting. Give me one of these and one 5w fender champ type amp and I think I’d be set for life
Excellent, boy can that Richard Barrett play
This sounds like the best collection of tube amps that you can really dial in. Often with amps (and I have Marshall dsl, Fender Blues Jr. and a Katana 50) you get what you get and always want to push it one way or the other, but you just can't fine tune those parameters. As for the Katana you need the computer or download patches. The Nextone is old school knobs and no hassle and you can dial it in real time. I was torn with going with the Katana Artist, but being an old tube guy wanted that tone but ability to dial thing in, I'd say this is the winner!...?
So glad they opened up the Specials features in the other amps in version 3 firmware update. I for one love a more compact amp that doesn't lose features.
That’s a company not solely based on profits and I love to see it! Make your customers happy
excellent i very much liked this video because the explaining all the different knobs is superb.
Fantastic! I need to try a Special myself, but being a Nextone Artist owner, this is a really useful comparison. Thanks! The different "valve" types always seen to be fairly indistinguishable in YT clips, and are subtle on the ear in real life, but I have found the EL84 model to be my cup of tea as it stays fairly tight in the bottom end, warm in the mids, with a bit of extra hair, and clear but sweet in the highs. Works brilliantly as a base for pedals or multifx in front. I always used to gravitate to EL84 actual valve amps too ... despite my own preconception that I "ought" to like 6L6 amps (ie Fender style). I think Boss have managed to capture the different types pretty effectively.
You guys had a nice jam and definitely got some useable tones out of that. Amps "in context" of a musical setting rather than just by themselves, are so much more interesting. Thanks again for the demo.
Hi guys, I was listening for one important point (in my opinion)... Most (if not all) of the settings available on the front panel of the Special can be configured through the USB interface on the Stage and Artist. It's definitely not as user-friendly, but in a gig setting you can get 3 (might be 4) different configurations for use (basic front panel config, custom lead, custom clean) and the settings are completely independent for each config (as long as the controls are left untouched). The real changes between the Special and Artist/Stage are the addition of front panel controls (which are better no doubt) and a speaker change (which may be betteer). These points seems to be overlooked a lot, and doing any sound comparison without a computer present can't tell the whole story..
Don't get me wrong, I'd consider trading my Artist for a Special if the right deal showed up... but budget minded customers should know the Artist and Stage aren't huge steps down.
I got all these things. Honestly they all are great. But I do feel katanas are for metal and everything else, and nextone is best for vintage tones, but totally not good for metal. Artist does vintage tones just fine though too sooo... Only get this amp if you're a insane tube amp snob who wants the best vintage tones. It's great for that.
The waza speakers man. They are something special for sure!
Good video...amp sounds really great on the clean settings especially with the ES335.
It would have been interesting to see you play an archtop and see how the amps perform for jazz players. The dedicated jazz amps I've seen are way more costly than the Nextone.
Awsome demonstration and really good music you offer us
Great video. It works good with pedals? Thanks.
Thank you so much Neville and Richard just hearing your opinions and extensive knowledge of using valve amps and comparing tones to Solid State and how they differ in sound and response such as 6L6 with scooped mids and EL 34 with that fat in your face tones. I hope the younger generation can really appreciate how much knowledge is actually involved and skilsl required to master from each valve amp and to come to a conclusion.
We often don't think about that when heading off to a gig or jaming at home and if your lucky enough to record in a professional studio. On my radar at the moment is the Nextone Special it fits my requirements. I've tried the Katana 100mk2 the Nextone Stage the Roland Blues Cube Stage and have the Roland JC 22 and JC 40. I'm getting closer so i have to make a decison which stays and which will move on to a new home. All have their + and - points and of course it's subjective to how you play and what you play but i'm old school with ears tuned for 6L6 and EL34 AMPS I describe it as "Breathing" a valve amp seems to add depth harmonics sustain note interaction feedback volume dynamics it's one part of the whole picture but it's an important one just like your speaker selection and cabinet design. One Amp to do everything isn't possible just yet but I'm glad there trying to improve their designs to offer great choices.
Im just loving that tasty lead work particularly in that last jam. This is an excellent review, what you played is very appropriate for demonstrating what the controls do. Some of the reviews I have seen of this range have been very twiddly widdly and I could not relate at all. Very well done gents! Gained a subscriber.
I have a big mode 4 Marshall which is a big brutal amp but still a typical one trick Marshall which I really only use the clean sound on and run a GT1000 through it. I'm hoping now that I have a nice strat I can find something more strat appropriate and versatile but still pedal friendly. I think this may be the one right here.. I'd be interested if anyone has any thoughts or ideas. Bought the strat for a floyd show I play in and I'm looking for more of a Gilmore type platform but don't want to lose the Marshall grunt. And that I can carry with one hand with giving myself a bloody heart attack. Must be getting old! 😆
Excellent video guys. Very nice playing and quaility demos.
@ greg parker I usually agree with that point of view, but I bought a Nextone Special and I will say that you can argue all day long about if it sounds like the tube amps it trying to emulate or not. BUT! It sounds really good! And in the end isn't that what we are after is the tone?
I own Marshalls and Hiwatts and modelers and I like the tones I get. But one of the best tones I have ever heard is using the Nextone Special and a Hiwatt dual mic'd and mixed together. Wow guitar tone nirvana! But like you said it will be interesting to see if a famous guitar player will play through the special and endorse it. Most the old guys are kind of set in their ways. But maybe a younger guitar that likes to experiment will play the special and bring it out of the dark. Only time will tell.
What microphones are they using for recording the amps?
Will Boss release the Katana Artist MKIII this year? So hard to decide to buy now or see if they announcement new amps at NAMM this year. It is time for a new version in order for BOSS to keep up with the competition.
For me these days regarding amps its all about the speakers.😁
Great Amps😎
Excellent video gents, very informative and delivered with understated style! Just one question: you mention that Roland recommend that the amp is set up with the Master Volume on maximum and therefore the actual volume is controlled by the individual channel volume pot, power selection switch and/or guitar. Do you know why this is so? Also I can't see it mentioned, e.g., in the owners manual but you may be privy to industry briefings etc. Cheers
Soon with all this research and technology the amp makers will develop a Solid State amplifier that’s almost as good as my 90’s Peavey Bandit red stripe. My Peavey has spring reverb too!
This is only partially digital. It is mainly analog. Try it in person.
Lead guitar tone in the last jam around 38:15 was awesome! What was the settings? I have the Special 😀
im undecided about this amp i really like it if I want to run pedals into it would it still sound OK im after an amp that I can use headphones with so I can use it at home would this be a good choice or is there something else to look at great video hope you find the time to reply stay safe
Is it less powerfull than katana (Artist/100 MKII)?
How does it compare to top model Blues cube?
If it sounds good and plays good, then there is a pretty good chance that it is actually good... 👍🔥🎸🎼🙏
Never thought I’d see a $1000 BOSS Amp 🤯 but sounds nice 👍
Got mine recently for 700 : )
@@soyborne.bornmadeandundone1342 got mine for 550 with the gafc
@@Cerillionesque Kickass deal!
I want to know... is the Special more bolder than the Nextone Artist? Are the mids more warmer as I hear it please,,? edited:
ok, I went to try it at the store.
I think the main difference is with the speaker and the bottom/high cut that helps. The lead knob to for high gain, which I thing doesn't get far in that direction with the Artist. Highs are more defined.
Is it worth the price difference? IMO no.
If the WazaCraft speaker was a cheap upgrade it'd be 97% as good with the artist I think.
The sound has what I was expecting from the Artist for being 100% satisfy.
Kinda suck when you buy it and 5 months after they come out with this version.
I was already upset they didn't come out with a head version so...
ps I yeah , I forgot, the tube adjustment is way more obvious by ear compared to the Artist. Weird.
To summarize the special seems to be able to replicate the Artist sag at 97% not the other way around for defines highs and lows at low volume. The artist kinda always keep the mid's even when trying to get a rock scooped sound which I think the Artist is not design to do.
Coming partially from the speaker, I think if you want to extend the chime and get your sounds from the fingers which takes a lot of practice and cleverness from player and guitar knob, gear, speaker cables etc... go with the Special. For the sag, warmth and again/even more which a sensitive touch "a la Chris buck" spare yourself some money and get the Artist (the Stage sounds too small for me)
God I hate the hype of always being told: you're not good enough , buy this buy that... even Chris Buck who promoted the Nextone never got one. It's just all marketing.
... but this is more in our soul, the best I know for this kind of issue is "Gabor Mate"
Hope this help.
Are you referencing to katana artist or the nextone artist?
@@attillal4821 The Nextone. I wish the Nextone had the flexibility of the Katana. Katana sounds more "cold to my ears" which can be a good thing for more definition or spark on top with high ends instruments/cable for the edge of a strat per example
The Nextone is all about sag, tube feel for purist like me who like to throw a pedal in front of the amp once in a while.
Go and watch Dave Simpson if you will. This guy IS the reference for SS amps and getting the most of technology if you want to spare yourself from the caprice of tubes and weight issues management when carrying stuff.
Hope this help,
Cheers. Martin.
@@thesoundpurist cheers.
Yea I’ve been watching Dave simpson for years. I’ve gone through my own journey of amp , to multi fx back to amps, had the katana artist mk2 and loved it. I then sold up a load of gear and went to the quad cortex but as amazing as it is I genuinely missed the responsiveness of amps I guess. I just couldn’t gel with it at the time.
Never had a tube amp before so I got myself the mini jubilee and got back a few of my pedals and it’s fantastic, needs to cranked….but with an attenuator it’s singing for sure. I’m in the market for a boss katana head to pair next to the mini jubilee now , the katana is quite versatile and I do miss my old wet/dry set up. The katana can cover the ground the jubilee won’t be able to.
@@attillal4821 great! one more thing... I forgot to mention, I don't know about the Katana but with the Nextone when you connect it into a 4x12 it sounds huge, I would say exactly like a tube amp.
PS I don't have any notification about the comments, it's very hard to see them but I saw yours.
... And yeah, with SS amplifier you have to be an alchemist of the sound to replicate so many tone but I think Dave Simpson is really great at it. A lot more of reverb that I would normally use though, but the guy is amazing at composing with the technology at very low cost, instead of using a ton of boutique gear and sounding like s***.
+ Marshall Jubilee is one that I always wanted, amazing tone but my CAE PT100 (though it's a very powerful amp) can get very close to saggy I gain kind of tone with the bright switch on and the right pickups.
24:59 Master 100% solo function enabled why?
3:45 whoa? 6l6's tons of headroom? in real situation maybe, I think it's the only handicap of SS amps as you have to emulate it by not pushing the amp too much at higher wattage setting
Hey guys what's the title of the song at the beginning?
Thank you!
Hi Niccolo, this is Jamie, Guitarist's editor here. It's a theme tune for Tone Lounge I wrote in my head and then whistled down the phone to Richard who expertly made it into a track. Hope that helps. Doesn't have a name, anyone care to suggest one?
@@guitarist Nice one! You guys should develop it and release it. Good job!
@@nikkostrato thanks!
transistor? our valves?
I had a 70s era transistor guitar amp (Yamaha). Yeah, not too good. :-)
I have a Vox Super Beatle (I think) that was clean and ice picky shrill. My Yamaha 115 Bass amp (also solid state) was a very serviceable gigging amp.
@@MrPhotonjockey oh that sounds like the same series as mine. it was called a G50 410 (50 watts 4 x 10" of course). Presumably yours was 100 watts, 1 x 15"
So it"s perfect. Gee.
Another great review, but I will stick with my Roland blues cube artist.
To my ears, the 2nd generation nextone and 3rd gen special don't sound any better than the Roland BCA
These types of amps give me analysis paralysis and it feels like work!
Own both. The special is better than the Nextone Artist since you have access to the useful stuff on the amp without having to dive into the computer editing. The BCA is as you know a superb amp. I don't consider the Nextone better just gives you different options.
@@fastacesus8499 Is it possible to answer some of these questions? I'm looking for an ideal amp and maybe this one is. Yesterday I've tested the Nextone Artist and was really impressed with my setup about the sound. Especially when I set the volume of the clean channel on 10 with some of my pedals on (like no overdrive because clean 10 was really good enough). I didn't tested that much the Gain/Lead channel, because of time. So my questions: in the special is another speaker. Probably this one is better than the one in the artist? Can you hear many differences if you play on both amps on the clean channel with level 9 - 10? I've tested the Artist amp in a small room on 0,5 Watt? If you change the Wattage to half or full, is the sound different or is it almost the same? Is the sound almost the same from the speaker if you use a studio - headphone or to rec out? Thanks for the answers.
@@frederikvanhoo3244 ok the speaker of the special makes a big difference. I also have a Nextone Stage and it's speaker is definitely inferior. However you can tune the Nextone Stage hence the difference becomes less relevant. The Achilles heal of the special is its size. It's big for a combo. So much so I found it a PITA at gigs. I still have the stage, use it as a pedal platform at smaller gigs. Now onto the lower watt. Whether it's a Nextone or Blues Cube I simply do not like them on the lowest watt a available. I don't know what it is, but others have said the same. I run the Blues Cube on 15 watt at gigs and Nextone Stage wide open master on full, channel volume to get the right level of volume.
@@fastacesus8499 Ok thanks for the fast response!
Isnt this a Katana in a more expensive frock?
3:30 el34 chime? not from my perspective. To avoid the compression and smootness and more glass like highs I'd go for the el84's
If only it had a few more knobs...
You can NEVER have enough knobs!
These solid state amps sound good by themselves. Put in a live, band situation and your sound gets lost in the mix. Nothing, nothing will ever come close to a real tube amp for cutting through in a live band situation. This is why I keep going back to my Mesa. I play a 25 watt Mesa Express Plus and it cuts through like a SOB. This Nextone Special sounds nice but you still hear that fizziness inherent with solid state. Not knocking it just not for me, not yet anyway.
It bothers me when these rather good RUclips presenters call these "analog" amplifiers with "no modelling", and Boss/Roland don't correct these statements that are clearly not true. Nextone, Katana and Blues cube all have the same platform: analog input stage -> digital preamp and DSP eq, tube/valve modelling -> analog class AB amplifer. They are quite excellent amplifiers, but "all analog" is just not true
Clean sounds still not as nice as a Roland Jazz Chorus. Although obviously more flexible.
You’re not wrong, but to be fair the cleans from the RJC are beyond belief good!
I thought a common complaint about the Jazz Chorus is there is a constant hiss?
Your voices are about 3db too loud in the mix.
Sounds great but I can't justify buying a 40lb solid state amp. Kind of defeats the purpose
Yeah it don't sound too bad, but.. in 5 years they'll be stacked 10 deep at the tip with all the line 6 spyders and katanas. That's because all these gimmicks don't sound like the thing they emulate. They get a bit better as their generations go on but for all the hype supposedly credible reviewers bestow on them you won't see Jeff Beck or Eric Johnson actually gigging them, even if they sell out and do some endorsement deal like the forgotten EJ tone capsule on the passe blues cube.
Too many knobs.
That is sort of a flaw honestly... I got this thing a few days ago and STILL haven't gotten a feel that's comfy but I'm getting there. More complicated than most amps isn't a bad thing once you get the feel for it. It's just a bit more crazier than your avg amp lol.
Cringe
You can do better?
@@DMSProduktions he's speaking about himself.
@@valebliz No doubt! ( NOT the band!)