Very good video, thank you. Let me show some benefits on the external powersupply. - replacable (if the supply is faulty, you get a new one, no need to take the amp apart) - upgradeable (powersupply quality makes a difference in sound) - makes the amp lighter (e.g. you can have 3 supplies, one at home, one at the rehearsal, one at the bar you play, no need to carry the supply) - separates the adapter from the sensitive electricity in the amp, so no shielding is required Some of these might sound silly, but if you are in audio, you know it does make a difference at a portable product. Yes, it might be an inconvenience, but a necessary sacrifice for a €300 unit.
I had the 40 before, now just have the Mini and love it. The size and poartability and decent tones is superb. And I agree, the Spark is NOT to go looking for the best guitar tone, is meant to help you play more guitar.
I'm a vacuum tubes freak but ordered this thing a few days ago. I still don't have my hands on it but I really appreciate your frank review of it. Thank you for your honesty.
I have both the Spark 40 and now the Spark 2. I've used the Spark 40 for 4 years daily and love it overall. But many of the tones I was getting on the Spark 40, played through my Strat, had this weird harmonic if I played a double stop. For a long time I thought it was my Strat electronics. The Spark 2 has much higher resolution tone processing and that double stop harmonic is gone. That is HUGE for me. I almost don't care what the speakers sound like as I play through headphones 98% of the time and the Spark 2 just sounds better. Add in the looper and groove looper and for me it was well worth the upgrade. So, don't overlook the higher resolution tone processing. It makes a difference.
@@BrandonCharlz I haven't experienced the clicking sound as you describe. But I have a support ticket in for the random blast of full volume electronic noise I get every now and then when changing a preset or powering up the Spark.
I’ve had the OG 40 for a couple of years as a “Practice Amp”. The muddy low end bass seems to be fixed with latest firmware update; before that I just sculpted EQ to remove. Not upgrading cuz it’s just a practice amp and I use a stomp box looper with zero issues (in the context of practice). I also bought to be a decent BlueTooth speaker.
I have the original Spark 40. The only thing it's missing for me is a looper. I'm not going to buy a whole new Spark just to have a looper. In my opinion, Positive Grid should have come out with a software upgrade for the original Spark that included a looper. No sale here.
If it helps, having tried the Looper it's really doesn't live up to the hype. It's very buggy and laggy. A better and cost effective option is to buy a BiasFX DAW+external Looper like boss and connect it into input jack of spark 40
I agree. Why couldn’t they just add a looper pedal into the software? Ya got pedals for everything else? Now the bass issue may have some validity. One of my favorite things about the spark was the stereo sound. Gonna have to go with Dylan on this one. Probably get a mini.
I have the Spark 40 and I love it with one BIG exception. When PG updated the firmware and included the new EQ pedal I was very excited as an EQ is definitely needed. My excitement was short lived though because I found that instead of creating a new signal block for the EQ they added in with the modulation effects. I use the EQ on all of my custom presets, but now I'm unable to have the EQ and add a chorus/phaser/flanger etc... you have to choose either EQ or Modulation effect, you can't have both which really sucks!! I did write to PG Support to find out if they had any plans to change this but they said there were no immediate plans to address the issue but my suggestion would be sent to the Developers. I just don't understand how this was not noticed to be a problem when they first added the EQ. HUGE mistake in my opinion!!! I would LOVE to buy the Spark 2 but refuse to if this issue hasn't been resolved.
I have the original Spark 40 and have upgraded to the Spark 2. While waiting for my new amp I wasn't very convinced that I had done right in upgrading. After almost 2 weeks with it I'm positively surprised about the successor. The quality of the sound is definitely much better. The rest of the improvements are nice but not a big thing for me. The looper is quite fun though. I'm now considering to buy the Spark Control X as another massive improvement for me is to be able to ditch the app when using the control pedal, which you couldn't do with the original Spark control. Overall, this is a yes for me, this one is making me want to play more my guitar and that is what this is all about, isn't it?
mine is arriving tomorrow. I will most likely set myself a single preset that reflects what I used to have as my gig setup. Mxr Boost, phase 90, Analog delay and an Orange
I had a mini, that was great -> though I ended up not using it as much as I thought I would and sold it to a student. I picked this up on a whim and found I really enjoy it - setting right next to my Helix / Stomp XL / Fender FR12 - > it still get's used a lot because it's so easy to just turn it on and start practicing.
I really dig your take. Been researching the Mini because I just want something easy. I have a Boss Katana, but it’s honestly just too much for my living situation and the hassle of getting it up and running as minor as it may be is enough to make me not play at all. The mini is so appealing because I can be on the couch or in bed with the thing and seemingly get good enough tones to have fun and practice. Anyway, I really appreciate your reviews on all of this stuff because you give your use case and it helps me a lot as someone who’s cross shopping several different practice amps. The mini should arrive tomorrow 🤘
The Spark 40 footswitch not working with the Spark 2 is a deal-breaker for me. Positive Grid follows the Apple model - sell high-priced periferrals that are necessary to get full functionality.
I have the Spark Go and it’s perfect for sitting on the sofa with some headphones and jamming along to songs or backing tracks. I need a new bedroom amp though, and am genuinely considering this new Spark 2 along with the six Bluetooth footswitch. I’m also considering a Katana Gen 3, but I don’t gig live and I just like to play and record at home at lower volumes. The Spark 2 might be what I need, personally.
I got a Spark Go and I love it. It's so easy to just grabbing it and play. And that's how it should be. I pre-ordered the Spark 2 because the looper is very appealing to me. I think I'll also get a Spark Control X.
I have a spark 40 that I hadn't used for a while because I had since bought a Helix stomp XL and a USFX Dream 65 and also because I didn't care for the bassy sound it is famous for. I was really drawn to the Spark 2 due to the supposed improved sound and especially the portability with a removable battery. I ordered it early, with the discount of 60 bucks off and ordered a battery, as well. I am impressed with the sound upgrade and love that I can easily move this from room to room or outside if I choose, without hassling with power cables. The Bluetooth works very well, so far, but I don't know why they stayed with 5.0, instead of upgrading to 5.3. You are right to emphasize this is a Practice amp! The app provides many different ways to practice with backing tracks, drums that are incorporated with the looper, etc. I find I am using this and enjoying it a lot more than the original. I use the favorites section in the app to store different tones that I can easily assign to a preset for different genres of music. You did a good review of this amp, highlighting the newest features and pointing out the pros and cons of choosing this, as opposed to the other offerings from Positive grid.
Yes. Get the spark mini. The app is great and it's wonderful with an app like chordify or similar. 100% get a spark mini. Works great DI into a DAW as well. Such a great product for practicing with headphones.
You’ll enjoy it 🙂 I grew up playing tube amps. The Spark series is a great practice amp. Take some time to tweak the sound you want because it is very customizable, plus you can download presets for songs. I’ve sold off all my Tube amps and pedals. Now I have extra $$$ 😁
Good video Dylan. I ordered the Spark 2 about 2 weeks ago. I'm not for sure for all of the purposes that I will be using it for as of yet. I'll just have to see what it is capable of when I get it. There is also a foot control pedal available for the Spark 2. It might work better while jamming or playing live. Probably would be good for the buskers.
Thanks for the review! I won't upgrade as I mostly use it as an interface to record on the computer, and speakers aside, the software of the old one is still good enough for me.
It’s a great amp, looper function is killer, and the upgrade price was hard to pass up, especially seeing that the price was slightly more than the Mini (which I also own) I also own the LIVE with battery packs, and they slot right into the Spark 2. It’s awesome to be able to just grab the amp, change rooms, go outside, or bring it with you in the car without a care for a wall plug.
Put off buying any until recently . Given all the factors, I'm gonna pull trigger on Spark - 2. Thanx 4 review. And reiterating... It's A Practice Amp !! 🤟🎸🎶
I am learning to play bass and i want to learn guitar also. I do not have an amp and i am probly gonna buy a spark 2. The battery and bass/guitar compatibility are the two main selling points for me 🤘y'all have a badass day🤘🍻🤘
I have the original 40 as well as the Mini and the Go. I'm upgrading the 40 to the new one mainly because of the looper functionality, and the upgraded sound is a massive bonus. The primary downside of the 40 was how boomy it is, and I'm super stoked that the new one has improved it so much
I have both, the sound is superior on the Spark 2, the first version has a weird reverb to it and it is not as loud and doesn't sound as good as the new amp. When traveling I take my Spark Go, it is way more than enough for a small room or I am just practicing and it fits a in a small bag, so I prefer it over the Spark Mini. I will move my first gen spark to my office at work and use it there. I will keep the new Spark 2 at home and leave it as my primary practice amp and it doesn't move. If I go out to a larger venue I will take my fender or line 6. I am considering getting the live version of the spark down the road, I can see it working pretty well in smaller venues.
The power supply is separate because they can buy "off-the-shelf" certified power units rather than having to pay for testing and certification if having mains power inside the unit.
I have the original and my own loop pedal. I never even use my loop even though it’s plugged in. I leave it on the Marshall jtm45. Definitely worth getting even if you get the cheap spark go because you can plug it into your computer and it fits in your gig bag to take to the beach or park. I also hate the power supply on the 40 watt version.
im thinking about getting into the spark world for an amp to do electric and acoustic sounds for an electric with piezo bridge id like to do everything from punk to folk... looks like the 40 is the way to go!
Did you get a chance to look at the strap? I'm considering the upgrade, but my original Spark came with a strap that broke with very minimal usage, I'd be interested in if they improved the material.
Still on the fence about upgrading from Spark 1…the tantalizing part about the technology , is it’s very close to a real amp sound, so your thinking or hoping the Spark 2 would be the push to make it almost indistinguishable from a real amp. The Park 1 to my ears is like 90% of the way there to amp realness. But that remaining 10% is where the ‘sparkling liveliness’ of a real amp lives and make you smile and feel inspired by the sound. Interestingly, I felt the exact same way about the old Line 6 Pod red bean from way back. It was about 80% of the way there , so I guess progress is being made. Useage matters too, and I will say for recording, that missing 10% of feel and tone may not translate to a recording anyway and that may why I’m ok with my Spark 1.
I traded my original spark for something else a while back. The being limited on foot control was just not for me. I need a tactile way of controlling my effects and what not that doesn't involve me taking my hands off my guitar.
I would love the Spark Mini but I feel for 100 bucks more I can just get the Spark 2. Actually for 50 bucks more cause Musicians Friend has a promo going on.
I started on the Go, upgraded to Mini and now have Spark2. The Mini is a brilliant bit of kit for portability but found the Spark2 perfect for larger gigs with drums/bass/vocals. 1 question though... could the line out be put into another FRFR to "stack" the overall sound or go true stereo?
Have mini, very nice, portable, app is so useful, hint,bought a little lunchbox cooler, amp with foam packaging it came with fits perfectly, so amps always protected Easy to tote around. 😎😎
Honestly, sounds a lot better than the old biasfx 2 did. Great option for somebody who wants a lot of decent for a decent price. No holy grail but totally a solid value amp.
Got mine a week ago. Still trying to figure out the looper, which should be simple. Also had a situation where it would not power up. Unplugged everything, plugged back in. Then it powered up. Panicked for a minute. I had the 40W briefly, and did not like it. This one sounds so much better.
Yes, I received my Spark 2 and was able to use it for a week and a half. Went to use it and couldn’t get it to power on at all. I filled out the form for customer support. It took about a week to hear from them. without doing any troubleshooting on it. It started working. I put in a formal request to send it back for a replacement or a new one. I have sent it back to PG. It’s about a week,I have not heard any word from them.
Been using the mini since its' release. Using it primarily as living room amp. Works great and plenty loud for it. My son has GO, but uses mini to play with a bassist and a drummer that is using mesh heads on an acoustic kit. That actually works fine. He's looking to get the 2 for jamming with his drummer on a proper kit. Only downside on mini is how difficult it is to get clean tones that don't muddy at about halfway. If he gets the 2, I'd ,like to see how it handles the clean.
HERE'S MY TAKE ON THE MINI VERSUS THE REST. FIRST OFF I'M A LINE 6 HELIX USER.. NOTHING BEATS THAT LINE 6 MAN AND THEY HAVE AN UPGRADED IT IN A LONG TIME. I just can get sounds out of that that I just can't get out of any spark setup. The mini is good I primarily bought it only because I have my own backing tracks and I was going to just replace my acoustic with the mini and my electric.. And obviously the output from the mini would have to be loud enough to keep up with my voice.. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS NOT THE CASE THE ACOUSTIC SETUP SOUNDS LOUDER AND BETTER!! And can keep up with my voice better. The mini at about 12:00 will start to crackle to keep up with my voice. Not as dynamic as the acoustic. SOUND DISPERSION IS JUST TOO SMALL.. in order for it to sound good with your voice you have to take the mini and put it up at your head level.. I even tried playing my backing tracks through my JBL Xtreme 2 and then just using the mini for the guitar. The JBL does really well but the little mini speaker not good enough dispersion to hear everything and to feel the music like an acoustic. So the 40 would probably be better for that type of situation. So I'm definitely going to look into the spark live with a battery I know it's a lot of money but you could probably even use the microphone with it with it and have some effects on your voice. I guess the spark live will have everything you need for any situation yeah it's not compact but it really is 150 watts it's just one speaker with a battery. If I got the money that's probably the way I'm going to go..
@@DylanTalksTone yeah I don't care about when people say that can you hear me yell when I do this CAN YOU HEAR ME YELL YOU CANNOT!! Therefore there is no yelling that is mostly gen z ridiculousness crap. Can't handle anything, overreact to everything, can't read anything more than a couple of sentences the attention span of a little bug. Capital letters mean PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.. So I tell people get over it. Is it bothers you when I make big letters that I don't want you reading my stuff anyways you're not my type of person. Peace out God bless..
it's funny how noe a days we call a spark 50 big, lol a fender champ tube amp back in the day was the portable one to have. A spark 50 is perfectly portable unless you dont have a car
I just orderd pg2 w out battery . I own a 40.. im impressed by that one . The 2 has a ground on the plug . Its louder . The looper the 8 presets .usb c . 1/4 inch out into a board Just wish you could move the pedals order around .
Can you rearrange the fx order? Or do you have to pay for that feature as I hear. I bought the NUX (New X ) Mighty Space and love it. It has a 30 watt speaker out. Sounds great. I do like you do, make a preset I like and leave it.
I have a Katana 100 but I don't have any of the Sparks. I like my amp but from what I see on the internet, the Spark has a much nicer app - more intuitive design and more features.
It's more expensive to certify a product for international markets when the power supply is integrated. Instead using an off the shelf separate PSU which is specifically certified for your market is cheaper. This is my understanding of why you don't see manufacturers installing in the unit.
Would probably buy the mini if I was buying another amp. 99% of the time I use the positive grid riff with a decent set of cans so it’s family friendly
Great review...most reviews these days are either this is the best thing since sliced bread or this is the worst POS in the world. The Spark 2 will be my first PG amp...so it made sense to me. I'll likely stick it under my computer desk and just use whatever 8 settings I come up with. Perhaps even use it as a computer speaker too. Might snag the battery in the future.
Question- does the usbc audio interface work with iPhone? Say I want to record via GarageBand on my iPhone 15 pro. Are there easy ways to record through the app as well?
The mini fulfills all that the average guitar player needs in a mobile practice amp, if you gig and earn your living playing guitar then get something better.
Nah, I'd take the power brick over an internal power supply always. If the power brick goes kaput, you buy a similar brick when they stop producing it. If its internal and the power goes kaput, thats a massive headache getting repaired.
@@DylanTalksTone yes I do , so how do you adjust say an overdrive pedals gain ? It's called drive on my fractal FM3 so I figured this is what you call it but regardless it would be nice to be able to adjust the gain (drive) of said pedal in that slot instead of Using the app. I have the original Spark 40
I know it’s only apractice amp. But you could literally dial in the tones. You could spend thousands of dollars on heavy equipment and pedals when you could just ask AI to give you the tone you’re looking for.
What "weird" bassy-ness are we talking about? Can you describe that a little bit more? I love my Spark but a few things you mention are big wins, and the "sound in the room" is maybe a deal-breaker if you can describe a little more what you're referring to.
Not upgrading. Too many persistent connection issues, continuous dropped connections from the app, on my Samsung S22+. It's made my Spark 40 unusable for the home and road.
I'll say No. Groove looper doesn't work, I haven't been successful in updating the firmware. My calls to Positive Grid have been answered with a generic AI email which directs me to their tutorial on how to update firmware, which is what i had done originally. If I could the updated firmware, that my resolve the looper issue.
I have one. it's impossible to update the firmware. the knobs are so big your fingers hit the knob next to it it has an annoying flashing light on the looper that you can't turn off. the foot switch doesn't work in the app so you can't use the programming function it promises. the battery life is nowhere near the 12 hours promised and it takes much longer to charge than the three hours they promise. the app is horrible and you can't trigger the drum stuff without going into the app and all the drum patterns are way too busy. im not convinced that anyone needs a million effects/pedals and im pretty sure a simple amp and three pedals is a better option for most people. oh and one more thing the app is a f***ing mess
I'm returning Spark 2 because it's awful. (my first Positive Grid item purchased) Awful because their support is none existent other than click this. No live chat. No phone number. Bluetooth won't connect no matter what I do. PC won't open their firmware no matter what I do. These problems only relate to Positive Grid. I can run all these things for all my other electronics. Not sure why their phone app can't be hardwired via included USB C cable? DON"T BUY IT! imo
I’ll wait for the Spark 5, it will be fusion powered and have hologram capability
Jam with Jimi Hendrix and SRV live! SOLD
A.l. groupies that follow you wherever you go and scream while you play. I’m in.
Very good video, thank you. Let me show some benefits on the external powersupply.
- replacable (if the supply is faulty, you get a new one, no need to take the amp apart)
- upgradeable (powersupply quality makes a difference in sound)
- makes the amp lighter (e.g. you can have 3 supplies, one at home, one at the rehearsal, one at the bar you play, no need to carry the supply)
- separates the adapter from the sensitive electricity in the amp, so no shielding is required
Some of these might sound silly, but if you are in audio, you know it does make a difference at a portable product.
Yes, it might be an inconvenience, but a necessary sacrifice for a €300 unit.
I had the 40 before, now just have the Mini and love it. The size and poartability and decent tones is superb.
And I agree, the Spark is NOT to go looking for the best guitar tone, is meant to help you play more guitar.
I’m a beginner and decided on a spark 2 for a few of the features that I think will help out with learning like the auto-chord feature… great video!
I'm a vacuum tubes freak but ordered this thing a few days ago. I still don't have my hands on it but I really appreciate your frank review of it. Thank you for your honesty.
I have both the Spark 40 and now the Spark 2. I've used the Spark 40 for 4 years daily and love it overall. But many of the tones I was getting on the Spark 40, played through my Strat, had this weird harmonic if I played a double stop. For a long time I thought it was my Strat electronics. The Spark 2 has much higher resolution tone processing and that double stop harmonic is gone. That is HUGE for me. I almost don't care what the speakers sound like as I play through headphones 98% of the time and the Spark 2 just sounds better. Add in the looper and groove looper and for me it was well worth the upgrade. So, don't overlook the higher resolution tone processing. It makes a difference.
Do you have a clicking sound through headphones when you turn up or down the volume and effects on the dials on screen? Like an old school movie reel?
@@BrandonCharlz I haven't experienced the clicking sound as you describe. But I have a support ticket in for the random blast of full volume electronic noise I get every now and then when changing a preset or powering up the Spark.
I’ve had the OG 40 for a couple of years as a “Practice Amp”. The muddy low end bass seems to be fixed with latest firmware update; before that I just sculpted EQ to remove. Not upgrading cuz it’s just a practice amp and I use a stomp box looper with zero issues (in the context of practice). I also bought to be a decent BlueTooth speaker.
Very articulate and you explain things extremely well - thank you! +1
I have the original Spark 40. The only thing it's missing for me is a looper. I'm not going to buy a whole new Spark just to have a looper. In my opinion, Positive Grid should have come out with a software upgrade for the original Spark that included a looper. No sale here.
Neural keeps hooking up the cortex boiz
If it helps, having tried the Looper it's really doesn't live up to the hype. It's very buggy and laggy. A better and cost effective option is to buy a BiasFX DAW+external Looper like boss and connect it into input jack of spark 40
UAloop is designed for the 40. It’s a usb device. Great reviews.
I agree. Why couldn’t they just add a looper pedal into the software? Ya got pedals for everything else?
Now the bass issue may have some validity. One of my favorite things about the spark was the stereo sound. Gonna have to go with Dylan on this one. Probably get a mini.
The over all tone on spark 2 is way better looper means nothing
I have the Spark 40 and I love it with one BIG exception. When PG updated the firmware and included the new EQ pedal I was very excited as an EQ is definitely needed. My excitement was short lived though because I found that instead of creating a new signal block for the EQ they added in with the modulation effects. I use the EQ on all of my custom presets, but now I'm unable to have the EQ and add a chorus/phaser/flanger etc... you have to choose either EQ or Modulation effect, you can't have both which really sucks!! I did write to PG Support to find out if they had any plans to change this but they said there were no immediate plans to address the issue but my suggestion would be sent to the Developers. I just don't understand how this was not noticed to be a problem when they first added the EQ. HUGE mistake in my opinion!!! I would LOVE to buy the Spark 2 but refuse to if this issue hasn't been resolved.
There is a Looper product that works with the Spark or a Yamaha THR. I think its called the uLooper.
I have the original Spark 40 and have upgraded to the Spark 2. While waiting for my new amp I wasn't very convinced that I had done right in upgrading.
After almost 2 weeks with it I'm positively surprised about the successor. The quality of the sound is definitely much better. The rest of the improvements are nice but not a big thing for me. The looper is quite fun though.
I'm now considering to buy the Spark Control X as another massive improvement for me is to be able to ditch the app when using the control pedal, which you couldn't do with the original Spark control.
Overall, this is a yes for me, this one is making me want to play more my guitar and that is what this is all about, isn't it?
As someone who is a very basic level guitarist this is perfect for me and I've got 1 coming in January
Looking forward to the ai tone options
mine is arriving tomorrow.
I will most likely set myself a single preset that reflects what I used to have as my gig setup.
Mxr Boost, phase 90, Analog delay and an Orange
I had a mini, that was great -> though I ended up not using it as much as I thought I would and sold it to a student. I picked this up on a whim and found I really enjoy it - setting right next to my Helix / Stomp XL / Fender FR12 - > it still get's used a lot because it's so easy to just turn it on and start practicing.
I have the 40 and the GO. I will upgrade to the Spark 2 because I want to do looping and like some of the other features of the 2
Own one. Zero regrets It's fun, and the extras looper... Jam looper makes it a no-brainer. I own a great 5 watt tube amp, but actually play this more!
I really dig your take. Been researching the Mini because I just want something easy. I have a Boss Katana, but it’s honestly just too much for my living situation and the hassle of getting it up and running as minor as it may be is enough to make me not play at all.
The mini is so appealing because I can be on the couch or in bed with the thing and seemingly get good enough tones to have fun and practice.
Anyway, I really appreciate your reviews on all of this stuff because you give your use case and it helps me a lot as someone who’s cross shopping several different practice amps. The mini should arrive tomorrow 🤘
The Spark 40 footswitch not working with the Spark 2 is a deal-breaker for me. Positive Grid follows the Apple model - sell high-priced periferrals that are necessary to get full functionality.
I have the Spark Go and it’s perfect for sitting on the sofa with some headphones and jamming along to songs or backing tracks. I need a new bedroom amp though, and am genuinely considering this new Spark 2 along with the six Bluetooth footswitch. I’m also considering a Katana Gen 3, but I don’t gig live and I just like to play and record at home at lower volumes. The Spark 2 might be what I need, personally.
I got a Spark Go and I love it. It's so easy to just grabbing it and play. And that's how it should be.
I pre-ordered the Spark 2 because the looper is very appealing to me. I think I'll also get a Spark Control X.
I have a spark 40 that I hadn't used for a while because I had since bought a Helix stomp XL and a USFX Dream 65 and also because I didn't care for the bassy sound it is famous for. I was really drawn to the Spark 2 due to the supposed improved sound and especially the portability with a removable battery. I ordered it early, with the discount of 60 bucks off and ordered a battery, as well. I am impressed with the sound upgrade and love that I can easily move this from room to room or outside if I choose, without hassling with power cables. The Bluetooth works very well, so far, but I don't know why they stayed with 5.0, instead of upgrading to 5.3. You are right to emphasize this is a Practice amp! The app provides many different ways to practice with backing tracks, drums that are incorporated with the looper, etc. I find I am using this and enjoying it a lot more than the original. I use the favorites section in the app to store different tones that I can easily assign to a preset for different genres of music. You did a good review of this amp, highlighting the newest features and pointing out the pros and cons of choosing this, as opposed to the other offerings from Positive grid.
Have you ran the dream 65 through the spark?
Yes. Get the spark mini. The app is great and it's wonderful with an app like chordify or similar. 100% get a spark mini. Works great DI into a DAW as well. Such a great product for practicing with headphones.
Definitely prefer spark 2
I’m a tube guy, spark 2 will be my first s.s modeler . Thanks for the suggestion
You’ll enjoy it 🙂 I grew up playing tube amps. The Spark series is a great practice amp. Take some time to tweak the sound you want because it is very customizable, plus you can download presets for songs. I’ve sold off all my Tube amps and pedals. Now I have extra $$$ 😁
Good video Dylan. I ordered the Spark 2 about 2 weeks ago. I'm not for sure for all of the purposes that I will be using it for as of yet. I'll just have to see what it is capable of when I get it. There is also a foot control pedal available for the Spark 2. It might work better while jamming or playing live. Probably would be good for the buskers.
Thanks for the review! I won't upgrade as I mostly use it as an interface to record on the computer, and speakers aside, the software of the old one is still good enough for me.
It’s a great amp, looper function is killer, and the upgrade price was hard to pass up, especially seeing that the price was slightly more than the Mini (which I also own)
I also own the LIVE with battery packs, and they slot right into the Spark 2.
It’s awesome to be able to just grab the amp, change rooms, go outside, or bring it with you in the car without a care for a wall plug.
Put off buying any until recently . Given all the factors, I'm gonna pull trigger on Spark - 2. Thanx 4 review. And reiterating... It's A Practice Amp !! 🤟🎸🎶
I am learning to play bass and i want to learn guitar also. I do not have an amp and i am probly gonna buy a spark 2. The battery and bass/guitar compatibility are the two main selling points for me 🤘y'all have a badass day🤘🍻🤘
I have the original 40 as well as the Mini and the Go. I'm upgrading the 40 to the new one mainly because of the looper functionality, and the upgraded sound is a massive bonus. The primary downside of the 40 was how boomy it is, and I'm super stoked that the new one has improved it so much
I have the original spark 40 and won't get the spark 2. However, I'd get a spark 2 mini if it existed just because of the looper
I have both, the sound is superior on the Spark 2, the first version has a weird reverb to it and it is not as loud and doesn't sound as good as the new amp. When traveling I take my Spark Go, it is way more than enough for a small room or I am just practicing and it fits a in a small bag, so I prefer it over the Spark Mini. I will move my first gen spark to my office at work and use it there. I will keep the new Spark 2 at home and leave it as my primary practice amp and it doesn't move. If I go out to a larger venue I will take my fender or line 6. I am considering getting the live version of the spark down the road, I can see it working pretty well in smaller venues.
The power supply is separate because they can buy "off-the-shelf" certified power units rather than having to pay for testing and certification if having mains power inside the unit.
I like the Mini too. Just not the noise suppressor pedal in it.
I have the original and my own loop pedal. I never even use my loop even though it’s plugged in. I leave it on the Marshall jtm45. Definitely worth getting even if you get the cheap spark go because you can plug it into your computer and it fits in your gig bag to take to the beach or park. I also hate the power supply on the 40 watt version.
im thinking about getting into the spark world for an amp to do electric and acoustic sounds for an electric with piezo bridge id like to do everything from punk to folk... looks like the 40 is the way to go!
Did you get a chance to look at the strap? I'm considering the upgrade, but my original Spark came with a strap that broke with very minimal usage, I'd be interested in if they improved the material.
Watching this even though I just ordered one directly from progressive grid website 😂
Exactly...it's a practice amp. Less than $300. (The Yamaha THR30 is almost twice the price)
Headphones and the line outs are cool. Cheap practice amp. Or a great tool for beginners.
No The Question is, Can I use my cabinet???😊 that would take the Spark over the top!
Yes but it will cancel warranty. 1yr.
Thanks for the honest review. I am considering one but if for practicing and mobility purposes, would you recommend the Mini instead?
Still on the fence about upgrading from Spark 1…the tantalizing part about the technology , is it’s very close to a real amp sound, so your thinking or hoping the Spark 2 would be the push to make it almost indistinguishable from a real amp. The Park 1 to my ears is like 90% of the way there to amp realness. But that remaining 10% is where the ‘sparkling liveliness’ of a real amp lives and make you smile and feel inspired by the sound. Interestingly, I felt the exact same way about the old Line 6 Pod red bean from way back. It was about 80% of the way there , so I guess progress is being made. Useage matters too, and I will say for recording, that missing 10% of feel and tone may not translate to a recording anyway and that may why I’m ok with my Spark 1.
I traded my original spark for something else a while back. The being limited on foot control was just not for me. I need a tactile way of controlling my effects and what not that doesn't involve me taking my hands off my guitar.
I would love the Spark Mini but I feel for 100 bucks more I can just get the Spark 2. Actually for 50 bucks more cause Musicians Friend has a promo going on.
If your not a live performance Rock Star it is your main home gig Amp.❤
I started on the Go, upgraded to Mini and now have Spark2. The Mini is a brilliant bit of kit for portability but found the Spark2 perfect for larger gigs with drums/bass/vocals. 1 question though... could the line out be put into another FRFR to "stack" the overall sound or go true stereo?
The FX chain is backwards in the app. Clean amp has some crackling. For 300 bucks my expectations are right on par. Returned for refund..
Had the 40 and it was BASS heavy/muddy. Spark 2 sounds better. The Looper makes this the best Practice amp on the market
In the store, the guy showed me a lot of options that were locked. How much is locked and will it cost me a lot to unlock them?
Good for beginners
And experienced players as well
Does the mobile app give you access to many presets? It seems the access to so many presets is a major advantage over my Line 6 Stomp XL
I have the old 40 amp, I was thinking of selling it to a friend to finance buying the new one…
I'm thinking about getting line 6 spider jam yeah it's 17 yrs old but it sounds fantastic. I hate app oriented amp.
Have mini, very nice, portable, app is so useful, hint,bought a little lunchbox cooler, amp with foam packaging it came with fits perfectly, so amps always protected Easy to tote around. 😎😎
Honestly, sounds a lot better than the old biasfx 2 did. Great option for somebody who wants a lot of decent for a decent price. No holy grail but totally a solid value amp.
Got mine a week ago. Still trying to figure out the looper, which should be simple. Also had a situation where it would not power up. Unplugged everything, plugged back in. Then it powered up. Panicked for a minute. I had the 40W briefly, and did not like it. This one sounds so much better.
Yes, I received my Spark 2 and was able to use it for a week and a half. Went to use it and couldn’t get it to power on at all. I filled out the form for customer support. It took about a week to hear from them. without doing any troubleshooting on it. It started working. I put in a formal request to send it back for a replacement or a new one. I have sent it back to PG. It’s about a week,I have not heard any word from them.
Great review, nice and different from the crowd.
Your link is BROKEN though when looking at the description on iPhone
What does a tonex sound like through it I wonder.
So if you were going to buy a mini or a spark 2, which do you recommend, and I just need a bedroom amp.
Been using the mini since its' release. Using it primarily as living room amp. Works great and plenty loud for it. My son has GO, but uses mini to play with a bassist and a drummer that is using mesh heads on an acoustic kit. That actually works fine. He's looking to get the 2 for jamming with his drummer on a proper kit. Only downside on mini is how difficult it is to get clean tones that don't muddy at about halfway. If he gets the 2, I'd ,like to see how it handles the clean.
HERE'S MY TAKE ON THE MINI VERSUS THE REST.
FIRST OFF I'M A LINE 6 HELIX USER.. NOTHING BEATS THAT LINE 6 MAN AND THEY HAVE AN UPGRADED IT IN A LONG TIME. I just can get sounds out of that that I just can't get out of any spark setup.
The mini is good I primarily bought it only because I have my own backing tracks and I was going to just replace my acoustic with the mini and my electric..
And obviously the output from the mini would have to be loud enough to keep up with my voice..
UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS NOT THE CASE THE ACOUSTIC SETUP SOUNDS LOUDER AND BETTER!! And can keep up with my voice better.
The mini at about 12:00 will start to crackle to keep up with my voice.
Not as dynamic as the acoustic.
SOUND DISPERSION IS JUST TOO SMALL.. in order for it to sound good with your voice you have to take the mini and put it up at your head level..
I even tried playing my backing tracks through my JBL Xtreme 2 and then just using the mini for the guitar.
The JBL does really well but the little mini speaker not good enough dispersion to hear everything and to feel the music like an acoustic.
So the 40 would probably be better for that type of situation.
So I'm definitely going to look into the spark live with a battery I know it's a lot of money but you could probably even use the microphone with it with it and have some effects on your voice.
I guess the spark live will have everything you need for any situation yeah it's not compact but it really is 150 watts it's just one speaker with a battery.
If I got the money that's probably the way I'm going to go..
You yell a lot
@@DylanTalksTone yeah I don't care about when people say that can you hear me yell when I do this CAN YOU HEAR ME YELL YOU CANNOT!! Therefore there is no yelling that is mostly gen z ridiculousness crap.
Can't handle anything, overreact to everything, can't read anything more than a couple of sentences the attention span of a little bug.
Capital letters mean PUTTING MORE EMPHASIS ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING..
So I tell people get over it. Is it bothers you when I make big letters that I don't want you reading my stuff anyways you're not my type of person.
Peace out God bless..
it's funny how noe a days we call a spark 50 big, lol a fender champ tube amp back in the day was the portable one to have. A spark 50 is perfectly portable unless you dont have a car
No, speakers too small. Other issues concerning reliability. Not only that, check out the backwards FX chain. Out / In.
I just orderd pg2 w out battery . I own a 40.. im impressed by that one . The 2 has a ground on the plug . Its louder . The looper the 8 presets .usb c . 1/4 inch out into a board Just wish you could move the pedals order around .
Can you rearrange the fx order? Or do you have to pay for that feature as I hear. I bought the NUX (New X ) Mighty Space and love it. It has a 30 watt speaker out. Sounds great. I do like you do, make a preset I like and leave it.
I was hoping your puppers made an appearance due to the cover picture.
For under 300$ this thing absolutely rocks
My question is how does this compare to…, a Boss Katana, a Line 6 Catalyst, and more importantly the Princeton ToneMaster???
I have a Katana 100 but I don't have any of the Sparks. I like my amp but from what I see on the internet, the Spark has a much nicer app - more intuitive design and more features.
Do you have to have a battery in it to play it I wanna get one
It's more expensive to certify a product for international markets when the power supply is integrated. Instead using an off the shelf separate PSU which is specifically certified for your market is cheaper. This is my understanding of why you don't see manufacturers installing in the unit.
Makes sense.
Would probably buy the mini if I was buying another amp. 99% of the time I use the positive grid riff with a decent set of cans so it’s family friendly
Great review...most reviews these days are either this is the best thing since sliced bread or this is the worst POS in the world. The Spark 2 will be my first PG amp...so it made sense to me. I'll likely stick it under my computer desk and just use whatever 8 settings I come up with. Perhaps even use it as a computer speaker too. Might snag the battery in the future.
Question- does the usbc audio interface work with iPhone? Say I want to record via GarageBand on my iPhone 15 pro.
Are there easy ways to record through the app as well?
Windows 10 or macOS
Could u do a review on the fender mustang lt40s? Im looking for a good desktop amp thinking of buying this or the mustang.
Nah… I’m not a fan of
Short answer if you don’t have any sparks yet then yes buy one 😂
Does it sound better than the Katana Mk2 50?
The Katana combo has a bigger speaker and the 100W combo is cheaper than this.
The mini fulfills all that the average guitar player needs in a mobile practice amp, if you gig and earn your living playing guitar then get something better.
Nah, I'd take the power brick over an internal power supply always. If the power brick goes kaput, you buy a similar brick when they stop producing it. If its internal and the power goes kaput, thats a massive headache getting repaired.
Still no drive knob?
Do you understand how gain and master work?
@@DylanTalksTone yes I do , so how do you adjust say an overdrive pedals gain ? It's called drive on my fractal FM3 so I figured this is what you call it but regardless it would be nice to be able to adjust the gain (drive) of said pedal in that slot instead of
Using the app. I have the original Spark 40
I know it’s only apractice amp. But you could literally dial in the tones. You could spend thousands of dollars on heavy equipment and pedals when you could just ask AI to give you the tone you’re looking for.
What "weird" bassy-ness are we talking about? Can you describe that a little bit more? I love my Spark but a few things you mention are big wins, and the "sound in the room" is maybe a deal-breaker if you can describe a little more what you're referring to.
I have the 40 and the Mini. I have barely used the 40 since I got the Mini. The new one looks interesting but I'm not going to buy it.
Doze he play
Who?
Boss has a more appealing package on the Katana because you don't have to go app if you don't want to.
Which boss model mate ? The AIR EX ?
Hodkiewicz Curve
Not upgrading. Too many persistent connection issues, continuous dropped connections from the app, on my Samsung S22+. It's made my Spark 40 unusable for the home and road.
Dang Samsung 😂
many words... where is sounds?
Patience little one
You should pay Spark just a 17:42 second advertisement for Dylan products and opinions with a thrown in maybe 2:00 minute demo waste of time imo .
If you don’t like what we do, why are you here. I have noticed multiple negative comments on my videos.
I'll say No. Groove looper doesn't work, I haven't been successful in updating the firmware. My calls to Positive Grid have been answered with a generic AI email which directs me to their tutorial on how to update firmware, which is what i had done originally. If I could the updated firmware, that my resolve the looper issue.
I have one. it's impossible to update the firmware. the knobs are so big your fingers hit the knob next to it it has an annoying flashing light on the looper that you can't turn off. the foot switch doesn't work in the app so you can't use the programming function it promises. the battery life is nowhere near the 12 hours promised and it takes much longer to charge than the three hours they promise. the app is horrible and you can't trigger the drum stuff without going into the app and all the drum patterns are way too busy. im not convinced that anyone needs a million effects/pedals and im pretty sure a simple amp and three pedals is a better option for most people. oh and one more thing the app is a f***ing mess
I'm returning Spark 2 because it's awful. (my first Positive Grid item purchased) Awful because their support is none existent other than click this. No live chat. No phone number.
Bluetooth won't connect no matter what I do. PC won't open their firmware no matter what I do. These problems only relate to Positive Grid. I can run all these things for all my other electronics. Not sure why their phone app can't be hardwired via included USB C cable? DON"T BUY IT! imo
That’s weird. Sounds like a phone problem.
Spark 2 too expensive ... just got a mini on Ebay for a great price!! So far I'm having fun with it learning curve and all ...
I don't think I need one
I m not buying one
The reverb sounds like a cheep $10 reverb pedal from china. And the rest of the so called effects. Dont u love the honesty of these RUclipsrs
It’s definitely no kemper. As I said in the video, it’s great for practice
fifteen fifty nine, LOL
Tones are like in Positive Grid.What means nothing special.