Well, I didn't go easy on the Spark in this weeks challenge! This little amp continues to surprise. Let me know which tones you preferred in each comparison! Enjoy :)
It may not sound like real tube amps, but for the price and size of the speakers, I was shocked at just how good it sounds. More importantly though, it’s a practice amp. Although you can record with it, it’s not a professional music tool. What I love about it is just how much my playing has improved by using it. My soloing has reached a level I never imagined it would because of how great a training tool it is. Best $225 I’ve ever spent.
@@wbertie2604speaker size does matter, headphones sound so good because they reproduce sound very close to the ear. Try using headphones without them on your head
People need to keep in mind that the Spark is a 250 buck PRACTICE amp that does pretty damn good job of modeling. If you want the real thing go spend 10x the money (for one tone). I love my Spark, it's got me interested in playing again.
@Pennsylvania _Mike Ok I used the wrong term. I beg your forgiveness. You buy an amp ($$$) and you get whatever tones that amp can produce. You buy the Spark and you get about 30 amp models plus another 40 pedal models all for about $250. I say that's a pretty good deal for a PRACTICE amp.
I bought one when you first reviewed the Spark a while ago. I love the thing and all my other amps are tube amps! I'm using it for practice only, however. Each tube amp does sound a bit better but $250 for an easy to configure modeling amp is a great deal in my opinion. 40 watts can be useful for small venues like coffee shops if its the only amp you have.
Well done, Darrell, as usual. At a fraction of the cost, an awful lot of players can come very close to some iconic amp tones with the Spark - if they don't have to wait months for the backorder to be filled. I could hear differences, but frankly, if I'm just walking into a show, and the sound is through the house sound system, and I'm not listening to a series of amps in succession, I don't think the vast majority of people could tell the difference. I like Steve Ensley's idea of a head-to-head comparison with the Yamaha THRii, since you've reviewed them both separately.
I honestly think the clean tones, specifically the Fender stuff is where it shines. I got an A/B pedal out and was testing the tones back to back. Are the real amps "better"? Of course, but it's not so different you'd feel bad playing it. I have a Katana Mini that I think is great for what it is as well, but when playing it you feel like you are missing something. Don't feel that way with the spark. If I lived in an apartment or situations where I couldn't crank up a real amp the Spark would be perfect for me. Fortunately I can crank up my amps but where the spark is awesome is just playing around and wanting to try a bunch of different pedal sounds. You can't beat the ease of flipping on a tube screamer sim when you just want to play around or are learning a new song. The spark is one of the rare purchases where almost nobody I know uses the hyped up features, but it's still a great purchase just as a regular modeling amp alone. I love it.
Considering the cost the Spark is really great and versatile as hell. All tones were excellent and they came close to the original. Especially the 2204 comparison was quite close to my ears. But I still liked the "real" amp tone in all comparisons a bit more - there are still parts of the "tone" that seemingly cannot be emulated easily. So I think theres still a reason to buy tube amps :)
@@PunitSoni00 That's what I paid. I still haven't really explored all of the different features - but it's great for practicing while watching netflix!
I have had my Spark for 3 months now, and love it more and more each day! Great review Darrell, keep the good work coming. Love the Channel! Matt-Kelowna
The Spark punches WAY above its weight class. Mine continues to surprise me and does the same for my musician friends when they come over to check it out. I know I'm responsible for the purchase of at least 3 Spark amps by friends.
I have the Spark and it's a great little amp. What I do find ubiquitous on RUclips though is the feeling that there's no real hard, objective criticism of the amp. It all feels paid for by Positive Grid for some smiley advertising from all the guitar RUclipsrs.
For what it is, it sounds great. But you're right...listening to countless comparisons and having played most of the amps this thing models, there's always going to be that sonic different...that chime and tube saturation that doesn't quiet get there with the modeling. No one likes to talk about it, though. Not dumping on modeling amps...I used tube VSTs for my album. Just being honest.
at the same time i dont think it try to compete tube amp at all... but other modeling amp... and for the price point... i think its also great for beginner to experiment with what type of sound they may actualy prefer like to play... not only amps but pedal ect... it allow them to expirement before commiting to the real amps and pedal with less "risk" if they want to go that route after its also a one in all solution as you dont need a audio interface and a DAW to play with it... and of more advance user we mostly alredy know why we might get one
This is my exact thought. Surely there is someone who says “this is hyped internet trash”. I bought it and I’m waiting. But after my experience with Orangewood’s hyped internet trash. I’m thinking I should just cancel and get the yamaha
@@Asherr6 I think the versatility of Spark pushes it over the edge to Yamaha. The Spark literarily has endless sounds you create and model.. no it’s not a tube amp.. but it was never designed to be one... thus the term Modeling.
Hi Darrell, A band mate of mine bought one of these recently, and we plugged it through the pa foldback and FOH. We are lucky enough to have a very large soundproof practise and recording studio, so we play at gig volume. I have a lot of stuff set up in our rehearsal room. All Marshall double quad stacks with a heap of different amp heads from wizard 100 watts to Marshall 50s, Fenders and Ampegs. This thing didn’t quite hold its own with the big rigs, but it did not disgrace itself by any means. I would have been savage if it had, I have spent a great deal of money on amps over the years! And for the price it is brilliant value. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who is getting started and wants to try a bunch of different tones before committing serious bucks. Thanks for the great review, my mate will be stoked! Cheers Tim
Some folks have done some experimentation with using them with keyboard amps (fairly neutral eq compared to guitar amps) and just straight power-amps and apparently it works well, even if it feels a bit icky driving it out the headphone port (The gain structure could be a bit weird I guess)
Great comparison. I've also noticed, and love how the spark cleans up with the guitar volume knob. That has been one of the big issues with modelers for years, and they are sorting that out. It reacts very well, and cleans up great.
I actually think modelers have pretty much nailed that now. I have a few and they all do it well. Their recognizing dynamics these days is impressive. But I know what you mean 10 years ago or so that was one of the major issues.
@@PHeMoX I was about to say the same; I used to go from clean to overdrive on most patches from my former Pod XTL just with the guitar S-H push-pull. However, that was on custom patches because the stock ones were dialed with sooo much effects and gain they hardly had any dynamic response, but the tech itself was spot on.
The front grill of the Spark is held on with Velcro. Pull it off and there is a port hole. Stuff a sock in it and it's not as bass forward anymore. Try it out and let us know!
True... I have 2, my living room one is on a stand that was was never bassy. Today I took my portable one to my brothers and placed it on the floor, it definitely was more boomy
I run the Spark headphone out to a ART SLA-1 power amp and drive a 4x12 loaded with Eminence Private Jacks. I love the variety of tones you can get out of the spark..
@@robjobse8860 My other guitar emulations do it. I mean it's not an issue for me I just pop an EQ. But it does feel more bass heavy/weighted than my real amps and plugins.
@@robjobse8860 Doubt it very much. Even on headphones the difference is noticable with the plugins and my Kemper. I am not saying it's a bad thing btw. It's just their sound and a very easily fixable one if you dont like it.
Got a spark in the post....cant wait to play around with it...im hoping to use it on future recordings as its a gteat size for my little home studio. If it sounds like that I dont think many people would tell the difference between the spark and the massively more expensive real setups od those amps and effects. Gonna be great if its as good as it seems to be. 😀👍
@@derarken73 thats not good and I still havent had a chance to open mine yet as I ended up with Covid 19....almost over that now though but still havent touched my guitars which I sitting there waiting to be played, got a new G n L Legacy tribute which I have even opened too!! 😔
Hey Darrell. Love your content. I have noticed how the sounds played through a computer sound so much better than the speakers. Can you or have you done a video on how to play through your computer (software, wire set up) sort of thing. Thanks and really appreciate your content
One thing to keep in mind is the cab sim you use, mic placement etc. It has an enormous impact on the tone. I do have the Captor X, in which I run my tube amps at home. The cab/mic settings can change my Marshall from an AC/DC to a Queen sound in a few clicks (and a treble booster of course). I wonder what settings were used here with the Captor. Anyway both sounded good and quite close, but each time I found the tube amps to have a little more definition and dynamics. Though, I wouldn't have guessed if not back to back. That Spark thing seems very surprising. Fantastic video!
I got an "open box" Spark on Amazon (it's basically new) and I'm just waiting on my pre-ordered Cort g300 to get here in April sometime so I can play around with the tones. And, yes, both buys were because of the reviews on this channel. 👍
Great video. It’s crazy how you’re not at 1 million followers yet. I can’t wait to follow your journey there. You have helped give guitars players like me that started by themselves and had no one to ask. Thank you for the knowledge and the help.
I am new to guitar getting the spark amp was a game changer for me. Having the ability to play along to backing tracks and have all of these great tones at my fingertips has put my playing into overdrive. 🤘🤘🤘
I’ve had this amp about three months, and It’s been awesome to help with improvisational skills. With an endless amount of backing tracks for different modes on RUclips, or creating a loop with a separate free looper app, it makes practicing really convenient.
@@michah9465 Just downloaded a free music looper on your phone. Place your phone on top of the amp, play something you want to loop and record it. Everything played from your phone comes out of the spark amp so you can play over it. Kind of a poor man’s work around, but it works. Wouldn’t suggest stacking multiple loops on top of each other, but it’s good enough to practice over an idea.
LOL My order took about 2 weeks longer than it was supposed to, it's worth the wait, at least that's what I kept telling myself. When it arrived, I took it out of the box and jammed out for something like 6 hours, and didn't notice the passage of time, while exploring all the features and different tones.
Obviously you're kidding but if you honestly ordered one and still haven't received it you should contact support. I ordered mine around 3 months ago and received it in 3 weeks.
Hey I’m unsure where you are from. But the website GuitarGuitar doesn’t advertise this amp on there website however if you use live chat they will send you a link and a private code to order one and it will arrive next day.
@@madaeon1 yea it's handy,but I use it more for genetic backing tracks,so I can play improvised solo's over the top,I mainly love the amount of amp pedal combinations I can play with and Tweek.
Got my Spark a few weeks ago and I fully agree. The tones are impressive. The only issue is too much of muddy low-end, but that is fixable fortunately.
My thoughts exactly. I have the Spark but am seriously considering the THR wireless as an alternative. I think the Spark is trying to be a jack of all trades and I’m more interested in good tone. I’ve had some issues with the Spark app too.
I agree. I was hoping for a head to head against the Yamaha THR. I’m sure most of us don’t have a half dozen $1,000 plus amp heads that are interested in the Spark or THR. But it was cool to see how the Spark sounds against the big boys. Please make a video comparing the Yamaha against the Positive Grid
I have both the Spark 40 and a THR10ii. In general, I prefer the Yamaha. I think it's better made and I think the sound from it is more balanced. One of the differences between the Spark and the Yamaha is that the Spark aims to emulate specific amplifiers and, to a lesser degree, effects whilst the Yamaha doesn't as much. Similar to the Katana (which I also have) the THR has settings for Clean, Crunch, Lead, Hi Gain, and "Special" (which is extra hi-gain) as well as acoustic, bass and flat settings. You do have the choice of "original", "modern" or "boutique" which are differently voiced, but these aren't specifically modeled on real-world amplifiers. I think they are designed to be a bit more generic than that. The Yammy doesn't have the online cloud based tone library or some of the other app based tools, but I'm not really that impressed with the Spark's app tools. The tone library is awful to navigate and find tones in, largely because anyone can upload to it (so it's littered with copies of the factory presets) and there is limited filtering and zero curation. The tuner on the Spark is useless. I find the RUclips/music player on the app a bit limiting, and the feature where it analyses the chords is not very accurate. For me I prefer the standard RUclips app and using backing tracks which list the chord sequences. As I said, I prefer the Yamaha sound, but I'm not the sort of person who feels he has to try to emulate specific amp models. I can get close enough in most cases using the onboard amp models and tweaking the tone. The THR also has different cabinet models which helps with tone tweaking a lot. The Spark does not. You can download tones for the THR from various websites and install them if you want, or save tones you have created. The Spark sounds bass heavy and unbalanced to me when using the onboard speakers, particularly when using it as a Bluetooth speaker. It sounds much better through the USB. Using it with a bass guitar, the Spark gives much better bass response. But the Yamaha isn't bad and actually sounds more refined to my ears. The Spark sounds a bit artificial. The Yamaha also has the option for an onboard battery and a wireless transmitter. The battery on mine lasts over 5 hours of continuous use. Having said that, the Yamaha is a bit more expensive, quite a bit more if you go for the THR30ii. For the money, the Spark is OK if you need something small, portable-ish and versatile that can act as a Bluetooth speaker, but the THR is better as a Bluetooth speaker IMO. If you want something more like a real amp, then for the same money I would look at something like the Katana or the Fender Mustang which, IMO are much better sounding, but aren't as useful as a Bluetooth speaker (the Katana can't Bluetooth at all unless you add a £20 Bluetooth receiver to the aux in). Obviously they aren't as portable and will take up more space, but they will sound better. You could easily gig with a Katana, but will also work at bedroom volumes. A Spark is for bedroom/home use only. It can get fairly loud, but it wouldn't keep up with a drummer and bass player in a rehearsal room. The other one to look at is the Line 6 Amplifi. This offers most of the facilities of the Spark for around the same price, and has much more versatility when it comes to tones: it has more amp models, cabinet models, more effects, and you can alter the order of the effects chain. It also has a better cloud based tone library, although it still suffers from not being curated, and you can match the tone to the song. I've also heard good things about the Blackstar range, including the BEAM, although I've never used one myself.
@@anthonymiller3970 Yes, I said it was good for the money. But for about the same money as the Spark you could get a Katana 50 which, depending on your requirements, might be better. And the THR10ii is $299, so about $50 more than the Spark.
@@pdp977 Nah. I don't think he demoed any clean stuff. I was just saying I like the clean tones on my spark. I use it mostly for practice and it's great for that.
@@GearGasms Yeah I just use it for metronome stuff and practicing scales. I love running backing tracks through it and playing along through my Hiwatt and bassman. Good times.
@@GearGasms I picked mine up for like $180 shipped when they were running a sale, so for the price of a nicer pedal on my board, overall I’m super happy with the Spark. Thankfully Pos. Grid has their act together and the software works like a charm. But overall I agree with you, mid down to low breakup I like the sounds you can get. Higher gain and this thing isn’t “awesome” just “practice-y.” I know everyone comments on the massive low end, but maybe mine’s from a batch that got tweaked, I don’t find it to be overly bassy at all 🤷🏻♂️
The Spark sounds great and is a tremendous value. However in every case I thought the amps sounded a bit more dynamic. Not necessarily better but there is still something more to tube amps
I have had my Spark for 6 months. I have pushed up there a few times..It sounds better live...I think it has enough choices ,selections and options to keep most of us amused and astonished. I really like the little amp.....Another great review... Thanks....
I sold mine because I had to turn the bass all the way down to make it useable. I have a Fender Mustang GTX now, never looked back. Wondering if others had a similar experience.
Thanks! Loved the comparisons. As a new electric guitar player I have a lot to learn about tone and although the spark is helping educate me I was really wondering how it compares to the real thing! Great installment!
For most bedroom rockers the Spark is a heckuva deal. I think this episode was quite creative and certainly demonstrated the Spark's ability to deliver a lot of fun for the buck. Thanks!
Just got mine this week. When it first showed up I was worried that I might have wasted $250 bucks, but then started playing with it and the software. Long story, short... my "old" huge Peavey transtube amp that I've practiced with has now been put in the basement. I love this thing!
Hi DBG just stumbled in on your channel and....found such useful vids about guitar maintenance...helped me a lot! You have a nice relaxed style of explaining. Rock on!
I picked one up the spark..been playing a long time had some great amps iconic…and own tone king falcon grande ..at present…damn this thing I can’t stop using..it’s my go to at home..amazing…👍👍
The actual Orange amp definitely sounded way better! Could immediately hear it. The cool thing for the positive grid was that it sounded more concentrated but not as easy on the ear as the amps.
That is the point. In the same price I could buy Tube15 from Harley Benton or small Marshall dsl1. But this is hard to compare while most of the Spark reviews are recorded via USB only. And that sucks even in terms of review itself.
I have had the Spark since it came out and now that I'm older and haven't played out for years this is my go to amp.When you use it alot it gets easier to get rid of them lows you were talking about.Also I have never heard a Amp sound so good through headphones. Awesome video can't belive I missed it a couple years ago.
Earlier this year, I bought a Fender Mustang GTX 100, and around a month ago, I bought the Spark. I don't have any complaints about the Fender, but since the Spark arrived, I haven't turned the bigger amp on. Good tones, perfect volume for practicing indoors. I only wish it had a footswitch. @Darrell: Could you publish the tones you used on Spark's library? Thanks for the videos!
Hi Darrell, I have a quite interesting topic suggestion for a video. It’s regarding tuning challenges with all non « Floyd rose » equiped guitars... ( I mean all guitars with floating trems but are not locked at bridge and nut)... when using the trem only without bending any strings...and then afterwards tuning the guitar with a tuner you can get them go back to playing and use the trem with impressive tuning stability afterward ( playing chords and notes with again using the trem only) but... if you should after this tuning make a full step or 1 1/2 step bend on the G string or B string or even D string, the guitar will be out of tune... ( the quick fix is to quickly depress the trem and it will often go back in « tune ») or you could try and retune the guitar after the bends... but after this we will now have the trem operation throw it off... so begins the never ending tuning chase between trem usage and bend usage. I’ve yet to find a non Floyd rose trem equiped guitar that does not exhibit this issue. I’ve had a few manufacturers admit to this without clearly explaining why. Perhaps you could get more info and educate us all about this guitar related phenomena.
You can tell it's a little more thin sounding and the crunch is a little more spikey. But it's still a great sound and makes more sense for 99% of players.
don't forget that's the USB line out sound its speakers don't sound even near to that, that's not the sound you'll ear when you are practicing for example and 99% of players don't practice listening their amp through a DAW
Yeah lower gain maybe up to mid gain, I feel like it’s great for the price (especially if it’s on sale, I grabbed mine for $180 shipped, that’s like the price of a good FX pedal.) I don’t find my unit particularly bassy, but I don’t connect it to my DAW either, just in the living room practice stuff. the ios app works like a charm, which you can’t say for many “software dependent” gear options. But higher gain is spiky, for sure. But for the size of the speakers, and what it can do -well-? totally worth it. IMO, YMMV.
In some ways, the Spark sounds better than the originals for direct recording or just playing through a home audio system. But my Digitech ElementXP processor pedal does pretty much the same thing. I bought it several years ago. After playing around with it, I quickly decided it just isn't practical for live playing. But the cabinet emulation through the headphone jack is excellent. It has remained plugged in to the line input on the back of my PC since then. I play a lot on the PC speakers, and I'm always ready to open Audacity and just start recording.
Pretty much the same problem as my line 6 hd 500. Sounds ok but missing a certain body that just can't be copied imo. Thanks for the demo. It's worth the money for a great practice amp for sure!
Spark sounds good for price but not comparable to the tube amps. I just wonder how long the Spark will last over time. I’d like to what the next models do
My new Gibson SG Modern gets delivered tomorrow. I have a Marshall tube amp and a pedal board of 7 pedals and a tuner. But this little toy looks so cool, I just ordered it with the headphones which will be handy for me. Will allow me to play at night more in a full house. The whole experience with the app looks awesome. Can't wait.
My first attempt to learn how to play guitar was almost 35 years ago. Even tuning the beast was hard enough. Not to mention how difficult was to learn how to play actual song and find cords and tabs. Remember there was no internet back those days! I'm in my 2nd try to learn now in my early 50s.... Well what a change! Although i cannot stretch my fingers as easy as when i was young the possibilities are now limitless. After all the art is on our fingers and soul BUT i'm amazes of the quality of tools out there. Even guitars quality is on another level. Remember me trying to play in a punk rock group with my acoustic broken guitar as a bass player... What was i thinking !!! Great video btw. Man you are talented.
Awesome video as always Darrell! I have spent the better part of a week watching your videos about amps and such. I have learned so much, thanks to you. I was searching your content; however, I didn't see anything about it, so I was wondering, are you familiar with the software Band in a box? Produced by PG Music out of British Colombia, and it is a complete music creation tool. I have this program coupled with a Line 6 UX1 interface and a low end solid state amp. The UX1 has amp modulators and effects pedals galore. A cheaper spark alternative that I have been using for years. With the add ons for Band in the Box , which cost a few $100, You have endless real track music creation for backing music. Thanks for your awesome channel!
Thanks for the time doing the video. Perhaps for a future "Digital vs tube" comparison, a modeling amp made by the same company that makes tube as well? Talking about VOX. They have a 50 watt amp (small and light) that they actually model their tube amps on Would love to see an in-depth dive into the VOX VX50 GTV.
Darrell you're awesome bud! I love the videos were you have that pick up that spins in the guitar. Man how awesome is that! And I like how you throw that guitar on top of the building in the snow!! Hell yeah!
Wish they had this in a head model with all the features of the spark would love to have this to use with my cab . Still I love my spark I find I play this more then anything because of all the effects . Such a great little amp.
Check out Spark Amp Mods Facebook group, already have a cab out mod as well as a Bluetooth footswitch. Only thing, warranty is no good but, it isn't a big deal for the results.
I got mine about a month ago, based partly on your previous review. I FREAKING LOVE THIS AMP! I plug it into my board via the headphone jack and blow it out proudly through my PA. Killer tone, super easy to use and an amazing product for the price. But wait! There's More! And thats what this little tiny amp delivers More
The Spark sounded pretty good to my cloth ears. Good luck with finding an American made hand-wired Marshall. I think they are made in Britain (mostly).
I just got mine last week. I'll say, take your time and play around with it! Go with presets that are highly downloaded, then tinker with them to fit YOUR space. I'd also say, just get it at its current price...they're a fully committed company to modelling, and have already added two drummers since launch.
Played a show thru a Marshall Micro stack one night. I ran a mic in front of it to the PA. One of the best sounds I ever had. Tube screamer. The 80's. It can be done. The only flaw I see in the spark is that there is no channel selector foot switch. Thinking about buying one.
@@elzafir yamaha is more expensive for a good reason... but they do have multiple versions of it.. the lowest model version is probably more comparable.. THR10ii without wireless.. $299USD same price
Hi Darrell, brilliant as always! Any chance you could post a video of you playing your opening channel riff? It's literally my favourite piece of music!
Thanks for reassuring me of my purchase of the Spark 40. There are definitely worthwhile tonal differences to consider buying the real thing somewhere down the line, but for a beginner I think the 40 is great to give you a broad palate to keep you from getting bored while you find your sound. Once you have a favorite and you're a true player, plop down the cash for the tube machine!
I spent all day on the spark and I have a 100 watt valve amp and a fender tonemaster and both are great. I also have a Boss katana -for what it is the spark is amazing and the tones I get from the spark far outstrip what I am able to pull from the katana (I want creamy blues cleans and gains) and are as sweet as I get from my valve and fender. It is not a gigging amp so it has its limits - but heck for the price it is fantastic and does the job of making you want to play all day
Nice comparison vid Darrell. Have you tried running the Spark through an external cab yet? I’ve watched a couple videos on this but, I’d appreciate seeing exactly how you do it. I understand this can be done with a summing cable as well but, isn’t the headphone jack stereo out? And what would be the setup and result running into a stereo capable cab if possible?
Hello Darrell, the comparison was great. I still like the real amps more but the Spark would be great as a recording tool. I have the Positive Grid Bias Amp 2 and I use it a lot in my home studio. Yes, my tube amps still sound better but unless there's a direct comparison, like what you did, there's really no way that anyone notices a difference. The only drawback about Positive Grid products is their lack of interface with PC and Android. Their PC interface is a shame. Super small imaging for their on screen software. And the worst part is that they don't care and there's no improvement planned. As for the android interface, there is none. Otherwise their stuff sounds very good. So, android and PC users beware. This is pretty much ios only. But, as for your demo....BRAVO. I love your channel.
The Spark is incredible! Amazing what can be done with modern technology! I have a Spark Pearl on back order. I'm really excited about it. Thank you for this comparison. In fact I first heard about the Positive Grid Spark watching your reviews!! Thank again!!!
Ordered one of these, it never came (waited about five months), and finally asked for my money back. Can't say how frustrating it was to see so many folks on the youtube getting these things for free and building up a frenzy while paying customers had to either wait or never get theirs. That said, always appreciate Darrell's awesome insight and videos!
5 months really?? Where do you live? I'm thinking about ordering one from Amazon. I'm in Connecticut. I have a tube amp. Peavey 6505 and a 5150 2x12 cab. But I want something to practice and noodle on while I'm sitting in my living room. Sorry to hear you never got yours. That's beat dude.
@@williamdistasio9358 It seems like it's gotten a LOT better since last year, but didn't appreciate how the company treated its customers. Seems like a good amp, but since that (failed) order, I'm getting more into plug-ins.
For $250-$300 that thing is incredible value. To learn/practice guitar is really hard to beat. I was looking at the Paw by Bad Cat because I need something portable for our vacation home with speakers (My ears tire easily with headphones) but they don't respond to emails so I'm seriously considering this. Thanks for the great video
Love the demos of the spark. I'm using biasfx2 and amp2 on my ipad pro as a backup to the real tube amp with blackbacks cab mic-ed up and blended in a hush box Yes it sounds much better.... But not more flexible ;). It's amazing what they can do. My first modeller was a vg88 which already was awesome. After a pauze of 17 years I'm blown away what is possible. But in all honesty it just sounds and mostly also feels a lot better with the real thing. But you have to have the room and knowledge to record and setup it up. Very impressive
Nice review.. I own one of these.. most every sound patch is spot on and with almost an endless number of available patches to DL.. your tones selections are endless (for me anyway).. as an added plus, I’m also a Bass player and it does well there too. The acoustic master switch is pretty nice as well.
Finally took the plunge on the Spark....$254 and a free carry bag. I’ve watched like 25 videos on the thing and it’s got more good vibe than bad it would seem. For the price, it was hard to resist.
Great idea to compare tube tones! I am a beginner so I can't tell how amp models match the real amp. I chose the Fender lt25 because I like Fender amps and it had many classic Fender models. I would love to hear a similar comparison with Fender models like the Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, and Twin models. Also comparing the Roland JC amps would be cool too. It was fun to watch thanks man!
I own a Spark and one of the first things I noticed was how deep the low end is.This bothered me at first but its no big deal to eq that out a bit and it actual helps if you want to emulate a bass guitar with your 6 string. I really do love my Spark so far.(even though it took for EVER to actual get it in my hands from the time had payed for it. But it did eventually arrive.) Great video!
The spark mini fixed that low end problem as well as being a portable option that is also capable of being a full on gigging amp when hooked up to the new 140wt spark cab.
I use bias fx, and after you get used to using the cloud to download others tones, it gets *REALLY* good and you can start experimenting with the tones. I can't really afford to buy new gear again. I had 4x 4x12 cabs with vintage 30's and blues, reds, greens etc, orange heads, crate, tubeworks and rack gear. I had to sell it all around 15 years ago and all I have now is a line 6 spider ii that has actual cel vintage 30's in 2x12 and I use the clean channel via output / di / impulse whatever from bias to it. Sounds phenomenal once you dial it in. The spark feels like a weird item considering the plug in.
Finally, we get to hear the actual amps compared to the Spark tones. Great video! I love my little Spark and the amount of modeling it can generate is amazing. Not to mention the thousands of online tones, it's a fun little amp. The sounds in this video were pretty close indeed.
I wasn't impressed with my Spark. The weak link is definitely the speakers. Try playing those tones out of the speakers and it won't sound anything like that it'll be muddy and farty. But the sounds you got playing it into your computer were quite impressive.
Really? i love the sound of mine. I've owned the Yamaha THRX, a Blackstar and a Katana. The Spark blows them all away by far. I did notice that my Epiphone Les Paul sounded muddy through my Spark while my Squire Tele and Strat sound great. Maybe try a new guitar or mess with the EQ levels. Also try placing the amp up higher, on a solid surface or in a different location. I think once you find the right combination of guitar you'll be surprised. It's by far the best practice amp I've ever heard. p.s. I just read in your follow up comment that you replaced it with a Yamaha. They sound like they're pretty good too. I own the older Yamaha and find the Spark to be much fuller and realistic sounding. The Yamaha sounded too sterile. If you've owned both the newer and older THR's does the newer one sound much better? I thought about going that route but it's much more pricey than the Spark. I also don't like the look of the newer Yamaha's compared to the original. Not sure why they changed the aesthetic.
@@graphicartdude I really wanted to love it. But sadly, in my experience, it didn't blow anything away, especially not the Katana 50. I play the Mustang GTX50 more than anything now, with my Bassbreaker second. I use the Yamaha for portability and when I need to keep the volume low. The THR10 II and even my tiny Boss Kanata Mini sound better. I turned all the EQ settings so that all the bass was dialed out and all the high end was turned up and it was still muddy and flabby.
Well, I didn't go easy on the Spark in this weeks challenge! This little amp continues to surprise. Let me know which tones you preferred in each comparison!
Enjoy :)
Love the video, Darrell! 👊
Just got one for Chrimbo. I can’t wait to get my hands on it. Great vid as always. Cheers!
Should do a vdo about katana mini
I liked them all on the spark. Well the Orange was much better on the orange head than the spark. Everything else was pretty close
Oh and can you save your tones to the cloud? Looks like they'd be great fun to play with!
I like how when Darrell is talking to us he's smiling all happy, but when playing, complete serious face.
I'd be happy if I had a job that could put me on a level to afford all those amps lol
It may not sound like real tube amps, but for the price and size of the speakers, I was shocked at just how good it sounds. More importantly though, it’s a practice amp. Although you can record with it, it’s not a professional music tool. What I love about it is just how much my playing has improved by using it. My soloing has reached a level I never imagined it would because of how great a training tool it is. Best $225 I’ve ever spent.
The size of the speakers shouldn't matter for sound quality (headphone speakers are tiny, my IEMs even more tiny), more for volume.
@@wbertie2604speaker size does matter, headphones sound so good because they reproduce sound very close to the ear. Try using headphones without them on your head
Hey looking back + how wrong you are / were lol
People need to keep in mind that the Spark is a 250 buck PRACTICE amp that does pretty damn good job of modeling. If you want the real thing go spend 10x the money (for one tone). I love my Spark, it's got me interested in playing again.
Once you get the amp is the software on phone and pc free too conect too it too use online presets
@Pennsylvania _Mike Ok I used the wrong term. I beg your forgiveness. You buy an amp ($$$) and you get whatever tones that amp can produce. You buy the Spark and you get about 30 amp models plus another 40 pedal models all for about $250. I say that's a pretty good deal for a PRACTICE amp.
@@markshone4606 Yes, the app is free to download on your phone or tablet.
@@BigBearBloo Whatever you say, Prof. Dr. ToneMaster, sir.
I use a line 6 spider jam great for the money I think
I own a Spark, and I love it. It does what what I need it to do, budget friendly, and has a small footprint.
small footprints, like maybe a mouse?
I bought one when you first reviewed the Spark a while ago. I love the thing and all my other amps are tube amps! I'm using it for practice only, however. Each tube amp does sound a bit better but $250 for an easy to configure modeling amp is a great deal in my opinion. 40 watts can be useful for small venues like coffee shops if its the only amp you have.
Well done, Darrell, as usual. At a fraction of the cost, an awful lot of players can come very close to some iconic amp tones with the Spark - if they don't have to wait months for the backorder to be filled. I could hear differences, but frankly, if I'm just walking into a show, and the sound is through the house sound system, and I'm not listening to a series of amps in succession, I don't think the vast majority of people could tell the difference. I like Steve Ensley's idea of a head-to-head comparison with the Yamaha THRii, since you've reviewed them both separately.
I ordered one on November 15, it arrived November 20.
I just ordered mine 11/19 and it got delivered11/24... It seems like they figured it out.
I honestly think the clean tones, specifically the Fender stuff is where it shines. I got an A/B pedal out and was testing the tones back to back. Are the real amps "better"? Of course, but it's not so different you'd feel bad playing it. I have a Katana Mini that I think is great for what it is as well, but when playing it you feel like you are missing something. Don't feel that way with the spark. If I lived in an apartment or situations where I couldn't crank up a real amp the Spark would be perfect for me. Fortunately I can crank up my amps but where the spark is awesome is just playing around and wanting to try a bunch of different pedal sounds. You can't beat the ease of flipping on a tube screamer sim when you just want to play around or are learning a new song.
The spark is one of the rare purchases where almost nobody I know uses the hyped up features, but it's still a great purchase just as a regular modeling amp alone. I love it.
Considering the cost the Spark is really great and versatile as hell. All tones were excellent and they came close to the original. Especially the 2204 comparison was quite close to my ears. But I still liked the "real" amp tone in all comparisons a bit more - there are still parts of the "tone" that seemingly cannot be emulated easily.
So I think theres still a reason to buy tube amps :)
@@BrianOC41 5 years? Not bad going considering all the committees you have to go thru get 1!
Considering you're comparing a 400$ spark to 2500$ heads, I'd say it's pretty good lol.
$225 spark!
@@PunitSoni00 That's what I paid. I still haven't really explored all of the different features - but it's great for practicing while watching netflix!
To many of thousand dollars amp head not just one...
$400? I paid $225
Demand is down, supply is up. Price has already dropped to $250. Ask yourself why.
No one throws an acoustic guitar on a snowy roof to humidify it anymore.
I want to watch this video
But I can't find
@@bharattamang9201 bet he did it only for the intro
@Bogey Man Eh!
@@djangelocabansag4523
Ohh
sez who? hehe
I have had my Spark for 3 months now, and love it more and more each day! Great review Darrell, keep the good work coming. Love the Channel! Matt-Kelowna
I can’t believe it even came that close, that’s amazing, ordered and on the way!
The Spark punches WAY above its weight class. Mine continues to surprise me and does the same for my musician friends when they come over to check it out. I know I'm responsible for the purchase of at least 3 Spark amps by friends.
@Logan Bodine - Days, as far as I know. Certainly not the months it took to receive my pre-order.
@Logan Bodine I'm pretty sure they are on Amazon now.
I have the Spark and it's a great little amp. What I do find ubiquitous on RUclips though is the feeling that there's no real hard, objective criticism of the amp. It all feels paid for by Positive Grid for some smiley advertising from all the guitar RUclipsrs.
For what it is, it sounds great. But you're right...listening to countless comparisons and having played most of the amps this thing models, there's always going to be that sonic different...that chime and tube saturation that doesn't quiet get there with the modeling. No one likes to talk about it, though. Not dumping on modeling amps...I used tube VSTs for my album. Just being honest.
at the same time i dont think it try to compete tube amp at all... but other modeling amp... and for the price point... i think its also great for beginner to experiment with what type of sound they may actualy prefer like to play... not only amps but pedal ect... it allow them to expirement before commiting to the real amps and pedal with less "risk" if they want to go that route after
its also a one in all solution as you dont need a audio interface and a DAW to play with it...
and of more advance user we mostly alredy know why we might get one
@@samuelj.rivard also as a recently milestone of 63 years young.. it’s nice (on the back) to not haul 50lbs of amp around for practice sessions.
This is my exact thought. Surely there is someone who says “this is hyped internet trash”. I bought it and I’m waiting. But after my experience with Orangewood’s hyped internet trash. I’m thinking I should just cancel and get the yamaha
@@Asherr6 I think the versatility of Spark pushes it over the edge to Yamaha. The Spark literarily has endless sounds you create and model.. no it’s not a tube amp.. but it was never designed to be one... thus the term Modeling.
Hi Darrell,
A band mate of mine bought one of these recently, and we plugged it through the pa foldback and FOH.
We are lucky enough to have a very large soundproof practise and recording studio, so we play at gig volume.
I have a lot of stuff set up in our rehearsal room. All Marshall double quad stacks with a heap of different amp heads from wizard 100 watts to Marshall 50s, Fenders and Ampegs.
This thing didn’t quite hold its own with the big rigs, but it did not disgrace itself by any means. I would have been savage if it had, I have spent a great deal of money on amps over the years!
And for the price it is brilliant value. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who is getting started and wants to try a bunch of different tones before committing serious bucks.
Thanks for the great review, my mate will be stoked!
Cheers
Tim
Some folks have done some experimentation with using them with keyboard amps (fairly neutral eq compared to guitar amps) and just straight power-amps and apparently it works well, even if it feels a bit icky driving it out the headphone port (The gain structure could be a bit weird I guess)
Great comparison. I've also noticed, and love how the spark cleans up with the guitar volume knob. That has been one of the big issues with modelers for years, and they are sorting that out. It reacts very well, and cleans up great.
I actually think modelers have pretty much nailed that now. I have a few and they all do it well. Their recognizing dynamics these days is impressive. But I know what you mean 10 years ago or so that was one of the major issues.
Nah, I don't agree with that at all. It hasn't been a problem for over a decade now. Line6 nailed it ages ago with their modelling amps.
@@PHeMoX I was about to say the same; I used to go from clean to overdrive on most patches from my former Pod XTL just with the guitar S-H push-pull. However, that was on custom patches because the stock ones were dialed with sooo much effects and gain they hardly had any dynamic response, but the tech itself was spot on.
Dude, are you in 2004? That has been sorted out for ages.
The front grill of the Spark is held on with Velcro. Pull it off and there is a port hole. Stuff a sock in it and it's not as bass forward anymore. Try it out and let us know!
Or move it out from wall/s, makes it tighter, less room gain to the lows.
I will have to try that, with a 'tube' sock of course :)
True... I have 2, my living room one is on a stand that was was never bassy. Today I took my portable one to my brothers and placed it on the floor, it definitely was more boomy
@@MYdjANDkaraoke Try to place it on the floor in a corner :D
Room gain.
Good thing it can be sorted (on any speaker/cabinet)
I run the Spark headphone out to a ART SLA-1 power amp and drive a 4x12 loaded with Eminence Private Jacks. I love the variety of tones you can get out of the spark..
Interesting setup
does using a proper cab fix the bass issue ( too bass heavy ) ?
@@And1slash I wonder this too tho a lot of that bass is added in the software.
I run BiasFX on my pc and it's much bassier too.
The manufacturer needs to compress the output's to fix the low end
@@robjobse8860 My other guitar emulations do it. I mean it's not an issue for me I just pop an EQ. But it does feel more bass heavy/weighted than my real amps and plugins.
@@robjobse8860 Doubt it very much. Even on headphones the difference is noticable with the plugins and my Kemper.
I am not saying it's a bad thing btw. It's just their sound and a very easily fixable one if you dont like it.
Got a spark in the post....cant wait to play around with it...im hoping to use it on future recordings as its a gteat size for my little home studio. If it sounds like that I dont think many people would tell the difference between the spark and the massively more expensive real setups od those amps and effects. Gonna be great if its as good as it seems to be. 😀👍
How has it benen so far?
mine comes in 5 months😫
@@derarken73 thats not good and I still havent had a chance to open mine yet as I ended up with Covid 19....almost over that now though but still havent touched my guitars which I sitting there waiting to be played, got a new G n L Legacy tribute which I have even opened too!! 😔
Hey Darrell. Love your content.
I have noticed how the sounds played through a computer sound so much better than the speakers. Can you or have you done a video on how to play through your computer (software, wire set up) sort of thing. Thanks and really appreciate your content
Following this!
One thing to keep in mind is the cab sim you use, mic placement etc. It has an enormous impact on the tone. I do have the Captor X, in which I run my tube amps at home. The cab/mic settings can change my Marshall from an AC/DC to a Queen sound in a few clicks (and a treble booster of course). I wonder what settings were used here with the Captor. Anyway both sounded good and quite close, but each time I found the tube amps to have a little more definition and dynamics. Though, I wouldn't have guessed if not back to back. That Spark thing seems very surprising. Fantastic video!
I got an "open box" Spark on Amazon (it's basically new) and I'm just waiting on my pre-ordered Cort g300 to get here in April sometime so I can play around with the tones. And, yes, both buys were because of the reviews on this channel. 👍
Awesome... I just bought the Spark for my son this Christmas based on your last video about it. Thanks for the effort!!
Spark is super great. Really enjoy all the settings in it. Great demonstration!
Great video. It’s crazy how you’re not at 1 million followers yet. I can’t wait to follow your journey there. You have helped give guitars players like me that started by themselves and had no one to ask. Thank you for the knowledge and the help.
I am new to guitar getting the spark amp was a game changer for me. Having the ability to play along to backing tracks and have all of these great tones at my fingertips has put my playing into overdrive. 🤘🤘🤘
I’ve had this amp about three months, and It’s been awesome to help with improvisational skills. With an endless amount of backing tracks for different modes on RUclips, or creating a loop with a separate free looper app, it makes practicing really convenient.
How do You create a loop with a separate free looper app?? Please help 😊
@@michah9465 Just downloaded a free music looper on your phone. Place your phone on top of the amp, play something you want to loop and record it. Everything played from your phone comes out of the spark amp so you can play over it. Kind of a poor man’s work around, but it works. Wouldn’t suggest stacking multiple loops on top of each other, but it’s good enough to practice over an idea.
I ordered my spark amp back in November 1973 and it still hasn't arrived...
That was a genuine LOL! from me!! Thanks!
LOL My order took about 2 weeks longer than it was supposed to, it's worth the wait, at least that's what I kept telling myself. When it arrived, I took it out of the box and jammed out for something like 6 hours, and didn't notice the passage of time, while exploring all the features and different tones.
Goodness! Cant u wait?!
Obviously you're kidding but if you honestly ordered one and still haven't received it you should contact support. I ordered mine around 3 months ago and received it in 3 weeks.
Hey I’m unsure where you are from. But the website GuitarGuitar doesn’t advertise this amp on there website however if you use live chat they will send you a link and a private code to order one and it will arrive next day.
Purchasing the spark was one of the best things I've ever done.
Since you own the spark: Have you used the chord finder feature? Is it somehow useful to you? Thanks!
@@madaeon1 yea it's handy,but I use it more for genetic backing tracks,so I can play improvised solo's over the top,I mainly love the amount of amp pedal combinations I can play with and Tweek.
@@heavybrett-al4082 Thanks for your insight!
I still want this comparison of THRII and Spark, since I own a THRII.
@@madaeon1 once I got the spark,I sold my Yamaha thrx,don't get me wrong the thrx was great,it's just the spark did everything that did,plus more.
Same, best amp purchase I've ever made it's my daily driver for motivation and practice.
Got my Spark a few weeks ago and I fully agree. The tones are impressive. The only issue is too much of muddy low-end, but that is fixable fortunately.
How about a head to head comparison of the spark and the yamaha THRii? You've reviewed them both. How do they stack up for folks looking to buy one?
My thoughts exactly. I have the Spark but am seriously considering the THR wireless as an alternative. I think the Spark is trying to be a jack of all trades and I’m more interested in good tone. I’ve had some issues with the Spark app too.
I agree. I was hoping for a head to head against the Yamaha THR. I’m sure most of us don’t have a half dozen $1,000 plus amp heads that are interested in the Spark or THR. But it was cool to see how the Spark sounds against the big boys. Please make a video comparing the Yamaha against the Positive Grid
I have both the Spark 40 and a THR10ii. In general, I prefer the Yamaha. I think it's better made and I think the sound from it is more balanced.
One of the differences between the Spark and the Yamaha is that the Spark aims to emulate specific amplifiers and, to a lesser degree, effects whilst the Yamaha doesn't as much. Similar to the Katana (which I also have) the THR has settings for Clean, Crunch, Lead, Hi Gain, and "Special" (which is extra hi-gain) as well as acoustic, bass and flat settings. You do have the choice of "original", "modern" or "boutique" which are differently voiced, but these aren't specifically modeled on real-world amplifiers. I think they are designed to be a bit more generic than that.
The Yammy doesn't have the online cloud based tone library or some of the other app based tools, but I'm not really that impressed with the Spark's app tools. The tone library is awful to navigate and find tones in, largely because anyone can upload to it (so it's littered with copies of the factory presets) and there is limited filtering and zero curation. The tuner on the Spark is useless. I find the RUclips/music player on the app a bit limiting, and the feature where it analyses the chords is not very accurate. For me I prefer the standard RUclips app and using backing tracks which list the chord sequences.
As I said, I prefer the Yamaha sound, but I'm not the sort of person who feels he has to try to emulate specific amp models. I can get close enough in most cases using the onboard amp models and tweaking the tone. The THR also has different cabinet models which helps with tone tweaking a lot. The Spark does not. You can download tones for the THR from various websites and install them if you want, or save tones you have created.
The Spark sounds bass heavy and unbalanced to me when using the onboard speakers, particularly when using it as a Bluetooth speaker. It sounds much better through the USB.
Using it with a bass guitar, the Spark gives much better bass response. But the Yamaha isn't bad and actually sounds more refined to my ears. The Spark sounds a bit artificial.
The Yamaha also has the option for an onboard battery and a wireless transmitter. The battery on mine lasts over 5 hours of continuous use.
Having said that, the Yamaha is a bit more expensive, quite a bit more if you go for the THR30ii. For the money, the Spark is OK if you need something small, portable-ish and versatile that can act as a Bluetooth speaker, but the THR is better as a Bluetooth speaker IMO.
If you want something more like a real amp, then for the same money I would look at something like the Katana or the Fender Mustang which, IMO are much better sounding, but aren't as useful as a Bluetooth speaker (the Katana can't Bluetooth at all unless you add a £20 Bluetooth receiver to the aux in). Obviously they aren't as portable and will take up more space, but they will sound better. You could easily gig with a Katana, but will also work at bedroom volumes. A Spark is for bedroom/home use only. It can get fairly loud, but it wouldn't keep up with a drummer and bass player in a rehearsal room.
The other one to look at is the Line 6 Amplifi. This offers most of the facilities of the Spark for around the same price, and has much more versatility when it comes to tones: it has more amp models, cabinet models, more effects, and you can alter the order of the effects chain. It also has a better cloud based tone library, although it still suffers from not being curated, and you can match the tone to the song.
I've also heard good things about the Blackstar range, including the BEAM, although I've never used one myself.
@@KeithMilner don’t forget the Spark is $250 shipped to your door. The Yamaha is $499 and $599.
@@anthonymiller3970 Yes, I said it was good for the money. But for about the same money as the Spark you could get a Katana 50 which, depending on your requirements, might be better.
And the THR10ii is $299, so about $50 more than the Spark.
I love the clean tones, delay, and reverb. Not crazy about the overdriven amps.
Did I miss the clean tones - just went through again and the best I could find was the H&K comparison.
@@pdp977 Nah. I don't think he demoed any clean stuff. I was just saying I like the clean tones on my spark. I use it mostly for practice and it's great for that.
That has been my experience too - I’m good through mid breakup but past that it’s a no from me dawg
@@GearGasms Yeah I just use it for metronome stuff and practicing scales. I love running backing tracks through it and playing along through my Hiwatt and bassman. Good times.
@@GearGasms I picked mine up for like $180 shipped when they were running a sale, so for the price of a nicer pedal on my board, overall I’m super happy with the Spark. Thankfully Pos. Grid has their act together and the software works like a charm.
But overall I agree with you, mid down to low breakup I like the sounds you can get. Higher gain and this thing isn’t “awesome” just “practice-y.”
I know everyone comments on the massive low end, but maybe mine’s from a batch that got tweaked, I don’t find it to be overly bassy at all 🤷🏻♂️
The Spark sounds great and is a tremendous value. However in every case I thought the amps sounded a bit more dynamic. Not necessarily better but there is still something more to tube amps
I think the tube amps sound more open and airy
I agree, For the price though its still a good practice amp or in my case a camper amp
@@PainterDans I would say much more than just a basic practice Amp!
Thanks dude, I've been considering this amp since it was in beta and was hoping you'd do a test with it.
The reverbs are other worldly on the Spark
Yes, and then mix in some "Mod".....love it!!
Another great video brother! Thanks for taking your time on this. I've been on the fence with the spark
I’d love to see a video comparing the Spark to a Mustang GTX and a Katana
Dido
Hey Darrell how about posting the presets to the cloud?🤔
When he played Maylene on the orange that just sold me on the Spark.
I have had my Spark for 6 months. I have pushed up there a few times..It sounds better live...I think it has enough choices ,selections and options to keep most of us amused and astonished. I really like the little amp.....Another great review... Thanks....
I sold mine because I had to turn the bass all the way down to make it useable. I have a Fender Mustang GTX now, never looked back. Wondering if others had a similar experience.
Not bad on the first 3 amps, in general the amps have a natural bite that the spark misses, but for the price. Nice one man.
It's literally the Swiss Army of Amps, man they really did their homework with the Spark, ,and you can't beat the price,
Thanks! Loved the comparisons. As a new electric guitar player I have a lot to learn about tone and although the spark is helping educate me I was really wondering how it compares to the real thing! Great installment!
For most bedroom rockers the Spark is a heckuva deal. I think this episode was quite creative and certainly demonstrated the Spark's ability to deliver a lot of fun for the buck. Thanks!
Just got mine this week. When it first showed up I was worried that I might have wasted $250 bucks, but then started playing with it and the software. Long story, short... my "old" huge Peavey transtube amp that I've practiced with has now been put in the basement. I love this thing!
From where I am the real amps save for the Hughes and ketner. Were thinner or jigger. The thing is when I'm by myself I dial in more bottom end
Hi DBG just stumbled in on your channel and....found such useful vids about guitar maintenance...helped me a lot! You have a nice relaxed style of explaining. Rock on!
I picked one up the spark..been playing a long time had some great amps iconic…and own tone king falcon grande ..at present…damn this thing I can’t stop using..it’s my go to at home..amazing…👍👍
The actual Orange amp definitely sounded way better! Could immediately hear it. The cool thing for the positive grid was that it sounded more concentrated but not as easy on the ear as the amps.
I got mine about a week ago. I'm very happy with it. Amazing little amp!
I’d love to hear this comparison mic’d rather than direct.
Spark amp is not designed to be miced.
That is the point. In the same price I could buy Tube15 from Harley Benton or small Marshall dsl1. But this is hard to compare while most of the Spark reviews are recorded via USB only. And that sucks even in terms of review itself.
@@PunitSoni00 No. Not at all. It has decent little speakers, but they are for just noodling - not really for tone.
@Randy Aus Noone said about cab. I was saying about little tube combos. Marshall dsl1cr is 1W tube combo.
I've seen some vids with them having a mic. Seemed to be pretty decent.
I have had the Spark since it came out and now that I'm older and haven't played out for years this is my go to amp.When you use it alot it gets easier to get rid of them lows you were talking about.Also I have never heard a Amp sound so good through headphones. Awesome video can't belive I missed it a couple years ago.
Earlier this year, I bought a Fender Mustang GTX 100, and around a month ago, I bought the Spark. I don't have any complaints about the Fender, but since the Spark arrived, I haven't turned the bigger amp on. Good tones, perfect volume for practicing indoors. I only wish it had a footswitch.
@Darrell: Could you publish the tones you used on Spark's library? Thanks for the videos!
Hi Darrell, I have a quite interesting topic suggestion for a video. It’s regarding tuning challenges with all non « Floyd rose » equiped guitars... ( I mean all guitars with floating trems but are not locked at bridge and nut)... when using the trem only without bending any strings...and then afterwards tuning the guitar with a tuner you can get them go back to playing and use the trem with impressive tuning stability afterward ( playing chords and notes with again using the trem only) but... if you should after this tuning make a full step or 1 1/2 step bend on the G string or B string or even D string, the guitar will be out of tune... ( the quick fix is to quickly depress the trem and it will often go back in « tune ») or you could try and retune the guitar after the bends... but after this we will now have the trem operation throw it off... so begins the never ending tuning chase between trem usage and bend usage. I’ve yet to find a non Floyd rose trem equiped guitar that does not exhibit this issue. I’ve had a few manufacturers admit to this without clearly explaining why. Perhaps you could get more info and educate us all about this guitar related phenomena.
You can tell it's a little more thin sounding and the crunch is a little more spikey. But it's still a great sound and makes more sense for 99% of players.
don't forget that's the USB line out sound its speakers don't sound even near to that, that's not the sound you'll ear when you are practicing for example and 99% of players don't practice listening their amp through a DAW
And 1/10 the cost or at least 1/5
Yeah lower gain maybe up to mid gain, I feel like it’s great for the price (especially if it’s on sale, I grabbed mine for $180 shipped, that’s like the price of a good FX pedal.)
I don’t find my unit particularly bassy, but I don’t connect it to my DAW either, just in the living room practice stuff.
the ios app works like a charm, which you can’t say for many “software dependent” gear options.
But higher gain is spiky, for sure. But for the size of the speakers, and what it can do -well-? totally worth it. IMO, YMMV.
In some ways, the Spark sounds better than the originals for direct recording or just playing through a home audio system. But my Digitech ElementXP processor pedal does pretty much the same thing. I bought it several years ago. After playing around with it, I quickly decided it just isn't practical for live playing. But the cabinet emulation through the headphone jack is excellent. It has remained plugged in to the line input on the back of my PC since then. I play a lot on the PC speakers, and I'm always ready to open Audacity and just start recording.
Pretty much the same problem as my line 6 hd 500. Sounds ok but missing a certain body that just can't be copied imo. Thanks for the demo. It's worth the money for a great practice amp for sure!
As a spark owner, its all in this dudes mix. They sound damn close if not exact in person
Hello Daryl here from BC. Really enjoy your videos.... and love the Ijunk stand. keep the video's coming .... lol
Spark sounds good for price but not comparable to the tube amps. I just wonder how long the Spark will last over time. I’d like to what the next models do
My new Gibson SG Modern gets delivered tomorrow.
I have a Marshall tube amp and a pedal board of 7 pedals and a tuner.
But this little toy looks so cool, I just ordered it with the headphones which will be handy for me.
Will allow me to play at night more in a full house.
The whole experience with the app looks awesome.
Can't wait.
My first attempt to learn how to play guitar was almost 35 years ago. Even tuning the beast was hard enough. Not to mention how difficult was to learn how to play actual song and find cords and tabs. Remember there was no internet back those days! I'm in my 2nd try to learn now in my early 50s.... Well what a change! Although i cannot stretch my fingers as easy as when i was young the possibilities are now limitless. After all the art is on our fingers and soul BUT i'm amazes of the quality of tools out there. Even guitars quality is on another level. Remember me trying to play in a punk rock group with my acoustic broken guitar as a bass player... What was i thinking !!! Great video btw. Man you are talented.
Awesome video as always Darrell!
I have spent the better part of a week watching your videos about amps and such. I have learned so much, thanks to you. I was searching your content; however, I didn't see anything about it, so I was wondering, are you familiar with the software Band in a box? Produced by PG Music out of British Colombia, and it is a complete music creation tool. I have this program coupled with a Line 6 UX1 interface and a low end solid state amp. The UX1 has amp modulators and effects pedals galore. A cheaper spark alternative that I have been using for years. With the add ons for Band in the Box , which cost a few $100, You have endless real track music creation for backing music. Thanks for your awesome channel!
Thanks for the time doing the video. Perhaps for a future "Digital vs tube" comparison, a modeling amp made by the same company that makes tube as well?
Talking about VOX. They have a 50 watt amp (small and light) that they actually model their tube amps on Would love to see an in-depth dive into the VOX VX50 GTV.
Darrell you're awesome bud! I love the videos were you have that pick up that spins in the guitar. Man how awesome is that! And I like how you throw that guitar on top of the building in the snow!! Hell yeah!
0:24 I always enjoy this part 🤣
What were you thinking?
I love that part of the intro as well
Wish they had this in a head model with all the features of the spark would love to have this to use with my cab . Still I love my spark I find I play this more then anything because of all the effects . Such a great little amp.
Check out Spark Amp Mods Facebook group, already have a cab out mod as well as a Bluetooth footswitch. Only thing, warranty is no good but, it isn't a big deal for the results.
I got mine about a month ago, based partly on your previous review. I FREAKING LOVE THIS AMP! I plug it into my board via the headphone jack and blow it out proudly through my PA. Killer tone, super easy to use and an amazing product for the price.
But wait! There's More!
And thats what this little tiny amp delivers More
The Spark is cool for what it is. It’s a great value. As good as a tube amp and cab? Ehh. It’s not bad.
Thank you so much Darrell. I learn so much watching your videos. The Spark is on my list of additions...
The Spark sounded pretty good to my cloth ears. Good luck with finding an American made hand-wired Marshall. I think they are made in Britain (mostly).
I'm just curious as to why you'd try and find an American made Marhsall... they've always been made in England.
@@lifeshifts He's Canadian.
I just got mine last week. I'll say, take your time and play around with it! Go with presets that are highly downloaded, then tinker with them to fit YOUR space. I'd also say, just get it at its current price...they're a fully committed company to modelling, and have already added two drummers since launch.
Played a show thru a Marshall Micro stack one night. I ran a mic in front of it to the PA. One of the best sounds I ever had. Tube screamer. The 80's. It can be done.
The only flaw I see in the spark is that there is no channel selector foot switch. Thinking about buying one.
I just picked up a spark I must say pretty amazing for what it does. I was surprised by the build quality not bad and a lot of features packed in.
I just love my Spark Amp 😎 it makes my cheap guitar sound like a million 😍 great video m8
Lunch box amps shootout:. Yamaha the vs katana vs spark vs Vox?
Don’t forget the revv
jcm 800 1 watt...blackstar ht1 mk2
@@rizzexponential
The Revv isn't in the same category.
That's like putting a Ferrari in a race with a Dodge Neon and Toyota Prius.
The Yamaha THR30II is like 3x the price of the Spark
@@elzafir yamaha is more expensive for a good reason... but they do have multiple versions of it.. the lowest model version is probably more comparable.. THR10ii without wireless.. $299USD same price
So sad he didn’t use the Suhr, but a great video btw
Mezzabarba giving some serious tones... Sound that really make you think , brutal.
I love this Spark amp it allows me to play so many different amp and peddle mixes. I could never afford to match all the choices for gives me
Hi Darrell, brilliant as always! Any chance you could post a video of you playing your opening channel riff? It's literally my favourite piece of music!
Thanks for reassuring me of my purchase of the Spark 40. There are definitely worthwhile tonal differences to consider buying the real thing somewhere down the line, but for a beginner I think the 40 is great to give you a broad palate to keep you from getting bored while you find your sound. Once you have a favorite and you're a true player, plop down the cash for the tube machine!
I spent all day on the spark and I have a 100 watt valve amp and a fender tonemaster and both are great. I also have a Boss katana -for what it is the spark is amazing and the tones I get from the spark far outstrip what I am able to pull from the katana (I want creamy blues cleans and gains) and are as sweet as I get from my valve and fender. It is not a gigging amp so it has its limits - but heck for the price it is fantastic and does the job of making you want to play all day
Darrell, Do you have your patches you've made for the Spark uploaded so they're available through the app?
Nice comparison vid Darrell. Have you tried running the Spark through an external cab yet? I’ve watched a couple videos on this but, I’d appreciate seeing exactly how you do it. I understand this can be done with a summing cable as well but, isn’t the headphone jack stereo out? And what would be the setup and result running into a stereo capable cab if possible?
I would for sure check out the Spark, against Mustang III v2 too, but I am still concerned with the Spark shipping problems.
I just bought one and got in about a week and a half.
Same thing for me having to EQ out some low end when recording direct. I think it's added in to compensate for the 3" speakers.
Hello Darrell, the comparison was great. I still like the real amps more but the Spark would be great as a recording tool. I have the Positive Grid Bias Amp 2 and I use it a lot in my home studio. Yes, my tube amps still sound better but unless there's a direct comparison, like what you did, there's really no way that anyone notices a difference. The only drawback about Positive Grid products is their lack of interface with PC and Android. Their PC interface is a shame. Super small imaging for their on screen software. And the worst part is that they don't care and there's no improvement planned. As for the android interface, there is none. Otherwise their stuff sounds very good. So, android and PC users beware. This is pretty much ios only. But, as for your demo....BRAVO. I love your channel.
The Spark is incredible! Amazing what can be done with modern technology! I have a Spark Pearl on back order. I'm really excited about it. Thank you for this comparison. In fact I first heard about the Positive Grid Spark watching your reviews!! Thank again!!!
Ordered one of these, it never came (waited about five months), and finally asked for my money back. Can't say how frustrating it was to see so many folks on the youtube getting these things for free and building up a frenzy while paying customers had to either wait or never get theirs. That said, always appreciate Darrell's awesome insight and videos!
5 months really?? Where do you live?
I'm thinking about ordering one from Amazon.
I'm in Connecticut. I have a tube amp. Peavey 6505 and a 5150 2x12 cab. But I want something to practice and noodle on while I'm sitting in my living room.
Sorry to hear you never got yours. That's beat dude.
@@williamdistasio9358 It seems like it's gotten a LOT better since last year, but didn't appreciate how the company treated its customers. Seems like a good amp, but since that (failed) order, I'm getting more into plug-ins.
For $250-$300 that thing is incredible value. To learn/practice guitar is really hard to beat. I was looking at the Paw by Bad Cat because I need something portable for our vacation home with speakers (My ears tire easily with headphones) but they don't respond to emails so I'm seriously considering this.
Thanks for the great video
Great video! Have did you ever run an effects pedal through the spark?
Love the demos of the spark.
I'm using biasfx2 and amp2 on my ipad pro as a backup to the real tube amp with blackbacks cab mic-ed up and blended in a hush box
Yes it sounds much better.... But not more flexible ;). It's amazing what they can do. My first modeller was a vg88 which already was awesome. After a pauze of 17 years I'm blown away what is possible.
But in all honesty it just sounds and mostly also feels a lot better with the real thing. But you have to have the room and knowledge to record and setup it up.
Very impressive
Nice review.. I own one of these.. most every sound patch is spot on and with almost an endless number of available patches to DL.. your tones selections are endless (for me anyway).. as an added plus, I’m also a Bass player and it does well there too. The acoustic master switch is pretty nice as well.
Finally took the plunge on the Spark....$254 and a free carry bag. I’ve watched like 25 videos on the thing and it’s got more good vibe than bad it would seem. For the price, it was hard to resist.
I loved the Maylene riff thrown in there!!
Great idea to compare tube tones! I am a beginner so I can't tell how amp models match the real amp. I chose the Fender lt25 because I like Fender amps and it had many classic Fender models. I would love to hear a similar comparison with Fender models like the Champ, Princeton, Deluxe, and Twin models. Also comparing the Roland JC amps would be cool too. It was fun to watch thanks man!
Nice comparison Darrell, the Spark is cool, but you can't beat the real thing. I prefer the amp they sound better. 👍
I own a Spark and one of the first things I noticed was how deep the low end is.This bothered me at first but its no big deal to eq that out a bit and it actual helps if you want to emulate a bass guitar with your 6 string. I really do love my Spark so far.(even though it took for EVER to actual get it in my hands from the time had payed for it. But it did eventually arrive.) Great video!
The spark mini fixed that low end problem as well as being a portable option that is also capable of being a full on gigging amp when hooked up to the new 140wt spark cab.
I use bias fx, and after you get used to using the cloud to download others tones, it gets *REALLY* good and you can start experimenting with the tones. I can't really afford to buy new gear again. I had 4x 4x12 cabs with vintage 30's and blues, reds, greens etc, orange heads, crate, tubeworks and rack gear. I had to sell it all around 15 years ago and all I have now is a line 6 spider ii that has actual cel vintage 30's in 2x12 and I use the clean channel via output / di / impulse whatever from bias to it. Sounds phenomenal once you dial it in.
The spark feels like a weird item considering the plug in.
Finally, we get to hear the actual amps compared to the Spark tones. Great video! I love my little Spark and the amount of modeling it can generate is amazing. Not to mention the thousands of online tones, it's a fun little amp. The sounds in this video were pretty close indeed.
Sounds like the best COVID toy ever!
I wasn't impressed with my Spark. The weak link is definitely the speakers. Try playing those tones out of the speakers and it won't sound anything like that it'll be muddy and farty. But the sounds you got playing it into your computer were quite impressive.
Should've gotten a thr10
I did, when I sold my Spark, I got the Yamaha. Vast improvement.
Really? i love the sound of mine. I've owned the Yamaha THRX, a Blackstar and a Katana. The Spark blows them all away by far. I did notice that my Epiphone Les Paul sounded muddy through my Spark while my Squire Tele and Strat sound great. Maybe try a new guitar or mess with the EQ levels. Also try placing the amp up higher, on a solid surface or in a different location. I think once you find the right combination of guitar you'll be surprised. It's by far the best practice amp I've ever heard.
p.s. I just read in your follow up comment that you replaced it with a Yamaha. They sound like they're pretty good too. I own the older Yamaha and find the Spark to be much fuller and realistic sounding. The Yamaha sounded too sterile. If you've owned both the newer and older THR's does the newer one sound much better? I thought about going that route but it's much more pricey than the Spark. I also don't like the look of the newer Yamaha's compared to the original. Not sure why they changed the aesthetic.
@@graphicartdude I really wanted to love it. But sadly, in my experience, it didn't blow anything away, especially not the Katana 50. I play the Mustang GTX50 more than anything now, with my Bassbreaker second. I use the Yamaha for portability and when I need to keep the volume low. The THR10 II and even my tiny Boss Kanata Mini sound better. I turned all the EQ settings so that all the bass was dialed out and all the high end was turned up and it was still muddy and flabby.