Portland 9 Amp 14 in Electric Chainsaw Reviews
Looking for a Positive Grid Spark Amp review? Sure you are. Although guitar amps sit pretty low on the normy public'due south shopping list, the new Spark Amp guitar amplifier from Positive Grid has been creating as much of a buzz equally a new Apple product. At the time of writing, the Positive Grid Spark Amp has bagged an incredible 77,423 pre orders and that figure looks like it's only going to increase in the coming weeks.
Positive Grid is best known for its exceptional BIAS guitar amplifier and effects modelling software and that very same tone engine is hidden nether the bonnet of this remarkable small-bodied practice amp which, to all intents and purposes, looks and behaves like whatsoever standard guitar amp. In fact, there's nix on the amp's fascia to hint that it does anything else other than serve equally a fiddling practice amp with knobs for volume, tone command, reverb, filibuster and seven prefigured guitar sound styles. But download the accompanying iOS or Android app, sync it via Bluetooth and it's like opening the wardrobe to Narnia.
If you're a pro, you'll find much to love virtually this amp and if you're a complete amateur, it may merely alter your life. Equally brilliant little music-making tools go it's up in that location with the Roli Songmaker Kit beat creator and the Izotope Spire Studio viii-track recorder. I'chiliad a pretty seasoned musician, and I recall a lot of us can merely regret that brilliant devices such as these weren't available when we started out!
So, without beating about the bush, let'due south take a wait at the hardware in closer particular and dig beneath the surface to the basics and bolts of what this amp is really all about.
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Positive Grid Spark Amp review: hardware design and features
(Image credit: Positive Grid)
The Spark Amp has a power rating of 40 watts and then information technology can get plenty loud enough to handle a low-key ring rehearsal or a busking session. It would be squeamish if it had a rechargeable battery in it for extra portability but it doesn't, so that's that.
For an amp that costs less than $225, the build quality and finish is astoundingly good. Clad in black faux snake skin with gold trim and speckled front grill, the Spark Amp looks simply similar a classic amp from the '60s; indeed, its design is most reminiscent of the earth-acquisition Vocalisation AC30. In a nutshell it looks fantastic. The adroitness of the cabinet is exemplary across the board – the taut tactile covering fits like a glove, the trim is superbly confederate and the command knobs feel smooth, sturdy and durable. If anything, the whole thing looks and feels over engineered, so hats off to the cabinet designers and factory fitters for doing such a sterling task.
Measuring 35x18x19cm (or thirteen.78 x seven.08 x 7.48 inches for our American friends) and weighing in at a very manageable 5.2 kg (eleven.46 lbs), the Spark is a perfect size for tabular array acme and travel utilize. Its 40 watt Class D amplifier punches way to a higher place its weight while its two 4-inch custom designed speakers deliver crisp clarity and rich lesser end grunt, in full stereo if necessary.
Standard amp controls abound
(Prototype credit: Positive Grid)
Heading to the top of the amp you'll find the usual raft of controls, including iii for tone, 3 for volume and another three to control modulation, delay and reverb. Over to the left is an amp-modelling selector for audio-visual and bass guitars plus presets for five basic amp sounds: make clean, glassy, crunch, hi-gain and metal. But fiddle with the gain and master volume knobs to accommodate for various levels of baloney. The hardware is topped off with a tuner and mini headphone output with its own split up volume control.
On the surface, and then, in that location's naught specifically groundbreaking near this amp. In fact, yous would most probable be very happy just using information technology without any prior noesis of what it'southward really capable of doing.
And past capable I mean doing everything but brand the tea.
Positive Filigree Spark Amp review: Spark app
The Spark app opens the portal to a world of functions
(Prototype credit: Positive Grid)
So, you've gear up the amp, plugged in your guitar and fiddled with the controls and you're happy with it. It sounds great, it'due south loud, hands controlled and does what a guitar amp'south supposed to practise.
Only and so you reach for your telephone or tablet, launch the Spark app (iOS and Android) and sync it to the amp and, holy mother of pearl, y'all've suddenly left planet Earth as you know it and entered a whole new kingdom of guitar wizardry.
To help quell your curiosity, I'll cut straight to the chase and tell yous in bullet points what this thing can do. You gear up?
•Fingertip admission to thousands of amp sounds and effects, including amp emulations of your hero guitarists
•Play along to a variety of pre-ready music genres while following the scrolling tablature
•Play along to a rhythmic bankroll of your ain eight-bar chord sequence
•Tell the app to analyse the chords of your favourite song from Spotify and Apple tree Music and and then play forth to the tablature
•Use the amp as a digital music interface for your Mac or PC
Has that got the juices flowing? Let's suspension it down a little more so.
Positive Filigree Spark Amp review: Amp models and effects
The Spark Amp app features amps and furnishings galore
(Image credit: Positive Grid)
Using the Spark app opens upwardly a whole world of fun. In that location are xxx different amp models, 5 compressors, ix overdrives, 10 modulation pedals (including some lovely tremolo effects), six delays and nine reverbs. You lot can mix and lucifer them anyway you like, brand numerous adjustments on each effect and salve your favourite presets to the amp itself or Positive Filigree's ToneCloud service.
Fancy emulating the guitar sounds of Dave Gilmour's 'Smooth on You Crazy Diamond', Slash's 'Sweet Child O' Mine' or Hendrix'south 'Little Wing'? Simple, but tap the ToneCloud icon at the top of the screen and search for an iconic sound style of your option.
Positive Grid Spark Amp review: Play forth functions
(Image credit: Positive Filigree)
This is where the cleverness ramps upwardly considerably. Ostensibly designed for beginners, the Spark Amp's 'Smart Jam' section provides a raft of backing tracks in different genres to jam along with. Simply plug in your guitar, choose a sound and select a genre – pop, rock, blues, funk or any amount of pre-recorded backing tracks – and jam along, following the scrolling on-screen tablature. You lot can too modify the tempo of each and fifty-fifty transpose the chords to a key that is easier for you to play.
Alternatively, select Auto Chords, choose a favourite vocal from Spotify or Apple tree Music and the app will analyse the song's chords before playing it back through the amp's speaker with total scrolling tablature. This feature blew me away since we all similar to play other people's material from time to time and, although whatsoever competent musician can work out the chords for themselves or look them up on Google, having an app work them out for yous is a major plus. It's not 100% correct all the time, heed, because some songs take strange inversions in their chord sequences, causing the app to extract some incorrect chords. Some popular songs have already been checked and verified by Positive Grid but there are millions that oasis't.
Every bit an experiment I chose Bon Iver'southward glorious 'Hey Ma' and was surprised it managed to analyse whatsoever of the chords at all. I'd say it got most 60% of the song correct – and that's a big tick in my opinion given the complexity of the vocal's soundscape.
Aside from playing to other people'south songs and backing tracks, you tin as well play along to your own chords sequences. Just tap the plus sign, play an 8-bar sequence of your own and the app volition analyse information technology before playing information technology back with full bass and drums backing. At present, it has to be said that this particular feature isn't anywhere near as accomplished as the similarly-styled Digitech Trio+ guitar pedal. Where the Digitech follows your chords in realtime earlier playing back an amazingly coherent backing rail with fluid drums and melodic bass lines, this 1 is very clunky and simplistic. In fact, if you were thinking of buying this amp for this feature alone I'd recommend getting the Trio+ instead. But, hey, maybe Positive Filigree volition rectify this issue in a future software or firmware update.
Positive Grid Spark Amp review: Hook it up to your Mac or PC
The Spark Amp'south simple rear with USB port, Aux input and power socket
(Paradigm credit: Positive Grid)
The Spark Amp ships with PreSonus Studio One Prime recording software and then y'all can plug the amp into your Mac or PC via USB and utilize it as a digital music interface for your workstation. To be honest, this chemical element only adds actress complexity and isn't, in my mind, a especially groundbreaking selling point. Withal, nice to know it tin easily exist washed should the demand arise.
Positive Grid Spark Amp review: Glitches and issues
I just experienced two issues with the arrangement during the test. On at to the lowest degree three occasions while I was stabbing at the screen to modify an amp model before the iPhone's processor had time to carry out the previous procedure, the amp suddenly emitted the well-nigh horrendously loud high-pitched feed-dorsum howl that no amount of knob twiddling seemed to rectify. In fact, the but way I was able to stop the racket was past turning off the amp. This is non what yous want to happen when playing quietly while anybody else is in bed, but I'thou sure it'south rectifiable with an update of sorts.
Another pocket-sized but valid complaint is the lack of clarity on how to update the amp's firmware. The wording on Positive Filigree's website is like the instructions for splitting the atom and, for a writer who likes stuff that is Steve Job'south simple, this was a frustrating Microsoft-blazon moment. I got there in the finish by using Google.
Positive Grid Spark Amp review: Verdict
(Image credit: Positive Grid)
Equally a exercise, rehearsal and songwriting tool for pros, the Spark Amp delivers in spades – it sounds peachy and the wealth of amp sound options opens the door to all kinds of experimentation. Equally an amplifier for beginners just starting out on guitar information technology's a bright digital accompaniment that actually does help teach the basics in a fun and informative way.
Given the exemplary build and sound quality of the hardware and the surfeit of the app'south amazing features, a price of merely $250/AU$339 seems almost besides adept to exist true. In fact, its cost is right in the 'I tin beget that' range for both beginners and pros alike and for that reason alone the Spark Amp comes highly recommended.
• Pre-order the Spark Amp now from Positive Filigree (shipping to the United kingdom)
• Order the Spark Amp at present from Positive Grid (shipping to AUS)
Source: https://www.t3.com/reviews/positive-grid-spark-amp-review
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