Boss Katana

[mystixboi]

I'm shocked that this amp isn't getting more traction on the forum. I found a few threads that mention it, but nothing significant.

I bought the 50 watt model and was floored, but decided to get the 100 watt combo this week. What an amp!!!!

Has anyone had a chance to buy/play one?

I haven't touched my 5150 iii since. I find that the time I've spent on playing has quintupled!!! This is the first piece of gear that I've gotten in quite some time that really inspires me and gets me excited to play. Here are some vids:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTXP_CQgyhc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRfBcKo_rIM&t=1498s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB1072f1dtI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX8MJjhmBZ8

And here's an 84 page thread from The Gear Page about it... the consensus over there is that the amp is amazeballs!!!

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index. ... s.1744135/

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

For the price for sure it is an interesting amp... sounds a tad compressed to me though. Also amazed at how all these guys cannot get a decent tone for their demos out of this stuff. Looks like Anderson's has a Royer now. They need to angle that thing and pull it slightly back. They have no clue most of the time and chat way too much!

I like the feature of being able to download any of the boss pedals to the effects selection within the amp though. Very cool. Brown channel sounds pretty good and cleans are nice.

 

[Elric]

It's not expensive and it has no tubes. Why are you surprised again?

 

[mudf00t]

I am not being a snob... it sounds terrible to me in every demo I have heard. I haven't seen one in a store as yet.

 

[jamme61]

I had to get the head to check it out- very impressed- it has this power amp thing that kicks ass IMHO its got great punch hits you in the chest like the real deal. Not crazy about some of the effects but haven't had it that long. I ab against my xtc and can dial in those sounds very close I mean realy close. I've had a kemper and like this thing a lot better for the simplicity of it all. The head even takes midi- was able to plug in an old middy buddy to go through the channels. This is a crazy great deal - got mine just under $300 shipped IMHO

 

[moltenmetalburn]

I am not being a snob... it sounds terrible to me in every demo I have heard. I haven't seen one in a store as yet.

Agreed sounds cheap and fake, however it IS.

Looks like BOSS wanted the spidervalve segment to be theirs, with his amp they are the clear winner as it destroys those.

Don't even want to try one.

 

[jamme61]

You can't judge anything from YouTube clips - why would you be so against this amp without playing one? I don't want to believe it either I love my tubes but this is getting so close in tone and feel for so little dollars.

 

[mystixboi]

I had to get the head to check it out- very impressed- it has this power amp thing that kicks ass IMHO its got great punch hits you in the chest like the real deal. Not crazy about some of the effects but haven't had it that long. I ab against my xtc and can dial in those sounds very close I mean realy close. I've had a kemper and like this thing a lot better for the simplicity of it all. The head even takes midi- was able to plug in an old middy buddy to go through the channels. This is a crazy great deal - got mine just under $300 shipped IMHO

I'm blown away by it each time I play it.

It's funny how people will miss out based on their bias against this kind of technology or the crappy clips on YouTube.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Well I have an axe fx 2 and had a Kemper, have bias, tried helix. None of them do it for me. Still prefer my tube amps. This may be on par with those for a few hundred dollars. If it is under why people are so impressed. I can't imagine with all the other modelers falling short to me id choose this one but ill agree anything can happen.

 

[romanianreaper]

Sounds amazing!! If I didn't have an AxeFx-II already, that would be a great little amp to have!

 

[supersonic]

I am not being a snob... it sounds terrible to me in every demo I have heard. I haven't seen one in a store as yet.

Agreed sounds cheap and fake, however it IS.

Looks like BOSS wanted the spidervalve segment to be theirs, with his amp they are the clear winner as it destroys those.

Don't even want to try one.

Yup!

 

[chadprsman]

Nope... It sounds good. I think a big part of the interest is that it doesn't cause tweakeritiss. Easy to dial in and not TOO many options.

 

[Chris6870]

Hey for $199 I'll pick one up to replace my Vyper bedroom amp.

 

[Chris6870]

Mine came this morning. I only got about 20 minutes with it but it's pretty nice. I got the 50 watt which is smaller than I thought it would be. It's not going to compete with my AX8 but for $199 it's a great little practice amp. Here's a pretty good demo-

 

[chadprsman]

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index. ... 5/page-127

 

[Chris6870]

I sent it back. Preferred my Vyper VIP2.

 

[cecilbag]

I sent it back. Preferred my Vyper VIP2.

Was it too trebly like some have said? I need a late night practice amp and thought about this

 

[mystixboi]

I sent it back. Preferred my Vyper VIP2.

Was it too trebly like some have said? I need a late night practice amp and thought about this

I found that dialing back the presence and treble fixed this

 

[Chris6870]

I sent it back. Preferred my Vyper VIP2.

Was it too trebly like some have said? I need a late night practice amp and thought about this

It just sounded small to me, which it is. Also I prefer that the Vyper has all the sounds and effects available on the front panel where the Katana you have to use the software to access all of them. Also Vyper has a tuner and looper and is closed back cab which adds a little body. Katana is not bad, I just prefer what I already have. I will say I plugged it into a 2x12 cab and it sounded really good.The small cab hurts it. The Katana head through a good cab probably sounds great.Check one out if your in the market.

 

[J-Rocks]

I picked up the 1x12 100W combo last week, I think it sounds pretty good. Used it with my band the other night and it cuts through nicely and has a nice feel to it I used it in the 50W mode with volume to spare, this thing can get real loud.