Katana thru a full stack my opinion.

[Mailman1971]

Ok,

Finally played the 100 watt katana head thru two 4x12's. Got the splitter Y box the other day.
results.....??

Meh. It was struggling. Sounds SOOOOO SWEET with one 4x12. It lost its spunk with a full stack. Had high hopes for this since it kills with the one cab.

Busted out the PRS Archon and then jammed out the rest of the night.

Of course I am not foolish thinking this amp would be the same as the 100 watt tube. But had high hopes.

Don't get me wrong. It sounded good. But not GREAT.

So just gonna bring it in the house and play it as a practice amp. It just got bumped off the stack.

 

[Balaguer]

thinking about grabbing one of these to keep at home in my office as a practice amp. seems like enough of ya'll dig em.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

Interesting!

What ohms were you running? Mine at 16 is killer BUT I only use one 2x12 at a time which based on the 100 watt combo 2x12 i would say it was designed for. At 16 it should be less power but Ive had it out with the band just fine.

Oddly enough i just sold my entire katana rig haha. I let the ampless guitarist in a project I play bass in use it for practice. After we were done he said "how much for the whole rig", between GAS and wanting to help him out we made a deal. I was already thinking about offing the head to try one of the HK tubemeisters as a tube alternative to the katana for my uses.

It is a great practice amp for ALL practice scenarios, bedroom, basement etc.. can do a love gig with aplomb. It is also very useful for demoing songs via usb. At this price there is nothing else that feels like this amp does compared to real tubes. A winner as a secondary or backup/practice head.

 

[Mailman1971]

: Was running 2 8 ohm 4x12's.

I mean.... It sounded GREAT!
But in 1 cab it excelled.

I am not knocking the Katana for 1 second. One of my all time buys!
But for jamming with what I want I have to go Tube.
I need a full stack. Spoiled by the stereo sound.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

: Was running 2 8 ohm 4x12's.

I mean.... It sounded GREAT!
But in 1 cab it excelled.

I am not knocking the Katana for 1 second. One of my all time buys!
But for jamming with what I want I have to go Tube.
I need a full stack. Spoiled by the stereo sound.

Now I wonder what it would sound like at 8 ohms through a 2x12 haha, MORE power.

Yeah my Diezels keep me happy! Figuring out how to run both of them into same cab so I can play all my gear at once lol.

 

[Mailman1971]

I really do enjoy this Amp.
But for my hobby practical needs it's my Mesas and the Archon.

 

[crankyrayhanky]

I wonder if that splitter sucked some tone?
Agreed it's not like a roaring tube stack, but last night through headphones I had a blast!

 

[Mailman1971]

I don't think it sucked the tones. But spread them more thinned out.
Probably best way to describe it.

 

[232cap]

Dan I see a katana getting listed in the classifieds shortly. lol

 

[Mailman1971]

Nah. I sold my Yamaha toaster amp I kept in the house.
After last nite I brang in the Katana.
It's the new indoors bitch practice amp

 

[godgrinder]

: Was running 2 8 ohm 4x12's.

I mean.... It sounded GREAT!
But in 1 cab it excelled.

Does your spiltter box run cabs in parallel or series? Because if it's in series you'd be losing wattage from a solid state head (actual output on solid state power section decreases as the load impedance increases).

 

[mystixboi]

thinking about grabbing one of these to keep at home in my office as a practice amp. seems like enough of ya'll dig em.

I have one. You are welcome to play it if I ever go to your shop... maybe if I pick up my semi custom growler? I am only 30 minutes away from you in New Jersey.

I love it. My 5150 iii 50 watt is for sale because of it

 

[MrDowntown]

thinking about grabbing one of these to keep at home in my office as a practice amp. seems like enough of ya'll dig em.

I have one. You are welcome to play it if I ever go to your shop... maybe if I pick up my semi custom growler? I am only 30 minutes away from you in New Jersey.

I love it. My 5150 iii 50 watt is for sale because of it

That's bold, re 5153 mini sale.

 

[JackBootedThug]

: Was running 2 8 ohm 4x12's.

I mean.... It sounded GREAT!
But in 1 cab it excelled.

I am not knocking the Katana for 1 second. One of my all time buys!
But for jamming with what I want I have to go Tube.
I need a full stack. Spoiled by the stereo sound.

you still using them pedals to play stereo? love splitting with a delay.....

 

[mystixboi]

thinking about grabbing one of these to keep at home in my office as a practice amp. seems like enough of ya'll dig em.

I have one. You are welcome to play it if I ever go to your shop... maybe if I pick up my semi custom growler? I am only 30 minutes away from you in New Jersey.

I love it. My 5150 iii 50 watt is for sale because of it

That's bold, re 5153 mini sale.

I know that it sounds crazy. However, whenever I plug in to the end, I just don't enjoy it at all.

 

[MrDowntown]

thinking about grabbing one of these to keep at home in my office as a practice amp. seems like enough of ya'll dig em.

I have one. You are welcome to play it if I ever go to your shop... maybe if I pick up my semi custom growler? I am only 30 minutes away from you in New Jersey.

I love it. My 5150 iii 50 watt is for sale because of it

That's bold, re 5153 mini sale.

I know that it sounds crazy. However, whenever I plug in to the end, I just don't enjoy it at all.

Not judging man...I understand . I've got a 5153 that I rarely play. It's a great amp...but I've got a Marshall clone that sounds better to my ear. The loop on the evh though....frackin phenomenal.

And if I'm being honest...This Katana craze has me ATM...right by the sack. it's just a matter of time I suppose before I break down and get one.

 

[Shask]

: Was running 2 8 ohm 4x12's.

I mean.... It sounded GREAT!
But in 1 cab it excelled.

I am not knocking the Katana for 1 second. One of my all time buys!
But for jamming with what I want I have to go Tube.
I need a full stack. Spoiled by the stereo sound.

That would be a total of 4 ohms and the Katana is only suppose to run at 8 ohms, or 16 ohms. I have a feeling you were running it outside the range it is suppose to operate in. That could explain the worse sound.

 

[Mailman1971]

When I bought the Y box. I explained what my cabs were. And explained what the output on the amp said. Was built a special splitter box. I mean it sounds 'the same'. But just thinner and less.

 

[godgrinder]

When I bought the Y box. I explained what my cabs were. And explained what the output on the amp said. Was built a special splitter box. I mean it sounds 'the same'. But just thinner and less.

Then sounds like he made you a serial one so you're having a 16ohm load which means decreased output. But if the Katana doesn't take a 4ohm load then you can't parallel 2x 8ohm cabs. So you're stuck with one cab.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

When I bought the Y box. I explained what my cabs were. And explained what the output on the amp said. Was built a special splitter box. I mean it sounds 'the same'. But just thinner and less.

Then sounds like he made you a serial one so you're having a 16ohm load which means decreased output. But if the Katana doesn't take a 4ohm load then you can't parallel 2x 8ohm cabs. So you're stuck with one cab.

16 or 8, they said 4 will kill it.