This year, Positive Grid and Boss, two leading brands in the practice amp market, unveiled their latest offerings. Positive Grid introduced us to the Spark 2, a sequel to their popular Spark, while Boss launched the third iteration of their Katana series. Both amps come with a host of new features, enhanced sonic presence, and improved functionality, but what sets them apart? Let's delve into the unique features of each to help you decide which one is the right fit for you.
Today, we’re going to examine each of these amps in-depth, pitting them against each other to see which combo is really worth your hard-earned cash. I recently reviewed both models for Total Guitar magazine and MusicRadar, so I'll be using my hands-on experience with both products to come to a definitive conclusion.
So, if you're struggling to decide which practice amp is right for you, we’re here to hopefully settle the debate once and for all.
At a glance
Power: 50W
Speakers: 2 x 4-inch Full Range Speaker with custom angled horn
Effects: 33 Amp Models, 43 Effects, Choose up to 3 pre-amp effects, 3 post-amp effects, and 1 amp model for each preset
Looper: Yes
Dimensions: 375 x 180 x 214 mm
Weight: 5.5 Kg
Positive Grid Spark 2 review
Power: 50W
Speakers: 30 cm (12 inches) x 1
Effects: 6 Amp Models, 15 Effects
Looper: No
Dimensions: 470 x 238 x 398 mm
Weight: 11.6 Kg
Boss Katana 50 Gen 3 review
Design & build quality
Despite the Spark and Katana sharing the same 50-watt small-footprint practice combo format, Positive Grid and Boss have distinct design approaches. The Spark 2, with its sleek, compact build, is designed to be a desktop centerpiece, housing a pair of 4-inch full-range speakers with a custom angled horn for enhanced low-end and clarity. In contrast, the Katana 50 Gen 3, with its traditional amplifier look and a single 12-inch speaker, appeals to those who prefer a classic format.
In terms of aesthetics, the Spark 2 stands out with its elegant gold trim, stylish grill, and user-friendly control layout. These design elements not only make the amp visually appealing but also ensure a hassle-free operation, making it a top choice for those who value both style and convenience.
Now, as you’d expect, both of these amps have a reputation for being well-made and fairly robust, but if we were to pick a winner, it would have to be Boss. Boss is well known for creating a bomb-proof line of legendary stompboxes, and this outstanding quality most definitely extends to their practice amps. The robustness of the physical amp and the reliability of the software housed inside make the Boss Katana a secure choice for any player.
Winner: So, while it may not be as handsome as the Spark 2, our winner in this category has to go to the Boss Katana Gen 3. Overall the amp feels more sturdy and better equipped to handle the harsh conditions of the road, if you were to gig it.
Sound
Okay, let’s move on to the sound, and see which of these practice amps offers the best tonal experience. Now, with both amplifiers using digital modeling software to create a wealth of tones, each unit delivers a plethora of amp sounds and effects, but one certainly offers more than the other.
The Katana 50 Gen 3 offers users 6 amp models and 15 effects, which is undoubtedly enough for most situations. That said, it can be a little limiting, as you can’t mix and match the effects as freely as you may want. The Spark 2, on the other hand, is powered by the Bias tone engine which delivers an impressive 33 amp models, and a whopping 43 effects – but that’s not all, the Positive Grid app also grants players access to over 100,000 user tones via the Tonecloud.
In our opinion, the Spark 2 is infinitely more tweakable than the Katana, and the sound is a lot more dynamic, too. The Spark's unique full-frequency speaker setup delivers a sound with plenty of clarity in the top end but also a greater sense of depth – this becomes even more obvious when playing backing tracks through both amps.
That’s not to say we dislike the sound of the Katana. In our glowing review, we said, “It’s immediately obvious that Boss has gone to great lengths to improve the overall sound quality of the Katana MKIII, resulting in an amplifier that sounds more alive with sweetened highs, richer harmonics in the mid-range, and a tighter, more defined low-end.”
Winner: To our ears, both amps sound fantastic, but if we were to pick a winner, it would have to be the Positive Grid Spark 2, as you just can’t beat its tweakability and the sheer scale of tones available.
Features
Now, let’s examine the extra features offered on both amps. Both amps include Bluetooth connectivity for linking a smart device, playing backing tracks, and editing the sounds via an accompanying app, but the Spark 2 is the only one with Bluetooth fully integrated. The Boss Katana needs the Boss Bluetooth Audio MIDI Dual Adaptor, which, unfortunately, is an optional extra.
When the Spark 2 was announced many players were left asking the same question: will it finally have a looper? Well, the answer is yes. With two distinct modes, Simple and Groove, the Spark 2 now allows you to record phrases and riffs and jam over the top just like you would with a stand-alone looper pedal. Unfortunately, the Katana 50 Gen 3 doesn’t include this functionality.
Turning our attention to each amp’s companion app, and again, Positive Grid is streets ahead of Boss in this department. While the Boss app allows you to edit sounds and tweak your settings, it doesn’t offer much more than that. However, Positive Grid’s Spark app presents users with an abundance of fun and engaging practice tools.
We love our Positive Grid amps, but very occasionally we experience problems connecting our devices over Bluetooth, and the software can be a little buggy at times, too. That said, it can't be denied just how much more technologically advanced the Spark 2 is compared to the Katana.
Winner: From Smart Jam, a feature that will automatically generate a dynamic backing track based on your own riffs to Auto Chords, which will literally tell you the chords of any song you plug into it, as well as AI-generated tones and a looper, Spark 2 simply has more going on in terms of fun extras – so for that reason, it has to be our winner.
Value for money
Next, we need to compare the price of these two amps. It should come as no surprise that both Boss and Positive Grid Spark have positioned their amps at the same price point, $299 - albeit with Positive Grid currently offering the new Spark 2 at the discounted price of $269 for a limited time.
As you can imagine, this is a very competitive price point for practice amps. The market is flooded with technologically advanced units, but not many can offer the same wealth of tones, effects, and features as the Katana or Spark.
Winner: Despite their differences, we'd say both amps are fully worth the price. Both deliver a wealth of stunning tones at a fairly wallet-friendly price and are equipped with features that cater to different needs and preferences.
Final thoughts
So, there you go. We are crowning the impressive Spark 2 as our overall winner. That said, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right amp for you.
If you are looking for an all-singing-all-dancing practice amp that is choc-full of fun and exciting practice aids, AI-powered features, and a built-in looper, then yes, the Spark is the amp for you. However, if you like your amp a little more traditional, with a core of brilliant amp models that are not over-reliant on a phone app, then maybe the Katana 50 Gen 3 will be more your speed.
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