That's what I think all the time now and I'm only about as old as Ola. When I started playing as a teenager there was nothing available for a reasonable price. All the cheap gear was crap and all the good stuff was insanely expensive.
I just started playing almost a year and a half ago, I got the spark and am now getting the cab. I'm not gonna say it's better than my grandpas half stacks......but man, I can play/ practice anything I want with Bluetooth and all the digital pedals. Not only that, but I also got gifted a headrush MX5 modeling pedal, which I also plan to use with the CAB as well. Ain't gotta spend much to be spoiled for choice.
@@Gutszomb11 Agreed 💯! And in all fairness, an FRFR cab is a completely different animal compared to say a 4x12 stack. It's in the name for crying out loud...full range! And for that reason, yes you will have to tweak the patches in your modeler to make them sound their best.
@@sahamal_savu I'm three years younger than Ola and I'm from a neighbouring country and I remember getting by with this Zoom multi-FX pedal (3000-something) for a while in a band. It certainly wasn't great but then I didn't know how to tune in a good tone at that point either. There was also the POD's who weren't too bad I guess?
@@iseeu-fp9po The PODs were great at the time. That and a pair of Koss headphones was my first practice rig and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. But things got better. And they still are. The edge of the envelope keeps moving. Which is a good thing for us as musicians.
My band has two guitarists a bass player and me, the drummer. The rhythm player uses just a Spark 40 and can always be heard. It works for practice nights for us and classic rock stuff.
Of course it was. It was designed for bedroom practicing where the built in loudness curve works to it's advantage. Positive Grid made a full featured high powered amp at one time which sounded excellent. It was WAY ahead of it's time. Ola even gave it a positive review. But it didn't sell well. So they turned to the practice amp market, and they sold like hotcakes. Smart marketing move. They're in business to sell product after all.
@@djfusion2808 Exactly ! They should release a device that will allow us to use everything . Positive G told me they could not do it through the app ...........BULLSHIT ! We put a man on the moon in 69 !!! LOL
Thank you for being a straight shooter Ola. I was under the impression this was made for a live setting with a drummer and I was going to get one, but now I’m gonna hold off, at least until I can try one in person. Thanks for looking out for our wallets Ola!!!!
@@TheEchelonI mean yeah if you're wanting and spark equipment for live performances. It's underwhelming but not so much if you're using it at home for practice. For the price and for what it provides again for practice and small settings, it's great. Again, if you're looking for live performance equipment, you're looking in the wrong place
I’m going to respectfully disagree with Ola on this one. I preordered the spark cab and just plugged it in. This thing is LOUD!!! It can most definitely compete with a drum set.
@@scottturek4655 I got mine yesterday (Toronto Canada) Tried it with Mini. You notice the bottom end, but to me it sounds like they were trying to get the oomph of a 4x12 in that 10" speaker. I never had the extra bass in the Spark 40, and maybe cuz it sits on a coffee table AND I played around with Bass/Middle/Treble in the App to my liking. On Facebook, someone mentioned doubling up on Presets, one for Spark along, and another version dialed in for Cab
Dude I'm 43 and I just started playing about a year ago and I have a spark go and I love it it has helped me to be able to focus on playing alot more and it's also helping me figure out pedal functions and combos it's amazing and thanks for the review I'm ordering the cab I think it's a must have for me
I haven’t pulled the trigger on the cab yet. Just picked up a Spark 2 and love it. Ive been playing through a Marshall 2525C Silver Jubilee for 7 years and now it just sits collecting dust. I love the Spark 2 that much. The days of gear snobbery are behind us. Thank god.
My Spark 40 is very bass-heavy as well. I've see a lot of people mod them by filling the cabinet with foam to dampen some of the low end. I'm sure this cab could benefit from this as well as some EQ.
@@soupway3527, I’ve found the EQ handy for reducing the heavy bass. It’s a pity the Spark doesn’t have a global EQ option that covers all profiles if required and doesn’t take up a pedal slot.
@@Sgt6217I agree that the mini sounds better than the 40 through the speaker. But, I tend to use the 40 with monitor headphones, and it sounds perfect through it. But, if you turn down the bass completely on the physical amp knob, and raise the mid and treble, it really helps take away the boom sound. Ola seems to use the Spark with its built in settings and never goes in to manipulate the sounds on the app, as he would do on other amps or pedals. I don't get this. The Spark benefits from its ability to adjust everything within the app. What's the point of the Spark if you aren't using the app. It's the same problem I have when people complain about the Boss Katana. It's made to endlessly manipulate, to find the right sound for you and works with the app. I think it ends up turning a lot of people off to the Spark, because to me, it's the best practice amp a guitar player can own. I have never practiced as much as when I bought that amp. But, everyone has their tastes. The fact that I can replicate my favorite bands amp sound is so valuable to me.
I found the original spark amp a bit bass heavy too. I gave mine to my brother he loves it. Though he lives in a flat so it works well for him so he doesn't bother the neighbours.
I get it. I have a digital modelling mini-amp for the living room and it's great for that purpose - a quiet coffee table amp - but at louder volumes (or recording) a lot of these things have way too much low end. They are trying so hard to sound "big" that if you turn them up loud they sound woofy and are just missing all the frequencies you want more of and have too much of the frequencies that get in the way of the bass and drums.
Well, look at it this way. This thing is a HELL of a lot better than the shitty farty little Crate mini combo amp that I used and developed my basic playing skills on when I was a teenager. That thing sounded absolutely HORRIBLE but when you're a kid and just getting started it really makes a huge difference to have any low budget amp that can vaguely resemble the distortion that you're dying to hear. Today, I practice at home a lot by sending my amplifier signal to a mixer+PA and I imagine that probably sounds pretty similar to this as well (idk). Ultimately, still a great option for a beginner or casual play setting that doesn't require earth rumbling volume
I can't speak about their amps, but the Crate Powerblock and Cabinet was a great setup for modelers. I used it with a Boss GT-8. I got great tones with that setup.
I really love the new setup, we finally see more of the cool paintings. It's a bit dark though, I thought I had my brightness down but it was all the way up, so maybe mess with that a bit. Other than that, looking forward to seeing more demos in this room.
I put together my own Spark big rig using two Headrush powered speakers. A 112 and a 108 . Both push 2000 watts and shake the paint off the walls when turned up. I bought one of these cabs and it’s supposed to arrive today. I’m already thinking it’s really not going to measure up to what I’m currently running through. I’m sure I’ll find a way to use it though. Thanks as always for your honest input.
Big Spark fan. I was afraid that the volume wouldn't be enough for a venue. I'm still grabbing one since I've gone into the modeling over the past decade. I hope they do a proper sized one to atleast look like a 4x12. Thanks as always Ola, your honesty in your reviews are refreshing.
@@MeTuLHeD Over the summer on the night of the 4th of July I set mine up in the backyard. I ran my laptop through a mixer into my Headrush and simulated a fireworks show. It was every bit as loud as any real fireworks. I sold my actual amps and won't ever go back.
@@mykuntstynx9463 I believe you. The rig I heard sounded incredible and was absolutely gig worthy. And ultra clean even at very high volume. I don't know how they did it. But the headroom on those things is amazing.
I suspect it has to do with speaker designers trying to design it as "flat" like a Bluetooth speaker, so it's tuned for modern music which has heavy compression on the bass. Which means if you play a live instrument through it that has much more dynamic range, it's going to exaggerate the bass quite a lot. That said, plug this thing into a bass guitar and it's probably gonna be PERFECT.
Definitely either need to use an equalizer in the Spark app or an external equalizer to bring down that muddy bass. I can understand why they do it in the small speakers, to make it sound more full, but I fully expected them to remedy that with this amp. That's kind of ridiculous.
@@section8usmc53 no, I don't know what you meant. How do you think they could remedy bass response in a full range FLAT RESPONSE cabinet? If it changes the bass, it's no longer flat response. So what did you mean when you said you expected them to remedy it with this?
Good review and a great question at the end, who is this for? I have the Spark 40 and I need to use the EQ pedal on all my presets to remove the wooliness from the amp. Maybe because it can be used for bass guitars it needs the capability of low end but maybe a high pass filter knob on the amp would help.
@@skewbertoescobaresq2327 Yes but to get an EQ in the app you have to forego using other modulation effects. The basic bass, mid and treble are not adequate to deal with the frequencies needing to be reduced. Why not make this EQ a separate device?
@@JohnLloydDavis Good question, that would make a lot of sense. I guess you can't use a chorus with a phaser or a flanger either as they are all under the mod/eq area. Maybe they will do an update in the future to split off the EQ pedal
This video looks excellent and sounds excellent Ola. Sometimes ya just a little change man, and that brightens things up for a long time. I love that Metallica preset, and Metallica always cranked the bass and treble on there Mesa Mark C+ Heads. I'm a tube amp guy, this amp is definitely a jam amp I'd say. Excellent Video Ola. Take care.🤘🏻🤘🏻
contour is a high and low end boost , for low volume. Contour needs to be off at higher volumes. You can further take the base with the relatively new eq pedal.
I'm very impressed that the cab can be used with just apark equipment you can use other amps if they have a line out and it increases the wattage plus it doesn't take up a lot of space.I like the stage y make a lot of clone equipment and gear. It's also pedal friendly.
The Price. This is for people who can't afford the "real gear". If you purchase the Spark Go/Mini and the cabinet together you get a bazillion different amps/effect petals for under $500. For a non-professional musician being able to switch from David Gilmore to Stevie Ray to Dimebag without having to invest in overdrives, delay, chorus or noise gate petals is a godsend for the wallet. I would have killed for this as a teenaged beginner.
sure, you need to tweak the presets to not sound as woofy... but that's just the nature of presets built with the built in speaker of a spark: you crank the bass to get any bass response. Sure that is too much for an FRFR, but on the other hand, that spark cab is a bang for your bug. Imagine: Spark Go plus Spark Cab and Spark Control gives you not only a practice, but a gig-ready rig for 500€ quit. What a great time to be guitar player. I really enjoy the Spark go for practice and back up rig and my Line 6 Catalyst as my main rig. No need to carry big tube amps and big cabs anymore^^
It's literally full range flat response. It doesn't add or remove bass or any other frequencies. If you send it a bassy signal, it will make that loud. So if you don't want that .... dont do that.
@@iainmcguire7190 yes it's supposed to be flat, but that doesnt guarantee that it is. Someone would need to measure the speaker to confirm that. It's entirely possible that the speaker is bass heavy, which would be unfortunate.
@@MattZildjian yeah, certainly not this UA-camr. To be frank though, I'm fairly sure they checked it was a FRFR cab before selling it as a FRFR cab. If you fancy waiting for someone to test that, be my guest.
I’m thinking about buying one of these for my girlfriend because she likes the her spark amp, but she wants to gig with it in her cover band. I think it could work especially since there’s an XLR out that could plug straight into the mixer or the PA, and she works with a drummer with an electric kit.
Ola, in your opinion, could a guy run an old school EQ pedal between the guitar and the Spark 40 (to get rid of the woof) which would free up modulation effects in the Spark?
For a full range speaker that is supposed to have a "flat" frequency response, it has too much emphasis on the low end. I wonder how it works with a bass.
You clearly don't understand FRFR. All frequencies are represented. You must shape and EQ the sounds coming from the modeler for optimum performance. This is the case with ALL modelers used through an FRFR and even through many cabs.
Reminds me a bit of those older multi FX boards with really 'fat' demo presets, so when you try them you get an 'amazing' tone. Once you play with your band, you'll have to tone down all kinds of reverb, chorus, delay, EQ ... Is this supposed to appeal to 'generation bass boost' out of the box? And if there is a way to adjust the EQ, I'm disappointed Ola couldn't figure it out and didn't show it.
There's EQ on all the amp models, and separate guitar and bass EQ pedals, if you need more EQ shaping. Ola simply didn't bother actually trying any of them.
@@iainmcguire7190 I suppose that's done in software, through USB or a mobile app? Pretty standard these days, so I'd expect that to be part of any "test".
@@fonesrphunny7242 yes, there's an app that runs on phones, tablets etc, and connects to the amp over Bluetooth, where you choose your virtual amp model (fender twin, ac30, Marshall etc) and set its eq, and then add virtual pedals to taste, chorus, overdrive, delay etc, and there are options to add additional 6 band EQ pedals that suit whether you've connected a guitar or bass. So there's both a bass eq pedal, and a guitar eq pedal. So you can sculpt the sound like you'd imagine, he just hasn't done that at all. He's downloaded some user created presets from the online ToneCloud, then said they don't sound how he'd like. It's a super lazy "review"
Hi Ola. Thanks for review. I was doubting will it sound like rafinated and not real and thank you for replying that yes, I think if compare it with 12 inch guitar cab using return from guitar processor, the spark have to be less real / natural. Now I am doubting: do Line6 Powercab also will be like this? If so - it's better just to take second amp with 12 inch speaker and have stereo from "real" cabs. Playing through multifx into real cab for me much better than playing into studio monitors - it's just better and more real and enjoyable
It’s easy to say, “I wish i had this when i was starting out X years ago”. However, if i had this back then, I might have missed out on some things I picked up organically along the way.
Ola , I had to almost cut the bass out of my presets and use the eq . What sux is you can't use any modulation pedals if you use the EQ . I wish they could sell a Spark Box for $50 that allows you to use all effects . These are the best practice, busking amps on the market .
Probably standing next to the amplifier, rather than in front, takes away a bit the perception of the medium and high frequencies. In my opinion it would always be better to test a speaker standing in front, at head height, or at the height of the audience listening to the live performance. And the "woofy" sound could depend by the settings of the amp. If you use SPARK with its own speaker, usually you raise up the bass. So if you switch from SPARK speaker to CABINET, you must change the eq of the amp. My two cents of course!! ^____^
I really appreciate that you review products that aren't necessarily ... awesome. I can see the benefits of this cab, and I can see it's not really for me.
Hi Ola and greetings from Finland! I challenge you to learn this song called "Misery prevails" from a finnish alternative death metal band called Medeia in the next episode of Ola learns. Keep chugging bro!
@@roviverdandelarosa2181 Yeah, I just checked, it has 2 tweeters, which is why the say it's stereo. I have to pass then, I have a Spark 40 and it's loud and boomy enough for the living room. Don't have a use for this thing. Any chance the same people work there as with Marvel? They release stuff nobody asks for and ignore what people really wanted.
I like Positive Grid. I've got two of their BIAS FX 2 Elite packages, but my gripe about their amp is that they don't offer a head that can connect to a regular cab.
I guess like the Spark 40 (for example), it's gonna have a bit of bass if it's got full range speakers. A jack of all trades if you will. I understand one can play bass and acoustic guitar through it as well. Nothing a Boss GE-7 can't take care of I guess. Depends on what you'd use it for.
It sounds great with the quad cortex. I thought of getting getting two for amp sims for playback monitoring rhythm guitar while playing lead guitar so it sounds like “real” amps playing…although at that cost one could get really good monitors so as mentioned I’m not sure who it’s for unless you have a modeling box and want a loud amp feel…perhaps it would be nice with a headrush or the vox vt stomp
I've owned the Spark 40w and it had plenty enough headroom to play alongside a drummer and a bass player. Not sure why I would need more than for a small rehearsal but I'm sure this is for someone out there looking for a little more bite... or should I say, "woof."
I have all PG products. I was so exciting before I receive this Cab but I was so disapoingted with it. When I turn on the CAB I can head a loud noisy and when i play clean tone the noisy is still there. It does not sound good. I throw it away now. Dont want to touch it anymore.
I think all the Spark stuff suffers from being a little boomy, but even if it didn't, if this really is an FRFR as it's marketed then wouldn't it just pass on the boom to this cab? that's my way of thinking at least but I guess it does depend on whether the 40's boom is a result of the speaker itself, or the profiling trying to compensate for the small size.
I always assumed the boominess was just the result of the speaker and cabinet design and wasn’t actually baked into their software but you might be right @@Guddler
I guess, but it’s a modelling amp. When I change to the Marshall head with the bass on 5 it should sound like a Marshall head with the bass on 5, not on 10. @@AnthonyBencomo
I actually love my Spark 40 most of the time but it has some inconsistency with tone and volume. Sometimes I have to turn it off and on 10 times before it sounds the way it’s supposed to. But I’m not sure if it’s the software or the power section.
What’s better? Sound is good enough for my basement and nothing beats the library of tonecloud, that I’ve seen and that’s most important to me. Is something better?
Probably needs some tweaking, but doesn't sound great on my end. This thing is in the same price range as a Headrush FRFR/ALTO TS which are more serious speakers.
So wait, for example you connect this to your output, and you bypass your IR in the software, so it serves as an actual cab, or you use your IR normally and you use this as a sort of audio output, like you would you use your headphones?
Imagine being a kid just starting out on guitar and having access to a Spark amp and this cab. What a great time to be alive!
That's what I think all the time now and I'm only about as old as Ola. When I started playing as a teenager there was nothing available for a reasonable price. All the cheap gear was crap and all the good stuff was insanely expensive.
I just started playing almost a year and a half ago, I got the spark and am now getting the cab. I'm not gonna say it's better than my grandpas half stacks......but man, I can play/ practice anything I want with Bluetooth and all the digital pedals. Not only that, but I also got gifted a headrush MX5 modeling pedal, which I also plan to use with the CAB as well. Ain't gotta spend much to be spoiled for choice.
@@Gutszomb11 Agreed 💯!
And in all fairness, an FRFR cab is a completely different animal compared to say a 4x12 stack. It's in the name for crying out loud...full range! And for that reason, yes you will have to tweak the patches in your modeler to make them sound their best.
@@sahamal_savu I'm three years younger than Ola and I'm from a neighbouring country and I remember getting by with this Zoom multi-FX pedal (3000-something) for a while in a band. It certainly wasn't great but then I didn't know how to tune in a good tone at that point either. There was also the POD's who weren't too bad I guess?
@@iseeu-fp9po The PODs were great at the time. That and a pair of Koss headphones was my first practice rig and I thought I had died and gone to heaven. But things got better. And they still are. The edge of the envelope keeps moving. Which is a good thing for us as musicians.
My band has two guitarists a bass player and me, the drummer. The rhythm player uses just a Spark 40 and can always be heard. It works for practice nights for us and classic rock stuff.
DC out 19V is for powering the "full" Spark, USB-C is for charging up Spark GO or powering Spark Mini.
w=do you know where to get a cable for this (charge out from cab and into spark amp) ?
The spark mini was probably set up to accentuate the bass and presence to make that small speaker sound better which is why there were almost no mids
Of course it was. It was designed for bedroom practicing where the built in loudness curve works to it's advantage.
Positive Grid made a full featured high powered amp at one time which sounded excellent. It was WAY ahead of it's time. Ola even gave it a positive review. But it didn't sell well. So they turned to the practice amp market, and they sold like hotcakes. Smart marketing move. They're in business to sell product after all.
I thought that may be the case, until he tested the quad cortex and it was also boomy, real shame :(
Use the eq pedal on presets, makes a huge difference
I can confirm that
Same
Takes up a Mod pedal slot though, it would be great if we could have separate EQ @@ozi76
@@djfusion2808 Exactly ! They should release a device that will allow us to use everything . Positive G told me they could not do it through the app ...........BULLSHIT ! We put a man on the moon in 69 !!! LOL
Does that help with the bass tone on clean and chorus? I'm struggling with too much bass and thinking about returning it.
Thank you for being a straight shooter Ola. I was under the impression this was made for a live setting with a drummer and I was going to get one, but now I’m gonna hold off, at least until I can try one in person. Thanks for looking out for our wallets Ola!!!!
Sounds underwhelming imo, like the other Spark products
@@TheEchelonI mean yeah if you're wanting and spark equipment for live performances. It's underwhelming but not so much if you're using it at home for practice. For the price and for what it provides again for practice and small settings, it's great. Again, if you're looking for live performance equipment, you're looking in the wrong place
@TheEchelon The Mini has a good tone. The original sounds like it has 2 blankets over it.
I’m going to respectfully disagree with Ola on this one. I preordered the spark cab and just plugged it in. This thing is LOUD!!! It can most definitely compete with a drum set.
@@scottturek4655 I got mine yesterday (Toronto Canada) Tried it with Mini. You notice the bottom end, but to me it sounds like they were trying to get the oomph of a 4x12 in that 10" speaker. I never had the extra bass in the Spark 40, and maybe cuz it sits on a coffee table AND I played around with Bass/Middle/Treble in the App to my liking. On Facebook, someone mentioned doubling up on Presets, one for Spark along, and another version dialed in for Cab
Thanks for plugging in the QC!!! I was wondering about that myself. 👍
The spark does sound bassy like a Crate cabinet...but Spark does have an EQ on the app that helps add high end
Dude I'm 43 and I just started playing about a year ago and I have a spark go and I love it it has helped me to be able to focus on playing alot more and it's also helping me figure out pedal functions and combos it's amazing and thanks for the review I'm ordering the cab I think it's a must have for me
I'm getting two! Full stack, baby!
I haven’t pulled the trigger on the cab yet. Just picked up a Spark 2 and love it. Ive been playing through a Marshall 2525C Silver Jubilee for 7 years and now it just sits collecting dust. I love the Spark 2 that much. The days of gear snobbery are behind us. Thank god.
I actually really liked the spark tones rather than the quad cortex tones to be honest through the cab.
Much brighter and responsive to my ears.
My Spark 40 is very bass-heavy as well. I've see a lot of people mod them by filling the cabinet with foam to dampen some of the low end. I'm sure this cab could benefit from this as well as some EQ.
Hi, i been using eq in the spark app it’s can solve a bass heavy problem. ( if u couldn’t use the eq try update the spark firmware)
Hope this help😊
I wonder how the Cab would sound with an open back instead of the bass reflex cab it has now.
@@soupway3527, I’ve found the EQ handy for reducing the heavy bass. It’s a pity the Spark doesn’t have a global EQ option that covers all profiles if required and doesn’t take up a pedal slot.
I have a mini and a 40. The mini has a global eq feature, and imo, it sounds better than the 40!
@@Sgt6217I agree that the mini sounds better than the 40 through the speaker. But, I tend to use the 40 with monitor headphones, and it sounds perfect through it.
But, if you turn down the bass completely on the physical amp knob, and raise the mid and treble, it really helps take away the boom sound.
Ola seems to use the Spark with its built in settings and never goes in to manipulate the sounds on the app, as he would do on other amps or pedals. I don't get this. The Spark benefits from its ability to adjust everything within the app. What's the point of the Spark if you aren't using the app.
It's the same problem I have when people complain about the Boss Katana. It's made to endlessly manipulate, to find the right sound for you and works with the app.
I think it ends up turning a lot of people off to the Spark, because to me, it's the best practice amp a guitar player can own. I have never practiced as much as when I bought that amp.
But, everyone has their tastes. The fact that I can replicate my favorite bands amp sound is so valuable to me.
I found the original spark amp a bit bass heavy too. I gave mine to my brother he loves it. Though he lives in a flat so it works well for him so he doesn't bother the neighbours.
Same here, have to dial my Spark and Katana with the bass way down and the treble way up. Figured it was just my old ears. 😅
That cabinet smack was the hottest thing I’ve seen in a while.
Waiting for mine.Hopefully the next week.Thanks Ola.
I get it. I have a digital modelling mini-amp for the living room and it's great for that purpose - a quiet coffee table amp - but at louder volumes (or recording) a lot of these things have way too much low end. They are trying so hard to sound "big" that if you turn them up loud they sound woofy and are just missing all the frequencies you want more of and have too much of the frequencies that get in the way of the bass and drums.
Sounds good. Like others have said what a time to be alive for gear and imagine just starting out! Keep the reviews coming Ola!
And it’s cheap compared to similar size cab
Well, look at it this way. This thing is a HELL of a lot better than the shitty farty little Crate mini combo amp that I used and developed my basic playing skills on when I was a teenager. That thing sounded absolutely HORRIBLE but when you're a kid and just getting started it really makes a huge difference to have any low budget amp that can vaguely resemble the distortion that you're dying to hear. Today, I practice at home a lot by sending my amplifier signal to a mixer+PA and I imagine that probably sounds pretty similar to this as well (idk).
Ultimately, still a great option for a beginner or casual play setting that doesn't require earth rumbling volume
I always felt bad for the other kids who had Crate amps. I was lucky and had a Peavey Bandit back then.
I can't speak about their amps, but the Crate Powerblock and Cabinet was a great setup for modelers. I used it with a Boss GT-8. I got great tones with that setup.
The cabinet also came with a Celestion speaker in it.
dont think ill ever quite get over that guitar
Cannot wait to get my Spark Cab to go with my Riff interface
Coming from SWOLA163, I like this room ! The idea of including yet another one is refreshing. Definitely use it !
Preachers of Death! Killer riffs. Strength in Numbers with the 🧨Spark
Hell yeah! Totally agree. I use more of the free plugins than anything. As long as you know what you’re doing, you can make it sound great.
The riff at 6:40 with the hammer on? That's badass.
I really love the new setup, we finally see more of the cool paintings. It's a bit dark though, I thought I had my brightness down but it was all the way up, so maybe mess with that a bit. Other than that, looking forward to seeing more demos in this room.
There is an eq "pedal" in the updated software that cures the issue with boominess. Downside is it replaces the chorus/flanger pedals.
Ye but the Quad still was woofy
I put together my own Spark big rig using two Headrush powered speakers. A 112 and a 108 . Both push 2000 watts and shake the paint off the walls when turned up. I bought one of these cabs and it’s supposed to arrive today. I’m already thinking it’s really not going to measure up to what I’m currently running through. I’m sure I’ll find a way to use it though. Thanks as always for your honest input.
how did it turn out?
@@Gogo..... my wife is using it as her bass rig with a Spark mini for the head. It sounds great but could in no way measure up to my Headrush rig.
I have a Seymour Duncan power stage 200, and a 1 12 fender cab, I put my helix through that and it sound hella cool
Was waiting for a great spark cab video.
Big Spark fan. I was afraid that the volume wouldn't be enough for a venue. I'm still grabbing one since I've gone into the modeling over the past decade. I hope they do a proper sized one to atleast look like a 4x12. Thanks as always Ola, your honesty in your reviews are refreshing.
New room looks great!
My Spark cab arrived this morning, wow it very loud!!
Did you find theSpark Cab you played to be too bassy,
or can you dial that out with the EQ pedal?
"I'm Ola Englund the Swede" always cracks me up no matter how many times I've heard it
I needed an FRFR a couple of months ago. Ended up getting a little Alto PA wedge for my helix. TBH I'm glad I got what I did and not this thing.
Still messed up! Get a fender fr12 or 10 =)
I own a pair of Headrush 112s
They're criminally loud and badass
@@mykuntstynx9463 I heard a rig which was a Quad Cortex through two Headrush wedges. Sounded absolutely amazing. And wall of sound loud!
@@MeTuLHeD
Over the summer on the night of the 4th of July I set mine up in the backyard.
I ran my laptop through a mixer into my Headrush and simulated a fireworks show.
It was every bit as loud as any real fireworks.
I sold my actual amps and won't ever go back.
@@mykuntstynx9463 I believe you. The rig I heard sounded incredible and was absolutely gig worthy. And ultra clean even at very high volume. I don't know how they did it. But the headroom on those things is amazing.
Most of what i have/tried with class d power is bass heavy. Im sure some builders eq that out. I do think it works well with the tiny stuff
I suspect it has to do with speaker designers trying to design it as "flat" like a Bluetooth speaker, so it's tuned for modern music which has heavy compression on the bass. Which means if you play a live instrument through it that has much more dynamic range, it's going to exaggerate the bass quite a lot.
That said, plug this thing into a bass guitar and it's probably gonna be PERFECT.
@@Stoney3K I was thinking the same thing. Perfect for bass guitar but not for electric. Too much bass for my taste..
"you can connect your iPod"
I guess Ola is into vintage gear now
Definitely either need to use an equalizer in the Spark app or an external equalizer to bring down that muddy bass. I can understand why they do it in the small speakers, to make it sound more full, but I fully expected them to remedy that with this amp. That's kind of ridiculous.
It's not an amp, it's a cabinet. Whatever you put into it, it boosts the volume, that's all it does. It's a crap demo.
@@iainmcguire7190 You knew wtf I meant.
@@iainmcguire7190 It also puts out 140 watts. It amplifies the signal. Amplifier.
@@section8usmc53 no, I don't know what you meant. How do you think they could remedy bass response in a full range FLAT RESPONSE cabinet?
If it changes the bass, it's no longer flat response. So what did you mean when you said you expected them to remedy it with this?
@@iainmcguire7190 Play dumb all you want. Have a nice day.
Definetly on my purchase list. Hope it will come with customizable grill options.
It Does!
You made a great ambient out there. 🤘🤘🤘🤘
This is amazing, I’m sold
Good review and a great question at the end, who is this for? I have the Spark 40 and I need to use the EQ pedal on all my presets to remove the wooliness from the amp. Maybe because it can be used for bass guitars it needs the capability of low end but maybe a high pass filter knob on the amp would help.
It totally has settings and presets for bass. As others have mentioned you can easily EQ out the low end in the app.
@@skewbertoescobaresq2327 Yes but to get an EQ in the app you have to forego using other modulation effects. The basic bass, mid and treble are not adequate to deal with the frequencies needing to be reduced. Why not make this EQ a separate device?
@@JohnLloydDavis Good question, that would make a lot of sense. I guess you can't use a chorus with a phaser or a flanger either as they are all under the mod/eq area. Maybe they will do an update in the future to split off the EQ pedal
I have a Headrush MX5 and am on the prowl for an FRFR cabinet like this.
Honest review that helped me decide if I needed one of these speakers. Nice job. 👍
I'm glad you did not
Cheers Ola, you just saved me €299!
😎Just ordered one today coming next January!!!
Sounds insane
This new studio set is metal as f**k!🤘
This video looks excellent and sounds excellent Ola. Sometimes ya just a little change man, and that brightens things up for a long time. I love that Metallica preset, and Metallica always cranked the bass and treble on there Mesa Mark C+ Heads. I'm a tube amp guy, this amp is definitely a jam amp I'd say. Excellent Video Ola. Take care.🤘🏻🤘🏻
contour is a high and low end boost , for low volume. Contour needs to be off at higher volumes. You can further take the base with the relatively new eq pedal.
Am I crazy for thinking it sounds like there’s a bunch of moving blankets on top of a cab?
Keep this room setup, gives a more at homey feel and I'm diggin it
I'm very impressed that the cab can be used with just apark equipment you can use other amps if they have a line out and it increases the wattage plus it doesn't take up a lot of space.I like the stage y make a lot of clone equipment and gear. It's also pedal friendly.
Use the Built in EQ
The Price. This is for people who can't afford the "real gear". If you purchase the Spark Go/Mini and the cabinet together you get a bazillion different amps/effect petals for under $500. For a non-professional musician being able to switch from David Gilmore to Stevie Ray to Dimebag without having to invest in overdrives, delay, chorus or noise gate petals is a godsend for the wallet. I would have killed for this as a teenaged beginner.
With the 40 on top its a cool looking living room mini stack all wireless w an rf dongle
Thank You Ola 🎉🎉🎉
I can see Dimebag walking around with a spark ripping.
sure, you need to tweak the presets to not sound as woofy... but that's just the nature of presets built with the built in speaker of a spark: you crank the bass to get any bass response. Sure that is too much for an FRFR, but on the other hand, that spark cab is a bang for your bug. Imagine: Spark Go plus Spark Cab and Spark Control gives you not only a practice, but a gig-ready rig for 500€ quit. What a great time to be guitar player. I really enjoy the Spark go for practice and back up rig and my Line 6 Catalyst as my main rig. No need to carry big tube amps and big cabs anymore^^
100!!! Always 100!!!
Have you tried taking some of the lows out on the new EQ addition to the software?
More fun than monitors at a computer? That’s what I was thinking of getting one for, for a modeller or running plugins through from my laptop for fun.
Mine is showing up tomorrow !!!
Thank you for being honest!!!
It's so cool how Positive Grid named an entire line of their products after one of your songs
Sounds very bassy like the spark 40
It's literally full range flat response. It doesn't add or remove bass or any other frequencies. If you send it a bassy signal, it will make that loud. So if you don't want that .... dont do that.
@@iainmcguire7190 yes it's supposed to be flat, but that doesnt guarantee that it is. Someone would need to measure the speaker to confirm that. It's entirely possible that the speaker is bass heavy, which would be unfortunate.
@@MattZildjian yeah, certainly not this UA-camr. To be frank though, I'm fairly sure they checked it was a FRFR cab before selling it as a FRFR cab. If you fancy waiting for someone to test that, be my guest.
I’m thinking about buying one of these for my girlfriend because she likes the her spark amp, but she wants to gig with it in her cover band. I think it could work especially since there’s an XLR out that could plug straight into the mixer or the PA, and she works with a drummer with an electric kit.
Ola, in your opinion, could a guy run an old school EQ pedal between the guitar and the Spark 40 (to get rid of the woof) which would free up modulation effects in the Spark?
this is cool, especially if there's an option for custom speaker grills as well like the other Sparks
For a full range speaker that is supposed to have a "flat" frequency response, it has too much emphasis on the low end. I wonder how it works with a bass.
You clearly don't understand FRFR. All frequencies are represented. You must shape and EQ the sounds coming from the modeler for optimum performance. This is the case with ALL modelers used through an FRFR and even through many cabs.
Reminds me a bit of those older multi FX boards with really 'fat' demo presets, so when you try them you get an 'amazing' tone. Once you play with your band, you'll have to tone down all kinds of reverb, chorus, delay, EQ ...
Is this supposed to appeal to 'generation bass boost' out of the box?
And if there is a way to adjust the EQ, I'm disappointed Ola couldn't figure it out and didn't show it.
There's EQ on all the amp models, and separate guitar and bass EQ pedals, if you need more EQ shaping. Ola simply didn't bother actually trying any of them.
@@iainmcguire7190 I suppose that's done in software, through USB or a mobile app? Pretty standard these days, so I'd expect that to be part of any "test".
@@fonesrphunny7242 yes, there's an app that runs on phones, tablets etc, and connects to the amp over Bluetooth, where you choose your virtual amp model (fender twin, ac30, Marshall etc) and set its eq, and then add virtual pedals to taste, chorus, overdrive, delay etc, and there are options to add additional 6 band EQ pedals that suit whether you've connected a guitar or bass. So there's both a bass eq pedal, and a guitar eq pedal.
So you can sculpt the sound like you'd imagine, he just hasn't done that at all.
He's downloaded some user created presets from the online ToneCloud, then said they don't sound how he'd like. It's a super lazy "review"
Hi Ola. Thanks for review. I was doubting will it sound like rafinated and not real and thank you for replying that yes, I think if compare it with 12 inch guitar cab using return from guitar processor, the spark have to be less real / natural.
Now I am doubting: do Line6 Powercab also will be like this? If so - it's better just to take second amp with 12 inch speaker and have stereo from "real" cabs. Playing through multifx into real cab for me much better than playing into studio monitors - it's just better and more real and enjoyable
The Spark go, the Spark Hello or the Spark See you later!!!!
You almost killed me with this, man!!!!! So Funny!!!! 😂😂😂😂😂
It’s easy to say, “I wish i had this when i was starting out X years ago”. However, if i had this back then, I might have missed out on some things I picked up organically along the way.
Ola , I had to almost cut the bass out of my presets and use the eq . What sux is you can't use any modulation pedals if you use the EQ . I wish they could sell a Spark Box for $50 that allows you to use all effects . These are the best practice, busking amps on the market .
Probably standing next to the amplifier, rather than in front, takes away a bit the perception of the medium and high frequencies. In my opinion it would always be better to test a speaker standing in front, at head height, or at the height of the audience listening to the live performance.
And the "woofy" sound could depend by the settings of the amp. If you use SPARK with its own speaker, usually you raise up the bass. So if you switch from SPARK speaker to CABINET, you must change the eq of the amp. My two cents of course!! ^____^
Everything he touches turn into gold
Thank you, Ola. Canceled my pre-order and asked for refund.
I really appreciate that you review products that aren't necessarily ... awesome. I can see the benefits of this cab, and I can see it's not really for me.
Let's hear a spark through a line 6 power cab!
Hi Ola and greetings from Finland! I challenge you to learn this song called "Misery prevails" from a finnish alternative death metal band called Medeia in the next episode of Ola learns.
Keep chugging bro!
Ttheir song is such a kick ass song. Great reaction!!! 🔥 Btw seriously you need to reacto to Dark by October Ends
Cool video!
It's smaller than I thought. For some reason I had the impression it's more the size of a 2x12 or something.
Yeah it's a 1x10 with a 1 inch tweeter.
@@roviverdandelarosa2181 Yeah, I just checked, it has 2 tweeters, which is why the say it's stereo. I have to pass then, I have a Spark 40 and it's loud and boomy enough for the living room. Don't have a use for this thing. Any chance the same people work there as with Marvel? They release stuff nobody asks for and ignore what people really wanted.
I like Positive Grid. I've got two of their BIAS FX 2 Elite packages, but my gripe about their amp is that they don't offer a head that can connect to a regular cab.
They used to
I guess like the Spark 40 (for example), it's gonna have a bit of bass if it's got full range speakers. A jack of all trades if you will. I understand one can play bass and acoustic guitar through it as well. Nothing a Boss GE-7 can't take care of I guess. Depends on what you'd use it for.
Spark is all about that, for playing at home with a bunch of online presets.
Sounded good esp with the quad
It sounds great with the quad cortex. I thought of getting getting two for amp sims for playback monitoring rhythm guitar while playing lead guitar so it sounds like “real” amps playing…although at that cost one could get really good monitors so as mentioned I’m not sure who it’s for unless you have a modeling box and want a loud amp feel…perhaps it would be nice with a headrush or the vox vt stomp
this with a Mini head would be great for most guys
I've owned the Spark 40w and it had plenty enough headroom to play alongside a drummer and a bass player. Not sure why I would need more than for a small rehearsal but I'm sure this is for someone out there looking for a little more bite... or should I say, "woof."
Why would they make things that bassy? It sounds like you keep the cab down in the cellar while you play upstairs.
Ok. I hooked the Spark 40 up to a pair of FR FR Headrush 2000 watt speakers. Am I loud enough now?
Spark! ✔️😊
I have all PG products. I was so exciting before I receive this Cab but I was so disapoingted with it. When I turn on the CAB I can head a loud noisy and when i play clean tone the noisy is still there. It does not sound good. I throw it away now. Dont want to touch it anymore.
Say again the Dude is Awesome
I was hoping to get this to solve my Spark 40 boominess but it sounds like this has a similar sound profile.
I think all the Spark stuff suffers from being a little boomy, but even if it didn't, if this really is an FRFR as it's marketed then wouldn't it just pass on the boom to this cab? that's my way of thinking at least but I guess it does depend on whether the 40's boom is a result of the speaker itself, or the profiling trying to compensate for the small size.
The be fair, eq changes a less boomy IR might help.
Their thoughts are probably, it’s better to be able to take the bass out rather than not have it at all.
I always assumed the boominess was just the result of the speaker and cabinet design and wasn’t actually baked into their software but you might be right @@Guddler
I guess, but it’s a modelling amp. When I change to the Marshall head with the bass on 5 it should sound like a Marshall head with the bass on 5, not on 10. @@AnthonyBencomo
I actually love my Spark 40 most of the time but it has some inconsistency with tone and volume. Sometimes I have to turn it off and on 10 times before it sounds the way it’s supposed to. But I’m not sure if it’s the software or the power section.
So just like the Spark 40, it has too much bass and not enough highs. I have a few pieces and have realized that Positive Grid gear sucks.
Yeah.... I just couldn't gel with their products 😔
What’s better? Sound is good enough for my basement and nothing beats the library of tonecloud, that I’ve seen and that’s most important to me. Is something better?
Probably needs some tweaking, but doesn't sound great on my end. This thing is in the same price range as a Headrush FRFR/ALTO TS which are more serious speakers.
So wait, for example you connect this to your output, and you bypass your IR in the software, so it serves as an actual cab, or you use your IR normally and you use this as a sort of audio output, like you would you use your headphones?
You HAVE to use an ir in most cases. Not with your spark products though. Those emulate a speaker cab that you can’t change.
You have to use an IR. Like when you are using a PA or Hi-fi speaker/monitor.