Roland Micro Cube vs Modded Roland Micro Cube
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- Опубліковано 10 гру 2019
- Roland Micro Cube vs Modded Roland Micro Cube
I was contacted by a friendly person who offered to send me his Micro Cube, which he'd modded. He had changed the speaker, and also installed an external cab out feature, which allows you to connect it to, for instance, a 4x12 cab. That might be defeating the purpose of this small practice amp, but it can also be fun.
If you're unfamiliar with the amp, the Roland Micro Cube is now a somewhat old practice amp. It's been around for quite some time, but in my opinion it's still the best practice amp out there, and you can get it really cheap these days. You can run it on batteries as well, which is nice. Check out the previous videos I've made on the Micro Cube:
• Roland Micro Cube - Th...
• The 2 BEST Battery Pow...
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If you haven't seen the original video I did of this amp, you can find it here: ua-cam.com/video/n3lv_RaAU7Y/v-deo.html
Really enjoyed this and your previous review on this amp. Appreciate the info! I just ordered a Micro Cube GX myself for practice/campfire jams and can't wait for it to arrive!
Cool bananas :)
@@MrPolevaulter, good timing on (and thanks for) the reply. I received my Micro Cube yesterday and I'm thoroughly impressed. I'm playing a 2011 Fender Deluxe Players Strat (Mexican) paired with a ProCo Turbo Rat distortion pedal and really, I'm blown away. The pedal seems to help beef up and richen the classic stack setting nicely, which was the only thing I found really lacking a bit.
Cheers!
@@davelopan249 Yeah, on the GX version the Classic Stack isn't as good as on the original Micro Cube. Glad you like it :)
I do a similar thing with my MC GX...but I use a 1x12 Fender Super Champ Cab...I play clean 98% of the time and this combo makes my ears very happy :)
Brit Combo with some reverb and a little chorus and the tone at 9 o'clock to boost the bass is my favourite sound from the microcube.
How interesting, I own the red one without mods. I installed an output jack on my Fender Mini Deluxe to run a separate cabinet through. It looks funny running a Mini Deluxe into a 4 ohm Acoustic Control 4 x 12 cab. But like you said all in fun.
Came for the comparison/ stayed for the playing.
Sweet jams bro!
Thanks!
I prefer the upfront tone of the original. It sounds very convincing with a mic infront. The original speaker has quite a long travel on it with two magnets
Thanks for sharing bro.
Based on your review, I purchased a Micro Cube on. Reverb for $105.00 US dollars! I absolutely love it! Thanks Elmo
Great to hear!
Elmo: says his playing is 'all over the place', then plays flawlessly.
Me: my jaw is on the floor and my face melted.
Thanks!
Photos or it didn't happen 😎
An another intresting video. Thank you!
And thank you :)
Ahhh yeah that was some sick ass playing man.
I suspect the little amp doesn't have quite enough power to run the 4x12 cab very well, so it basically "softens" the response a whole lot. You could probably get it kicking butt in a more modest cab, though. Just a hunch. This was a cool video.
I agree with you on the micro cube but damn this guitar and small amp shine into your hands. Now you make want a strat. I already have a ton of satisfying boutique gear.
Sorry :D
I have an old Vox DA5 which I'm considering putting an 8" weber into. This in turn would free up an 8 ohm 6.5" speaker that might just fit in my microcube - that's if I can be bothered now after hearing this comparison! My understanding is that the stock Microcube speaker is more like a car/hifi speaker tailored to give a certain fidelity to the amp modelling; a guitar amp speaker upgrade adds it's own character of course (shrugs).
The DA5 (and its successor) is rich and fuller sounding, with a few more amp profiles and effects. However the microcube, although just an inch or two smaller in each dimension, is significantly more portable. You can wear it with a shoulder strap, or carry it in a bag. The Vox would be a struggle with a guitar on public transport; I'd call it car portable. Also it's lauded extra effects were fiddly to adjust and poorly implemented. The Microcube's models and effects were fewer by comparison but still perfectly adequate, simpler and more intuitive to apply. I'd definitely recommend the Microcube for a child. The old DA5 was louder but harder work in all respects!
Man I love your playing. kickass
Thanks Craig!
Great playing as usual. I wish my Micro Cube wasn't broken. The amp model selector doesn't quite work, and when it does it alternates between the JC amp and the amp-that-shall-not-be-named (hint: your favorite model). I love the idea of a speaker out though.
Sorry to hear it's broken :(
damn, same, mines stuck at mic position. Can't be changed : ( but I'm willing to fix it : ) amp rox : D But I wonder if it would not be cheaper to buy an used one : DDD
Edit: decided that instead of buying new parts to fix it I will buy it used in great condition (just found an auction) :D It will be more or less the same price and way less hussle and risk that I will not fix it even after buying parts :D I want micro cube again in my life :D I started playing it 17 years ago... my first amp.
I love my Micro Cube. Must be near 10 years old. I always roll off the tone to less than half with the Marshall setting. My biggest gripe is that it needs an effects mix control. The new ones don't have it either. The Brit Combo setting is spectacular for blues and sparkling crunch. I wish I could use it like a pedal through my Mesa.
You can run the line out of Microcube to your effects loop on your mesa
I'll have to try again, because I'm sure I tried it and it didn't work well. There's an AUX in for jamming to an external source, and there's a recording out/headphone jack. I was unable to make it work.
@@supernoobsmith5718 I wonder if the line out of the micro cube isn't strong enough...? I'm not super familiar with the differences between mic level, instrument level, and line level, but it's part of the reason the effects loop send on my tube amp can overload certain (non-buffered) pedals?
Elmo , I follow some of your reviews and you seem keen on the micro cube and the Marshall dsl -1 . I managed to try the dsl and it was ok ( good ) . If you could base your decision on sound and what inspires you to play - which amp would you pick of the two ?
Not sure actually. They're both good.
They both sounded pretty good to me 👍💝👍
Yep :)
Nice demo. Love the shirt! LOL!
Stock for me thanks. Some amps lend themselves to modding and IMHO, I don't think the MC is one. It's fantastic right outta the box. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I also have a Vox Pathfinder 10 however, and that's an amp that greatly benefits from a larger speaker and a few electronic mods. It now sounds as good or better than the vaunted PF 15!!
What did you do to the Vox?
My local pub has one plugged in the PA . If I use the classic stack setting, could I use a clean boost in the front for solo’s when you used a boost on yours it did sound more fat and sustain. Were you using your yjm overdrive ?
I don't remember. At home I use a Boss Hyper Fuzz in clean boost mode, and that works great.
Hello and thanks for all your reviews !
Would it be interesting to review the Micro Cube GX "big" brother the Cube 10 GX practice amp which has a 8" speaker and is even less expensive ?
Kippis !
Might be worth it. Thanks :)
Love your shirt Mr. that guy!!❤️🎸
😀👍
Hey Elmo, thanks for the review!
I am considering doing this mod as well, but I use my Micro Cube outdoors a lot. I am concerned that a 15w, 6" speaker will eat batteries much faster than the stock speaker. Have you played the modded MC on battery power for some time? If so, what was your experience.
Thanks!
I just had it plugged in all the time, so I don't know.
@@MrPolevaulter thanks!
@Nobby Heads Thanks!
I'm considering doing it myself and I'm wondering if there's a four or five what speaker that would be sufficient. I'm concerned with the power consumption on the batteries myself and would rather have a speaker closer to 3 Watts.
It can handle more watts, it doesn't consume more watts.
Thank you
Salut Elmo
Tu as toujours de très bonnes idées pour nous faire une excellente vidéo 😉
Par quelle marque d'enceinte la modification a été faite ?🤔
Excusez moi. Je ne parle pas Francais.
"You always have good ideas and videos for us. What brand of speaker was used in the modification?"
Appx translation.
Hi Elmo, one question, its work well with pedals in front? Like a distor or overdrive? Thanks in advance bro!
Yeah. You can stick stuff in front of it. Or so I've heard. I only use a clean boost myself.
Hi, elmo. Theres a way to install a footswitch no the micro? Me overdrive pedal doenst sound good with the clean Sound on this amp.
Not that I know.
I would be interested to know the capacity of the speaker that's matched with this three-watt amp. I've recently ordered the new cube and I'm considering upping the speaker to something with more body.
It’s a 4 ohms and 5 inches speaker
I’ve changed mine recently
..how do the vox mini go, and other vox battery powered amps stack up against the Roland micro and or gx, in Your book. ..?
0:44 im glad you didnt cut that out :)
Yep :D
Interesting - shows just how right the Micro Cube is as standard (and explains why it's also my favourite practice amp too after you pointed me in it's direction) . Not to say I would not hook it up to a 4x12 if I had the room for one :-).
Yep. The Micro Cube is just great.
Thanks for the video Elmo, it was your Micro Cube video that inspired me to track down an old Roland Micro Cube. I can understand why someone would mod a practice amp as awesome as this one, but after the head to head comparison it’s not for me.
Cheers!
Just curious, is there any difference between the OG microcube and the GX?
The OG is the old one? I like the old one better. The Classic Stack setting sound much better on that. Not that the newer one is bad.
Okay thanks. I'll probably get the older one. I do like the Roland logo too.
GX has app connectivity available. I love my OG, can't see using the app.
@@camilo1455 it doesn't work on Android does it?
@@kiezersosay49 don't know, don't have it. But, as a user and a Roland customer, if I wanted that feature, I would expect it to work with Android. Good luck.
Hey Elmo my friend .. I hope you are fine! Tell me which inexpensive exercise amplifier should I buy? You are a fan of a model Roland Micro Cube right? Which version is the right one, the old Micro Cube N225? Greets and have a nice Week and thx!👍🏻✌🏻
The old one is the one I like most.
So I have an old JBL flip 4 Bluetooth speaker. When I plug it into the headphone Jack on my micro cube it sounds so much better but it's missing the low end. I've been considering taking the two little inch and a half speakers that are in there and wiring them into the micro so that way I get the cube speaker and the new ones all at the same time
Speaker size, my practis amp is old Peavey redstripe 158 rage 8inch blue marvel
I'd been thinking about modding mine. Now I'm gonna definitely do it I guess. Thanks for testing this. :)
Anyone got any tips on what to use as a good replacement speaker? Got 2 spare like 6.5" lying around from when my brother scrapped his car (where he had replaced the stock ones with them). Would those be worth a try or should I look for something else?
Also how would you go about adding a "speaker out" so that it mutes the internal speaker when an external one is connected? Hope someone here can help me, thanks in advance.
Hi. Was wondering if the 6.5 fit without modification to the baffle? Thanks
@@clgmafnas I actually didn't do it yet since I had too much work and other stuff going on and I don't want to disassemble the amp when I don't have the time to finish it in one go - leaving me without amp for several days in the worst case. 😅
Also I was waiting for replies to my question if the speakers I have would be suitable or not.. 😅 guess I'll just have to test it..
Sounds great.....just disassembled my Cube, easy mod....Just ordered a 6" speaker. Just pick the right speaker.
Elmo. Would you say your favorite practice amp is now the Spark Mini, or the Roland Micro Cube?
I'm not sure. I find I still use the Micro Cube a lot.
So.. yeah dere, I think a single 12" would be finer than trying to push that big 4 x 12". I like the bit "darker" sound but I call it bigger, fuller, sound a little more of everything. Lower timbres will mask the thinner high frequencies in general, IMO. The small amps tend to be top end fizzy I find that irritating, so that's just my opinion of my worn out ears.
He,
Did you try the micro cube Rx with 4X4" speakers?
Yeah. That was good too.
How do you disconnect the built-in spkr when hooked to external?
The simple way would be to use a switched jack.
I bought my first guitar samick mr20fr and this amp😀
This amp is very good for his price👍
Sure is :)
Can you tell me what scales you practice? I'm not even paying attention to the amp enjoying your ripping much more. lol
All sorts. I have a bunch of lesson videos on UA-cam. You can find them on my Playlists page on my channel.
The JEM Jr.Sounds so Different to Your Usual Tone. The Clean and the Brown Sound on the Yamaha Seemed OK, Expensive for its size and power. The KATANA is better especially if You Upgrade the Speaker
genial my friend!!!!!!!!🙏
I am a big fan of the Micro cube. Since I live by myself nowadays I don't need one, as I play through my stack and my kids have no choice but to accept the fact 😈.
Still prefer the original though.
But great nod to Mateusasato as the man has a senseless feel' in his playing. He's the perfect hybrid of Brian May and Tosin Abasi 😊.
As always an interesting discussion, Elmo I get to grade Karjalainen.
Cheers Tuomo grades with a vengeance Tikkanen!
@@MrPolevaulter Epic nick-name. I shall take you on as a padawan-learner in the biggest of game. The Game of Nicknames 😅🤘
@@MagisterTuomo :D
Like a sound paul gilbert signature 😁
Viking kong sound fx 🤪
Is it better than roland cube 15x
Haven't tried that, so I don't know.
Can you tell me the settings you used here ? 8:06
Can't remember exactly, but Classic Stack, gain on full, and tone pretty high up as well.
Gimme gimme gimme an ABBA riff after 8:02 why don't ya?
Omg through the 4 x 12 though lol 🤟🏼🕶🤟🏼
:D
..Blackmore, YingMalm, EVH, Randy Rhoades. ..if you had to pick One. ?
yes, playing guitar is importanter than educajun. ..thanks for the grate videos!
:D My pleasure!
08:05 Was that Abba? Great :)
Yeah. Thanks :)
Is that 4x12 4 ohms?
16.
@@MrPolevaulter but isn't the micro cube running on 4?
@@camilo1455 I don't know.
My speaker is not feeling well. On the clean settings it has a background distortion/broken sound. What’s a good replacement speaker? Or just get a factory replacement. I think I broke it at a pool party playing my iPad through it. Too much bass maybe. Cool demo. You should have a V8 when you smack your forehead.
Thanks! I don't know which speaker to get. Sorry.
..does anyone else prefer the earlier version Roland micro cube (2Watts) over the
Roland micro cube gx (3Watts)
Stock one sounds way better
ˇNever mind the bollocks. here's the Roland Micro Cube..ˇ
:D
Why the hell would you want to mod something that was built dead on perfect? I wouldn't change a thing on something that was built great. I love my original classic stack Microcube just the way they built it.
Well, people like Eddie Van Halen did a lot of mods, so there's that. Elmo says he preferred the mod. I think like you, I prefer the original, but people that mod help create new toys for nojn modders like me.
It doesn't need to be modded.
Added too much effects to hear properly.
Well not a lot on how they work ...but a lot on your guitar playing ...
micro cube. micro tube. micro suck. micro fu...../ enough.
Ugh