Boss Katana VS Marshall Plexi Challenge
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- Опубліковано 8 вер 2024
- I've recently been given the challenge to get a Marshall Plexi tone on a Boss Katana and to compare it to the real thing. I'm not one to shy away from a challenge so here is the video. In this Video, I plug the Marshall SV20 Plexi and a Boss Katana MK1 100 watt head through a Kahayan Amp switcher into a Divided By 13 Cab. The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
The answer in the intro is I was using both of the amps, It started with the Plexi then the Katana then back to the Plexi. If you look in our recent post you will see the video with the switching.
Awesome, amaing how clsoe the osunds are - interchangeable!
Only you to pull this trick out of the hat. Incredible.
I honestly didnt notice a single single diffrence... Good job
I have katana mk2 and I simply couldn’t be happier. 100 watts on 3 volume is monstrous
In this crowded UA-cam space with the buzzilion guitar related channels and the various "rock star"/big ego UA-cam personalities, finally someone who knows his craft. Short to the point videos, excellent tips and amazing sound and playing! Kudos from a metalhead! Keep it up man ;)
Cheers Grinder that means a lot!
@@TheStudioRats Cheers from the Athens of the North Paul ;)
I second Grinder ✌️
I am a proud Katana 1 owner, and I absolutely LOVE it. Especially in a small apartment setting at low volume. Nothing beats it. Got it for $200 - at a price of a dirt box - and can't stop playing it. So simple, great sounding, and inspiring.
You nailed that plexi thump of the pick on the strings
The Blues Driver is my favorite overdrive on the Katana. Wouldn't have thought you can get a Plexi sound with it on the Crunch channel. Who knew? Thanks for making this video, you always do a great job on these and I always learn something! Keep them coming.
The Crunch channel on the Katana is based on a Fender Tweed Bassman so its not surprising that is sounds like Plexi given that Tweed Bassmans are verey similar to Marshall JTMs The Blues Driver is a pretty transparent overdrive so here its reaelly being used for some extra gain and tone shaping. Its a great combo.
@@SohamBhattacharya3105 Oh wow, I didnt know that - do you happen to know what are the others channels based on?
@@justhadrums here's what I could find out
Clean - Roland JC120
Clean 2 (on MkII) - Fender Twin Reverb
Crunch - Fender Bassman/Marshall JTM45
Drive - Peavey 5150
Brown - Soldano SLO100
This is what I've managed to figure out so far.
@@SohamBhattacharya3105 Oh cool, thanks!
@@SohamBhattacharya3105
According to Roland,..The Katana in its purest "panel form" is based categorically on a Marshall Plexi.
Although Roland says the Katana is NOT a specific modeling amplifier.
I'm kind of new to the Katana Head MkII, and I love how incredibly versatile it is. Thank you for the helpful video.
I really appreciate you showing how to dial in these kinds of tones on various amps. Even if it's not an amp I own it's helpful to learn about how pushing the front and power sections, or how signal chain placement affects the sound. Thanks!
Cheers Casey!
@@TheStudioRats perhaps you can answer the big question..does all this tech mean most people wont need to buy tube amps again ? You tested a Tone King 35w a while back which costs some £2.5K ; EIGHT times the cost of the BOSS Katana..great amp...but none of the same versatility...but some will not let go of tubes!
@@vincentl.9469 I've been playing for 42 years and live gigging for the last 29 years.
I have been gigging exclusively with a Boss Katana 100 MK2 out to a large bodied 2X12 cab for the last 4 years.
I've actually sold my Marshall JCM, DSL and JTM heads.
@@stricknine8623I have one tube amp which stays at home.... going forward people will find that it will become harder to find good technicians to service tube amps as people retire or die. with SS if it's not fixable, you just buy another one
@Strick nine wow! That's saying something eh? I'm floored. I haven't taken my mk2 head yet but I do know it's really versatile. I've got 3 other valve/tube amps and I will not give them up. I have noticed however that I've been using the katana a lot more. It's actually become my go to .
The Katana never fails to impress and it’s really helpful to see how you dialed it in. Many thanks!
And I also believe it was the Katana in the intro.
Hello from across the Pond! Such great videos! I am almost persuaded to give up my 1966 Fender Super Reverb for a Katana!! You are a "master of your craft". Thank you....
Another Kat lover here. Sold my JVM 50W, 2 x 12 for 850€ and bought the Kat 100W 1 x 12 for 350€. No regrets and never looked back. 😁 Once you get used to using BTS you can dial in some fantastic valve sounds and lovely Fender-ish clean tones without valve cost, weight, servicing and reliability issues. Great video, thanks Paul and fingers crossed for Saturday (England v Ukraine) 🤣👍🤠
cheers Malcolm
I’ve been playing since the late 70’s. Had lots of amps and pedals.
The Katana is the best amp for home use I’ve ever had. I’ve got the 50w mkii.
The only other amp I may buy is the katana artist. But I’m in no rush. I wish I had the katana thirty years ago. I would’ve played a lot more.
Great amp.
only reason I got a katana is so I'm not constantly using the vox or marshall cos they both use tubes, and tubes cost money.
It is indeed the best amp for home use but my home is the stage therefore I use the 100 watt version! 🤘😎
@@blakjack3053 I got the 100watt version head so could mix speaker cabs. I don’t like single speakers. They sound a little dull.
@@RockG.o.d yeah I have the katana head also, the mk 1, but I only use it as a back up to my JMP 2203. And yes a single 12 is not enough, I need 2 at minimum and usually an unmatched pair. Lately I been using Celestions; V30 and a G12-65 in a Marshall 212 cab and it sounds awesome 👌
@@blakjack3053 i been plugging it into the vox amp cos the vox needs new valves. green back and gold, with the acoustic channel, but also using boss metal zone in front too. I do have the boss cab, but I want to change one of the speakers out and at the moment haven't been bothered.
I tried the Katana/Plexi setup yesterday. I’m running a wet/dry rig with a Mk2 50 and an Artist Mk1. It sounds massive!! I think you’ve latched on to a new Studio Rats Katana thread. Thanks so much, Paul!
cheers Lim
Thanks for the tutorial on this - I've been struggling with creating patches that I'm happy with - this will help a lot. Tough thing is when you don't have the original amp to A/B with.
What a breakthrough the Katana is.
Try this setting: Brown amp variation engaged. Blues drive engaged (just slightly) set EQ at half with bass boosted. Reverb at 3/4.
It was SURPRISINGLY close!
Yeah, it's hard to beat the Katana when it comes to bang-for-the-buck. I have the Mk1 head, and I think it's great. With the Tone Studio software, you can make it sound like anything you want.
Listening carefully, on headphones, at the end comparison c5.40, although you have done an excellent job in matching the tonality, the actual distortion on the Katana just sounds a bit gnarly. (In that way that Boss distortion always does). TBH, it's close enough though!
Man, that sounds great! I'm totally lost when it comes to fiddling with sound settings.
Really shows how good the Katana is, nicely emulating a $2000 Plexi head, pretty amazing.
For me, it's also a visual thing. I have the Katana, but I wish it looked more...I don't even know what word I'm looking for...vintage, maybe. Stately? The Marshall, with the matching 2x12 cab looks stately.
Nice. I think the Katana gets pretty close. The Marshall really does sound great. I almost got that same head, but went for a Friedman Runt 20 instead - similar price and power, but it also has a great clean channel and speaker-emulated XLR out, both of which I've found useful.
Friedman in my opinion is the best sounding out of the 3.. good choice!
I have a two-year-old son and I can't have my tube amp and pedals in my living room. I'm thinking of buying an amp that has it all: great tones and some fx (mainly boosts, delays and reverb). This channel and its wonderful content convince me that my next amp will be a Boss Katana.
Hey man! Hope you bought it, if not, you’ll buy it and never look back guaranteed. This unlocked so much for me as a musician. Good luck! :)
@@xavierwalker3645 I bought it! And 100% love it.
I love this! Can't wait to give it a go.
Man that Katana is pretty amazing for its ridiculous cheap price. I want one
Both sound good win win
Sounds great! Thanks for making this video. People often ask me how to get big marshall tones from budget friendly modellers and now I can show them this video.
The Katana is much more cheaper than the 20 Watt Plexi and generates a very simular Sound without any valve in it. Valveamps in general need much more Service than Amps made of semiconducters.
Big problem is finding repair guys many simply don’t even work on solid state, they’re considered disposable vs valve amps
@@AdamManley7I have 3 original solid states from 1999-2008 and all still work with 0 problems. My valve amp has been repaired twice since 2012 outside of normal valve maintenance.
Very close. Totally gig worthy 👏👏👏
Thanks for going “old school” and using the MK1 for this video.
Way closer than I would have guessed!
That katana does sound really sweet, going to be checking one out soon myself now that I can, been waiting on this pandemic stuff to pass.
Love your videos. Very informative and showcase this amazing line of amps to the max. A lot of my mates look down their nose at me for having bought a mkii 100 katana ( which I did on a whim) as I have a fair bit of high end stuff but I’ve been using this amp constantly at home and am blown away with what it’s capable of. The quality and versatility of tones you can get out of this are really incredible.For the money you can’t beat it. I’ve got a sv20c-you got very close with the katana.
I want to say the opening riff was the Katana........but gonna go against the grain and say Plexi. My reason is I truly went back and forth with time stamp about 5 times. I just hear that really specific midrange that my ear says Marshall. If I'm wrong,...........wow. Great job Paul and Boss!!
Great Video and thanks for a new katana setting 🎉😊
Man that plexi sounds great man that katana sounds great to but the katana sounds like a lot more different amps also
Well done Paul. Thanks.
Great video , I always found that i couldn't the Mids on the Katana to sound like a Marshall .
cheers
Great job!! Honestly I tried, but couldn't hear any difference. Both sound great, Katana is affordable with effects!
Nice tones. Thanks. Im getting very nice bluesy BB and Johnny tones out of my artist. Now you have given me more ideas.
I own a Carvin Legacy 100 half stack and recently got a Katana Mk II head. I have to say that although I would think my Legacy tone is superior, I mainly take my katana head around with a lightweight 2x12 and that has been the go to rig for me lately. I just don’t want to lug around such heavy gear and the Katana really does sound great and very usable. Not as “squishy” as a tube amp but, pretty dang close for such a low price tag.
I love your Katana-videos. They give good input and ideas. I personally get better tone with the tube screamer than blues driver, but on the other hand I always have the clean channel so it might be wrong comparison.
Anyways, great job again! 🎸🎸
I think the intro was the Katana.
Great video 👍🏻
I think it was Katana in the intro. The Plexi sounds more compressed and cleaner to me. The Katana sound was great, just a little muddier.
That sounds really really close. Very impressive!
Excellent! I love Boss equipment. Going to get the Katana artist 2 next.
I have the Katana Mark II Head with 5" built in speaker and am really Pleased with it for around the house. I also have a homemade cabinet with two 12" JBLs, two 4.5 midrange and two 4" piezo tweeters my brother built and gave me. Pretty happy with the sound from that as well and so far I've only used the 0.5 watt setting. Gonna get brave and try the 50 and 100 watt settings one of these days when I am not in my 7 floor apartment building on 7th floor. Don't want to wake the neighbors although I think they could hear the 0.5w setting if I cranked it. Worth every dollar I spent on it in my book. BTW all the speakers are rated at approx 240 watts. So no real damage to be done at the 100 watt setting.
Fantastic!! Thank you!
I have a mk1 50 watt, and I love it. It’s basically a wet amp for me and for super cleans.
Actually, I think it would’ve been perfect with a little bit less less low mid on the parametric as the Marshall was a little thinner in that region, but that was great
Please do Katana VS Fender Blues Jr./Deluxe Reverb/Twin Reverb 🙏
Katana sounds better in "my opinion"
Plugged these exact settings into my kstana air and wow sounds good :) (obviously not as good as cab but still very usable) so thsnk you!
@5:26 Wahoo nice ! great Job ! sounding the same ! maybe reduce a bit the OD effect of the Katana but awesome !
Great video Paul.. I'd love to see you do this with your mini Jubilee.
That was a great video! I was reading on boss katana's web page they recommend really cranking the master volume, I usually keep it around 3pm. It really puts some spark into any preset .. thank you again
Katana 100 2*12 combo for 180 quid on Ebay, cheap because a MK1, my best buy ever, I know it has all the overdrives built in, but I use a Caline Blue Sky as an overdrive, for the rare instances I need to change mid song, as I dont have the footswitch yet, but most of the time I use the clean or crunch channels, does everything I need, if not, I also have a Vox and Marshall! Other effect I make a lot of use of, is the Joyo American, plug into PA and go, instant Fender tones.
I'm very impressed with the Boss, how ever I won't be swapping it for a Katana amp. It is really amazing how technology keeps improving. Your ear is amazing and your ability to dial tone is the envy of your followers, or at least me.
Cheers B Miller.
Great video and you dialed in the plexi sound very well on the Katana. It was very close for me. I think the intro is the plexi.
I have a QC and a katana, and the QC has reminded me what an incredible bang for buck the katana is. Thanks for the video Paul.
Cheers Scuba.
The Katana sounds nice! great vid M8. Cheers!
Pretty dang close, maybe a little more lower mid cut and it's almost perfect. Totally gigable.
This is a great channel!! Thanks for all the great videos!
I believe the intro is Katana. But I'm already convinced K100 head is the perfect mix of everything if all you can afford or have room for is one amp. You've shown convincingly that it's a contender for a Plexi sound.
This was awesome great playing and ears! I can play songs/notes I listen to but getting the sound I want from my Katana i just don't know what to adjust to get there! Thank you!!
Yes there is noticeable differences from a pro or experienced guitarist but hey, let's look at price and the fact the boss has amp Sims for pretty much every other amp other than marshal as well and the fact you can tune your tone to exactly what you want when you hook up to a computer. Boss has a lot more appeal to me because of this plus more and as an owner of a Mk2 50 watt I know they are plenty loud enough for live gigs to 😊🤟🎸
I think it was the katana in the intro.. though I couldn't tell you why!
I'd love to see the same vid but with the GT1000 instead of the Katana..
I love my Katana 100 Head !!
Horses for courses one does one thing really well they other is a Swiss Army knife
I hear the Marshall as just a bit creamier (a bit of rough frequency in the boss.) A little more fiddling with the Kat and I bet you could get it even closer. The tones are really close (and negligible if you're not listening with critical ears.) In a mix the boss might actually present better. I use external pedals with my MK2 100 and my standard go to tone is very similar to this. It's my home practice amp. It gets turned on at 6am every morning and gets shut off at 11pm. It's ready to go ... anytime I get a stupid idea, which is often. Needless to say ... the wife hates it.
... wife hehe
I bought a Katana 100 recently but find that the dirty channels are lacking. What pedals do you use?
@@fionn8057 I first go into a Keeley 4 knob comp. It has a "blend control" which I keep at 50%. It really helps with the string feel and gives a gain boost. From there I go into a Wampler Equator eq and lastly an EH Soul Food. This gives me lots of tonal options in the front of the amp. I can get most of what I need with just the clean and crunch channels, and it stays quiet. This amp feels and sounds exceptional now that I have my pedal settings and presets dialed in. I also run a separate delay and reverb into the effects loop and actually keep them hidden inside the amp, I mix them with the amps internal delay and verb. All these effects are always on and I switch presets on the amp for clean and distorted tones.
@@davidwoods358 The big question remains unanswered; when will Tube amps become obsolete or too expensive to buy? or someone decides they use 'too much energy' You can see how good BOSS and others are
Keep up the love for music and teach your children !
I brought a MK1 for the head room, I use a lot of clean sounds live and the katana can do it at volume for live work especially out door gigs.
I run a boost pedal first with the gain set to 0 as I find it adds more punch than the on board boost.
I don't really like the drive/ distortion sounds on the katana
Thanks for sharing
I would have liked to hear a Les Paul with the two comparison amps. Further a traditional later 1960s rock song(s)
I think the Katana sounds so close to the SV20 here that there is no real discernible difference- but there is one HUGE difference with the Katana- once dialed in you can get that sound AT ANY VOLUME- try that with the SV20...
There is a frequency that needs to be pulled out of the katana…lower mid…somewhere on the 10 band EQ…but very close
you nailed it!love your video❤️
Cheers Areh.
The Katana noticeably chokes the attack, like it has a built in compressor. the SV20 really spikes with loads of attack which is what I really love about pre-master volume Marshalls. That attack is pure joy.
SV20H
I’d like to hear more cowboy chords for the guessing bit.
To my ear when you played chords as you were setting up the katana I could hear the difference more pronounced. The single lead lines are a bit trickier to pick out.
Such a amazing video!!! Katana rocks
The intro sounds like the Katana.
Katana. Only because I feel it has a little more drive than the Plexi.
At this end of the internet it didn't sound like it needed the Presence tweak, which just sharpened the top end vs the Plexi to my ear.
At the start mate!
I swear I am hearing the Boss.
Possibly the Plexi but I did hear amp modelling.
So it’s close.
Very very usable sound indeed. But I can hear the difference between an amp & the amp modelling.
I own one of those 20 Watt Plexis & it is utterly desirable on all levels.
Thanks for the vid. 😊
Obviously you cannot hear the difference.
A Katana is not a modeling amp. It produces its sounds exclusively in analog form, as Boss repeatedly points out. Only the FX-Section of the Katana is digital.
Greetings from Germany
Mic
Great job. I think they sounded very close Paul. Both are great amps. The good thing about the Katana is that's it's pretty versatile.
Just to side track . . . 😊
I've been considering modelling amps recently and the Katana Artist mk ll was on my radar. However 'listening to' the Line 6 Catalyst 100 (or 200) i think the Catalyst wins on the clean amp sounds but the Katana still wins on the crunch to heavier amp sounds. Horses for courses i guess 😊
Thanks for your excellent videos
The Katana line has redefined all the amp market... just unbeatable for the price. Sounds awesome, just why buy an expensive tube amp for not so much difference in sound... I've got the Katana Artist V1, this amp is just incredible (really better speaker).
Great video! 😎
Not sure which is in the intro. Hard to tell over UA-cam sometimes. However great example of how close modeling gets this days. In a live situation it’s near as makes no difference. Probably feels different to play though.
Indeed but already a booster is in use. So now I have to buy an extra drive pedal if I want to incrrease the sound. The plexi reacted as it should. So in my opinion the katana is actually not as close to a real plexi
Great as always Paul! Question: Was there a particular reason that you chose to go to the Mark 1 as opposed to the Mark 2? Thanks
Some people probably just like it better, it all comes down to personal preference honestly since they both and all sound good
@@scobloosh8242
Is your name Paul??
Great, thanks
My mate, who is a pro and plays in a well known DC tribute band was surprised by the tone from 100W Katana twin, he has Marhalls and a Tone King, I stuck a video on my channel, great amp, I can carry 2 guitars and the Katana into a Gig, dont need anything else.
Chords are exact or close enough. The lead is a lot mellower on the Plexi. Much more natural sounding. It doesn't have the same amount of distortion through the entire phrase
Or, it could be sample.
You could have utilized an RTA (Real Time Analyzer) to tweak the very last bit out of the Katana. I often use an app and 10" tablet for tone shaping and monitor work.
Great!
Pretty good! I've been trying to do that with a 59 Fender Bassman.
Your poor neighbours..
Your playing and content is really really impressive , easily one of my favourite channels to date.
In reference to your previous video between the QC and the cortex , there wasn’t much in it. Except the plexi feel seemed like it really stand out for you.
How does the feel compare between the QC and katana , for your preference who wins there?
And likewise for tone ?
I think the intro was katana by the way.
Cheers Paul.
I own the Katana mkii, but come on, it sounds chalkboard scratchy compared to the Marshall....
You can tell the plexi has more punch on the lower end, however it’s a matter of taste, I lik3 both. It depends on the song or what ur using it for
Probaly came closer that another plexi. The vintage one vary a lot from unit to unit.
The sneaky amp 1959 is aweso.e
Honestly everything you play sounds awesome! I think the intro was the Katana, because the Marshall sounds more transparent to me compared to the Kanata, which sounds like there is a blanked over it. A little muddy in the low mids to me
The Marshall still sounds warmer to my ear.
It's really close. You definitely wouldn't hear it in a live mix out of a PA. Where you can really tell the difference is a high volumes, which is why playing at lower volumes and letting the PA do the work is always the way to go with solid state amps.