Battery Amp Battle (Blackstar, Boss, NUX, Flamma, Laney)

[@MrPolevaulter]

Check out some great affordable alternatives: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g53Gl4h6optrqac

[@axe2give]

Dude the Nux is so much more resonant now that it’s technically vintage. Bravo !!

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@axe2give Haha :D

[@woroGaming]

Clean 0:57 0:59 Flamma FA05 2:40 2:53 Blackstar Fly 4:09 4:29 Laney Supergroup 5:59 6:14 Nux Mighty Lite 8:09 8:24 Boss Katana Mini Overdriven 10:51 Flamma FA05 13:27 Blackstar Fly 16:30 Laney Supergroup 18:54 Nux Mighty Lite 21:42 Boss Katana Mini 25:57 Alternatives 26:42 Ranking

[@antonakis79ohyes]

The Boss sounds the best, by a mile. For me,the quality of clean sounds is what is important, especially with such small amps. Thanks for using a mic to record the sound of this demo, as always.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@mastahpoland]

I recently bought a BOSS Katana Mini and it absolutelly rocks, you can set it up to play any kind of music from country to metal. Now I am thinking of actually buying BOSS Katana 50 MKII, because you can never go wrong with BOSS combos.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool bananas :)

[@kakarot666.]

True . Same goes for blackstar. From mini fly model to all the highest models.. blackstar and Boss Katana versions.. are eligible rivals.. I can blindly choose any of the both 😊

[@BJJandBS]

is the Boss as loud as your Microcube? @@MrPolevaulter

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@BJJandBS Not sure. Loud enough imo.

[@antoonhermans8953]

i have the blackstar fly 3 for a few years now and with an extra speaker connected it souds good enough for my kitchentable set up , i use my laptop for my lessons and play on my fly 3 to practise , nice stereo sound this way with the laptop in the middle .

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool!

[@CharleyHale]

Such a great video. So nice to hear just regular strummed chords with a little noodling. So many KZbin videos are just 56286352 notes being played

[@canadianintheukbrian]

I own the Katana Mini brilliant little amp, I swear by it, it sounds great, perfect for my use, I just love an amp you plug in a just go, you can't go wrong with a Katana Mini

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, it's very good.

[@pablobaleani2756]

Does it have full range speaker? You know...I used to play over backing tracks and want to know how it sounds ..

[@mattsikes919]

I think you nailed it. The katana takes first and the blackstar 2nd. I'm partial to blackstar but Boss slays it with the katana. Great comparison among them though. I thought it was a very honest review. Thanks Elmo!

[@MrPolevaulter]

And thank you!

[@christopherfidler3019]

The Spark Mini is more expensive but you can do a lot more with it. I see people connecting JBL Partybox or Klipsch Gig speaker, etc. up to it with the Spark Control or XSonic Airstep and you got an entire minimalist rig. Thanks for the video Elmo.

[@earthquakemagoon2505]

Very good review! I have to agree that the Katana is tops with the Blackstar in 2nd. Thanks Elmo! Skål! 🎸😀👍

[@roberttower8059]

I own both the BOSS and the Blackstar. They are both great, but I do like the BOSS a bit more when playing through the speaker. One thing you didn't mention was the line-outs that have cabinet emulation. I don't know if the others have this but the BOSS and the Blackstar do and they are surprisingly good. Not as good as a dedicated IR but very usable. For times when I want to practice without a lot of set up hassle I'll use the line-out into my studio monitors and it is very good. The sound is great in a mix when practicing with a backing track. The sound is extremely easy and quick to get a good mix. For this purpose I've found that the Blackstar line-out sounds a little better than the BOSS. The sound is good enough that you could even use this to record with or go to FOH in some circumstances.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool :)

[@ssslayer]

whose line-out cabinet emulation sounds closest to actual miced 12" speaker cabinet?

[@Uncle_Gray]

Thanks to your previous reviews I bought katana mini recently n I love it 😊

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cool bananas :)

[@tims001]

I bought the spark go last week, i have a couple of hand wired tube amps and some of the shelf amps too... But i also have a 2 year old child lol The spark is a wonderful invention, and thanks for the review as always mate.

[@daniellarson3068]

I got one of those. it makes me feel guilty. I've used it far more to listen to Books on Tape from the library than for guitar. It's a great little portable phone speaker. Elmo provided a good demo. Even through my computer speakers I could tell the Katana sounded better than the others. Thanks.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@tims001]

@@daniellarson3068 yes! It's a great Bluetooth speaker, I use it to listen to music also. The app is great though, if you find some backing tracks on KZbin you can play them through the app also. Great little speaker!

[@drexter09]

Is the laney still good? Is the app an advantage to modify the sound

[@tims001]

@@drexter09 you mean the positive grid spark GO? I still use it today, it's a great amp and the app is very useful, especially when you jam along with backing tracks on KZbin etc. If I had my time again I'd have bought the larger version (the one in this video) as the small one falls over alont when you have the guitar plugged in. Other than that it's a cracking little practice amp, I even plugged it into a PA and had a rehearsal with a full band... Wild!

[@axe2give]

Wow ! That little Flama makes my Dumble sound like horrible. This new tachonology is unbelievable! And I see these little amps inspired you to play better than ever before!! Thank you Uncle guitar man. Ride on Elmo , ride on ….

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@SoniaGail]

I like our rhis guy demo the amp how it sounds. Unlike most others mic it up with all u beaut recordings. Well done great demo

[@gigmandrew8975]

I like your backdrop lights. And nice Fender shirt!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@enricofugazzi5206]

I own the Blackstar, The Nux and the big brother of the Laney as they used to have a 6w version (the one I have). The 6w version has more controls and delay. I like all the 3, but I used the Blackstar more.

[@vespafetish]

Also the trusty old Roland Micro Cube. AA batteries or as I just found out, using my rechargeable pedal power bank! Great sounds, as already reviewed by Elmo, and decent volume!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@LeifPalmin]

Thank you for your work. I have a spark, very happy with that.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@ryanday633]

In my opinion the Black Star is really cool. I own one myself and it's one of my main practice amps. I also have the Boss Eband Wich is very useful for not only different amp and guitar sounds but you can actually be record on it for song ideas. Elmo you should check out the Boss Eband JS-10 if you don't already know of it. It's pretty awsome.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Never tried that. Maybe I will check it out.

[@rogelioybarra4068]

Love your videos and reviews very honest probably the best reviews on KZbin but I love my orange mini amp

[@MrPolevaulter]

Glad you like them!

[@GRBAquatics]

Very Cool, Thankyou. When getting back into electric guitar a couple of years ago, I purchased a guitar from Artist Guitars (Awesome). They had a Joyo Jam Buddy on 50% off special, so I got one of those too (before remembering I had my 1984 Fender Sidekick 15R in storage in my shed doh. The Jam Buddy amp is Amazing, is Rechargeable with Delay and Over drive Effects. Such a cool little amp, that I rarely use these days sadly, but still take it down the beach occasionally and it ROCKS. Cheers

[@MrPolevaulter]

And thank you :)

[@alexward6670]

I have to agree that the Boss really is the best. I recently tried the Spark Go and found it very awkward having to operate it via a phone when I just wanted to get on with enjoying my guitar. It also didn’t sound as good as the Boss and (mine at least) was very crackly with my Les Paul (the Boss was fine) . The Black Star is set up like the just like the Boss but just doesn’t rock anything like the Boss. I just couldn’t get interest in playing my guitar with either the Spark Go or the Blsckstar Mini but as soon as I plugged in the Boss, I just couldn’t put it down.

[@DavidMadeira29]

What's next, would I ever try different pedals on the Fender Rhodes or even try to put any pick up on the piano to get even more Dazed and Confused?!

[@DamianS1893]

Shout Out from Florida 👍🤙✌️

[@MrPolevaulter]

👍

[@stringsattached67]

Tried them all and the best one is the Yamaha thr30ii wireless

[@MrPolevaulter]

Didn't much like the THR.

[@DeanUSAMale]

Good reviews and playing... but the dreaded return of the "Lick It Up" & "Hammer to Fall" Riffs! ;) (You did throw some new jazzy ones in the mix though! :)

[@MrPolevaulter]

🤣

[@RomainG6409]

I really like your channel ... But it happens often that I disagree with your choices 😁 I have four of these 5 amps ... And quite frankly I have been quite positively surprised by the flamma that I found way better than the Nux and quite good compared to the boss katana that disappointed me with its overall low build quality. Seemed to me like a baby toy rather than an amp 😃 but I agree with the fact that the spark mini is a killer amp. I love it over its big brother the spark 40 ... Anyhow, thanks for the honest reviews you make 🙏🙏

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@johannessilver8653]

Some reactors select Blackstar Fly3 before Boss Katana Mini and vice versa. Roland Micro Cube is the winner.

[@davidfisher5022]

The newer MKII version of the Nux Lite must be much better because I actually prefer it over the Spark Mini and the Micro Cube. Check it out. Less bass due to size but the tones are pretty epic for its tiny size. I don't like apps either but the Mighty App is pretty simple and once you set your presets how you like it you don't really need to use the app anymore unless you want to.

[@leonardofigueredo2913]

Good Review!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@TimJames-mj2hg]

P.S Best Reviews on here by far Rock on Elmo!!!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@gigmandrew8975]

I liked the flamma and the Nux the best. Different ears and different hears

[@MrPolevaulter]

Absolutely.

[@gigmandrew8975]

@@MrPolevaulter years ago my dad used to repair Old tube TV sets. One day he was working on one and suddenly I heard a very high frequency that was painful to hear so I asked him what that sound was and he said you can hear that

[@gigmandrew8975]

@@MrPolevaulter and he said, you can hear that? And I told him yes and that it was hurting my ears. He told me to tell him when I couldn't hear the sound anymore. He was adjusting the UHF frequency on the TV and was surprised that I could hear it.

[@gigmandrew8975]

@@MrPolevaulter so apparently I am sensitive to certain high frequencies

[@Michael-jv2cn]

Yes, I sold my Boss mini and got a Flamma. I like the Flamma better. I have a Blackstar 15e too that I like. But it's just my bedroom so maybe it sounds different in there.

[@liamballsculpture]

There is a stereo version of the laney supergroup with more power and delay plus a master volume which sounds great and is way more versatile and it’s analogue, which always sounds better🤟

[@sboistan]

Is that the ministack or another one?

[@liamballsculpture]

@@sboistan No it’s a slightly bigger 2 speaker version of the one shown, but has all the features of the mini stack

[@MrPolevaulter]

Haven't heard of that one.

[@woroGaming]

Laney sounded the best clean to me, but the Boss Katana has better overdrive/effects, ánd a good clean.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Fair enough 👍

[@Harrythe1st]

This is good, I just hook old zoom with jbl extreme line in but it's too much bass , but I use this because I just want to play asap as I get home, no fuss nothing 😁 plug' n ' play is the key, just not sure about these, so great video indeed

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks!

[@Michael-jv2cn]

Go figure lol I like your worst and I sold your favorite. I love your reviews I think you give an honest opinion.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah, it's subjective :)

[@millight1]

Hi Elmo, loved this, would looper pedal work on the Boss? Cheers

[@MrPolevaulter]

On the clean channel, yes.

[@millight1]

Thanks

[@RickMichaelis63]

🙏😎👍👍Thank You for the review. Elmo 🎉✌️❤️

[@MrPolevaulter]

My pleasure!!

[@djlane74]

I liked the Laney, and I thought the Flamma sounded ok. The Boss sounds ok, but Im a bit tired of their model sounds. I loved Roland cube reactive amp model. ( you know the one )

[@MrPolevaulter]

Yeah :)

[@Brykk]

The spark mini is absolutely worth every penny above what you would pay for these five. 8 to 10 hours on a single charge and the unbelievable amount of effects on the free app that comes with it is unreal. Not to mention it can be used as just an interface or pre amp and connected to a speaker cab if you need more output. And lets not forget the sounds out of any of the spark series is really good. The spark 40 is small gig ready, imo. I have the katana mini, and although the sound is good, its abilities pale in comparison to the spark mini. Sorry to hijack your review.

[@tb4076]

I'm looking at buying a spark mini, but i'm second guessing cause of the posts i see saying how the app is finicky and a hissing noise? any bad experiences on your end?

[@Brykk]

@@tb4076 i use the app on my iphone and my ipad air. I havent had any issues at all. The only hissing i have is when i turn off the noise gate on the profiles and am using a higher gain setting. Same as if using analog pedals and amps. I really cannot see me ever buying a room full of pedals and amps because of how well stuff like the spark works. The usability and performance is a hugely better choice, imo. Please understand, im not a gigging player and have no desire to play gigs of any kind. Although, i do know there are several buskers that use this amp and its software on a daily basis to great affect.

[@MrPolevaulter]

No worries :)

[@MrPolevaulter]

@@tb4076 For me the app's worked well, and no other real issues either.

[@Yngwiedis]

Hello Elmo. Can you please tell me what humbucker pickup you use in the bridge position? It's the first time i see a humbucker pickup beeing almost the same width as a single pickup!

[@MrPolevaulter]

Seymour Duncan Little 59 I think it's called.

[@Yngwiedis]

@@MrPolevaulter Thank you very much Elmo. Keep shredding 🤘

[@jacobbockover1628]

Through youtube i like the laney alot but use a spark go. If they had been around laney. Gh would have been a contender for my big amp

[@MrPolevaulter]

Fair enough.

[@rontidgwell8896]

My son has a 50watt katana and a mini and the mini sounds just as good! Wife made me go buy her one. lol I don’t play just spend the money!😂

[@greenslider]

Using same old cube40gx since 2014. Would love a decent valve amp..far too pricey for what I want. As for another modeller .. despite temptation to buy a katana, I'll wait until the cube pops her clogs

[@MrPolevaulter]

The Cubes are good.

[@pforpancetta4492]

I more or less agree with you Elmo. To my ears, the Blackstar does great clean and crunchy stuff but is insufficient at high gain, the Boss comes alive on the “brown” channel but the other two channels sound hollow, the Laney is punchy and the NUX sounds saturated and gainy but they are not the greatest, and the Flamma was the last - and the least.

[@gigaralle]

According to my almost perfect pitch the flamma clearly is running the show 😊

[@MrPolevaulter]

:)

[@joshball8674]

What does that even mean haha

[@luc7263]

You should all test Spark Mini...

[@MrPolevaulter]

It is good.

[@TimJames-mj2hg]

The blackstar is a dual paddle with a speaker!!!! It has a Tube Screamer circuit and the SD 1 circuit. NO BULL LOOK IT UP.

[@juanhp1774]

Does The Katana hace more volume top than the nux?

[@mobiledaw1436]

I removed the handle, found it annoying. Love the clean and brown.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Cheers!

[@pablobaleani2756]

No doubts....Laney has the most organic and natural sound by far

[@sboistan]

I feel the same way, especially for the clean sounds.

[@MrPolevaulter]

Fair enough.

[@Vegitobluuuuu]

Hey brother can you review Blackstar Silverline series amp ?

[@MrPolevaulter]

I think I did a few years ago.

[@Vegitobluuuuu]

@@MrPolevaulter can you link it I can’t find it

[@TheDeedeeFiles]

Awesome

[@GuyHarrison-nm1xt]

Wich one has the best distortion

[@MrPolevaulter]

Subjective.

[@justmehere6094]

Of those 5, I definitely had a similar ranking, from your demo. THOUGH I put the Laney solidly in 3rd place purely on tone. But, the lack of even reverb hurts, so I can see the tie. But, I'll stick with my Spark Mini, which is just the best overall, granted costs twice any of these..

[@MrPolevaulter]

Indeed.

[@marquisdecarabas1312]

Theres a Laney mini with 6 watt, 2 speakers and Delay, too.

[@burgerbirger2221]

Blackstar and the Boss Katana sounded best. At least listening through my phone.

[@tymanngruter1808]

That Laney is a monster!

[@MrPolevaulter]

👍

[@CPH314]

Katana eller spark go?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Vet inte riktigt. Kanske Spark.

[@CPH314]

Då köper jag den…😅 Tack.

[@shoeonhead]

Positive Grid Spark Go is the tiny small amp you need. Sounds significantly better than any of these. Including the Katana, which I own.

[@MrPolevaulter]

It is good. The Mini is even better imo.

[@nouvellecivilisation5895]

I had the Blackstar and I compared it with the NUX and for me, the NUX is really better than the Blacktars. I sold my blackstar......I find the distortion of the NUX much better than the Blackstar to play Heavy Metal

[@danloki78]

Wish i could play like this guy 😂

[@mar.c.e_br357]

👍👏👏👏

[@eamonmcdermott4032]

Elmo, I'm going to ask you what is probably a very stupid question. Would it be profitable for your channel to have a sponsor that wasn't connected with the guitar and amplification business? Something like apps for your mobile and such. You could give them a brief plug during the video and then get back to demonstrating whatever it is you're reviewing. It's just a thought, mate.

[@galdersrontgorrth]

you tryna sell **** shadow *******?

[@MrPolevaulter]

Thanks for the idea. I have thought about it, but come to the conclusion that it's not for me.

[@CharleyHale]

Jesus Christ the Nux sounds god awful

[@k-9thecat765]

READ....!!!!! I've been playing a LONG ass time.... If you need to be quiet to practice, to hell with all these OVER-priced rinky-dink chinese garbage... Get a preamp with a Headphone jack and buy a sweet set of Over-ear phones... Good ones... Stay the hell away from BEATS... THAT IS REAL OVERPRICED GARBAGE... AKG or same quality... The fact is, they have pro-grade components & your likely to use them even if you decide not to play guitar.... A Hotone pre also has an input to pipe in music to play with... Still in your phone... Quiet...

[@australier263]

None of this cheap shit, only more of Boogie!!! 👍🏼😎😘