SPARK unboxing - Will I like it? - BUY BUY BUY or bye bye bye? - Viewer reviews at the end.

[@mervynsullivan]

Let me say this. I bought a Spark. Once you use it and get totally familiar with it and the app and the capabilities, it is hard to criticise. It's an amazing practice amp. Incredible value for money.

[@themfp3517]

Thank you so much for your integrity - I recommend you and only a few other of these channels to friends of mine who are just starting to get into guitar gear, and I appreciate it every time something like this comes up because you *didn't* just trash it. You put real time and effort into trying to unlock great and fun sounds, and you didn't resort to any kind of hyperbole or anything in evaluating it. Appreciate you greatly!

[@Przemek80s]

I was about to get one, but I would end up having just another bluetooth speaker so thank you for this demo and review! ;]

[@MrGixxer1300r]

The Spark is geared toward being a beginners tool that you use in your garage, or bedroom to discover pedals effects, and amp types. I've owned my for less than a year, and it hasn't moved from where I put it when I unboxed it, but I do use it almost daily and I'm still learning as I go. I think it was a good purchase.

[@brianworden7022]

That is why I bought it... to play around with "amp heads and pedals" without needing to buy thousands of dollars worth of gear to muck around with different stuff.

[@henrydiaz720]

What? Incredibly ignorant things to say.

[@Rex-golf_player810]

​@@henrydiaz720what was ignorant about this

[@Turismo860]

@@Rex-golf_player810🥴

[@davebmassey]

I always appreciate your honesty transparency and willingness to make your thoughts known about the whole youtube gear review world, the responsibilities, and your place in it. I trust your opinions because of your years of honesty. Thanks Ryan.

[@Michael_Birk]

Glad and impressed to see Ryan's honesty with this review. I was having the same reactions as he was throughout the video, especially with the low-end, muddled sound that apparently couldn't be tweaked out.

[@-processdrone-]

I bought one... and sold it again within the month. It's basically a box of mud, why? because it has a built in cab sim WHICH YOU CANNOT TURN OFF and GUESS WHAT ? you're listening to it though a cab! you may as well chain cab sims. The only sounds possible from it are muddy indistinct sounds. I have no idea what they were thinking, but MY they're good at marketing.

[@autistichead8137]

Marketing company. Terrible sounding amp. Actually worse than a boss katana, which I didn’t think was possible.

[@MarcCoteMusic]

Yeah, right... No one at Positive Grid noticed how horrible it sounded through the years of development. None of the people who tested it for months before it went to market noticed how horrible it sounded. None of the tens of thousands of satisfied customers noticed how horrible it sounds. If you can't get good tone from the amp, try harder. Seriously, the amp sounds great... I dialed in my basic tones within minutes and fine-tuned them over the next couple of weeks as I noticed little things I could improve. I haven't changed my sounds since then. As for running it a cab, well, I've tried it into my Tech 21 Power Engine 60 and it sounds great!

[@autistichead8137]

@@MarcCoteMusic Why do I have to think something sounds good just because you do? Enjoy life be happy

[@MarcCoteMusic]

@@autistichead8137 - You don't, of course. But since pretty much any tone you can imagine can be found in this amp, the idea that someone can't find one or two - or ten - that they like suggests they haven't done any digging into the features.

[@autistichead8137]

@@MarcCoteMusic ok spark marketing department 😂

[@pressdisk]

Ryan's experience with the Spark is shockingly different from mine. I got mine last year and it's not muddy at all. Hearing his playback of the Joe Bonamassa cloud preset shocked me. For me, that preset soars. Yes, it's natively bassy, but roll that off to 9 o'clock and it's fine. I just wonder if there's something wrong with his unit. Maybe Ryan should collab with Phil McKnight and share some impressions on this amp. He's said he loves it for practice.

[@-processdrone-]

I was in a Spark forum for a while and I got a VERY clear impression that it is far from a consistent product, some people adore it citing it's clarity of sound for the price, and some people hate it citing nothing happens at all above 8kHz . My experience was the latter and this video captures the sound of the model I had very accurately. It really can't be possible that thousands of happy users haven't noticed it has no top end, it must be that the product varies greatly.

[@HeelBJC]

His experience describes mine EXACTLY. Maybe just bad manufacturing and inconsistency.

[@richardchristensen1768]

This seems off and way dark in comparison to the other vid reviews Ive seen on this amp Weird!

[@redmed10]

Arturo Peter Blavis Phil too pointed out that it was heavy on the bass. Seen plenty of reviews of this amp and to my recollection nobody else has mentioned it's bass heavy. Wonder if this is quality control issue as somebody else has mentioned.

[@pressdisk]

@@redmed10 I understand that that are many public complaints, it's just not my experience. I play in a larger room with no boundary issues. I don't see how a digital amp could sound drastically different from one unit to the next, though.

[@krlcomm815]

I LOVE mine, best $239 I've ever spent on a piece of gear. I find it hard to put my guitar down when I start playing because it's so much fun.

[@trevorgrondin1512]

i’ve always appreciated your candid opinions on this channel. even when you love on the afford a board pedals! i think it’s important to take you in context, and know that even when you’re having a bit of fun, you’re really trying to give an honest take of the gear you play. thanks for holding the line on integrity. you’re the 4th video i’ve watched on the spark, and you’re the only one to remotely say anything negative. i won’t be buying this and for that i really thank you.

[@Bcananzey]

Ive had this fir a few days and love it. I've watched Vids of paid and unpaid reviews. Most everyone thinks it sounds great. Mine sounds better than his. I think his opinion was predetermined. He wanted to not like it so he didn't like it. It happens

[@brooksphillips2234]

@@Bcananzey can't you update firmware on it? If that is the case bugs will get worked out.

[@birger4788]

Respect your honesty Ryan. This is what it's like for me. Have had one almost a year now, and bought a second one for my daughter. I've had a break from frequent guitar playing for some 30 years, but with this little thing I'm back on track, practicing almost every day. I would be intimidated by a big regular amp, I was never that good, and the family would throw me out. But this one fits everywhere. Wife think it's beautiful in our livning room and appreciate the BT speaker function. Oh, and the bass issue I solved with putting it above the floor on a stand. It's OK by me, for the price and the ease of the app it's perfect. Think that's quite common when reading posts on FB, lots of old farts like me who got their enthusiasm back. And that's not a small thing. That said being well aware of the imperfections of the Spark, but there are also so many ridiculous expectations on it.

[@HHExpress]

I have the Spark pearl version. Indeed a lot if low end. But with altering the patches and save them as preferred patch it works good for me. Very happy with it.

[@shreader327]

I find if I place the spark on a wooden surface, it's a lot more bass than if I place it on a carpet or better yet, place a small rug under it where you place it. It will muffle the bass just enough to really bring out better sound.

[@Stoney3K]

@@shreader327 Interesting to know. I've ordered a Spark a few weeks ago in the new year's sale and I'm curious to hear the difference in the sound depending on the surfaces I put the amp on. Maybe it has to be decoupled from the surface it's on to really sound good.

[@Madchris8828]

​@Stoney3K a thing I did that helped tame the bass is to open it up through its grill use a bit of foam through the hole, then turn down the hardware bass setting myself. The specific app bass for various amps can be turned up and down and that paired with the hardware bass seems to be overpowering as all get out. So from my experience turning down the hardware setting really low seemed to help quite a bit.

[@astewart9410]

Thank you so much for your honesty. I am old, and have zero desire to connect to an iPad or a phone or a computer to run a guitar amp. The kids are into it, but it is too late for me. I considered buying this, and I even owned a Yamaha THR, but I got rid of it and avoided the Spark in favour of having two Boss Katana 50 running wet/dry on a Radial BigShot ABY pedal. I know they can be connected to computer as well, but I never do it. I am happy with the sounds on the control panel. Fair play to those who enjoy their Spark, have fun.

[@reliefguitarist]

I agree regarding the low end, and I appreciate your candor on the product, Ryan. I think it's got way too much bass, which I suspect might be because it also functions as a bass amp. I think you're also right about them trying to fatten it up at low volumes for practice. I think it's in the speakers, because the huge booming bass disappears when I use headphones. That said, I really like the amp for my use purposes. I've got in my living room, and use it for practicing and I mostly wear headphones. I practice bass on it as well, and it works well for that. I think it's really flexible and delivers on what it promises, but it would be great if Positive Grid could dial back the bass when not using headphones (I usually turn it all the way down, or almost all the way down). Stylistically, I play a lot of blues and like a fatter sound, so with the bass dialed back, the tone is right in my wheelhouse. However, I wish it had more usable range when not using one of the bass amps, and I'm hoping they fix that with a firmware update.

[@jdstan9650]

Thanks for your honest evaluation. I just (December 2022) bought a Spark and was anxiously awaiting delivery until I saw this video and the worry began. Fortunately, after research, I discovered Spark added an update (mid 2022) that includes 3 more amps plus guitar and bass EQ pedals that alleviate many of the heavy bass 🔊 issues. Thank goodness. You're doing great work Ryan! Keep that sh#t up!

[@gsbguitarsgsb679]

I was stoked to get one until now, I’m glad you present the way you do, gives us all a clear picture of products that still need the bugs worked out… thanks

[@frantisca]

I was tempted to buy one as the pre owned prices are low. But as I already use the software on iOS which is very good and integrated to DAWs, I decided to buy a good Bluetooth speaker and it does the trick w/o the flaws you described. Thanks for your detailed review.

[@onionheadguy7094]

If the bass knob had numbers they would read from 10 to 10

[@theozonechamber5122]

I accidentally purchased one of these, gently used, BEFORE I watched this video. I was a little nervous to hear what it sounded like in person, but I guess I lucked out and got one that wasn't so murky. I am a little disappointed about the missing spring tank too, but I see they released a few more virtual pedals (at a $19.99 cost) a couple weeks ago for the JH Experience.....perhaps with some persistent nudging, they will add a few more of the basic pedals we all love. Thanks Ryan for all your reviews. I always enjoy your format, and value your input.

[@gonzalo783]

you may've lost some money, but you just saved me a good couple hundred of bucks. Thank you so much for your honesty and transparency, you have a new fan here

[@paultaylor2968]

I've had one from day one. The noise gate kills everything. There are so many fantastic saved user cloud creations that you never need to use the amp the way Ryan used it. I purely use it with saved presets. So much easier. It sounds so much better than Ryan's vid. Great practice amp. That's all.

[@christiansanabria6260]

As he got further and further into the video I was thinking the same exact thing. I am no means a stan for the Spark but for the price point its beyond a solid practice amp. Perfect for a beginner/intermediate player IMO.

[@stevenpipes1555]

Everyone who reviews it fails to mention that the sound reproduction for music is incredible, as if thats not an important feature too! Ive got a blue tooth speaker, that cost well more than my spark, and the spark sounds twice as good! I know thats not the point of the amp, but value is value! The spark could cost twice as much as it does, and would still be worth every penny. In my humble opinion.

[@creepinonthebabes]

i have had it for a long time the new firmware brings some new stuff wish they would upgrade the noise gate

[@Svergara1]

I had this feeling too that he was using it the way you would you an actually amp. But still a great in depth video for someone that would have this product hoping to do what Ryan did with it. That being said I just pre-order a pearl colored one. As I need something like this in the price point that I can take from the bedroom to band practice.

[@brianworden7022]

@@stevenpipes1555 NO, this amp would never be worth twice its price. It is a good little amp and doubles a as speaker... but that isn't an extra $300 of value for that capability.

[@blackhatboojum5508]

I really appreciate your honesty with this video. As you mentioned, this thing was kind of shoved in everyone's face for a long time. I'm still inundated with ads about it on social media. While intriguing to me, something was telling me not to buy it. This video confirmed my gut feeling.

[@johnladdsmusic]

I’ve had my Spark for a year. It’s my nightly noodle toy…that’s it…it’s not a live music or band practice amp imo. It was designed to get players to experiment and learn. For those reasons I love it! It is bassy though as mentioned. Simple solution is to get it off the floor.

[@matzemunz2827]

For what it is advertised, that thing is off the charts. And the pricetag is more than fair. Also I'm watching this video with my spark as a BT speaker.

[@PJB222]

Took 8 months to get mine last year, I’ve absolutely loved it so far.

[@dermot51]

Getting a loan of one for a week off a mate then ill decide whether to buy or not

[@PJB222]

@@dermot51 I still love mine. It’s everything it should be so far. No real complaints besides the power supply

[@officialWWM]

It’s pretty easy to fix that perceived bass problem. Simply remove the front screen (it’s just held on with Velcro) and fill the bass port with a cloth. Problem solved.

[@crazy8sdrums]

The Spark features a speaker cabinet with bass reflex port. Stuff a sock in that port and you reduce the bass substantially... All you had to do was take the front mesh off and see...and know a little about speaker cabinet design. If you are just now coming here to learn about this amp...because you bought it on clearance...there you go....

[@randyheath8566]

I just bought a POSITIVE Grid SPARK Amps, I Love it better than my Yamaha. If you turn one knob, it takes the preset sound out and you can reset the presets to your liking. You probably don't need me telling you anything by now you know. 🙄🤣🤪🎸👍👏🪝ed on your Channel and Content 👍❤ I'm going to drill a round hole with a big hole saw blade in my back panel or bottom to get rid of the Bassy Sound. I only paid $200 for mine, you got yours Free

[@oldmanlearningguitar446]

That’s what I like about this channel: it’s soooo cutting edge...

[@kd7gxfsmd]

Curious if there is an updated review since the firmware update? They now have an eq pedal that IMO really cleans up the sound quite well!

[@Kipperbob]

You need to get the equaliser on your effects loop to cut the low end, the amps ability to produce low end helps when you play with backing tracks, you can hear the bass guitar and bass drum

[@Ou812em]

Great and honest review. I thought you were going to be in somebody’s pocket like some of the other KZbinrs. But you were honest and very insightful to the product. Thank you.

[@TechyTimM]

Kudos for giving a frank opinion. Most people seem to agree about the bass. I had a similar reaction to yours about the four presets when I got mine. The online patches helped quite a bit however. I do like the bluetooth connectivity. I wouldn't recommend this without the app, but with it, you have a functional practice amp with tons of tonal options at an affordable price point. Roll off the bass on the tone controls and on the individual effects and you can shape the tone a lot to get what you're looking for. At this price point, it's a great place to start. You'll learn a lot about the kind of gear you may want to invest in down the road as you progress and have plenty of tonal options to explore.

[@coryedmunds7166]

Thank you. After everyone's reviews I got one and I was quite disappointed. I kept it because I thought maybe I was doing something wrong but I still don't like it to this day. I've had it for about 6 months now but I always play on my Yamaha THR 30 II. I'm glad that now I have someone else who agrees with me on the spark. Yamaha is still the king of desktop amps for me.

[@try2bcool]

The Yamaha costs twice as much, I would hope it would sound better.

[@coryedmunds7166]

@@try2bcool even the THR 10 non wireless sounds better for the same price as a spark.

[@komando8365]

All that low end… that would be a pain. Sounds like it’s nearly impossible to take it out as well. Glad I watched this!

[@jonm1544]

I use the Spark as a practice amp and a bluetooth speaker for my deck. In that application, I find it to be a huge value. It performs well as a bluetooth speaker when I have guests. Then as a little outdoor practice amp, it's great because of its versatility and all-in-one amp rig nature. That said, I agree it sounds like digital recordings played through a reproduction speaker. I think in the right application with the right expectations, the Spark is fantastic. However, if you want something that functions as your primary guitar rig, you can probably do better. Also, the guitar EQ effect can really help tame the low end.

[@Crunchifyable2]

For a bedroom guitarist who wants the guitar to sound good by itself, the bass level is appropriate IMO. Many amps don't have enough bass to sound good at low volumes.

[@monaural2.988]

This is the point. Too many guys acting as if this can replace all those Fenders, Marshalls, Boogies & Dumbles are missing the mark. This was made more for students who want at least an idea of how they could possibly sound out of much more expensive gear.

[@Deauxtje]

Bravo! Best Spark demo on KZbin. The most honest one for sure.

[@sdbguitars]

My wife got me a Spark amp for Christmas last year. My findings: When you're very close to it or it is on the floor, it is SOOOOO bassy that you have to rebuild each preset with the bass rolled off. The Twin Reverb amp sounds decent, largely because this sounds like an amp with much larger speakers. None of the stock presets are worth anything. But the Twin Reverb for clean, the Matchless and Vox amps for light to medium crunch, and the Ampeg bass amps are not bad. This amp actually sounds decent as a small bass amp. The Bluetooth speaker functionality is terrible, way too bassy. But I do play through my Spark every day in my home office, because it's small, and I can dial in a bunch of sounds using the app for messing around. It'll never replace a dedicated amp, though. It's okay as a practice tool.

[@sbradyw99]

I recommend the Spark to anyone who lives in an apartment or condo. I live in a townhouse and play Page, Hendrix, Mayer, and Frusciante songs at low volumes on a daily basis. I previously used the Yamaha THRii but wasn't thrilled with the app, although it's arguably the better sounding amp. The Yamaha is now my son's amp and our travel rig. The Spark app is great. But, you need to invest some time to dial in your tones. Find starter patches on ToneCloud and THEN refine those for your room and guitars. That said if you really want to cut the bass, I highly recommend a bright, Klon clone like the Electro-Harmonix Soul Food.

[@rickknowlan8949]

Just saw a review that described how new "pedals" in their app allowed users to tame the over-the-top bass. That goes to demonstrate the accuracy of Ryan's impressions. I think that will make it a lot more useful. It's a big trend - profiling amps with apps to make them into whatever the app allows

[@davidbarlow431]

Ryan, your honesty is like a breath of fresh air. Also watched your Eart v Indio video today and you are right about KZbin channels over hyping stuff. I think your assessment of the spark is probably the most realistic I've seen. This product is being over hyped by KZbin influences for sponsorship, and users who are generally too inexperienced to know its not what it's built up to be.

[@ALWTunes]

I feel like a global hi-pass filter could easily be added via a firmware update. If they see this, maybe they’ll implement it. Good review, Ryan.

[@Stoney3K]

Sounds like the amp should have a "Global Sound Settings" page that can be applied post-preset to tune the preset to the particular amp or room that it's in.

[@stephen25uk]

Your review reflects what many other reviewers have said, too much low end with muffled mids and highs. Even the sponsored reviews sound that way on their demos. Thanks for your honesty.

[@andrewking7919]

I have one of these, plus I might well have watched all the reviews on KZbin And the low on yours does seem excessive, Mine is nothing like it! I reckon you should contact positive grid and tell them you think its faulty.

[@1rwjwith]

Back in at 1 hour in, still not good to me, way to boxey and bass heavey to me. Sounds like plugins via a speaker system to me! You are right, appreciate your honesty!

[@gmscurto]

You have integrity and that's why so many love and trust your videos. 🖖

[@thomaskenish3593]

I find it serviceable for silent practice and recording, the sound tends to be better when its run direct from the the usb on the back into a daw, as the speakers tend to sound really box-y in the room.

[@richardkeller8658]

As many have said, mine does not have the muddy bass sound that you are getting in this video. And I think that you made a point at the end of the video where you speak about how your gear should be fun. I really enjoy my Spark and it makes me want to play. Yeah sometimes I struggle with the app and I wouldn't gig with this amp, but I find it fun. Thanks for your videos!

[@YourMCAdmin]

I make songs with lots of different styles, kinda my gimmick. I got one of these on a whim because of all of the built in effects. It's not my go-to amp, BUT I found it has its uses. I used it solely for all of the electric guitar parts in my latest song. (Keep in mind I'm a moderately-less-than-average guitarist lol) I found that the sound out of the headphone jack is weak, but putting a mic directly on the amp, I got some impressive sound from it. I can't say I've gotten any wonderful dirty tones from it, but I enjoy the clean sounds. I'd say I got my money out of it. I think it's quite versatile for the price. However, anyone looking for something to use more than a practice amp should look elsewhere.

[@zackwatson6438]

I play a ton of different stuff and I can’t recommend the PodGO enough! It uses the Helix modeling framework and is pretty versatile, especially when using an FRFR speaker. If you ever get a chance I would ditch the Spark for the PodGo or some other Helix family platform.

[@rhykko77]

how do I find this latest song on which you used the Spark ? Thanks

[@truescotsman4103]

you're supposed to use the USB interface with your DAW software for recording. its a direct interface to the output section before the amp so you get the same thing you get from the speakers into your recording setup. the headphone out is for headphone or silent use.

[@PJB222]

You are not wrong on any of the criticisms. It is dark and muddy, which works for me with my style. For the money it gives me a ton of options and fun for a small portable bedroom jam box. I wouldn’t suggest it for anything other then that at all.

[@lucasrhodes3216]

It sounds like you never took it out of the box. So dark and muddy sounding.

[@BillyE5150]

I know, right? I can’t even watch all of this.

[@andreshernandez9434]

@@BillyE5150 equalizer??? It has one

[@s133p1ngdrag0n]

I bought the mini first. I have played around with it a bit. Only a couch player. I thought it had potential so I bought the Spark. I have only had mine 24 hours. Haven't figured out much. I mainly watched this to see how you dealt with the features. Thanks for honest appraisal. I suspect that I will like it more than you did, just because I don't have your high expectations. Thanks again for review/demo.

[@GreenHoleSun]

Thank you for the honest review. I had the same experience: there is defintely an issue with the predominance of lower frequencies above all the others. I think this has to do with the engineering: here Positive Grid has brought the bass reflex technology to the extreme. Probably it's their choice: they wanted a practice amp that could play bass frequencies even at low volume (the equivalent of the "loudness" switch in hi fi equipment), and I think they succeded in this particular goal. This amp for sure has a presence that no other practice amp has, but at the cost of not fair equalization. In the search of the "perfect practice amp" I bought also a yamaha thr ii 30, which in many ways is the opposite: a bright, cristalline and very responsive amp but it lacks lower frequencies especially at low volume, and high gain / distorted sounds are frankly worse than the spark. In the end, I dediced to keep both for different purpouse: I use the thr for clean tones and the spark for high gain ones.

[@zackwatson6438]

Ryan, I’ve been watching the channel and listening to the podcast pretty consistently since last year and I really appreciate these honest reviews. I still feel that the PodGO and a FRFR speaker is probably the most versatile set up for the money.

[@craighambo]

I have a few amps but my go to is my pod go to my headrush 112 and hook my laptop up for creating tones.I find it effortless and the sounds is magic even at ridiculous volumes.

[@nickmartinez8217]

Thank you for giving a good critical analysis of this product. I think you said a lot of things that needed to be said and for me one of the new pandemic players I need to build up my gear and this could have just been a waste of money for me.

[@frederickthompson8686]

I'm kind of in agreement with the reviewer, here. I kept mine for about three months, and then sold it for what I paid for it. I found dialing in the desired tones to be very tedious, even frustrating, and many of the mid and bass tones sounded very "muddy." Yes, I do agree that it can be fun, and it's a terrific value. But it's fun from a novelty perspective, not from a tonal definition perspective. I'm back to the Yamaha THR-II... which is reliably simple to use and delivers a decent range of quite satisfying sounds.

[@JTB--]

Using the EQ pedal is the only real solution to correcting some of the Low End. I still like the 40 for practicing/jamming

[@bobgniewkowski8348]

I’m glad you received a grounded power supply (3 prongs)… the amp I received came with a non grounded power supply and I had a HUGE hum issues… when I contacted customer support … they actually had me make a video to verify the hum issue before they would send a grounded power supply

[@michaelrosa2589]

I love my Spark use it everyday!

[@jasonmoss4151]

I love mine! I I filled the bass port with foam. And put foam inside the cabinet.

[@davidkastin4240]

Thank you Ryan for your honest review. The thing I like most about the Spark amp is I didn't buy one!

[@jpurcallas]

Nice Ryan, it's cool that you say what you think even if its bad business for you . When it first came out I was a little curious but then something about de app and having to navigate menus plus the small speakers held me back. After watching your video in totally sure that I rather just keep playing on the 1989 peavy Backstage 110 I've been using

[@K0rp0]

When Ryan mentions the low end, the cover of my heater was rattling just from playing that video over my speaker.

[@ifax1245]

Thank you for confirming I made the right choice with my THR10ii

[@joelarsenault5615]

Trying to add a looper.. is the airstep the only way to do it?

[@Eddie_Mx3]

My issue with this is I’ve seen many reviews of the spark. I’ve seen it on its own, I’ve seen it put up against other amps and hold its own and surpass the other amps in functionality and tone. Assuming what you’re looking for is an intuitive practice amp. In all those reviews I’ve never heard the amp sound that bad. I don’t know how it’s being dialed in in this video but something isn’t right. I know that the spark has a low frequency focus to be well suited for acoustic, bass and electric guitars and also be a good Bluetooth speaker but maybe the ribbon mic was the wrong choice.. maybe it should be running direct because I think as a desktop amp that’s kind of how it’s meant to be played. If you look at bias software, it is designed to be put in through the daw and as a tool. I think this is the same idea. I think it would sound great direct and I think it would sound great with quality headphones. Two 4” speakers are not going to sound good when you mic them, especially not with a ribbon mic. We’re not talking about a 4x12 cabinet here, we’re talking about a 4” voiced speaker. Of course it’s going to sound that way when being used in that way. This video doesn’t represent this amp well at all. Now I by no means think the amp is perfect. But it’s a tool for creativity and I think that’s pretty awesome. Go check out other videos on this thing and see what it really sounds like 😂 We don’t all play surf guitar. I love the personality of this channel but this is the wrong product for it. I think the spark is more towards rock and blues players. 🎉

[@petedefi]

Fast forward 2 years later; I recently purchased for “practice amp”; it sounds way better then your demo tones - maybe firmware improvements?

[@blousug]

Thanks for this video. Since I bought this amp last year I have had issues with it. First, it has a hum on high gain settings which Positive Grid address with a new grounded power supply. The unbalanced eq, ie the crazy amount of low end, I try and balance out with an eq pedal. Now I feel like I have a decent practice amp and audio interface. However, I don’t think it was worth it in the end.

[@555atU]

I just started guitar and this is on my short list for a practice amp. I appreciate your review, but I'm not spending my time chasing tones yet. I need to learn how to play first. 🙂 As a learning tool and it can double as a bluetooth speaker with its low end, makes it appealing to me. Despite its flaws as noted by you, it's not a show stopper and it's just $300 and looks like a lot of fun to noodle around with.

[@flatline42]

Nice video! I have the amp and I agree it's bass heavy. That seems to be a pretty common complaint. The community has figured out that plugging up the bass reverb hole behind the screen with a sock or some foam or something helps a lot, and other folks have swapped out the speakers to something that isn't so bass heavy. The bass hole is no big deal but having to swap out the speakers is kind of a big mod. I think the consensus was that the amp was also marketed and designed as a bluetooth speaker for listening to music and that ultimately is what leads to the bass-heavy output. I think generally speaking most of the community finds that to be a mistake. I know I *never* use it as a bluetooth speaker. I've also heard that BiasFX, which is honestly probably what is running inside the amp, uses the master for how hard you push your simulated tubes, not volume and that it's extremely touchy with gain vs master settings. At any rate, if you couldn't figure it out the average schmoe just starting won't figure it out. I'm keeping mine for a bedroom impulse practice amp but I find I don't play it nearly as often as I did when I first got it.

[@Darla_Lo]

Everyday person/guitarist review, excellent job. I've been wanting someone to say it does not sound like an amp in a room. You also said a lot of other things I've been wanting reviewers to say it does or doesn't do. I use these reviews form the KZbin guitar community to come up with a collective opinion on products. I keep you, Ryan, a part of my KZbin subscriptions because of your reviews. You make the hard call and have a decided philosophy to what your channel is about, and what it will and will not be a part of. Thanks! Doesn't mean I wouldn't buy it. These gear companies need to listen to reviews and make changes for users wants and needs. Thus, they should not be using KZbin channels to promote and sell. They should use guitar KZbinrs only to improve a product leading them to be able to meet the consumers on common ground. This is where they will be able to make more sales. Happy consumers, return for better products. My other thought is that gear companies should use KZbinrs as a part of product development. So, put the product out to gear reviewers, get feedback from reviewers and read the comments of consumers. Then next the KZbinr does a live and the viewers could ask questions. These Companies could get a lot of valuable info. Let Research and Development make important decisions not the "Bean Counters," In final comment, a year ago, when I was thinking about buying this amp, I checked to see if 60 Cycle Hum/Ryan reviewed it.......

[@TJEvans98]

to answer your question at 1:08:00....yes, just go into iphone settings and set it up as a bluetooth speaker. It can do both at the same time. phone can control, and Spark can be a speaker for phone.

[@Sizzle43]

I’m pleased I watched this after I bought it. I’m I beginner who has no idea what a good amp should sound like or what each pedal does. So I’m learning a lot from the amp. I love it! And I love using it as a powerful Bluetooth speaker.

[@brutuslaurentius8729]

I got myself a spark when they first came out, and I like it. It works fine for me but I don't play out or any of that stuff.

[@bbblacksmith]

Had one for 6 months, not very impressed until I di these thing- Found the sound awful at first. Mids were all over the place, noise gate kills the sound when you want to play soft. Turn off the noise gate and you get a lot of noise. I also get a lot of earth hum. How an digital amp achieves this is illogical to me. Anyway they were cheap not providing an earthed power supply. Read you can write an get one that is. Did that, Spark sent a new PS (free) . made a mountain of difference. Still really muddy lows and was going to get rid of it and go back to my THR Yamaha amp. I then found a Spark Amp hack page. They suggested getting 4 inch 3-way car speakers 30 to 40 watt rated. I got a pair of Sony 3 ways for $60 au. I had to trim 3 mm from the 4 screw tabs on the speakers and they screw straight in, wiring connector the same so simple swap. The Pioneer equivalents just screw straight tin. This has made the amp very useable and great sound across the frequencies. Why they put cheap one way speakers in was a silly mistake that holds the amp back.

[@Tony_Leonardi.]

Can you please post the hack web site.

[@SolitaryS]

Thank you for the most honest review of the Positive Grid Spark I have seen to date. I'm an aged beginner (in my 50s) Learning to play guitar is a 'bucket list" thing for me. I have been considering buying one. I've watched quite a few videos on this product. The same points seem to come up over & over; The app is easy & fun to explore & play around with. Which I think would enhance the learning experience for beginners like myself. As just a plain guitar amp, they seem to be mediocre at best. Every video I have seen, points out the overwhelming bass. With a few tweaks, they could make these a really great product. I really hope the engineers at Positive Grid are paying attention to all these reviews.

[@jimmy_iKoN]

I like it a lot. I also use it a lot as a Bluetooth speaker which is great. Mine doesn’t seem to have a huge low end but idk 🤷🏼 maybe I’m tone deaf. I’m very happy with mine

[@jamiehetfield]

Some people have been putting JBL 4 inch speakers in them from an automotive store gets rid of the bass

[@fadlyhans82]

Thank you so much for this review! Been researching videos for the spark 40 and wanted to get it. Ppl said customer support is not great and such. Also recent firmware upgrade run some issues such as the tones and user interface. Guess I’ll wait for Headrush version if they ever come out with one.

[@kevinmcarthur8548]

You sir have credibility with this honest video!

[@Kipperbob]

You asked, what I think so far, I'm half way through the video waiting for you to find the equaliser effects pedal on the app.

[@elzafir]

I think it's just the generic, unbranded speaker drivers' frequency response, they're not very good. The power-amp itself, it's a Texas Instrument TPA3116D2, which is a quite good budget Class-D power amp. So it's DEFINITELY the choice of speakers. Changing it to a pair of full range 4" after-market drivers like the Dayton Audio RS100-4 30W should brighten the whole thing immensely. The software, which is based on BIAS FX, is worth it to make the drivers upgrade, imho.

[@smokingtarheel3003]

I have one and it sits unused. I've been using my iphone lately playing through the Mustang GT100 and jamming with KZbin tracks and having a ball. The Bluetooth works quite well. Also, the Mustang Micro is perfect for jamming along using Bluetooth. The bluetooth drops from the Spark too. Maybe I'll just use it as a BT speaker for listening. Turn the bass WAY down.

[@jasonanderson8966]

Best Vid Thumbnail! ....for reals thanks for the review. I've been curious about the Spark amp for a while.

[@bpastorb]

Really respect the disclaimer at the beginning. Should be a guitar KZbin standard that everyone includes in their own way

[@pvbaelen]

It's a great value for the money as a small footprint practice amp. I don't even use the speakers and take the USB out into a small Berenger mixer out to my studio monitors. It has some great tones and some meh tones, but you can find good ones. My criticisms are it could really use an EQ pedal or two of some sort and a better drum loops. You can get around the EQ problem by using pedals to make up for the lack of adjustability in some amps, however I just use an EQ pedal now. Still for $250 or whatever it is now, it's a good value for what I use it for which is strictly practice.

[@emiliosog92]

The most honest review, I've seen so far. Got mine yesterday, totally agree with the reviewer. It can get better by tweaking the knobs. But, I thought it'd be as good as using BIASfx with my daw.

[@mattpearce79]

The new EQ pedal allows slightly better refinement and eliminate some of the low end

[@matthewearl9824]

Spark is amazing and all my other amps are tube besides my axefx.

[@Svergara1]

Watched a ton of videos on this and you have the most honest review. That being said, just pre-order a pearl colored on today.

[@midwestexiled842]

Figured I had to chime in. Is it the God Box it was made out to be. No way in Hell. But is it cool. Probably. Depends on your mindset going into it. It’s a practice amp with some usable features. There are some mods that can be done to make it more bearable. Easiest is block the bass port. If you line the inside of the box with foam it helps out tremendously with the low end. Add an external battery and its full portable. Probably the most usable thing I’ve done. But shortly it’s a practice amp. And probably should be treated as one. Oh and it does recording pretty well.

[@karstenhammerhansen]

A sock and a power bank lifts this product greatly.

[@calbrockocat8728]

I watched loads of videos when looking for a modeling amp with interface capabilities. It's why I settled on a used Yamaha THR 10C. No low end problems and a ton of presets you can make on your computer or mac. On its own, it just plain sounds good. recording, it sounds good. Can't ask for more.

[@SteveMallam]

I like mine, but I definitely agree it was too muddy on all the defaults. Had to roll the bass all the way off and the treble up at 3 o'clock for most sounds. I bought it as a practice / travel amp and it's very good for that - not that I've done much travelling recently - and it does take my real pedals in the front pretty well. Even my "if it doesn't have tubes it doesn't count" friend was impressed with the sound. But I enjoyed the video and it's REALLY refreshing to hear someone giving a genuine and honest opinion, instead of the usual gushing praise!

[@azcharlie2009]

The acoustic setting is for acoustic guitars. It's not a simulator. There are so many better presets on the cloud than those provided by the factory. And once you start messing with the knobs on the face of the Spark including the volume, and you save it, you just overwrote the preset.

[@nillermatic18]

I think the issue with the EQ is they tried to make it a guitar, bass and music amp all at once instead of focus mainly on it being a guitar amp.

[@dermot51]

Could have left out the bass feature maybe I dont know but 99% of the reviews are (cough) positive

[@glenech0]

I'm just happy Ryan used the same facial expression in the thumbnail that he says everybody uses when demoing the SPARK.

[@60CycleHumcast]

lol, i kinda had to, there was no better screen grab to use

[@professorwhoopee]

I bought one online awaiting delivery. Feeling a bit depressed after watching your review. However I appreciate your honest opinion.

[@elwrongo]

It is bass heavy but this may be because the designers were trying to satisfy the needs of a guitar amp and a bass amp (and a streaming box!) which are usually different amps. There's a sound port under the speaker grill you can fill in and this fixes quite a bit of it. Other people change out the speakers ($40) for something more mid focused (which I'm going to do). The firmware update gives you an EQ pedal which you can shape your sound with, I've done this and it works. I really like the AC and Matchless amps and the effects pedals are great. Yes HX Stomp is probably better but its 4 x time the price. I got mine for $150, its brilliant. I've already requested a Fender 63 reverb tank pedal sim from Positive Grid, they need it! :)

[@robertsawyermusicLA]

Very honest review. The Spark is a different animal to be sure. You have to get used to tooling out your sound which includes dropping the 100k in the PG EQ and saving presets. Also, I noted your mic position is over the port. You might want to mic it further from the amp to naturally sum it better, or mic it with 2 mics and record in stereo. I think you could use this for more than practice. JMO. Great video thank you.

[@BuffaloC305]

So I can play along with James Bond films... John Travolta & Uma Thurman dance parties, pre-needle... if I lived on Mission Beach, I could play outside and draw a crowd... hmmm... I like the review because you've shown and then told me why you draw these conclusions: fills the room with low-end. Excellent review, thanks.