Katana sounds thin and tinny

timmysoft

bloodandtears said:

HAL9000 said:

timmysoft said:

Why is connecting to a computer such a big issue? 

The Dog & Duck doesn’t have a USB socket. So why does an amp that is marketed as ‘stage-ready’ need one?

Dog & Duck doesn't need one.. I think you misunderstand the purpose, take a laptop if you need to venue tweak. it's not unheard of for many modern musical equipment items.

Agreed!

computers are now portable, I’m sure some people don’t know about that.

you aren’t stage ready, you spend time learning songs and preparing to play the songs. Investing a few minutes programming settings is no different to sorting out the knobs on your pedals 

Legionreturns

HAL9000 said:

timmysoft said:

Why is connecting to a computer such a big issue? 

The Dog & Duck doesn’t have a USB socket. So why does an amp that is marketed as ‘stage-ready’ need one?

It doesn't have one for you to plug a Kemper into either.

It's for setting it up at home. You knew that though, You're just being disagreeable.

dindude

It was the same with the Fender Mustang when they first came out, everyone bought and everyone raved about it, then everyone got over it. 

monquixote

timmysoft said:

bloodandtears said:

HAL9000 said:

timmysoft said:

Why is connecting to a computer such a big issue? 

The Dog & Duck doesn’t have a USB socket. So why does an amp that is marketed as ‘stage-ready’ need one?

Dog & Duck doesn't need one.. I think you misunderstand the purpose, take a laptop if you need to venue tweak. it's not unheard of for many modern musical equipment items.

Agreed!

computers are now portable, I’m sure some people don’t know about that.

you aren’t stage ready, you spend time learning songs and preparing to play the songs. Investing a few minutes programming settings is no different to sorting out the knobs on your pedals 

I would never take a laptop to a gig.

The settings you need to tweak at a gig on a Katana are on the panel.

The laptop stuff is just for getting a few global settings how you like them.

monquixote

dindude said:

It was the same with the Fender Mustang when they first came out, everyone bought and everyone raved about it, then everyone got over it. 

The Mustang has a really nice clean sound and quite shit gain sounds I don't recall ever hearing differently and that was the opinion of the one I had from the day I got it.  The second generation was a bit of a fumble by all accounts and they've made them worse.

The Katana is the next generation on and is a bit better again as you would expect, but I'm sure in a year or two the "Spider Helix" or similar will come along and give it a good spanking.

I think the main problem with the Katana thing is that when you say:

"Isn't it awesome that you can buy something that works as a very nice practice amp and a serviceable gigging amp with built in FX for £250" 

People get all confused and think you are claiming it's comparable to a Kemper / Friedman (delete as appropriate) when to my mind it's more like the modern day Peavey Bandit. A good, solid, cheap, dependable workhorse that you aren't worried about someone chucking a pint over.

JayGee

What @monquixote said...

I’ve got one (100 Watt 2x12), I use it as a home practice amp, for rehearsals, and for gigs where there’s either bugger-all space for a big amp and pedalboard or we need to be in/out fast. For me it serves those purposes perfectly adequately without any need for global EQ tweaks.

It’s not £2.5K-or-so worth of boutique amp and pedals for £250, it’s just useful, usable, bloody good value for money, and a very handy accessible package.

Marktigere1

JayGee said:

It’s not £2.5K-or-so worth of boutique amp and pedals for £250, it’s just useful, usable, bloody good value for money, and a very handy accessible package.

Total agree.

Having been in a crowd with a Katana 100 miccd up, it sounded great.

They sounded great when they came out and they sound great now.  For £250 its a bargain.

Anyone who worries its a threat to their 2K <insert expensive valve amp/modeller name> needn't worry.

But as a flexible, reliable and useable package they are very good.

misterpete

They build you up and then they knock you down, C'est la vie!  I love my Katana 50, tinny it ain't

Maxx77

Does your valve amp always sound good?
don't lie and say yes because isn't true.
sometimes things sound great, sometimes was better to leave it off.

HAL9000

Legionreturns said:

HAL9000 said:

timmysoft said:

Why is connecting to a computer such a big issue? 

The Dog & Duck doesn’t have a USB socket. So why does an amp that is marketed as ‘stage-ready’ need one?

It doesn't have one for you to plug a Kemper into either.

It's for setting it up at home. You knew that though, You're just being disagreeable.

Yes, I probably am. I'll admit to bet a bit (lot) of a Luddite when it comes to amps and guitars. I just want to plug in and play and be able to adust on the fly. The simpler the better IMHO, but I do know that different people want different things. An amp that connects to a computer just isn't for me.

p90fool

Maxx77 said:

Does your valve amp always sound good?
don't lie and say yes because isn't true.

Of course it does. Or more specifically, it always sounds good enough. 

From venue to venue, week after week, my valve amps vary from perfectly ok to fantastic. The Katana varied from perfectly ok to hideous. 

I'm not disagreeing with anyone else's Katana experience, as I wrote at tedious length in my own thread about it, I loved the sound of the Katana, and think they've really raised the bar in terms of the natural feel of budget modellers, I just couldn't get it to work consistently with my particular style of playing. 

As I said, I've missed mine since I sold it, it's a good-sounding, versatile tool, I just don't think they're 100% there yet in terms of the playing dynamics and response to guitar controls I need from an amp in a live situation.