Roland / Boss Nextone - new amp line

Babones

"Because the power amps are all class A/B, the volume response is similar to their tube equivalent. So a 40W Nextone is similar to a 40W tube amp."

Bold statement and I'm pretty sure it won't be similar.

Not keen on the name. Styling is 'ok,' pretty simple/classic, but they look a bit flimsy/cheap. I wonder how they'd cope/sound at loud volumes.

ICBM

Babones said:

"Because the power amps are all class A/B, the volume response is similar to their tube equivalent. So a 40W Nextone is similar to a 40W tube amp."

Bold statement and I'm pretty sure it won't be similar.

Almost *all* solid-state amps until very recently were Class AB - the very ones which got solid-state the deserved reputation as not being as loud as valve for the same rated power - so that statement by itself is complete bullshit.

Whether they've done something else with the circuit to give more valve-like perceived volume is a very different thing.

fields5069

So why would anyone want the Artist? They seem to only differ in cabinet size and wattage.

Collings

ICBM said:

Babones said:

"Because the power amps are all class A/B, the volume response is similar to their tube equivalent. So a 40W Nextone is similar to a 40W tube amp."

Bold statement and I'm pretty sure it won't be similar.

Almost *all* solid-state amps until very recently were Class AB - the very ones which got solid-state the deserved reputation as not being as loud as valve for the same rated power - so that statement by itself is complete bullshit.

Whether they've done something else with the circuit to give more valve-like perceived volume is a very different thing.

Aside from the marketing dept being creative with their ratings for solid state amps often in the past the solid state amps were the makers budget models and in the case of combos often came fitted with inefficient budget speakers which also contributed to the valves are louder than solid state observations.

Arjailer

EricTheWeary said:

Arjailer said:

"all analogue" with a software editor?   Hmm...


(sounds lovely though, which is all that actually matters)


From my brief look at a video the software manages the digital effects ( delay types,reverb, tremolo, compression). I'm not sure it changes the core sounds. 

Ah - didn't realise that   

Though doesn't that still mean that the signal is being digitized at some point?

Are people generally okay with digital effects in their analogue amps?

I don't personally get hung up on this stuff - I use a Blackstar ID100TVP   

stratman3142

Dontgiveupyourdayjob said:

Onpar said:

stratman3142 said:

ICBM said:

EricTheWeary said:

Apparently in the 80w there are 77watts going in so more magic value than valve or solid state.

And 37 in the 40W.

But recently I've found an amp where the claimed output power is accurate and the stated input power is (drastically!) wrong, so who knows...

They certainly won't be as loud as equivalent-power valve amps, but that isn't because solid state and valve watts are different. It still isn't helpful when manufacturers play numbers games though - it's not so much asking how long a piece of string is, it becomes more like trying to answer when you don't know whether the string is made of cotton or rubber .

What's strange is that my solid state 80W Blues Cube Artist is rated at 68W input. Whereas my 40W HRD IV is rated at 180W input power.

But if I set my Blues Cube Artist on the lower 45W setting it seems to be at least as loud as my HRD IV. That's as far as I can tell without blowing the roof off .

So your Blues Cube is as loud as a hot rod deluxe? 

If so this means it is easily loud enough for medium size gigs with just the amp and no PA.

I have the 80w Blues Cube. I've never played an HRD so couldn't compare directly, but can confirm that on the 45w setting it's easily capable of keeping up with a drummer without winding the master vol much past 12 o'clock. I've never needed to use the 80w setting in anger.

I used my Blues Cube Artist for gigs before I got my HRD IV. I never had any problems matching the level of the drums or filling the room on the 45W setting.

I now use both the Cube and The HRD for gigs, but that's for the spread (there's one on each side of the stage) not the volume. I could easily gig with either.

The first time I used the Cube was at an open air gig (admittedly that was mic'd up). We didn't get time for a sound check and I had it on the 80W setting. As soon as we went into the first number I thought fxxx that's loud and quickly switched it to the 45W setting, which is the setting I used from then on.

EricTheWeary

Arjailer said:

EricTheWeary said:

Arjailer said:

"all analogue" with a software editor?   Hmm...


(sounds lovely though, which is all that actually matters)


From my brief look at a video the software manages the digital effects ( delay types,reverb, tremolo, compression). I'm not sure it changes the core sounds. 

Ah - didn't realise that   

Though doesn't that still mean that the signal is being digitized at some point?

Are people generally okay with digital effects in their analogue amps?

I don't personally get hung up on this stuff - I use a Blackstar ID100TVP   

I flicked through the Peach review on YouTube, that looked to be the more comprehensive one if you wanted details. 15 minutes on an amp I'm unlikely to buy ( any amp at the moment, nothing against Boss) I couldn't really invest anymore than a brief look. 

ICBM

fields5069 said:

So why would anyone want the Artist? They seem to only differ in cabinet size and wattage.

For the bigger cabinet and more wattage.

fields5069

ICBM said:

fields5069 said:

So why would anyone want the Artist? They seem to only differ in cabinet size and wattage.

For the bigger cabinet and more wattage.

Yeah, I sort of knew that was coming. I suppose I was expecting some other differentiator, like separate EQ for each channel, or both channels at once in the Artist. I suppose I was thinking that 80 watts is too much, since wouldn't you be likely to go through a PA for a room that size?

ICBM

fields5069 said:

Yeah, I sort of knew that was coming. I suppose I was expecting some other differentiator, like separate EQ for each channel, or both channels at once in the Artist. I suppose I was thinking that 80 watts is too much, since wouldn't you be likely to go through a PA for a room that size?

I like powerful amps because of the big, deep tone they have - not the volume. I've never found 100 watts too much, in any venue - amp volume controls are like investments, they can go down as well as up...

I also generally prefer larger cabinets because they have a more open sound.

So unless I compared the two and actually preferred the smaller one, I'd be more inclined to go for the bigger one if it wasn't too much more expensive.

Wazmeister

fields5069 said:

ICBM said:

fields5069 said:

So why would anyone want the Artist? They seem to only differ in cabinet size and wattage.

For the bigger cabinet and more wattage.

Yeah, I sort of knew that was coming. I suppose I was expecting some other differentiator, like separate EQ for each channel, or both channels at once in the Artist. I suppose I was thinking that 80 watts is too much, since wouldn't you be likely to go through a PA for a room that size?

I tried the Artist Blues Cube and the smaller one, and went with the larger Artist for the reasons @ICBM stated.

A fuller sound, and best clean bass fell (if that makes sense)

jellybelly

Looks cool, this is the sort of thing I’m interested in - a Yamaha THR competitor would be welcome!

That said, I can’t stand the style of blues that always gets played in these sort of videos. Is that “white man’s blues”?? Ghastly stuff. 

Anacharsis

I'm really happy with my Blues Cubes, but these could be interesting to people who want something a little more "traditional" than a Katana, but a little more deep dive-friendly than a Blues Cube (which isn't at all - no editor, just the controls on the amp). And the pricing has overlap with both of the aforementioned ranges.

grungebob

I’ve a Katana 50 that after hours messing with the tone studio I’m at a point where I do like the sounds. 
This new amp still interests me though as the stock cleans all sounded great to my ears and the price doesn’t seem unreasonable. If it didn’t have the same power scaling as the Katana though I wouldn’t be interested. 

Fenderman53

Anyone noticed there's a standby position on the 'power valve's selector switch? Does this suggest that like the ''Artist' Tone Capsule dealer only selector box, this needs selecting as an off before reconfiguring???? Can't find a 'Nextone' owners manual yet to check if this is so.

Fenderman53

Found the 'Nextone' manual online (eventually!). Standby setting is same as on a tube amp i.e. switch to it when on a break or between sets. So why the need on a digital/analogue amp??? No valves to warm up/wear out. Does it just cut the mains hum/circuit hiss? I notice many of the demo guitarists roll off their gtr volume controls immediately they've done a play to camera. Dead quiet amps then, all of them!

Greatape

I have the Blues Cube Artist and to be honest, the feature set of the Nextone looks to me like what they should have given the BC from the start. 

I mean, pay the cost of the 50w katana for one tone capsule? Which, down here, are almost impossible to find and try before buying. 

Does it have the dual tone setting? Sounds like crap on the BCA.

I really like the BC at high power/low master settings - brilliant for recording - but live, you don't get the clean headroom. i'm told the NYB and UB capsule address this a bit, but I've yet to be able to try one. 

I play in a large horn band, and sometimes the BC (with a strat) struggles to cut through. Conversely, the other guitarist uses the 100w Katana and it's very easy to hear him. (Uses a high-channel-volume/low power setting with a tele). 

exocet

I find that the BC clean headroom is easily addressed by using the low gain input. With a Strat I can get up to halfway on the input gain without any breakup. I them simply set the master and output power setting to suit. Usually the 45 watt setting is enough. Any louder than that and I mic up.

TimmyO

Apparently they have arrived at Peach 

TimmyO

And I see Anderton  have them in too