Spark amp firmware update

DiscoStu

Anyone installed the new Spark update that got released yesterday? There's been a few mentions of bricked amps or loss of sound on some Facebook pages but this is possibly due to user error with the install.

6 new amps and effects based on:
Dumble ODS 50 HRM

Fender Blues Junior

Peavey 6505
Klon Centaur

plus guitar and bass EQ pedals.

inewham

Yes.
No problems installing it, just download the latest installer and run (it seems obvious but I tried running the old installer first assuming it would download the firmware, it doesn't you need to download the new installer)

Amps etc. pretty much what you expect  
The EQ pedals go in the mod position so you cant have e.g. a flanger and an EQ. Minor irritant.

Big win for me is I swear the tone overall is less muddy than it used to be, particularly cleans.
OK the speakers are never going to be fantastic but it used to annoy the hell out of me on headphones and now it sounds OK.
(it seems better creating new than reloading configs I created on the old firmware)

bobblehat

Done this morning. Quick and easy and no issues.
Yes it does sound a little bit better even though the notes don't mention any tweaks to the overall sound.

DiscoStu

bobblehat said:

Done this morning. Quick and easy and no issues.
Yes it does sound a little bit better even though the notes don't mention any tweaks to the overall sound.

Heard a few folk say the same, improved sound even without the new EQ pedals. Sounds like Positive Grid have been listening to criticism.

DartmoorHedgehog

Mine took three attempts at the update before it worked properly.  First two times everything looked normal but no sound at all.  Luckily it was alive enough to run the update again and the third time worked.
I agree it does sound possibly slightly brighter - although I was never one of the people who thought it was too bassy to start with.
I was hoping they'd add some sort of looper function though.

Switch625

I need to do mine, haven't updated it at all since I bought it. Better do it quick as the 1 year warranty runs out in the next couple of weeks...

DiscoStu

Everyone's raving about the Klon and the EQ, but me, I'm really digging the 6505.
I've always thought that most of the sounds on the Spark were really good and the volume on it is fab for the size of it, but I find having to use the app to play around with stuff a bit of a pain tbh. I find it pretty glitchy.

DartmoorHedgehog

DiscoStu said:

 I find having to use the app to play around with stuff a bit of a pain tbh. 

I don't use the app much either if I can help it.  It's definitely more of a setup utility for me rather than something to fiddle with every time I play.  I'm happy with four patches with amps and effects I like, then do the rest with the physical knobs. 

I don't blame them for doing it that way though - having to provide access to all that stuff from the amp itself would either make for a ridiculously complicated array of buttons or an expensive screen. When most people already have a smartphone or tablet it's a no-brainer for PG to offload the interface to that.  At least they did provide enough physical knobs that you have pretty good control over the sound without the app once you've set up the patch.

If the auto-accompaniment/jam software was any good then I might be inclined to use the app more, but it, er, isn't.

I really like my Spark though.  I bought it as a practice amp to use when I don't want to set my "real" amp up at home.  I've got two or three sounds I use most stored in the presets and when I feel like fiddling with other sounds I'll fire up the app/tone cloud.  Yes, parts of the app are gimicks at best, but I just ignore those.  Certainly no buyer's remorse here.