Boss Katana - does the MKII sound better than the MKI?

[stratton]

FWIW: i'm very happy with the dirty tones i got live this weekend, and i haven't even hooked it up to my PC yet. i took it straight to the gig, right out of the store, fresh from factory. i'm sure adding the BTS compressor and EQ will really help, but it was one of the better live overdriven tones i've ever had, and i've owned many $$$s of $$$$ of amps of all types over the last 35 years.

I put mine immediately to work as well.

 

[buddaman71]

I put mine immediately to work as well.

I've been updating patches with the BTS and i will update my initial thought. Para EQ certainly makes the amp come alive. the Limiter on cleaner patches and built in noise suppressor are killer too.

PS: this and a standard right-angle pedal patch cable works perfectly for tap tempo with the G4FC

Guitar Footswitch Pedal TAP SWITCH PEDAL https://a.co/dtM5QUN

 

[stratton]

I've been updating patches with the BTS and i will update my initial thought. Para EQ certainly makes the amp come alive. the Limiter on cleaner patches and built in noise suppressor are killer too.

PS: this and a standard RA pedal patch cable works perfectly for tap tempo with the G4FC

Guitar Footswitch Pedal TAP SWITCH PEDAL https://a.co/dtM5QUN


View attachment 621657

There you go, good find. That was my only complaint, really.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

FWIW: i'm very happy with the dirty tones i got live this weekend, and i haven't even hooked it up to my PC yet. i took it straight to the gig, right out of the store, fresh from factory. i'm sure adding the BTS compressor and EQ will really help, but it was one of the better live overdriven tones i've ever had, and i've owned many $$$s of $$$$ of amps of all types over the last 35 years.

The para EQ is really the ONLY way to unlock good dirty tones from the katana. I believe that fact 100% explains the love/hate response to the katana. Plenty of reviews on the Mega thread where people plugged it in for a hot minute scrolled through the amp models and promptly put it back in the box and took it back to the store shaking their heads the whole time. Its not plug and play (with the possible exception of the clean model). If you're not a tweaker, this isnt the amp for you.

I didn't gel with the Kat Mk2 at first - bought one during the height of Covid so I didn't try one out - only heard the Clean tones from another player. I expected more from it out of the box but adding some Pre and post EQ (via Parametric or graphic) was like the seasoning that made ok sound great.

 

[dronerstone]

Like some have said, and I can only keep stressing this just as well: a high cut is pretty much inevitable if you wanna play at higher volume levels.

The parametric EQ also helps a lot to add "personal" flavor, or even turn the Katana's sound into the direction of your favorite amps.

This is why it's necessary to connect it to a computer at least once.

And the Sneaky Amps? I didn't spend much time with those. Roughly a couple minutes with each model, before I decided to keep my focus on the stock ones, which I think sound much better after all.

The Sneakies sound outdated, especially the higher gain models - that's my personal opinion/tastes.

They're for tweakers.

 

[MrTAteMyBalls]

Like some have said, and I can only keep stressing this just as well: a high cut is pretty much inevitable if you wanna play at higher volume levels.

The parametric EQ also helps a lot to add "personal" flavor, or even turn the Katana's sound into the direction of your favorite amps.

This is why it's necessary to connect it to a computer at least once.

And the Sneaky Amps? I didn't spend much time with those. Roughly a couple minutes with each model, before I decided to keep my focus on the stock ones, which I think sound much better after all.

The Sneakies sound outdated, especially the higher gain models - that's my personal opinion/tastes.

They're for tweakers.

Agreed except the clean. The stock clean just has nothing for me. The Sneaky twin was way better for me. Otherwise, stock models is the way to go.

Roll off at 5k to get rid of some of that top end sharpness. Boost somewhere in the low mids for some beef and there are plenty of great sounds available.

I wish my Helix had a blues driver pedal..I miss that on the Katana. So smooth.

 

[dronerstone]

Agreed except the clean. The stock clean just has nothing for me. The Sneaky twin was way better for me. Otherwise, stock models is the way to go.

Roll off at 5k to get rid of some of that top end sharpness. Boost somewhere in the low mids for some beef and there are plenty of great sounds available.

I wish my Helix had a blues driver pedal..I miss that on the Katana. So smooth.

Exactly what I did, cut down to 5k, boost lower mids.

That said, since we both did that, I might have to take a second look at the sneaky Twin.

 

[MrTAteMyBalls]

Exactly what I did, cut down to 5k, boost lower mids.

That said, since we both did that, I might have to take a second look at the sneaky Twin.

Give it a shot. For me it was way better, but some people still prefer the stock clean.

 

[Tmidiman]

Exactly what I did, cut down to 5k, boost lower mids.

That said, since we both did that, I might have to take a second look at the sneaky Twin.

I found that all the Sneaky Amps are set at a gain of 20. If you just cycle through them, and never increase the gain, they don’t sound like much at all. But demo them with the gain set between 40 and 60 and the difference is huge.

For me the Sneaky Rectifiers are way better than the stock Soldano.

So turn up the gain and give them another listen, if you haven’t alread.

 

[dronerstone]

I found that all the Sneaky Amps are set at a gain of 20. If you just cycle through them, and never increase the gain, they don’t sound like much at all. But demo them with the gain set between 40 and 60 and the difference is huge.

For me the Sneaky Rectifiers are way better than the stock Soldano.

So turn up the gain and give them another listen, if you haven’t alread.

I haven't, so thanks for that! Much appreciated

 

[PBGas]

On the MK2, you enable Stereo Expand to switch off the cab sim

This is what I have been doing. I run a line from that output back to my board and from there I run out into the PA from my TC IR pedal via XLR. Sounds amazing through FOH!

 

[buddaman71]

I didn't gel with the Kat Mk2 at first - bought one during the height of Covid so I didn't try one out - only heard the Clean tones from another player. I expected more from it out of the box but adding some Pre and post EQ (via Parametric or graphic) was like the seasoning that made ok sound great.

I exchanged my 100-212 for 2 100-112 in stereo and it sounds great! Easier to transport too.

 

[timbuck2]

ver 1 i had was a screamer....it was balsy yet edge of breakup was there in spades...just didnt like the whole effects way ots set up much but at least you can have more effects at the same time then say the catalyst

 

[buddaman71]

here's a little iPhone clip of the 2 100-112s in Stereo Expand mode. no external effects. (the iPhone really captured the stereo field well i think.)