which amp to get

andrewyeo2001

New member
Hi guys.. recently decided to change my 15 watt amp (unknown brand).
can you guys please recommend on which amp to get
Budget is $500
mostly playing rock, metal, blue
 
you can get a korg AX1500G, it has all you need for any sounds, not much effects in there, but simplicity is best for rockers... thats only my point of view...
 
cube60_md.gif


All Cube's look strikingly similar, and the Cube 60 is no exception.

The on-board EFX are the same as the Cube 30, which comprises of a Tremolo, Chorus, Phaser, Flanger and an independant Reverb/Delay.

However, the new Cube 60 has a new Presence control, and a new Bright selector button, which, if I understand correctly, increases the gain.

All the amp models in the COSM are similar to the Cube 30. However, Roland claims to have "redone" the COSM, making amp modelling smoother and closer to the real thing, as compared to previous models.

Finally, the most interesting selection. A new amp modelling effect, the Dyna Amp. This is Roland's attempt at creating a diverse music enviornment by creating a sound based on your picking techniques.

For example, picking a string lightly and gently would create a clean, clear, crisp sound, while heavy picking or strumming would create a heavy distortion. Pretty interesting, if you ask me.

The Roland Cube 60 also creates more footswitch option, by allowing almost every aspect of the amp to be controlled via footswitch. You have the regular Clean/Lead, then you have the EFX and finally a Delay/Reverb switch.

Is 60 watts through a 12" standard speaker not enough? For me it is, but if you're gonna go to some heavy ass gig, you're gonna want more. The Cube 30 has a External Speaker output jack, which can connect any speaker for greater amplification. Not to mention a Line Out for your own mixer, and even a Tuner Out for tuning on the fly.
 
Vaiyen said:
Prae, how many distorted channels are there on the 30? And can you describe them?

For distortion, there are 4, not counting the Black Panel and Acoustic Simulator.

I have a review done on the Cube 30... I'll copy and paste here to make things easier for you guys.
 
Roland Cube-30 COSM.

COSM stands for Composite Object Sound Modelling.

Channel switching between Clean and Lead can be done via footswitch, three band Bass - Middle - Treble EQ. In built EFX station, including chorus, flanger, phaser and tremolo. Also can be controlled via footswitch. Also includes a Delay and Reverb effects. Useful "Out" jack for headphone playing and recording, and an external input jack allows for another input to be used. Works best for CD players or backing tracks, but a guitar can be plugged in too, although EFX have to be external.

The in built EFX, by that meaning the Flanger and Phaser, sound pretty much the same to me, and I hardly use them. Don't think you will too, so don't worry too much about it. However, those two do deliver when needed.

The Tremolo and Chorus efx are very, very useful. The Tremolo can do stuff like the intro to Audioslave's Like a Stone, and I dont think the Chorus needs explaining.

Reverb is very well done, although the Delay's "delay-time" is very short, even at the longest setting. But it's still there.

The Roland is a very hardy amp, DSP with 30watt output through a 10" standard speaker. It's very powerful for its wattage, and I have yet to crank the volume up full.

The COSM provides 8 different guitar sounds from that amp, JC Clean, Acoustic, Black Panel, Brit Combo, Tweed, Classic Stack, Metal Stack, R-fier Stack.

The JC Clean has an excellent clean tone and ring to it and is modelled after the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus., while the Metal Stack, which is modelled after the Peveay EVH-5150 has a high, crunchy and throaty gain for heavy distortion. These are the two main channels that I use.

The R-Fier Stack, modelled after the MESA/Boogie Rectifier is super high gain, excellent for slash and grunge, though not my type of tone. Very high and dry, in my opinion.

The Classic Stack, modelled on the tone of a Marshall JMP1987 has a smooth tone. I don't use this much.

The Tweed Stack, on the other hand, is modelled on the vintage Tweed Fender Bassman 4x10. Lots of clear upper to mid range and a fat low end. Wanna know what this sounds like? Play "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness. The Intro is exactly what it sounds like.

The last two, the Brit Combo and Black Panel, I hardly ever use, but here's the low down on it anyway. Brit Combo is modelled on the Vox AC-30TB, and I feel the distortion is a little mild and character-less, while I honestly don't see what the Black Panel is for. Supposed to be modelled on the Fender Twin Reverb, but it is a clean sound (on mine, anyway) and for clean the JC Clean and Acoustic simulator is good enough.

Acoustic simulator works very well, although if your forget to crank the gain low, it sounds pretty crappy. I play on very high gain, so whenever I switch to the Acoustic Simulator without checking my gain, I get a nasty surprise.

All in all it's a very good amp, retails for $500 list price before discount. After which is $300. However, I should mention here that COSM effects create a very digital feel (although not as bad, IMO, as the Line 6 Spider II), and doesnt sound as real as the original stuff. Poor people like me, who can't afford the original stuff, must settle for the COSM. =P
 
sounds like a good bargain for just $300.....but you sure the list price is $500? A discount of $200 sounds too good to be true. Perhaps you know the salesman?
 
Vaiyen said:
sounds like a good bargain for just $300.....but you sure the list price is $500? A discount of $200 sounds too good to be true. Perhaps you know the salesman?

At first I thought so, but then, most people seem to be able to affirm that they can get the Cube 30 for $300, so I thought that's probably it.

Yeah, if memory serves it is $500.
 
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