Katana: disappointing low end

Started by DragonBE, November 07, 2020, 12:09:33 PM

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DragonBE

My Boss Katana 50W Mk2 has a very weak low end, even with the bass knob at max on different settings.
The general review of these amps is that they're powerful, but mine just doesn't seem to produce powerful tones.

It's not like I've been spoiled with incredible amps in the past either, being a Marshall MG30, Peavey Bandit 112, Line 6 Spider IV 120, Roland Cube.

I've tried tweaking it through USB, but didn't really find anything I liked. It's always lacking that low end.
Also I've tried a factory reset (saw somewhere that might work), but to no avail.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve on this?

Thanks in advance!

admin

#1
Quote from: DragonBE on November 07, 2020, 12:09:33 PM
My Boss Katana 50W Mk2 has a very weak low end, even with the bass knob at max on different settings.
The general review of these amps is that they're powerful, but mine just doesn't seem to produce powerful tones.

It's not like I've been spoiled with incredible amps in the past either, being a Marshall MG30, Peavey Bandit 112, Line 6 Spider IV 120, Roland Cube.

I've tried tweaking it through USB, but didn't really find anything I liked. It's always lacking that low end.
Also I've tried a factory reset (saw somewhere that might work), but to no avail.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to improve on this?

Thanks in advance!

Use Final Global output EQ

Or Katana Head + Closed Back Speaker Cab = a LOT more low end vs any other Katana Amp

But Katana Amps are voiced like a bright 1969 Marshal Plexi (and not like a modern Metal Amp which often drowns out the Bass Player)

Same (lack of low end) complaints occur with a genuine  64 Fender Deluxe or Vox AC 30 Amp- most vintage guitar speakers can not reproduce frequencies below 80 hz -and Katana is designed as a Guitar Amp -and NOT a Full range/flat response speaker (like other DSP Modeling Amps often employ.)

gumtown

Plug in an MP3 player with some bass heavy music, throw over a few blankets over the amp and let the speaker work out for an hour or so.
This will relax the stiff suspension of the new speaker.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

DragonBE

Quote from: admin on November 07, 2020, 12:54:34 PM
Use Final Global output EQ

Or Katana Head + Closed Back Speaker Cab = a LOT more low end vs any other Katana Amp

But Katana Amps are voiced like a bright 1969 Marshal Plexi (and not like a modern Metal Amp which often drowns out the Bass Player)

Same (lack of low end) compliants occur with a genuine  64 Fender Deluxe or Vox AC 30 Amp- most vintage guitar speakers can not reproduce frequencies below 80 hz -and Katana is designed as a Guitar Amp -and NOT a Full range/flat response speaker (like other DSP Modeling Amps often employ.)

I'll try that EQ, thanks.

I don't expect the earth to tremble beneath it, I just want some basic low end. All I'm saying is that with most (bedroom) amps I've had, the bass at noon is more than enough, while on the Katana dialing the low end up all the way doesn't even come close.
Don't plan on doing gigs or whole band rehearsals with this amp, this one's intended as just my practice amp.


Quote from: gumtown on November 07, 2020, 12:54:57 PM
Plug in an MP3 player with some bass heavy music, throw over a few blankets over the amp and let the speaker work out for an hour or so.
This will relax the stiff suspension of the new speaker.

Really, is that a thing?
What purpose do the blankets serve, just to muffle the noise a little?

gumtown

The blankets are just to muffle the noise while you wait for the speaker to "break in",
others have had similar  issues with lack of bottom end, and this method seemed to have helped.
Free "GR-55 FloorBoard" editor software from https://sourceforge.net/projects/grfloorboard/

DragonBE

Quote from: gumtown on November 08, 2020, 11:12:28 AM
The blankets are just to muffle the noise while you wait for the speaker to "break in",
others have had similar  issues with lack of bottom end, and this method seemed to have helped.

Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a go!

LotsToLearn

Very interesting! My Katana 50 Mk II has more than enough low end. Like you said, the Bass knob at Noon is plenty.

What kind of guitar(s) & pickups are you using? My humbuckers really give it the beans, and the split coils on the PRS really sparkle. All kinds of dynamic range. And that's on the 0.5W setting. I haven't gone higher than that. My old ears already squeal enough.

Have you got the latest firmware installed?

Can you talk to the dealer about doing an exchange?


DragonBE

I've tried both active (EMG 81/85) and passive (Seymour Duncan JB4, PRS SE pickups, PRS 85/15) as semi-acoustic guitar.

Using the EQ's in the tone studio, I managed to get the sound very bassy but the speaker just struggles to actually "make" the sound.

I had purchased it secondhand but it was in excellent condition and I have the bills etc that show that it was less then a year old (I really trust the seller on this).

However, a deal came up and I got a chance to trade it (and some guitars) for a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier.
I now have sufficient low end, to say the least! Personally I like my Line 6 Spider IV 120 better for low volume playing anyway, those are way underrated in the guitar community.

Thanks for the help here, however I didn't try the method Gumtown recommended, that might have worked as I saw speakers indeed need "breaking in".

LotsToLearn

It never fails to crack me up the way we constantly buy, sell, trade equipment around.

I'm glad you got a good one.

Cheers.

dimarzio49

Replace the stock speaker with Celestion G12Т-100 (75).

95jersey

I plug mine into a 4x12 cabinet and it shakes the room.

Steve_Karl

The low end is the most difficult to get well balanced for me, on the Katana 100 MK2,
but I don't see that it's "not enough" low end.
I'm always running as clean as possible.

One thing I noticed recently is that location in the room effects my perception of the low end quite a bit. I've got mine setup with the (open)back of the cabinet
about 5" from a wall. 3" from the wall, or as close as it can get because of the AC plug sounds different than 5" from the wall.
I'm thinking of folding a blanket and putting it between the wall and the open back to see what difference that will make.

Even so, lows are fairly good for me.

Rockeiro

If you've got an iPhone, load up the Sonic Tools app and let's see a profile of how low your bass response really is.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sonic-tools-svm/id1245046029

TechFixer

Use Final Global output EQ.

Made a world of difference for me!!!
Techfixer
Hi, I'm TechFixer.... I'm a gear-A-Holic and I have a problem. (Hi TechFixer!!) Pretty much every Roland guitar synth from the GR-50 to the VG-99. Roland VGA amps too. Lefty Line 6 500 Variax (converted to strung righty) FrankenPeavey ATG and Fishman TP