Boss NexTone Amps

Started by admin, November 15, 2018, 09:06:57 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

admin








https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/Nextone_eng01_W.pdf
Professional performance amplifier with authentic Tube Logic tone
Four analog Class AB power amp circuits, selectable from the panel: 6V6, 6L6, EL84, and EL34
Portable combo design with 80 watts of power and custom 12-inch speaker
Clean and lead channels, with standard and custom mode options
Dynamically responsive power control for cranked-up sound and response at reduced volumes
Nextone Editor (Mac/Windows) for customizing internal amp parameters, including tone stack type, EQ, sag, bias, effects, system settings, and much more
Boost and Tone switches for adding crunch and sparkle
Built-in delay, tremolo, and reverb effects, plus loop for patching in external effects
External speaker jacks: one 8 ohm and two 16 ohm
Line, USB, and phones/recording outputs, with three Air Feel mic'd cab settings selectable from the Nextone Editor
Support for direct recording and re-amping via USB

Next-Generation Guitar Amplification with Tube Logic
Widely acclaimed by guitarists everywhere, the Tube Logic design approach delivers real-deal sound, feel, and response by reproducing the complex interactive behaviors of tube amps in every way. This comprehensive process also brings valuable advantages for today's players, including greater reliability, reduced weight, and maintenance-free operation. Tube Logic evolves even further with the Nextone series, unlocking access to deep tone customization features that are impractical or impossible with traditional tube designs. A Nextone amp puts the true response characteristics of the most famous amp designs at your fingertips, allowing you to tweak your sound with unmatched precision.

Instant Power Amp Re-Voicing
In a tube-based guitar amplifier, the preamp is important for basic tone shaping, but it's the power amp design that really defines the overall sonic signature and playing feel. Most amps use a specific output tube type, while a rare few allow you to swap out different power tubes. Unfortunately, this process usually requires physical tube replacement and bench time with a tech, making it expensive and inconvenient. For the most part, you really needed to buy multiple amps to access the unique tonal characteristics of different output tube sections...until now.
Nextone changes all this with the ability to instantly re-voice its analog Class AB power amp section with one of the four classic designs. American sounds are represented with 6V6 and 6L6 output tube types, while British sounds are represented with EL84 and EL34 types. Unlike modeling amps, which simply feed pre-cooked amp models through a non-reactive amplifier, selecting a power amp type on the Nextone physically changes the complete output circuitry, as well as the way the preamp and speaker interacts with it. This makes the entire amp perform authentically at each setting, providing realism that's only possible with the advanced Tube Logic approach.

Nextone Power Amp Types
• 6V6—Found at the heart of many legendary low-wattage American amps, the 6V6 output tube is known for its distinctively sweet, crisp tone and organic compression.
• 6L6—Used in classic American stage amps and some modern high-gain designs, the 6L6 output tube delivers high-headroom punch with a round and full midrange character.
• EL84—Famous as the power tube in British combo amps introduced in the late '50s and early '60s, the EL84 produces glassy, clean chime at lower volumes and rich, creamy distortion when cranked.
• EL34—The power tube found in the iconic British stack amps, the EL34 is loved for its warm, fat tone and unmistakable rock crunch.

Cranked Sound and Feel at Lower Volumes
With any tube amp, you really need to push its output tubes to get it to sing at its best. Unfortunately, this means turning up the volume, which is nearly always frowned upon by sound engineers, bandmates, and neighbors. Driven by Tube Logic, Nextone delivers the complex distortion characteristics of output tubes and their interaction with the output transformer and speaker, providing that rich, dynamically responsive sound we love. And with Nextone's adjustable power control, you can always experience this cranked-amp tone while matching the volume to any situation, be it home, studio, or stage.

Be Your Own Amp Tech and Customize Tones for Your Style and Touch
Nextone features a dual-channel design with clean and lead channels plus a shared three-band tone stack and presence control. Boost and Tone switches are on hand as well, allowing you to add some extra gain and sparkle if needed. With a quick button press, you can switch the amp into custom mode, which provides factory-tweaked variations of the standard clean and lead channels. Better still, the custom mode channels can be fine-tuned to your liking with the Nextone Editor software.
Via a friendly interface, the Nextone Editor gives you deep editing tools to refine the sound to perfectly match your personal style and favorite pedals. Set a channel's tone stack to American or British types, shape the overall tone with a powerful channel EQ, and even tweak the playing response by adjusting bias, sag, and more. The Tone switch can be assigned to two different types, and the Boost switch can be set for different characters or even be assigned as a compressor. A system-wide EQ is available too, enabling you to define the tonal balance of the entire amp. And with 99 different user setups available, you're able to customize Nextone's sound for every gig you play.

Onboard Effects and Switchable Effects Loop
With its built-in delay, reverb, and tremolo effects, Nextone brings even more versatility and convenience to gigging guitarists. Using the Nextone Editor, the delay section in custom mode can be freely assigned to analog, tape, or SDE-3000 delay types or a tremolo effect, while the reverb can be assigned to plate, spring, or hall types. Furthermore, each effect type offers a deep set of parameters for dialing in the perfect tone. The amp also includes a loop for integrating your own effects, with series/parallel operation, loop position, and more selectable via the Nextone Editor.

Practical Features for Performance and Recording
Connecting with just a single cable, the optional GA-FC foot controller provides a command center for channel selection, Tone, Boost, effects, pedal volume, and more. If you want to travel even lighter, up to three FS-series footswitches can be used to control various functions. There's also a line out for sending a direct signal to a PA, plus a phones/recording output for silent practice and tracking sessions. Using the Nextone Editor, the character of the direct sound can be set to one of three Air Feel settings for a range of mic'd cab tones.
External speaker jacks are included too, with support for connecting up to two 16-ohm 4x12 cabs for even bigger tones. In addition to providing communication with the Nextone Editor, the amp's USB jack functions as a direct recording interface for your favorite DAW software. Multiple channels are supported, allowing you to record both a cab-emulated output and a dry direct tone for re-amping later through the Nextone.


SPECIFICATIONS

Rated Power Output    80 W
Nominal Input Level    INPUT: -10 dBu (1 M ohm)
                                 RETURN IN: -10 dBu (100 k ohm)

Speaker                     30 cm (12 inches) x 1

Controls                     CH SELECT button
                                 BOOST button
                                 TONE button

                                 [CLEAN]
                                 VOLUME knob

                                 [LEAD]
                                 GAIN Knob
                                 VOLUME knob

                                 [EQUALIZER]
                                 BASS knob
                                 MIDDLE knob
                                 TREBLE knob

                                 [EFFECT]
                                 DELAY button
                                 TAP button
                                 DELAY knob
                                 REVERB knob

                                 PRESENCE knob
                                 MASTER knob
                                 POWER AMP SELECT switch (6V6, 6L6, EL84, EL34)
                                 POWER CONTROL switch (STANDBY, 0.5 W, HALF, MAX)
                                 POWER switch


Indicators                  CLEAN
                                 LEAD
                                 CUSTOM MODE
                                 BOOST
                                 TONE
                                 DELAY
                                 TAP

Connectors                 INPUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 REC OUT/PHONES jack: Stereo 1/4-inch phone type
                                 SEND jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 RETURN jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 LINE OUT jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 SPEAKER OUT 16 ohms A jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 SPEAKER OUT 16 ohms B jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 SPEAKER OUT 8 ohms jack: 1/4-inch phone type
                                 CH SELECT/BOOST jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
                                 DELAY/GA-FC jack: 1/4-inch TRS phone type
                                 USB port: USB B type
                                 AC IN jack

Power Consumption     77 W

Accessories                 Owner' s manual
                                 Power cord
                                 GA-FC sticker

Options (sold separately)  Footswitch: BOSS FS-5L, BOSS FS-6, BOSS FS-7
                                 Expression pedal: Roland EV-5, BOSS FV-500L, BOSS FV-500H
                                 GA FOOT CONTROLLER (GA-FC)

SIZE AND WEIGHT
  Width   572 mm  22-9/16 inches

Depth   248 mm    9-13/16 inches
 
Height   475 mm   18-3/4 inches

Weight   16.2 kg  35 lbs 12 oz








https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/Nextone_eng01_W.pdf
https://static.roland.com/assets/media/pdf/Nextone_editor_eng01_W.pdf


admin



Look to be using the excellent Katana 100 speaker - with a new label
 

mchad


Classy looking piece of kit that. I like the concept re the power amp selections.

I've got 2 K100s but lately I've been thinking of selling everything and getting a modeller. No more alt tones from the GP10 and SY300. Concentrating more on the stellar effects that can be had from top tier modellers/multi effectors. Some amazing sounds from those things these days.

HAMERMAN409

Has anybody figures out how this compares to a Katana - aside from the cosmetics?

admin

#4
Quote from: HAMERMAN409 on November 15, 2018, 04:03:40 PM
Has anybody figures out how this compares to a Katana - aside from the cosmetics?

Many shared components with Katana 100 Combo

Compared to Katana  -

Nextone is focused on Fender type tones with user controls for Tube amp modeling type


Nextone does have a 1/4" Speaker jack and speaker plug in the rear

Nextone has Less FX, and no MIDI I/O control support (no MIDX-20 support) , no Aux Input , No Sneaky amps (at this hour)




Boss Nextone Artist 80 Watt







Boss Katana 100-112


vtgearhead

No MIDI I/O?  Certainly not 5-pin, since there's no connector.  Is it known whether it can accept MIDI over USB?

sixeight

Quote from: vtgearhead on November 16, 2018, 05:12:48 AM
No MIDI I/O?  Certainly not 5-pin, since there's no connector.  Is it known whether it can accept MIDI over USB?

So far Boss/Roland has always used MIDI for communication with the editor. So I am pretty sure they will have used MIDI for the Nextone as well, as there are only a few parameters in the editor. No need to invent a new proprietary protocol.

HAMERMAN409

Quote from: admin on November 15, 2018, 04:25:06 PM
Many shared components with Katana 100 Combo

Compared to Katana  -

Nextone is focused on Fender type tones with user controls for Tube amp modeling type

Nextone does have a 1/4" Speaker jack and speaker plug in the rear

Nextone has Less FX, and no MIDI I/O control support (no MIDX-20 support) , no Aux Input , No Sneaky amps (at this hour)

OK - thanks, that makes sense. So it's basically a modeling amp for people who don't want a modeling amp!

I say that jokingly but I do have a couple of friends who this would probably appeal to. They don't like anything with too many buttons or selections or where you really need to read the manual. On the other hand I want all the buttons and selections that you can squeeze into a product and am happy to read the manual as long as the user interface makes decent sense once I have put that time in.

admin

Boss Nextone into a 4 x12 cab


hsuru4u

LOOKS ALOT like katana. Wonder if its the same power amp as katana or as blues cube artist?

admin

#11
From my vantage point ii appears as though a lot of our gripes about the katana were addressed by removing those functions ( FX knob control assignments preset at factory) and remove features ( MIDI) which present the most customer support tickets, and give us the new Nextone amps which in many ways to me appears to be a stripped-down katana

But Im sure Nextone will sell well to the typical guitarist
(But inability to control Reverb on off with foot switch is sad)

But I predict no further firmware for Katana . the Roland /Boss team have higher priorities

hsuru4u

#12
It seems a diff direction then katana to include more fender/vox tones for sure. Thats cool but still looks cheaply made for more $$$. I know many guys will have to have it and be first of course but like the katana i wonder how many will end up returning them as its really very close in tone from the vids to me as the katana. I think the blackstar tvp really shines in changing power amp/tube ability even compared to the thr100.

The katana was a killer amp in a killer pricepoint but resale is crap so the nextone seems even a worse value overall.
Dazco wants the amp but knows he will have to sell the katana artist and take a massive hit. I am glad i returned my katana artist when they 1st came out as i was not impressed with it and thought the katana 100 i had sounded better. but the crippled effects were a deal breaker.

hsuru4u

#13
Quote from: mchad on November 15, 2018, 03:49:26 PM
Classy looking piece of kit that. I like the concept re the power amp selections.

I've got 2 K100s but lately I've been thinking of selling everything and getting a modeller. No more alt tones from the GP10 and SY300. Concentrating more on the stellar effects that can be had from top tier modellers/multi effectors. Some amazing sounds from those things these days.

I too have thought about this because the amount you can do withing the top tier modelers(helix/ax8/even zoom g5n and gt1000) is amazing in terms of amp tones avail and effects.No way a nextone amp can come close really and if you have tube combos already running a modeler thru them will likely sound better anyhow.

This amp seems to take off where the katana left off and the bluescube falls short a bit with the fake tube things needed to switch tones. But its for sure made alot cheaper like a katana shell/knobs size. Looking forward to guys with katanas getting the nextone and comparing at home. The nextone stage seems to = the katana 50 in size and the artist=the k100. I wonder why they didnt do 50watt and 100 watt??? vs 40/80? I also wonder if the poweramp is like the katanas or the bluescubes?

I also worry that the small sizes of both nextone amps will affect bass response as in the katanas.

hsuru4u

Its tempting to get the amp locally so i can return easily(gc) .  I do wish they were a bit larger in size as i found the katana amps(50/100) to be boxy sounding due to the smaller box.

hsuru4u

#15
of course the few guys that got them today say they are amazing.lol. This is the same with most new model releases as many guys who get it 1st feel they are getting some new fangled thing.Take with a grain of salt


The katana pricepoint was killer for that kind of amp. The nextone not so much.When you get in the $500-$700 pricepont there are alot more options with real tubes as well.

The wild card here is the katana 3.0 firmware update supposedly coming. This could either be amazing to the pricepoint amp or meh and definately still affect nextone amp sames.


jerry hunter

stage 40 compared to cube 30 in a band setting ...we play a lot of loud surf junk,and have a heavy handed drummer,my cube never has to leave 15 watts to easly keep up,,last night i used my boss stage first time,i had to max it out on 20 watt clean,and it was not enough,so i go to 40 still on most songs not enough volume,i had to go to other channel and crank gain up to be heard,but in the process i lost noce clean,in any of the tube settings,, for me i was really disapointed,,amp is going back and will keep blues cube,,

hsuru4u

Wonder why? Maybe get the artist nextone?

hsuru4u

well I brought home the nextone artist a few days ago and a/b with my older gear. I sold my katana 100 a while ago to fund the katana artist and sent that amp back because i felt it was still too crippled for the price and i though the k100 combo actually sounded better then the katana artist(more open and alive and crispy)

After a few days with the nextone artist it too is going back. While i did find it ok-it didnt really wow me: even with the editor hooked up and trying diff things. Too crippled for me for the price(again).

I actually thought my vox ad60vtx and vtx150 amps sounded way better overall which shocked me. Compared to my cybertwin se 2-12 combo it was very thin and compared to my spidervalve mk2 2-12 combo it just couldnt hold a candle.

I also compared to my blackstar id260 but that is stereo so of course there would be a difference but the tube selection on that amp really makes a huge diff in the overal tones whereas the nextone tube switch was very subtle.

The coolest thing on the nextone artist was the clean channel and how dirty you can get it with just the vol control which was very cool but it seems to react the same as the katana poweramp did(which isnt bad) so i dont think it has the BCA power amp mojo but more the cheaper katana poweramp thing going on.

I was very excited but let down by the crippleness of the interface and no presets really besides the clean/od that can be set via the pc thru the editor. Effects onboard were ok(reverbs not that great) and in the katana territory for sure but way less of course.
I would be interested to see what ver 3 will do for the katana as that pricepoint is still hard to beat. I wish i didnt sell my k100 but even that didnt sound as good and dynamic or dimensional as my other older modeling combos i have. Great pricepoint for sure.
So for me it just wasnt a wow or worth the price(even got 20% off) but i think the smaller stage version would sound even boxier??
::)

Again the only way for me to try things in context of what i have is to bring it home and play it side by side with my gear i have. Just sold my g5n off as i never used it because my amps just sound better to me(diff comparison i know) but in the end i prefer an actual all in one amp(prefer stereo) so maybe helix will release a 2-12 stereo combo like the older vetta or spidervalve mk2?? doubtful but i think there would be a market for it. The spider v was terrible to my as i did bring the stereo one home to compare last year and was not impressed. Same with the fender gt200. I thought my cybertwin se sounded better(fender vs fender modeling).

havent tried the thr100 but really dont want to as its just not on my radar but if yamaha released a 2-12 thr combo thats basically the thr10/10c/10x in a larger box i would look at it.

dazco

It's all about marketing of course. The katana, the BC and the nextone. Who needs 3 models that could all be integrated easily into one do it all combo that could do everything all 3 can and even better functionality of all 3 combined? Seriously, it's mosty done on a friggin digi chip so it's not like it couldn't be done easily enough. Just build a katana with nextone and katana tones and the cab res replaced by the 4 tube type switch and better front panel functionality if the effects. I don't think theres a reason that couldn't be done, but of course the end result would likely be a huge financial hit for boss. I love the katana artist in many ways but i prefer the nextones tone after trying it the other day, but it lacks a handful of things the kat has/does i'd miss a lot. I'd be willing to spend a lot more for a do it all boss combo like that. Put the nextone's sounds and output selection and the katanas sounds and effects with better functionality in it the katana artist's cab or a cab that size and make it from plywood and i'll be salivating like a starving pooch in a meat market. Boss would be able to control my wallet where i'd be helpless to. But i guess marketing dictates we may never see anything like that.

UKMark

Hi
Just got my Nextone Stage. Love the sounds. But can't work out how the patches correspond with the Clean/Lead buttons on the GA-FC footswitch.
How do I write a patch to a location that will be selected when I press the clean or lead buttons on the GA-FC.
There doesn't seem to be any 'mapping' between patch locations in the editor software and what the footswitch clicks in when you press a channel button.
Anybody got this sorted out yet?
Thanks
Mark

fos1

// dazco wrote: katana artist's cab or a cab that size and make it from plywood

I have a Katana Artist - I accidentally broke the upper rear baffle on the Artist. It is particle board....

I just got back into music from mostly the 70s / 80s. All of my amps back in the day were plywood. I was shocked to find that the Katana Artist was particle board. I replaced the broken rear baffle with oak. It is solid as a rock now and is not likely to break.

I checked at the local music store. The only combo I found made out of plywood was an Orange. The Terror Amp did sound quite good!

I am disappointed in the Katana construction....

fos1

UKMark

Err, isn't this a Nextone thread?

hsuru4u

Quote from: dazco on December 14, 2018, 11:23:16 AM
It's all about marketing of course. The katana, the BC and the nextone. Who needs 3 models that could all be integrated easily into one do it all combo that could do everything all 3 can and even better functionality of all 3 combined? Seriously, it's mosty done on a friggin digi chip so it's not like it couldn't be done easily enough. Just build a katana with nextone and katana tones and the cab res replaced by the 4 tube type switch and better front panel functionality if the effects. I don't think theres a reason that couldn't be done, but of course the end result would likely be a huge financial hit for boss. I love the katana artist in many ways but i prefer the nextones tone after trying it the other day, but it lacks a handful of things the kat has/does i'd miss a lot. I'd be willing to spend a lot more for a do it all boss combo like that. Put the nextone's sounds and output selection and the katanas sounds and effects with better functionality in it the katana artist's cab or a cab that size and make it from plywood and i'll be salivating like a starving pooch in a meat market. Boss would be able to control my wallet where i'd be helpless to. But i guess marketing dictates we may never see anything like that.

i would say be content with what you have (artist katana) for now and realize what you just said is true that companies purpossely dumb down products and release a few diff models to confuse and cause want or GAS.
Vox did it with the mv series- yamaha with the thr 10 series. They all do it and i understand the reasons to them but after trying the nextone and selling my katana and sending back the artist i feel its still not there yet with what i want or need in these amps and my older gear is in some ways superior in tone and layout(to my ears).

I get jazzed on new products but just cant part with my hard earned money when i see glaring omissions and purpose dumb ing down. Just cant do it. If you think you can sell your artist for anywhere near what you paid even if you git a deal think again. and the same will go with the nextone when the next nextone comes out. If you can afford to have them all then have at it.

It seems you are the kind of guy from your posts that has to have the nextone and likely will go and get it( at 20% off) and try to sell the artist and maybe be willing to take a big hit? But I say shake it off and wait a while. prices will only drop and more used ones will be around when the whole hype train runs out of juice and people are on to the "next big one".
Look at the thr100 epic fail. Sure a few guys just love them but my a/b test at home didnt fair well at all compared to my BS ID260 or my other gear.

Eventually a company will get it right.