Boss Katana-Mini X: Mini Practice Amp
Boss Katana-Mini X a mini-amp built with analog amp tones
The new Boss Katana-Mini X is aimed at players who need an amp for daily practice and jamming. Its compact design is perfect for a home or office, so it could be a winner.
Boss Katana-Mini X
Compact and solid, the Boss Katana-Mini X is made using a robust wood cabinet, a step up from many plastic mini-amps on the market.
This new mini-amp features six analog sound options and two simultaneous effects.
Tube Logic
It is rated at 10 watts and uses the Boss multi-stage analog gain circuit developed with their Tube Logic, which should give it a decent sound for such a compact amp. The wooden cabinet is fitted with a custom 5-inch speaker.
Analog Amp Tones
Those amp voices are split among Brown (high-gain), Crunch (overdriven and warm), and Clean settings, with three variations for each amp type. These include a flat-response variation for acoustic-electric guitar and bass. This should cover most amp tones and give players plenty of useable options.
A three-band analog EQ section can be used to sculpt the tones to taste, and users can tweak the Bass, Middle, and Treble knobs quickly—no menu diving here or scrolling with multi-function buttons.
Dual Effects Blocks
This compact amp has two independent effect sections, each with 10 effect types to choose from. Thus, you have access to Modulation/FX and Delay/Reverb effects. Each dial can choose between 10 variations of each, so it should be enough to get some useable tones with minimal fuss.
They offer the classic Boss effect combinations, including tremolo and spring reverb, phaser and delay, etc. The effect list includes Chorus, Phaser, Tremolo, Touch Wah, Defretter, Synth, Octave, Delay, and two reverb types (including Spring).
It also features a built-in tuner, headphone out/recording out, and Bluetooth support, which lets you stream music to the unit. Boss also states that the headphone/recording output has been designed to replicate the Katana-Mini X’s custom speaker. This allows users to jam along with backing tracks and create demos, so it covers a lot of ground.
A rechargeable battery allows the amp to be portable and has a carrying handle, and since it only weighs 2.7 kg/6 lbs, it won’t break your back to take it with you.
Verdict
Boss has access to many significant well-known effects, and their Katana range of amps is known for offering some great amp tones. Distilling this down into a compact mini-amp is a no-brainer. I would guess they will sell many of these at this price.
These could be an excellent gift for the musician in your life, so they may be something to consider if you are stuck for ideas on what to get them this holiday season.
MSRP – EUR 169
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