Roland Cube-30 user reviews ( 9/10) - 22 user reviews

• 04/14/11

  badgerific's review "Good practice amp. Need something bigger for gigs."

  Characteristics

  This is a digital modeling amp from Roland, it has the following features:
  
  
  
  - Two channels with shared three band EQ
  
  
  
  - Independent Volume and Gain controls for each channel
  
  
  
  - Eight COSM amp models on the lead channel: Acoustic, Black Panel, Brit Combo, Tweed, Classic Stack, Metal Stack R-fier Stack and Dyna-Amp
  
  
  
  - Six built in effects: Chorus, Flanger, Phasor, Tremolo, Delay and Reverb
  
  
  
  - Headphones/line out jack
  
  
  
  - Footswitch jack to control channel changing or effects bypass
  
  
  
  - Built in tuner
  
  
  
  - Power squeeze button

  Utilization

  Despite having lots of features I find this amp really easy and intuitive to use. The clean channel is very simple to use as it's only got a volume control. The lead channel you just set the selector dial to the model you want then adjust gain to taste and volume to the level you need. The effects are simple to use as it's just one knob to control one parameter for each, this does limit the effects greatly.
  
  
  
  The tuner can be quite awkward to use as you have to turn the selector dial to choose which string you want to tune but other than that it's okay.

  Sounds

  I think this amp sounds pretty good. I have used lots of the different models regularly but my favorites are the Acoustic simulator, Tweed and R-fier models. While they don't sound like a perfect copy of the original amps they still have a great useable tone.
  
  
  
  The three band EQ allows lots of tone shaping capabilities so you can tailor your sound to how you need it, it's not quite as versatile as it's bigger brother the cube 60 but it's definitely enough.
  
  
  
  I personally don't like the effects on this amp other than the reverb and only being able to modify one parameter makes it pretty poor in my opinion.
  
  
  
  The power squeeze button on this model of the cube is really useful to get increased sustain at low volumes.

  Overall Opinion

  Overall this amp is pretty great, it's loud enough for home use and band practice but you'd need something a bit louder if you intend gigging.
  
  
  
  The different models on this amp mean that it's good for a player who plays lots of different genres and styles or if your not sure of the sound you're looking for.
  
  
  
  My least favorite thing about this amp is the effects as I find the use of them really limited due to being controlled with just one knob.
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• 10/04/05

  MGR/Jesse's review "Roland Cube 30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  Been playing for 15 years, all kinds of rock and blues...I was looking for a practice amp to play in my apartment.
  
  
  
  Picked this up at Sam Ash for $260
  
  
  
  I liked this better than the Line 6, Crate, Vox, Marshall, and Peavey practice amps at the same price point. They all had similar functions (built in effects, 8\"-10\" speakers, direct recording....but this one SOUNDED best to me.
  
  
  
  so far, i\'ve got nothing to complain about. It serves its purpose perfectly. If I were going to try and gig with it, the list would get long very quick, but for me...its got everything it needs.
  
  
  
  Construction seems average. Nice little tough plastic grill on it. Nothing\'s loose or rattling around, I cant imagine that its gonna break just toting it around to practice and/or gigs
  
  
  
  For a small wattage combo practice amp with some built in effect for less than $300, this little guy was my choice. I\'m very pleased with its sounds and relative versatility. Like I said, its doing exactly what I needed it to do.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 08/02/04

  MGR/Steve's review "Roland Cube-30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  I bought this amp in store, from a shop called 'Music Matters' (www.musicmatters.shop) in Lisburn, N.I.
  
  
  
  I paid £199 GBP.
  
  
  
  I really love my cube. It has great power for a 30 watt amp. When you turn it up loud, it doesnt buzz. It\'s also very easy to use, you can get the hang on if in a few mi utes, simply by playing around with the controls. I really like the built in effects, ranging from \'acoustic\' which sounds just like the real thing, to \'metal\' with heavy distortion and loads of grunge. These effects are good quality, and them being built in means you don\'t ahve to fork out another $100-200 on an effects pedal. I also like the various controls being on top, allowing maximum speaker size, without bringing up the overall size of the amp up, meaning its a more transportable size. I could keep going on the plus points for quite a while, belive me, theres plenty!!
  
  
  
  I really can\'t find much to fault on this unit at all. It sounds great. The clean channel is very clean, the distort is as distorted as you like, and it has nearly everything you would want in between. My only fault is that it is quite heavy for carting around with you, but really, for what you get included, its not really an issue, and to shed some weight, it would have to lose some of the effects, so really its only a small sacrifice to have it heavier.
  
  
  
  The cube is as sturdy an amp as I have seen in a while. Its tough, solid and well built. I haven\'t damaged mine in any way yet (nor would I try!) but I would say this amp could withstand quite a bit of rough-and-tumble.
  
  
  
  Overall- its a great amp. There are few things i can find to fault, and even these aren\'t too big a deal. It sounds great, and its built in fx means that it saves you money, as you dont need an fx pedal. If anything happened this amp, I would buy a new one. I would recommend this for home practise, band practise sessions and even small gigs, as it can go damn loud without loosing quality-just ask my band mates!!
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 01/27/04

  MGR/Pr@3+0R!@n's review "Roland Cube 30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  I paid SGD$300 for it, bought it at Swee Lee MFO. My old Ibanez TB-15R was getting a little, small, and it didn't have any of the effects found in the Cube 30. Bought it brand new.
  
  
  
  Really great unit. Powerful, small, and has a huge amount of effects, which is very useful. The COSM is really clever, as it allows the amp to model the sounds of many other different amp, such as the MESA/Boogie Rectifier, Fender Twin Reverb, Vox AC-30TB, the vintage Tweed Fender Bassman 4x10 among others.
  
  
  
  Nothing, cept when I turn on distortion and chorus, the sound comes out as though I was using a flanger/phaser combo. But I don\'t think you\'re supposed to use chorus with distort anyway...
  
  
  
  Really good. Hardy piece of equipment. Dropped it once, still works fine. A little heavy to lug along on long distances, but hey if you want quality, you gotta compromise.
  
  
  
  Good amp. Actually, very good amp. Get it. Perfect for practice, recording, small gigs...
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 01/19/04

  MGR/slipmatt's review "Roland Cube 30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  I originally had a marshall mg15cd that i was un-happy with due to loud clipping noises when I turned the amp on and off. I upgraded to the marshall mg30dfx thinking that the mg15cd was was just a lemon amp, but the 30 watt ended up doing the exact same thing. Mabye it was just my luck with Marshall, but I wont be interested in ever pursuing any of their solid state amps again. I traded the marshall mg30dfx for this roland cube30. Price paid (due to the trade which was much better on my end of the bargain) was $290 cdn.
  
  
  
  To be honest i dont know whether to say that I like the fact that this amp is so small or to dislike it lol. Like another review said \"mabye its just a male thing.\" It really is a small amp for 30 watts. Its about the same size as my previous 15 watt Marshall, but its a HELL of alot louder. The amp is basically noise free and Im a freak about background fuzziness. A great feature over other amps in its category is the fact that the delay and reverb is a completely different knob then the other digital effects. This is a welcome surprise to me since I can now use a delay or reverb WITH one of four digital effects where as with the Marshall mg30dfx i could only use one at a time because delay and reverb were two of only four available effects.
  
  Moving on, although the adjustability of the digital effects are very limited, most do sound great! The Phaser is very fun to play with, creates a noticable sound.
  
  The amp modeling is also very cool part of this amp. Roland hit the jackpot with this feature, especially the rectifier, tweed and brit combo simulations. Another little feature that shows the thinking put into the creation of this amp is that the switches/knobs are located on top of the amp, rather that on the front. This is very convenient when you want to change settings (like I do ALL the time) so your not bending down and cranking your neck to turn some knobs. You just cant go wrong on this amp for the price.
  
  
  
  The only complaint I have is that the chorus is basically useless. Its hardly noticable, you can barely tell if its there on max chorus. This could be a good thing though because now I have an excuse to go and buy a chorus pedal which will give me the shimmery effect that no amp simulation can.
  
  
  
  One more thing: It would have been nice for Roland to have included suggested settings for the Cube30 in the intruction booklet. My Masrhall amp, Marshall pedal and DOD pedal all came with suggestive settings and they are a great help. I really do use them for playing and practicing.
  
  
  
  Great quality! come with plastic corner protectors and a metal mesh grill that looks super rugged. Quality is shown again where the knobs are positioned. They are recessed a into the amp a small ammount rather than sticking up and in the way. I think that this will really save alot of people from breaking off or damaging knobs while carting the amp places.
  
  
  
  BOTTOM LINE - great amp for the money.
  
  What other amp for approx $300 cdn will offer you all the features of the Roland Cube30 and its extremely compact size? There isnt one, thats why I went with the Cube30 lol, have fun!
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 12/01/03

  MGR/Russell Catchpole's review "Roland Cube 30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  I bought this little beast at Mike's Music in Bognor Regis, England 2 days ago for approximately £155 as part of a deal with the ROland bass 30 cube. My requirements were as follows:-
  
  
  
  Very portable
  
  
  
  Loud enough to play at small function alongside drums.
  
  
  
  Sound as good as my old Carlsbro TC60 valve head and Sound City 4X12 but not give me a hernia when lifting it. He he no chance!
  
  
  
  Able to play bass through it.
  
  
  
  
  
  The Roland looks good and is very well built. Its just sooo small! I feel a bit naked with just this little box and no 4X12 behind me, but hey that\'s just a \'man thing\'
  
  
  
  It a guitar combo with a 30 watt amp and 10\" speaker. It has bass, middle and treble controls affecting the final output. There are 2 modes of operation which are controlled by a switch on top. The first is \'JC Clean\' which is the amp\'s own sound - very clean and punchy. This setting has its own separate volume control.
  
  
  
  With the switch in the opposite setting, the unit\'s modelled sounds kick in, and these are truly amazing! They are controlled by a separate gain and master volume control. The first sound is the acoustic setting and this feels quite freaky when you\'re holding an electric, for it really does make a very convincing acoustic guitar sound for both strumming and melodies.
  
  
  
  There are then a further 6 different amp sounds modelled on popular kit. I particularly like the \'Tweed\' setting which gives a really nice warm creamy VOX AC30 sound with lovely progressive distortion. Next to that is the classic stack, and here\'s where you get the EL34 valves cooking a 4X12 combo - lovely sound, though obviously not quite as rib breaking as the real thing. Further on the amps gain in gain through to the R-fier Stack wich seems to produce 200% distortion if that\'s what you want!
  
  
  
  There is also Chorus, Flanger, Phazer and Tremelo all controlled by one knob which selects a different effect and speed/depth depending on its position.
  
  
  
  Extra depth to the sound can be gained by using the independent Delay/Reverb knob which again modifies the effect and delay/depth depending on iots position.
  
  
  
  A footswitch input may be used to control the effects and switch between the clean and modelled settings.
  
  
  
  There is a useful axiliary 1/4\" jack input which allows you to pipe a CD player or drum machine through the unit. There is no volume control over this though so this has to be adjusted through the external device.
  
  
  
  Finally there is a 1/4\" headphone socket which mutes the speaker when in operation.
  
  
  
  As I\'ve only had the unit 2 days, I haven\'t had the opportunity to try it out outside the home, but I have jammed with my son playing drums at quite high volumes. The Cube easiy held its own when played both clean and dirty creating a suprisingly big sound for such a little box.
  
  
  
  Its hard to critisise this thing but I\'ll try. I would have liked a line out socket in addition to the headphone socket which mutes the amp\'s speaker.
  
  
  
  There is no volume control for the auxilary input.
  
  
  
  A nylon guitar sound would have been nice.
  
  
  
  I can\'t stop fiddling with it!
  
  
  
  I am told its not suitable for playing bass though, so I had to buy the Bass Cube. Now that\'s another story!
  
  
  
  The unit is very well built with tough plastic corners and a hard grill over the speaker. All the knobs & switches seem ok.
  
  
  
  Versatility! That\'s the word for the Cube. I can carry it to church in one hand with my electric in the other and play a sweet sounding acoustic when I get there. I can play heavy metal at small venues or just copy-cat the guitar sound of any CD I put on from Hank Marvin to Joe Satriani to Dave Gillmore to to Brian May....
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 04/03/03

  MGR/Hitman's review "Roland Cube 30"

  Characteristics

  Utilization

  Sounds

  Overall Opinion

  Local guitar shop for $370 canadian (/w tax).
  
  
  
  Nice clean sound with JC clean, deep sounding accoustic mode, lots of great distortion modes with various different gains. Special effects sound great with tapping and soloing. Delay/reverb are always good, even if not used to much. very loud 30 watt solid state. Stable.
  
  
  
  Not much I don;t like about this amp!
  
  Abit heavy for us feeble type :D, special effects are useless when playing chords.
  
  
  
  Very solid, 10/10, its made by roland nuff said.
  
  
  
  A great amp for practicing at home and playing infront of a small group of people. Very good if you won't great sound quality, lots of features and something that won't break.
  
  If it was stolen I would "want" to get a new one, but I would probably be too tight on cash to afford a new one.
  
  
  
  This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
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• 05/05/11

  derbyslade's review ( translated ) Improve this translation " A sound of a puretée incredible!"

  Characteristics

  Transistor modeling at 30 W amplifiers. (Imitates several very different amps)
  
  Effects, reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, phaser
  
  Small size, light weight, making roll back.
  
  All connections are 3.5mm

  Utilization

  The operation is very simple, besides all that I don 't remember the record was only 10 pages.
  
  The settings for pots are very simple.

  Sounds

  Let's go to the heart, the clean is just super clear, pure amazing, the sound is saturated when it was well made but I prefer the sound issued by a kodelisation effects, providing more contrast in the game, and in ' chaining agreements.
  
  I play with a electrisue strato type of ibanez, and entered ectro acoustic range, and it is the nice surprise, a sound of a Laret and a remarkable precision, short thrilled by the sound of the machine .

  Overall Opinion

  It has been almost 6 or 7 years that I use, and if I had had this amp since my debut as a guitarist, I think that I would evolve much faster, that is the ideal tool for a beginner, or of one who has a small budget, considering the price proppsé second hand in 2011, it makes cagua (as we say in Toulouse) for having put nearly 300 euros. If c 'was a remake, well I will wait an opportunity to EUR 100.
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• 11/14/08

  janobiwan's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Characteristics

  See description of Audiofanzine:
  
  * 2-channel guitar amplifier speaker 10-inch 30 Watts
  
  * Modlisation damplis COSM effects and DSP Intgr
  
  * 8 DIFFERENT sounds damplis
  
  * Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Trmolo
  
  * Delay and rverbration indpendants
  
  * 3-band equalizer
  
  * Line Out / Headphone
  
  * Auxiliary input for connecting CD dun

  Utilization

  The setup is super-simple, 2 channels, one with a clean modlisation (personally I pass one another with a switch boss fs-6). A chorus knob that manages flanger phaser tremolo. A knob that manages reverb and delay. it's easy
  
  
  
  -In sound, we get easily what you want
  
  
  
  -A manual? why?

  Sounds

  I play everything, therefore, given the versatility of this amp, so it suits me everything. (Even if now I have a bit of experience, I think spending 100W with effects pedals to play cushy group)
  
  
  
  I played with a ibanez 120 and its a yamaha pacifica
  
  
  
  -When I play alone at home to test new songs, I play a bit with all modlisations, just to test it. But lately I'm playing with a friend who made the battery so I try to limit myself to the level of hacks. I RULES modlisation the sound of the R-reliance on the two channels at the same volume, the flanger in the middle, a little reverb and I drive it off with a footswitch.
  
  
  
  Frankly, the sound level, I think we have good quality and all that! for beginners who wants to discovering all the possible sounds that nickel!
  
  
  
  By-cons, the way I think the headphone (can be of the headphone)

  Overall Opinion

  I use it for 1 year
  
  
  
  Do I like most is its versatility, the quality of sound that can come out
  
  what I like least: the power a bit limited for a nice clear sound with a drummer who hits hard. And tremolo (but I quibble)
  
  
  
  -Before you buy I had an old peavey 60W lch me and with money from my cot prfr buy a new amp (130 OCCAZ in tr s good state) to do that plutt rpar. And balance, better sound, more powerful and modlisations!
  
  
  
  Super quality-price ratio
  
  
  
  -It's great for beginners, you touch everything and with the quality. So if I again became beginners with the same budget that the era, yes I would do this choice!
  
  
  
  PS: the same as my 20W and I can not find her so beautiful that the 30W version
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• 08/22/08

  stanouche's review ( translated ) Improve this translation

  Characteristics

  30w amp transistors
  
  1 instrument input, a footswitch input, 1 x headphone or line out, and an auxiliary input
  
  settings for two channels: bass middle treble, effects chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo on a button and another for the delay or reverb.
  
  1 volume for its clear type JC Roland, Gain, Volume 1 for the lead channel.
  
  simulations: Acoustic, Black Panel, Brit Combo, Tweed, Classic Stack, Metal, R-Fier.
  
  1 Hp to 10 + Roland switch off power general.

  Utilization

  Use: simple but effective, suitable for rehearsals on the condition that the drummer does not hit like a nag, but especially for use of training or style of music that does not require 100W power.
  
  Is obtained very quickly (if the guitar is pretty good) its a very decent and above all it is almost like the real models of some simulations.
  
  I put 9 because you still have to do some EQ to get closer to the desired models.

  Sounds

  I play on strat mexico with microphones and Vant Zant, the two simulations of the Fender one would really believe, on the Tweed in a little amount of treble and the gain to 14 hours is pure Stevie Ray Vaughan, ca Texas feels!.
  
  
  
  Stack of Classic, one approaches the grain of a 1987 Marshall pushing many low and digging mediums in both singles and doubles coil + a little delay.
  
  The
  
  
  
  The Metal: the, it moves, a lot of media on this simulation, consider lightly push the treble and bass.
  
  
  
  R-FIER: the big big sound very dug in media and hyper saturated.
  
  
  
  Dyna Amp: its very light to heavy overdrive depending on the setting and especially the attack string is reactf
  
  
  
  My 3 Strato guitar, Les Paul and SG go perfectly, but of course, if you have a shovel you will be disappointed even the best amps.
  
  
  
  Yesterday I replaced the original Hp g10 a Celestion vintage 10-inch that I had kept my house and is the perfect sound is softer, warmer, but still keeps on snapping to the sounds Fender but already original sound is good.

  Overall Opinion

  I have had many amps before this one: Vox AD30, transistors Marshall, Fender Champion 110, etc. but to have fun at home or in rehearsals it was really, sounds without having to push the volume up and the effects are sufficient and avoid investing in the pedals often unsuited to a transistor amplifier.
  
  
  
  I would do without hesitation that choice
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