Line 6 Modelling Combo Guitar Amps

After using approximately each and every amp range -especially those from Line6 but also different tube and solid-state heads, tube combos, modelization combos...-, I was eager to have an opportunity to test this new generation of products announced as the next revolution in guitar amps. A revolution, well, perhaps not really. But real crazy sounds and a lot of guaranteed fun, well, YEAH!!! First cons: where's the manual!? Frankly, this the the ONE amp for which they should have done something in the true Line6 spirit! Usually their user's manuals are a pleasure to read, filled with advices, stoopid anecdotes and, most important, precious informations. Now, let's get straight to the Amplifi app. I use the Android version, on both smartphones and tablets it works wonder and allows awesome interactions. Soundwise, the models are... INCREDIBLE. I never got such a great and soft sound, at both low and mid level. I had tried the 75W version and was a bit disappointed by it as its distorted sounds sounded harsh, especially on high-gain amp sims. Here, it all just sounds great. The number of models, effects, interactions (some effects can be placed at various places in the FX chain). The ability to send sounds from your own music library wireless through Bluetooth is huge. Not to mention the Tone Search functionality, which allows identifying and finding a sound close to that in your favorite song straight from the Amplifi's online users shared database. I then tried it with the fbv mk2 pedalboard and the amp turned into a real stage performer. Plus, you can connect it straight to your computer through USB, turning it into a recording interface to record your songs in Cubase for instance. I was seduced by the sound it produces, although at very high volume it seems to distort and be less accurate. In this price range, I think it is by far the amp that offers the best modeling and sound capacities. The fact that you can associate different cabs, amp heads and microphones allows to multiply the possibilities. Also, changes are very easy to hear and the results are convincing, which to me is a real sound quality proof. I don't believe it to be up to par with the Pod hd500, but for that price it's hard to compare an all-in-one amp to a pedalboard (even such a high-level one) which implies other costs. I had also been convinced by the Digitech rp500 ans rp1000 series, which in my opinion offer amp modelings (especially the hi gain ones) at least as good as Line6's. To me, this amp is full of quality, I'd recommend it with no hesitation. I also like very much the amplifi TT, a smaller version without a speaker. A real revelation, oh happiness!

SOUND The Spider V MkII is the latest in the Spider line of amps and with a big difference. First, you can select a more produced sound for any of the presets, which is how the original Spider V sounded, but you also can select the Classic mode, which is more of a raw amp tone that emanates from its 10-inch loudspeaker (and without the tweeter). The Produced sound is ideal when running the Spider direct to DAW, for example, but also when using an acoustic guitar (since this mode uses both the loudspeaker and the tweeter for a more rounded and accurate tone). There are different presets for an acoustic guitar, but suffice to say (as you hear in the demo) an acoustic sounds great coming through this amp. The Classic mode has you playing through the Spider V as you would any other amp/cabinet, which sounds more traditional – and this feature is really turning heads with Spider users. There are various presets on the Spider, any of which you can edit and save, ranging from super clean to crunch to hi-gain. I was impressed with both crunch and hi-gain as they sound punchy, heavy and thick to varying degrees, but many of the clean sounds (particularly the artist presets) are mesmerizing. And that is the other improved feature with the MkII, in that there are a lot of great sounding artist presets from the likes of Devin Townsend, Ola Englund, etc., but also classic songs that emulate compositions from Led Zeppelin, Metallica, The Beatles and everything between. Although the Spider V MkII is a solid state amplifier, it does have a host of very usable sounds that sit well with both home recording and live gig playing. And when you consider how many different effects accompany all the different amps and cabinets with this amp, you get just about any perceivable sound possible. FEATURES & SOUND There are two new features with the Spider V MkII. The first is a new Classic Speaker mode that produces a more organic sound and feel, just like a regular amp. What I mean is, if you were to plug into a typical amp/cab combo you get that true-to-life amp sound and that’s just what this amp offers. Conversely, you can select a ‘produced’ sound, which is ideal when running the Spider direct to DAW, for example, but also when using an acoustic guitar (since this mode uses both the loudspeaker and the tweeter for a more rounded and accurate tone). There are different presets for an acoustic guitar, but suffice to say (as you hear in the demo) an acoustic sounds great coming through this amp. The other new feature with the MkII is the Artist, Iconic Song and Classic Amp presets. At your fingertips are straight-forward clean, crunch and lead tones (that you can customize), but also several Iconic Song presets, like Whole Lotta Love and Enter Sandman, as well as artist presets from the likes of Jeff Loomis, Bill Kelliher, Vernon Reid and others. Those two features not only are new with the MkII (previous Spider V owners can download the new MkII firmware for free!), and definite game changers, but there also several great features built into this amp. These include being wireless ready (with a Line 6 G10 transmitter), a built-in metronome, drum tracks and a preset sampler function (pick a preset and hear it in different genres, such as Blues or Classic Rock). There are 78 amps and 24 cabs that range among Clean, American, British and Hi-Gain (from classic Fenders and Marshalls to Diezel and Friedman). And there are several stomp boxes in the categories of drive/distortion (10), delay (14), reverb (13), modulation (24), wahs (8), filters/synths (15), dynamics (8, including compressor) and EQ (1). And you do get a free license to Cubase LE for recording and mixing purposes, but I recorded my tracks in Cakewalk Sonar X3 with the Classic mode via a Shure SM57 mic… and with very decent results. The various presets on the Spider can be edited and saved, and they range from super clean to crunch to hi-gain. I was impressed with both crunch and hi-gain as they sound punchy, heavy and thick to varying degrees, but many of the clean sounds (particularly the artist presets) are mesmerizing. Although the Spider V MkII is a solid state amplifier, it does have a host of very usable sounds that sit well with both home recording and live gig playing. And when you consider how many different effects accompany all the different amps and cabinets with this amp, you get just about any perceivable sound possible. All elements can be tweaked via USB and the free downloadable Spider software, but also with the hard controls on the front of the Spider V. The Amp and FX buttons switch between the two, so that in Amp mode you can adjust the EQ, volume and drive of the amp, whereas in FX mode you adjust the compressor, amount of fuzz, depth of reverb, tempo of delay, etc. (each color coded, e.g., blue LED around a knob indicates ‘delay’). Speaking of tempo, you can adjust this manually if desired by tapping the Tempo button, or if hold down the button you access the Tuner. This amp also includes a 60-second Looper, a headphones jack and an AUX input to jam to your favorite music. Some optional add-ons (not included with the amp) include an Expression Pedal, ideal when using the internal wahs, filters, etc., a foot controller, and a USB cable (to connect to a computer for editing, recording and firmware updating). OVERALL IMPRESSION Designed to be a one-stop type amp for practice and recording, particularly for the budget-minded individual, the Spider V MkII offers and exceeds anything a person could want in an all-inclusive package. From small practice to higher wattage workhorses for gigging musicians, the latest Spider V MkII series’ sound quality, diverseness and total options surpasses anything else on the market in its category. If you’re tired of lugging amp heads, speaker cabinets and a pedalboard, then you may want to look into this amp line. The model being reviewed is the 60-watt version, which is loud enough for small bands (although it depends if your drummer is a fan of John Bonham’s heavy pounding), and certainly complex enough to serve the needs of any home practice, playing and recording musician. With over 200 amps/cabs and effects, 128 presets (including classic to modern sounds, with iconic songs and signature tones), the Spider V MkII offers a lot. But with editing software, easy-to-navigate hardware (via the LED menu), built-in wireless receiver, a 60-second looper, headphone jack, and all the other options combined, the price ($429 Canadian) of the Spider V MkII makes it a serious contender for Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS). There’s also several other features for the modern musician, including being able to sync up with an iPhone, iPad, Android device or computer (for recording or editing), adding an expression pedal or foot controller, receiving free Cubase LE software upon registration, and being able to choose between Classic (traditional speaker sound) and Full-Range (produced sound) modes. The overall engineering of the Spider V, along with its improved MkII sound and features has brought all-inclusive amp packaging to a new level.

I consider myself more of a 70s guitar player in the sense I play a lot of styles like Rush, Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, etc. So my comments about this product may not be as pertinent to people playing heavier music. I know this is an amplifier most people will love or hate. I wanted to approach a few features about this amp that I really like. Because the amplifier supports two amps at the same time, I have found a unique feature of the amp if you have a Line 6 pedal is the ability to switch between the two amps on the pedalboard itself. That means you can program each slot with two amps and flip between them. This really doubles the stored combinations of amps and allows you to toggle between a cleaner tone and a heavier tone for louder passages or leads. The other interesting thing I like is the output features. By plugging in a headphone, this turns off the speaker. With the XLR Balanced outputs, I can record directly to a console DAW and that is a nice touch. Regarding the sounds. Like a lot of people, I play a lot of styles and this is where this amp shines. Having the ability to get a nice early 60s Beatles tone or a heavy tone is great. I've played tube amps and owned them over the years and I also own a Peavey Classic 50 4/10. I really have compared the tonal quality of the Duoverb and the Peavey and I find the Duoverb holds it's own with the Classic 50 though I would agree there are some tones the Peavey seems to nail a little better at louder volumes. Being the Peavey has 4-10s and I use a lot of hollow/semi-hollow body guitars, I believe the cabinet and tube is responsible for that. Overall, for $200 this is a great amp even for beginners and has some interesting features that shouldn't be overlooked. If it broke or were stolen, I'd get another one. If I win the lottery, I'd probably buy a couple of backups. I also own the Flex III which is nice, but having the ability to mix two amps does present a lot of interesting tones one doesn't usually find in an amplifier.

Nice little amp for practice.... Speaker: 12" Custom Celestion® Speaker 16 Amp Models: Green and Red versions of: Clean Class A Twang Blues Hi Gain Crunch Metal Insane 20 Smart FX: Red Comp Fuzz Pi Auto Wah Auto Swell Pitch Glide Smart Harmony Sine Chorus Line 6 Flanger Phaser u-vibe Opto Trem Bias Trem Digital Delay Analogue w/Mod Tape Echo Multi-Head Sweep Echo Reverse Lux Spring Vintage Plate and Tap Tempo Up to 4 at once Adjustable Gate Adjustable Boost 300+ Artist-created Presets Almost 200 Song-based Presets 64 User- programmable Presets 4 channels Ins/Outs Headphone/ Direct Out CD/MP3 jack FBV jack Built-in front- panel chromatic tuner 20.75"W x 19.25"H x 11"D 36 lbs. It's loud if you want it to be...And, being solid state, it sounds the same at lower volumes... UTILIZATION It really depends on what you consider a "good" sound...For a touring pro I would say there is no such sound on this amp...For a bedroom/basement setup this thing is fine...Easy to get good sounds and easily tweakble...The FX are alright but you don't have controls over the parameters to adjust the sounds...It's on or off with a mild amount of wet/dry control... It works easily and well...Nice speaker inside too....The manual is actually quite useful.... SOUNDS I use a lot of different guitars and they all sound alright they this amp....Single coils can get very abrasive on this amp so beware...It likes hum buckers... I hate that you can't control the FX much at all...They went through the trouble of adding them and then just hardwired some crappy parameters rendering the FX almost useless to me.... The EQ is good....Standard frequency curve...No surprises... OVERALL OPINION You get what you pay for.... It's easy to use, lightweight, and fun to play with...But not passable in pro settings....More than capable of satisfying bedroom or basement setups.... The sounds are far from spot on...They are mere ballpark efforts thru a solid state amp...You get what you pay for....

The Line 6 Flextone III Xl is a combo guitar amp with two 12-inch speakers, 150-watt stereo power amp, 32 vetta-based amp models, 12 effects, and 16 speaker cabinet simulation options. It also has stereo xlr direct out (with cab and mic modeling), effects loops, midi in, midi out, headphone out, and external speakers out. UTILIZATION Like most Line 6 products, this little combo amp is extremely versatile! It's relatively easy to control all the amp settings on this thing, even with all the added effects, cabinet choices and such. You can easily switch between 6 delays (from the famed DL-4), and adjust the overall level of the effect. There is also a tap tempo button (that flashes with the tempo). If you control the amp with a midi controller, you can also make more fine adjustments to the delay, along with other various amp parameters. This can get a little confusing, especially if you want to make these adjustments. But for the most part, it isn't necessary to do this. There are also 6 mod effects, and a toggle-able gate and compressor. SOUNDS The main event, the guitar amplifiers and cabinet simulations, don't disappoint, as long as you don't expect them to do miracles. I mainly use super-cleans and heavy Mesa tones, and it does a wonderful job with cleans. The Mesa emulations are certainly not as good as the real thing, but for a little combo amp, they sound descent. I find that the heavier and more saturated the distortion is, the worst solid-state emulation tends to sound, and this is no exception. However, if you are using this amp for lighter tones, with lighter indie distortions, this amp sounds great. You can mix and match any of the 32 amp simulations with any of the 16 guitar cab simulations, including a no-cab mode. Since the sounds are playing through the combo amp's cab, the no-cab mode does still sound usable, and in some cases, it sounds the best, if you are looking for a more transparent sound. OVERALL OPINION Overall, this is a very flexible, and portable amp that can do many things pretty well, as long as you don't expect it to sound just like an amp worth thousands of dollars. It is extremely loud for it's size, as it certainly stands up to a Mesa half-stack just fine.

This amp is not a keeper amp at all. This thing is a basic sounding solid state amp modeler that doesn't sound anything like the amp modelers it claims to emulate. The tone is extremely thin and metallic sounding. You get 12 amp models and none of them really are capable of sounding like the tube amps that are very famous and enough so that Line 6 would attempt to model. Not that it is Line 6's fault but the idea of amp modelers is really a humorous joke. The idea that they can emulate digitally a tube amp without tubes is just an enormously huge mistake. Nothing can emulate a real tube sound and feel. UTILIZATION FEATURES: * 12 amp models that deliver a complete range from Clean to Insane * 7 Smart Control effects (up to 3 simultaneous) including Tape Echo, standard Delay, Sweep Echo (all w/Tap Tempo), Chorus/Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo and Reverb * 4 User-programmable channels * Built-in front panel Tuner * Enough power to kill pesky Chupacabras and Evil Payasos SOUNDS I guess the most authentic sound are the effects. The effects do sound convincingly enough to go ahead make this purchase only for the practice aspect of it. If you are looking for a practice amp that is an all encompassing everything unit then this isn't a bad unit. You would never go on stage with this thing though. This is not a gigging amp. The sound man will laugh you right off the stage and may even ask you to take this amp off the stage and mic up one of the house amps. This is why I am a bit confused of the reason for 150 watts of power when you will never need to turn this thing up this loud. Well, this amp is not a bad practice amp and with a good guitar it will get you jamming comfortably at home. OVERALL OPINION I don't believe that these amps are even offered anymore. I think these have been discontinued to another more modern model. If you find one on the classifieds I can't imagine it being more than $200. I would recommend this amp to only someone who needs a simple practice amp doesn't want to spend too much money. They are pretty reliable and that is a plus.

This is the most basic version of the spider series from Line 6. This thing is an inexpensive amp modeling amp that is fit for practice and silent playing. You can play this amp silently in your home or office with the use of some headphones and your guitar. This is a basic amp that only has four amp models and the basic effects such as chorsu, phaser, delay, tremelo, flanger, and reverb. Those are pretty much all you need of for something like this. You don't need and overload of options since the basic premise of this thing is to keep it small, compact, and easy. Line 6 Micro Spider Features: * Four amp models including Clean, Crunch, Metal, and Insane * One acoustic amp model * Six Smart Control FX including Chorus/Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, Sweep Echo (with tap tempo), Tape Echo (with tap tempo), and Reverb * Pod 2.0-style direct output * 1/4" microphone input with dedicated mic trim knob * Mini stereo MP3/CD input * 1/4" instrument input * 1/4" headphone output * Integrated chromatic tuner with note-name display * Powered by six C batteries * AC adapter included * 6-watt, 6.5" speaker * 9.5" W x 10" H x 7" D * 7 lbs UTILIZATION Details Type Solid State Number of Channels 1 Power 6W Speakers 1 x 6.5" Speaker Effects Reverb EQ Bass, Mid, Treble Amp Modeling Number of Models 5 Amp Models Preamp Tubes No Tubes Power Tubes No Tubes Inputs 1 x Instrument, 1 x MP3 (1/8"), 1 x Mic (1/4") Outputs 1 x Direct Out/Headphone (1/4") Footswitch I/O No Effects Loop Height 10" Width 9.5" Depth 7" Weight 7 lbs. Notes Battery or AC Powered (6 x C Batteries) SOUNDS The tone of this amp isn't anything special. It doesn't in any way sound like a real tube amp. This thing is thin and metallic sounding at its best. It doesn't really matter what guitar that you use with it since the tone is not good what so ever. I would recommend a Gibson Les Paul or another guitar with a humbucker pickup installed. Since the tone is irritating the end the only real way you can get through a jamming session with this thing is to cover up as much of the tone with effects as you can. OVERALL OPINION At new these amps come in at around $130, which isn't bad for the amount of options you get from this little box. You get all that you need to get a decent run through of your guitar. Hopefully you get a good guitar to play this amp with because otherwise you'll get a trash can worth of terrible guitar sounds. I would only recommend his to anyone who needs a cheap practice amp. You pretty much get what you pay for with this amp. Not going to be an exceptional tone but enough for the price and the purpose of the unit itself.

What do you do when you build amp modeling units with effects and appear to have no idea how tube distortion sounds...you go get one of the best tube amp boutique builders in the world, Reinhold Bogner. Bogner design the good parts of this amp while Line 6 focused on the digitalization of the unit. It was a good move to combine the creative platforms of both companies. Line 6 DT50 112 Modeling Guitar Amplifier Features at a Glance: * Advanced HD modeling technology * Reinhold Bogner's most flexible tube design * 2 x 12AX7 preamp tubes * 2 x EL34 power amp tubes * Simple and straightforward 2-channel design * Each channel has Drive, Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Reverb, and Channel Volume controls * Master volume control * High and Low inputs * Reconfigurable analog components (Class A/Class AB; Pentode/Triode) * Complete, 1-touch analog reconfiguration (via Channel select switch) * Low-power mode * 1 x 12" Celestion custom G12H90 speaker * L6 LINK in/thru connection for POD HD integration * Serial effect loop with level control * Footswitch jack for channel switching * XLR direct out with cabinet simulation and ground lift switch * 4-, 8-, and 16-ohm speaker outs UTILIZATION Details Type Hybrid Number of Channels 2 Power 50W/25W; Switchable Class A/Class AB Speakers 1 x 12" Celestion Custom G12H90 No Effects Reverb Yes EQ Ch 1: Bass, Mid, Treble; Ch 2: Bass, Mid, Treble Amp Modeling Yes Number of Models 4 Number of Tubes 4 Preamp Tubes 2 x 12AX7 Power Tubes 2 x EL34 Inputs 2 x Instrument Outputs 6 x Speaker Footswitch I/O Yes Effects Loop Yes SOUNDS This amp is called a hybrid which uses tubes while in addition to digitalized operation. I have seen this amp in a live performance from Stryper and it was convincingly very good. I know that it sounded good and why a Line ^ distortion typically doesn't sound good I went home after the show to see what Line ^ was up to. All the while feeling like this had a very similar characteristic tone similar to Bogner amps. Sure enough I jumped on the Line ^ website to discover the tag team due for this design. They were using GMW guitars which were similar to Ibanezes and Flying V's....at least the builds they had. Each setup sounded killer. OVERALL OPINION I little bit pricey but two companies now have to get paid so to get one new you will have to cough up about $1300. This will steer novices and beginners out of the equation and bump the market up to the more experienced players. It might have a hard time selling at that market since most people who would pay for a $1300 amp would not buy a Line 6, bu they would buy a Bogner so we'll see how it pans out. If I got one of these new I'd keep it but I woulnd't spend the kind of money they are asking for this amp. I would save up a few hundred more dollars and get a Shiva or old Ubershall.

Let me start by saying how much I loath solid state amps and how much I can't stand amp modeling. This amp continues to give me very little doubt about the amp modeling world. Line 6 are definitely the leaders in the amp modeling world but to be honest most of their tones from the recreated amps just don't sound very good. This thing is an over price too loud piece of junk. This is basically the same amp as the other versions just rated at 120 watts. I am a fan of Line 6 and by no means is this review out of anything against them but these amps are just garbage. This amp is rated at 120 watts, which is a really loud amplifier and 120 watts of poor sterile tone. Nothing that I have heard from Line 6 as far as amps sounds has ever sounded good to my ears. UTILIZATION Line 6 Spider IV 120 120W 2x10 Guitar Combo Amp Features: * 120 watts (stereo) * 2x10" Celestion Custom speakers; Three-quarter closed-back cabinet for a tight, snappy response * 500+ presets: 300+ hand-crafted presets from 50 world-famous bands and guitarists, almost 200 dialed in presets inspired by the best guitar songs of all time, up to 64 user-created presets * Artist-created presets hand-crafted by Johnny Marr, Slipknot, Pete Anderson, 311, Meshuggah, Lacuna Coil, As I Lay Dying, Steve Stevens, The Donnas, Minus the Bear, and 40 more guitarists and bands * Song-based presets inspired by the tones of Master of Puppets, Back in Black, Whole Lotta Love, Daytripper, Toxicity, Purple Haze, Head Like a Hole, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Crazy Train, and almost 200 more * 16 exceptional amp models that exhibit sophisticated touch response, complex distortions, and compression that breathes like it's emanating from a vintage tube amp. (Line 6 modeling is often imitated, but never duplicated.) * Up to 8 effects at once with FBV MkII. 20 Smart FX (up to 4 at once) including Smart Harmony and Pitch Glide plus echoes, mods, reverbs, tremolos, delays, and more; Additional effects include Quick Loop, Noise Gate, and Boost; Edit all effects up to 7 parameters deep * Bass, Mid and Treble knobs behave like the EQ controls from each modeled amp; Drive knob; Channel volume; Master volume; Manual Mode * 1/4-inch input; 1/4-inch headphone/direct output; two 1/4-inch speaker outputs; 1/8-inch CD/MP3 input; FBV jack; Built-in chromatic tuner * Line 6 FBV MkII foot controllers (not included) feature a foot pedal for wah, volume and pitch-shift control; tap tempo; chromatic tuner display; channel switching; USB connectivity for receiving amplifier updates and upgrades; more SOUNDS This is just a waste in my opinion. I like the way their effects sound and the way that their software is set up much like a real guitar rig, but the distortions and amp models are horrible! To me it doesn't matter what guitar you use with this thing it is going to sound nothing like the amps they are trying to recreate. If you must lay this amp then I would play it with a Gibson Les Paul or something with mahogany for the wood. Something dark and bold that will give some thickness to the tone of this amp. The amp sounds thin and sterile much like a stomp box overdrive or distortion pedal would sound like. You can hear and feel the digital process in the tone. This amp has no soul and no tone what so ever. It is a complete waste of resources. OVERALL OPINION If you want a mp modeler that has effects built in as well then go with one of the other Line 6 amps that Reinhold Bogner helped out with. They actually have a good usable distortion tone. No wonder they went out an found a pro to do the dirty channels. At new these amps come in at around $400. A bit steep for a trash sounding amplifier. I wouldn't recommend this amp to anyone. It doesn't sound good and you won't get anyone worth his salt to record it.

This is a solid state, digital, modeling amp, but not the best. It has 15w of power, but when you crank it, the effects all seem to trigger subtly. It has one input, a Headphones amp/Line Out, and an Input for a CD Player, MP3, or other music device for playing along with music. It has 8 knobs, An LED for Tap Tempo for the Delay, and it also serves as a Gain Boost and Noise Gate. The EQ knobs are..Drive (which is the Gain control), Bass, Mid, Treble, and Channel Volume. The Effects Knob lets you choose which effect you want (Chorus/Flange, Phaser, and Tremolo) and how much of the effect you choose. You can only use one effect at a time. Around halfway on the Chorus/Flange side of the knob, it turns from chorus to flange. The Other knob is your delay/Reverb. You can choose between Sweep Echo, Tape Echo (Both are Tap Tempo) and Reverb. Holding the Tap Tempo Button while turning the DRIVE knob up past 12 o'clock activates the Gain Boost, giving you more gain, and boosting the volume. Holding the Tap Tempo button while turning the DRIVE Knob down past 12 o'clock turns it off. Holding the tap tempo button and turning the Delay/Reverb knob up past 12 o'clock activates the Noise Gate. Holding Tap Tempo and turning the Delay/Reverb knob down turns it off. UTILIZATION A good sound CAN be achieved, but it takes some tweaking. It's not that hard to find a usable tone, but it is hard to find a GOOD one. I don't think there's any truly great tones in the amp. It is very easy to use and adjust. Everything is labeled clearly, and you know what you're setting and where you're setting it to. The manual is very clear, and offers a all of the "Hidden Features of the Tap Tempo Button". The manual is written very clearly and provides enough information to help you learn how to use it. SOUNDS This is where this amp fails someone with an ear for tone. For a beginner, this is an awesome amp. Lets you dabble in effects, learn how much, and what kind, of gain you like. For someone with an ear for tone, this is a bad amp at best. The distortion is digital, harsh, fizzy, and lifeless. It is VERY digital sounding. It is also VERY muddy. Anything over normal bedroom levels and it gets unbearably harsh and fizzy. The only decent channel on it is the Clean channel. At gigging or Band Practice volumes, the bass feeds back VERY VERY quickly. This amp is only decent for low volume practicing. Think bedroom practice. If you're looking for a decent sounding amp for a beginner, it is a decent amp. OVERALL OPINION This is a decent amp for a beginner. Anyone with an ear for tone will find this amp too harsh, fizzy, and lifeless. This amp's big downfall is it's tone. It's digital, and you can tell the second you turn on any kind of distortion. But, because it's marketed for beginners, I am rating it accordingly. It lets you experiment with effects and gain voicings, which is a great option for a beginner amp. This amp retails for $100. I feel that's a good price for it. All in all, this is a decent beginner amp, and low volume practice amp

(Originally written by Nico66/translated from Audiofanzine FR) - Amplification technology (tube, solid state, ...)? Everything has been already said... - Output power? It rated at 40 watts but it seems to be more because it's really loud. I miss a 20 watt operation switch. - What about controls, effects etc.? I won't say anything about effects... The finish quality is very good. It's a high-end product. That's not what disappointed me. Considering the features, this amp is very interesting... But it disappointed me when I played it... UTILIZATION - What about settings? Very easy configuration. Just turn a few controls and you get a good sound. - Is it easy to get the right sound? It' all a matter of taste... Personally, the sound and effects of this amp disappointed me a lot... The clean sound is very good. Warm, perfect... The crunch sound isn't bad but you start hearing the amp's personality. The distortion disappointed me. This amp sound totally California!!! They ignored Marshall fans!! It's surprising coming from Mr Bogner because he used to tune Marshall amps in the beginning... But he only conceived the preamp stage of this amp, not the modelings... It supposed to include some British models but I'm still looking for them! - Is the user's manual clear and comprehensive? I took a look at it. I like Line 6 user's manuals, they are very easy to read.. It seems that people at Line 6 have lots of fun writing manuals... SOUNDS - Does it fit your music style? The amp is quite versatile... but I'm very disappointed because all modelings have the typical US sound. - Which guitar, bass or effects do you use? I tested it with a Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Strato Custom Shop, a Tele USA Standard and a PRS 513. - What kind of sounds do you get and which settings do you use ("crystal-clear", "fat", ...)? The clean sound is very warm and nice. The crunch sound isn't bad... but I miss a Marshall-like crunch... and even a typical Bogner sound... (the simulation is not comparable with a real Bogner amp). - Which sounds do you prefer / hate? I don't like the distortion... But guitarists who like the Mesa sound will love this amp. I also hate the chorus/flanger effect... It's really lousy and uninteresting... I'd rather have an amp without effects... OVERALL OPINION - How long have you been using it? I kept it three days (two days at home plus a live gig) and I brought it back to the store where I bought it. - Which features do you like the most / the least? I like the compact size, the finish quality and the warm tube sound. I'm very disappointed by the simulations (limited to typical US sounds). The effects are the worse!!! I'd rather have no effects! It's really silly to combine a chorus and a flanger and have independent tremolo and phaser effects... Can someone explain this to me??? It's impossible to get a good sound with this combination! And you cannot edit any parameter of the effects except for the volume... And its the same regarding delays... No editable parameters... - Did you try any other models before buying it? Of course. I've had many different amps. But this one's the first I've kept such a short time... It's much worse than a Vetta II!! - How would you rate its value for money? If you buy it knowing how it sounds, it's ok... And the manufacturing quality is very good... But avoid it if you are looking for something else rather than only US sounds or effects. - Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? Never!! I know some people will totally disagree with what I wrote. This amp is great for people who like US sounds and don't use any effects. If you like Bogner, Marshall and Soldano sounds, as well as a deep U2 or Malmsteen delay with a light chorus effect, etc... forget this amp and buy another one...

The Line 6 DT50 212 is a 50 watt guitar amplifier that has a vintage style look to it but a very modern build. Line 6 generally makes some of my favorite guitar amps when it comes to the tube and drivers. This amplifier is well worth the money that it cost off of that alone. It has high and low inputs and a master volume control on it. Both of the channels have bass, mid, treble, presence, drive and reverb controls. It doesn’t have any effects but that was not a deal breaker for me because I already have Line 6 amps with a lot of effects. This 2 channel amplifier has 6 speaker outputs and 2 instrument inputs. UTILIZATION Out of all of the times that I have used it I have not experienced much cracking or snapping sounds when changing settings like a lot of people in the reviews keep saying. Maybe they have defective units because the way it is described makes it sound unbearable. This amplifier is on the heavier side though and is not as portable as I would have liked it to be. This model lets you hook up a POD HD through the Line 6 LINK connection, then the DT50 will automatically match your tone. SOUNDS Other similar amplifiers that I recommend are the DT25 the MKII and the DT50 112 if you want to save a little money but still get the same general sound. OVERALL OPINION I do prefer to use the DT25 over the DT50 212 because it is more portable and the sound is relatively the same to me. This unit cost a lot more than the DT25 (of course) but it will save you a back ach in the long run. Even the MKII sounds pretty good and it pretty portable as well. I do not think the DT50 212 is for me because of the price and non-portability of it compared to some other models.