Positive Grid has a new, ultra-portable version of their high-tech Spark guitar amp. Designed for musicians looking for a versatile and powerful practice amp, the 3.5-inch-tall Spark Go works with a companion app loaded with virtual amps, pedals, and other effects, and can even flesh out your sound with AI-powered drums and other backup. instruments
Like its predecessors, the Spark Go pairs with an iOS/Android app to go far beyond amplifying your strumming and picking; digitally enhances it. It includes 50,000 tones (ranging from boutique to modern), 33 amps, and 43 effects and pedals, giving you lots of new ways to shape your sound. The app can even “play with you” by listening and learning from your playing, generating a suitable backing track. And if you want to learn new songs, the app can sync with Spotify or Apple Music to display AI-generated chords for the song you’re listening to.
Engadget’s 2021 review of the Spark Pearl (a larger model in the same vein) found the app to have some rough edges, including a less-than-convincing AI drummer. However, the company has had plenty of time to smooth it out, so we’ll reserve judgment on the current iteration until we test it again. After all, you may have heard that generative AI has made some impressive leaps since then.
The amp has a rugged build and an “extra stiff grille” to (at least in theory) live up to its brand name on the go; Positive Grid says it even fits on a pedal board. The company suggests laying it flat for omnidirectional sound, or standing it up on the edge for “direct sound.” Plus, it uses computational audio that delivers “surprisingly big and full sound” from its small package. (And you can plug in headphones to practice in private.) The amp’s battery reportedly lasts up to eight hours and is recharged using USB-C. Finally, it supports four presets for when you find a mix you want to keep close at hand.
Positive Grid is accepting advance registrations to be notified when Spark Go pre-orders go live. Whenever they open (the company hasn’t announced a date yet), it’ll offer the amp for an aggressive $109, though it will eventually rise to $149 suggested.
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