I Bought A Spark Go On Vacation, Did I Make A Mistake?



#knowyourgear

Link to Larry Mitchells music
https://www.larrymitchell.com

Link to amp
https://sweetwater.sjv.io/zNBWW6

Link to my performance with Larry Mitchell
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx7s9mY_mgE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nXfK0nMHXw

Link to Kiesel guitars
https://www.kieselguitars.com/

source

44 thoughts on “I Bought A Spark Go On Vacation, Did I Make A Mistake?”

  1. I pre-ordered the Spark Go. While it sounded okay with my acoustic-electric guitar Alvarez Delta 00, it had absolutely non-significant volume with my Les Paul. I mean even as a practice amp it was absolutely useless. If you want to plug it in with headphones I guess you could be worked as a headphone interface. But this is useless with s humbucker guitar for actually producing audio from the speaker. Don't fall for the hype on this one, the YouTubers get paid with the links when you buy it. I return mine and got a Soark Mini which was much better, but still not what I would consider loud. But acceptable for quiet travel practice and home practice.

    Reply
  2. Nice, honest review, Phil. I got one of the original 40's when they came out and after playing with speaker choices (ended with one original in the right and an Alpha 4 on the left), I really enjoy it and it's the perfect bedroom amp. The speaker swap took some of the low fluff out for bluetooth duties (it turns out I rarely use it that way, though). For someone needing compact portability, this looks like a winner.

    Reply
  3. Reviewers should take a lesson from Phillip. Everything you need to know in the shortest time. The 40, great for a permanent home set up. Add the cab when available! The mini, great for portability around the home, or taking to friends. Sounds good as a BT speaker too. Best of the bunch if you only have one spark.
    Go, great for travel. Headphones in, backing tracks stream via BT, great for hotels when working.
    Just waiting for the headphone amp, no speaker, just use the app. Sure that will happen…..

    Reply
  4. I have this little amp, basically every guitarist should have this one instead of a bluetooth speaker :). It does not sound incredible but it is a very small speaker after all. I am happy with the purcahse. Positive grid has done what Marshall should have done.

    Reply
  5. Also just bought mine before it went down to $110, oh well. I ordered it on a sunday and tried to get it cancelled a half hour later and it was already in the truck on it’s way. I told my SW rep and he sent a return label. I changed my mind cause l play pedal steel and didn’t think it would have a lot of tone control on clean settings-wrong-O! Kept the thing and l love it. Even play it thru my amps. Effects and tones are great!

    Reply
  6. good grief. the bigger point aboit an internal/non-replaceable battery IS: it means the device is disposable!

    is this honestly, not that much of a priority, to many of you?

    I work in a field that specializes in replaceable batteries. I keep trying to get many people to wake up to this fact. yet, I see many just ignore it, or not seem to care. so, am I that radical in my thinking? that long term ownership and usage is a major consideration for me when making major purchases??????????????????

    Reply
  7. Was on the fence about this but Andertons have them for £109 with free shipping so I took a chance and ordered one yesterday.
    Clicked on this video thinking "uh oh, hope I haven't made a mistake" but Phil has put my mind at rest.😂
    (I know, I can return it if I don't like it)

    Reply
  8. Best thing, it uses the same software as the other Spark amps which is very good. I dont have the GO but i do have the Mini and the Spark 40. The 40 sounds the best by far but I mainly use the Mini as a headphone amp on my desk and a computer input. It works great for that. The Spark 40 sounds very good, The Mini sounds ok but definitely a lot thinner.

    Reply
  9. I absolutely love mine. I use it for night jamming when my 2 daughters are sleeping. I have it connected to my Ipad and will use headphones when I am wanting to be even more quiet. It has honestly changed my playing and practicing ability in a GREAT way. For a Dad of 2 little ones I give it 2 thumbs WAYYYYYY up 😁

    Reply
  10. Thanks for taking the time while on your vacation. Seems like a nice grab and go amp for traveling, and it works fine while not having to download the app. Phil, enjoy your vacation with your family…..

    Reply
  11. I have all 3 Spark amps, the 40 is my personal favorite.
    The go is handy if nothing else works, but sound wise I find it barely ok. Compared to my other more or less same size blutooth speakers (Bose and Exogear) it's a joke, hardly any bass at all. I almost sent it back but shipping would have cost probably half of what I paid for it and it will be handy on trips and particular when used with headphones. By itself it sounds more like a portable radio I had as a kid in the 70es.
    Without the app it would be completely useless to me.
    It also only has one active speaker, the other thing is the passive "bass" speaker that doesn't do much.
    The mediocre sound as music speaker really was a surprise to me, I have a (waterproof and floating) blu tooth speaker from Exogear that's probably inching on being 10 years old and it blows the spark out of the water in sound. Somebody at Positive Gris was asleep at the wheel there. My even smaller Bose Micro sounds better.

    Reply
  12. The Spark Mini is the real star as a practice amp. I like the Go for portability or use with headphones. Positive Grid is releasing a cab that will work with the little Go and other Spark amps.

    Reply
  13. I really like this move business wise, because Marshall is more or less a new company that's trying to establish itself in todays market. I think from that perspective, these are an offering that fits a want of the market at a price point which is accessible to every player. This should help bring in revenue sustainably so they can then hopefully build on this success and slowly start taking more risks to offer more creative things. I might buy one of these, probably not, but regardless, I like this in terms of helping create a stable foundation which the company can grow on.

    Reply
  14. I'm one of those that likes 'all of the amazing features in the app'. It's the nicest looking app I've seen for any of the devices in this category. For me, the positive things in the app are the drum backing and jam track backing capabilities. The only slight negative is that I don't think you can change the order of the effects in the signal chain.

    Reply
  15. My Spark has all the amplifier duty in my apt studio! Jazz Chorus, Dumble, Solando and with Experience Hendrix, all the Marshall goodness and Fender amps, too. All my favorites effect including a Klon Clone and the usual suspect. AI generated jam track. For the price a single pedal! Hell, yes, I use the app! – but to for what i need but I explore the possibilities too.

    Reply
  16. To anybody criticizing this little amp: WTF? Seriously. I would have killed to have this thing when I was growing up! What great little rig, and the sounds and tweaks are almost limitless! A quantum leap in utility and availability to jam and practice almost anywhere. Sure its not the best speaker, but you should have heard what I played through when I was a kid. This tech is next level stuff and will only get better. Bravo.

    Reply
  17. I am home player . I have A Katana mk2 50 . I bought the Spark Go and love it . I can be in any room and using my headphones without lugging around a big box . Then , when I want real volume , I line out to my. Katana or Marshall.

    Reply

Leave a Comment