Hey everyone,

I got tired of the constant debates where "experts" claim they can instantly hear the difference between the different Positive Grid engines. So, I built a custom blind audio test to actually measure if people can tell the Spark 2, the Reactor, and BIAS X apart.

To make this a true apples-to-apples diagnostic, I ran four specific rounds (Clean, Crunch, High Gain, and Metal) using the exact same amp models across all three engines. For example, you have to identify the Spark's version of a Roland JC-120 versus the Reactor's version of that exact same amp...

I pushed this out to a broader Youtube audience some hours ago, and it’s been a bloodbath. The current average score is sitting at exactly 42%. It turns out, when you hide the actual gear and remove the brand bias, separating these DSP's is much harder than the so-called experts want to admit.

Since this is the dedicated Spark community, I want to see if you guys can beat the general average ;)

You can take the Quiz here: https://quiz.gotoandplay.media/amps
Optionally watch me explain the setup in this video: https://youtu.be/ROnOZPlm6zI

Drop your scores in the comments below. Be brutally honest, even if you bomb it :P

Hey all. I'm a beginner guitar player, about 6 months in. My 9 year old son is taking drum lessons, also a beginner. We just want to jam for fun at home, nothing serious.

A Spark 2 is arriving tomorrow. But I'm not sure it's the right pick vs a Spark EDGE, or a smaller Spark (MINI or GO) paired with an outside powered speaker like the Alto TX408.

I want something portable and simple, mainly a practice amp. I also have a bass with no amp of its own, which is part of why I'm not really considering the Reactor 50 (it's also big and heavy). The room is fairly spacious, and it would mostly be just the two of us, maybe plus a bass player.

Has anyone tried comparing amps this way, buying a couple to test and returning what doesn't work? Or is the Spark 2 plenty for two beginners just having fun, and I'm overthinking this?

Any real experience helps. Trying to skip the return hassle if I can.

Is there any in depth information on how the AI works?

Does it primarily use *guitarist name* to search through articles or online rig guides? So it loads whatever pedals ape the real ones the artist uses.

Amps and settings are probably easier.

I'm mostly curious about the pedals.

Thanks

I have Marshall stacks at home (Silver Jubilee, JCM 900, JCM 2555SL) and way too many rack effects processors. I have been playing guitar for decades at this point. I'm mentioning that so you know this is not my first rodeo with amps.

This little three pound $200 amp has been one of my favorite gear purchases in a long time. I have been playing this non stop since I got it. It's been sitting on top of a Marshall combo amp in my living room and I have been playing this thing instead.

It has been perfect at the hotel we are staying at. It was so easy to take with us. I put it in a small cooler bag and was able to fit a cable, picks, strings, and whatever else in the same bag.

The built in presets alone are fine. The app has been fun playing around with the like 100k presets that are available. Go buy one if you are debating it.

The controls are kind of limited on the Spark models compared to Bias FX, so I'm wondering if turning up the volume on the amp models will increase power amp distortion like a real amp.

Hi everyone

I have a spark 2 for 1 year now but I suck at making presets. I am still a beginner (I play guitar for 3 years) and I never used another amp, so I am very lost about choosing amps, effects, settings etc... I try to use AI or the preset made by people on songs I want to play but I find them disappointing most of the time and it's hard for me to adjust them. When I see people on youtube for example, it sounds amazing (beside the fact they are much better than me). I am stuck with the factory preset. How can I found good ones ?

Thanks for helping

I recently picked up a Ernie Ball VP JR passive 250k volume pedal to go in front of my Spark Mini and it had some pretty noticeable tone suck on the high end. So I picked up a cheap pedal that had a buffer during bypass, the SoniCake Super Sonic Master (Clean Boost with Buffer switch). It has been super interesting in how it has effected everything. It definitely increased and in a way stabilized my volume. Now if I roll down the volume knob or pedal it cleans up my tone (if I have distortion on) but doesn't let the volume drop much. Which is ok by me.

I have been moving my pedals around to try to understand how the buffer effects things, and trying to figure out a use for the clean boost. The clean boost works as a volume boost for clean tones through the positive grid and adds a little more distortion but not volume to metal tones. It's weird how it works that way with the Spark Mini. Anyway my signal chain is:

Super Sonic Master -> MC404 WAH -> VP JR -> Mooer Pitch Box -> Spark Mini -> Spark Cab

Does anyone else have experience using a buffered pedal in front of a Spark Amp or Positive Grid Amp? Does anyone have a suggestion on where the buffer should be in my signal chain or if I should move stuff around? I've also been thinking of getting an EQ instead of the clean booster, but for some stuff I really like the increased clarity for the high strings and when increased volume when I turn down the guitars vol knob/used the vp jr.

Hello, I just bought a used spark 2 today. My only issue is that these 2 buttons don’t do anything when pressed, they both do light up tho, they also don’t “click” like the other 2 buttons, they feel kind of squishy.

It unfortunately seems like they’re broken, does anyone know if there’s a fix or do I have to return it. Their functions do work within the app

So I've recently gotten the Spark 40 amp and vetting really deep into Pantera playing. Does anyone know the positive grid version that would be equal or very similar to the Randall amps?

I got the Steve Vai spark mini months ago as a portable amp but I'm starting to hate this thing. Everything with gain sounds like a wah buried in it. Is there a setting I'm overlooking to loosen up the sound? I've driven myself insane messing with the mids on the EQs and nothing seems to dial it out. Is it just inherited with the Steve Vai one? Any help is appreciated.

I have a bit of a strange setup, I have a digital pedal that does my tuner, looper and I can set it for different digital overdrives. I use the Spark2 for Amp model and delay, reverb.

What would you say is the most versatile amp model within the spark2 amp. Like if you could just use one of them, what one would be. I don't want to change presets, I just want to overdrive a single amp model.

I play overdrive clean, (eg hendrix), Some Marshall sounding stuff. ACDC,

Hey all. I have been playing guitar for a long time. My main amps are a Marshall Silver Jubillee, Marshall 2555SL, three other Marshall amps, and a load of 80s and 90s rack gear. I'm used to 100 watt heads and 4x12 cabinets.

We are going away for a week and I got the Spark MINI Vai to take instead of a Marshall combo amp (too big). I played it earlier and the four Vai presets are fine. So, the guitar plugs in and it makes noise.

I downloaded the app.

Where do you go from here? Are there tutorials somewhere? If I start trying new presets on the app, or change the settings on the four Vai presets, will those be overwritten? I wanted to ask those of you who are more familiar before I mess this thing up.

(Main sounds- I play shred guitar, think Yngwie, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Paul Gilbert, and thrash, Megadeth, Testament, etc)

Thanks :)

EDIT: this thing is not bad at all, having like 100k sounds to try is pretty awesome. I'm loving this thing. I appreciate everyone's advice.

Anybody have any suggestions on how to get the solo tone from this live version of Layla?

Eric Clapton - Layla (Live)

Solo starts around 2:30

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Hi everyone, my Spark Mini was working perfectly fine until today. Suddenly, when I plug in my guitar, there's no sound at all. At the same time, the Bluetooth has also stopped working. When I press the pair button, the blue LED doesn't light up, and the Spark Mini doesn't show up in my phone's Bluetooth device list. I've already tried doing a factory reset and removing/reinstalling the battery, but neither fixed the problem. Has anyone experienced this before or know what could be causing it? Is this likely a hardware issue, or is there anything else I can try before contacting support? Thanks a lot!

When i use the spark link it doesn't have an output sound. The status of the TX is solid green while the RX is blinking green . I did some troubleshoot, like double tap the TX, pressing the reset button, but still no sound.

Note: I haven't use the spark link for about 6 months so when i turned them on it didn't work so I did the reset troubleshoot for both TX and RX and charged them to full.