NAD Positive Grid Spark Go

[jonfields45]

I ordered one the first day and received a FedEx tracking number this morning!

I am not thinking the Spark Mini I own is recording quality amp modeling due to not quite subtle quantization noise, but overall it sounds great and has an unbelievable loud full tone for something so small, light, and battery powered. For gigs, running its headphone output to our PA works fine as a backup to my UA Dream 65. You need a stereo load, or at least a resistive mixing cable, as its headphone output goes unstable if you short left to right and the reverbs sound bad if you don't get both channels (or configure the Mini to mono). The Go would be a more convenient backup sitting in my guitar's gig bag pocket.

I am hoping the Spark Go is loud and full sounding enough for vacation air travel as it will fit in a gig bag pocket.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

I ordered one the first day and received a FedEx tracking number this morning!

I am not thinking the Spark Mini I own is recording quality amp modeling due to not quite subtle quantization noise, but overall it sounds great and has an unbelievable loud full tone for something so small, light, and battery powered. For gigs, running its headphone output to our PA works fine as a backup to my UA Dream 65. You need a stereo load, or at least a resistive mixing cable, as its headphone output goes unstable if you short left to right and the reverbs sound bad if you don't get both channels (or configure the Mini to mono). The Go would be a more convenient backup sitting in my guitar's gig bag pocket.

I am hoping the Spark Go is loud and full sounding enough for vacation air travel as it will fit in a gig bag pocket.

As a happy owner of a spark 40, I’m really curious about the spark go. I think the go puts the mini in an odd “medium” position. You want a full sounding amp that’s also portable you with the 40. If you want something battery powered and very portable you’ll be hard pressed in between the mini or go.

[ghostnote]

Good to know they’re shipping them now. I’ve got one coming at some point; no notification yet. Looks like it’ll be a fun little gizmo. (I have the 40 and the Mini so I know the app already)

[K20C]

I’ve ordered the Go. Says it will ship late May.

[bleedingfingers]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

As a happy owner of a spark 40, I’m really curious about the spark go. I think the go puts the mini in an odd “medium” position. You want a full sounding amp that’s also portable you with the 40. If you want something battery powered and very portable you’ll be hard pressed in between the mini or go.

Similar thoughts here. I got the 40, which is great, then wanted a battery powered version so got the mini (which has also been good). But if I were buying now, not sure if I’d get the mini or the go — probably the go, but both seems overkill!

[jonfields45]

When I play a no mics house party with my duo I am using the Spark Mini and he is playing his HD-28 acoustically. This works great. I can't imagine the Go making the cut. But the Mini does not fit in a guitar gig bag pocket which is unique utility I've been looking for a while for air travel.

I bought and returned one of these. It was awful in every way.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QZ5M3HD...t_details&th=1

The Go should get here Monday.

[PTL]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

When I play a no mics house party with my duo I am using the Spark Mini and he is playing his HD-28 acoustically. This works great. I can't imagine the Go making the cut. But the Mini does not fit in a guitar gig bag pocket which is unique utility I've been looking for a while for air travel.

I bought and returned one of these. It was awful in every way.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QZ5M3HD...t_details&th=1

The Go should get here Monday.

What guitar are you using for your duo? And can the Mini punch even louder than a D28? It seems that it can be slightly louder based on what I hear as a bluetooth speaker....

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by PTL

What guitar are you using for your duo? And can the Mini punch even louder than a D28? It seems that it can be slightly louder based on what I hear as a bluetooth speaker....

Lately an Ibanez Q52. Comfortable, stays in tune for ever (imagine locking a Floyd Rose after locking its strings), portable, and airplane friendly. It sounds pretty much like any other two humbucker guitar. There is a Dynamix option that gets that Strat bridge+middle tone I find occasionally useful too. This pic predates the UA Dream 65 with a boost pedal hosting a Fender Mustang Micro. Since the Dream 65 I generally just roll the volume and don't hit any foot switches (the Dream pedal has all the switches I need should I change my mind).

[PTL]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

Lately an Ibanez Q52. Comfortable, stays in tune for ever (imagine locking a Floyd Rose after locking its strings), portable, and airplane friendly. It sounds pretty much like any other two humbucker guitar. There is a Dynamix option that gets that Strat bridge+middle tone I find occasionally useful too. This pic predates the UA Dream 65 with a boost pedal hosting a Fender Mustang Micro. Since the Dream 65 I generally just roll the volume and don't hit any foot switches (the Dream pedal has all the switches I need should I change my mind).

Thank you.

[jonfields45]

The Go has arrived. The tone is very close to the Mini. The Go sounds best to me on its back with pretty unbelievable bass response (I tried using it as a Bluetooth speaker to play Steely Dan's Hey 19 and was impressed). It is not as loud as the Mini, but seems like it would be adequate playing guitar for friends to back vocals. I did find the Go hall reverb had to be set with a lower mix than the Mini. I did update the firmware on the Go as prompted by the phone app. The phone app seems to be OK with the firmware on my Mini.

To fit comfortably in an electric guitar gig bag pocket and not leave me feeling I was missing something better, it is ideal!

[jp2558]

Side question - can the UA Dream 65 be used to run an electric guitar direct into a PA? (Like how I run my Martin with factory installed Fishman electronics direct into our PA?)

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by jp2558

Side question - can the UA Dream 65 be used to run an electric guitar direct into a PA? (Like how I run my Martin with factory installed Fishman electronics direct into our PA?)

I use the Dream 65 direct to our PA for gigs.

For me, the user interface of the Dream 65 is perfect. It is exactly a Deluxe Reverb with a master volume plus boost pedal. No menus with endless choices to make getting to the simple stuff (volume, tone, overdrive, reverb) hard.

Not to pick on the Spark, but here is an example of menu bloat. The Hall Reverb has 6 knobs! 5 of which I've got at 12 o'clock and one level knob I actually adjust. The Dream 65 has one reverb knob, just like a real amp should.

I sold my HX Stomp, but I found the guitar amp models way too knob happy. It seemed that the patches offered on-line needed to tweak each one of them as proof of my inadequacy.

I've also moved on my Nux Amp Academy. While not as complex as the HX Stomp, for example every amp model had a power-amp bias adjustment knob. As an EE I know what adjusting a fixed bias tube amp is all about. But as a user of that pedal, maybe because I don't want extreme overdrive, I could never hear any difference in its setting. Just another distraction. My real problem with the Amp Academy was needing to touch every knob to get to WYSIWYG and any foot switch or toggle switch usage meant starting the knob touch over.

WYSIWYG - wizziewig - what you see is what you get

[jp2558]

Originally Posted by jonfields45

I use the Dream 65 direct to our PA for gigs.

For me, the user interface of the Dream 65 is perfect. It is exactly a Deluxe Reverb with a master volume plus boost pedal. No menus with endless choices to make getting to the simple stuff (volume, tone, overdrive, reverb) hard.

Not to pick on the Spark, but here is an example of menu bloat. The Hall Reverb has 6 knobs! 5 of which I've got at 12 o'clock and one level knob I actually adjust. The Dream 65 has one reverb knob, just like a real amp should.

I sold my HX Stomp, but I found the guitar amp models way too knob happy. It seemed that the patches offered on-line needed to tweak each one of them as proof of my inadequacy.

I've also moved on my Nux Amp Academy. While not as complex as the HX Stomp, for example every amp model had a power-amp bias adjustment knob. As an EE I know what adjusting a fixed bias tube amp is all about. But as a user of that pedal, maybe because I don't want extreme overdrive, I could never hear any difference in its setting. Just another distraction. My real problem with the Amp Academy was needing to touch every knob to get to WYSIWYG and any foot switch or toggle switch usage meant starting the knob touch over.

WYSIWYG - wizziewig - what you see is what you get

Thank you - this device (UA Dream 65) is exactly what I'm looking for!

[Aspiring]

Jon,

Have you tried it with Acoustic pickups and clean headroom?

I fly a lot for work and bringing a folding silent guitar I have been using the Nux mighty air and am trying the PG spark mini as we speak. The mini seems to have a lot of issues with clipping depending on what I have in the preset.

But main question is how do you find the clean headroom before clipping compared to the mini? You did mention that the volume is lower.

[jonfields45]

Originally Posted by Aspiring

Jon,

Have you tried it with Acoustic pickups and clean headroom?

I fly a lot for work and bringing a folding silent guitar I have been using the Nux mighty air and am trying the PG spark mini as we speak. The mini seems to have a lot of issues with clipping depending on what I have in the preset.

But main question is how do you find the clean headroom before clipping compared to the mini?

Not as good for electric guitar using the "Lux Verb" model. I've not tried one of the amp models intended for acoustic. Today I brought both the Mini and the Go to duo practice. We practice without mics, but he is using an amp for his bass, Rick 660 12 string, and even his ES-1 812 Taylor, so I need a bit more volume than just acoustic guitar level. The Mini does clean electric guitar at that volume with lots to spare and the Go just barely made it. The Go sounds best to me face up on the floor but to get enough clean volume I had to have it up on a table sitting upright. But it did do the job, which is honestly pretty shocking when you see how small and light it is.

[EDIT] I just remember I bought a Might Air last year and returned it to Amazon with in hours of delivery. The Spark's must sound better since I've no urge to return either!