If you want to reduce the bass boom, just set your Spark40 on a guitar stand or just prop the front up with a paperback book. Disconnecting the cab with solid objects works well.
Have owned my Spark 40 for a few years now and love it but have never considered adding a battery in this way so when I saw this video thought I’d give it a shot. Fantastic! I ordered the TalentCell NB7101 and attached using strips of Velcro and works beautifully. Great mod so thanks for sharing! I’m from Australia so the beauty about the NB7101 (or NB7102) is that the charger is universal so has a voltage range 100-240 volts so works perfectly in Oz. All you need is an AC plug adapter to plug the US plug into the Australian plug and just use the charger and battery as normal.
Thanks a lot eh! The battery pack will make it a great portable Bluetooth speaker! I've had mine since they first came out and the thought never crossed my mind. Very cool indeed. Within a week of having it I changed the on/off toggle to a much beefier one with a satisfying clicj. IMHO the stock switch is (was in my case) ridiculously small. The carry strap basically fell apart after a year. I made a new one from a black leather Levy guitar strap. Works the charm and still looks new. Other than that, my 40 hasn't let me down! Off to order a battery pack! Cheers! JR
Love the wireless & power supply ideas! Having wires everywhere has been driving me crazy lately and you solutions are reasonably priced and don't require me to do any soldering (I really suck at soldering... ;). Thanks for sharing!
I replaced the speakers in mine with JBL Club 4020 coaxials which made a big improvement. I also use a Radial StageBug DI to go from stereo headphone out to mono line level xlr in to the pa or a powered monitor. Works like a charm.
I tried this with a Radial Direct box. Everything works but the sound from the PA seems controlled. Not sure how to explain. Seems like a noise clamp is cutting off the sound or the sound clips away. I’ve tried disabling the clamp all together, still does the same thing but it now hums at rest. I don’t think it’s the clamp pedal. Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Great video, thanks for the tips. One note on the bluetooth transmitter, you will get the best performance from headphones and transmitter that support the AptX LL (low latency) codec. Monoprice makes both transmitter and headphones that support AptX LL I believe.
One thing I would like to see as a Spark mod: An extension cab that has the power supply built-in and it plugs into the headphone output, so you can run your Spark as a head into a 2x12 "Big Spark". With matching styling, of course...
Thanks for this! I love my Spark 40 but thought it was a bit bassy, I normally have the bass knob dialled back to 0 and the “tone” knob 3/4 up, but I will try the sock mod right away!
@davpat2112 4mo ago Great video, thanks for the tips. One note on the bluetooth transmitter, you will get the best performance from headphones and transmitter that support the AptX LL (low latency) codec. Monoprice makes both transmitter and headphones that support AptX LL believe.
@jeffjournigan2154 Sounds interesting though. Before watching the whole video, I thought that he will change the speakers. Which ones do you use? And does the mod still work good on the Spark hardware itself?
The deciding factor on me buying this amp was the battery pack idea. I've been looking for an affordable way to go busking. Actual portable amps are triple the price for about half of the quality and features. I ordered the amp and battery pack the other day so I'm just waiting for that to arrive!
Bro you went all out on this thing. Once you whipped out the headphone Bluetooth transmitter I was like wow okay he’s just flexing at this point. But seriously, just picked up one of these little amps and you just kinda blew my mind. Might end up following your lead.
Battery mod looks s bit pricey but there's a use for some of the foam packing that it came with and those Donner wireless things that ive had for 3 years but never used... I'll just have to find them. Excellent video. 😊
My Spark 40 has been cutting out intermittently.- either with the guitar or computer USB connection. Each dead period lasts for a minute or 2. Firmware update did not resolve the issue. So right now its useful only to hold the door open or as step to reach high places. I'm waiting to hear from PG.
Yes WT gave me the complete run around and had me jumping through hoops. First, WT wanted the order number. Then WT insisted for the receipt. AFTER PROVIDING SAME, WT INFORMED ME I WOULD HAVE BEAR THE SHIPPING AND REPAIR COSTS!
A simple 1/4" line out jack, especially a TRS line out jack would have been nice. But all it has is a 1/8" line out/headphone jack. Even nicer would be an effects loop in/out jacks. I don't need a strap because I got the carry case with a strap. Put a sock in it !!!
Missed 2 mods. Headphone/speaker out bypass: Lets speakers still work with headphones jack plugged in (So you can record STEREO/plug into board..) and Speaker Jacks in back that bypass internal speakers for external cab(s)
WOW So much stuff you did. I live at Ft Lauderdale Beach and knew I needed a amp to go with my E/ A guitars. So I found a Peavey Rockmaster 5 " speaker powered by either a 9v wall wart or a 9v battery. Sounds like crap but only paid $30. Plus I did the strap locks thing so it's easier to carry and not worry about it. Don't really know if it's worth improving this thing. It's just a acoustic guitar sound at the beach. I figure if it doesn't sound good, you haven't drank enough. Keep trying we'll play more. L O L
Your strap locks are upside down on the strap. The way you have them, it relies purely on the sprung centre pin to take the weight. If you turn them 180 degrees, the strap button is taking the weight via the outer "cage" of the strap lock as well as the centre pin.
You would need to use an adapter similar to this through the aux input. a.co/d/apxnTiy You could control the volume using the "music volume" knob on the top
It’s my actual bedroom amp. It doesn’t sound as good as my other gear so it fits fine in bedroom. Bluetooth. I’ll def stuff something into the hole but I do play bass through it as well. Something I can easily get or maybe. Or I’ll just eq it which sort of works. It still always sounds digital and isn’t responsive but it’s pretty cool as well. 😅
This is great.. I use this as my main gigging amp for duo jazz stuff these days and these mods are exactly what I need. The only thing missing is a DI out! If anyone has any suggestions let me know
Battery is a must in my opinion. Better than a line conditioner. No more exposure to electricity spikes! Too much foam in hole IMO, don't want it touching speakers inside.
When I play with backing tracks the amp sounds great using headphones. Unplug them and the speakers sound like crap. How do I duplicate the headphone sound out loud?
You could change the speakers on the amp, or line into a powered speaker/cab. Positive Grid is releasing a new powered cabinet coming out in November that might be a cool option
Great Idea. Question: Sock...clean or dirty? lol. Really, I've not wanted to buy a Spark 40 because of the problem but now looks like problem solved. THANKs
To me, plugging the bass hole ruins some of the dynamics of the amp...with the EQ now available it takes care of the boominess.. But love the battery.. I've had it since I bought the amp 3 yrs ago.. Cool mods tho man..thanks for sharing. ✌🏼
I got a blue tooth transmitter and blue tooth headphones but the latency is a second or more.... really hard to play, very distracting. What blue tooth transmitter and headphones do you use. Do you get a delay when playing?
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair do you have a specific brand to recommend? I bought a transmitter and headphones with aptx low latency but still getting about a 1/2 second delay which I find very disconcerting while trying to play.
You know they added the eq pedal so you can do a high pass filter to eliminate some of that low end. I dont have a problem with that but a lot of people hear it.
You could try taking it in to an amp tech. It's probably all circuit boards so it may be tough to diagnose/fix. You could contact Positive Grid to see if they can help at all
I’m a little intimidated to attempt the software update as I’m not too computer savvy, but it’s preventing me from being able to use many of the presets I want from the cloud
Hey! Awesome video, thank you! Could you advise if you are aware of the standing frequencies (if that makes sense, English is my second languge) that occur when you use Spark via Headphones to Aux (whether it is mixer or soundcard)? I face a problem that when I want to play via Spark on bigger PA systems or at home via my external soundcard it produces these constant high frequencies. If that sounds familiar and you managed to fix that, I would very appreciate if you share the method! I believe this issue occurs on every Spark.
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair Got it, I appreciate your response! Will try to dig deeper and if I find anything that will solve it entirely I will let you know
I'd be curious to know if this would work with an IK Tonex, that I just ordered. I might need to make a cable (USB-C to barrel) since the USB-C has a 9v option. What does (anyone) think?
One thing I don’t like about wireless Bluetooth is that the latency is not consistent. It causes the rushing/dragging dilemma and you can subtly notice it in this video.
You could with an 1/8 to 1/4 cord. RIIEYOCA 1/8 to 1/4 Stereo Cable,2M/6.56FT Gold Plated 3.5mm Male to 6.35mm Male TS Mono Audio Cable for Amplifier, Speaker,Guitar and Home Stereo System a.co/d/bjs1VeX
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair So I have tried a very similar cable. But something about the volume level was really hard to get right. Honestly I wish they would come out with a one hundred watt head version... I think they underestimate how successful such a device would be in today's market.
Any blockage will achieve a reduction in bass but how you do it may affect how the frequency response is changed. Suck it and see basically. E.g Partial blockage may work well
thanks for the tips especially the battery pack i just ordered a white one for my white spark now it's portable, great video for this practice amp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TalentCell lithium ion Battery Pack NB7102, Rechargeable 17500mAh 64.75Wh Li-ion Power Bank with DC 24/19/5V and USB-C 5/9/12/15/20V Output for Laptop, Notebook, Smartphone, Camera and more, Black. Also okay i think ill buy one. Amazon dc2 out pit 19.5 voltage 3 amps
The one thing this amp is missing is a line out, not a headphone out, but an actual line out so that you can still hear the amp and connect it to another powered speaker.
Great battery power upgrade. Question, I am having difficulties finding the cable to go from the battery pack to the spark amp. Do you have the link to the cable you are using? Thanks
The cable came with the power bank I linked in the description, also came with a bunch of different adapters so I just found the one that worked. You could also get a laptop adapter kit that would probably work.
Nice Video! & Nice Mods! It’s such a cool little amp, but it’s nice to see somebody tweaking it a little to let me know what’s possible. I would like to know the brand name of that Bluetooth transmitter if you get a chance. I’ve got the mini too. It’s a little less loud, but works the same otherwise. It’s plenty loud enough for practice, and I love the usb rechargeable battery. It charges fast and lasts a long time. It would have been nice to have it on the original, but it looks like you solved that problem. Thanks!
I use this one, make sure both your transmitter and your headphones have aptx low latency support, otherwise you may have latency issues YMOO Bluetooth 5.3 Transmitter Receiver with Aptx/Aptx-LL Ultra Low Latency Support (
I'm gonna do a input guitar Jack... Re-locate hack....originally the jack plugs up top..causing strain on my expensive guitar cords... Going to dtill on the front side..add jack...
IDEA!!!! Sound Activated LED lights in the speaker grill! It's possible to personalize the speaker grill. Need to figure out how to do it. Not just color bars. I'm thinking something like the old Winamp Visualizations or Milkdrop Visualizations. It probably would be easier with square shaped amps.
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair So there's different densities of the dots. For instance a P4 display has each pixel placed at 4mm apart. I'm thinking a P2 or P2.5 but there needs to be space for the sound to come out of the speakers. The other issue is that the grille on a Positive Grid Spark 40 is 322mm x 128mm (12.67in x 5.04in in freedom units) We need a rectangular screen since we don't have a square amp. The screen could be one large LCD matrix or 2 smaller LCD matrices for each speaker. (I like the idea of having just one.) The color matrix could be 128 x 64 (128 pixels wide and 64 pixels tall), but many P2.5 matrices are 320mm x 160mm. (They are too tall!) We could get by with a shorter matrix (128 x 32, 128 x 48). Alternatively, if it is too wide, we could look at a 96x48. There's one that is 240mm × 120mm (9.45in x 4.72in). It might be a little tall or too narrow. This actually might be a better option. It could bee hooked into an Arduino or Raspberry Pi. (I'm thinking Arduino.) The only think left is to find three things: 1. A fabric that could cover the display to make it look sleek 2. The circuit that powers it. 3. Another circuit that is sound activated. Some visualizations are sound activated. Louder = brighter in some cases.
Honestly you would be surprised at how loud and good the little speakers sound . You can also plug it directly into an amp, PA, or power amp pedal. I use it pretty much exclusively anymore and it takes pedals very well.
The EQ pedal in the app basically takes care of the bass, especially when you turn the physical knob down to zero. I've seen people switch out the speakers themselves. I did the same, but it turned out sounding like crap, so I went back. If you are going to spend money on the battery pack, you might as well buy the Spark mini, which has the battery. I think the mini sounds even better than the 40. There is only so much volume you can push out of the 40 before it breaks up. The mini is very loud. And from the sound of it, the Spark Go also sounds great and that's even more portable.
@@Dream-Academy Because, there is a difference between what the Spark 40 sounds like through the speaker and through headphones. It sounds superior through headphones. The mini sounds the way the Spark 40 does through headphones, but through its speaker. It has a richness and clarity. Do you own both? I'm just going off of my personal experience.
The power bank alone made this worthwhile.
My thoughts exactly
adding an eq pedal in the mix helps with the bass too
If you want to reduce the bass boom, just set your Spark40 on a guitar stand or just prop the front up with a paperback book. Disconnecting the cab with solid objects works well.
Have owned my Spark 40 for a few years now and love it but have never considered adding a battery in this way so when I saw this video thought I’d give it a shot. Fantastic! I ordered the TalentCell NB7101 and attached using strips of Velcro and works beautifully. Great mod so thanks for sharing! I’m from Australia so the beauty about the NB7101 (or NB7102) is that the charger is universal so has a voltage range 100-240 volts so works perfectly in Oz. All you need is an AC plug adapter to plug the US plug into the Australian plug and just use the charger and battery as normal.
Thanks a lot eh! The battery pack will make it a great portable Bluetooth speaker! I've had mine since they first came out and the thought never crossed my mind. Very cool indeed. Within a week of having it I changed the on/off toggle to a much beefier one with a satisfying clicj. IMHO the stock switch is (was in my case) ridiculously small. The carry strap basically fell apart after a year. I made a new one from a black leather Levy guitar strap. Works the charm and still looks new. Other than that, my 40 hasn't let me down! Off to order a battery pack! Cheers!
JR
Love the wireless & power supply ideas! Having wires everywhere has been driving me crazy lately and you solutions are reasonably priced and don't require me to do any soldering (I really suck at soldering... ;). Thanks for sharing!
I replaced the speakers in mine with JBL Club 4020 coaxials which made a big improvement. I also use a Radial StageBug DI to go from stereo headphone out to mono line level xlr in to the pa or a powered monitor. Works like a charm.
Hello. Which DiBox get you?
@@hans-juergenschmickartz3010 Radial StageBug SB-2 passive.
I tried this with a Radial Direct box. Everything works but the sound from the PA seems controlled. Not sure how to explain. Seems like a noise clamp is cutting off the sound or the sound clips away. I’ve tried disabling the clamp all together, still does the same thing but it now hums at rest. I don’t think it’s the clamp pedal.
Any suggestions would be appreciated!
Do you have any sample before and after the speaker swap?
Excellent ideas! Would love to hear an A:B comparison of the sound with and without the sock modification.
When the 40 first came out....the first mod everyone did was to change the speakers
What's the best speakers to fit?
I tried blocking the port, I left it unblocked. It sounds really "boxy" when you remove the reflex port.
Oh man… I love how you McGyver’d that battery thing! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
thanks for the vid. cool mods. i wish you had shown the difference in sound between having the hole stuffed and without.
I love the bass in my spark easy to dial in different amounts. I absolutely love it. Nice moding.
Excellent video. Nice thinking outside (and inside) the box! Looking forward to the Mini review.
Great video, thanks for the tips. One note on the bluetooth transmitter, you will get the best performance from headphones and transmitter that support the AptX LL (low latency) codec. Monoprice makes both transmitter and headphones that support AptX LL I believe.
Good to know!
Thanks man, ideas 1 and 2 are brilliant for me
One thing I would like to see as a Spark mod: An extension cab that has the power supply built-in and it plugs into the headphone output, so you can run your Spark as a head into a 2x12 "Big Spark". With matching styling, of course...
Holy shit, guess what they just revealed today. You’re a psychic
They must have taken your idea to heart except only a single 10" and 2 tweeters.
Hope you get some royalties !
You can actually use a 3.5mm to 1/4” TRS cable and plug directly into any PA, Cab, or Amp with the SparkGo line out. Done.
The simpson’s… euh … spark did it
Thanks for this! I love my Spark 40 but thought it was a bit bassy, I normally have the bass knob dialled back to 0 and the “tone” knob 3/4 up, but I will try the sock mod right away!
Just add the eq pedal in the app and do a slight bass cut. Problem solved.
Nice mods. Got my eye on the successor Spark 2. Apparently addresses the boomy bass and other user feedback improvements.
Blocking vents can reduce volume and introduce clipping. I might just pop the drivers out, add some cotton in the box
Or just push it through the port not blocking it.
anyone tried using non polarized 100uf caps on each spkr to tone out some of the btm end
Bluetooth headphones = very high latency.
I did the battery mod a few years ago. Love it!
Does it come with the cable to plug in the amp
@@stevenmeansphotography3861 it does!
@davpat2112 4mo ago Great video, thanks for the tips. One note on the bluetooth transmitter, you will get the best performance from headphones and transmitter that support the AptX LL (low latency) codec. Monoprice makes both transmitter and headphones that support AptX LL believe.
An old wives tale. Never noticed any latency with bluetooth.
Thanks. Cool video and sweet sock mod. reminds me of an old skool bass drum technique =)
What a great video. I have a Spark amp and will add the power bank now for sure. Not sure about a sock though!!! :)
Great Job
Thanks for the vid! I installed and use a dark power bank attached with thin magnets
Hey again. Sorry for my lack of detail. I see where you listed the battery, etc. Thanks man. SO COOL.
I like the bass the way it is. I did the straps and the wireless. Got to work the charger
I made the same mods. I also traded out the speakers and it has a much cleaner/crisper response on the high end. Nice video.
Jeff Journigan - I'd be interested to find out what speaker you used, and maybe where you got it if you'd like to share?
No answer on the speakers used or speaker outs yet?
@jeffjournigan2154 Sounds interesting though. Before watching the whole video, I thought that he will change the speakers. Which ones do you use? And does the mod still work good on the Spark hardware itself?
That’s interesting I have no issue with the stock speakers in mine
The deciding factor on me buying this amp was the battery pack idea. I've been looking for an affordable way to go busking. Actual portable amps are triple the price for about half of the quality and features. I ordered the amp and battery pack the other day so I'm just waiting for that to arrive!
How is it going?
Great video you just made an old man happier
Bro you went all out on this thing. Once you whipped out the headphone Bluetooth transmitter I was like wow okay he’s just flexing at this point. But seriously, just picked up one of these little amps and you just kinda blew my mind. Might end up following your lead.
Battery mod looks s bit pricey but there's a use for some of the foam packing that it came with and those Donner wireless things that ive had for 3 years but never used... I'll just have to find them. Excellent video. 😊
My Spark 40 has been cutting out intermittently.- either with the guitar or computer USB connection. Each dead period lasts for a minute or 2. Firmware update did not resolve the issue. So right now its useful only to hold the door open or as step to reach high places. I'm waiting to hear from PG.
Did you hear back?
Yes WT gave me the complete run around and had me jumping through hoops. First, WT wanted the order number. Then WT insisted for the receipt. AFTER PROVIDING SAME, WT INFORMED ME I WOULD HAVE BEAR THE SHIPPING AND REPAIR COSTS!
A simple 1/4" line out jack, especially a TRS line out jack would have been nice. But all it has is a 1/8" line out/headphone jack. Even nicer would be an effects loop in/out jacks.
I don't need a strap because I got the carry case with a strap. Put a sock in it !!!
Genius! Thank you!
I keep shotgun shells in my spark carrying case. Lol. I need that battery this was a great video.
Who’s Maude?? Just kidding man 😂😂
Very cool and useful video. Thanks for taking the time to share!🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻
My power bank is on the way from Ebay. Thanks.
The battery mod is killer.
Thanks
Missed 2 mods. Headphone/speaker out bypass: Lets speakers still work with headphones jack plugged in (So you can record STEREO/plug into board..) and Speaker Jacks in back that bypass internal speakers for external cab(s)
got any links?
WOW So much stuff you did. I live at Ft Lauderdale Beach and knew I needed a amp to go with my E/ A guitars. So I found a Peavey Rockmaster 5 " speaker powered by either a 9v wall wart or a 9v battery. Sounds like crap but only paid $30. Plus I did the strap locks thing so it's easier to carry and not worry about it. Don't really know if it's worth improving this thing. It's just a acoustic guitar sound at the beach. I figure if it doesn't sound good, you haven't drank enough. Keep trying we'll play more. L O L
Great mod's on this. Thanx for sharing
Thanks for the video!
Your strap locks are upside down on the strap. The way you have them, it relies purely on the sprung centre pin to take the weight. If you turn them 180 degrees, the strap button is taking the weight via the outer "cage" of the strap lock as well as the centre pin.
Thanks! I'll fix that
Wish they would add a MIc input, as a singer songwriter I need both PA and guitar with backing tracks.
It has an auxiliary input on the back. But there's no e.q. on it so you'll only be able to control the volume
Power bank❗💡😎 Can use that on my Vox mini 5 rythym! Thanks
Great video , any idea how to add mic to this amp , use aux ? Looking in terms of having at least volume option available ?
You would need to use an adapter similar to this through the aux input. a.co/d/apxnTiy You could control the volume using the "music volume" knob on the top
Super nerdy, I love it
It’s my actual bedroom amp. It doesn’t sound as good as my other gear so it fits fine in bedroom. Bluetooth. I’ll def stuff something into the hole but I do play bass through it as well. Something I can easily get or maybe. Or I’ll just eq it which sort of works. It still always sounds digital and isn’t responsive but it’s pretty cool as well. 😅
Did the power cord for the powerbank that fits the spark need to be purchased separately and if so do you have a link?
Came with the powerbank
NIce, I like the portability mod a lot.
Good mods, although all pretty much external. Would love to have effect insert plugs in this baby though.
Excelent video!
Where did you get the power cord to go from the external power pack to the Spark? Did it come with the batter pack?
Yes, came with the battery
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair Great.... thanks for responding so quickly. Just got my Spark and am going to try your mods.
All very useful and easy mods!
This is great.. I use this as my main gigging amp for duo jazz stuff these days and these mods are exactly what I need. The only thing missing is a DI out! If anyone has any suggestions let me know
Oh I'm actually considering to buy one of those and use it for rehearsals with a jazz trio. Does it have enough volume for that?
Battery is a must in my opinion. Better than a line conditioner. No more exposure to electricity spikes!
Too much foam in hole IMO, don't want it touching speakers inside.
When I play with backing tracks the amp sounds great using headphones. Unplug them and the speakers sound like crap. How do I duplicate the headphone sound out loud?
You could change the speakers on the amp, or line into a powered speaker/cab. Positive Grid is releasing a new powered cabinet coming out in November that might be a cool option
No problem to get the material out if necessary just unscrew a speaker and it’s out in a moment :)
What brand was the cheap generic guitar strap , please ?
Or where can one purchase one ?
How were you able to connect the bluetooth to the wireless headphones? Was it through the app?
Great Idea. Question: Sock...clean or dirty? lol. Really, I've not wanted to buy a Spark 40 because of the problem but now looks like problem solved. THANKs
To me, plugging the bass hole ruins some of the dynamics of the amp...with the EQ now available it takes care of the boominess.. But love the battery.. I've had it since I bought the amp 3 yrs ago.. Cool mods tho man..thanks for sharing. ✌🏼
Brilliant! Thanks.
I got a blue tooth transmitter and blue tooth headphones but the latency is a second or more.... really hard to play, very distracting. What blue tooth transmitter and headphones do you use. Do you get a delay when playing?
I use a transmitter and headphones with aptx low latency, very low latency with my setup
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair do you have a specific brand to recommend? I bought a transmitter and headphones with aptx low latency but still getting about a 1/2 second delay which I find very disconcerting while trying to play.
You know they added the eq pedal so you can do a high pass filter to eliminate some of that low end. I dont have a problem with that but a lot of people hear it.
What brand sock? 😮
My Spark 40 is starting to drop out the sound like something is overheating. It is just past the 1-year warranty. Any suggestions?
You could try taking it in to an amp tech. It's probably all circuit boards so it may be tough to diagnose/fix. You could contact Positive Grid to see if they can help at all
I’m a little intimidated to attempt the software update as I’m not too computer savvy, but it’s preventing me from being able to use many of the presets I want from the cloud
Its very straightforward, just follow the instructions and you shouldnt have a problem
Hey! Awesome video, thank you! Could you advise if you are aware of the standing frequencies (if that makes sense, English is my second languge) that occur when you use Spark via Headphones to Aux (whether it is mixer or soundcard)? I face a problem that when I want to play via Spark on bigger PA systems or at home via my external soundcard it produces these constant high frequencies. If that sounds familiar and you managed to fix that, I would very appreciate if you share the method! I believe this issue occurs on every Spark.
Hey I have found issues with that, my solution was to use a eq pedal to squash the frequencies, I haven't found a way to do it internally though
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair Got it, I appreciate your response! Will try to dig deeper and if I find anything that will solve it entirely I will let you know
Great video. I lower the bass through the app itself
If you are totally wireless (input and outputs) what is the latency like back to the headphones?
Couldn’t you just put a simple plug or cork into the bass reflex hole? Even a reduced hole to fine tune the bass response ?
Yep, you could!
What also works is putting the grill back on upside down. Then the hole will be covered, but the logo will be upside down
I'd be curious to know if this would work with an IK Tonex, that I just ordered. I might need to make a cable (USB-C to barrel) since the USB-C has a 9v option.
What does (anyone) think?
One thing I don’t like about wireless Bluetooth is that the latency is not consistent. It causes the rushing/dragging dilemma and you can subtly notice it in this video.
Go uhf and there's no latency
Aptxll low latency Bluetooth
I broke the plug power input on the Spark and need to replace it and resolder but i dont know which one to buy?
Master has presented Spark with clothes. Spark is…free!
Question: the wire from tug battery to the power inlet on the amp. What exactly is that?
It came with the power supply, it came with a bunch of adapter cords
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair you don’t have a spec on that cable? I have the battery, but need to get that wire
i wonder if you could add the Spark speaker to the TV and use it as a sound bar for the TV ?
There is an auxiliary input on the spark, so you could run a 1/8 cable from the tv headphone port out to the spark aux in and it should work
Is there a way to switch the headphone jack to 1/4 inch so i can just connect into my fx loop on my mesa to run fx?
You could with an 1/8 to 1/4 cord.
RIIEYOCA 1/8 to 1/4 Stereo Cable,2M/6.56FT Gold Plated 3.5mm Male to 6.35mm Male TS Mono Audio Cable for Amplifier, Speaker,Guitar and Home Stereo System a.co/d/bjs1VeX
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair So I have tried a very similar cable. But something about the volume level was really hard to get right. Honestly I wish they would come out with a one hundred watt head version... I think they underestimate how successful such a device would be in today's market.
Do the Bluetooth headphones give you noticeable latency issues?
I found you need to use a headset/transmitter that has aptx low latency technology, otherwise its very noticeable
if you want to block the bass port, you could just tape it. Is this a good idea? I don't know
Any blockage will achieve a reduction in bass but how you do it may affect how the frequency response is changed. Suck it and see basically. E.g Partial blockage may work well
I found the latency became too long if I used wireless headphones AND wireless guitar. Good to see that someone had better luck with it.
Has anyone replaced the input on one of these?
Mine has bricked, and I'm pretty sure that's the issue.
thanks for the tips especially the battery pack i just ordered a white one for my white spark now it's portable, great video for this practice amp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you could try to ad a speaker connection to the speakers so you could connect a bigger frfr speakers to it .
Changing the speakers made a fantastic change in mine.
What speakers and the size and where do you buy
@@stevenmeansphotography3861 PRV Audio 4MR60-4. Perfect fit and great.aound.
I would like to know where to get the power bank
Link in description!
TalentCell lithium ion Battery Pack NB7102, Rechargeable 17500mAh 64.75Wh Li-ion Power Bank with DC 24/19/5V and USB-C 5/9/12/15/20V Output for Laptop, Notebook, Smartphone, Camera and more, Black. Also okay i think ill buy one. Amazon dc2 out pit 19.5 voltage 3 amps
A great spark bass response mod is to use the eq pedal
And what about the bass when Ur using it as a Bluetooth speaker?? You can't use any EQ then, or the buttons.
The one thing this amp is missing is a line out, not a headphone out, but an actual line out so that you can still hear the amp and connect it to another powered speaker.
Yeah that's what I am searching for as well!
Great battery power upgrade. Question, I am having difficulties finding the cable to go from the battery pack to the spark amp. Do you have the link to the cable you are using? Thanks
The cable came with the power bank I linked in the description, also came with a bunch of different adapters so I just found the one that worked. You could also get a laptop adapter kit that would probably work.
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair awesome thanks, your the best, much appreciated
Is there anyway putting stuff in that hole can damage the amp?
Nice Video! & Nice Mods! It’s such a cool little amp, but it’s nice to see somebody tweaking it a little to let me know what’s possible. I would like to know the brand name of that Bluetooth transmitter if you get a chance. I’ve got the mini too. It’s a little less loud, but works the same otherwise. It’s plenty loud enough for practice, and I love the usb rechargeable battery. It charges fast and lasts a long time. It would have been nice to have it on the original, but it looks like you solved that problem. Thanks!
I use this transmitter with my Bluetooth headphones with good results. a.co/d/88C4C9C
It's not perfect, but the latency is manageable
What kind of stereo blue tooth transmitter did you use for your headphones?
I use this one, make sure both your transmitter and your headphones have aptx low latency support, otherwise you may have latency issues YMOO Bluetooth 5.3 Transmitter Receiver with Aptx/Aptx-LL Ultra Low Latency Support (
Thank you, good tips.
How do you pair the headphones to the transmitter?
Every pair is a bit different, but mostly you just enter both into pair mode and they will eventually sync
I'm gonna do a input guitar Jack... Re-locate hack....originally the jack plugs up top..causing strain on my expensive guitar cords... Going to dtill on the front side..add jack...
Do you have a link to the 19v to usb cable?
It came with the power supply
IDEA!!!! Sound Activated LED lights in the speaker grill! It's possible to personalize the speaker grill. Need to figure out how to do it. Not just color bars. I'm thinking something like the old Winamp Visualizations or Milkdrop Visualizations. It probably would be easier with square shaped amps.
That sounds really cool
@@boechlerguitarsandrepair So there's different densities of the dots. For instance a P4 display has each pixel placed at 4mm apart.
I'm thinking a P2 or P2.5 but there needs to be space for the sound to come out of the speakers.
The other issue is that the grille on a Positive Grid Spark 40 is 322mm x 128mm (12.67in x 5.04in in freedom units)
We need a rectangular screen since we don't have a square amp. The screen could be one large LCD matrix or 2 smaller LCD matrices for each speaker. (I like the idea of having just one.)
The color matrix could be 128 x 64 (128 pixels wide and 64 pixels tall), but many P2.5 matrices are 320mm x 160mm. (They are too tall!)
We could get by with a shorter matrix (128 x 32, 128 x 48). Alternatively, if it is too wide, we could look at a 96x48. There's one that is 240mm × 120mm (9.45in x 4.72in). It might be a little tall or too narrow. This actually might be a better option. It could bee hooked into an Arduino or Raspberry Pi. (I'm thinking Arduino.)
The only think left is to find three things:
1. A fabric that could cover the display to make it look sleek
2. The circuit that powers it.
3. Another circuit that is sound activated. Some visualizations are sound activated. Louder = brighter in some cases.
Awesome thank you
Can you send the battery pack and cord and maybe where I can find it.
Amazon
Never heard one in person but people seem to like them. I just wish they'd do a 1X12 version similar to the Line 6 Amplifi 150.
Honestly you would be surprised at how loud and good the little speakers sound . You can also plug it directly into an amp, PA, or power amp pedal. I use it pretty much exclusively anymore and it takes pedals very well.
They just dropped a sparklive check it out x
Positive Grid now has a cabinet. Check it out.
The EQ pedal in the app basically takes care of the bass, especially when you turn the physical knob down to zero. I've seen people switch out the speakers themselves. I did the same, but it turned out sounding like crap, so I went back. If you are going to spend money on the battery pack, you might as well buy the Spark mini, which has the battery. I think the mini sounds even better than the 40. There is only so much volume you can push out of the 40 before it breaks up. The mini is very loud. And from the sound of it, the Spark Go also sounds great and that's even more portable.
how could the spark mini soundas good let alone "the mini sounds even better than the 40"
@@Dream-Academy Because, there is a difference between what the Spark 40 sounds like through the speaker and through headphones. It sounds superior through headphones.
The mini sounds the way the Spark 40 does through headphones, but through its speaker. It has a richness and clarity. Do you own both? I'm just going off of my personal experience.
The in-app EQ doesn't solve the bluetooth audio bass issues. Music is way too boomy without plugging the bass port.