If I had a 2x12 cab laying around still (sold it to my brother), I'd get this to run in-between my two 15-watt tube amps as a wet-dry-wet setup. It's probably the first solid state head I've heard in a long time that I was impressed by.
@@DSilvergun Nah. He can't afford another one (well, he could, but would his wife let him? 🤣🤣), and it kind of goes with the '72 Fender Bandmaster I set him up with. So, I'll either buy or build one.
That little amp sounds pretty good actually! I feel like small amps like this are starting to catch on with guitar players like short scale basses have been catching on with bass players. The other guitarist in my band used a Spark amp for a few gigs recently and just mic'ed it into our PA system and it actually sounded pretty good!
What volume levels did you try it at? EVERY demo has it at MV=6 or more. Which on a 30watt amp, even a class D ss, is fairly loud. How is it at low/bedroom/APT FRIENDLY volumes
It's solid-state, it'll sound just about the same at lower volume levels (depending on what speaker/cab you're playing it through). Probably everyone else just didn't want to adjust their audio interface gain (too much) so they turned it up till it matched the approx volume of their regular rigs.
Fluff sux. It’s all the same review & insert product here. Bang for your buck Refined gentleman’s tone Same same blah blah blah. Unsubscribe early this year. 🤷♂️
@@PhillipMcKnight You’re welcome man. I like your take on gear. I’ve gotten too busy to watch every Friday, but I still appreciate what you do and how you do it.
Same here. Phil does a great job reviewing gear and always gives an honest interpretation of how well it performs as well as the "geeky stuff" info that many others don't include. Good or bad he tells it like it is.
Hey Phil, I enjoy your reviews. I would be cool if you plugged in a single coil guitar and showed us examples on both types of pickups. I think that would sound great through my AM PRO II strat 👍
Awesome vid, Phil. I think this is the mini I was waiting for. Just placed my order from your Sweetwater link. Just had my 37th wedding anniversary so I guess I should thank my spouse for the anniversary gift hey don't know about before it gets here 😁
I’d like to see someone run this thing as a preamp into a tube power amp just for fits&shiggles you can’t take these too seriously. That said I have ordered this one, and I have the Bogner and Friedman. The Bogner sounds really good! I haven’t AB’d it and it’s clearly not a $5000 amp but it sound really cool and is very articulate meaning it roars but turn down the volume knob on your guitar and it cleans up well. Looking forward to this one
@@gtrman69777 well I haven’t gotten this one yet but of the others the Bogner is definitely my favorite. It doesn’t have as much gain as the others but it just sounds more full, you hear more definition. The Diezel is cool but very compressed, very “modern” not bad just different. The Friedman well it hard to explain it’s like it’s just flat there’s a scooped mid frequency that I just can’t get out of it. Sounds muted or something it’s hard to explain but I’ve had others tell me the same thing. Don’t know if that helps but that’s imho
@@moparbryan Yeah the Bogner seems to be the best from what I've heard. Of course that was before the Soldano came out. I'm just waiting to see a video where they get compared side by side.
Hey, Phil have you compared this to the Friedman BE Mini? I looked but did not see any videos that you have done on the BE Mini. If you have used the Friedman how does the Soldano compare to BE Mini?
I think this is a nice idea for someone who dreams of having a Soldano, but will never ever be able to afford a real one. I don’t think anyone will be recording anything too serious with it, or even gigging with it, but for just playing around at home, I think it sounds pretty good for a $250 solid state amp. Just wish they had included the clean channel, but beggars can’t be choosers.
But it is a real Soldano amp. I think companies are realizing that its possible to release lower priced good and not take a hit to your brand as long as it a great product.
"Not a real Soldano" its clearly real. Its right there, it makes sound, has Soldano on it. Seems real to me. Just because it doesnt use outdated tube tech, doesn't make it "not a real" one
The use of those tiny heads escapes me. One has to carry a box, at least an 10" speaker makes sense here, anyway. Heads aren't super heavy. The differnce in carying weight from a normal head plus box to this thing isn't that much differnce. If I I don't want to carry much I use a Helix, Kemper etc. But this kinda combination doesn't make sense to me.
Been debating on buying a AMT Legend S1 or S2 preamp pedal (Soldano clone). The S1 is just the dirty channel, the S2 gets a clean and dirty channel. Wonder how it would compare to this.
All the boutique amp makers seem to have come out with these very close to each other. They seem to be more of a gimmick to sell to the guys/gals that don't want to spend 3k~5k on a real one. I wonder when the Dumble & Two-Rock will arrive ? Basically a pedal in a small 30watt solid state amp.
But if you can get a vanity fanservice product that also happens to be useful and a couple hundred bucks... what's the harm? Sure you're not going to want more than one or two, they are one-trick ponies. But that has its place.
I don’t think dumble and two rock belong to boutique amp distribution. That’s the common factor here. Besides cheaper stuff is virtually always the main seller for everyone. Also volume on the real thing is crazy. People be buying the main one just to have it. Almost no one need that much power
These mini amps are all made by the same company, Boutique. They make amps or pedals for all these brands, Freidman, Soldano, Bogner, Wampler, etc. All these mini heads are basically just a pedal that this company already makes and it's combined with a solid state power supply. I don't know if it's so much a gimmick because most of the pedals are well respected but they're definitely not for the same person that has a real SLO. Boutique doesn't make Two Rock or Dumble amps or pedals so it's unlikely that you'll see this type of mini version of those amps.
If I was to buy this what would be a good preferably cheap amp to run a wet/dry rig to go with it? I was thinking a jazz chorus 20 but I don’t really know
I own the jc 22 and it’s awesome on it’s own so I think it would probably work for your needs, I already use it as a wet/dry setup just using it on it’s own since it’s a stereo amplifier and has two inputs and considering how good that sounds I guess it will only sound better with another amp
Buy something that provides what is missing from this amp. I'd buy a darker voiced amp with emphasis on lows and low-mids since this amp is more focused on "trebly hair"
So, basically, it's a Chinese product developed by a Chinese factory and offered to a bunch of different brands as a novelty product. I would love to see a rogue amp expert open it up and explain to us what it really is.
If you already have a loud solid state head with a good clean channel I recommend just getting some rad distortion pedals instead. I recommend the sonicake shark or golden brownie. Maybe a Donner metal head if you’re playing metal.
So I could connect this to my tube amp and use it as a second channel... The out from my tube amp effects loop into this then soldano effects of to my amp effects return. Will it be safe to use eccentric without a speaker?
I'm a Warren Haynes fan. He has played his vintage LP. 335 and Strat's through Soldano's for a long time. I wondered how much that would clean up when I saw it. It sounds good without pedals 8) LOL --gary
Would you agree with George Lynch that this amp gets you 75% there compared to a real Soldano? George made that statement in an advertisement for this amp.
I’ll stick with the Joyo Bantamps. Cheaper, sound amazing (valve preamp), headphone out, Bluetooth, fx loop and some have foot switchable (included) channels.
I guess the thing is there is the micro dark or all the bantamps or those lil hughs an ketner things. It would be hard to make a choice without have at least a day with each
Anyone know if this is a class-D amp? I would assume so since it's so light and able to put out 30 watts. Class-D's are very impressive these days -- I have two class-D amps and they are light but extremely powerful (my bass amp head is around 8 lb. and puts out 500 watts).
It sure is. In a Sweetwater video, they talk with Mike and he says it is. Very helpful video if you want a good overview of the amp. It's just their video covering this
5:22 "... I'm going to show you how much it can clean up" LOL a Soldano... when did you start doing stand up comedy. It actually has a nice edge of breakup tone.
The thing that I don't like about it is that it's solid state. I would personally have to try it out myself to see if it would be useful to me. It would be awesome if it was tube driven like a blues Jr or something.
Fun as a practice amp or for small room gig's. I guess the loop would allow the use of a dirt pedal for sort of a 2nd channel. Not a fan of it being made in China.
If I had a 2x12 cab laying around still (sold it to my brother), I'd get this to run in-between my two 15-watt tube amps as a wet-dry-wet setup. It's probably the first solid state head I've heard in a long time that I was impressed by.
Buy the cab back from your bro man??
@@DSilvergun Nah. He can't afford another one (well, he could, but would his wife let him? 🤣🤣), and it kind of goes with the '72 Fender Bandmaster I set him up with. So, I'll either buy or build one.
That little amp sounds pretty good actually! I feel like small amps like this are starting to catch on with guitar players like short scale basses have been catching on with bass players. The other guitarist in my band used a Spark amp for a few gigs recently and just mic'ed it into our PA system and it actually sounded pretty good!
What volume levels did you try it at? EVERY demo has it at MV=6 or more. Which on a 30watt amp, even a class D ss, is fairly loud. How is it at low/bedroom/APT FRIENDLY volumes
It's solid-state, it'll sound just about the same at lower volume levels (depending on what speaker/cab you're playing it through). Probably everyone else just didn't want to adjust their audio interface gain (too much) so they turned it up till it matched the approx volume of their regular rigs.
Yes! I've been waiting. I have the other three, absolutely collecting them all.
YES!! I watched Leon Todd and Fluff's videos earlier and was hoping I'd see you do one. This is the mini head I've been waiting for
Fluff sux. It’s all the same review & insert product here.
Bang for your buck
Refined gentleman’s tone
Same same blah blah blah.
Unsubscribe early this year. 🤷♂️
I unsubscribed as well. No more Fluff.
Thanks phil. Good call on using that Kiesel. I love the combo of that paint job and body shape and it sounds bad ass
I’ve seen several videos listed today for this, but this is the first one I’m watching
Thank you Ben.
@@PhillipMcKnight You’re welcome man. I like your take on gear. I’ve gotten too busy to watch every Friday, but I still appreciate what you do and how you do it.
Same here. Phil does a great job reviewing gear and always gives an honest interpretation of how well it performs as well as the "geeky stuff" info that many others don't include. Good or bad he tells it like it is.
I’ve got an original Jet City, it sounds pretty Soldano-ish. I’m happy
Hey Phil, I enjoy your reviews.
I would be cool if you plugged in a single coil guitar and showed us examples on both types of pickups.
I think that would sound great through my AM PRO II strat 👍
Finally! I've been waiting on this one!
Forget Analogman, the SLO 100 is the king of tone.
Thanks for the in-depth and fun review! I just ordered one.
Me, too.
Awesome vid, Phil. I think this is the mini I was waiting for. Just placed my order from your Sweetwater link. Just had my 37th wedding anniversary so I guess I should thank my spouse for the anniversary gift hey don't know about before it gets here 😁
thanks, Phil! Fun review. And that guitar is f@cking bonkers. Love it!
They could sell thousands more If they included direct out with IRs, even if for 100 bucks more.
3:58 Man Phil playing story of the year!!!!
I’d like to see someone run this thing as a preamp into a tube power amp just for fits&shiggles you can’t take these too seriously. That said I have ordered this one, and I have the Bogner and Friedman. The Bogner sounds really good! I haven’t AB’d it and it’s clearly not a $5000 amp but it sound really cool and is very articulate meaning it roars but turn down the volume knob on your guitar and it cleans up well. Looking forward to this one
I would love to hear your opinion between this and the Bogner and Friedman. I'm trying to decide which one to get.
@@gtrman69777 well I haven’t gotten this one yet but of the others the Bogner is definitely my favorite. It doesn’t have as much gain as the others but it just sounds more full, you hear more definition. The Diezel is cool but very compressed, very “modern” not bad just different. The Friedman well it hard to explain it’s like it’s just flat there’s a scooped mid frequency that I just can’t get out of it. Sounds muted or something it’s hard to explain but I’ve had others tell me the same thing. Don’t know if that helps but that’s imho
@@moparbryan Yeah the Bogner seems to be the best from what I've heard. Of course that was before the Soldano came out. I'm just waiting to see a video where they get compared side by side.
Awesome review and very good playing Phil ❤️
I just bought it. Great video Phil. I wish I could have gotten it in purple
Hey, Phil have you compared this to the Friedman BE Mini? I looked but did not see any videos that you have done on the BE Mini. If you have used the Friedman how does the Soldano compare to BE Mini?
Awesome review, as always! These are so cool.
Nice review, sounds cool 😎
What 1x12 Cabinet and speaker are you using?
Thanks!!
These mini amps seem to be based on pedals of the manufacturers, amp in a box style, but in a bigger box the size of a head
Loving the content lately
This makes me happy 😁
So for $500 USD you can have a clean setup and an insane gain setup and ab switch them. Very cool stuff!
Sounds good. I was surprised that it ran as clean as it did. Rock on.👍👍✌️
Sounds great, love this baby heads format.
Well if Eddie likes it, I'm getting one!!!
I think this is a nice idea for someone who dreams of having a Soldano, but will never ever be able to afford a real one. I don’t think anyone will be recording anything too serious with it, or even gigging with it, but for just playing around at home, I think it sounds pretty good for a $250 solid state amp. Just wish they had included the clean channel, but beggars can’t be choosers.
But it is a real Soldano amp. I think companies are realizing that its possible to release lower priced good and not take a hit to your brand as long as it a great product.
@@DimitriLeeBX To
"Not a real Soldano" its clearly real. Its right there, it makes sound, has Soldano on it. Seems real to me. Just because it doesnt use outdated tube tech, doesn't make it "not a real" one
Sounds really good!
The use of those tiny heads escapes me. One has to carry a box, at least an 10" speaker makes sense here, anyway. Heads aren't super heavy. The differnce in carying weight from a normal head plus box to this thing isn't that much differnce. If I I don't want to carry much I use a Helix, Kemper etc. But this kinda combination doesn't make sense to me.
Hey, I have a question, can I run this amp through a BOSS Katana 100?
Been debating on buying a AMT Legend S1 or S2 preamp pedal (Soldano clone). The S1 is just the dirty channel, the S2 gets a clean and dirty channel. Wonder how it would compare to this.
I had the S1, sounded awesome
Please set up a wet dry wet rig with three different mini heads. Run some good delay and reverb pedals into them. Then Have FUN.
I was disappointed, for the $$ you can get the THR or Spark Grid... both way better and much more inspiring.
These mini solids rock.
So, how do you like this amp compared to the Bogner and Friedman?
That guitar is sick as hell
These are more like pedals in an amp 🤔👍. If you can have pedals that mimic amps, why not amps that mimic pedals 🤷♂️
PURPLE CRACKLE KIESEL SIGHTING!!! Woo!
Everything's better that comes with a nice box!
already got one. but wanted to see your take on it. Thanks
I've recetnly shifted to a fully digital rig with an HX Stomp. About time I get myself a really awesome amp head for the kicks
I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking of this. I moved to fractal and this is just too cool and perfectly priced
All the boutique amp makers seem to have come out with these very close to each other. They seem to be more of a gimmick to sell to the guys/gals that don't want to spend 3k~5k on a real one. I wonder when the Dumble & Two-Rock will arrive ? Basically a pedal in a small 30watt solid state amp.
But if you can get a vanity fanservice product that also happens to be useful and a couple hundred bucks... what's the harm? Sure you're not going to want more than one or two, they are one-trick ponies. But that has its place.
I don’t think dumble and two rock belong to boutique amp distribution. That’s the common factor here. Besides cheaper stuff is virtually always the main seller for everyone. Also volume on the real thing is crazy. People be buying the main one just to have it. Almost no one need that much power
@@riverstone5994 I agree 100%. I have a Mig-50 and it can make your ears bleed turned up past 6. I can't imagine the 100 watt SLO.
These mini amps are all made by the same company, Boutique. They make amps or pedals for all these brands, Freidman, Soldano, Bogner, Wampler, etc. All these mini heads are basically just a pedal that this company already makes and it's combined with a solid state power supply. I don't know if it's so much a gimmick because most of the pedals are well respected but they're definitely not for the same person that has a real SLO. Boutique doesn't make Two Rock or Dumble amps or pedals so it's unlikely that you'll see this type of mini version of those amps.
Too Funny !! If he held another Soldano mini in his other hand, then he could make a new Transformer movie !!! LOL
Just curious what kind of 112 cabinet you are running
If I was to buy this what would be a good preferably cheap amp to run a wet/dry rig to go with it? I was thinking a jazz chorus 20 but I don’t really know
I own the jc 22 and it’s awesome on it’s own so I think it would probably work for your needs, I already use it as a wet/dry setup just using it on it’s own since it’s a stereo amplifier and has two inputs and considering how good that sounds I guess it will only sound better with another amp
Buy something that provides what is missing from this amp. I'd buy a darker voiced amp with emphasis on lows and low-mids since this amp is more focused on "trebly hair"
So, basically, it's a Chinese product developed by a Chinese factory and offered to a bunch of different brands as a novelty product. I would love to see a rogue amp expert open it up and explain to us what it really is.
Only thing missing is a mini 30 watt 412 cab!
A small solid state head for $250. Wow, what a find.
Finally! A Soldano that I can afford.
Collectible? So what you’re saying is there certain Funko pop of Famous amplifiers? Or
If you already have a loud solid state head with a good clean channel I recommend just getting some rad distortion pedals instead. I recommend the sonicake shark or golden brownie. Maybe a Donner metal head if you’re playing metal.
Carmina Burana! Soldano makes me think of Warren Haynes and Mick Mars.
The EVH Funko Pop came out in early 2022. Need one to go with my EVH Frankenstein Guitar.
So I could connect this to my tube amp and use it as a second channel...
The out from my tube amp effects loop into this then soldano effects of to my amp effects return. Will it be safe to use eccentric without a speaker?
Yes
I'm a Warren Haynes fan. He has played his vintage LP. 335 and Strat's through Soldano's for a long time. I wondered how much that would clean up when I saw it. It sounds good without pedals 8) LOL --gary
Sound pretty dang good
When are you releasing your Sire S7 video?
for the price of a pedal, sounds great
Nice work 🤘
Are most of these mini heads coming out of the same factory?
for the price a footswitch input would be really nice.
Footswitch for what? There is nothing to switch.
Ordered mine today
Would you agree with George Lynch that this amp gets you 75% there compared to a real Soldano? George made that statement in an advertisement for this amp.
I’ll stick with the Joyo Bantamps. Cheaper, sound amazing (valve preamp), headphone out, Bluetooth, fx loop and some have foot switchable (included) channels.
I guess the thing is there is the micro dark or all the bantamps or those lil hughs an ketner things. It would be hard to make a choice without have at least a day with each
Do you think it sounds better than a Katana 50?
Is this amp true or false bypass? Asking for a friend
Actually sounds really good on my phone
was that some Ra you were doing?
Pete Thorn posted a video on this amp right under yours. 🙂
Anyone know if this is a class-D amp? I would assume so since it's so light and able to put out 30 watts. Class-D's are very impressive these days -- I have two class-D amps and they are light but extremely powerful (my bass amp head is around 8 lb. and puts out 500 watts).
It sure is. In a Sweetwater video, they talk with Mike and he says it is. Very helpful video if you want a good overview of the amp. It's just their video covering this
Ordered one today
can anyone compare this to the hottone captain sunset which is also a soldano solid state clone?
SWEET!
Why they don´t release a 100watt version of this?
Why does it look so much like the Friedman BE Mini 30?
Nice and compact. Cool 👍🤘
These are great novelty heads for the money but if I had to gig Id save up for a 5150 Iconic on a budget.
Finally a Soldano I can afford
Looks like a really fun toy, probably the best looking one of the bunch
Not a toy. It's a small amp for real men.
@@DSilvergun men have toys too
I'd get the Mesa Rectifier if they'd make one.
5:22 "... I'm going to show you how much it can clean up" LOL a Soldano... when did you start doing stand up comedy. It actually has a nice edge of breakup tone.
Real SLOs sound *fantastic* set clean/edge of breakup. That was actually the section of the demo I was hoping he would do.
not foot switchable?
No, they only have 1 channel
Cool
Nice ✌🏼❤🤘🏼
I wish these had headphone jack....
NOICE 🤘🏻😎🎸
think im roolin with synergy,, but its very cool amp ; ]
"switches are subtle" ==> "switches don't do sh1t" .
Considering you can buy an MG30DFX for a couple of hundred dollars with a speaker cabinet, this seems like a gimmick
Yet that marshall sounds nothing like this gimmick, and doesn't even sound any good, which one is the gimmick after all?
The thing that I don't like about it is that it's solid state. I would personally have to try it out myself to see if it would be useful to me. It would be awesome if it was tube driven like a blues Jr or something.
Fun as a practice amp or for small room gig's. I guess the loop would allow the use of a dirt pedal for sort of a 2nd channel.
Not a fan of it being made in China.
Chinese things are just as good. The made in China is a thing of the pass that boomers don’t like.
Vox lil’ night train or Black
Heart little giant 5. FWIW.
hm if only someone took a jcm 800 pedal and made it into a mini head...
Need a Bedrock version lol . Oh who remembers those ? There's one a ....
I think there gimmicky but kool , there the funko pops of amps lol
Seems like a great bedroom amp. If you can't piss off the neighbors, you can at least piss off the wife!!!!!