I made a new video of this amp, comparing it to a modded Micro Cube. Check that out here: th-cam.com/video/ubdA0gmId0A/w-d-xo.html If you want to see more of my amp reviews, look here: th-cam.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html
@@luchoranz I made A/B comparison, miniKatana is smaller and lighter than mC. also mK sounds good enought, but in my opinion mC sounds better and have good effects.
I bought a Micro Cube when they first came out. I still have it, and it gets more use than any of my other amps. It's even been mic'ed up and used for a gig. I love it !
Very underrated practice amp. Great clean channels, and great distorted channels. The non-scooped crunch is great. Extremely tight out of the box. No flubby farty mess that you would expect from something like this.
When I finally got a Roland, I specifically went looking for the smaller ones. I heard they were very impressive. I picked up a 15w Cube and its fantastic.
I just purchased one today, like new, locally for $30 and worth every penny. To make matters even better, I sold my Blackstar Fly 3 within an hour of listing it for sale for $40. Great tradeoff to say the least!
I bought the exact same model for my small homeoffice and it's great value for money (paid 55 Euros for a mint used one). My favorite amp setting is the Brit Combo with chorus and delay, sweet!
I own both a Microcube and a Microcube GX. When i set 'em up in stereo it's awesome. The funny thing is, that both were given to Me as a gift. They're very very versatile
Had a guy from show up to audition in '89 with this amp, he left in in the room and we never saw or heard from him again, took it home a couple months later. Still have it and Elmo is correct, the best practice amp ever. And I have a small closet full of quality practice and combo amps. Surprised no one has made a pedal out of this
@@xcx8646 You know, you're right, it was a Peavey Decade (still have it) that the guy left. The MicroCube someoew had left at the trash area near my apartment so I grabbed it.
Saw your demo on this then came across an older model Roland Micro Cube for $50. I have it sitting on my desk next to my computer with a drum machine plugged into the aux input. At low practice volume I really like how it sounds. It really thickens my Strat sound on the gain channels, I like it a lot, really like it alot!
I keep micro-cube amp and a Steinberger Spirit headless guitar In my car. It’s a fun little portable rig so I can practice sitting in my car during lunch breaks, take it camping, traveling at parties, good to go anytime for spontaneous jam sessions etc. A little “pocket rig”
This amp is really great. Small, durable, clear, sufficient, can take batteries, sounds are awesome...I have several practice amps and this tops them. All the sounds are good or great. The only minor issue is that delay and reverb can not be used simultaneously. In my model (new with text cube) there is heavy octave and Extreme sound modelling too. Black panel is kind of Fender Twin Reverb, Brit Combo like Vox AC30TB. That Brit Combo sound is also very useful for different styles.
I have one of these and I find it crucial for practice where I really need to hear myself in overall volume, just below the song I'm playing along to on my main speakers here. It does that better than some of my better amps here. Just tonight I sat here and could dial in the following sounds: The Smithereens, Foo Fighters, The Records, and even World Party. All of those tones out of the same amp, and, the other thing I love about the Roland is, you can get a CLEAN chord tone (I mean, it's crystal clear and non-sludgy) out of it. The Roland may not deliver a lot of low end, but, it delivers real clarity, which for practice, is essential. It's even good for practicing DIO and whatnot.
I started to watch your channel just last week (found it when looking for reviews of Roland Micro Cube GX) and you convinced me - I am getting the original Roland Micro Cube 😄 Thank you
I’ve had a Roland Cube Street in my amp arsenal since they came out...it’s a pretty versatile amp...I use it for outdoor gigs where electricity isn’t readily available...it’s all self contained and has input jacks for a guitar, keyboard & microphone...it has built in FX’s and runs on AC or batteries...Rock On Elmo! Thanks! 🎸🔊🎶🤘🏻
This is my ever amplifier. Love it. I use it solely for practice. Couldn't have picked a better amp. Been playing most days since I got it. In a couple of years I'll be wanting to play with others and then I might upgrade.
Brilliant amp. You can upgrade by getting a bigger Cube. The 80 works great in a band setting, even though it does leave something to be desired. But it's great for the price. You can get them second hand.
@@MrPolevaulter Cheers. I'm loving it. I spend about 30min most work days playing and a few hours on my days off. My mum was from Liverpool, England and I grew up listening to the Beatles, Celia Black, and with songs like ferry cross the mersy. I love the the British Combo. Still playing with the effects and learning cords.
I just got one, used, I was only gonna use it for the clean sound, didn´t even try the other settings, then I found the classic stack when I got home. Holy shit! You just confirm it, what a sound! I am glad I got the older one as you said.
I am using a fender amp but now I play the micro cube mostly, I really like the JC and the Stack settings, I play mostly jazz and blues. I was looking for a overdrive pedal for blues type gigs and the modeling sound of the micro cube is really organic, I have had Line 6 products and they are not as good. Now I am leaning to getting the Boss Blues Driver pedal but the sound on the classic stack is really good, especially on a fender strat, I would like to have that sound mobile on a pedal.
Back when I sold these, the only thing that held them back was the delay and reverb sharing one knob. It held back all of the "revised version" cubes actually (along with the amp and effects tones getting watered down); I still have my original Cube 40XL and won't ever part with it.
Guy I work with just gave me one of the old model ones today. He isn't a guitar player, he just used it to play music from his phone, and as a PA with a mic, and he didn't like the way it sounded playing his MP3's (he bought a Bluetooth speaker instead). I offered to buy it from him and he told me I could just have it! And it works fine other than missing the button for the built-in tuner and the carry strap (no great loss on the tuner button- I prefer the Guitar Tuna app for Android). Nice demo - can't wait to try it out, now!
A terrific demonstration, by a Master !. I use mine for “ Smaller Jazz Gigs” , especially, for little venues in a Trio or Quartet, where I have to “ move around “. Excellent !. Thanks, and greetings from Scotland 🏴.
I just got one of these, and I've never had a battery-powered amp, so i didn't know what to expect from it. This thing is freaking awesome. I can't believe how loud it is and just how damn good it sounds. I dont know how there could be anything better when it comes to battery-powered amps. Definitely a keeper.
The "Brit Combo" setting is not the Marshall Bluesbreaker, it's the Vox AC30. Well, not really...just an approximation. But if you want a really killin' blues tone, set the model to Classic Stack, turn the volume to max, and use the gain knob for your overall volume control. Strats and Teles sound killer with this setting.
I set the gain on max-ish and use the volume on the guitar for overall volume control. You get a bit of crunch instead of clean on low volume but you can just oomph into a solo without bending down to twiddle the knob :)
Classic stack is where its at for sure. They should focus their next amp on the jc120 clean and the classic stack and dump everything else,and just really hone in on its specialty. I just returned a boss katana mini after playing classic stack mode. It is pretty sweet.
I have one of the originals and it's really an amazing amp, the modelling works extremely well with my '64 SG Jr :) Faves are Black Panel and Brit Combo. The Combo has enough gain with the SG to do rhythm AND high-gain lead just by using the SG's volume knob gracefully. And of course you can play super low but still get cabinet feedback; the modelling is, again, super good. AND it plays for hours at decent volume for an outdoor crowd on batteries :)
When I first moved to Finland I was living in a one room apartment in Tampere and the first little setup I bought myself was a Dean Evo and Roland Micro cube. I can confirm it is a brilliant little amp, even friends visiting from Wales couldn’t believe the sound for the price. I got hours of endless joy annoying my neighbours with it 😅 good times.
I have a Line 6 spider 4 75w, i just bought a cheap Blackstar Fly 3 but honnestly i think i'll buy this one. To use in my next car or carry around in my motorcycle top case, so damn cool and the sound is crazy...
This is great. Truth be told-this is without question the best WRITING tool you can own. My name is Jon Leon from the band White Wizzard. Every single WW album has been written on an original micro cube that I still have from 2007. I cannot stress how much of an inspiring little box this is. It feels like a real amp. The OG Marshall stack mode is the setting I agree. Though the JC is great for ballad cleans with FX and the Blackface gain about 80 percent gets the edge of break up thing down. But that Marshall stack mode with some delay is the shit. Also fun to get some phaser on that setting. I remember when we were composing our first EP, High Speed GTO, my partner in crime James J LaRue and I used to joke we were gonna make a stack of micro cubes. Hell I’ve even used passive basses through it in a pinch for living room jam/writing/rehearsal. It’s a beast. I will never part with mine. Great review!
about 12 years ago, I was doing some home recording on an old tascam 246 (cassette)...for the keys. all I had was a cheezy cheap little yamaha ....but, I ran it through the M-Cube w/the reverb and the phaser, and you'd swear I had a Hammond B-3......
Just my tip for microcube owners. For a fuller sound run your guitar cable first into a clean boost pedal. The Boost Killer by Donner worked very well for me. Then turn your guitar volume and tone controls down quite low and use the controls on the boost pedal to set your playing volume, bass and treble. Also turn down the gain on the microcube quite low and turn up the gain on the boost pedal to taste. Result - a nice fat sound comes out of that little cube.
Thanks for the tip I was wondering how Elmo was getting that awesome tone on the full stack model. Maybe he mentioned it in the beginning and I missed it. I see other boost pedals without bass and treble knob. Will a boost pedal without an Eq work? What about a tubescreamer or ds1?
@@jorgeguitar2540 A clean boost pedal would be better than an overdrive as an overdrive pedal might change the microcube tone in ways that you don't like. If you check the ebay listings you might be able to pick up a second hand Donner Killer Boost. I think the bass and treble are very useful for tweaking tone.
@@streetlegal008 thanks man I don’t know that much about pedals. Hey what do you think of the Fender Engager boost? I can pickup it up today because I was looking at shipping fees for the other pedal you Recommended and it will cost the same even thought the Donner pedal is cheaper.
Elmo Karjalainen Elmo, by the way, what do you think about cube jam? I am asking because I have a friend selling the GX version while I have the older one. Should I buy it just for the cube jam app or save my money. I would appreciate your opinion. Thanks man
I was looking for a practice amp to use at home without bothering anyone and after watching all you videos I've just bought a Roland Micro Cube second hand (the original red one, not the GX) for about 50€. I've been playing for just four months so I can't make it sound any good yet but I really like the clean sounds on it (specially the JC). I guess I need a way better technique to be able to properly use the 'more gain' tones and make them sound good. The problem is usually the player, not the gear... Thanks a lot for you videos!
I like these too! I have 2 GX versions - for both office and home. They are very durable which is not often mentioned when people do mini amp comparisons. The Cubes have been around for quite a while with a proven track record.
Just managed to get one on ebay, the original version as well! Been watching your videos and reviews for a while and know how much you rate this amp, so very much looking forward to it arriving 👏
@@MrPolevaulter Hey, just wondered what kind of settings you use for the classic stack? I'm playing a les paul on mine but only seem to be able to get a decent gainy tone on the Brit channel. All the best
@@MrPolevaulter love this review just bought one and i am blown away by the sound and volume from such a small box, howevar your comment on the rectifier had me confused, i play it through metal style guitars with juicy humbuckers and it sounds perfect, i think it may be the strat single coil, i agree with you on the brit combo sounding beautiful!
Fantastic sound! Only amp I own and only using Brit-combo mode now you make me want to try more Stack Classic mode. I've tried some cheap Valve amps but nothing can do a good sound in bedroom volume. I love this little cute thing.
Yeah. I find it sad that all the tuners nowadays are the ones which automatically tell you if you're sharp or flat. I used to play violin before guitar, and tuning (and playing) the violin was always done by ear (hearing the intonation/intervals (in perfect 5ths) between adjacent strings). To put a middle finger to most chromatic tuners, I like to tune my guitar with A as 444 or 445hz.
I use a cheap lapel condencer and mic my dobro on the clean mic setting with treble completely off to roll out the extreme dobro highs, and feedback issues, and it is perfect for jams..adding a little reverb / delay etc. Direct put to PA...Sweet :-)
Fark me dude you are an absolute beast on the guitar!! Really love your style and how you can let loose like a drag car !! Reviews are awesome too I’ve only just discovered them ;) great work man 👍
I'm not really on internet forums for guitar, but Im glad that other people out there would agree with me that the micro cube is the GOAT. I've always loved the way it sounded for a good 80s tone. I stumbled upon your video while searching for info about the THR30ii. Was going to get it but then my love for the cube was reignited haha. Enjoy your videos, keep up the great content.
I have a Positive Grid SPARK (great practice amp), but I still use my Micro Cube GX sometimes. At the end of the day, sometimes I just want to practice/play and not fiddle with millions of parameters. The original Micro Cube and now the GX have been in my arsenal for over a decade. I'd recommend the Micro Cube to any guitarist who doesn't have one. Even if you have a "better" practice amp (it's more boutique, it has more features, more expensive etc), there's still something to be said for the portability (it's tiny), proven durability (I've seen loads of these, and never met one that didn't function perfectly no matter how beat up it was) and sound quality it brings you. It honestly sounds pretty great and covers a lot of ground with it's handful of amp models and simple effects. As for it being the best practice amp, it probably is. My SPARK is "better" in basically every way, but you can get lost for hours in it just creating sounds and not even playing. That and the complexity and immediate use of performance-enhancing-effects (PEEs lol!) such as compression and noise gating. The latter in particular. There is value to learning how to be as noiseless as possible with lots of distortion and no noise gate. Get something like a SPARK when you're a beginner and you may end up not noticing for a long time that your general string muting sucks because the noise gate mostly takes care of it for you. Etc.
@@Joecuzzi I don't think there's really much difference. Like one day you hear it and you think "yeah I like the old one a little more" and then other days you're like "actually no, the gx sounds a little nicer". Just get either lol
@@n64fan60 Ya Elmo says the Classic Stack sounds better on the old one. Does the classic stack sound just as good on both too? I really dig that classic stack sound of the Marshall amp. I've tried to get that with the fender hot rod deluxe using a NUX plexi pedal but I just haven't gotten it dialed in.
@@Joecuzzi Tbh mate I think the difference is as much in the slightly bigger speaker as anything else. I think the stack sounds a little darker on the original, and like elmo I think with the dials at 12 o'clock on both amps, the original stack sounds a little nicer. But like I said before, sometimes I think the gx stack sounds nicer lol. The stack on the gx is still awesome, it's literally the same amp model. It just sounds a little brighter, but still is a nice little Marshall stack emu. I guess you could roll off the tone a little on the gx stack to match it up? If there's a huge price difference, don't get conned into paying big money for the original model just get the gx. If you find a good deal on the original then get that.
I was about to purchase a practice amp after seeing videos about the new generation modeling amps ,Vox Cambridge , Boss Katana , Yamaha, etc .Your video reminded me that an old Micro Cube was collecting dust in my attic . Your video will avoid me to waste some money .I will try it with my EVM 12 L or swap the speaker for an Eminence .Thank you Elmo !!
I've heard the Katana 50 or 100 are great amps, but, they take some patience to get better tones out of them but connecting them to the PC and web and get the app. and all that, and download patches and whatever with them. Otherwise, I'm not sure the Katanas sound all that great "out of the box." I've read this constantly lately from reviewers on Amazon, etc., and on here. I've been told the Yamaha desktop amp is good, but I've also read they have issues, so go figure. You might consider some of the older Vox Valvetronix amps, not Micros, but, they're phenomenal amps with tons of models and features and FX.
Not a patch on the VOX mini 5 classic - which has everything the Roland has, plus better speakers and LOTS of drum patterns! A backing band in a box! Effects are pretty much the same, but the Vox is a class above this Roland
You're awesome Elmo... great reviews every time. Question for you... how about the Fender Super Champ X2 which is 15 watts all tube with onboard digital effects including our so much precious delay?
Great Demo - I just bought a broken Roland 80X at an electronics surplus store kinda cheap. Now - I know I've just got to fix that amp. By the way your English is excellent. My dad was a second generation US Finn and your English is better than his was.
They always talk about the clean setting on the JC but I think they sound terrible. I love the JC clean setting on the cubes and think it’s better than the JC. Thought I’d ask my friend. If you ever come to Australia, you’re welcome to stay when you visit. Cheers!
Greetings, and thanks. Could you explain why this amp is considered better than the Cube 10GX, esp considering it’s smaller and (I presume) mostly the same thing.
I love the microcube its a Swiss Army knife. Runs on battery for a long time I mostly use it thru a PA for solo duo gigs quick easy tone twerking. Yes there’s a twerking mod. I run it into a looper. I also have a powered 1/12 open back guitar cabinet that gets loud enough.the GX sucks no 1/4 inch outputs I don’t care about Bluetooth I use acoustic JC Black panel occasionally stack.all my tones are in one box that runs off 6 AA batteries. Efx are useable. No programing .Open mic nite just line out to there PA. Even makes my uke sound good. Loaned it to my wife with a long mic cable. Girl Scout micro pa.get the older model I got 2 and a bass micro cube
I wish I'd seen this video before spending thousands on amps that are not as good as the Micro Cube. :-) I do agree now that the Roland Micro Cube is the best Micro Cube on the market. Your English is very good. Your accent is nowhere near as heavy as that of your compatriots on the Hydraulic Press Channel!
my microcube is broken, only the clean sound works now, i need a new one, why do you say the old one is better than the new one, you never made a comparison video or gave a reason why? for me as long as the classic stack and reverb are still intact i am happy
I made a new video of this amp, comparing it to a modded Micro Cube. Check that out here: th-cam.com/video/ubdA0gmId0A/w-d-xo.html
If you want to see more of my amp reviews, look here: th-cam.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html
Hello! AND comparision with boss katana 7w? ( Sorry for my english?)
@@luchoranz I made A/B comparison, miniKatana is smaller and lighter than mC.
also mK sounds good enought, but in my opinion mC sounds better and have good effects.
@@luchoranz no chance against the micro cube,Zero Chance..
@@luchoranz Must have missed this. Sorry. Which one is the 7 watt Katana?
@@MrPolevaulter yes 7w
I bought a Micro Cube when they first came out. I still have it, and it gets more use than any of my other amps. It's even been mic'ed up and used for a gig. I love it !
Yep, great little amp :)
What other amps do you have?
I used the line out of my Micro at a gig. I saw someone else doing the same with the JC Clean. We are both blues guys.
Bought one for my brother about 14 years ago and he still uses it :) Quality product!
Lavender Salad It is 😊
always trust a skandinavian for an honest review! Always!
Very underrated practice amp. Great clean channels, and great distorted channels. The non-scooped crunch is great. Extremely tight out of the box. No flubby farty mess that you would expect from something like this.
Any idea if it takes multi fx pedals well?
@@accentontheoffIt _IS_ the multi effects 'pedal.'
When I finally got a Roland, I specifically went looking for the smaller ones. I heard they were very impressive. I picked up a 15w Cube and its fantastic.
I just purchased one today, like new, locally for $30 and worth every penny. To make matters even better, I sold my Blackstar Fly 3 within an hour of listing it for sale for $40. Great tradeoff to say the least!
Cool bananas :)
Great reviews, awesome playing. I have had my Microcube for 30 years! My teacher brought his in today, he loves it. Good sound, portability rocks
I bought the exact same model for my small homeoffice and it's great value for money (paid 55 Euros for a mint used one). My favorite amp setting is the Brit Combo with chorus and delay, sweet!
I own both a Microcube and a Microcube GX.
When i set 'em up in stereo it's awesome.
The funny thing is, that both were given to Me as a gift.
They're very very versatile
Had a guy from show up to audition in '89 with this amp, he left in in the room and we never saw or heard from him again, took it home a couple months later. Still have it and Elmo is correct, the best practice amp ever. And I have a small closet full of quality practice and combo amps. Surprised no one has made a pedal out of this
in '89, eh? Over 10 years before they were released.
@@xcx8646 You know, you're right, it was a Peavey Decade (still have it) that the guy left. The MicroCube someoew had left at the trash area near my apartment so I grabbed it.
Saw your demo on this then came across an older model Roland Micro Cube for $50. I have it sitting on my desk next to my computer with a drum machine plugged into the aux input. At low practice volume I really like how it sounds. It really thickens my Strat sound on the gain channels, I like it a lot, really like it alot!
Glad you do 😊
I keep micro-cube amp and a Steinberger Spirit headless guitar In my car. It’s a fun little portable rig so I can practice sitting in my car during lunch breaks, take it camping, traveling at parties, good to go anytime for spontaneous jam sessions etc. A little “pocket rig”
This amp is really great. Small, durable, clear, sufficient, can take batteries, sounds are awesome...I have several practice amps and this tops them. All the sounds are good or great. The only minor issue is that delay and reverb can not be used simultaneously. In my model (new with text cube) there is heavy octave and Extreme sound modelling too.
Black panel is kind of Fender Twin Reverb, Brit Combo like Vox AC30TB. That Brit Combo sound is also very useful for different styles.
I have one of these and I find it crucial for practice where I really need to hear myself in overall volume, just below the song I'm playing along to on my main speakers here. It does that better than some of my better amps here. Just tonight I sat here and could dial in the following sounds: The Smithereens, Foo Fighters, The Records, and even World Party. All of those
tones out of the same amp, and, the other thing I love about the Roland is, you can get a CLEAN chord tone (I mean, it's crystal clear and non-sludgy) out of it. The Roland
may not deliver a lot of low end, but, it delivers real clarity, which for practice, is essential. It's even good for practicing DIO and whatnot.
I started to watch your channel just last week (found it when looking for reviews of Roland Micro Cube GX) and you convinced me - I am getting the original Roland Micro Cube 😄 Thank you
Cheers! Hope you like it :)
I got mine for a quieter practice and it ended up being my favorite amp
Kris Prim Yeah 😊 Great amp.
I’ve had a Roland Cube Street in my amp arsenal since they came out...it’s a pretty versatile amp...I use it for outdoor gigs where electricity isn’t readily available...it’s all self contained and has input jacks for a guitar, keyboard & microphone...it has built in FX’s and runs on AC or batteries...Rock On Elmo! Thanks! 🎸🔊🎶🤘🏻
Cheers!
Where do I find it’s adapter? I looked online and it says Roland adapter it’s discontinued
This is my ever amplifier. Love it. I use it solely for practice. Couldn't have picked a better amp. Been playing most days since I got it. In a couple of years I'll be wanting to play with others and then I might upgrade.
Brilliant amp. You can upgrade by getting a bigger Cube. The 80 works great in a band setting, even though it does leave something to be desired. But it's great for the price. You can get them second hand.
@@MrPolevaulter Cheers. I'm loving it. I spend about 30min most work days playing and a few hours on my days off. My mum was from Liverpool, England and I grew up listening to the Beatles, Celia Black, and with songs like ferry cross the mersy. I love the the British Combo. Still playing with the effects and learning cords.
@@Toby3610 Cool bananas 😊
I just got this at a garage sale along with a crate fw 120/212 for two bucks! it was a great find!
Your shredding is off the charts. Amazing!
I just got one, used, I was only gonna use it for the clean sound, didn´t even try the other settings, then I found the classic stack when I got home. Holy shit! You just confirm it, what a sound! I am glad I got the older one as you said.
Music Of Sounds Great sound for sure 😊
Do you know of any pedal that has a similar sound?
Not really, as I don't use an entirely clean amp. What amp are you using?
I am using a fender amp but now I play the micro cube mostly, I really like the JC and the Stack settings, I play mostly jazz and blues. I was looking for a overdrive pedal for blues type gigs and the modeling sound of the micro cube is really organic, I have had Line 6 products and they are not as good. Now I am leaning to getting the Boss Blues Driver pedal but the sound on the classic stack is really good, especially on a fender strat, I would like to have that sound mobile on a pedal.
How does the Micro Cube hold up against a cheaper Marshall como amp? Do you have any specific amp model to recommend?
Back when I sold these, the only thing that held them back was the delay and reverb sharing one knob. It held back all of the "revised version" cubes actually (along with the amp and effects tones getting watered down); I still have my original Cube 40XL and won't ever part with it.
Yeah, that's a bit of a bummer.
Guy I work with just gave me one of the old model ones today. He isn't a guitar player, he just used it to play music from his phone, and as a PA with a mic, and he didn't like the way it sounded playing his MP3's (he bought a Bluetooth speaker instead). I offered to buy it from him and he told me I could just have it! And it works fine other than missing the button for the built-in tuner and the carry strap (no great loss on the tuner button- I prefer the Guitar Tuna app for Android). Nice demo - can't wait to try it out, now!
Cool! Hope you enjoy it :)
I love certain qualities of the sound of this amp. It's like a secret recording/jamming/noodling weapon.
A terrific demonstration, by a Master !. I use mine for “ Smaller Jazz Gigs” , especially, for little venues in a Trio or Quartet, where I have to “ move around “. Excellent !. Thanks, and greetings from Scotland 🏴.
Cheers!
Plot twist: *Elmo is Ola Englund’s Long lost brother*
Haha :D
I just got one of these, and I've never had a battery-powered amp, so i didn't know what to expect from it. This thing is freaking awesome. I can't believe how loud it is and just how damn good it sounds. I dont know how there could be anything better when it comes to battery-powered amps. Definitely a keeper.
The batteries last forever in it too!
I've even used the headphone out into the Aux in on my GT212 while ABY into both. Crazy stackef sound coming from a 212
The "Brit Combo" setting is not the Marshall Bluesbreaker, it's the Vox AC30. Well, not really...just an approximation. But if you want a really killin' blues tone, set the model to Classic Stack, turn the volume to max, and use the gain knob for your overall volume control. Strats and Teles sound killer with this setting.
I set the gain on max-ish and use the volume on the guitar for overall volume control. You get a bit of crunch instead of clean on low volume but you can just oomph into a solo without bending down to twiddle the knob :)
This Micro Cube and the old cube 60 watts , are my favorites and the last but not least , the new Street cubes too are really good . Alfred NYC / PR
I love my MicroCube! My favourite setting is Brit Combo. Excellent for guitar, voice (yes!) and kantele!
Good choice! :)
Your wall of Micro Cubes reminds me of the Stone 'Enge scene from Spinal Tap.
Haha :D
Yes
I have one. The biggest selling point was that it accepts batteries, too.
Classic stack is where its at for sure. They should focus their next amp on the jc120 clean and the classic stack and dump everything else,and just really hone in on its specialty. I just returned a boss katana mini after playing classic stack mode. It is pretty sweet.
boogieplex Classic stack is where it's at 😊
Give me a decent Strat and my old Micro Cube - and I’m happy!
I have one of the originals and it's really an amazing amp, the modelling works extremely well with my '64 SG Jr :)
Faves are Black Panel and Brit Combo. The Combo has enough gain with the SG to do rhythm AND high-gain lead just by using the SG's volume knob gracefully.
And of course you can play super low but still get cabinet feedback; the modelling is, again, super good. AND it plays for hours at decent volume for an outdoor crowd on batteries :)
When I first moved to Finland I was living in a one room apartment in Tampere and the first little setup I bought myself was a Dean Evo and Roland Micro cube. I can confirm it is a brilliant little amp, even friends visiting from Wales couldn’t believe the sound for the price. I got hours of endless joy annoying my neighbours with it 😅 good times.
I just got the old version! Pretty happy to find out you think it's better :)
I have a Line 6 spider 4 75w, i just bought a cheap Blackstar Fly 3 but honnestly i think i'll buy this one. To use in my next car or carry around in my motorcycle top case, so damn cool and the sound is crazy...
Cool :)
This is great. Truth be told-this is without question the best WRITING tool you can own. My name is Jon Leon from the band White Wizzard. Every single WW album has been written on an original micro cube that I still have from 2007. I cannot stress how much of an inspiring little box this is. It feels like a real amp. The OG Marshall stack mode is the setting I agree. Though the JC is great for ballad cleans with FX and the Blackface gain about 80 percent gets the edge of break up thing down.
But that Marshall stack mode with some delay is the shit. Also fun to get some phaser on that setting.
I remember when we were composing our first EP, High Speed GTO, my partner in crime James J LaRue and I used to joke we were gonna make a stack of micro cubes. Hell I’ve even used passive basses through it in a pinch for living room jam/writing/rehearsal. It’s a beast. I will never part with mine. Great review!
about 12 years ago, I was doing some home recording on an old tascam 246 (cassette)...for the keys. all I had was a cheezy cheap little yamaha ....but, I ran it through the M-Cube w/the reverb and the phaser, and you'd swear I had a Hammond B-3......
Just my tip for microcube owners. For a fuller sound run your guitar cable first into a clean boost pedal. The Boost Killer by Donner worked very well for me. Then turn your guitar volume and tone controls down quite low and use the controls on the boost pedal to set your playing volume, bass and treble. Also turn down the gain on the microcube quite low and turn up the gain on the boost pedal to taste. Result - a nice fat sound comes out of that little cube.
I use the Boss Hyper Fuzz in clean boost mode for exactly that.
I listen now at that killer amps, sounds awesome and great price 👌
Thanks for the tip I was wondering how Elmo was getting that awesome tone on the full stack model. Maybe he mentioned it in the beginning and I missed it. I see other boost pedals without bass and treble knob. Will a boost pedal without an Eq work? What about a tubescreamer or ds1?
@@jorgeguitar2540 A clean boost pedal would be better than an overdrive as an overdrive pedal might change the microcube tone in ways that you don't like. If you check the ebay listings you might be able to pick up a second hand Donner Killer Boost. I think the bass and treble are very useful for tweaking tone.
@@streetlegal008 thanks man I don’t know that much about pedals. Hey what do you think of the Fender Engager boost? I can pickup it up today because I was looking at shipping fees for the other pedal you Recommended and it will cost the same even thought the Donner pedal is cheaper.
I traded my 1982 JCM800 stack for a Micro Tube, first I regretted it for a while but now I think it was my best decision ever 🤘🏻
Lol. I hope you're kidding. If it's true then you're one cold cat!
I hope that's a joke...
Just passing by and I realized you are still owing the comparative between the old and new one...waiting for it.
Excellent Job.
Best from Brasil.
Thanks! I'll have to borrow a newer one from somewhere. I sold mine before I ever made the video.
Elmo Karjalainen thanks anyway man...but the question is: did you sell the old or the newer one...LOL
BEST
@@brunoleao8879 Haha :D
Elmo Karjalainen Elmo, by the way, what do you think about cube jam? I am asking because I have a friend selling the GX version while I have the older one. Should I buy it just for the cube jam app or save my money. I would appreciate your opinion.
Thanks man
@@brunoleao8879 I haven't tried it, so I wouldn't know.
I bought a micro cube because of this. It is the best amp ever, weight to sound ratio!
Cool bananas :)
Appreciate your insight and intel always Thanks🤩🎸
I have 6. They are, as you say, BRILLIANT!
I think "brit combo" is referring to the vox ac series.
I was looking for a practice amp to use at home without bothering anyone and after watching all you videos I've just bought a Roland Micro Cube second hand (the original red one, not the GX) for about 50€. I've been playing for just four months so I can't make it sound any good yet but I really like the clean sounds on it (specially the JC). I guess I need a way better technique to be able to properly use the 'more gain' tones and make them sound good. The problem is usually the player, not the gear... Thanks a lot for you videos!
Glad to be of help 😊
I own one. You are right. Just change the speaker and microphone to the PA.
I like these too! I have 2 GX versions - for both office and home. They are very durable which is not often mentioned when people do mini amp comparisons. The Cubes have been around for quite a while with a proven track record.
They are durable indeed :)
AWESOME video, man!!! Great mini amp!!! Cheers.
Thanks!
Just managed to get one on ebay, the original version as well! Been watching your videos and reviews for a while and know how much you rate this amp, so very much looking forward to it arriving 👏
Hope you enjoy :)
@@MrPolevaulter Hey, just wondered what kind of settings you use for the classic stack? I'm playing a les paul on mine but only seem to be able to get a decent gainy tone on the Brit channel. All the best
@@darthgibsonlp6631 I use the Classic Stack, gain on full, tone pretty high up, and a clean boost.
@@MrPolevaulter Many thanks good Sir
@@MrPolevaulter love this review just bought one and i am blown away by the sound and volume from such a small box, howevar your comment on the rectifier had me confused, i play it through metal style guitars with juicy humbuckers and it sounds perfect, i think it may be the strat single coil, i agree with you on the brit combo sounding beautiful!
Fantastic sound! Only amp I own and only using Brit-combo mode now you make me want to try more Stack Classic mode. I've tried some cheap Valve amps but nothing can do a good sound in bedroom volume. I love this little cute thing.
Sure is a good amp :)
Do u use any pedals, i m not getting much distortion in brit combo. What is ur recommendation and amp settings?
Yeah. I find it sad that all the tuners nowadays are the ones which automatically tell you if you're sharp or flat. I used to play violin before guitar, and tuning (and playing) the violin was always done by ear (hearing the intonation/intervals (in perfect 5ths) between adjacent strings).
To put a middle finger to most chromatic tuners, I like to tune my guitar with A as 444 or 445hz.
I use a cheap lapel condencer and mic my dobro on the clean mic setting with treble completely off to roll out the extreme dobro highs, and feedback issues, and it is perfect for jams..adding a little reverb / delay etc. Direct put to PA...Sweet :-)
My favorite amp. Love it
Good choice! :)
Ironically, when using the Bill and Becky Lawrence L500 the rectifier channel is the best along with BlackFace
If you love 80s hard rock or metal like me classic stack with overdrive is all you need what I’m getting
Still rocking mine in 2024.
Same here.
Fark me dude you are an absolute beast on the guitar!! Really love your style and how you can let loose like a drag car !! Reviews are awesome too I’ve only just discovered them ;) great work man 👍
Thank you very much :)
I’m french beginner guitarist, thank you for the video
De rien :)
I'm not really on internet forums for guitar, but Im glad that other people out there would agree with me that the micro cube is the GOAT. I've always loved the way it sounded for a good 80s tone.
I stumbled upon your video while searching for info about the THR30ii. Was going to get it but then my love for the cube was reignited haha. Enjoy your videos, keep up the great content.
Thanks!
I have a Positive Grid SPARK (great practice amp), but I still use my Micro Cube GX sometimes. At the end of the day, sometimes I just want to practice/play and not fiddle with millions of parameters. The original Micro Cube and now the GX have been in my arsenal for over a decade.
I'd recommend the Micro Cube to any guitarist who doesn't have one. Even if you have a "better" practice amp (it's more boutique, it has more features, more expensive etc), there's still something to be said for the portability (it's tiny), proven durability (I've seen loads of these, and never met one that didn't function perfectly no matter how beat up it was) and sound quality it brings you. It honestly sounds pretty great and covers a lot of ground with it's handful of amp models and simple effects.
As for it being the best practice amp, it probably is. My SPARK is "better" in basically every way, but you can get lost for hours in it just creating sounds and not even playing. That and the complexity and immediate use of performance-enhancing-effects (PEEs lol!) such as compression and noise gating. The latter in particular.
There is value to learning how to be as noiseless as possible with lots of distortion and no noise gate. Get something like a SPARK when you're a beginner and you may end up not noticing for a long time that your general string muting sucks because the noise gate mostly takes care of it for you. Etc.
How much better is the original micro cube than the GX?
@@Joecuzzi I don't think there's really much difference. Like one day you hear it and you think "yeah I like the old one a little more" and then other days you're like "actually no, the gx sounds a little nicer". Just get either lol
@@n64fan60 Ya Elmo says the Classic Stack sounds better on the old one. Does the classic stack sound just as good on both too? I really dig that classic stack sound of the Marshall amp. I've tried to get that with the fender hot rod deluxe using a NUX plexi pedal but I just haven't gotten it dialed in.
@@Joecuzzi Tbh mate I think the difference is as much in the slightly bigger speaker as anything else. I think the stack sounds a little darker on the original, and like elmo I think with the dials at 12 o'clock on both amps, the original stack sounds a little nicer. But like I said before, sometimes I think the gx stack sounds nicer lol.
The stack on the gx is still awesome, it's literally the same amp model. It just sounds a little brighter, but still is a nice little Marshall stack emu. I guess you could roll off the tone a little on the gx stack to match it up?
If there's a huge price difference, don't get conned into paying big money for the original model just get the gx. If you find a good deal on the original then get that.
@@n64fan60 Thank you for the information. That helps alot👍
My Microcube favourite channel was British Combo
Cool!
I was about to purchase a practice amp after seeing videos about the new generation modeling amps ,Vox Cambridge , Boss Katana , Yamaha, etc .Your video reminded me that an old Micro Cube was collecting dust in my attic . Your video will avoid me to waste some money .I will try it with my EVM 12 L or swap the speaker for an Eminence .Thank you Elmo !!
I like the recfier thing. Im thinking of getting this or katana 50.
I've heard the Katana 50 or 100 are great amps, but, they take some patience to get better tones out of them but connecting them to the PC and web and get the app.
and all that, and download patches and whatever with them. Otherwise, I'm not sure the Katanas sound all that great "out of the box." I've read this constantly lately
from reviewers on Amazon, etc., and on here. I've been told the Yamaha desktop amp is good, but I've also read they have issues, so go figure. You might
consider some of the older Vox Valvetronix amps, not Micros, but, they're phenomenal amps with tons of models and features and FX.
How does the older Classic Stack setting sound compared to the newer Classic stack??
It's better :D Hard to say in words.
The R-Fire channel on mine sounds good but im using an EMG equipped guitar as well
Nice job! How does the Micro Cube compare to the Roland 15? Thanks
Dunno
My uncle bought me one of these ones. I fucking love HIM and it. We jam together a lot. It’s my first amp. And I hope itlll be my only
Not a patch on the VOX mini 5 classic - which has everything the Roland has, plus better speakers and LOTS of drum patterns!
A backing band in a box! Effects are pretty much the same, but the Vox is a class above this Roland
The Vox also costs more and it puts out a ton of 60 cycle hum from a single coil pickup equipped guitar.
Amen dude just got one 👊
Cool :)
The rectifier sounded good for me though.
Can you specify what settings you use for each mode on the Roland Micro Cube? For Example Bass, Middle, Treble, Gain...I appreciate that.
Classic Stack: Gain 10, tone to taste.
I have one and love it..can't find the wattage anywhere...what is it?
Can't remember.
You're awesome Elmo... great reviews every time. Question for you... how about the Fender Super Champ X2 which is 15 watts all tube with onboard digital effects including our so much precious delay?
nobody talks about the Fender Mustang V2 for $120. great modeling amp with great effects.
Haven't tried one, so don't know. Sounded good when I looked it up on TH-cam.
Jon Focker I tried the mustang I and the older micro cube is wayyyy better.
My local store has open box Roland Cube-10GX , how does that one compare to the micro cube?
It's pretty good, but a bit dark. I have a video on it, look it up.
For me the Marshall setting is the one of choice - just showing my age ;-) .
John North Haha 😀
Elmo Karjalainen
classic stack= marshall jmp 1987
Brit combo=vox ac30
I crank mine through an old Peavey 8 channel P.A. head. With the 2 2x10 cabinets tuner,compressor, and cry baby on the floor ..Outfknstanding
Great Demo - I just bought a broken Roland 80X at an electronics surplus store kinda cheap. Now - I know I've just got to fix that amp. By the way your English is excellent. My dad was a second generation US Finn and your English is better than his was.
Thanks Daniel! Yeah, the Cube is still a good amp.
Btw, I have a cousin called Daniel Larson (only it's spelled Larsson). Fun coincidence.
sold katana mk2 50w and got micro cube instead xd love it
Where do I buy its adapter. I found one of these in a Pawn Shop but no adapter
Dunno.
Dear Elmo, I’d really like to see a comparison between a Roland Cube JC Clean setting and a Jazz Chorus clean. Is it possible my friend?
Sorry, I don't have a Jazz Chorus.
They always talk about the clean setting on the JC but I think they sound terrible. I love the JC clean setting on the cubes and think it’s better than the JC. Thought I’d ask my friend. If you ever come to Australia, you’re welcome to stay when you visit. Cheers!
Hi. I absolutely love the micro amp!! For the YJM tone, where do u place your tone knob? Thanks
8 or 9 I think.
Elmo could you please show whether this setup - classic stack + boost pedal can chug and play heavier stuff? I am thinking on downsizing
yamaha ga 15, Roland Micro Cube GX Which are better for a beginner ?
Roland for me.
Greetings, and thanks. Could you explain why this amp is considered better than the Cube 10GX, esp considering it’s smaller and (I presume) mostly the same thing.
I just like the Classic Stack on the old one more.
@@MrPolevaulter So i guess other than that they’re the same.
i agree , it is the best amp in the world. i just agree..
Can it be use for mp3 player with phone?
Yep. It has an Aux in on the back.
I love the microcube its a Swiss Army knife. Runs on battery for a long time I mostly use it thru a PA for solo duo gigs quick easy tone twerking. Yes there’s a twerking mod. I run it into a looper. I also have a powered 1/12 open back guitar cabinet that gets loud enough.the GX sucks no 1/4 inch outputs I don’t care about Bluetooth I use acoustic JC Black panel occasionally stack.all my tones are in one box that runs off 6 AA batteries. Efx are useable. No programing .Open mic nite just line out to there PA. Even makes my uke sound good. Loaned it to my wife with a long mic cable. Girl Scout micro pa.get the older model I got 2 and a bass micro cube
But what about switching presets? There’s no foot switch
This or the Spark Mini? A preowned Micro Cube is going for a good price here!
I have and use both.
@Elmo Karjalainen get off that fence Elmo!😄
"More is more, how can less be more!"
I wish I'd seen this video before spending thousands on amps that are not as good as the Micro Cube. :-) I do agree now that the Roland Micro Cube is the best Micro Cube on the market. Your English is very good. Your accent is nowhere near as heavy as that of your compatriots on the Hydraulic Press Channel!
Cheers :)
You can hardly hear any accent in his playing! ;-)
Which gain were you using when testing the pre amps?
Boss Hyper Fuzz as a clean boost.
Brit Combo is an AC30TB model. Not a Bluesbreaker.
my microcube is broken, only the clean sound works now, i need a new one, why do you say the old one is better than the new one, you never made a comparison video or gave a reason why? for me as long as the classic stack and reverb are still intact i am happy
I never did, you're right. The classic stack sounds worse in the new one imo.
@@MrPolevaulter aww man that is the last thing i wanted to hear, thats the only sound on the whole damn amp i use
great presentation... Brilliant
Glad you liked it!
@@MrPolevaulter I bought one.... it is awesome. Cant wait to play in the woods.