FIRST PLAY
For its latest addition, Boss has crammed a full Katana amplifier into a tiny headphone-amp format – and its long list of features and tones makes it practically irresistible
The near-universal popularity of Boss’s Katana range shows no sign of slowing down, with a full range of affordable digital amplification covering every need –from big stages and arenas, to pubs, clubs and the home. The latest product to bear the Katana name, the Katana:Go headphone amplifier, is the smallest yet and likely to become another success story for Boss.
The Katana:Go is small enough to fit in your pocket and exquisitely designed, with the same attention to detail lavished on all Boss products. As you might expect, it’s not exactly bristling with knobs and switches, and yet the various small buttons and volume-control wheel handle everything you might need, and they’re intuitive to use so after a while you don’t really need to look at them any more.
On the lower side, from a plugged-in perspective, you’ll find an on/off switch with a charge indicator LED that glows red when the battery is low, amber when charging, and green when fully charged. Two more button switches manage the Katana:Go’s Bluetooth connection and a Stage Feel 3D ambience effect.
On the opposite side, nearest the player when plugged in, there’s aBank Up/Down switch that also operates the tuner, together with three patch selection buttons labelled A, Band C. On the top face is a small monochrome display and the volume control, with a 3mm stereo jack socket for your headphones and aUSB-C socket on the back face. The integral jack plug is hinged and folds to accommodate angled and straight jack sockets, covering practically all guitars. Thoughtful soft pads on the underside protect your guitar’s finish.
The key to the Katana:Go’s power is software, rather than hardware. Aspecially designed version of Boss’s Tone Studio app connects via Bluetooth and lets you access the five famous Katana amp voices, each with a second variation. EQ controls include Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Cabinet Resonance, this last one with a choice of Deep, Vintage and Modern modes.
There are dozens of effects to choose from, covering all the bases you might need in the overdrive, distortion, modulation, delay and reverb departments, plus seven different signal chains to arrange them in. There’s also not one but two parametric EQs and a noise gate, with yet another global EQ lurking in the system settings. The Katana:Go also unleashes 3D audio in its clever Stage Feel mode, which gives you the impression of aband playing behind you, either in a hall or a studio, with your virtual amp in front or be
