I find the overall sound very bass heavy.....anyone else?
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@wellestad If you post that video on youtube others here might be able to tell you if it sounds normal. Although some fidelity will be lost depending on what's recording the audio. But if it's super bad, that might not matter so much. (I'd like to hear it so I know what to look for when mine is eventually delivered.)
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@cbrandst Even with the fidelity loss the difference is very noticeable, so I am confident this is not by design. I plan on sharing the video soon, I just want to be fair and give PG time to address it before uploading.
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@wellestad can you keep me updated as mine too is very bass heavy! I reported it and was told to change position in room and surface but that's not an appropriate answer.
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@spikethelizard No worries, I will keep any news on it in this thread.
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@spikethelizard said in I find the overall sound very bass heavy.....anyone else?:
@wellestad can you keep me updated as mine too is very bass heavy! I reported it and was told to change position in room and surface but that's not an appropriate answer.
It's a fair point, you should try it. If your spark is on a hard surface it'll be a lot more bass heavy than on a soft surface. If it's on the floor against a wall it'll be the same.
Seriously, try it on different surfaces and heights/angles. It definitely makes a difference.
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@k-mcg totally get the science behind their suggestion and get what your saying.
However... It only makes a little bit of difference, whereas having some way to reduce bass on the amp or app would help. At the min turning the bass knob right down on amp or app makes little to no difference. It sounds muddy no matter if it's on a clean, crunch or even acoustic setting. The metal setting is just plain noise and notes and power chords changes are even sometimes drowned out and undistinguishable. A far cry from the YouTube sponsored videos.
Moving around a room or playing on table, floor or amp stand makes no difference. As others have confirmed too... It's definitely bass orientated ☹️ gutted
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@spikethelizard
I'm in broad agreement here, the bass is strong but it can be mitigated somewhat. I will say that the stock crunch/metal etc., tones on the amp dial are not great. Much better to fiddle about and create your own using the app.
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So, here is my story. I sent a few video clips of my amp to PG. I used a looper pedal to make things easy. I compared the Spark to a VOX mini3 since the speakers were about the same size. I also ran the same loop out of the headphone out and USB. When I ran the videos through a spectrum analyzer I found the Spark speakers dropped out in the upper mid/high where the Vox, headphone, and USB did not. PG offered to replace the unit. I took them up on the offer and tested the new unit. The new unit still had some dipping on a couple frequencies, but overall there were more highs to the sound from the speakers. I can understand where PG is coming from, the unit is bass heavy, but I believe mine had some minor issues with the speakers.
I do want to make clear that throughout the process PG handled my issues as good as any company could. The return process was quick and easy and the support staff were polite and respectful. I have no issue with purchasing more products from PG based on my experience. (Your mileage may vary of course..)
Looking ahead, I want to figure out how to get the sound from the headphones coming out of the speakers. That headphone sound is so good... I think I will keep playing with the Spark how it is, maybe put some inexpensive tweeters, or maybe a speaker out. I have a feeling the Spark would sound phenomenal through a 12" speaker.
As to the other suggestions on room placement; placement & direction definitely has an effect on the sound. I had already tried multiple locations, heights, and directions within my room to no satisfaction prior to reaching out to PG.
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Let’s remind ourselves the Spark is a $200 amp mass produced in China. Many pedals cost more.
It is not a hand-wired boutique amp or an off-the-shelf $800 amp. It’s an inexpensive product.
If PG could add a virtual equalizer pedal that could help. I use a Strat, and with amp treble way up and bass dialed down I can’t complain, it’s sounds fine. I don’t know if quality control is inconsistent with product shipped. It very well could be. For players willing to spend a little more the BBE Sonic Stomp pedal could remedy complaints of “bass heavy tones” and lack of brilliance and treble.
Sure the Spark has a bass heavy tone with some settings, but in my experience it helps when the amp is used at very low bedroom and living room volumes. Many of us want to use it at very low volume settings. -
Not noticing this. Mine is in the great room in the middle of a wall that is about 24' long with a cathedral ceiling. It's sitting on a low cabinet about 34" high and a foot away from the wall. Most of the settings I have been working with have tone controls at and around 9 o'clock to 2 o'clock as with a normal amp for me.
Just a suggestion but I find amps such as these or monitors in a studio don't sit on a direct axis in front especially as the volume goes up. The highs will "deaden" your ears rather quickly and it will start to sound a little muffled and you start turning up the highs to make up and it gets worse. Try stopping for 10 minutes then go back and see how it sounds. -
@stratobiker Try raising the SPARK a little, isolate it from the tabletop or floor with foam (made for isolating studio monitors), or with whatever you have.
Like with any combo amp, set it on the floor and you get more bass. You could also run an EQ pedal into the front. I use a BOSS Bass EQ. I always use it on Fender amps to tame “bass flub”, it tames those low frequencies and has a boost if you want. I suppose the regular BOSS EQ pedal would work but for low freq.. the Bass EQ is great and they are pretty cheap. -
@wellestad Couldn’t you run through a USB interface and out to a FRFR powered speaker, or two... maybe even just run from the headphone jack to FRFR powered monitors or speakers?
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@jbow52 I have done that, the Spark headphone out, and run it through my home entertainment center, I have the Spark in my living room instead of my studio. That was fine but I like the sound of the guitar out of the Spark so now I run my tablet headphone out to the entertainment center so backing tracks and jams go there but the Spark plays the guitar.
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@stinger0625 said in I find the overall sound very bass heavy.....anyone else?:
@jbow52 I have done that, the Spark headphone out, and run it through my home entertainment center, I have the Spark in my living room instead of my studio. That was fine but I like the sound of the guitar out of the Spark so now I run my tablet headphone out to the entertainment center so backing tracks and jams go there but the Spark plays the guitar.
Cool. I have several interfaces, I’m sure one has a USB in, or at least line ins. I’ll try it to see how it goes. Are you running line in to your entertainment center or Bluetooth? I’m wondering about latency with Bluetooth. I’m using a sound bar in the LR, which is where I play too but it also has line in. I wish the SPARK had stereo line out TRS. That would be huge. -
@jbow52 I have a few ideas about routing, but I want to keep the portability. For now I am happy with the new amp.
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I have found it to be very bassy if I am right in front of the amp, but if I raise the amp off the table, and stand, so that it is not directly at me... it's much better and clearer.. I think the issue is not the speakers but the bass port. the port is good for music, but not for guitars. I may mod the port and try that
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@jbow52 said in I find the overall sound very bass heavy.....anyone else?:
Are you running line in to your entertainment center or Bluetooth? I’m wondering about latency with Bluetooth. I’m using a sound bar in the LR, which is where I play too but it also has line in. I wish the SPARK had stereo line out TRS. That would be huge.
Out the head phone ON THE TABLET using a 1/8" stereo to dual RCA adapter line into the AUX in on the home entertainment. I had to get a RCA dual switch box because I also have a turntable that uses that same AUX in and didn't want to have to be digging around the back plugging and unplugging the Spark and Phono (the turntable has a built in phono pre-amp so it sends a line level signal". So actually go to the switch box then entertainment center.
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I hope there is a fix for the muddy sound through a firmware update. I find it hard to believe that all those youtubers that received their Spark Amps in advance to review didn't mention this incredibly obvious bass heavy issue. Even a telecaster sounds muddy.
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yes, but most of us watchers never really paid attention to what level the bass knob was on in those utube vids.
I found if I kept my bass knob below 1/4, it worked fine.
Completely opposite to using a regular amp where my bass knob was always 3/4 and over -
I used the "Spoken Word" EQ setting and it seems to level it out well.