Boss Katana Go Headphone Amp

The Boss Katana GO is made of... so-so materials. Light plastic, irritatingly small controls – overall, the device feels like a toy, not a descendant of bulletproof and armored pedals.

None of this matters in the slightest though. Plugging it in immediately puts a smile on your face (just remember to wear your headphones). The sound is... good enough – it's not mind-blowing, which is fine for a toy. But it does have the two best, and most important features:

1. The Katana GO can be connected via Bluetooth to TWO devices simultaneously. I have the app running on my phone to control the device – so clicking mini-buttons is not a pain anymore – and, at the same time, I have my computer paired via Bluetooth. Music is played from there. And that's the key.

2. Stage Feel mode: absolutely brilliant. It sounds awful, but... yet it's so much fun! In simple terms, it allows you to pan channels - for example, L (guitar) and R (stereo BT music input) in your headphones. You can add reverb and distance. In practice, this means you have a mediocre-sounding guitar on the left channel, and even worse-sounding audio from the YouTube channel of the guy teaching you tabs... Yet They Create Magic. It seems bad, it seems ugly, but suddenly – for the first time in your life – you feel like a band member.

I used to pick up my guitar whenever the urge struck. Now I want to pick it up every day. And I DO. And I jam to my favourite songs from 20 years ago every day.

If you demand precision, good sound, and stage-worthy quality from your equipment – ​​keep scrolling, this is a toy. But this toy... This toy has allowed me to have fun with my guitar for the first time in my life. I'm no longer playing guitar parts – I'm part of the song, part of the band.

In a medium-sounding, plastic arrangement. Decide for yourself what's most important to you!

Since many years I am buying headphone amps for guitar. They shall be very usefull for practicing when on the road. But, untill now they all have one of the following:
- teriible compression
- very limited sound customization options
- crappy sound

Last week I bough new Katana 3 (previous two I was returning after few days) and also - brand new Katana.GO (I had the previous one, but destroyed it on very first day, after demonstrating to my wife, how I can fit it in the pocket of my jeans. I torn the bloody potetiometer ring) (yes, I have 8 kilo overweight).
Anyway. This time both (the Katana 3 and Katana Go) stay with me!

The new GO does not have that huge potentiometer knob (instead it is small ring on the side (like in many headphone amps before). It fits in the pocket of jeans ;-)

SOUND
Bloody Lora, it DOES sound like Katana. I made few presets on Katana 50Ex. I imported those presets to GO. They do sound the same. Which is amazing! That means, if you use any Katana and have your presets, you may now import those presets to GO and have your guitar sound on the go (I mean on the go, but also on the GO)! A-ma-zing!

VERSATILITY
- You may use it as headphone amp.
- You may use it as practice amp with backing tracks.
- You may use it as audio player (it plays your music tracks).
- You may use it (when connected to FS-1-WL as full (backup) guitar rig.
- You may use it as audio interface for computer or tablet/phone.
- You may use it as small recording studio to record ideas on-the-go.
- You may smash it on the ground and stamp on it to de-stress yourself (not recommended).

PRICE
You see it. For all those features not really expensive.

BOSS Tone Studio for Katana Go - works well and is usefull (althought somehow limited, I am using also different software).

BAD SIDE
There is one. Roland for reasons known only to them decided not to write everything in the manual. Or in other words - User's Manual is crap. Missing few important points (eg. How to properly connect BOTH bluetooth interfaces to your tablet/phone to have playback in your hedphones). Manual is bad. The rest is amazing!

As I mentioned, I have at least dozen of different headphone amps for guitar, and they all landed after very short time in drawers with other trash. If there will be no sudden problems with battery life Katana GO definitely will stay with me! Very well designed and well sounding product!