Introduction
The Positive Grid Spark Mini is an ultra-portable smart guitar amp designed for practice, jamming, and learning. This compact, battery-powered amp packs professional tones and Bluetooth streaming into a mini pedalboard format.
Weighing just over 2 pounds, the Spark Mini delivers studio-quality tones anywhere you want to play. It’s ideal for guitarists who want pro-level sound for bedroom practice, travel, and mobile performing.
The Spark Mini takes Positive Grid’s acclaimed amp modeling technology and squeezes into a mini format. With a library of amps, effects, and speaker cabinet models, the Spark Mini brings a versatile tonal palette in a pedalboard-sized package.
Bluetooth connectivity turns the Spark Mini into a wireless speaker for jamming along with songs or backing tracks. The integrated rechargeable battery offers untethered performing capability with up to 20 hours of battery life per charge.
But the Spark Mini isn’t just a standard modeling amp in a small enclosure. The integration with Positive Grid’s Spark app unlocks the amp’s smart practice and learning features. Chord recognition, Auto Chords, Smart Jam, and more make the Spark Mini an intelligent practice companion.
For guitarists seeking studio-quality tone in a ultra-portable design, the Spark Mini aims to deliver pro-level performance for practice, travel, and performing on the go. Let’s take a closer look at what this smart mini guitar amp can do.
Unboxing
Inside the box, you’ll find the Spark Mini amp unit, a USB-C charging cable, documentation, and a quick start guide.
The amp itself is nicely packaged in a foam insert to protect it during shipping. Once unboxed, you’ll notice the Spark Mini has a durable metal construction with rubberized edges. Weighing in at just under 2 pounds, it feels sturdy yet portable in hand.
The top panel layout is straightforward, with an encoder knob, buttons for power, Bluetooth, and toggling the built-in effects. The two 2-inch speakers are housed behind a metal grille.
Overall, the contents of the box are minimal, but provide everything needed to get started with the Spark Mini. The amp unit itself makes a solid first impression with its premium build quality and compact, travel-ready design.
First Impressions
Taking the Spark Mini out of the box, the amp has a clean, minimalist look and feel. The plastic enclosure feels sturdy and durable, able to withstand being tossed into a backpack or gig bag without worry.
The control layout is simple and intuitive. There are just a few knobs for volume, gain, EQ, and effects level, plus buttons for power, Bluetooth, and presets. The interface is streamlined for quick access to the most important controls.
At just 2.1 pounds, the Spark Mini has a nice lightweight, portable body that makes it easy to take anywhere. The plastics have a smooth matte texture that feels good in the hand. Build quality seems excellent, with tight tolerances and quality components used throughout.
The dual 2” speakers are protected by a metal grille that feels rigid. The overall impression is that Positive Grid didn’t cut any corners – this is a thoughtfully designed mini amp meant to handle real-world use.
While streamlined, the Spark Mini retains a stylish look. The angular body with chrome accents has an attractive, modern appearance. Attention was paid to aesthetics as well as functionality when designing this amp.
Overall, the Spark Mini makes an excellent first impression with its sturdy build, smart layout, lightweight design, and stylish aesthetics. It looks and feels like a premium, high-quality mini amp meant to keep up with a musician’s active lifestyle.
Key Features & Specs
The Spark Mini packs a surprising amount of power and features into its compact size. Here are some of the key specs:
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10W power output – While not as powerful as a full-size amp, 10 watts is plenty for personal practice and jam sessions. It can get impressively loud for its size.
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Rechargeable battery – The Spark Mini has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to 5 hours of playing time on a full charge. This makes it easy to take wherever you want to practice or perform.
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Bluetooth connectivity – You can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth to stream audio from your phone, tablet, or computer. This allows you to jam along to songs or backing tracks.
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Amp models – The Spark Mini comes loaded with a variety of amp models including clean, crunch, metal, bass, and acoustic guitar sims. This allows you to mimic the sound of classic amps.
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Effects – There are over 10 different effects built-in, covering standards like reverb, delay, chorus, tremolo, phaser, and more. You can use up to 3 effects simultaneously.
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Stereo speakers – Dual 2" speakers provide an immersive, stereo soundstage that belies the Spark Mini’s small size.
With these features, the Spark Mini provides an impressive amount of versatility and functionality for guitarists looking for a portable practice and performance amp. The combination of amp models, effects, and smart features make it stand out from other mini amps.
Sound Quality & Tones
The overall sound quality of the Spark Mini is impressive for such a portable and affordable amp. It utilizes Positive Grid’s ToneCloud amp modeling technology to accurately recreate the sound and response of real tube amps.
When testing it out, the clean tones have a shimmery, glassy quality reminiscent of classic Fender combos like the Deluxe Reverb. The low end is tight while the highs remain crystalline. The British amp models like the Plexi and JTM45 have that unmistakable midrange growl and singing highs when cranked.
Metal and high gain tones are surprisingly brutal, with plenty of gain on tap for searing leads. The modern high gain channel has a very refined, tight low end but can still dial in massive amounts of distortion. Palm mutes really chug and cut through.
The effects are studio-quality, offering versatile options like tape-style delay, plate reverb, flanger, phaser, and more. The modulation effects sound lush without being overdone. Delay and reverb tails decay naturally. Everything remains clear even when multiple effects are stacked.
Overall the tones easily rival more expensive amps, with realistic dynamic response. The stereo speakers provide a wide, immersive soundstage that belies the Spark Mini’s small size. It handles anything from sparkling cleans to high gain metal with aplomb.
Spark App Integration
The Spark app unlocks the full potential of the Spark Mini amp. With the app, you get features like Auto Chords, backing tracks, and deep editing tools.
Auto Chords
One of the coolest features is Auto Chords. Simply connect your guitar to the Spark Mini, launch the app, and start playing any song. The app will detect the chords you’re playing in real-time and display them on screen. This makes learning songs incredibly easy, since you don’t need to lookup chord diagrams or tabs. The Auto Chords feature works surprisingly well, even with complex jazz chords and intricate fingerpicking patterns.
Backing Tracks
Another great app feature is the backing track player. The Spark app comes loaded with backing tracks in every genre, from rock and pop to blues and country. You can slow down the tempo, loop sections, and jam along to improve your playing skills. The backing tracks turn the Spark Mini into a versatile practice and jamming tool.
Presets
The Spark app makes it easy to craft your own custom tones. You can tweak amp models, effects, EQ and more. Once you’ve dialed in the perfect sound, you can save it as a preset in the app. You can store an unlimited number of presets and access them from your phone. The deep editing and preset sharing fosters a community around creating great tones.
By connecting your Spark Mini to the app, you unlock tools for practice, playing songs, and tone crafting. It’s what really makes this smart amp live up to its name.
Spark Mini vs Spark 40
The Spark Mini and Spark 40 share the same amp models and effects, but differ in a few key areas that guitarists should consider when deciding between the two.
Power Output – The Spark Mini is rated at 10W, while the Spark 40 bumps this up to 40W. The extra power gives the Spark 40 more clean headroom and better performance with a live drummer or band. The Mini may start to break up and distort earlier when playing at higher volumes.
Speakers – The Spark Mini has two 2" speakers, while the Spark 40 has a 4" speaker. The larger speaker can push more air and provide fuller low end. However, the Mini’s two speakers give it nice stereo separation.
Portability – At 1.65 lbs, the Spark Mini is extremely lightweight and portable. The Spark 40 weighs almost double at 3.3 lbs. For maximum portability, the Mini may be preferable.
Battery Life – With its smaller power output, the Spark Mini is rated for 6 hours of battery life. The Spark 40 only gets 3 hours before needing a recharge. For extended jam sessions, the Mini may be better.
Price – The Spark Mini retails for around $219, while the Spark 40 costs $299. If budget is a main concern, the more affordable Mini provides great value. But the Spark 40 adds more power for not much more cost.
Overall, the Spark Mini is best for practice, personal jamming, travel, and recording. The Spark 40 suits guitarists who play with drums or bands and need the extra power. Both are great smart practice amps with the same core features – the power and portability are the main trade-offs.
Comparisons to Other Mini/Portable Amps
The Spark Mini stands up well when compared to other popular mini guitar amps on the market. Here’s a look at how it stacks up:
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Fender Mustang Micro: The Fender Mustang Micro is another ultra-portable modeling amp that connects to an app for effects/tones. It’s limited to 1W of power, while the Spark Mini has 10W for more volume. The Spark has a larger speaker, longer battery life, and more amp/effect models. However, the Micro is a bit more affordable.
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Vox amPlug: The Vox amPlug series are tiny headphone guitar amps, not standalone amps. They offer decent tones and effects, but no Bluetooth streaming or app control. The Spark Mini is much more versatile as a mini amp and Bluetooth speaker.
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Blackstar Fly: The Blackstar Fly 3 is a portable 3W amp. It’s simpler than the Spark with no app connectivity or effects. The Spark Mini surpasses it for versatility. But the Fly 3 is a rugged, straightforward option.
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Positive Grid Spark: The full-size 40W Spark combo amp has more power, larger speakers, and footswitch control. But it lacks the ultra-portable design. The Mini retains the core features at a lower price point and size.
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Boss Katana Air: The Boss Katana Air is a wireless guitar amp similar to the Spark Mini. It edges out the Spark in power at 15W, but has a shorter battery life. The Spark Mini offers comparable tones and features in an even more compact form.
Overall, the Spark Mini holds its own against the top mini amps. Its smart features, app integration, quality tones, and Bluetooth audio make it one of the most versatile options for portable playing and practice. It hits a sweet spot between power, performance and portability.
Drawbacks
The Spark Mini does have some limitations that are worth considering before purchasing.
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The 10W power output may not be loud enough for jamming with a full band or playing live shows. It’s designed for personal practice and intimate performances. Guitarists who need more volume may want to consider the 40W Spark or a larger amp.
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There is a reliance on the mobile app for deeper tone editing and effects. Without your phone/tablet, you are limited to the physical knobs on the amp itself. This may be an inconvenience for some users.
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It lacks an XLR or USB audio interface output for silent recording or interfacing with a DAW. You’ll need to mic the amp or use the headphone/line out.
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The control layout is fairly simple with just a few knobs. Guitarists used to more robust physical controls on larger amps may find it limiting.
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Some users report shorter than expected battery life during extended jam sessions or band practices. The battery life could be improved to allow for more uninterrupted play time.
Overall the drawbacks are relatively minor. The Spark Mini delivers excellent tone and features for personal practice and portable use cases. Just be aware of its limitations compared to larger amps before purchasing. It may not be the right solution for every guitarist’s needs.
Final Verdict
The Spark Mini delivers an impressive array of features and functionality in a compact, portable package. For bedroom guitarists, students, or anyone needing a grab-and-go amp for practice, jamming, or busking, the Spark Mini is hard to beat.
The amp models and effects sound great, especially considering the Mini’s diminutive size and lower power output. While it won’t keep up with a full-size tube amp at gigging volumes, it provides more than enough volume and tone shaping ability for personal practice applications.
The smart features like Auto Chords, backing tracks, and deep editing via the Spark app make this much more than just a basic practice amp. The level of tone customization and practice tools available help take your playing to the next level.
Most importantly, the Spark Mini represents an outstanding value. For under $300 you get pro-level tones and features typically only found in amps costing twice as much. When you factor in the Bluetooth streaming and battery-powered operation, the Spark Mini becomes an incredibly versatile tool for nearly any guitarist’s needs.
If you’re looking for the ultimate portable smart guitar amp, the Spark Mini should be at the top of your list. It empowers guitarists to practice, jam, teach or perform anywhere without sacrificing great tone. For bedroom players or frequent travelers, the Spark Mini is quite simply one of the best mini guitar amps available today.