Musicians looking for a practice amp might want to check out Positive Grid’s Spark Mini. It’s a compact guitar amp that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker. Honest to god, this is one of my favorite things ever. It’s loud, light, and portable. I never thought I needed it so badly.
I first thought this little thing might just be a novelty, like a bootleg amp. I was surprised to see and hear it’s a genuine amp. It’s got the knobs and everything. The Spark Mini packs a 10-watt Class-D amplifier, a pair of angled speakers for stereo sound, and a passive radiator for punchy bass. Its case is made from premium materials which offer excellent acoustic properties.
This thing runs on a USB-rechargeable battery so that you can use it anywhere, and it’ll run for up to 8 hours on a charge. In addition to a 1/4″ guitar input, the Spark Mini has a 3.5mm auxiliary input and a 3.5mm headset/line out jack for private jam sessions or recording with its built-in effects applied.
The accompanying mobile app is basically a virtual pedalboard that gives you tons of control over effects. There are a lot of presets, including user-generated ones. It’s incredible and one of my favorite things about the Spark Mini.
As a Bluetooth speaker, it offers good bass and is nice and loud. If you bring this to a party, you’ll be heard. I also like how you can play your Bluetooth songs while playing your instrument, making it very convenient for practice.
One thing that holds the Spark Mini back a little is the tuner. It’s hard to read, and I can’t tell if I tuned my bass correctly. The amp is incredible nonetheless. If I had to rate the Spark Mini on a scale from 1 to 10, it would be a solid 8. I’d definitely recommend this to anyone who doesn’t have a pedalboard or for anyone looking for a high-quality Bluetooth speaker.
Due out in May, the first batch of Spark Minis has already sold out, but if you order now, you can still get one in June or July, with the June batch selling for $195 and the July batch for $199. Those are more than 10% off the $229 MSRP and include a free crimson grille you can swap out.