Roland MicroCube Combo

I'm the guy who's coming up with mods for this amp.

This amp is a wonder! Inside this little 2 watt beauty is not only a 2 watt amplifier, DSP effects but all is controlled by it's own CPU!

So far, I've added a speaker out, and a footswitch jack that allows me to switch between the Vox, Marshall and Mesa Dual Rectifier models. I chose those three because they are close enough in volume to be useful.

The CPU has a 7 pin pad that the service manual calls "for ONBOARD PROGRAM". Hopefully someday I'll meet a computer wiz that can tell me how to access this. There is also another 3 pin pad that is called "for DSP Edit." This might just take a pot...I'm not sure. It might be a midi port. I'll experiment with this.

It is also possible to mod this to be able to use the internal power amp even when using the headphones/record out. Stock, plugging into the REC OUT/PHONES turns off the power amp.

It also looks like it would be easy to add footswitchs to the modulation and delay effects.

I'm having a ball with this amp. The AC30 model is great!

I may put in a 20 watt power amp chip.

I use:

A Les Paul Standard, with stock pickups and a Christian acoustic bridge pickup.

A heavily modded '68 Tele with a Duncan Hot Rails in the bridge, a Duncan Classic Strat Stack in the middle and a Lace Sensor Tele pickup in the neck, along with series/parallel switches for the Duncans and a Fishman Power Bridge.

A Westone with a Fishman power bridge tremelo, Duncan Trembucker and two EMG passive humbucking strat pickups.

An old Harmony with tremelo and two experimental PJ Marx humbuckers that never made it to market. In parallel they have a Gretch vibe.

A 12 string I made out of a 70's Epiphone acoustic bolt on neck, maple body, EMG pickups, a Hot Rails in the middle and a Christian acoustic bridge.

This amp is just great! The only criticism is that the models are different volumes. I hope to crack the CPU someday and remedy this.

I break it...I fix it...I don't need no stinking repair department!

It has held up to my rewiring...that's saying alot.

Roland/Boss has been great. I bought the service manual, and when I called about the schematic being unreadable, they e-mailed me the manual on pdf.

I void the warranty of anything I buy with the first hour of ownership.

I've been playing since I was 14 in 1960 something or other...(the use of non-prescription, recreational pharmacuticals may have altered my memory.)

If lost or stolen, I'd use my GPS system to locate the amp, and would not only recover it in short order, but will reward the thief with his/her choice of a 9mm hollowpoint, or a .45 slug through the palm of their left hand. (My sweetheart just bought me a nice .45 Ruger Vacquero...a cowboy style pistol.) Thieves have to be taught a lesson.

Don't you all agree?

This amp is unlike all other practice amps, be they current or old designs. This computer controlled wonder ain't your mommie's Pignose!

Roland could have used a LITTLE more power. But for 2 watts it's absolutely great. We have a Pignose, and the venerable Pignose is old news.

I've had the amp for six months or so. I bought it because I hoped it would work well as a portable PA--it has a "microphone" input setting. And I thought it would probably also be a good, portable practice amp.

I've used it with a variety of guitars. As a practice amp with headphones, it is great. I take it on trips for practicing in the hotel room. It provides a satisfying sound without external effects or stomp boxes, so it's very easy to set up and use anywhere--particularly since you can use it with battery power. I have some awesome tube amps (I particularly like the THD Univalve), so I don't play guitar through it that much.

BUT, I particularly want to say how useful it is as a very portable PA system. I am a professor, and I use it for lecturing in large classrooms where my voice would be strained talking loudly enough to be easily heard in the back of the room. It has a microphone setting that provides a clean, very balanced, natural sound, and it is loud enough to do a good job in a big room. I use it with a Shure wireless mic with a Beta 58 capsule, and I am really enthusiastic about it. It has transformed my teaching experience--like moving from a truck with manual steering to a sedan with power steering.

It has been very reliable. Most Roland stuff seems sturdy, and this little amp feels very solid. The case is well designed with heavy molded protection at the corners and edges, and the metal grille provides complete protection for the speaker. The controls on top are easy to get to and not likely to get banged up.

I have several Roland products, and they have all been so reliable that I have never had to deal with the company.

Been playing 40 years. I have tons of gear. I don't know of anything better for my purposes, so I would replace it with another one if something happened to it.

I love the sound, the portability, and the rugged design. No complaints. The only thing I would change would be to have the wall wart built in so I could use a regular power cord for AC power.

Bought this little guy new in 2005 to use as a practice amp. I have 2 large Fenders but can't use them in my apartment.

Controls are all on top. It has 1 tone, 1 gain, 1 vol and 1 reverb control. It has a 7 selector switch for the amp model you want to play. They are: Acoustic, JC Clean, BF Panel, British, Stack Classic, R-Fire and mic. It also has a single control knob for Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Tremolo. It runs in AC power or 6-AA Batteries. I believe it has either a 6" or 8" speaker.

Amp, Record and Hphone jacks are on the back with the power switch. I wish they had placed the power switch on the top or up front but there really isn't much room.

I would like to see a stomp box to enable or disable the effects. I don't like stopping to twist a knob to another position. It's just a practice amp so I guess they wanted to keep the cost down.

I checked out several other practice amps but none had the modeling effects and range this one has.

It's a practice amp so I will judge it as such. It's not a vintage Marshall.

I like the COSM amp modeling. I get a good tone at low volume which is what I wanted in a practice amp. It can be as clean as glass or as nasty as any distortion you can imagine. Bypass the speaker and go with some good headphones and you'll take a second and even third look at it when you hit your first note. It;s like a completely different amp. It's that good.

The amp models are fair but the effects are much better. The reverb can be turned up to create a sound that is pretty wet. Turning up the gain at about two thirds with the amp selector to BF Classic or British does a respectable job of reproducing that tone.

I just got it so I can't say anything about reliability. It's about the size of a car battery and feels very solid. Corners and sides show no weakness and the controls are either smooth or positive dependng on which one you are on.

Have had no reason to contact them but I did check out the amp and some sounds clips at the Roland website. Hearing the clips helped me with my decision. I'll give them a score for providing the info I needed to help with my decision.

I've been playing on and off for a few years and I'm a long way from being ready for prime-time. I needed a small amp I could practice on and still get my tone. I checked out this amp at a local store and then checked many other practice amps, Fender, Line 6, and a few more that I can't remember. I found nothing that suited my needs better than the Micro-Cube. I could care less about the battery option but for anyone wanting to jam out in a park someplace this would be the one to take. It's plays super clean for acoustic or down and dirty if you want to go that route.

I bought it first because I wanted a practice amp, then because it had the best tone and features to go with it. I give it a ten as a practice amp.

In my review I never referred to it as a toy or beginner amp, although it would be fine for that and I saw many of those those as well. They had volume, tone, gobs of distortion and not much else. The Roland Micro Cube has many of the same features someone with more advanced skills would want to have and carry along with them on the bus or take to a hotel room.

This amp is a little wonder! Being two watts it should be compared to amps like the original Pignose, and not to practice amps using 8" speakers and a 10-15 watt amp chip.

This amp has 6 amp models and a mic model. The headphone jack doubles as a frequency compensated record out. Looking at the schematic, the frequency compensation is also sent to the speaker. The speaker is interesting as a second ceramic magnet has been added to the speaker's magnet. Anyone taking the speaker out will see the added ceramic donut.

I have added a speaker out jack which switches out the internal speaker when used. I will be adding a line out (that will leave the internal speaker on) and a jack for an external footswitch to access the 6 amp models. Stay tuned to Chad's mod website http://www.maggiemedia.com/microcube/ for any mods I come up with.

Forget about changing the levels of the different amp models or adding additional tone controls. These features are part of a propriatory digital chip and aren't user changeable.

I love the AC30 model in this amp. The compression mimics the cathode bias of the actual Vox well.

I have many guitars including a Les Paul, heavily modded Tele, Explorer, 60's Harmony, and several others. My girlfriend and I build guitars and I mod every guitar I get my hands on for maximum versatility. All guitars have humbuckers with series/parallel capabilities and piezo bridges. This little amp is amazing. The clean tones DO distort at high volumes, but what do you expect from a 2 watt practice amp. The distortions are great. We own most of the amps modelled, including the Mesa Dual Rectifier and the amp is close enough.

I haven't had it long, but it is servicable. I purchased the service manual so I'm ready if it breaks down. It is largely digital and there is a service sequence to test the operation which would pinpoint the problem area. It is so compact and tough, I doubt I'll have any trouble with it.

I purchased the service manual ($14 including shipping) from Roland. The schematic was unreadable so I called Roland to complain. They immediately e-mailed me the service manual in pdf. and the schematic there was readable once blown up (at Kinko's).

I do my own repairs, thank you.

(FWIW, I was asked not to pass on the pdf manual. They sent it to me because I PAID for the hard copy and the hard copy was unreadable. I will respect their request not to give out the manual as I don't want to jepardize any future dealings with Roland.)

I've been playing since 1967 and have been repairing, building and modding amps for 25 years or more. If stolen or lost, the chip I added will allow me to find the amp and if stolen, I will treat the perp to a 9mm hollowpoint through his hand to teach him or her a needed lesson. I can locate any equipment of mine within minutes of finding it gone. I had too much equipment ripped off over the years and won't take it anymore. If you steal from me, expect to get caught, expect to be prosecuted, and expect to be taught a life changing lesson. Please don't test me. I'm too good a shot as is my girlfriend.

I love this little amp. The features including the amp models, separate reverb/delay and modulation effects are an unbelievable value. Most of us have spent far more for effects pedals that aren't as versatile.

I do wish it were a little more power, but I'm not complaining. I look forward to sharing mods for this little gem with other owners.

I've just bought this amp (aug 2005) and cannot complain about the features at all. I won't list all the features it has as this has been said in many previous reviews. For ?69 I think it would be churlish to complain about the quality even if they were only passable but the features on this amp are absolutley fine for this PRACTICE amp. I don't know what some of the reviewers expect from this little box. Its a practice amp. Simple as that and a dammed fine one at that. Its certainly loud enough for personal practice or even with a mate or two. Probably would struggle a bit against a drum kit. I can't agree with the comments about this being a toy. This is good musical equipment. Its solid, very solid. My Marshall MS4 stack is more of a toy.

I play various styles from rock to pop and loads in between. This amp covers the lot. OK so its a little boxy but its only got a 5 inch speaker for Cliff's sake. Of course its going to be boxy! Not even Roland can alter the laws of physics. I keep coming back to this, ITS A PRACTICE AMP. Noise wise, its quiet at low to middle volumes but gets a bit noisier at high volume / distorted settings. As far as I am concerned, all the amp settings do as they say. I've owned many amps over the years so please believe me. I linked the output from the Cube into my Marshall AVT and the JC 120 setting sounded brilliant with a touch of chorus.

I've owned a few Roland things in the past and they've all been fine. Hope this keeps up the good work. I wouldn't gig with it as its a practice amp but its going on holiday with me in two weeks time and I fully expect it will be working when I get back.

Never needed to contact Roland.

In the 30 years I've been playing guitar, I've owned many many types of equipment so I feel that my experience is worth taking note of. Only a few years ago you would have paid a fortune for this quality equipment. At this price I'm astonished at what's been achieved. OK, so it doesn't have multi channel switching, in depth FX editing, sound exactly like a Boogie / Marshall mega watt multi stack on 11 etc but for a ?69 small box with a 5 inch speaker its bloody marvellous! Go get one. REMEMBER, ITS A PRACTICE AMP.

Everything you'd need from a practice amp. Nothing else in the price range comes close... phenominal modeling. I cannot understand anyone not being able to clean up the distortions by merely turning down the volume on your guitar. Learn how to play, then review. I wouldn't expect a 5 watt amp with a little speaker to be loud... just run it out to a big amp to hear what it can really do.

The COSM modeling is so good that I'm using this as a preamp for the distortions. The R-FIER setting is the bestest over-the-top crunch I've ever used in a processer. I play a lot of styles, and this amp is amazing. Although the effects section is limited, again, what can you expect for this price?

No problems. On batteries it only lasts a few hours. So get some rechargables if you have to. Otherwise use the AC adapter.

Never had a problem. Roland has been responsive for me in the past.

Been playing 30 years. I suppose that saying that I'm using it as a preamp says enough. I run it into a Behringer GMX212, which is 50 watts RMS per side in stereo. As a practice amp it's spot on perfect with headphones or just sitting on a desk in front of me. I went on a hunt to see if Roland puts this COSM modeling in any rack unit - yes, if you want to spend $800! Forget that. It's doing everything I need as it stands. I would like a rack unit as I use MIDI to switch my gear's patches between songs. But, for now, this is golden, diamond gear.

This is just a fun amp I have used at home a bit, but I really got it to have for NGW workshops I have attended the last two summers. I have cared for it well. It is just a fun amp with some COSM modeling and some effects with pretty good output for such a toy looking amp. I like the Brit Combo setting. Though I acquired an extra power supply, certain that would fail quickly, mine has not failed in over a year. My rating is based on the amp's intention....fun toy.

The Micro is pretty good if you play with distortion, but it just will not clean up...at least with anything left. That makes it fun to mess with, but not of much sound versatility. I guess the emulations are OK, but no one could really expect anything more than what you get. It is cool though.

Mine died last night which is why I thought I would contribute. I got a year of partial service out of it. Now it is just spastic. Something has failed. I worked on the problem for quite some time last night and I think it is dead. I don't know of any warranty, and what can you really do with a $125 amp? I think it should have been more durable given the care it received and the limited service.

Forget about it. No one would talk to me today. Anyway, remember it is a $125 amp.

Great while it lasted.

Made in 2004. It has all of the features as listed below and on the site. The main things I like are the Brit Combo and Classic Stack modes -- very usable and pleasant sounding. Also, this has an Aux in for a cd/MP3 player to jam-a-long with. The best feature is the line out function. You can run a line out direct to either record or play through a PA wthout the speaker cutting out -- see below.

I use Ibanez SA160s modded with Dimarzio pickups, proco cables, and a Boss SD1 for signal boost into my amp. I have gone direct from guit to cable into the MCube as well. I play primarily rock music and this amp does that well. If you play clean and jack the vol past 2 O'clock, you will get cabinet buzz. It's a 5" speaker, so this is expected. The COSM modeling is something my ears like -- warm and articulate, not trebly and bright like the Korg REMS technology. This amp sounds very passable through a PA. I played a gig with this amp connected via its line/headphone out directly into a keys amp. it sounded phenomenal -- warm, a little bassy, but chunky and thick. The tones of this amp are well worth the $125.00 price. But the versatility is more than worth the price.

It fell over during a rehearsal and the speaker was pierced through the holes in the metal grill. My misfortune, not Roland's fault. Very solidly built, but it is built in CHINA so inspect and beware.

Called ROland for replacement speaker. Very friendly and curteous. The speaker was available for $10.00 plus $5.00 shipping. If they sent the speaker for free, they would get a 10.

I really like this amp AND HAVE OWNED IT FOR ALMOST A YEAR -- NOT A HONEYMOON REVIEW. I have played it through the front end of a Fender Stage 112SE clean and it sounds very convincing. THis is not a tube or tube-sounding amp. It is a transistor amp that sounds very pleasing and passable. I have owned many, many amps anf guitars in the past 20 years. This ranks among the most usable for utility and tone. Very little in this world is a 10!

This was an impulse buy - I already have 2 amps and amp modelers, but thought this amp was too cute. But since I've bought this little amp, it's the only amp I'm using! As noted by other reviewers, for a 2W practice amp, it's quite loud - I haven't turned volume past 5. I just love it. Quite versatile: I play some acoustic songs and mess around with some metal stuff. In the beginning I just used the AC adapter, but the last couple of days I've been playing with 6 AA nimh batteries to see how long it lasts - have been going many hours already! I didn't think the portability is really an advantage in the beginning, but now I think it's cool to be able to move around in the house with my guitar+amp (e.g. to go show my wife my latest attempts etc! :)

I'm using a Strat with EMG pickups. I like the reverb+chorus effects! In contrast to the previous reviewer, I use mostly the Acoustic amp sound + reverb for clean songs, and the Rectifier for the heavy palm muted stuff. Unlike my other amps, this amp sounds good clean AND distorted. Maybe if you're a serious jazz player or something you won't agree, but to me, as an amateur I don't hear much buzz.

Looks strong, but being a tiny amp I'd be careful with it.

Don't know. But I trust the dealer.

I've been playing +/- 2 years - just messing around at home. Other gear: old Torque 50W and Marhsall 15W amps. VAMP2, PODxt. Several strats & an old bass. I originally considered looking for a Pignose portable amp, but I'm glad I found this one instead. To end with at least one negative thing, I think it should've been cheaper.

All the features are listed from previous reviews-great toy. I plug in my CD player to play along with it, as well as a mic. Has built-in EFX, very useful and convenient, don't need to lug half a dozen pedals along with you all the time. This amp is LOUD. Overall, i pretty much use all the features, none of them are irrelevant. I love that there are many options.

I sold my crappy Yamaha GA 10 amp (7watts) in order to get this, which is probably the best thing i've ever done. I use the cube along with my yamaha EG 112 strat copy guitar, which sounds great on all settings. I like to play rock-oriented songs: from Green Day to Nirvana, and this amp suits it well. My favourite amp models would be the JC clean,brit combo, and stacks. The acoustic setting is too soft and the rectifier is too noisy. The only minor 'issue' is the slight buzzing when i turn up the gain, but that isn't too much of a problem. The phaser,flange,tremelo, and reverb are great too.

I think it's dependable, i use it as a practice amp-not for gigs. I've had it for a week now, no problems. It looks pretty solid so i'm not that worried. If you wanted to use it at a gig, the line out is very useful to plug into a bigger amp. At the shop, i plugged the microcube into a Cube 60, and the sound was awesome.

I've never dealt with Roland before, and i don't think i will. I did however, receive the customer support from the store i bought it from-Steves music store in toronto-and the guy helping me was very useful and friendly. The warranty is a year, but steves music doesn't allow refunds-only exchange in 10 days after purchase, which is kinda annoying.

When i told my mom that the amp i was getting was 2 watts, she thought i was crazy-cause i said i wanted something more powerful, and i was trading in a 7 watt for a 2 watt amp. She wouldn't believe that a thing so low in watts could produce so much sound (she doesn't believe her own child), so she insisted on going to the store to hear for herself, which made her cover her ears. So it's not really about the number of watts that matters, but more on how the item was made.

I love that it's portable, i get to play in the backyard, where i'm surrounded by a lot of neighbours who are mostly retired with grand children. I try not to play too loud, in attempt to not cause a heart attack for ppl around me. Compared to my other amp that i just sold to some clueless guy, this is 15X better. I find myself practicing more than i did before-it's more fun and exciting. If it were stolen or lost,i've got a few sets of gold clubs in the garage, along with a few of my grandma's cookies (which are rock-rolid)-and i dont mind using them to my advantage,so back off. I bought it based on these reviews on HC-there are some reviews that aren't too good, only because those people wanted to use it as an acoustic amp for their acoustic guitar. This amp is made for electric guitar, but you can use it for acoustic-if you want an electric-acoustic sound.

This model is new for 2005 and is dubbed "The Ultimate Practice Amp". This amp's main attraction is that it can model 6 different amps, Acoustic simulation, JC Clean, Black Panel(Twin),Brit Combo (AC 30TB), Classic Stack (Plexi)and R-fier Stack (Mesa). I don't know how close it comes but I've found every one to be useful.The amp also has Chorus, Flanger, Phazer and Tremolo, of which you can use only one at a timesince they share the same selection knob. The rate/speed is variable by the same knob's rotation. It also features a Delay/Reverb selection/intensity Knob. Dial in Black Panel with Tremolo and Reverb and you can nail The Door's "Riders on the Storm" sound.This unit is extremely versatile, especially for a practise amp. Gain, Volume and Tone round out the rest of the controls.The amp has a Record Out/Headphone jack and an input jack for your favourite play-a-long-device. Did I mention that it is ac/dc ? Yes it is portable as well. It is powered with a Wallwart(which is supplied) or six AA cells.

I'm using a modified Fender Squire Series Tele, modded into an Esquire with a Bigsby which is counter-sunk 5/16's into the body. I also play a early 70's Strat, modded into a fat strat setup, a Dimarsio Super Distortion Humbucker installed (slanted like the single coil it replaced) at the bridge. These guitars and the Micro cube can get any sound I want and more. I play mainly classic rock only it wasn't "Classic" when I started playing it. I got my first guitar (acoustic) in 1964, I was six. I've owned many guitars and amps since then but I wish I had had this amp when I was a teenager.
I've only ever owned tube amps of any and every kind, this my first transistor...it won't be my last. The sounds out of this are really great...I don't usually gush...

It is brand spankin' new so this too early to apply...but it is a Roland product and if their Boss line is any indication then I'll be playing this one in the "Old Folk's Home".

I have never had to deal with Roland, as their products have never failed me. Ever!!

So...I've been playing 41yrs. and seriously for thirty of those years. I've owned or at least played on everything out there. Been in several bands of various types...and I have a good ear for tone.
If lost or stolen...I'd replace it in a heart beat...I'll probably get another anyways. What's to hate...it jumps through all of my hoops flawlessly. The best practise amp I've ever owned and one of the best amps period.

This is a response to the below post. I too, had the same problem with my MicroCube when I first got it. I was really disipointed until I started posting on different forums and got some really good answers about the Cube.

1. It's very bass heavy and thus you get speaker breakup with the tone control set anywhere below 7 on any amp model.
3. For any clean sound, turn down the gain to 1 or 2, never higher.
2. The Fender(3 on the amp dial) is useless because of the bass response. You can't really clean this one up.
3. The first three amp models (Acoustic, JC120 and Fender) have a much lower default volumne than the last three models (Vox, Marshall and Mesa)
4. There is a dramatic difference between which pickups you use.
5. You can get really good, any pretty loud, cleans with both the Vox and Marshall settings if you turn the gain to 1, set the tone to 8 or 9 and volumne to 7 or 8.
6. Reverb is very good while the other effects are just ok.
7. Remember this is just two watts going into a 5" speaker.
8. I own both the Trademark 10 and a Vox Pathfinder 15R and you're right, The Cube doesn't compare, but in my opinion it's not supposed to. The Cube is a small portable little amp that you can go to the beach with or a picnic or as I do play it on my boat. It's got a really high fun factor and for what it is, a pretty good sound.

I'm sorry to go against the unanimity on the Micro-Cube, but I feel I must write this short review to prevent anyone that likes a clean sound from ever considering buying it. I tried A LOT of them and all had a loud buzz whenever I played a bass string that irritated me so much that I returned two of them, tried three or four more in two different stores with different guitars and finally gave up trying to own one. I guess all the people that rave about this tiny amp like to play with distortion, which compresses the sound and makes this serious flaw less noticeable. If you're into jazz or simply like a clean sound, this amp is NOT for you.
The sales people that I met think (and they are probably right) that this is a cheap amp (almost a toy) made for people (they said: kids) that are into rock with distorted sounds and that it really doesn't address other publics (rehearsals with bandmates playing acoustic instruments, good quality practice amp). I'm sorry to be so negative, but the rave reviews on this page led me to think that I was trying a faulty series. I waited 6 months and today tried another that had just arrived: it's the same thing. I gave up.

I phoned Roland (here in Portugal), and they were very friendly. They suggested that the music shop took one of the amps to their repair shop. I passed that information on to them, but I'm not sure if they did it. I must say that I got the impression that the sales people thought it was not worth the bother.

I am 45, been playing since 13, but I don't qualify as a good player.
I only own small amps (Peavey Studio Pro 20w, Tech 21 Trademark 10), so it's not a matter of high expectations for a small amp. I wanted to use the Micro-Cupe with my Steinberger Spirit GT.
Roland should be ashamed to put such a low quality product in the market, even if it's so cheap. However, if you only like distortion, it may be right for you. But please let's not use the words 'good sound'.

My roland micro cube along with all of them were made in 2005, as far as I know. The little cube is amazingly versatile and fun to play with. Through its stock speaker it isnt to entertaining after awhile although suprisingly loud, the little speaker just cant express the tone its models offer too well. However as suggested in the manual it does do a much better job using the lineout through good phones, or even straight into another amps input as I tried with my pro jr . Of its 6 modeling options, 7 if you count the mic pre which I havent tried at all, I really like the vox model alot and find myself there almost exclusively now when I play through in the a.m. hours. As for its features Id say its got all Id want and then some considering its use.I like dabbling a bit with the effects it has, except the tremolo didnt seem to create any vibe with me, now that Ive got done playing around with it and settled it into what I mostly got it for; a headphone amp, I just leave it on the vox or twin model with the delay turned on just enough to come on and the gain usually left at 3'oclock, on the vox I keep the tone before 12'oclock and turn up to around 3'oclock on the twin. The vox really is bright and has a real good sound and the twin really gets me into a bouncing groove, good vibe. I mostly use this amp while Im laying in bed at night playing through head phones.As for the power, yes its louder than it needs to be for what it is.

I mostly play my standard strat through it, blues, rock, a little funk and even a little folky stuff. It suits me well for what it is intended. The unit is not noisy at all and it can give you any sound or style of music you want to play through it. Yes the gain knob is active with its clean amp models so you can get a desireable edge if you want. Ive never turned the volume past 1'oclock and it didnt cause any negative distortion on clean settings, I dont feel the need to go past 1 on the volume, actually its just right between 10 and 1'oclock. As for its distortion, the rectifier model has more than I want or like, so I guess you could say its pretty brutal. As for sound the only thing I noticed was it was better with 9's or 10's than my strat with 11's, that was a little too heavy handed for the clean models especially.

The little thing appears to be able to handle a tumble down the deck steps... we'll have to wait and see.

Ive never dealt with the company and doubt there will ever be a need too.

Ive been playing overall about 7 years. If this little amp were lost or stolen I doubt that I would replace it with another one. I like it, but it would be a little pricey to rebuy for what I use it for. Id probaly get one of those little mini twins or whatever for about $40.00. I played through one of those a couple of weeks ago, it might have just been the novelty of the thing, but it sounded pretty tough for alittle bedside or porchpicken amp. Id like to have one sitting on my desk anyway. Anyway, I got the the micro cube for night time, take anywhere playing and I like everything about it for "WHAT IT IS ".

For the money, size and it's intended use this amp has just about every feature you could want and then some. Built in effects which give you a taste of what you can expect in higher priced pedals or rack-units. What I mean by this is that the flanger, phaser, tremelo and chorus are good but by no means top notch and you shouldn't expect them to be. The delay is the same, good but by no means exceptional. The reverb is very good. A headphone/line out and aux in for your cd or ipod. The tuning fork is good for those that have a good ear. I don't so I use a regular inline tuner. And last but certainly not least, it runs on batteries. I've used mine on batteries for over 12 hours now and it sounds great.

You have to remember that this little guy has a five inch speaker and is rated at 2 watts. You are not going to get a booming bass response and fill a concert hall with rich sounds, although I have mic'ed mine through a PA and it does sound good. It has six amp models, four of which sound really good to me a a couple that are marginal. You really have to play with the gain, tone and volumne pots to dial in your sound. Remember, this is a small, portable practice amp. It's not going to give you the feel and sound of a Two-Rock through a 4-12.

Built very well. Roland/Boss makes a good product. I haven't had a failure with any of their gear.

Haven't had to use them.

In it's catagory it has no competition. Very good sounds, portable, and most of all, a real fun amp. I have been playing for too many years to mention and have some really high end instruments and amps. I got this little guy to practice with and take on my boat. As I stated before, for it's intended purpose, it can't be beat.

acoustic simulator, 2 clean channels, 2 overdrive chanells 1 ditortion channel, tone knob, 6FX (2 simultansoly) gain knob, volume knob aux input rec out/headphones. would have been better with 3 band equalizer but still awesome

i play a yamaha strat with 2 singles and 1 humbucker. you can get so many sounds out of this amp it is awesome. the clean chaneels are really good and when gain is on 10 u get really good crunch. the overdrive is good but the distortion is limited. so i use a boss ds-1 through the clean chaneel and is really good joe satriani style sound with a wah pedal as well. the clean channel doesnt distort at high volumes which is good as well. it suits every music style.

i broke the input and gain knob by doing a rock star jump with a lead to short for me which was on my shelf. but otherwise its all good. wouldnt gig with it cuz its too soft. buty i would if had a pa system

never dealed with them

great amp no matter wat u play

I purchased this gem on a search for a portable amp I can bring with me on vacations and travel. I had the legendary Pignose in mind. When I read about the features the Micro Cube had ( reverb, delay, chorus, flange, phaser and tremolo ) and the amp simulators, I had to consider this little amp. I read the reviews here on harmony-central and my interest peaked even more. I picked the Micro Cube up at my local Guitar Center, and I'm very happy to have found this gem. It's half the price I paid for my Fulltone Fulldrive. Wow.

I play a PRS Artist III and a Strat Plus with Texas Specials. For amps, I own a Mesa Boogie Mark IV, a vintage JCM 800 head from 1981 and a 1965 Fender blackface Bassman. My styles range from blues, jazz, metal, alternative, classic, punk, funk and more. I can get every tone I need from this little thing. The acoustic and Jazz Chorus are super clean. Clean enough for jazz especially with the tone down on my guitar. The Distortion ( British and Rectifier ) is brutal enough for anything from Judas Priest and the Scorpions to Nu-Metal. For a $125 amp that can tote along with me on travel, I have to give this a 10.

It's made by Roland ( Boss ). Everything they make can survive a holocaust. This seems to be made as sturdy as their pedals.

Never had to contact Boss or Roland.

I have been playing for 21 years. I have studied music theory, played in countless bands ( jazz, blues, metal, alternative ), been on the radio, ect. I have spent well over 20 grand on music gear. When I find something that cost less than most guitar pedals I own and produces this much tone that I can fit in my suitcase, I'm estatic! It's great for the beginner- pro. It's perfect for anyone that needs a good versatile practice/performing amp for apartment living, living room, hotel, limo, park, campfires, picnics, you name it. Takes batteries or ac adapter. You can't beat this. If I lost this little amp, I would simply buy another. It's refreshing to not have to spend over a grand to put a smile on your face.

Already covered below, I won't waste your time. I will say that for $125, I can't believe how packed it is. Seperate bass and treble would be nice, though.

I play LP's, Strats, Teles, Flying V's and a Danelectro U-2 RI thru this. It's really versatile, but my favorite sound is probably a Strat with the Brit OD model. Really cool. This amp spends most of it's time in my suitcase since I travel a lot in my work, and I always take a guitar and this amp with me. I've already drank my fill in the bars, and chased my share of women; besides, I'm married with kid and dog...you get the picture, and it's this: I'd rather spend my time practicing in my hotel room when I'm on the road working than anything else. This amp gives me a ton of sounds in a tiny package that's just a great value. Nice cleans to (for a 5 inch speaker at 2 watts) outrageous distortion. I hate Harmony Central Reviewers that give nothing but 10's. But you gotta realize that I've spent tens of thousands of dollars over a 37 year stretch chasing tonal nirvana. And so this is a $125 TEN. For what it is.

I won't gig with this, I've got a studio full of classic tube amps at home for the stage. BUT, this is built very well, and so far, it's travelled the country in my suitcase probably 8 times and it's cranking along just fine. You know the abuse that checked luggage gets on the airlines? My suitcase is 2 years old, cost as much as this amp did, and it's being held together with duct tape. It's a reliable amp.

I have a closet full of Boss pedals, a GT-8 processor, and this amp. Never had a lick of trouble with any of it. Never had to call Boss or Roland.

No guitarist should be without one of these. Buy one today.

First off--this is a practice amp, so with that in mind, yeah--it's a 10. This little guy has a ton of features stuffed into a block about the size of a car battery. It doesn't have a lot of power or move a lot of air, but it really isn't meant to do that.

I have to tell this story--About a month ago, I was asked at the last minute to sit in as a guest of a popular local hippy band at a large outdoor concert. I was happy to oblige, but all I had in the truck was a Tele and the Microcube. And a 20' ProCo. Eh.
While the band and the techs were setting up, I positioned the little amp on one of the FOH speakers as a monitor. One of the techs gave me a SM57 and a boom for my amp, not really paying any attention to what I was rigging up. I set the controls to the Marshall model with a little slap. Gain at about 11 and volume around 1:00. Did the sound check-- The sound man added some bass to fatten up the tone and that was it.
During the show, I was standing next to a guy playing a strat thru a 2203 half stack and we heard each other just fine thru the monitors. We did a two hour set of Little Feat, Grateful Dead, Byrds, and their originals, and capped it off with Hendrix's Little Wing--I boosted the Chorus and it sounded GOOD.
After the show, a got a lot of nice compliments from musicians and folks in the crowd--but what really got me was the sound man--He came down straight from the board right up to me and said-"what in the hell are you PLAYING thru?" I pointed to the micro cube and he could not believe it. I smile whenever I think about the look on his face.
I'm not telling anybody to sell their rig and buy one of these for gigs--I still have my stuff--all I'm saying is that it can be done. Having a good sound man is always a plus--he consistantly had me where I needed to be in every song, so credit where credit is due.

I think I can depend on it for rehearsal and practice. Since that show, I've been rehearsing with a new band and just bring the microcube--we mic everything at rehearsal, and it does just fine. For shows, I'll be bringing and amp and a pedalboard.

NA

I've been playing 35 years, some of them professionally.
Other equipment I use include 3 Strats, the Tele, a Taylor, 2 Soldanos (SLO100 & HR50), a Bogner 412, a Marshall 412, Fulltone, Barber, & Teese pedals.
This little amp is a great value. I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone for a practice amp. And it turns out to be a pretty good emergency amp.

Bought newone in the summer of 2004.

As well known, it has several amp simulation and concentrated effects.

Manual is simple. In fact you will understand everything without seeing it. It's simple.
Two different sizes of headphone jacks and AUX IN are good features.

Generally light, small and most of all I can play outside without any electrical extensions. Around 20 hours with 6 AAA batteries....Very nice feature!!
Make some gig with friends and even in a picnic amp for music and dance.
Very versatile if you consider not only playing guitar but also for another things...

I use Fender strat and tele and play classic rocks such as Deep Purple, Led Zepplin, Hendrix, Malmsteen and some of 70' and 80's metal.

Amp simulations are quite good compare to the price.
Especially, the VOX one with 75% of gain and tone. Also with 50% of reverb. This is only a tone I found for stand alone.
Blackpanel amp is also good since its Fender like...
Marshall amp has quite good middle range while become crap in high gain.
Moreover, match with external effects (overdrive etc) Marshall amp with almost ZERO gain makes very nice tone.
Mesa amp is....just a noise.

In beginning, you will have fun with FX effects and soon you will found only reverb is useful. If reverb and delay can role simultaneously it will be better.

Two most defects I suggested are;
First, it makes totally different sound when using headphones or lineout. Manual says, using headphone makes better sound than speaker....REALLY?? With headphone, it sounds like a saw.
Second, you can not do something with only a single tone nobe. No middle, no high and low.

It will be fun if make a gig only with microcube.
It's just a small amp for the practice.

Very dur.
Never broken. Maybe name value of Roland.

1 year warranty but never demanded.

I played electric guitar for about 20 years.
With low budget and for the practice, this amp is perfect unless you are not looking for a great sound.
If I stolen or lost this one...well...I'll forget it and will find some other practice amp.

For what it is this thing has a lot of features. I think it's already been covered. I have one possible "complaint". The AUX in does not have a volume control. This means that if you are going to play along to a CD or MD and actually do this in the street as a part of your performance (I do this from time to time) you're gonna have to record the back-up tracks as loud as possible or you may have a problem. On the other hand, with its own volume control the AUX input would have taken up space and used battry power.

And yes, one more thing. The smartest thing for a battery powered amp is to have the on and off switch located in the intpu jackTHis will lessen the chances of draining the batteries by accident.

Otherwise it's great. Especially the good sounding reverb which is not found in these kind of amps in general. I can't think of any reasonably priced battery ap that has it in fact.

Again, for what it is it's great. I have other battery amps that are louder, cleaner and sound better but they are also more expensive, bigger and heavier.

I have gigged with this one at small cafe type gigs and for acoustic shows it works just fine. Not getting enough clean volume out of it? Select the "mic" setting, much louder.

Can't really say yet but I do not expect any problem whatsoever.

Haven't had any reason to deal with Boss but they have a very, very good reputation when it comes to support of their products.

Great amp. I wanted to have one that was small enough for me to carry it to work more or less everyday without being bothered by it. This is it.

And for what it's worth... I've played in the streets for over 10 years. This amp is as loud as you'll ever need. Or at least in most cases that's true. People want to hear you when you play something cool in the streets but they don't want the sound to attack them. This amp is just right.

Bought new. Made 2004?

Features already noted by many others.

Has the basic amp models, mod effects, delay / reverb effect you need, let's you play along with CDs, MP3s, is highly portable, and sounds great for a small amp in the bedroom. For what it is, it's unsurpassed for features. And... if you wish, you can also feed it into another amp. The amp models and FX are good enough that it stands on its own as a basic guitar processor.

I've only tried it with my Agile LP 2500 (LP copy) so far.


I set it up on top of my Pro Junior, and had my MagicStomp amp / FX processor on hand, too, to compare the amp models. And I had my MP3 player to pump some backing tracks into the MicroCube. Playing was done in the bedroom with the kids not too far off sleeping.

A few points:

- The amp models are just top notch. Really very impressive. It's not marketing BS when they said they put high quality modeling into it.

- Compared to MagicStomp modeling, the MicroCube models were good or better. The cranked Vox on the Cube was very cool.

- I also piped the Cube into my Pro Junior. Worked great.

- I accidently hooked the 'Aux in' of the Cube into my Pro Junior. It worked... playing BOTH amps at once! I don't think this will hurt anything, but it's certainly not something they say in the owner's manual. For the most part, when I played the Cube into my Pro Junior, I used the REC out, and that cuts out the Cube's amp.

- The lil' Cube amp by itself has its own wonderful vibe. It sounds just great cranked on recto tones for bedroom volumes. The JC Clean with a little modulation is also great, as it the Twin amp with some reverb.

- With backing tracks from my MP3 player (um, a Palm PDA for me... ) you got a great practice tool going. You can jam away and quickly jump around to different amp models and FX. The Cube controls and feature are limited, but the 'KISS' principle of simplicity rules when you just want to play and have fun.

- I was prompted to get the Cube, believe it or not, because I found the GDEC by Fender to be a lot of fun. I got to thinking about it, and figured that this MicroCube + an MP3 player or drum machine will be more fun and sound at least as good or better in the long run.

No, it's not as wonderfully toneful as my Zvex Nano Head or Fender Pro Junior. But that's not why I bought it. For what it is - portability and versatility at a low volume - the sound is superb.
Anyway, big thumbs up for the MicroCube!

Seems reasonable solid. Time will tell.

NA

I think I've already said it, but so far I'm very impressed. I haven't tried it with batteries.... and that will be a key use when I do try it that way.

But based on how much fun it is to play and jump around to different quality sounds on this thing, I have to give it a high rating.

The features of this little gem have been covered. It's a 2 watt modelling amp with 5 amp models, an acoustic guitar simulator and a mike channel. One tone control, volume and gain, speaker simulated headphone out/record out, Aux in, batteries or wall wart all in a tight little tone package.

The tone is wide ranging enough, but bass and treble would have been nice.

I wanted an external speaker out jack, so I added one. I wil be adding an uncompensating line out as well.

The tweaking Roland did on this speaker (take a look at the extra magnet on the back of the speaker) has somehow extended the frequency response of this little thing. Ran through a pair of Greenbacks in a halfstack and it was unbelievable. With an uncompensated line out, I could drive a larger power amp with the Cube and use it for a preamp.

The effects aren't earth shattering, but they are simple to use, versatile and do the job.

The reverb is a bit bright. I'd like a bit fuller reverb tone, but heck...the amp would be worth the money even if there were no effects or reverb.

All kinds of guitars including modded Teles, Les Pauls, Strat types, electric 12 strings...all with piezo bridges and very versatile pickup switching. (I build guitars, effects and amps, as well as mod them). This amp will suit nearly anything I play. It will be used in home practice but might make it into recording or even band practice. The clean models hold up well, especially for the low power and small speaker. The distorted models are great. Heck, the first time I played the VC30 model, I could actually hear and feel the "power amp compression" as I played. Few tube amps can do that at household/bedroom volumes.

It's not noisy (aside from my sloppy playing), but I don't use single coils and shield all my guitars.

The distortion models are pretty good. Next to my girlfriend's triple channel, dual rectifier Mesa, it holds it's own tonewise.

Again, my only tonal beef is I wish the reverb was a bit fuller.

I've been modding it for some other functions, and it's built pretty sturdily, especially for a SMT build (surface mount components.) I did seal the inside of the cabinet to protect against moisture damage. Water and partical board make a big mess. It shouldn't need servicing. I have lots of small practice amps and this one, while not the loudest, is the most versitile, and it should stand a lot of hard use.

As a repair tech, Roland is not the easiest company to deal with. They job out their repair parts to a third party company and it can take a while to get parts or even schematics. This may be the weak link. But, I do own a lot of Roland and Boss equipment and have had little trouble with any of it, even when I've extensively modded it.

They are nice people though once you can get through the menus to get to one. But long, vague menus are everywhere, and they aren't any worse than any other company. I usually rate recorded menues by the background music used while on hold.

I've been playing since 1967 and hope to improve one of these years. This thing is so cute, if stolen, I'd definitely hunt the skunk down and get it back. My girlfriend's buying me a sweet 9mm Baretta for my birthday, and I gotta shoot something...it might as well be someone who steals any of my equipment. While I am not the expert shot my girlfriend is, I can look pretty menacing without being armed. I'll be itching to practice shooting something.

I've got lots of small practice amps (and lots of mid sized and large amps as well.) My favorite was the old Peavey Decade (I've got 5 of them) and they are all tweaked to taste. I've got old tube amps, like Kalmazoo, Harmony, and others. Danelectros, Silvertones, Fenders, Vox's and lots of others, including home built. This one is special as it has a pinch of nearly every amp I own in it.

Comparing it to our Pignose, the first and for a long time the best practice amp, it's like comparing a 72 Dodge Dart to a new Accura. Both do their thing, but the Micro Cube is just too much fun.

I wish it had an uncompensated line out (which I will add) and if I get my hands on the schematic, it will have other new functions.

I may build the rotary switch decoding circuit for changing models into a pedal to allow me to change models. The decoding circuit is fed with only 3 wires so this may be possible.

AN EDITORIAL OPINION. As I read reviews on Harmony Central, I read time and time again people griping that they hate the piece of equipment they are reviewing. Well, why the heck did you buy it in the first place, and why do you expect it to do something it clearly wasn't designed to do?

It's like buying a used Geo Metro and then complaining you can't haul your three wheeler or water ski so the car's a piece of junk.

Choose the RIGHT tool for the job and use it in the manner it was meant to be used.

I bought a Zoom amp modeller some time ago. It sounds great, and I love it, but you cannot store settings as you can with a POD, or Beheringer modeler. I could complain it's a P-O-S because I can't store presets, but it wasn't designed for that. It was well worth the money I bought it for, and will sound as good 15 years from now as it did when I bought it.

I have a blackface Deluxe Reverb (not a reissue.) Should I complain it doesn't have channel switching? Should I rant and rave that it doesn't keep up with the other guitar player's 350 watt Marshall Mode 4? Of course not. It's one of the true classics and it is what it is. It does one thing...but it does it like God was breathing through it.

Lighten up. Music is entertainment. Don't use the annonominity of a forum such as this to sound like a bigger idiot than you might be.

And don't criticize my spelling. My head isn't cooperating today.

I just bought the Micro cube for teaching private lessons in students homes. One channel, digital modeling, lots of features for such a small amp (headphone jack, CD line out, 6AA battery or adapter power, 6 amp models, effects, ability to use two effects simultaneously.) 4 inch speaker, 2 watts. Like I said, I use the amp for teaching. If I ever do street gigs (which I have yet to do) this thing would be perfect. The amp gets pretty loud for 2 watts. FX include chorus, delay, flange, phaser, reverb, tremelo. Amp models include acoustic simulator, JC 120, Fender blackface,Vox AC 30, Marshall, Mesa Rectifier. MAster volume and gain control.

I play mainly a Parker Nitefly. The amp is very quiet (generally the single coils in the Nitefly buzz like a mother#@$#%^%, not so when I plug into this.) Plenty of variety to the sounds. I especially like the Fender and Vox models. The cleans don't distort but at higher volume the amp starts to crap out. (No surprise with the 4 inch speaker.) For what it is, this thing sounds really great.

We'll see.

I've been playing for 18 years, professionally since about age 16 or so. My main amp is an Ampeg Reverberocket reissue. (Great bargain tube amp.) The micro cube is an amazing piece of gear for what it is (a practice amp with a 4 inch speaker that's about the size of a, I don't know, it's pretty small though). For the size it sounds amazing. Surprisingly rich lows on the Fender model. The vox model has a great clean to dirty range. Overall if you're looking for an extremely portable little practice amp (particularly to teach lessons with if you do "housecall" lessons) this is the amp to buy. Price is a little high but it was a good purchase.

This little amp is loaded with features.
Check their website for all the details.
The nice features are:
The cd/mp3 input jack, which is very cool when you want to play along with a song.
The battery operation. Although I haven't tested it, they say you can get around 20 hours of playing with 6 AA batteries. Now, how cool is that?!
The tuning fork button is very appreciated too.
Lots of effects and amp sims.

The one thing that bugs me a bit is the placement of the controls. They are at the back of the top. I mostly pratice sitting down with the amp at shoulder level. There's no way to see the controls that way, you have to lean the amp towards you every time. A bit annoying.
And the power button is at the back of the amp, in the middle somewhere..... very hard to find while not looking. Annoying too.
Because of those few design flaws I have to give it a 9.

I use a Gibson SG Special and an Ibanez SZ320MH with this amp.
I bought it as a bedroom pratice amp.
It is not a noisy amp. And although they say it's only a 2 watts amp, man, it can get pretty loud for 2 watts.
When you start going over the halfway volume setting, things start to get mushy, muddy and crappy. Stay below volume 5.
After the initial WOW feelings you get with something new, you get critical pretty fast with this amp. The micro cube tries to be several different amps in one, and fails miserably with each.
But don't get me wrong, for the price you pay this is some incredible little piece of hardware. Just don't buy it for it's incredible sound, of which you'll soon tire of. It's a small inexpensive practice amp with loads of bonus stuff in it, and works wonders if you see it as such.
So, based on what it is and not on what it tries to be, I have to give it a 9.

Very solid stuff this micro cube.
I guess you could kick it, drop it, carry it everywhere with you and it would still keep on playing.
I'm very delicate with my stuff, but this baby can stand some pretty evil abuse for sure.
Very reliable.

Haven't had to deal with them.

I've been playing for about 26 years. I bought this amp as a practice amp, and it does the job very well. It's just that after a few months I got tired pretty fast of the crappy sound. Now, I basically play my guitars through my V-amp, with headphones, without using the cube.
This Roland Micro-Cube is a very good practice amp if you don't expect incredible sound. You get what you pay for here.
It will probably end up in the hands of my 13 year old son (which has recently showed interest in playing guitar himself) and I will go and get myself a Line6 Spider II amp, a bit more expensive but in a diffenrent category too, which IMHO will make my guitars shine a bit better while practicing.