Cube 30X Review

Roland's famous Cube amp lineup expands with the hot new Cube 30X. With great new features such as Power Squeezer for maximum sustain without maximum volume, a fully equipped guitar tuner, a mini-jack aux in for playing along to MP3 and CD players, and of course that incredible Cube sound, this amp is built to rock!

Features:	9
Sound:	9
Reliability:	9.4
Impression:	9.2
Overall rating:	9.2
Users rating:	7.9
Comments:	81

overall: 9.3

Featured review by: TheBobMan, on october 20, 2007

Price paid: $ 329.4

Purchased from: The Rock Shop

Features: The Roland Cube 30X is a solid-state amp. It is very versatile. At the turn of a dial I can go from Beatles, to AC/DC, to Metallica and beyond! I can get every tone I need from it. There are two channels, six built in effects and many amp simulations. I use this amp for practice at home, and it is perfect. It has all of the power that I need. I only wish it had some kind of built in auto-wah. // 9

Sound: I'm using this with a Yamaha Pacifica 112V. This guitar is equipped with a humbucker. I play rock and metal, and this amp suits the styles perfectly. The clean channel, JC Clean, only begins to break up at around volume 7, which is pretty loud. The distortions range from light overdrives, based on AC30s, to high gain metal sounds (based on MESA/Boogie Rectifiers). I would not want any other amp sounds, so I'll give this a 9. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I can depend ont his amp. I am not gigging with it yet, although if I was, I would happily use it without a backup. This thing is really well built. The speaker is surrounded by a metal grill to protect it, and all of the controls are recessed so that you can't knock the amp and break it. Overall, a 10. // 10

Impression: This is a brilliant amp for a beginner like me, I have only been playing a year, but my playing sounds amazing! I do have a hate about this amp though, the clean channel is so much louder than the distortions! This means that sometimes the channels can be a rela pain in the neck to set up. If somebody stole this amp, I would definetly buy another, if I had the money! // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: sGrif, on january 19, 2007

Price paid: $ 249

Purchased from: Cornerstone Music

Features: This is a new combo amp from Roland. It is 30W, has 2 channels, tuner, different amp models, re-verb, delay, and 4 effects. It has an accessory input for playing CD or other device, and a headphone jack. Negative: I do wish the effects were controlled by seperate controls (reverb and delay use one knob, the four effects share one knob). You have the choice of one and you have to listen to adjust and keep from switching effects. If you loose the setting or need a different effect, you have to expirement to find your settings for other songs. One of the best features is it has a button that allows you to get good sound and sustain without having the volume cranked. // 9

Sound: It has good sound for all amp models. Effects are good. This is my first good amp and I love it. I miss home high notes on the metal and classic settings, but this may be the Guitar. The effects must be truned off to get a clean sound on the clean channel. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have just had it a couple of months, but I have banged it around quite abit and it has held up fine. It has padded corners to protect the amp. The handle is heavy-duty and easy to grip. It seems to be sturdy and heavy enough to take the abuse. I have used it for long practice sessions with the gain pretty high and the volume up and it seems to endure under these circumstances. // 9

Impression: Excellent amp, it could have more efficient controls or even have three or four presets so you could change to pre-defined sounds. Overall, it is a good value. For an amp you drag around to practice, it provides a one stop for amp models and effects. A guitar modeling machine or series of pedals with a standard amp, or this one with the effects turned off, will provide a better chance of reproducing a sound you like. // 9

overall: 9.5

Reviewed by: symanoy, on november 07, 2008

Price paid: £ 115

Purchased from: Guitar Amp and Keyboard Centre

Features: This is a very versatile amp, with 7 lead amp models in addition to the clean channel. This is a modelling amp so all are cosm models of classic amps. The acoustic is based on the Boss AC3 acoustic simulator pedal I believe, it works well with single coil pickups and I have used it Live as it is easier than fiddling around with PA and the like wiring up my acoustic. Very useful for small gigs. I have also played an acoustic with a shadow pickup fitted in the sound hole through it and this sounds good too. I would use it as an acoustic amp. Would be nice if the acoustic was under the clean channel so you could Switch between acoustic and distortion but this only a minor niggle.

The black panel is based on a Fender Twin and has a nice warm clean sound that gives a great sound with single coils, cranking the gain gives a nice overdrive, use this for softer rock and getting that Fender sound, needs to be Eq'ed carefully to get the best from it. Nice delicate clean sound when done right, The Brit combo is based on a Vox AC30 and is one of my most used models, really dirty, gritty bassy overdrive great for chord work and a dirty lead tone.
The tweed is based on a Fender bassman and gives quite a big but gentle tone, which s good for blues, this is the only thing I use it for really does do a very good blues tone though in my opinion.

Classic stack, not surprisingly based on the the classic Marshall distortion, needs to be EQ’ed well with the volume up a fair way for it to sound good, not as good as the other models n my opinion The metal stack is based on a Peavey metal amp and gives a very bassy heavy sound, good for Metallica and similar bands not as high gain as he recto but still very heavy. The Rectifier is based on the Mesa Boogie rectifier, this is a great sounding amp. Modern voiced and fairly trebly I find this one of the easiest to EQ as it sounds good in most places, heaviest amp model on the amp, use it a lot. Dyna amp is a bit mediocre barely use it tbh, you get different amounts of distortion depending on picking strength but no real practical use for this and I struggle to get a particularly clean sound even with the gain on zero. Could be good if used well. Clean channel is based on rolands own JC 120 and is nice and warm, doesn't seem to distort although you still get quite an aggressive tone out of the humbuckers in my Ibanez sounds great with chorus, Eq’ed right again it is very nice, but as I use the lead channel more the clean just has to cope with that really. Separate EQ section would be a useful addition and saveable presets for each lead model would make it even better.

There is foot switch available to Switch channels, but the Boss one is so overpriced, made my own to switch channels and effects for just over £10 and works fine and has been used Live without problem. Comes with 6 built in Boss effects on 2 different nobs one with modulations and one with delay/reverb. This means you can have two simultaneously however only the modulations are footswitchable. Chorus is reasonable gives a nice twinkle and is tweakable enough and very useable Flanger isn’t half bad at slower settings where it can add a nice subtle twist, higher intensity can be a little overwhelming however. Phaser is very strong, too strong for my liking even on the lowest setting it is very unsubtle and at higher settings it is just overwhelming
Tremolo is decent enough I just don’t have any real use for it.

Delay is mediocre really you cant dial in a decent delay with half a nob. Also it is either always on or always off which isn’t very practical. I have to be honest even the Marshall MG delay owns this. It is very quiet and hard to hard especially on the lead channel. On the clean it adds a little extra depth but overall find it to be impossible to use Live and not ideal in practice either. However I am getting a separate delay pedal for xmas anyway. Reverb is reasonable does what you would expect nice feature.

Got aux in for ipod useful feature, use a lot to play along to tracks, can plug any 1/8 inch jack into it. The tuner is great especially in Live situations can easily tune between songs as don’t need to unplug guitar every time you need to tune. Just press tuner button mutes signal and just match up the lights. However it is very limiting as it is not particularly accurate and is hard to use with only 3 lights and can only tune to standard tuning. It’s a nice feature especially for a beginner but I have since bought a Tu2 which is much better.

Power Squeezer: this basically shrinks the output to 2 watts but without loosing the sustain and gain of having it at higher volumes, I used to use this a lot to keep the noise down but i prefer the sound of the amp without it, and so have barely used it since until I realized how it was meant to be used. What you are meant to do is crank the volume to full and the gain up a fair bit too with the squeezer on to get the full benefit. When you do this it sounds great giving added sustain and gain but at a safe volume.

3 band EQ works fine although to get the best sound needs to be tweaked slightly differently for each amp model which is slightly frustrating, just write down your preffererred setting for each and you’ll be fine. Headphone out, sounds very good through headphones, better than through the speaker in my opinion. Can be used for recording too. Have used this amp Live in a church at about quarter volume with drums and bass and another guitarist and was fine is plenty loud enough for me to play Live and practice. However clean is louder than lead so volume needs to be set lower. Very versatile, nice range of features. // 9

Sound: I have an Ibanez RG with HSH pickups. have used both single coils and humbuckers through each of the amp models. single coil sound great through acoustic and pretty good through clean and black panel too, I only really use single coils with tweed as this suits the sound. For the heavier amps such as metal and r-fier I only use hum buckers as single coils don't sound that great distorted in my opinion. I play a majority of styles which is why this amp suits me well. I play indie/rock music with my band for which I use the brit combo mostly, the black panel for chords and the classic stack for heavier songs. at home I like to play metal music for which I use the metal stack and r-fier for. I feel I could make this amp sound right for any style of music. It is silent when not in use. This amp can make a huge variety of sound that's it's big plus for me. I can make sounds to suit any occasion any style with effects too, lots of scope to shape your sound with this. also good as a first amp to see what sounds you like for when you buy your next amp you have a better idea of what they sound like. Great sounding amp models let down by mediocre effects. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This thing like most Boss/roland products is built like a tank can take it's fair share of abuse, don’t have to worry about taking it anywhere, stood up great. Played it at several gigs never any problems. Would depend on it 100% without a backup.
Great amp very reliable. // 10

Impression: I play practically every style of music blues, post rock, christian worship, post hardcore, Indie etc. And don't think any single amp could make a sound suitable for every genre like this one, so is the perfect amp for me right now. I have been playing for over and a year and have had this amp for around 10 months and have been very pleased with it. I play it with my Ibanez RG and a Boss Tu2 tuner, I hear it does not take distortion or overdrive pedals very well although I have no first hand experience of this. Would definitely buy again as there is nothing quite as versatile as this. I did a fair bit of research before hand I have tried the Marshall MG series and Line 6 spider series but both these sound pretty poor in comparison, I looked at the Vox valvetronix line too and I hear these are good too but the setup didn't suit me as well. Overall a very versatile amp if you want to play a lot of styles good value. Obviously hasn't got the amazing tone of a tube amp but as far as solid state amps go it's one of the better ones. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: sam_brault, on february 20, 2009

Price paid: C$ 298

Purchased from: Steve's Music Store

Features: The Roland Cube 30X comes with a variety of gguitar sounds and effects. It has 2 channels, JC Clean, and Lead. While on lead, there are 8 settings: Acoustic, Black Panel, Brit Combo, Tweed, Stack Classic, Metal, R-Fier, and Dyna Amp. It also comes with Delay/Reverb, and Chorus/Flanger/Phaser/Tremolo. There is a seperate volume knob for each channel, along with a recording jack, pedal jack, and a headphone jack. // 9

Sound: I use a Gibson Les Paul Studio through this amp, and combined together, I can get a wide variety of tones with the Cube 30X. There are over 50 different sound settings that you can mix around to get the exact tone you want. No matter the volume, the sound quality always remains the same. When I first turned on the R-Fier distortion setting, I was amazed at the sound that was coming out of the amp, it's a pretty thick distortion. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have had the amp for about a year and a half, and I have never had a single problem with it. For a gig, I don't know 100% if a 34 watt amp could hold up in a show. I have always kept the amp in my garage, or at my friend's house for band practice. No matter where I have it, I always take care of it, so I don't know what the outcome would be if I was to neglect it in any way. If it was to break down, it comes with a warranty, so I would get a free repair or exchange. // 9

Impression: I like to play mostly zeppelin, Metallica, and the beatles, and the amp has a setting for each group's sound. I use R-Fier for Metallica, stack classic for zeppelin, and brit combo for the beatles. I play a Gibson LP studio through this amp, and I love the sound it gives. I compared it to several other amps, some which were better of course, but out of my price range. If I could change anything, it would be to allow the use of several effects at the same time. // 8

Reviewed by: unregistered, on february 18, 2008

Price paid: $ 206.79

Purchased from: fairdeal music (online)

Features: This is a 30W amp, probably made in 2007, it is a digital modelling amp, with a clean and lead channel, the lead channel has a choice of amp models, with 6 regular amps, an acoustic simulator, and a 'dyna amp' feature. It has two digital effect units, one with chorus, flanger, phaser or tremolo available, the other with delay or reverb. It has an onboard tuner which is useful as fairly accurate, but I find a separate tuner easier to use. It has 3 band EQ and volume and gain controls. // 10

Sound: This amp produces a huge range of sounds, the clean setting is very good, but I don't use it often. The 6 regular amp models are excellent, I have never used any of the amps the claim to replicate, but they all produce excellent sounds, from the slightly overdriven 'black panel' and 'brit combo', to the incredibly brutalness of the 'Dual Rectifier'. I have tried it with both my Ibanez rg with dual humbuckers and on my Squier srat with 3 single coils, the amp sounds better on the Ibanez, but this amp would be a cheap alternative to buying a new guitar if you want a better sound. The acoustic simulator is good, but requires a lot of tweaking to get a good acoustic type sound out of it, the dyna amp is nothing but a gimmick, it alters the level of distorion depending and how hard you pluck the strings, but it is impossible to get the same sound out of it 2 days in a row. the digital effects are useful, but the sound isnt great, and not very changeable, since there is only one knob for them, the reverb is quite good though, and the only one I use often. The power squeezer mode is useful for playing at low volume, but the effects don't seem to work very well when it is one. This amp seems to be sensitive to input level more so than other amps, a few of the digital effects, the dyna amp and acoustic mode are very sensitive to this, you will often need to turn down the volume knob on your guitar a lot with this amp, especially if you have higher output pickups. Overall, I'm giving this sound, the things this amp does well are great, but the effects could have been much better. // 8

Reliability & Durability: this is very well built, the case seems to be chip board coated with plastic, but it is strong enough to get knocked around. I've looked though the vents in the back, and it seems to have high quality soldering. I could probably drop this and it would survive, but I don't plan on trying it anytime soon. // 9

Impression: I play mostly metal, and it does this well, but it can play just about any genre thanks to the excellent amp modelling being able to produce just about any sound you want. My overall impression is that this is a very versatile and great sounding amp, but the effects need improving. // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: Maggot66, on april 23, 2007

Price paid: $ 268.6

Purchased from: Musicstop

Features: I love this amp. It's a 30 watt solid state amp with a 10 inch speaker. I have no idea what year it was made in, but it was either this year or last year because it's a newer model. This thing has 2 channels, Clean and Lead. On the lead channel you can Switch from different styles of distortion and overdrive. My amp came with a footswitch for easy switching between channels, but I got mine for a special deal and on sale. There are 2 volume nobs (one for the lead channel and one for the clean channel), a gain nob, and a bass, middle and trebel nob. This amp also has a few built in effects. It has chorus, flanger, tremelo and phaser. There is also Delay and Reverb built into it. And all off those have a nob to adjust the amount of it you want (1 knob for chorus, flanger, tremelo and phaser and a seperate nob for delay and reverb). There is also a headphone jack, which is good. There is a aux jack so you can plug your mp3/iPod/Walkman into your amp for play along or just to listen to. And there is also a really neat little thing on this amp called a Power Squeezer. It's just a butten you click and it makes the amp quieter, but it still has the same amount of gain. There is also a built in tuner. I use this amp at home, but I could use it for gigs probably, it's got enough power. And there isn't really any other features I can think of that I would want. // 10

Sound: I am using a Peavey Rapter EXP right now and it sounds pretty damn good. I will be using a Jackson RR3 soon and I have played one through this amp at a music store and it sounds pretty damn nice. This suits my style of music because I play mostly heavier metal type stuff. It's pretty quiet, even in a room with 2 other amps and other stuff in it that can interfere with amps. This amp could be used for probably any style of music, it has enough options, and it has a really, really good clean channel. The clean channel sounds good no matter how loud you crank it. The distortion is pretty good for being built into this type of amp. My distortion pedal sounds a little better, but not enough to make me use it instead of the built in distortion. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This thing is pretty durable. I mean I be careful with it and stuff, but stuff still happens. I've hit it off walls and lugged it from one persons house to another in all types of weather and it still works like it's right out of the box. It's never broken down. // 10

Impression: My overall impression of this thing is that it's pretty amazing for what I use it for. It works really good for my heavier style of music. I wouldn't probably buy the exact same amp if mine broke. Not because it isn't good, just because I would just save my money up and buy either an even better version of this or just a higher watt/bigger amp for gigging. // 10

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: VanTheKraut, on july 29, 2009

Price paid: $ 300

Purchased from: Guitar Source

Features: First off, This amp is just about the best practice amp you can buy. Cheap, versatile, and good sounding. I play Heavy Metal, but I integrate lots of cleans into my sound, this amp will do both great. 2 channels, Clean and Dirty. The Built in effects are Reverb, Delay, Chorus, Flanger, Tremelo, and Phaser. There's a Headphone jack for quieter play, plus a power squeezer (which brings the wattage down to 2.) I wish it came with a Channel changing pedal and sounded a little less bassy and digital when using the headphones. I only use the Delay, Reverb, and Chorus, the other effects are useless to me, I just don't like them. I use this amp for bedroom practice and it stays around 5. Amp models are: Acoustic (quite nice, but I prefer the clean channel), Black Panel (an incredible Fender sound, You need to roll back the gain though or it will sound harsh and like garbage), Brit Combo (I love this one, I use it for Sabbath, and Led Zep sounds) Tweed (I personally don't use it much), Classic Combo (Good for really old school metal, I don't use it), "Metal" (Its meant to imitate the Peavey XXX and I love it, my favorite setting) "Recto" (Made to sound like a Dual Rectifier, my second favorite setting, love it.) 8/10 for Great models and effects, but it is after all an SS Digital Modeller. // 8

Sound: I'm using it with a Jackson RR3 with Duncan Designed Pups. It suits Metal very well, but its designed with versatility in mind. Not particularly noisy, it does vibrate every now and then, but its really hard to hear. I love the clean sound, its modeled after the Roland JC. I like the distortion, It gets pretty hi gain when you're on the Metal and Recto settings. The distortion on the Recto channel can be a little digital sounding. 8/10 for sound. The occasional Digital-ness bring it down. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I have had this amp for almost a year. I've never had any problems with it breaking down or needing any maintenance or anything. I would not gig with this amp though. Its simply not suited for it. Its a 30W, Solid state, modeling amp. Its great for practice, even jamming, but I would never gig with it. // 9

Impression: Like I said, Great for Metal, with great cleans, and great classic rock sound. I've been playing for a little over a year. I play a Jackson RR3, I've played and owned several Solid State amps, this is the best out of them for this budget. If it were stolen I would just upgrade to a tube. I like the distortion, cleans, and features of this amp. If you're a beginner or looking for a practice amp for bedroom practice/ jamming. The tone isnt great, it certainly isnt bad, I would call it good. The Recto and Metal settings rock. // 8

overall: 8.5

Reviewed by: cranium2001, on january 13, 2009

Purchased from: World of Music

Features: I bought this Brand New in the box. I believe it is a 2008 model. It is very versatile for my styles of music. I wish it got "heavier " though but the only electric I run through it is a Fender Strat. I am sure a heavier guitar would sound heavier. It has two channels- Clean - Lead. Some of the effects are good but not all great. The Phaser and Flanger fall in the good category and the Delay and the Chorus fall in the great category. I hate to say that but it's my opinion. That aside for the $ you pay for this unit you can't complain too much. I don't really use the clean channel much but it sounds good. I really like power squeezer and the line in for my MP3 player option. Especially since I usually have to play with headphones. You can play right along with any song, backing tracks or whatever you want. I give that a big +. I still can't believe the power this thing has for the size. // 8

Sound: I use a 1990 American Standard Strat and it really suits my style well enough for what I expected out of it. I play Pink Floyd, Metallica, Zeppelin, Pantera, AC/DC, and other types of music and it is GOOD if not better for some. I think the Acoustic simulator along with a touch of Chorus and the Rectifier with a lot of Gain are it's best features. It is extremely quiet as long as I have the Switch on my Strat(single coil hum sucks doesn't it) @ 2, 4, or 5. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I haven't had it that long but it seems to be very sturdy. I don't know if I would gig with it. I'm sure it could handle it but I think this is best suited for practice with the band or home use. I don't see reliability being a problem. // 9

Impression: My music styles are listed above and I would have to say it's a very fair match. I've been playing off and on for over 15 years and I bought this to replace my Johnson JT50 Mirage. I researched everything I could about it, read reviews on UG and Harmony Central, scoured threads and was sold on it. No regrets. If it were lost(never) or stolen I would definitely replace it. I tried the Vox AC30 and it was good too but this fit me better. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: Maldihr, on may 11, 2009

Price paid: $ 230

Purchased from: Sandvika Musikk

Features: My Cube 30X was made in 2008 and fits perfect for my musicstyle, which is metal and heavy-rock, and a bunch of other styles to. This amp has 2 channels, one clean and one lead. When switched to "lead", you can choose between 8 different sounds, all from heavy to Acoustic. Is has two effects knots. The one is called EFX and can be switched between Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Tremolo. The second knot can be switched to Delay or Reverb. It also has an input for headphones and one for recording. I think is has all the features I need for my music style. But a Wah-Wah effect had been useful. I think I use all the effects now and there, but it's not anyone I have never used or will never use. I use this amp most at home to practice, but I have used to sometimes to gigs and recording in a studio, because it is powerful enough and it's not many big amp's which have soo mant effects. But I wouldn't recommend it for gigs if you have chance to use another, bigger one. // 8

Sound: I use a Stratocaster with two singel-coil's and one Humbucker, and the amp works perfect with it, no matter style I play with the guitar. And as told before, it suit my music style perfect. I play mostly Metal and Heavy-Rock, but also some Blues and Country. The Cube can handel it all without any problems at all. If you want it noicy and buzzing, you can easily fix that, but to normal, clean playing, you won't hear any thing you don't want too hear, if you fix the EQ right ofcourse. It can make many sounds, almost everything, except Wah-Wah. I can accure you that with high, and max volume, it's no distortion at all if you play with the clean sound. It's amazing how it does that, but it do. If you play with distortion sound and an ESP/LTD or Ibanez guitar (or another heavy-metal guitar) the distortion is really good. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This amplifies is really one you can depend on. I would, and I have many times, used it on a gig without a back-up, with no problem. I bought this amp 1 1/2 year ago, and I have lost it on the ground/floor many times with any problems. Accually, it doesn't have a single scratch anywhere, ever though I have lost it down the stairs some times to (20 wood steps). // 10

Impression: I play almost anything, but mostly Metal and Heavy-Rock, and the Cube 30X suit perfect! I have played guitar 2 years now, and this amp is the only amp I own. Because of all the effects on it, I don't need another amp. I also own a Fender Strat, a LTD EX-260, a Boss Chorus pedal and a mini amp. I asked the guy in the store for an amp that could handle every music style, had a lot of effects and wasn't too expensive. He highly recommended the Roland Cobe 30X. And I love this amp! If it were stolen, I would buy it again without ever think about it. I love almost everything with it, the sound, the effects, the weight (which isn't too much). But one thing I don't like that well, but it isn't very important, is the handle you carry it with. It holds, ofcourse, but it almost "looks" too the amp body every time you don't carry it. It's not very hard too pick it up, it's only a bit annoying sometimes, but don't let that keep you away from this amplifier. I also asked the guy in the store if any amp could be compared to the price, but at the same time all the effects, and he said no. In the months after I bought it, I checked almost every store and every company, but the guy in the store was right. This amp is amazing. You get a lot of sound and effets for a small price. The only thing I miss, is a Wah-Wah effect, but it's not a big deal. At least not for me, since I have never used it and hardly never missed it, but for someone else, it could be important. But except that, this amp is totally amazing! // 9

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: the-guitarist, on january 15, 2009

Price paid: £ 159

Purchased from: Fair deal music (Birmingham)

Features: well where to start. I have owned this amp for 2-3 years, and I love it to bits. I love the power squeeze as it allows for the most sustain at a low volume. the effects are basic but all you will ever need. I wish you could have varied the delay a bit more. for example changing the volume of the delay and the length of it, but it's not a big issue. the tuner it perfect, it is simple and tells it to you straight, you out of tune or you not. this amp has two channels, a clean channel and a lead one. the clean channel I found offers a smoother sound than apposed to the acoustic setting on the lead channel, which is sharper and more in you face. // 9

Sound: this amp is a bit wierd. with most other amps, if someone were to walk past it, you wouldn't really notice the change in volume, but with this amp, if someone walks by it, you can't hear a damb thing. try it!! well I'm using this amp with an Ibanez RG370DXL and it sounds perfect. I don't think I can think of anything wrong with the sound, there is loads of variety and OOMF to it. personally I use the R-FIER setting on the lead channel as it sounds quite warm and windy as opposed to the metal setting which sound a bit more trebly and harder. my music style is everything, but I mostly like to play metally riffs and I also like to just whack out the odd improv to soothsayer by Buckethead. honestly if you don't really know what you playing style is yet because you're just starting out. get this amp. it is a great all rounder. and may make you sound better than you actually are which will boost you confidence. the distortion is nice, that's all I can say, it's not too much an not too little. I've been playing guitar for 6, nearly 7 years now and this amp is the reason why I carried on playing. I would recommend it highly. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It has never gone wrong at all for me. But I think that's due to the factor of me paying for it. I look after it well and dust it every weekend. But I think with any amp you need to take care of it and not leave it unattended for ages. Remember, you amp and guitar is you. when you play on a stage and make that guitar scream, it's not the guitar, it's you. That is your sound and yours only. Unless your doing a cover mind you and then it's someone else. But I must say it is very heavy for what it is. // 10

Impression: Oh yes I would definatly buy this again. my favorite feature would have to be the sound. It just fits me so much beyond comparison. don't ever wunder about getting this amp just get it. It's is totally worth it. // 10

overall: 9.3

Reviewed by: Darkshade666, on december 19, 2008

Price paid: C$ 249

Purchased from: Steve's Music Store

Features: This combo amplifier from Roland is a very versatile amp that matches any style from Blues to Heavy Metal and to Classic Rock. It features two channels, a Clean Channel and a Lead channel (with a footswitch jack). It also comes with a Line-in and a Headphone jack that are very handy. The Power Squeezer feature is also very nifty and ear-friendly if you are practicing in a small environment and if you want to keep that great tone but on a lower volume. // 8

Sound: I've used many guitars with this amplifier, a Fender Telecaster for Bluesy stuff and an ESP V-200 for Metal stuff. This amplifier has 8 different Lead sounds, including an Acoustic simulator (based on the Boss AC-3 pedal) and a 4x12 Cab simulator for great metal distortion. I never recall it being noisy, except in rare cases when I'm using the Acoustic simulator (pretty sure this issue is due to the guitar and not the amplifier itself). The digital effects (Chorus, Tremolo, Phaser, Digital Reverb and delay) this amplifier comes with are a great replacement for stomp boxes and single pedals if you are on a budget. // 10

Reliability & Durability: Well for a 30 watt amp I'm not sure I will be using it for gigs unless I decide to Mic it. This amplifier is heavy and well built and can withstand a good beating. The speaker is also protected by a solid metal grill. This thing is made to last, that you can count on. // 10

Impression: I've been playing for four years now, and this amplifier has been my all-time favorite for home practicing. I even use it for semi-professional recording at home with a Shure SM-57 Microphone and it sounds terrific. If it were stolen, I wouldn't buy it again, I would propably buy the Cube 60X. For the price you can get it for, I wouldn't recommend anything else. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: GraceKim, on january 26, 2009

Price paid: $ 175

Purchased from: Ebay

Features: This is a solid state modeling amp. It is intended to have a solid state price yet mimic the sounds from much higher priced tube amplifiers. The amp comes with various effects and various amp models to enable the guitarist to mimic sounds from various genres of music. I play various styles from family friendly and praise music to classic rock and blues. I don’t play metal. This amp more than adequately produces the sounds for all these genres including metal.

The amp has two channels. The “clean” channel is intended to mimic the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus amplifier. I’ve gotta say that it is a fantastic clean sound. The other channel is the “lead channel”, and that provides a selection of 8 different amp models going from an amp model that simulates the sound of an acoustic guitar to various amp models that offer varying degrees of gain. Amp models include the Black Panel (Fender Twin Reverb), the Brit Combo (Vox AC-30TB), the Tweed (Fender Bassman), Classic Stack (Marshall JMP1987), Metal Stack (Peavey 5150) and the high gain Mesa/Boogie Rectifier.

The last amp model is the “Dyna Amp” which is supposed to provide a low gain sound if strummed lightly and a high gain sound if picked hard. This Dyna Amp isn’t really much of a big deal as far as I’m concerned. The amp also has effects including delay, reverb, chorus, flanger, phaser and tremolo. I often use the delay and reverb. The other effects are cool, but I’m not an effects kind of gal so they don’t thrill me. Also there is limited control over the effects. One can increase the speed of the flanger but not the depth. Same with the phaser and tremolo, only the speed can be increased or decreased, not the depth.

One of the features that I find very useful is the “Power Squeezer”. With the push of a button, the amp goes from a 30 watt to a 2 watt amp thereby permitting playing at a much lower volume. I could not go without this feature in my house. Without it I’d have to get a tiny amp with tiny speaker and tiny sound. The Power Squeezer permits the big sound of a big amp but at lower volume.

The amp also has an equalizer with bass, mid and treble. Also a tuner. There is an optional footswitch which I have. The footswitch isn’t all that. It only does two things: you can turn the effects on or off. And you can switch amp channels from the clean channel to the lead channel or vice versa. I got this amp used on Ebay so I don’t know exactly what year it was made. Roland has only been making the Cube X series for a few years so the amp couldn’t have been made before 2006. // 8

Sound: This amp produces a fantastic sound. I use this with a Gibson Les Paul Studio and a Squier Telecaster with Seymour Duncan 59 pick ups. Like I said, the amp produces quality sound for a high range of genres from family friendly to metal. The various amp models can mimic the sounds of amps from a clean sound to a high gain metal sound and anything in between. Various effects can be added. The gain can be adjusted. Add a little reverb. One remarkable feature is how quiet the amp is. Even situated next to a television the amp is completely silent. No hum. I never dreamed that an amp could be so quiet. Another remarkable feature is the Power Squeezer. This allows the amp to be played at a much lower volume yet not compromise the quality of the sound. The acoustic simulator amp model doesn’t exactly replicate the sound of an acoustic guitar. I doubt anyone expected it to. It’s more or less just another clean channel as far as I’m concerned. But it can be used to strum along to some praise choruses or to my favorite family friendly songs.

I use the Black Panel amp model with some distortion and a touch of reverb to get a sound similar to Albert King or Otis Rush. The Classic amp model can get an AC/DC sound. But what I like most is that I can explore the various amp models and degrees of delay or reverb and gain to get my own sound. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This is why I bought this amp. When I was looking for a home practice amp, I surfed the net. I read comments from users on various forums. Some amps received grand praise for their sound and had more effects like Wah, looper and more ways to control the effects. But there were other comments about hum, squeals and screeches and amp failure. Four months of research on the internet, and I did not find one comment about a Roland Cube that didn’t operate as expected. This amp was delivered to my house. It spent half the day on the doorstep in 10 degree temperature. It was cold that day. I wanted to wait for the amp to warm up, but I had to at least try it out. It worked flawlessly even while frozen. The structure is solid. It’s not going to break down. // 10

Impression: Overall this is a fine amp for home use. When I was shopping I looked at various amps including the Peavey Vypyr, a couple of Behringer amps, Raven, the Fender G-DEC, Kustom HV-30, Vox Valvetronix and some others. My original intent was to get a Cube 20X to hold me over until Peavey solved the quality control problems with the Vypyr and then storm a guitar store like a Walmart shopper on black Friday to get a Vypyr. But I don’t see that happening. I got a good deal on this Cube 30X and footswitch, and the amp is just amazing. I’ll never get anything else for home practice use. I love the Power Squeezer feature. I don’t think I could Live without it now. Also the headphone jack for playing extremely in the morning. I have a light sleeper in my house.

I do wish however that the amp had more effects and that the effects could be adjusted a little more. I’d love to be able to play with a whole lot of gadgets different types of reverb, a looper function, a wah effect, etc. That would be fun. But truth be told that doesn’t really bother me. I think I’m better off with a serious amp to be used for practice rather than a toy. I also wish it could make me a better player if that’s not too much to ask. // 9

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: the-guitarist, on january 15, 2009

Price paid: £ 159

Purchased from: Fair deal music (Birmingham)

Features: well where to start. I have owned this amp for 2-3 years, and I love it to bits. I love the power squeeze as it allows for the most sustain at a low volume. the effects are basic but all you will ever need. I wish you could have varied the delay a bit more. for example changing the volume of the delay and the length of it, but it's not a big issue. the tuner it perfect, it is simple and tells it to you straight, you out of tune or you not. this amp has two channels, a clean channel and a lead one. the clean channel I found offers a smoother sound than apposed to the acoustic setting on the lead channel, which is sharper and more in you face. // 9

Sound: this amp is a bit wierd. with most other amps, if someone were to walk past it, you wouldn't really notice the change in volume, but with this amp, if someone walks by it, you can't hear a damb thing. try it!! well I'm using this amp with an Ibanez RG370DXL and it sounds perfect. I don't think I can think of anything wrong with the sound, there is loads of variety and OOMF to it. personally I use the R-FIER setting on the lead channel as it sounds quite warm and windy as opposed to the metal setting which sound a bit more trebly and harder. my music style is everything, but I mostly like to play metally riffs and I also like to just whack out the odd improv to soothsayer by Buckethead. honestly if you don't really know what you playing style is yet because you're just starting out. get this amp. it is a great all rounder. and may make you sound better than you actually are which will boost you confidence. the distortion is nice, that's all I can say, it's not too much an not too little. I've been playing guitar for 6, nearly 7 years now and this amp is the reason why I carried on playing. I would recommend it highly. // 10

Reliability & Durability: It has never gone wrong at all for me. But I think that's due to the factor of me paying for it. I look after it well and dust it every weekend. But I think with any amp you need to take care of it and not leave it unattended for ages. Remember, you amp and guitar is you. when you play on a stage and make that guitar scream, it's not the guitar, it's you. That is your sound and yours only. Unless your doing a cover mind you and then it's someone else. But I must say it is very heavy for what it is. // 10

Impression: Oh yes I would definatly buy this again. my favorite feature would have to be the sound. It just fits me so much beyond comparison. don't ever wunder about getting this amp just get it. It's is totally worth it. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: dan ramP, on october 13, 2008

Price paid: £ 118

Purchased from: GAK

Features: This is a 30W SS amp, which models various amps, and does it very effectively. This amp can give pretty much any sound that I want, I play mainly death metal and most of the subgenres that are in it, along with some rock everynow and again. The amp has 2 channels, clean and lead and lead has 8 different settings, ranging from acoustic, black panel, brit combo, tweed, stack combo, metal, r-fier and dyna amp. There are 6 effects, chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, delay and reverb. The FX could have been fiven more control, you can't alter the level of the FX so you can't subtly add it into your sound.There is a tuner built in as well as a power squeezer to use at low levels. I don't really use the power squeezer, it sounds ok but you can get away with bedroom volumes quite easily with the amp on normal. // 8

Sound: I'm using a Jackson RR3 and an Epiphone Les Paul Custom through this amp, and I mainly use the metal and Dual Rectifier settings to get the gain that I need. The metal setting is not as bright as the rfier settings, but it does a good job for playing rhythm. Rfier is the best setting for me by far, and gives me more than enough gain to play around with. I do use the other settings occasionally, I quite like using black panel when playing cleaner songs. The Brit combo and Tweed would be alright for Indie music but as it's not my preffered style of music I don't use them often. I use the Classic stack whenever I'm playing rock. The acoustic setting does an alright job whenever I've used it. The FX are quite good, I use reverb the most, the delay is a little quiet to be honest. The other 4 effects on the other hand are set to be very noticable, which is where it's problem lies. If the FX had level controls the amp would be much more helpful, I'd like to be able to set the effects so that they were quieter. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I've had this amp for acouple of months now, and it's working fine, I've had no problems with it at all. It's perhaps not quite loud enough to use at a gig, but it works well when jamming, it blows my fiends 30watt Line 6 out of the water. The amp is built like a tank so I have no worries about it's durability. // 10

Impression: For a bedroom player this amp gives almost everything you need, and for it price it's great. I used to use a Crate GT15R, which sounds terrible compared to this, so I'm glad to have this new amp. If it was stolen or lost I would buy it again for sure. The gain is great and gives me the sound that I need for death metal. If it had better controls for the effects it would be an improvement but as I don't use the effects much it's not a major problem for me. // 9

overall: 9.3

Reviewed by: Atomic_gerbil, on january 22, 2007

Purchased from: Musicians Friend

Features: The 30X is an extremely feature-packed solid state new from Roland. The 30x comes with 2 channels, a "JC clean" channel (Based off their JC120 amplifier) and a "Lead" channel, which gives you a multitude of options and amp models. The 30X leaves nothing to be desired in my opinion, because they already crammed it in there. I use this amp in my room for practice, recording small things, and jamming with a few buddies (no drums), and it fits the bill very well. The power squeezer feature also comes in handy for the late night urges to play, and the built in tuner is great because I have a habit of forgetting my handheld tuner when I take it someplace. // 10

Sound: The sound this amp puts out can rate from good to bad depending on what you play and your taste. Personally, the only two channels I ever use is the JC clean channel and the R-fier setting for metal. All the other amp models are ho-hum for me and don't put out the sound I need. But the R-fier setting is very versatile and puts out a great metal sound, so there's not much to complain about. The other amp models like Metal, Classic Stack, Tweed, Brit combo, Dyna Amp, Black Panel and Acoustic are all good channels, but they don't suit what I play, as I've said. If I want to play something clean, I will use the JC clean with a little bit of chorus, and it sounds great. I was very impressed with the clean channel. The effects are great to have, especially chorus for the cleans. The others I don't use much but just to fool around with. Great sound overall for every type of player. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The 30X was designed for this very thing. Although I wouldn't go out and drop it from a balcony, it can take a few bumps and not be effected. I haven't had a problem with it yet and I don't think I ever will. I would (try to at least) use this at a gig, I don't know if it'd be big enough, but mic'ing it to a PA system might work. Overall this amp is built to last, and looks great doing it. // 9

Impression: I play a lot of metal, and I kept getting this amp as a recommendation for my next amp. I'm glad I went with it. It has a great sound, good looks, and features that will keep my occupied for a few years at the least. If it were stolen, I would go out and buy another one in a second, it's that good of an amp. It blows every amp in this price range out of the water, in tone, features, and looks. It's that simple. I recommend this to anyone. // 9

overall: 9.3

Reviewed by: Jubee, on december 15, 2008

Price paid: € 200

Purchased from: www.keminmusiikki.fi

Features: This amp suits me very well. I play mostly metal, but I also play much some 70's rock music. The amp has 8 COSM amp modellings, which all sound great. I play mostly with my ESP LTD FM-200M and the sound with R-Fier model have the crunchy sound I am looking for. It also has JC Clean channel which sounds absolutely amazing with my Fender Strat. There is three knobs is EQ, bass, middle and treble. That's all you need. There is 6 build-in effects in cube, but you are only able to use two of them at the time. It would have been nice to separate delay and reverb. It has more than enough power for home use. I rarely use more than a quarter of volume. There is a jack for foot Switch, so you can Switch effects on and off and Switch between clean and distortion. Generally this is a good all around amp with barely none cons. I would like to have have more knobs for effects. // 9

Sound: I play mostly with my ESP LTD FM-200M. It has EMG-Hz passive pick-ups. The sound with high gain distortion sounds almost perfect for me. It has a great rhythm sound, and with lond delay it gives you nice lead sound. Though the clean channel sounds a little rough, but personally I think that the reason for this is the guitar, not the amp. The clean channel sounds perfect with my Fender Strat. Distortion is mostly good, but sometimes I could use a bit harder. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have only had it for half of a year so I can't say much for durability, but so far it hasn't shown any signs of breaking apart. It has been built well, it's tight and there is everywhere some kind of extra protection. I think that it will last as long as the electronics will last. It can take some banging. I wouldn't use it on a gig without backup because I wouldn't use anything without backup. And on a gig I would use something bigger. // 10

Impression: This suits perfectly to me because it can give you wide range of sounds and it will last long. The price is very reasonable. I have been playing only for a year and I don't own yet any external effects, but I'm going to buy a floor multieffect after christmas just because of the easo of use. If it were stolen I would definately buy a new one. I love the sound it gives, especially R-Fier with long delay. The effects are also great. Only cons are the two effect knobs, I could use more. This is definately better than the crappy Fender Frontman. // 9

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: Kiwara, on april 14, 2008

Price paid: $ 300

Features: I play a lot of metal, and then the old AC/DC style hard rock. I think the amp is pretty good for these styles, tho I bought a Boss MT-2 pedal, cause for really killing metal, I needed more heights and better sustain. It has got two channels - clean and lead. For the clean channel it's a really nice smooth sound. For the lead channel, there are 8 models of amps. And they don't really sound the same. You can pick from an acoustic, which simulates pretty well, up to r-fire, which makes you sound really badass metal. Plus there are four effects - phaser, flanger, chorus, tremollo. Tho you can have only one of these at a time. I don't really use them much. Then there is a digital reverb and delay. I use the reverb all the time, it gives you a really huge nice sound. There is a stereo input so you can connect it with your MP3 player and jam with songs. I find this really usefull. It has 30W of output. It's enough for a band practice if you are not too close to the drums, and It's good for practicing at home (it has a function power squeeze, so you get a high sustain and distortion, but keep down the volume), but it hasn't enough power for a gig. I think it's a good amp, and has great functions. Tho, 30W is not enough. // 9

Sound: I guess the amp is so versatile, you can play every sorts of music with it. I play metal and hard rock as I said, but when I was playing Sweet Home Alabama from Skynyrd, I just adjusted the settings, and it sounded great. It reacts really good for your pickups. When I play with a humbucker it's a super heavy sound. Well, only bad thing is, that when you crank it up, turn the volume all the way up, it get's quite shitty. So I usualy use it on about 50-75% on a band practice, and like 15% at home. It has a three band EQ (bass, middle, high), and works pretty well. The r-fire distortion is really brutal, but for some crazy CoB od Dimmu Borgir, it's not enough. // 8

Reliability & Durability: Well in this category, I give it a ten. It has a really solid case, it fell on the ground a lot of times, and stuff, but it never broke. I would not be scared to take it anywhere without backup. I can't imagine it break down. It has got a special plastic protection on corners, so the case holds solidly, and if you bang into something with it, the amp doesn't damage it either. // 9

Impression: Good amp, for the money you get everything to start with. It is reliable. But if you want to play gigs, it's not enough. Probably, if It would be stolen, I wouldn't buy it anymore, because I want more power. I would buy just some high power clean amp and then effect pedals, but when I was buying it, I didn't have money, and there is really everything in this amp, so for a start, you don't need anything. Just this amp, a cable and your guitar. But I don't plan to sell it or anything. I love it, and for my home practice sessions, it's great. And it's compact so I can take it anywhere. // 9

overall: 9

Reviewed by: timpa, on april 16, 2008

Price paid: $ 315

Features: This amp rocks! Thanks to the different amp simulations and effects you can easey get any soudn you want. It has 8 different amp models: the acoustic (based on the Boss AC-3), the black panel (based on the Fender Deluxe Reverb 65 Black Face), the British combo (based on the Vox AC15CC), the tweed (based on a Fender Tweed Bassman), the classic stack (based on Marshall JMP 50), the metal stack (based on the Peavey 5150 or the 6505), the r-fier stack (based on a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectefier), the JC-clean (based on Roland Jazz Chorus 120). The effects are based on Boss stompboxes. The effect are: first knob: chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo; second knob: delay and reverb. This amp has two channels (clean and lead). The clean channel includes the Roland JC-120 amp and the lead channel includes the rest of the amps i have mentioned. The clean and the lead channel has seprate volume knobs. You can use the effects and power squeezer with both of the channels. The power squeezer is a button that makes your 30w amp to a small 2w amp. You have the same power and sustain in the sound but on a low volume. This amp also has a combined recording/headphone output. You line it to your computer or recorder and start recording or just playin with you headphones on. It alson has a AUX input so you can jam along with song from your mp3 och CD player. A guitar input and a footswitch input. The Footswicth you use is called FS-5U or the FS-8. I have two FS-5U(one for turning on and of effects and one to switch channels. One thing i dont like about this amp is that you can't Switch delay/reverb on and of. But it still works fine. This amp has everything I need! It works perfect to practice at home and it works really nice to rehears with my band. You will need more power if you have gigs I think. This amo has everything I need! It has enough effects and amp models. You can play anything between light blues to the heavey metal. Try it you wont be dissapointed! // 9

Sound: I use this amp together with my Squier Affinity Strat(3 single coils) and my Jackson DK2M (2 humbucker Seymour Duncan Jazz(neck) JB(bridge). It sounds awesome with my Jackson and pretty good with my Squier. The strat I use to play blues or some ligher rock. The Jackson I use to play metal and rock. It suits me perfect. I wanted a amp with big versatality. And this amp is the only amp that has it and doesn't sound digital like Line 6 Spider for example. With just a single coil pickup it can produse a little noise, but it's really crappy pickups so what can you expect? With humbucking pickups it's no noise at all and it sounds awesome. The clean channels is the cleanest sound that I have ever heard. awesome. The distortion is really awesome as well. The R-fier stack has some really heavey distortion! For me it could be a little heavier to be perfect, but I still like it a lot. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The reliability & durability is outstanding. When I bought it they said at the store that this is an amp that you can have until you die. I bought my amp only a year ago and no problems! But can still have bad luck. The quality is great! I hav never really done something that could break it so just be carefull and any amp can stay healthy! // 9

Impression: It works really good with any music style. But try it before you buy it. I have been playin for three years so I think I know what I'm talking about. Compared to my other amp (Fender Frontman 15G)the cube is so much better. In all ways. Versatality, sound, features, quality. If this amp were stolen I would probably buy a new Cube or a new Tube amp. I love the sound, the features. Everything almost. What I don't like is that you can control effects and amps as I want. You can't Switch from Metal Stack to the Tweed Combo. Only Clean to Lead. And you can't control Dealy and reverb with you feet but as I said, it works pretty good anyway. Before I bought this amp I compared to the Line 6 spider III and Vox AD30VT-XL. I bought the Roland beacause it didn't sound digital as the Line 6 Spider and it had much better sound than the Vox. pretty easy choise for me! // 9

overall: 10

Reviewed by: TheReFiller, on july 22, 2008

Price paid: $ 225

Purchased from: House Of Guitars

Features: This 30W solid state amp is very versatile and easy to use when it comes to music. It can very easily go from metal to rock, rock to blues, blues to country, or basically whatever music you want to play! This amp is a killer for it's price, and it's the best model of solid state amps I've ever played. It has 2 channels, one for JC Clean, and another channel called "Lead". There are two volume knobs for each of these channels and a gain knob for lead. There are the standard Treble, Mid, and Bass knobs as well. There is a unique button of this amp called "Power Squeezer," which makes the output sound much more quiet for night-time playing. This is the only amp I have right now, but it's great for inside the house and to bring to places! It's a great practice amp and could even be used for small gigs. The amp comes with built in Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremelo, and Delay effects, as well as the standard reverb. Along with all the features I listed, the amp also has a built in tuner, which is useful when you forgot one or need a quick tune up. // 10

Sound: I play with a Highway One HSS Strat, mainly using the Single Coil pickups for clean playing, and the humbucker for distorted playing. It's not noisy unless turned up real loud. I will list all the different amp models and sounds that come out of the lead channel. The Acoustic setting isn't bad for getting a decent acoustic sound out of your amp. The only problems with this setting are that it's really quiet, and you went get the same volume as the other amp models unless you turn the volume way up, and it has a lot of bass. So when you use this, remember to turn down the bass a little to get a better Acoustic sound! Black Panel is good for an RHCP kind of sound with the Gain at 12 o'clock. I use this channel mainly for cleans. British Combo, you can get an old rock kind of sound out of this channel, like Chuck Berry and some of the Beatles. Tweed, I rarely use this channel, but it has a good clean sound similar to the one in Black Panel, but with a little more kick. Classic Stack is good for bands like AC/DC and other Classic Rock bands. Metal, surprisingly, is more suited for hard rock IMO rather than metal. I find this good for bands like Van Halen. R-Fier is the heavy metal setting on the amp. I use this for all the metal that I play. It has great sustain, immense distortion, and is overall a great reason to purchase this amp for all you metal heads out there. Dyna Amp, I never use this amp because it has never suited me well, but it's "supposed" to sense when you pick hard and soft so it can change the amount of distortion depending on how you pick. Anyway, give it a shot, but I don't particular enjoy this one. // 10

Reliability & Durability: This is a very dependable amp. This thing is like a rock, and it's built to be very durable. The amp has never broken down and it has been very reliable to me. // 10

Impression: Overall, this amp is great for it's price, and great for starters of the Electric Guitar. This amp will last you a long time, providing you with soft cleans and brutal distortion. I play everything from Chuck Berry to Pink Floyd to AC/DC and to Metallica, and it can cover them all great. If this amp was stolen, I'd buy the same amp or a similar one. If you are new to guitar, get this, the Cube 20X, or the Micro Cube if your on a budget. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: Nebjy, on june 22, 2007

Price paid: $ 230

Purchased from: Sam Ash

Features: I think it was made in 2007, and since it's a solid state modeling amp it suits all my needs perfectly. If I need that bluesy tone, I've got the tweed and black pannel. If I need crunch I've got metal a r-fier. If I need that distorted classic rock tone, I've got the british combo and the classic rock setting. It features lead and clean channels, but it features an "acoustic simulator" making the volume so low, you have to put your face to the amp to hear it, so utterly useles basic chorus/flanger/tremolo and delay/reverb effects. It also has a tuner, which I thought was going to be useless orginaly but it turns out it was really useful. It also has an equalizer and a power squeezer that reduces the watt usage to 2 watts and only slightly muffles the volume. I use that feature at night just becuase I don't need 30 watts on the setting of one. All in all, it does it's job, as a practice amp. // 10

Sound: I'm using it with my Ibanez JTK2. Since it's a modeling amp it doesnt't require a pedalboard to achive it's sound it probably has reduced quality. But hey, whoever said a novice deserved above an overdive Switch and gain control? So this amp is a blessing. Anyway, it suits the blues and rock styles perfectly and the versatility is only heightened by the REverb/delay and chorus effects. The thing it has going for it, is it's loudness. 30 watts of power, it can probably be loud enough for an auditorium, if not you could use the direct recording out-put to jack into the P.A and get some solid sound out of that. The clean channel at high sounds? No. Since it's not a tube amp it doesnt't do that, and if it does not as well. The distortion can either boost the sound of the guitar or make it sound like the tone knob is on 0. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I have only had it for so long, so I can't say. I'm sure the speaker will go bad in a number of years but will probably be replaced easily. Since It's solid state I doubt it would go bad as fast as a tube amp. I'm giving it a six due to my lack of knowledge in this department. // 6

Impression: I play blues and rock. This amp is more suited towards your versatile guitar player, or a metal head. Specificaly since it has a metal setting. It suits me becuase I'm not stuck in just a plain volume, gain Switch configuration and I like having a wide array of sounds to play with. I've only been playing for roughly, half a year. I own an Ibanez Jtk2 and a Yamaha acoustic. Honestly, at first I was more concerned about my guitar and I didn't know what amp to buy. Then I read about the cube on Ultimate Guitar, and remembered my friends Roland Mini Cube. So I trusted the brand, and I was not dissapointed by this product. I would probably get the mini cube if it were stolen, since that one is more portable. What I love: It's affordable-ness for max versatility, and all it's grand features. I don't think there's anything I don't like about it. I compared it to the Marshall MG series and this won, compared it to the Line 6 Spider amps and this won, It beat the mg becuase it's got more functions and I've read about the Mg's speaker faults. And it beat the spider amps becuase even though they are both modeling amps, the spider cuts out expression, the cube doesn't. I would actualy perfer this one to the Cube 60 becuase the 60 doesn't really put much more into it besides an additional 30 watts. Although I wish I had a tube becuase apparently, effects don't do too well on modeling amps. // 10

overall: 9.8

Reviewed by: ESP Maniac, on april 02, 2007

Purchased from: Pacific Music

Features: This guitar has seven lead channels and one clean channel. It is versatile enough for anything heavy and light. It has a headphone jack and aux input to plug your mp3, iPod or CD player through. It has a flanger/chorus/phaser/tremelo knob and a delay/reverb knob. I use this amp in my room and sometimes outside. This amp is plenty loud on half volume! // 9

Sound: I'm using this amp with an ESP LTD EC-1000 Deluxe. This amp suits my music perfectly which is mainly metal and chilli peppers stuff. It isn't noisy at all. I use it in my room and sometiems outside. It can make pure but loud clean sounds and absolutely awesome massive distortions. This amp is extremely versatile and can play most genres except for classical. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I don't play gigs, I haven't been playing for too long yet but I've had this guitar for about six months and it still runs like it was brand new, it doesn't feel like it is ever going to break down. I think this amp is pretty dependable but maybe thirty watts isn't enough power for a live gig. // 10

Impression: I've already metioned my styles and it suits them perfectly. I've been playing for about 1 year, I own an ESP LTD EC-1000 Deluxe, solid top Greg Bennet design acoustic, a trumpet and a trombone. I didn't need to ask anything else because I played heaps at the shop and researched and eyed it for at least 3 or 4 months before buying. I would probably buy it again if it were stolen because it is the most versatile practise amp on the market. I love this amp but I don't use the black panel or classic stack settings to much. I think that the flanger and phaser sound like real $300-$400 pedals. I didn't compare it with other products physically but I did while researching. // 10

Comments

[zerodeck]

My favorite amp: small, basic but with the necessary stuff on board and incredibly sturdy.

Greetz,
moi

[Scarlatti]

I have the old version of it, without the power sqeezer and the tuner..
and i love it

[mattyp90]

I have the oldie, but it is still good.

[ygokazuki]

Scarlatti wrote:

I have the old version of it, without the power sqeezer and the tuner..
and i love it

Yeah same. Damn good amp.

[TrasitorySexGod]

i have the old version too, pretty shweet amp..

[ericgentz]

pretty sweet

[zakattak_]

mite buy it

[Atomic_gerbil]

Great amp.

[supahfreek]

I have the mini cube as my practice amp but its still loud just for a small amp, really good amp

[Mer2112]

I've got the 20W version, the 20X and love it. Great sound.

[E V H 5150]

I might consider the 60W version.

[weirdguy1110]

i have this amp, it is awesome. you get some problems trying to refine the sound to an in between level of volume, but it is an awesome amp. the effects are awesome. being only 14, my parents weren't prepared to go spending large amounts of money on me, and this amp was great for it, the valve is unimaginable. if you bought all things seprate, you would be looking maybe..... $500, so yeah, awesome valve... great for band practice.... while it wont stand up to a marshall stack, it will kick the ass of someone unexspectent.... in closing great amp, awesome effects, great valve, aweosme for metal bands, lol

[bobthesgman]

its ok, but i would rather have a fender

[Atomic_gerbil]

bobthesgman wrote:

its ok, but i would rather have a fender

Well, thats you.

[ihaveatail]

what r the other effects and how many watts?

[Russianrambo]

Personally i love this amp. Both lead and clean channels have the most diverse tones and a range of different sounds. The only problem i had was that it easily sucumbs to surrounding electrical interference whic creates a feedback with a buzz. But overall it is a beauty.

Checked

[Atomic_gerbil]

ihaveatail wrote:

what r the other effects and how many watts?

The effects are chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, and the other 2 are delay and reverb.

As the amp name says, its 30 watts..

[moonchildsf]

I just bought the Cube 30 and if your thinking about buying one...GET IT!!

[irishman]

what sort of sound do you get off one of these? what sort of music would you use one for?

[DenHond]

I'm going to buy it... toghether with my Jackson KE3

[Satch_Boogie]

Alrighty guys, Vox AD30VT or this?

[Atomic_gerbil]

Satch_Boogie wrote:

Alrighty guys, Vox AD30VT or this?

It depends. If you play alot of metal, this will better suit you. Classic rock and blues definetley goes to the AD30VT.

irishman wrote:

what sort of sound do you get off one of these? what sort of music would you use one for?

Metal and cleans, really. all the other amp models are ok.

[guitarkid7]

How loud can these get? good enough for jamming around with the extra power or will it just make it without get drowned out?

[ESP Maniac]

I have one of these and it's pretty damn loud in a small room!!!

[tAkE iT aWay <3]

does this have lyk a thingo where yu can conect it to an extension cabinet?

[LP_kickass]

Hey gerbill, whats your e-mail i got some questions for you, you seem smart about these things :P .. and i have other qestions about guitars. Add me or reply ([e-mail])

[Rattlehead2661]

Hey, I got a question. I currently have a Spider III 30 combo at the moment and I was wondering if a Cube 30X would've been a better choice of amp. I've played a 30X in a local music shop and was greatly impressed with the clean and metal sounds I can get out of it, but would it be better than a Spider overall?

[barcelona_rov]

i want to buy this amp, but is it good for playing something like metalllica, avenged sevenfold, iron maiden, that kind of stuff?

[Phill-Rock]

I'm thinking about getting this, I like the power squeezer feature.

[squierkid71]

i've heard how this amp sounds, but would anbody know if it houses stomp boxes and effects well? will it sound good with a milti-effect processor ora dist stomp box?

thanx

[sa man]

if any one can help me i am deciding between a this and the line6 spider 30. i tryto play mettallica

[sid-x]

micro cube kicks this ones ass

[sa man]

just got this amp. if you were thinking of getting one get it. awesome

[fila_93]

Hey, I play much Metallica, is this amp good for that kinda of music?

[Joel.]

Fila, it's actually perfect for Metallica and thrash metal.

[fila_93]

That sounds freakin sweet!

[Phoenixx]

Hey, im thinking about buying this amp for practice, but ive also been lookin at the marshall MG30DFX, what ones better? I play alotta metal and rock. Which amp would go best with a B.C Rich Warlock?

[Mind Kill]

Get the Cube 30x. Period. :p

[Shredology-6604]

The best amp for its price.

[symanoy]

dont get the marshall really dont sound that great
can get heavier distortion out of the cube

[krazykop]

ive got one of these on order and i cant wait xD

[Megallica Dude]

Is this amp good for Metallica/Megadeth style leads?Or should I look at Vox AD30VT?

[Flipaningage]

is it as loud as other 30 watt amps, cos it seems smaller, does that affect it?

[Flipaningage]

and is it good for standard rock/punk as well as metal?

[tbarrettl]

Flipaningage wrote:

is it as loud as other 30 watt amps, cos it seems smaller, does that affect it?

It is louder than both Fender's and Marshall's 30 Watt similar b/c I have tested the 3.

[mitzu]

sa man wrote:

if any one can help me i am deciding between a this and the line6 spider 30. i tryto play mettallica

this is much better its true i have one

[TheBax]

Rattlehead2661 wrote:

Hey, I got a question. I currently have a Spider III 30 combo at the moment and I was wondering if a Cube 30X would've been a better choice of amp. I've played a 30X in a local music shop and was greatly impressed with the clean and metal sounds I can get out of it, but would it be better than a Spider overall?

can somebody please answer this... i need to know as well.

[The Spoon]

TheBax wrote:

Rattlehead2661 wrote:

Hey, I got a question. I currently have a Spider III 30 combo at the moment and I was wondering if a Cube 30X would've been a better choice of amp. I've played a 30X in a local music shop and was greatly impressed with the clean and metal sounds I can get out of it, but would it be better than a Spider overall?

can somebody please answer this... i need to know as well.

I had a spider 2 and replaced it with this amp...

its like putting on contacts for the first time after you've had crappy vision your entire life. every aspect of this amp is better than the spider. except maybe size, the spider is much bigger than the roland

[desimate]

how is it for the downtuned machine head/soulfly sort of stuff?

[uaemetallica]

hey guys am planning to buy a new amp but i waz confussied which roland should i buy 20x or 30x...i play almost everything nd play home bt smtimes i go jamming wid a friend((another guitarist))which one should i get to sound almost perfect??plz fast..thanks guys

[KnownUnknown]

Go with the 30x metallica.

[ZaÐ]

Everyone seems to agree that this amp is simply great.Then,why is the user rating so poor? :-/ 7.6....the cube 20 was a way higher than this o.ò

[Metallicaloveu]

I've got the bass version and I love it!

[kt_guitarist]

cant get you all, I absolutely HATE the sound of this thing and I recommend all of you not, yes NOT to buy it. let me explain why.

At first in clean mode you cant get a beautifull bright yet deep sound. It sounds flat and pale to me. Second for all the amp models on it you only have the rectifier sounding a bit nice the rest is crap. And for my last point, the effects are worthless and almost inadjustable making it worthless for a creative player.

i'dd recommend to buy a Line 6 spider III instead. However that also not is the best amp but in this league it way better it just packs all the features the cube lacks.

[kt_guitarist]

sorry for the double post,

but i must add that the line 6 spider series are a bit harder to handle in means of tone but spending a afternoon turning the knobs pay's off, it really does.

[FenderMaster]

Have an older model, the cube 15

Its very loud, has a great clean channel, and the metal stack is perfect for Thrash Metal/Punk

Its not the best for blues, funk and jazz though...

perfect for Pink Floyd or Metallica

[salsawords]

kt_guitarist wrote:

cant get you all, I absolutely HATE the sound of this thing and I recommend all of you not, yes NOT to buy it. let me explain why.

At first in clean mode you cant get a beautifull bright yet deep sound. It sounds flat and pale to me. Second for all the amp models on it you only have the rectifier sounding a bit nice the rest is crap. And for my last point, the effects are worthless and almost inadjustable making it worthless for a creative player.

i'dd recommend to buy a Line 6 spider III instead. However that also not is the best amp but in this league it way better it just packs all the features the cube lacks.

I have this amp, and some of what you said is true. There isn't much variety in tone for metal, pretty much only rectifier like you said. It's also true that the effects aren't very nice, but who looks for effects in an amp? The cleans on the lead channel aren't bad though, I'm sure they're probably better than a spider III.

[vanman118]

lol, the old one was my firsts decent amp, i personally liked it.

[d3monban3]

i do a lot

[d3monban3]

ok, qtf. sorry bout the first post, and this double. what i meant to say is that i do a lot of metal / rock guitar playing, does this amp give me enough distortion to achieve the "chug chug" effect like most metal bands. or do i go with the line 6.

[pooflinger069]

I don't have one personally but my friend has one and it's perfect for my floyd rose

[KeithNC]

Okay.... Roland Cube 30x, Vox Valvetronix 30, Marshall MG30DFX, Line 6 Spider III 30, or the Orange Crush 30r?

[KeithNC]

roland cube 30x, vox VT-30 or Orange Crush 30r?

[dan ramP]

the cube

[gtk4158a]

I have a Micro cube and it is amazing for the money. Roland really amazes me and this will be my next amp..

[fluid86]

hey does it works well with pedals?

[Tango616]

i just got this amp, IT KICKS ASS, by far the best amp iv ever played, it even stands up to my freinds line 6 spider III 75w. the line 6 maybe louder but theres no way in hell that it can get this awsome amount of tone!

[tigerking615]

kt_guitarist wrote:

cant get you all, I absolutely HATE the sound of this thing and I recommend all of you not, yes NOT to buy it. let me explain why.

At first in clean mode you cant get a beautifull bright yet deep sound. It sounds flat and pale to me. Second for all the amp models on it you only have the rectifier sounding a bit nice the rest is crap. And for my last point, the effects are worthless and almost inadjustable making it worthless for a creative player.

i'dd recommend to buy a Line 6 spider III instead. However that also not is the best amp but in this league it way better it just packs all the features the cube lacks.

Congratulations, way to fail.

If you can't get that clean sound, that's your fault you can't dial in a proper tone. I had no trouble. Most of the clean models are useful.

While I agree with you that only the R-Fier model is good FOR METAL, that doesn't mean the amp is bad. You don't need to switch all the time - if one is great for metal, leave it at that. If you're not playing metal, use the other distortion modes if you want - they do make pretty nice classic tones.

As for the effects, they're built in. Most amps with built in effects like this aren't for serious players - they're just basic. If you need more control, go buy a pedal.

As for your last point, anyone who recommends a Spider III over a Cube 30X is touched in the head.

[hugh20]

we have these at school, great for blues but not for metal. OK cleans.

[Roopelatvalafan]

cleans absolutely suck.. and the the distortion sound ultra digital, no matter the channel..

[Saint Valentine]

Oh my god. i would buy that thing at the drop of a hat if i had the money...

[fenderholic65]

sa man wrote:

if any one can help me i am deciding between a this and the line6 spider 30. i tryto play mettallica

jus give up

[cmacTR4Q]

fenderholic65 wrote:

sa man wrote:

if any one can help me i am deciding between a this and the line6 spider 30. i tryto play mettallica

jus give up

Get the line 6. Trust me, I compared the same 2 amps when I was first purchasing a new 1. I tried them both out in store with my new guitar,I honestly think that most of this amp's presets sound like crap. And the EQ doesn't help the tone either, the power squeezer is a wasteof time, and the acoustic channel is incredibly quiet. Even on full volume it sounds like a dull whisper.

the spider 30 will definetly get you the tone your lookin for. I ended up buying it over the roland.

[the staggerwing]

yes we can play metallica on this amp...

[cranium2001]

I'm not trying to downplay this amp but I traded it in on a Vox AD30VT. After playing the Vox a little more it seemed more versatile to me. I still like the Cube but I like the Vox a little more.

[zip983]

would this work well will a boss metal zone????

[natka93]

I've bought one yesterday. All I can say is that for that price it's the best choice. Sounds really cool for me on all of the channels, and i really like tweed and acoustic. I wanted to buy line 6 spider III 30 but thanks God i didnt't. I just love my new amp (i'm pretty begginer and the defrence between this one and my old cheap amp (ibanez) is really big for me). I really enjoy playing with this combo.So if you wanna have good sound both on clean and distortion i would rocomend you this one. Really good staff

[mightymartin]

i got a cube15x for years now and im searching for something with some more options, just to practise with in my bedroom, though im not sure if i should get a footswitch with these options or get an amp like the 20x, normally i'd pref an amp with the options but since i already got a 15x i feel it could be wasted money, and i dont want a expensive/high watt amp, i'm not sure what to get.
anybody has some advice?

[jhanvy]

im choosing between this and peavey vypyr 30. can someone help me out please?

[adnor junior]

roland cube 30x or vox vt30. help me please