Pros: Cheap, light, portable, loud, versatile practice amp
Cons: No parameter controls for effects. Tuning is inconvenient.
The Bottom Line: The Micro Cube is a versatile and portable practice amp for the spatially challenged. Great value for the price as long as you understand what you are getting.
buffoonery's Full Review: Roland Microcube Guitar Amplifier
Those of you familiar with my amp reviews know that I’m a sucker for toys (cf. my recent Power Block review of that ridiculously amusing machine). I recently was stumbling about Guitar Center and ran into a genuinely ridiculously machine called the Roland Micro Cube, which was on sale for $99 right next to the aforesaid Power Block. Despite its gerbil cage size and minimalist price tag, the Roland Micro Cube provides a ton of functionality for the price and could easily find its way into a lot of amp collections.
When they say “micro”, Roland means “micro”: the amp is about 9 ½” by 7” by 9” and weighs in at a measly 7 ½ lbs. What isn’t “micro” is the volume because the 5” 2W speaker provides a surprising amount of noise, like a decent boom box. It’s more than enough for practicing in the bedroom or, in fact, at a rehearsal in someone’s basement. (I wouldn’t gig with it, though; after all, it is rather silly.)
The key controls are contained on the top of the amp. Besides the input jack, there is a dial for selecting one of seven different amp simulators, gain and volume controls, a tuning fork and key selector and tone control. There is also a knob for selecting one of four effects (chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo) and another knob for selecting delay or reverb. Specifics on some of the controls:
The amp emulators include: 1) acoustic; 2) JC-Clean (the Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus, a very clean, crisp sound); 3) Black Panel (a Fender Twin Reverb for blues/country/traditional rock, nice highs); 4) Brit Combo (Vox AC 30, good rock sound that breaks up somewhat when dialed up; 5) Classic Stack (Marshall JMP 1987 for classic rock 70s); 6) R-Fier Stack (Mesa Rectifier for modern high gain; and 7) Mic. Now, you’re not getting exact replicas of these six amps, not when you’ve just bought a software package. But the emulations are nice and, though I didn’t test them side-by-side, are probably much the same as those on my Boss GT-6 effects package. In any event, they provide a lot of flexibility for the money.
I ran the amp through a cheapo acoustic electric and a humbucker equipped Schechter solid-body. The acoustic delivers surprisingly nice sound across the spectrum. The electric amps will give you a wide range of sound from quite clean to good dirty distortion. It ain’t a tube amp, and you ain’t paying tube amp prices.
The tuning fork permits standard tuning or either one step or two steps down. You tune using harmonics at the fifth fret and it’s not the most convenient method I’ve ever encountered, as I’m used to just reading off an LED rather than listening for imperfect tuning.
You can only select one of the four effects. Intensity is controlled by moving up the selector knob. The effects are OK but there isn’t a lot of flexibility and no real parameter adjustment. Same with delay and reverb. What do you expect for $99?
The reverse of the amp contains a Rec Out/Phones ¼” jack. The sound is mono and there will be no sound out of the speaker when the jack is in use. The amp controls volume. There two Aux In jacks, one ¼’ and one micro, for your CD player or external device. Output is mono and volume is controlled by the external device, not the amp Volume control.
The amp runs on either 6 alkaline AA batteries (rated at 20 hours, I can’t say if that’s accurate or not) or an included AC adapter. There’s an on/off switch, security key, and a handy dandy handle for carrying the little fella around.
As I’ve said, this amp offers a lot of value for a little bitty price, a nice combination of volume and versatility in a very portable package. It’s not for me at all but it should appeal to at least a couple of niche markets. First, and most obviously, it is a good starter amp for a kid who is practicing in his bedroom or trucking over to his friend’s house to jam. Second, it’s a very convenient amp for rehearsing in small or confined quarters or in an environment that does not permit or require substantial volume (the Micro Cube is about as loud as a good boom box).
What this isn’t is several things. It’s not remotely a gigging amp, and isn’t intended to be. It also isn’t a substitute for a good multi-effects box. Both Digitech and Korg manufacture MFX boxes in this price range that are much more versatile and functional. If you already have a decent practice amp, I would not buy this and would purchase one of the cheaper MFX boxes instead. It’s also nothing remotely like the Power Block, which delivers volume but no MFX. In short, the Micro Cube is what it is: a bargain-priced combination of amplifier and effects, designed for convenience with some MFX offerings. Think over whether you need what it offers. If you do, buy it.
Rated Power Output 2 W
Nominal Input Level
INPUT: -10 dBu
AUX IN: -10 dBu
Speaker 12 cm (5 inches) x 1
INPUT Jack: 1/4" phone type
REC OUT/PHONES Jack: Stereo 1/4" phone type
AUX IN Jacks: Stereo 1/4" phone type, Stereo miniature phone type
AC Adaptor Jack
Power Supply
DC 9 V: AC Adaptor or Dry Battery (LR6 (AA) type) x 6
Current Draw 185 mA
Size and Weight ( excl. AC Adaptor and Battery )
Width 9-5/8 inches
Depth 6-9/16 inches
Height 8-15/16 inches
Weight 7 lbs. 5 oz.
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With the new Micro Cube, guitarists get a genuine Roland Cube amp in an ultra-compact package that even runs on batteries. Weighing in at just few pou...More at Amazon Marketplace
Fantastic prices with ease & c...(Stock status: N/A)
With the new Micro Cube, guitarists get a genuine Roland Cube amp in an ultra-compact package that even runs on batteries. Weighing in at just few pou...More at Amazon Marketplace
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