Boss Katana 50 VS 100 (comparison)
Our pick: The Boss Katana 100
With more power and a more accommodating i/o system on the back panel, we recommend paying the extra cash and upgrading to the Boss Katana 100. With solid state amps, it's often worth it to have a larger, louder amplifier to help make up for the ground you lose going without tubes.
The Boss Katana series is one of our favorite budget-friendly solid state amp lineups. They give you a great-sounding amplifier with the control and flexibility of solid state combos, yet without feeling cheap or overly digitized. While there are several versions of the Katana, the 50 and 100 watt variations are two of the most popular.
But what are the differences between these two amps? Is it just an issue of wattage?
We'll answer that question in this comparison and help you figure out which amp is a good fit for your guitar rig.
Let's start with the basics first.
Boss Katana 50 VS 100 Comparison Tool
There's a significant price difference between these two amps, which you can see using the comparison tool below. The biggest notable difference is obviously wattage, where the Katana 50 tops out at 50W and the 100 tops out at 100W. As you can see in the detailed specs comparison below, both amps have adjustable wattage and the 100 can actually downgrade to a 50W amp, if necessary.
Katana | Title | Rated | Browse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boss Katana 50 | n/a | |
| Boss Katana 100 | n/a |
Specs for Both Amps
Both amps have the same 60 Boss effects, a three-band EQ, and a USB connection. Differences include the number of tone slots, top wattage rating (as we've already mentioned), a presence knob on the 100's power amp, tone control, and several i/o options in the 100 that are no available in the 50, including an effects loop and line out.
Header | 50 | 100 |
|---|---|---|
Circuit | Solid State | Solid State |
Number of channels | 5 amp types | 5 amp types |
Tone Slots | 4 | 8 |
Total power | 50W (25W, 0.5W settings) | 100W (50W, 0.5W settings) |
Effects | Modulation, Delay, 60 BOSS Effects (Tone Studio software) | Modulation, Delay, 60 Boss Effects (Tone Studio software) |
EQ | 3-band EQ, Tone control | 3-band EQ |
Inputs | 1 x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/4" (power amp), 1 x 1/8" (aux in) | 1 x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/4" (power amp), 1 x 1/8" (aux) |
Outputs | 1 x 1/4" (rec/headphones) | 1 x 1/4" (line), 1 x 1/4" (rec/headphones) |
USB | Yes | Yes |
Knobs | Amp type, Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Booster/Mod, Effects/Delay, Reverb, Master, Power Control | Amp type, Gain, Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Booster/Mod, Effects/Delay, Reverb, Presence Master, Power Control |
Headphones | Yes | Yes |
Effects Loop | No | Yes |
Weight | 25.6 lbs. | 32.6 lbs. |
Boss Katana 50 VS 100. Is it all about wattage? Not quite.
Comparison Summary
Having the effects loop and the line out are extremely helpful features, taking you beyond the wattage increase and giving you a more functional amplifier. If your goal is to save money, there's certainly nothing wrong with the Katana 50, and it's significantly cheaper. But we would argue the upgrades in the Katana 100 are broad enough to justify the added expense.
We're also prone to recommend larger and louder amps when working with solid state circuits (as we've already mentioned).
It's up to you, but we'd say the Katana 100 is the better value.
Questions and Comments
Do you disagree?
Would you say the Katana 50 is a better value because of the lower price tag or something else? Or perhaps you've owned one of these amps and want to share your story here.
Questions, comments, and thoughts are all welcome via the comments section below.
We'll see you there.
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Written by the GC Editorial on Amps and Comparisons
Written by the GC Editorial on Amps and Comparisons
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