Spirit Tone Generator-fueled heads come in Rock, Metal and Vintage variants, with built-in cab sims and Sagging controls
With the Black Spirit 200, Hughes & Kettner redefined the versatility and tone of solid-state guitar amps, and now the company has brought that amp’s Spirit Tone Generator technology to three tiny Spirit Nano heads.
The three heads – available in Vintage, Rock and Metal variants – each deliver 50W of power, plus a built-in Red Box cab sim, outputted via 1/4” line-out and phones jacks.
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(Image credit: Hughes & Kettner)
(Image credit: Hughes & Kettner)
(Image credit: Hughes & Kettner)
As well as the usual complement of Gain, Tone and Master controls, the Spirit Nano series also features a Sagging control, which aims to dial in sweet spots of power amp saturation independent of the volume control.
In terms of tonal differences between the three, the Spirit of Vintage promises ’50s and ’60s cleans and crunch tones; the Spirit of Rock shoots for ‘brown sound’; while Spirit of Metal aims to cover, well, metal sounds from the ’80s to today.
(Image credit: Hughes & Kettner)
These remind us of Vox’s teeny MV50 Nutube heads, especially with the option of different tonal flavors. We’re pleased to see the addition of a proper cab sim on H&K’s offerings – although like the MV50, the lack of an effects loop feels like a missed opportunity, especially with higher-gain models. There is a 3.5mm aux in jack around the rear, though.
The Spirit Nano series are available later this month for $239/€199 each. See Hughes & Kettner for more info.
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Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
