Roland CUBE-80GX - 80W 1x12" Guitar Combo Amp Reviews

First, Thank you Devin Cunningham at Sweetwater. Great professional service. Ok, the short of it....Great value. The quality of the amp at this price point is outstanding. Built solid, small size, plenty of volume, and tons of head room for a clean sound which is primarily what I use it for. Perfect gig amp for a guy in his 50's that knows "more expensive does not mean better". Great sounding amp!

My experience with Sweetwater was excellent in every way. Mason Moss, my salesperson and person representive was outstanding. Very knowledgeable and very professional. Am ejoying my amp enormously.

I am a jazz pro guitarist, and if you are looking for a solid state work horse amp, look no further. I have been playing professionally for 30 years and I have owned MANY SS and tube amps. Let's just say that I have come to know a little about a tone for a good clean. Does it sound like a tube amp? No, but it gets closer and closer with each new cube model that comes out by Roland. I know some people were turned down by the fact that it does not have speaker out nor a looper like its predecessor, the XL. But c'mon, do you really buy a cube for that? I think the cleans are much improved on the GX and the reliability is as good as always.
I currently don't have a tube amp anymore..for a jazz cat who's back is not Getting any younger, I just couldn't see any other sensible choice for a loud, reliable, versatile amp.

Went to a (free) recording class at Sweetwater a few years ago, guy had recorded with a bunch of big names. He said players are always hauling all these big amps in when a small one will do. To prove him wrong I picked up a micro cube and hooked it up to may Tascam. He was right. Needed a small (in size) amp with a real line out and foot switchable effects for a very small area in orchestra pit. Read all the reviews and this seemed to fit the bill. Its much more than I expected, light weight, lots of power. I'll probably end up using it with my Bose L-1 as well. Effects are good and my equipment footprint and set up have shrunk 75%. Get the foot switch while your at it. As another reviewer mentioned be prepared to spend extra time (for me a extra hour) playing around with the amp and becoming familiar with it to get the sounds you want. Bought it as kind of a back up but because of features, sound, power and light weight it quickly went to the front of the line as the one I grab first. I was about to go with a processor or pod, glad I went this way.

If you want great sound from a compact little amp, this is the one for you. Easy to operate and has a bunch of different amp sounds to suit all your needs. Great EFX too.

The Roland cube series gives you all the best sound qualities any guitar and bass player need. Compact yet full range tonality needed to create and present your music. Play on.

I had the 80XL but do to unfortunate circumstances beyond my control. My amp and guitar
were stolen. So went out and but the new Cube 80GX on October 1st 2015 from Jeremy at Sweetwater.
I purchased the amp on October 1st and it got here Saturday October 3rd. I got an amazing deal plus I will get another $50.00 with the Rebate. I finally learned how to EQ this amp to get the Killer Sound on Both Clean and Metal Channel. I love the fact you can get the sound at real low volume for practice. I can plug my MP3 player into it to practice with and even use it as my home Stereo. I would have left the attached cord wit the amp instead of the Typewriter Line cord because sometimes it's easy to run out without it or lose it. Other than that I go up on Stage and blow away guys who have custom hand made boutique amps. It's not what you have, it's what you do with what you have. For the money there is nothing else out there that comes close to this amp in sound and versatility especially in the solid state realm.

Thank you Joe James for the incredibly great service and delivery of my amp. This is the second one of these I just bought because I love the first one so much. This amp really delivers the goods. The cabinetry is rock solid; the best I've ever seen. This amp is very loud for it's size, especially on the solo channel. This is partly because it's a fully enclosed cabinet so instead of losing sound out the back it really projects out front. You can front-load pedals id you want but I found this not necessary for the onboard effects are very close to as good as individual pedals except without the hassle and additional cost. As far as I know this is the same company that makes all the BOSS pedals - no wonder why the onboard effects sound really great A real plus is that you don.t need a noise gate that is nearly always needed in a pedal chain and that takes away from the quality of sound and tone. People that initially laugh when I set this thing next to a 100 watt half-stack don't laugh anymore when they hear the volume and tone that comes out of this thing. It's simply amazing ! Very good cleans and all out distortion. The only thing I can see maybe front-loaded would be a Wah or Octave pedal. Otherwise, it's all there - just a matter of adjustment. I gig with this thing all the time. People ask me "Where did you get that thing ?"

The Roland Cube 80gx is a great amp for practice and gigging. It performs well at bedroom volumes and just as well at louder, club level volumes. It has many excellent features and, overall, is one of the best sounding amplifiers I have ever owned (I have been playing guitar for 26yrs).

I play in a church praise & worship (contemporary) setting as well as a funk/gospel group. In the church we mike our amps in isolation boxes in a separate room. In the funk/gospel group I use the amp as my personal monitor and use the line-out (which is only available on the 80gx and not smaller versions like the 20gx and 40gx) to go to the board. What’s nice about this feature is that the COSM amp modeling goes straight to the board. In either venue, this amp works great. I don’t have the GA-FC footswitch because I use pedals for all my effects. The Cube takes pedals VERY well. So far I have not found uses for all the models this amp has. I will say that they all sound good, but where this really shines in in the JC Clean and the Blackface models. I say this with the preference in clean tones. I like using overdrive pedals for my distorted tones anyhow. My overdrive pedals sound great, especially with the Blackface model.

The built in effects are nice. I really like the reverb and delay (tap tempo is a nice feature but not available on the footswitch). The EFX (modulations & octave down) also sound great. With all the effects, you are very limited in that there is no editing available. For some people this isn’t a big deal, and fortunately all the built in effects sound good just the way they are. Like I said before, I don’t use the built in effects, preferring my board to do all that work.

All my friends/colleagues use tube amps. I also own a Vox ac4 (which is a great little amp). So, why go with a solid state modeling amp? Well, for starters it’s more affordable and you can get pretty close to the tube amp sound with it – enough to where your audience doesn’t know it. Also, it’s cleaner sounding. With tube amps I noticed that there are sometimes audio artifacts like crackles and hums. The Cube does not have that – it’s just nice and clear. Also, tube amps interact differently with power sources and lights. Again, this amp is cleaner with that issue. I’ve had tubes go bad on me before in the middle of a gig and it’s very difficult to get a good sound when they go. Solid state modeling amps have their downfalls, but I actually prefer them.

All in all this a very versatile and great sounding amplifier. It is louder than I expected and can hold its own with a live drummer. I plan on using this amp for years to come. Excellent purchase.

I purchased my first Roland Cube about 12 years ago when Roland still manufactured the Cube-60. When I purchased this amp, I was actually shopping for a 50 watt half-stack arrangement. The salesman showed me several different varieties of this configuration but there just wasn't enough sound versatility with these larger amps to suit me. I was about to leave the store when he asked me if I had ever looked at one of the Roland Cube amps. He pulled the Cube-60 off the shelf and set it down in front of me. I told him that I did not think such a small amp would meet all the various musical genres that I played, especially in the Rock genre. He smiled and told me, "Before you judge it too harshly, let me demonstrate it for you then tell me what you think". He rolled up a slant 4-10 cabinet and placed this Roland on top then cabled this amp to this extended cabinet. He then plugged in a guitar and proceeded to wail on this rig playing various rock tunes that were quite familiar. Needless to say, I was stunned by what I heard coming from this little amp. The power from this amp's single 12" speaker was equally as powerful on its own. The rest is history and I have played many a gig since then using that Cube-60 amp up until this year when I decided to purchase the Cube-80GX. Don't be misled, my Cube-60 still works great, it is just no longer manufactured and the Cube-80 has taken its place in the Cube lineup and it has many other features that make it even better than its 60-watt older cousin. These amps have some of the best amp emulators that I have ever heard on any other amplifier. As a professional musician, I can emulate about any type of vintage amp sound using this one little amp. This amp also has built into it high-quality effects that to me surpass any on the market. It is a great amp for recording, practice (even with a headphone jack), or live performing and it is versatile enough to be used in any type of music genre. I set this little amp on stage in front of a dual-stack skyscraper once at a Metal Fest and I was about laughed off the stage until the band I was with started playing. What they did not know was that I had lined out this little amp directly into the vocal sound system and this little amp shook the building, and I didn't even have to hurt my back putting it into my car afterwards. This amp is truly a stellar performer that has proven to be all the amplifier that I would ever need.

Wonderful Amp. Endless amount of tones. Perfect Amp for practice but powerful enough to play out.
Modeling is great.

First off I love the way Sweetwater allows me to pay three smaller payments instead of one and how they shipped my the amp right away. Which brings me to me second point, I got my amp 3 days after purchasing it online which was far faster than I thought it would be. The amp itself is amazing for a non-tube amp. I love the many effects that I can use without needing to buy any pedals. I also love that it is capable of being able to plug in my tablet and the Roland App that allows me to simulate different types of amps. There is a lot more that I love like the way I can play songs with my ph, mp3, tablet and so on into the amp and play along (practice) with my favorite songs. There really isn't much if anything TO NOT LIKE about the amp but if I could have made any changes or additions it would be to add a cover and a pedal to be able to switch and store tones as part of a packaged deal instead of needing to buy them separately but that is no where near a deal breaker. I love this amp and I a more than happy that I bought it from Sweetwater.

So far haven't used it with all my guitars but the three I have used sound super with this little gem. I can't say enough about it. I'm not really used to it yet but I'm totally happy with it. And has way more power than I've needed any where I've played since getting my little buddy. Great sounds with a Carvin, a Taylor T5 and with my Strat.

This is my second Roland amp. My first Roland amp is a Cube 20 XL which I use for small clubs miked into the main PA. I loved the sound of that one so much that I wanted one with more power for larger venue gigs. I selected this Cube 80 GX and have not been disappointed! This small in stature and lighter weight amp is a real burner. The tones are fabulous and the ability to save a favorite setting into the solo channel are great features. I love it's light weight...I've been gigging professionally since 1965 and at this stage of the game, carrying weight is a huge factor for me. The tough metal grill and build quality far exceed any other brand amp that I own. This amp so far has handled everything I've thrown at it and hasn't broken into a sweat yet. And, there's only one place I do business online and that's at Sweetwater.

This Roland amp is my first amp and I am very satisfied with the sound and the power. I would recommend this amp to all my friends. Thanks Sweetwater for the expertise and enjoyment that I will receive for a long time with this amp for a long time. I plan on being a repeat customer for Sweetwater.

This is a great amp. It's light and has plenty of power for most gigs. The clean channel has a wide range of uses from country, blues, jazz and more. The lead channel is fun to play with at home and has some good sounds which I use it during rehearsals for the coinvience but to be honest I use pedals or a processor on gigs. The same applies to the effects; great for rehearsals but prefer my pedals and such for gigs. The thing I love the most is how light it is. After having surgery I needed something light weight without sacrificing tone and this amp has defiantly delivered.

The 80 GX Cube has more than enough power
it brings out the sound so clear soft or heavy
anyway that you want it...
The onboard effects are great too.
This amp has been played on stage and home and performs
like a champ.. love it everyone should have one
and because of its light weight it is very easy to take anywhere
it is like dynamite in a small package............

Im not a professional musician but the sound and the effects and also the price, made it worth while. Its not big and bulky and you wont get a hernia lifting it. Dollar for dollar its a great amp for the price, and your people and service are the greatest, especially Mark Chapman who put up with all my questions. Your company is great in service, and everyone knocks themselves out to make sure the customer is happy. Thanks again to all of you , Rodger

After reading all the great reviews about the Cube-80GX, and having had a good experiences with the Bass 20 XL and Cube 20 XL, it was time to take the plunge.

In a word - AWESOME! I'm a tone aficionado and over the years have had mixed experiences with SS amp models replicating overdrive or distortion tones, but this one really comes close. It only took me 5 minutes to find an overdriven British sound I liked, and a solo tone that is both scorching and smooth. Of course the clean channel is perfect, and the effects are unexpectedly good.

Definitely get the footswitch because it's so handy, and combined with the great tone, achievable volume, portability and direct capabilities, this is a perfect grab-and-go gigging amp.

I've saved the best for last, and the biggest surprise from this little amp is that it actually takes pedals very well, although you don't really need them. I wanted a little more smooth sizzle to my OD model, so tried both a modified TS9 and SD-1 in front of the amp. I was blown away at how close to a tube amp it sounded! OD pedals over the clean channel also sound great, but of course run all pedal output levels at unity so that you don't clip the SS preamp (unless you want to).

Finally, does it sound exactly like a $5,000 tube amp and a $2,500 rack of effects? No, but it comes close, and unlike many tube amps you can actually turn it down to bedroom levels. Considering it's more than fair price and all the other benefits, you really can't go wrong with the Cube-80GX.

Giving it a 4.5 because I've only owned it a few months and can't answer the question on longevity; if it's like other Roland products, it should stand the test of time.

Using the Cube-80GX so far has been a delight. Being able to practice with the iPhone hookup and the app supplied by Roland, has been great, knowing that I don't have to set up my whole system for a few minutes of practice. The amp is deceiving. It looks like a little practice amp but is fully capable of firing away on a full stage setup. The COSM setups are great. Very pleased, to say the least.

I did not do a review right away.until I played out with this amp. it sounded great in my house. but I wanted to see how it would sould live during worship service. we go to other churches for programs a lot.I.m 54 goiing on 55. I would carry my amp with 2 12,s we have no roadies we are a 3piece.I wanted a small but loud and full sounding amp. this cube did the job very well. I can carry all my gear in one trip now.it,s a great sounding clean amp.I like the amp models also.I would have like to have a jack for a external speaker.and the loop feature from the older model.but I happy with my choice. my sales Rep James Masterson was a great help.Stephen Gibson

I'm impressed by this little guy. It is 4lbs lighter than the previous cube 80xl and the cleans are just as good. The new foot pedal it uses is welcome news to access all the functions. The effects are really good when I compared them to my other effects pedal board. I tested this with my Les Paul Classic, Road worn Tele, 5420 Gretsch, and a 72RI thinline telecaster.
The Telecasters did the best with this amp, although I will still use my Les Paul too. It takes my Boss ME-70 pedal great in front of it. I like it alot.

Great sound and very versatile with lightweight mobility

The Roland cube 80gx has an awesome clean tone. Great for jazz. It cuts well in a big band or small combo. It has some incredibly wonderful effects too. The foot controller is sold separately but is quite convenient and a necessity if you are going to use the onboard effects on the fly. The delay and reverb are nice and the chorus is good. As for the amp models, the deluxe combo and black face are ok with slight break up. The metal and r-fier models are awesome and can be tamed using the guitars volume. The Brit combo and classic are the most usable.

The 80 gx is a useful tool for running midi files through an iPhone. Overall the 80gx is a good versatile small amp with potential to be a gigging machine for the working musician. It's not tubes, but one can overlook that limitation when used for its it's strengths. It provides a clean pallete for pedals and its light. I purchased the 80gx to reduce weight and it serves that purpose for rehearsals and small gigs.

Bought this amp for a practice amp at home. I was pleasantly surprised when I turned it on. Lots of volume and plenty of features. The effects are quite good although I don't use them, I use my pedalboard. I like the clean channel--great cleans based on the roland jc120 amp. The cube has several amp models based on a twin, deluxe, mesa, etc. These are all passable and sound quite good. The amp has iOS connectivity which I have not used yet but plan to. Amp seems to be sturdy and built well and I hope it holds up. You could gig with this and leave pedals at home. I only wish it came with a footswitch and a speaker out to hook up another cab. Other than that, it is a great little combo.

I have been looking to purchase a lightweight guitar amp for quite some time.I've owned several Tube and solid state amps, and many modeling versions .Because of the Micro-cube I own, I thought I'd try one of these on for size.
At 31 lbs. it fit the ticket. I tweeked it and really wasn't happy with the tones I was getting from the amp. I would keep hearing a metallic string sound that I've associated with solid states in the past. Sweetwaters' 30 day no-hassle return period was almost over and I had been considering returning the amp for a refund.
I worked with the amp some more and finally got closer to what I had expected from the Cube 80GX.A Few subtle turns here and there produced much better tones. Most musicians understand how much work it takes to get "Your Own Sound" sometimes.
I've given it a little lower rating at this time but expect the rating to rise as I become more familiar with the amps nuances.
All in all I like the amp and would recommend it to others.
P.S.- Sweetwater was one of the very few stores to carry the recommended GA-FC foot controller for this amp.(see my review).That sealed the deal for me.

First off, I've never been more impressed with customer service than I have been with Sweetwater. My particular bone to pick regarding this amp is with Roland.

I bought this amp as my last gigging amp was an 80W combo with an EV 12-L and it was the perfect size for just about anything. I had planned to buy a Cube-80XL but when the GX line came out the XLs disappeared. I knew Roland had removed the built-in looper but, like so many others , I figured I'd just have to buy a separate pedal. No big deal. Unfortunately, you can't even effectively use a looper pedal with this amp at all because apparently the same genius that removed the looper and installed the iCUBE Link forgot to install an FX loop to compensate.

Example: You're playing out and lay down some clean acoustic loops running through the JC Clean channel (if you have a modeling guitar) and then want to play over it with an electric using the amp's tweed model with some delay and distortion. You can't do it because your formerly clean acoustic loop is now running through a modeled tweed with distortion and delay. The result is mud because your loops are a slave to the settings of whatever channel you're currently using. In fact, the only channel you can effectively loop with is the JC Clean. So if you want to use amp models and FX you'll need another pedal to replace all the on board FX. In which case... what's the point? The idea was to have less pedals to lug around, right?

It's a shame. It's a nice little combo, has plenty of power, sounds good. I know it'll void the warranty but I'm going to see if an amp tech can, and if so how much it would cost to install an FX loop. If not, I think this thing will be gathering a lot of dust in the corner or find itself on Ebay.

If you're even thinking of looping with this, save your money.