Boss Cube Street II: A new portable amp aimed at buskers
The Cube Street II is Boss’s first cube amp and follows on from the Roland Cube amps. Available in two colours, the Boss Cubse Street II has some neat features aimed at performing on the go. And while it’s a neat package, we have one little niggle about the Cube Street II…
BOSS Cube Street II
Although the Boss-branded Cube Street II is not unlike the Roland versions, there are some noticeable differences. The weight of the mini amp has been reduced to only 4.4kg – and the power has increased to 2 x 5 Watts, feeding two 6.5′′ speakers in stereo mode. It’s still bevelled on one side and can be angled upwards to act as a stage monitor.
The new BOSS Cube Street II doing its thing
Connections
The connections are no longer on the top of the amp but have been placed on the rear instead. You’re getting a single XLR/jack for Mic/Instrument and a single Jack for Guitar/Mic. The rest of the I/O includes a Line output, an AUX-in or iCube link, a handy headphone output on mini TRS, plus two inputs for the optional footswitch. The USB port lets you connect the amp to your computer.
The BOSS Cube Street II is also available in red
2 channels and a looper
Both channels can be controlled independently from each other, at least as far as the 3-band EQ and reverb are concerned. The guitar channel also gets 3 acoustic amps, 1 “instrument”, 4 electric guitar amps and a mic mode in addition to gain, volume and chorus/delay controls. The mic channel only has volume and harmony controls, however.
The built-in looper can record up to 45 seconds of audio, though you’ll probably need an external footswitch to use it properly. Otherwise, there is a rudimentary tuner, an aux volume control and an option to reduce the amp output power from Max to Eco, saving battery but limiting your volume.
Optional BOSS BT-Dual Bluetooth Adaptor
Added cost for the Bluetooth add-on
This amp looks like a good package for performing on the go. You can operate the Boss Cube Street II via 8 AA batteries or a 9V power supply. In addition, it can be controlled from the smartphone via the new Boss BT-Dual Bluetooth Audio Adapter*. Very practical, but it costs an additional 50 Euros. I think Boss should have included the Bluetooth adapter from the start, as many products have it is standard these days.
Still, the Boss Cube Street II is cheaper than the currently available Roland Cube Street EX. Boss wants 349 euros*, substantially less than the 509 euros for the Roland-branded version*. And it also delivers more power.
The Boss Cube Street II should be available in stores by mid/end of July 2021 but can be pre-ordered now. Overall, this little busking amp may not be as exciting as gear like the recent Waza Craft reissue BOSS HM-2W, but I would hope it will have the usual BOSS quality. If you’re a performer needing a portable amp setup, this should be on your radar.
More BOSS Information
Official BOSS Demo Video
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- The new BOSS Cube Street II doing its thing: BOSS
- The BOSS Cube Street II is also available in red: BOSS
- Optional BOSS BT-Dual Bluetooth Adaptor: Thomann
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One response to “Boss Cube Street II: A new portable amp aimed at buskers”
hi what usb lead do i need for boss street cube to my macbook air i bought type b but its too small