Roland Cube 15X 15 Watt Electric Guitar Amp

This quality Pre-Owned Roland Cube 15X is a compact and versatile 15-watt guitar combo amplifier that has become a popular choice for beginner guitarists and those seeking a practice amp with a variety of tones. Part of Roland’s acclaimed Cube series, known for its portability, ease of use, and solid-state reliability, the 15X offers a range of features that make it a valuable tool for learning and practicing the electric guitar. Although it has been discontinued and succeeded by newer models in the Cube series, the 15X remains a sought-after amplifier on the used market due to its robust build and useful features.

A Closer Look at the Features:

At its core, the Roland Cube 15X delivers 15 watts of power through an 8-inch speaker. This power output is ideal for home practice sessions, providing enough volume to clearly hear your playing without being excessively loud or disturbing housemates or neighbours. The 8-inch speaker contributes to a focused and articulate sound, which is beneficial for learning to discern nuances in your playing.   

The amplifier features a straightforward two-channel design: Clean and Lead. The Clean channel provides a pristine, uncoloured tone that allows the natural sound of your guitar to come through. This is essential for practicing fundamental techniques and developing a good ear for tone. The Lead channel, on the other hand, offers a selection of four distinct distortion tones: Overdrive, Distortion, Metal, and Metal Stack. These tones are based on classic Boss distortion pedals, a testament to Roland’s expertise in effects processing. This variety allows beginners to experiment with different genres of music, from blues and rock to heavier metal styles, without the need for external effects pedals.   

Tone shaping is facilitated by a traditional 3-band EQ, featuring controls for Bass, Middle, and Treble. These knobs allow you to sculpt the frequency response of your sound, making it warmer, brighter, or adjusting the mid-range to sit better in a mix (if playing along with backing tracks). This is a crucial aspect of learning how different EQ settings affect your guitar tone and how to achieve desired sounds for various musical styles.   

One of the standout features of the Cube 15X is Roland’s proprietary “Power Squeezer.” This innovative function enables you to achieve the saturated tones and sustain associated with higher volume levels, but at a significantly reduced overall volume. This is particularly useful for late-night practice or in environments where loud amplification is not permitted. The Power Squeezer allows you to explore the character of the overdrive and distortion circuits without disturbing others.   

For practice and learning, the Cube 15X includes an Auxiliary Input in the form of a mini-jack. This allows you to connect external audio sources such as MP3 players, smartphones, or CD players, enabling you to play along with your favourite songs or backing tracks. This is an invaluable tool for improving your timing, learning new songs, and developing your improvisational skills.  

The inclusion of a Recording/Headphone Output is another thoughtful feature. This standard 1/4-inch jack allows for silent practice using headphones, ensuring that you can work on your playing at any time without causing noise. Additionally, this output can be used to connect the amplifier to recording devices, making it a simple solution for capturing your playing or experimenting with basic home recording.   

Physically, the Roland Cube 15X lives up to its name with a compact, cube-like design. Its manageable size and weight (approximately 15 lbs or 6.9 kg) make it easily portable, whether you’re moving it around your home or taking it to a friend’s house for a jam session. Roland is known for its robust and reliable musical equipment, and the Cube 15X is no exception, featuring a sturdy construction that can withstand the rigors of regular use.

The Roland Cube Amplifier Legacy:

The Roland Cube series has a long and successful history, dating back to 1978. Roland’s aim was to create portable, reliable, and versatile amplifiers that catered to a wide range of musicians, from beginners to professionals. The Cube series has consistently evolved, incorporating new technologies and features to meet the changing needs of guitarists. The solid-state design of the Cube amps was a significant departure from the tube-driven amplifiers that dominated the market at the time, offering a more durable, lighter, and often more affordable alternative without compromising on sound quality.   

Over the years, the Cube series has seen numerous iterations and models, each building upon the core principles of portability and versatility. The Cube 15X was part of a generation of Cube amplifiers that focused on providing essential features and a variety of tones in a compact format, making it particularly appealing to those just starting their electric guitar journey. The inclusion of amp modeling technology, which digitally recreates the sounds of various classic and modern amplifiers, became a hallmark of later Cube models, further expanding their sonic palette. While the 15X doesn’t feature extensive amp modeling in the same way as some of its successors, its inclusion of Boss-derived distortion tones provides a taste of this versatility.

The enduring popularity of the Cube series is a testament to Roland’s commitment to quality and innovation. With millions of units sold worldwide, Cube amplifiers have become a staple in practice rooms, studios, and even small performance venues. Their ease of use, reliable performance, and wide range of sounds have made them a favourite among guitarists of all levels.

• Simplicity: Its straightforward controls and features make it incredibly easy to use, especially for beginners who might be overwhelmed by more complex amplifiers with numerous effects and settings.
• Sound Quality: For a 15-watt practice amp, the Cube 15X delivers a respectable sound quality, with clear clean tones and a good range of usable distortion tones.
• Durability: Roland’s reputation for building tough gear means that used Cube 15X amplifiers are often still in good working condition, providing a reliable option for budget-conscious buyers.
• Portability: Its compact size and light weight make it easy to transport for lessons, jams, or simply moving around the house.
• Power Squeezer: This unique feature remains highly desirable for quiet practice, setting it apart from some other basic practice amplifiers.

In conclusion, the Roland Cube 15X is a well-regarded and capable practice amplifier that offers a solid foundation for learning and experimenting with electric guitar tones. Its combination of clean and distorted channels, 3-band EQ, Power Squeezer, and auxiliary/headphone outputs make it a versatile tool for beginners and anyone needing a compact practice amp. While newer models in the Cube series offer more advanced features like amp modeling and built-in effects, the simplicity, reliability, and core sound quality of the Cube 15X ensure its continued relevance on the used market.

• Rated Power Output: 15 W
• Nominal Input Level (@1 kHz): INPUT (CLEAN Channel): -10 dBu/1 M ohms
• AUX IN: -10 dBu
• Speaker: 20 cm (8inch)
• Connectors:

1. INPUT: Jack
2. AUX IN: Jack
3. RECORDING OUT/PHONES: Jack

* Power Supply: AC 117 V, 230 V or 240 V * Power Consumption: 18 W

Size and Weight

• Width: 335 mm
• Depth: 240 mm
• Height : 330 mm
• Weight: 6.9 kg