Boss vs Line 6: Including the Katana vs the Spider V Amps

The Boss Katana and Line 6 Spider are two very popular amplifiers capable of producing a range of tones with built-in effects. In this article, I’ll compare these two heavyweights, and take a look at the full Boss and Line 6 range so you can see the models and their features that are available under your budget.

The Quick Answer

Boss amps are often easier to use and have more simple interfaces compared to Line 6 amps. However, Line 6 amps often have more presets (models) and effects built-in, giving the user lots of versatility. Line 6 amps are also available in more sizes than Boss amps and start at a lower price.

Boss Katana vs Line 6 Spider

The Boss Katana and the Line 6 Spider V are two of the most popular amps from each brand, so I wanted to take a more in-depth look at the features and the pros/ cons of each model.

The Line 6 Spider V has more built-in effects and models than the Boss Katana, and also comes in more sizes and higher power ratings. The Boss Katana has a simple interface that is often easier to use at first compared to the Line 6 Spider V which uses a screen to access more features.

The power control on the Boss Katana which allows you to change the power rating makes it more versatile than the Line 6 amp if you plan on using it in different settings, for example, gigging and bedroom practice. With the Line 6, you must select the correct power rating for environment you intend on using it in.

Here is a table comparing the features of each range.

Feature	Boss Katana	Line 6 Spider V
Power (Combo)	50W, 100W	20W, 30W, 60W, 120W, 240W
Power (Head)	100W	240W
Uses a Screen	No	Yes
Amp Types/ Modes	5	78 (23 cabinets)
Effects	15 built-in (access to 60+)	101
Built-in Looper	No	Yes (except 20W and 30W)
Power Control	Yes	No

Modes/ Channels

• The Boss Katana has 5 main channels: acoustic, clean, crunch, lead and brown. Each channel comes with a variation setting, which adds more brightness to each mode.
• The Line 6 Spider V uses presets instead of channels, to simulate the tone of other iconic amps. It has 78 amp presets and 23 cabinet presets, giving you access to a wide variety of tones.

Effects

• The Boss Katana has 15 built-in effects. You can also access over 60 effects based on Boss’ popular pedal range by connecting the amp to a laptop or PC with the Boss Tone Studio Software.
• The Line 6 Spider V has 101 effects. These can be accessed using the 5 controls on the amp, in order to access more of the built-in effects, you can assign different effects to each control using the Smart FX control setting.

Power Rating (Wattage)

• The Boss Katana combo amp comes in a 50W and 100W version and the Line 6 Spider V combo amp comes in 20W, 30W, 60W, 120W and 240W versions.
• The Boss Katana head unit amp comes in a 100W version and the Line 6 Spider V head comes in a 240W version.
• The Boss Katana has a power control which allows you to reduce the power (wattage) of the amp to make it playable at lower volumes, unlike the Line 6 Spider V where you will need to select the correct size for the area you intend on playing in.

Check out my comparison between the Boss Katana 50 and 100 to learn more.

Ease of Use

• The Line 6 Spider V has tonnes of presets which you can access using the screen. This gives you a lot of versatility, but does mean it’ll take longer to dial in the tone you’re looking for.
• The Boss Katana has 5 main channels which makes it easy to select the correct voicing for the amp, making it a little less complicated to use than the Line 6 Spider.

Here is a video comparing the Line 6 Spider and Boss Katana tones back-to-back. I’ve set it to start at the right moment in the video.

Comparing Popular Amp Models

In this next section, I wanted to summarise the ranges of both brands into a table so you can see what features and power rating you get for your money. The tables are split into combo and head unit options (all solid state) and are ordered from the lowest to the highest price so you can see what options are available to you based on your budget. The prices are all from Guitar Center at the time of writing.

Guitar Center are always the first place I look at when I’m interested in a new amp because have a huge range of amplifiers for sale and always have some excellent deals on. Here’s a link to take you directly to Guitar Center’s amp range so you can see all the offers available at the moment. 

Solid State Combo Amps

Amplifier	Wattage	Price	Settings
Line 6 Micro Spider	6W	$150	4 channels, drive, 3 band EQ
Line 6 Spider V 20	20W	$150	16 presets, drive, tone, reverb, 3 effects
Line 6 Spider V 30	30W	$230	128 presets, drive, 3 band EQ, multiple effects
Boss Katana 50	50W	$240	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Line 6 Spider V 60	60W	$320	128 presets, drive, 3 band EQ, multiple effects
Boss Cube Street II	10W	$350	7 guitar models, 3 band EQ, gain, reverb, chorus, delay
Boss Katana 100 1×12	100W	$370	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Line 6 Spider Jam	75W	$400	6 models, drive, 3 band EQ, reverb, 6 effects
Line 6 Spider V 120	120W	$430	128 presets, drive, 3 band EQ, multiple effects
Boss Katana 100 2×12	100W	$480	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Boss Nextone Stage	40W	$515	4 models, 3 band EQ, gain, reverb, delay, presence
Line 6 Spider V 240	240W	$550	128 presets, drive, 3 band EQ, multiple effects
Boss Katana-Artist	100W	$600	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Boss Nextone Artist	80W	$720	4 models, 3 band EQ, gain, reverb, delay, presence
Boss Nextone Special	80W	$900	2 channels (and 4 models), 3 band EQ, gain, reverb, delay, boost, custom tune, presence

Solid State Head Units

Amplifier	Wattage	Price	Settings
Boss Katana	100W	$350	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Boss Katana-Air Wireless	30W	$412	10 models, gain, 3 band EQ, over 15 effects
Line 6 Spider V	240W	$500	128 presets, drive, 3 band EQ, multiple effects
Boss Waza	150W	$2780	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, presence, reverb, FX

In the market for a new amplifier? Check out my complete amplifier buyer’s guide to help narrow down your selection and find the perfect amp for you.

Here are some more articles you might find useful:

• Boss vs Blackstar Amps
• Boss vs Marshall Amps
• Boss vs Orange Amps