BOSS KATANA-50 Mk II Guitar Amplifier Owner’s Manual

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BOSS KATANA-50 Mk II Guitar Amplifier

Product Information

The KATANA series is a range of guitar amplifiers manufactured by the company. The series includes the following models:

• KATANA-50 Mk II: A 50W output amplifier with a 30 cm (12 inch) speaker.
• KATANA-100 Mk II: A 100W output amplifier with a 30 cm (12 inch) speaker.
• KATANA-100/212 Mk II: A 100W output amplifier with two 30 cm (12 inch) speakers.
• KATANA-HEAD Mk II: A 100W output amplifier with a 12 cm (5 inch) speaker.

The owner’s manual provided applies to all the models mentioned above, and specific information related to each model is marked with an icon indicating the applicable model.

USING THE UNIT SAFELY

Before using this unit, carefully read “IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS” (inside front cover), “USING THE UNIT SAFELY” (p. 2), and “IMPORTANT NOTES” (p. 3). After reading, keep the document(s) where it will be available for immediate reference

WARNING

• Make sure that the power cord is grounded.
  Connect mains plug of this model to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection.

• To completely turn off power to the unit, pull out the plug from the outlet.
  Even with the power switch turned off, this unit is not completely separated from its main source of power. When the power needs to be completely turned off, turn off the power switch on the unit, then pull out the plug from the outlet. For this reason, the outlet into which you choose to connect the power cord’s plug should be one that is within easy reach and readily accessible.

• Secure a sufficient amount of space at the setup location.
  Since this unit normally emits a slight amount of heat, make sure to secure sufficient space around it, as shown below.

• Do not disassemble or modify by yourself.
  Do not carry out anything unless you are instructed to do so in the owner’s manual. Otherwise, you risk causing malfunction.

• Do not repair or replace parts by yourself Be sure to contact your dealer, a Roland service center, or an official Roland dealer. For a list of Roland service centers and official Roland dealers, refer to the Roland website.

• Do not use or store in the following types of locations.

  • Subject to temperature extremes (e.g., direct sunlight in an enclosed vehicle, near a heating duct, on top of heat-generating equipment); or are
  • Damp (e.g., baths, washrooms, on wet floors); or are
  • Exposed to steam or smoke; or are
  • Subject to salt exposure; or are
  • Exposed to rain; or are
  • Dusty or sandy; or are
  • Subject to high levels of vibration and shakiness; or are
  • Placed in a poorly ventilated location.

• Do not place in an unstable location Otherwise, you risk injury as the result of the unit toppling over or dropping down.

• Connect the power cord to an outlet of the correct voltage.
  The unit should be connected to a power supply only of the type described as marked on the rear side of unit.

• Use only the supplied power cord.
  Use only the attached power cord. Also, the supplied power cord must not be used with any other device.

• Do not bend the power cord or place heavy objects on it.
  Otherwise, fire or electric shock may result.

• Avoid extended use at high volume.
  Use of the unit at high volume for extended periods of time may cause hearing loss. If you ever experience any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, you should immediately stop using the unit and consult a specialized physician.

• Do not allow foreign objects or liquids to enter unit; never place containers with liquid on unit.
  Do not place containers containing liquid (e.g., flower vases) on this product. Never allow foreign objects (e.g., flammable objects, coins, wires) or liquids (e.g., water or juice) to enter this product. Doing so may cause short circuits, faulty operation, or other malfunctions.

• Turn off the unit if an abnormality or malfunction occurs.
  In the following cases, immediately turn off the power, remove the power cord from the outlet, and contact your dealer, a Roland service center, or an official Roland dealer for service.

  • The power cord has been damaged; or
  • If smoke or unusual odor occurs; or
  • Objects have fallen into, or liquid has been spilled onto the unit; or
  • The unit has been exposed to rain (or otherwise has become wet); or
  • The unit does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance.
    For a list of Roland service centers and official Roland dealers, refer to the Roland website.

• Be cautious to protect children from injury.
  Always make sure that an adult is on hand to provide supervision and guidance when using the unit in places where children.
  are present, or when a child will be using the unit.

• Do not drop or subject to strong impact.
  Otherwise, you risk causing damage or malfunction.

• Do not share an outlet with an unreasonable number of other devices.
  Otherwise, you risk overheating or fire.

• Do not use overseas.
  Before using the unit in overseas, consult with your retailer, the nearest Roland service center, or an authorized Roland distributor.
  For a list of Roland service centers and official Roland dealers, refer to the Roland website.

• Don’t block ventilation openings.
  Don’t allow the unit’s ventilation openings to be blocked by a newspaper, tablecloth, curtains, or similar objects.

• Don’t place burning objects on the unit.

• Don’t place any burning object (such as a candle) on the unit.

• Be aware of weather conditions.
  Use the apparatus in moderate climates.

CAUTION

• When disconnecting the power cord, grasp it by the plug To prevent conductor damage, always grasp the power cord by its plug when disconnecting it.

• Periodically clean the power plug An accumulation of dust or foreign objects between the power plug and the power outlet can lead to fire or electric shock. At regular intervals, be sure to pull out the power plug, and using a dry cloth, wipe away any dust or foreign objects that may have accumulated.

• Disconnect the power plug whenever the unit will not be used for an extended period of time Fire may result in the unlikely event that a breakdown occurs.

• Route all power cords and cables in such a way as to prevent them from getting entangled Injury could result if someone were to trip on a cable and cause the unit to fall or topple.

• Avoid climbing on top of the unit, or placing heavy objects on it Otherwise, you risk injury as the result of the unit toppling over or dropping down.

• Never connect/disconnect a power plug if your hands are wet Otherwise, you could receive an electric shock.

• Disconnect all cords/cables before moving the unit.
  Before moving the unit, disconnect the power plug from the outlet, and pull out all cords from external devices.

• Before cleaning the unit, disconnect the power plug from the outlet.
  If the power plug is not removed from the outlet, you risk receiving an electric shock.

• Whenever there is a threat of lightning, disconnect the power plug from the outlet.
  If the power plug is not removed from the outlet, you risk causing malfunction or receiving an electric shock.

IMPORTANT NOTES

Power Supply

• Do not connect this unit to same electrical outlet that is being used by an electrical appliance that is controlled by an inverter or a motor (such as a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave oven, or air conditioner). Depending on the way in which the electrical appliance is used, power supply noise may cause this unit to malfunction or may produce audible noise. If it is not practical to use a separate electrical outlet, connect
  a power supply noise filter between this unit and the electrical outlet.

Placement

• Using the unit near power amplifiers (or other equipment containing large power transformers) may induce hum. To alleviate the problem, change the orientation of this unit; or move it farther away from the source of interference.

• This unit may interfere with radio and television reception. Do not use this unit in the vicinity of such receivers.

• Noise may be produced if wireless communications devices, such as cell phones, are operated in the vicinity of this unit. Such noise could occur when receiving
  or initiating a call, or while conversing. Should you experience such problems, you should relocate such wireless devices so they are at a greater distance from this unit, or switch them off.

• When moved from one location to another where the temperature and/or humidity is very different, water droplets (condensation) may form inside the unit. Damage or malfunction may result if you attempt to use the unit in this condition. Therefore, before using the unit, you must allow it to stand for several hours, until the condensation has completely evaporated.

• Depending on the material and temperature of the surface on which you place the unit, its rubber feet may discolor or mar the surface.

• Do not place containers or anything else containing liquid on top of this unit. Also, whenever any liquid has been spilled on the surface of this unit, be sure to promptly wipe it away using a soft, dry cloth.

Maintenance

• Never use benzine, thinners, alcohol or solvents of any kind, to avoid the possibility of discoloration and/or deformation.

Repairs and Data

• Before sending the unit away for repairs, be sure to make a backup of the data stored within it; or you may prefer to write down the needed information. Although we will do our utmost to preserve the data stored in your unit when we carry out repairs, in some cases, such as when the memory section is physically damaged, restoration of the stored content may be impossible. Roland assumes no liability concerning the restoration of any stored content that has been lost.

Additional Precautions

• Any data stored within the unit can be lost as the result of equipment failure, incorrect operation, etc. To protect yourself against the irretrievable loss of data, try to make a habit of creating regular backups of the data you’ve stored in the unit.

• Roland assumes no liability concerning the restoration of any stored content that has been lost.

• Use a reasonable amount of care when using the unit’s buttons, sliders, or other controls; and when using
  its jacks and connectors. Rough handling can lead to malfunctions.

• When disconnecting all cables, grasp the connector itself—never pull on the cable. This way you will avoid causing shorts, or damage to the cable’s internal elements.

• A small amount of heat will radiate from the unit during normal operation.

• To avoid disturbing others nearby, try to keep the unit’s volume at reasonable levels.

• Use only the specified expression pedal. By connecting any other expression pedals, you risk causing malfunction and/or damage to the unit.

• Do not use connection cables that contain a built-in resistor.

Intellectual Property Right

• Roland and BOSS are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Roland Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
• ASIO is a trademark and software of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.
• This product contains eParts integrated software platform of eSOL Co.,Ltd. eParts is a trademark of eSOL Co., Ltd. in Japan.
• Company names and product names appearing in this document are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

Panel Descriptions

Top Panel
* The illustration shows the KATANA-HEAD Mk II. KATANA-50 Mk II does not have a PRESENCE knob, [CAB RESONANCE] switch, nor does it have TONE SETTING buttons CH3 and CH4.

1. INPUT jack
   Connect your electric guitar here.

2. AMPLIFIER

   • [AMP TYPE] knob
     Selects the amp type. All provided amp types are original. Type| Explanation
     ---|---
     BROWN| A lead sound with an edge inherited from the BOSS WAZA brown sound.
     LEAD| Different gain settings allow this sound to cover a wide range from crunch to high-gain.
     CRUNCH| A fat crunch sound that faithfully responds to the nuances of your picking.
     CLEAN| A clean and natural sound. In conjunction with BOOSTER, it can be used for solo or lead.
     ACOUSTIC| A dedicated acoustic guitar amp that supports connection of an acoustic guitar.

   • [VARIATION] button
     Switches the AMP TYPE variation.

   • [GAIN] knob
     Adjusts the gain (amount of distortion).

   • [VOLUME] knob
     Adjusts the volume.

3. EQUALIZER

   • [BASS] knob
     Adjusts the sound level of the low-frequency range.

   • [MIDDLE] knob
     Adjusts the sound level of middle-frequency range.

   • [TREBLE] knob
     Adjusts the sound level of the high-frequency range.

4. EFFECTS
   Here you can make settings for the built-in effects. For details on the effect types and settings for each knob, refer to “Using the Effects” (p. 9).

   • [BOOSTER] button/knob
     Controls distortion-type effects.

   • [MOD] button/knob
     Controls modulation effects.

   • [FX] button/knob
     Controls effects such as wah, tremolo, and octave.

   • [DELAY] button/knob
     Controls delay effect.

   • [TAP] button
     Sets the delay time. When you press this button two or more times, the delay time is set to the interval between presses.

   • [REVERB] button/knob
     Controls the reverb.

5. [PRESENCE] knob 100, 100/212, HEAD only
   Adds lustrous outline to the mid- and high-frequency range. This is effective when you want to improve the definition of the sound.

6. [MASTER] knob
   Adjusts the overall volume.

7. [POWER CONTROL] switch
   Lets you switch the output level of the power amp according to your location or needs. By selecting “STANDBY” you can mute the sound while leaving the unit powered-on. This lets you mute the amp without changing the volume or other settings when you leave the stage, such as between sets of your live performance.

8. TONE SETTING
   Here you can store or recall sounds that you’ve set up on the panel. On the KATANA-50 Mk II, you can store a total of four sounds. On the KATANA-100 Mk II, KATANA-100/212 Mk II, and KATANA-HEAD Mk II, you can store a total of eight sounds.
   KATANA-50 Mk II** BANK A| CH1, CH2
   ---|---
   BANK B**| CH1, CH2

KATANA-100 Mk II, KATANA-100/212 Mk II, KATANA-HEAD Mk II

  *  **[CH 1]–[CH 4] buttons**  

The [CH 1]–[CH 4] buttons (CH 1–CH 2 on the KATANA-50 Mk II) remember the settings of all top panel knobs (except for the [MASTER] knob) and buttons. When you press and hold a button for one second, the panel settings are stored. * You can make the settings back to the factory state by turning the power on while holding down the [PANEL] button.

  *  **[PANEL] button**  

Makes the unit sound using the current settings of the panel knobs.

9. [CAB RESONANCE] switch 100/212, HEAD only
   Adds the resonance of a connected speaker cabinet. Value| Explanation
   ---|---
   VINTAGE| The warm and sweet sound of a vintage cabinet.
   MODERN| A modern cabinet sound notable for a tight low-end.
   DEEP| Sound with powerful low-end as well as a distinctive edge.

10. [POWER] switch
    Turns the power of the KATANA Mk II on/off.
    Rear Panel

11. AC IN jack
    Connect the included power cord.

• Use only the power cord that was included with the unit. 12. SPEAKER OUT jack HEAD only
  Connect a speaker box. Only use speaker cable to connect the speaker. Do not use any shielded cable designed for use with guitars.
  When connecting an external speaker to the KATANA-HEAD Mk II

  * If a plug is inserted in this jack, no sound will be output from the KATANA Mk II’s own speaker.
  * You must use a speaker box that has an input impedance of 8Ω or higher.

  13. EFX LOOP SEND/RETURN jacks 100, 100/212, HEAD only
      Connect an external effect device (mono). Connect the SEND jack to the input of your external effect device, and connect the output of your external effect device to the RETURN jack.

  14. [STEREO EXPAND] switch 100, 100/212, HEAD only
      Two KATANA Mk II units can be connected for stereo output.
      Stereo connection method

  15. From the LINE OUT jack of the amp to which your guitar is connected (MASTER), connect to the POWER AMP IN jack of the other amp (SLAVE).

  16. Turn ON the [STEREO EXPAND] switch of both amps. * The controls of the slave amp other than the [MASTER] knob and the [POWER CONTROL] switch do not function.

  17. LINE OUT jack 100, 100/212, HEAD only
      Connect this to your PA system or recorder. You can obtain powerful guitar amp sound just as if you were playing through the speaker.
      You can use this in conjunction with an external PA system, or to record your performance via direct line while monitoring the sound from the KATANA Mk II’s speaker. Adjust the output level using the [VOLUME] knob. Since the [MASTER] knob does not affect the output, you can turn down the [MASTER] knob so that sound is output to a connected device without any sound being produced from the amp itself.

• To prevent malfunction and equipment failure, always turn down the volume, and turn off all the units before making any connections. 16. POWER AMP IN jack
  This jack directly inputs a signal to the power amp without passing it through the preamp of the KATANA Mk II. You can use it to input sound that’s been shaped by an external preamp or by a multieffect unit equipped with an amp simulator. When the POWER AMP IN jack is being used, the [PANEL] button is lit red.

  * Sound that is input to this jack is not affected by controls other than the [MASTER] knob and the [POWER CONTROL] switch.
  * Leave the [STEREO EXPAND] switch OFF unless you’re using two KATANA Mk II units in a stereo connection.
  * The POWER AMP IN jack and the INPUT jack cannot be used simultaneously. If cables are connected to both, the INPUT jack has priority.

  17. MIDI IN jack HEAD only
      You can control the KATANA-HEAD Mk II from a multi-effect unit or a MIDI foot controller.
      How the MIDI receive channel is specified Receive channel| Operation
      ---|---
      CH 1| Hold down the [CH 1] button while turning the power on.
      CH 2| Hold down the [CH 2] button while turning the power on.
      CH 3| Hold down the [CH 3] button while turning the power on.
      CH 4| Hold down the [CH 4] button while turning the power on.

RECOGNIZED RECEIVE DATA

2 (01H): BANK A CH2
3 (02H): BANK A CH3
4 (03H): BANK A CH4
5 (04H): PANEL
6 (05H): BANK B CH1
7 (06H): BANK B CH2
8 (07H): BANK B CH3
9 (08H): BANK B CH4
CC| #16| BOSTER SW| 0–63: OFF,

64–127: ON

#17| MOD SW
#18| FX SW
#19| DELAY SW
#20| REVERB SW
#21| EFFECT LOOP SW
#80| GA-FC EXP PEDAL 1 (FX)| 0–127
#81| GA-FC EXP PEDAL 2 (VOLUME)
#82| EXP PEDAL
#83| GA-FC (FS1)| 0–63: OFF,

64–127: ON

#84| GA-FC (FS1)

When you operate the knobs in the EFFECTS section, the settings of the knobs become effective and the above on/off setting will bediscarded.

18. USB port
    You can use a commercially available USB 2.0 cable to record the sound of the KATANA Mk II into your computer. You can also use dedicated software to edit the settings of the internal effects.
    You must install the USB driver when connecting the unit to your computer. Download the USB driver from the Roland website. For details, refer to Readme.htm which is included in the download. http://www.boss.info/support/

19. AUX IN jack
    Here you can connect a CD player, audio player, electronic musical instrument, or similar audio source, and listen to it while you play your guitar.

20. FOOT CONTROL

  *  **SEL CH1 CH2/EXP PEDAL jack**  

If you connect a footswitch (sold separately: FS-6, FS-7, or FS-5L), you can use your foot to switch between BANK A and BANK B and CH 1 and CH 2. If you connect an expression pedal (sold separately: Roland EV-5, BOSS EV-30, BOSS FV-500L, BOSS FV-500H), you can use your foot to vary the volume.

  *  **GA-FC jack 100, 100/212, HEAD only**  

You can connect the separately sold GA-FC to switch channels and turn effects on/off.

21. PHONES/REC OUT jack
    Connect headphones here. You can obtain powerful guitar sounds just as if you were playing through the speaker. To adjust the volume, use the [VOLUME] knob along with the [MASTER] knob.

• If a plug is inserted in this jack, no sound will be output from the KATANA Mk II’s own speaker. This is convenient if you don’t want loud sound to be produced from the speaker, such as when you’re practicing at night.

Connecting a Footswitch

Connecting a footswitch (sold separately: BOSS FS-6, FS-7, or FS-5L)
* The KATANA Mk II is compatible with latch-type footswitches (FS-6, FS-7, FS-5L). If you’re using an FS-6 or FS-7, set the mode of A and B to FS-5L (LATCH). Momentary-type footswitches (e.g., FS-5U) cannot be used.

Connecting the GA-FC 100, 100/212, HEAD only
Connect a stereo cable to the GA-FC jack.

• Always use a stereo cable.
• Use cables that do not contain resistors.

Using the GA-FC
You can switch TONE SELECT (CH1–CH4, PANEL). You can also switch EFFECTS (BOOSTER, MOD, FX, DELAY, REVERB) on/off.

Using the expression pedals
If you connect an expression pedal (sold separately: Roland EV-5, BOSS EV-30, BOSS FV-500L, BOSS FV-500H), you can use the pedal to vary the volume or control an effect such as WAH.

You can use dedicated software (p. 9) to assign a function of your choice to an expression pedal connected to the VOLUME or EXP jack.
Setting MINIMUM VOLUME of an expression pedal
With the [MINIMUM VOLUME] knob of an expression pedal, you can set the value for when the pedal is lifted up all the way (lowest value).

• Use only the specified expression pedal. By connecting any other expression pedals, you risk causing malfunction and/or damage to the unit.

Using the footswitches
If a footswitch (sold separately: FS-6, FS-7, or FS-5U) is connected, you can use it to switch between the TONE SETTING’s BANK A/B, or to set the delay time (TAP).

You can use dedicated software (p. 9) to assign a function of your choice to a footswitch connected to the FS1 or FS2 jack.

Using the GA-FC to switch the BANK
With one of the channels [CH1]–[CH4] selected, hold down the [PANEL] switch for approximately one second. The selected [CH1]–[CH4] switch blinks, and the bank switches between BANK A and BANK B. When BANK B is selected, the [PANEL] button blinks slowly.

Turning the Power On/Off
Once everything is properly connected (p. 4–p. 6), be sure to follow the procedure below to turn on their power. If you turn on equipment inthe wrong order, you risk causing malfunction or equipment failure.

1. Make sure that the KATANA Mk II’s [MASTER] knob and the volume of the devices connected to the KATANA Mk II are set to 0.

• Before connecting your instrument to the KATANA Mk II’s INPUT jack, set the [MASTER] knob to the minimum setting (far left). 2. Turn on the KATANA Mk II.
• Before turning the unit on/off, always be sure to turn the volume down. Even with the volume turned down, you might hear some sound when switching the unit on/off. However, this is normal and does not indicate a malfunction. 3. Turn on the power of the devices connected to the LINE OUT jack and PHONES/REC OUT jack. 4. Adjust the volume levels for the devices.
  Before switching off the power, lower the volume on each of the devices in your system and then TURN OFF the devices in the reverse order to which they were switched on.
• If you need to turn off the power completely, first turn off the unit, then unplug the power cord from the power outlet. Refer to “To completely turn off power to the unit, pull out the plug from the outlet” (p. 2).

Restoring the Factory Settings
Here’s how the settings stored in the KATANA Mk II can be returned to their factory-set condition (factory reset).

1. While holding down the [PANEL] button, turn the power on.
   Each of the EFFECTS buttons continues blinking consecutively from the left. When the blinking stops, all of the KATANA Mk II’s settings return to the factory-set state.

• It takes approximately 30 seconds for the factory reset to be completed. Don’t turn off the power while the factory reset is in progress.

Using the Effects

On the KATANA Mk II amp, you can use five types of effect simultaneously.

Effects assigned to each knob when the unit is shipped

1. Press the [BOOSTER], [MOD], [DELAY], [FX], or [REVERB] button to select the effect that you want to use. Each time you press the button, its color changes.
2. Turn the knob to adjust the depth of the effect.

Making use of the KATANA Mk II’s dedicated software
You can connect the amp via USB to your computer, and use it with dedicated software. Using the dedicated software allows you to do the following:

• Easily download dedicated effects from Boss Tone Central (http://bosstonecentral.com) download site into the amp.
• Edit the effect settings.
• Back up effects and other internal settings, or restore settings from a backup.

You can easily download the dedicated software from our BOSS TONE CENTRAL (http://bosstonecentral.com/) website. For details on how to use the software, refer to the Readme.htm file that comes with the download.

Block Diagram

KATANA-50 Mk II

KATANA-100 Mk II, KATANA-100/212 Mk II, KATANA-HEAD Mk II

Main Specifications

• BOSS KATANA-50 Mk II: Guitar Amplifier
• BOSS KATANA-100 Mk II: Guitar Amplifier
• BOSS KATANA-100/212 Mk II: Guitar Amplifier
• BOSS KATANA-HEAD Mk II: Guitar Amplifier

| KATANA-50 Mk II| KATANA-100 Mk II| KATANA-100/212 Mk II| KATANA-HEAD Mk II
---|---|---|---|---
Rated Power Output| 50 W| 100 W| 30 W (Using internal speaker)

100 W (Using external speaker)

Nominal Input Level| INPUT: -10 dBu (1 MΩ)
AUX IN: -10 dBu (20 kΩ)
–| EFX LOOP RETURN: -10 dBu (100 kΩ)| EFX LOOP RETURN A/B: -10 dBu
Speaker| 30 cm (12 inches) x 1| 30 cm (12 inches) x 1| 30 cm (12 inches) x 2| 12 cm (5 inches) x 1
| [POWER] switch| [POWER] switch| [POWER] switch [MASTER] knob [PRESENCE] knob [POWER CONTROL] switch: STANDBY, 0.5 W, 50 W, 100 W [CAB RESONANCE] switch: VINTAGE, MODERN, DEEP