Comprised of 200-watt 2x12, and 100- and 60-watt 1x12 amps, the Catalyst line features L6's HX tech, and looks to be the company's answer to Boss’s revered Katanas
(Image credit: Line 6)
Line 6 has unveiled the Catalyst line, an affordable new range of dual-channel guitar amps.
Comprised of the 200-watt, 2x12 Catalyst 200; the 100-watt, 1x12 Catalyst 100; and the 60-watt, 1x12 Catalyst 60, this new amp range features the company's HX tech, and is priced in competition with Boss's ultra-popular Katana line.
Each of the Catalysts features six "original amp designs," all created using HX tech. The fairly self-explanatory options are Clean, Boutique, Chime, Crunch, Dynamic and Hi Gain, with each amp coming paired with a switchable boost that's designed to specially complement it.
Line 6 | Catalyst Guitar Amps | Overview - YouTube
Any two amp types and their settings can be saved as A and B presets, and switched between using the Catalyst's A/B switch or a footswitch. Up to six A/B combinations can be saved.
The Catalysts also feature a dedicated reverb section with six types of 'verb – Spring, Hall, Chamber, Plate, and two Line 6 originals – on top of a total of 18 delay, modulation and pitch effects (six of each.)
In terms of controls, there are your standard knobs for Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Gain, and Master volume, plus knobs for the Boost and Reverb sections, an effects level knob, and tap tempo/tuner. Notably, unlike some of its cousins in the Spider V MKII range, the Catalyst amps feature no LCD menus.
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Line 6 Catalyst 200 (Image credit: Line 6)
Line 6 Catalyst 100(Image credit: Line 6)
Line 6 Catalyst 60(Image credit: Line 6)
Out back, each of the Catalysts has a power attenuator (with a choice of full power, half power or 0.5 watts), a Power Amp input that allows the amp to be used as a powered speaker, a footswitch jack, two-mode effects loop, headphone and direct outputs, an aux input, USB connectivity, and MIDI (for the Catalyst 200 and 100 only.)
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Catalyst buyers can also edit amp and effects parameters – or reassign the second button of Line 6's LFS2 Footswitch (a separate purchase) – via the free Catalyst Edit desktop and mobile app.
The Line 6 Catalyst 200, 100 and 60 combo amps retail for $499, $399, and $299, respectively.
Jackson is an Associate Editor at GuitarWorld.com. He’s been writing and editing stories about new gear, technique and guitar-driven music both old and new since 2014, and has also written extensively on the same topics for Guitar Player. Elsewhere, his album reviews and essays have appeared in Louder and Unrecorded. Though open to music of all kinds, his greatest love has always been indie, and everything that falls under its massive umbrella. To that end, you can find him on Twitter crowing about whatever great new guitar band you need to drop everything to hear right now.
