Positive Grid’s Spark 2 will have a looper feature – fixing a flaw of the hugely successful first-gen modeler

Positive Grid has announced that the launch of the second generation of its popular Spark modeling amp is imminent, and will, after countless fan requests, feature a looper.

The amp received rave reviews upon its release in 2022 thanks in part to a sister app delivering more than 10,000 BIAS-FX-powered tones, but the lack of a built-in looper proved a sticking point for many players and would-be buyers.

In truth, the Spark was a game-changer for the home modeling amps game and helped promote Positive Grid from startup hopefuls to big-table players. A smart interface, oodles of tone-tweaking possibilities, and other innovative features put many of its rivals to shame.

Several iterations have since followed, from counterparts like the Spark Mini and Spark Go , through to its band-in-a-box offering, the Spark LIVE.

However, as is the curse of being a trailblazer, its innovations, and the passing of just a couple of years in what is a lightning-fast-paced market rife with competition, has seen other firms get their necks ahead of in the race, having reacted to the success of the Spark.

As such, filling its looper-shaped void is a shrewd move, and social media posts teasing such an appointment will likely be met with a mix of excitement and relief.

The fact that one of Positive Grid’s recent posts is simply a screenshot of the firm agreeing with a fan-generated Facebook comment that the Spark “would be perfect if it had a looper,” acknowledges that.

Indeed, the modeler space may be fiercely competitive, but even Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex launched sans-looper. Perhaps several firms misjudged how desirable they would be. Either way, it seems Positive Grid is making up for lost time.

Naturally, in 2024, several tech boffins figured out third-party solutions, with XSonic’s AIRSTEP Spark Loopy app augmenting Spark’s smartphone interface.

But an official looper is a step in the right direction, especially for those wary of getting involved with third-party apps.

Positive Grid has decided to launch the Spark 2 via a drip-feeding method that unveils one new feature at a time.

The looper reveal feels like the perfect place to start.

An inspection of a video teaser shows a record/dub button as a new arrival to the amp’s control panel. The app, either an update or a new app altogether, will include drum tracks and 'Groove Looper' and 'Creative Looper' modes.

The obvious, thus far unanswered question is: How long can it loop for? Considering the Fender Tone Master Pro has a 60-second looper, and Harley Benton's budget offering, the DNAfx GiT Advanced ($206), has an 80-second looper, clear benchmarks have been set.

“The evolution of the revolution is here,” reads the firm’s Instagram post . “Elevate your playing sessions with Spark 2’s all-new Groove Looper; Packed with 100s of hyper-realistic drum tracks to build your ultimate jam and unlock new musical possibilities.”

The layering options/capabilites of the looper also remain to be seen, but the announcement does hint that the feature will be a Spark 2 exclusive, dashing the hopes of Spark 1 owners who had prayed to the gear gods for a free firmware update.

Positive Grid has managed to lock in Nuno Bettencourt for the Spark 2’s full and grand unveiling, which will take place over a live stream event on August 1.

Until then, keep an eye on Positive Grid for updates. There is also a mailing list if readers want to ensure they’ll never miss an update.