BOSS unveils Katana-25 with built-in Bluetooth
BOSS’s new Katana-25 pairs a 25-watt power section and eight-inch speaker with built-in Bluetooth, more than 60 effects and USB-C recording.
BOSS has announced the Katana-25, a compact guitar combo built around a 25-watt power section, an eight-inch speaker and built-in Bluetooth. Revealed on October 29, the new model puts the emphasis on home playing, with onboard effects, headphone listening and USB-C recording.
A smaller cabinet, a familiar idea
The Katana-25 combines BOSS’s Tube Logic approach with a reactive analogue power section and an open-back cabinet. Players get six amp characters with variations, including a setting intended for acoustic-electric guitars. Power Control switches between the full 25 watts and a half-watt setting for lower-volume practice.
The effects library contains more than 60 BOSS effects, with up to five usable at once. Basic adjustments are available on the amp; deeper editing uses the companion BOSS Tone Studio app. Twenty factory presets and ten user memories give players starting points and room to save their own setups. A built-in tuner and tap-tempo button cover two useful everyday jobs.
Practice tools without the extra Bluetooth adapter
Bluetooth handles music streaming and communication with Tone Studio. The app’s Session feature can place automatic sound changes along a YouTube song’s timeline, letting players prepare patch changes around the music they are practising.
A headphone/recording output and class-compliant USB-C audio provide alternatives to playing through the speaker. Optional wired and wireless BOSS controllers offer further control, but are separate accessories.
One practical detail for pedalboard owners: the official connection list has no effects-loop send and return. Check the actual connections against your setup rather than assuming every feature of a larger Katana carries over.
Availability needs a regional check
Roland’s Japanese announcement gives November 14, 2026 as the local release date. That is not a worldwide availability date; buyers elsewhere should check their regional BOSS listing or dealer. At the time of writing, the global product page also labels the iOS Tone Studio download as coming soon.
The specification makes a clear pitch to players who want an amp, effects and practice connections in one small cabinet. How it feels under the fingers still calls for a proper playing test; this is launch coverage, not a hands-on review.
