Big Tone, Steve Vai's Touch — Fits in a Backpack
Imagine having a fully featured modeling rig that weighs 3.3 pounds, runs on a rechargeable battery for up to eight hours, and comes pre-loaded with tones curated by one of rock's most distinctive voices. That's the Positive Grid Spark Mini Vai in a nutshell. It started as the Spark Mini — already a well-regarded portable practice amp — and Steve Vai liked it so much he collaborated with Positive Grid to give it his personal treatment: a striking burgundy Tolex exterior, a custom Mandala grille cloth, and four signature presets that reflect his approach to tone.
Those four presets — Fresh, Mild, Hot, and Fire — aren't just renamed defaults. Each one is built from the ground up by Vai, covering clean through high-gain territory in a way that shows real thought about how tones should be structured across the whole dynamic range. They're exclusive to this edition; you won't find them in the standard Spark Mini or on the Spark ToneCloud.
Whether you're a longtime Vai fan chasing that Passion and Warfare sound, or just someone who wants a compact, smart amp that sounds seriously good out of the box, the Spark Mini Vai delivers on both counts. It works equally well for guitar, bass, and acoustic instruments.
Sound That Punches Well Above Its Size
The Spark Mini Vai runs two custom 2-inch angled speakers at 10 watts through a Class D amplifier, but the real trick is the Stealth Design Passive Radiator on the bottom of the cabinet. That passive radiator gives the amp an omnidirectional bass response that simply wouldn't be possible otherwise at this scale — it's what makes the low end feel full rather than thin and boxy.
Positive Grid describes this as a personalized EQ and custom damping system, and you'll hear the difference immediately compared to a standard cube-shaped mini amp. The stereo output hits 90 dB SPL at one meter, which is plenty for bedroom practice and even casual jam sessions. When you're done playing, it doubles as a Bluetooth speaker — connect your phone and it becomes a surprisingly capable listening device.
33 Amp Models, 43 Effects, and a Smart App That Earns Its Keep
Right out of the box you get 33 amp models and 43 onboard effects covering noise gate, compressor, distortion, modulation/EQ, delay, and reverb. The four top-panel preset slots give you instant recall without touching a phone, which is handy when you're mid-practice. When you do open the Spark app (iOS and Android), you'll find over 100,000 community-built tones in the ToneCloud library — plenty of room to explore beyond the factory sounds.
The Smart Jam feature listens to your chord progression and auto-generates bass and drum accompaniment in real time, with no key or tempo setup required. Auto Chord displays chord charts for songs you import from Apple Music, YouTube, or Spotify, and Riff Training helps you loop and slow down tricky passages. The app also unlocks Spark AI Beta, which generates tone suggestions based on descriptive prompts — useful when you know what you want but can't quite dial it in by hand.
On the connectivity side, you get a 1/4" guitar input, a 1/8" aux input, a 1/8" headphone/line output, Bluetooth 5.0, and a USB audio interface (1 in / 2 out, 44.1kHz/16-bit) that works with macOS and Windows for direct computer recording. The optional Spark Control and Spark Control X wireless footswitches add hands-free preset switching if you need it.
Built to Go Anywhere
At 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) and 5.76 x 4.84 x 6.49 inches, the Spark Mini Vai is genuinely portable — it fits in a carry-on, a gig bag side pocket, or on a desktop without crowding anything out. The built-in 3,000 mAh lithium-ion battery charges via USB-C and delivers up to eight hours of play time at moderate volume. DC 5V/2A power means it's compatible with most standard mobile USB-C chargers, so you're not hunting for a proprietary power supply on the road.
The burgundy Tolex covering and custom Steve Vai Mandala grille make it visually distinct from anything else in the Spark Mini lineup — this isn't a subtle difference. The reversible heavy-duty carrying strap lets you sling it over a shoulder or use it as a handle depending on preference.
Product Features:
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Power: 10W Class D stereo amplifier
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Speakers: Two 2" custom-designed angled speakers plus one passive radiator for extended bass response
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Amp Models & Effects: 33 amp models and 43 onboard effects (noise gate, compressor, distortion, modulation/EQ, delay, reverb)
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Signature Presets: 4 exclusive Steve Vai-curated presets (Fresh, Mild, Hot, Fire) — not available on standard Spark Mini
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App Features: Smart Jam auto-accompaniment, Auto Chord real-time chart display, Riff Training, Spark AI Beta tone generation, and access to 100,000+ ToneCloud presets
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Connectivity: 1/4" guitar input, 1/8" aux input, 1/8" headphone/line output, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C audio interface (1 in / 2 out, 44.1kHz/16-bit) compatible with macOS and Windows
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Battery: Built-in 3,000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion, up to 8 hours play time, charges via USB-C
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Design: Custom burgundy Tolex covering and Steve Vai Mandala grille cloth; reversible heavy-duty carrying strap
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Weight & Dimensions: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb); 146.5 x 123 x 165 mm (5.76 x 4.84 x 6.49 in)
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Footswitch Compatibility: Optional Spark Control and Spark Control X wireless footswitches
Brand: Positive Grid
Model: Spark Mini Vai
SKU: SPARK MINI VAI
Condition: New
Since 1872, C.A. House Music has been helping musicians across the Ohio Valley find the right gear -- with real advice from a team that actually plays. We're your authorized dealer of all the big names in guitars, keyboards, band instruments, drums, pro audio, and more. With four family-owned and operated locations in Ohio and West Virginia (plus a full online store), you don't have to go far for instruments, lessons, rentals, and repairs. No matter your musical needs, our team of musicians wants to help you Play Music for Life.
