The problem that your friend has is the same one I had and probably many others have had. I expected a "all-in-one" amp would check all the boxes. Unfortunately, he is probably going to find out that a "Jack-of-all-trades" amp will be a "Master-of-none". If raw amp tones are more important to him, the Catalyst will be better. If he thinks the effects are more important, he should get a Katana if he is looking at a "all-in-one" solutions. For me, I use very few effects when I play and I'm looking for the best raw amp tone I can get.
First off, great post.
I think my friend started out with the same posture one often assumes when they don't have a lot of experience, which is to look at the options and assume you need them all, on the mere basis that they exist. But he's just coming away from a bad experience with a modeler/ multi-FX box (NUX MG-30) and he really wants to simplify.
He was looking at the Fender FR-10 to amplify his NUX, but I think the cost scared him off. Then I lent him my ancient Flextone II thinking he could just use the power amp and speaker, but he wound up just using the whole combo standalone... and having a blast with it. (Unfortunately, its power amp started to crap out a few hours later, so that's back to being an end table LOL.)
This brings us to his current dilemma of going Spider with a software editor and a zillion effects, or Catalyst with fewer effects and perhaps better tone, or a Katana that seems to hang somewhere in the middle depending on how you're judging it, but at a higher price point. But as I've said, he's looking for "simple", and he's not a huge effects guy, so a decent variety of good amp tones is the important thing.
I recently sold my Catalyst 200 because I upgraded to Marshall heads and cabs, but when I had my Catalyst, I mostly used it with my Stomp XL in poweramp mode and it kept up with the band just fine and always sounded pretty good, just never great to my ears.
I just sold my HX Stomp for a song
but I don't think my friend was ready to invest in both a Catalyst and an arguably redundant modeler anyway.
If I had to do it all over, looking back I would have gotten a 20w Marshall DSL tube amp combo, or DSL head and 212, and a Stomp for amp modelling and effects. A very versatile setup that wont break the bank but will be able to handle it all.
I'm just waking up to these DSLs myself - cheap, LOUD, easy, and they sound great! Who knew?! (Well, everybody but me it seems...) I'd have pushed him in this direction but again, he was fixed on an all-in-one modeling combo. I don't think he has any interest in "being a tube amp guy" and jumping into rabbit holes filled with overdrive pedals etc. etc. etc. for the next few years. He just wants something he can stick in the corner and play some cool riffs on every couple of days. :)
