Check out part 1 of this video here: ua-cam.com/video/migMFj6YYT0/v-deo.html Check out more of my amp reviews here: ua-cam.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html
You know Elmo, it`s refreshing to watch a video where the comments are honest and the content not planned to the millisecond... Those little foibles are what makes us all human, NOT like some other videos that are polished and sped up to stroke one's ego... Thanks for staying humble and honest, unashamedly warts and all...
Everything depends on what you ask him, for me it is perfect for the room or living room, it is very good at low volume and ideal for playing on backing tracks, and very flexible to really play all the music styles to home or in the car
The THR 30 II w is far better in all areas than the spark 40 that strangely you found great even though it has really far too muddy/dark sounds ... But hey, everyone has its own taste 😉
It's getting hammered by Spark not to mention Cube. Tried this, tried thr thr30 too. Input lag, obvious when you try to sing along backing tracks. Very weak bass response. Only good baseline I got with either was loading up the default presets in the app, which give you an idea what you can get from it. However, I didn't care for the fx and the disto sounds pretty fake. Was much more impressed with thr10c Ended up just using a Spark - which is far from perfect but overall I'd say better than this even for music playback or use as a soundbar when watching movies. Especially hated how it rattles at higher volume - both the thr10 II and 30 did this. Also, some really harsh upper mids and highs hard to dial out. Too bad.
Yes it certainly does but it's not a 3.5mm output, it's 6.5mm so you will have to use a socket to match or get a 6.5-3.5mm converter. @@justice100forwin2
Come on Elmo, this amp sounds amazing. I totally disagree with you. A cheap guitar with a great amp can still sound great. An expensive guitar with a shitty amp will still sound shitty.
Thanks Elmo for all the fantastic content and demonstration of your very hard earned skill. You have taught me to find the sound that is right for me. I bought Yamaha's THR100HD a couple of months ago and have put it through its paces. I am very happy with it as a base amp to replace practicing with a valve amplifier and save those tubes for the show! It takes pedals very well and while not instantly user friendly out of the box, i am able to get lovely cleans and rock solid gains using a mix of strymon pedals for effects and a FAT Boss overdrive for distortion :) So happy in fact with this that i may use it in a show. Nothing will replace that heavenly sound of 100 Peavey or Marshall Watts roaring out of the garage though
I think I’m with you on this overall assessment. I’ve got the old Roland MicroCube that I bought on eBay for $50 US. I play it on the one channel with lots of Gain and Delay. I mess around with the Gain and effects a bit and I might plug in a Looper or Tube Screamer. Quick and simple. Someone gave me a $100 gift card for the local music store so I threw in a few extra bucks and bought a BOSS Katana Mini. I like it. The only feature that I see that would entice me to buy a new practice amp is “wireless.”
the app is simple to use and allows you to save loads of presets , love this amp - doesn't always sound good but i've played more guitar than i have in years because it sounds so good . the pricing with the different models was annoying- i've got the cheapest one , would have liked the battery but it was getting too near £400. i'm happy with mine
Thanks very much for your honesty. To tell you the truth, I guess I may get by with this amp as I´m not used to playing with the outstanding ones. I suppose it´s just a matter of personal choice. However, I much prefer independent and honest reviews like yours rather than those that just hype the stuff up. At least now we can weigh pros and cons before making a decision. Cheers!!
Very nice! Much more dynamic and responsive than the Blackstar Silverline i watched you demonstrate, but there is still something missing from this unit.... Really appreciate that you play to analogue output and not digital, can hear it more honestly
It's funny that you mentioned micro cube my buddy's got one the old one and he loves it swears by it.He liked it more than the amp you are demoing and he took it back.I on the other hand have the olive green Yamaha thr10x.and I think it's awesome I don't play as much high Gain I just roll the volume down on the guitar it's a great amp the thr10x. Always love your chops Elmo! I also have the Marshall silver jubilee mini combo it's an awesome small loud tone monster.. not cheap though.
I have ordered and returned the THR10/30 II amps three times over the past couple of years, each time trying to get it to sound good at low gain/edge of breakup each time trying a different approach. This last time I tried an OD-200 in the front (which works great with my Cube amps and even my Katana Mini), but the sound of the THR was still not good at all to my ears. In particular, the Modern, Boutique, and Classic sounded pretty bad, with no way to turn them off. And the app is barely useable, as others have pointed out. I really wanted to like this amp, but have given it up permanently; for me the Katana Air is a much better choice for an all in one solution. I'm waiting for the Boss Dual Cube LX to become available; apparently the amp models are no longer COSM but have been upgraded...
I will give kudos to his chops. More than I have. I don't think much of his review and respectfully disagree with it. I thought the factory presets he demo'd sounded better than his. I was able to get much better sounds out of it just the little time I spent with it in the store. I think his overall demeanor in the video towards the amp seems to display a genuine disinterest in it to start with. It's one thing to be interested in something then get disappointed in the end, I can see that, but if your looking for a Ferrari, you don't go drive a Toyota, why would you. Bitching about the different preset levels ???? Did you try adjusting the volume before setting the preset. I heard more nonsense than legitimate grips. Some will like it, some won't, depends on what your wanting from an amp. I've been happy with the THR10c so I think I will likely enjoy the newer models added features. time will tell.
Elmo prefers the Plexi but I think that he gives an honest explanation of the gear he reviews, understands the gear and while he would be well aware beforehand that this amp wouldn't be for him may be usable for others.
Thanks for your time and effort my friend; it's greatly appreciated. I was wondering if you have tried the THR 30II Wireless. I have one on order now and (almost) everything I hear from my friends, Professionals and Not, is overwhelmingly positive. The 30 seems to be a big "Hit" on UA-cam also, mostly regular people not "I got mine for free" types. Thanks for your feedback
I have always enjoyed your reviews Elmo there is no bullshit, no one is telling what to say, your honest, I did notice you mention the amps get louder, my VOX VTX 20 which I still love, and as I mention sadly I need the usb sorting for the toneroom, when I select the Soldano Amp Model from the Toneroom with my VOX yes it's louder, sound wise Yamaha does sound great, a great feature is the re-chargeable battery , amp is portable, cost wise here in the UK the lowest price of the wireless THR is £350, but I am still in that searching mode, interesting Blackstar has updated their ID Core V3 line , that sounds really good, but in the end these are practice amps, but damn are they good,
In Italy costs too much now, near 400€ the not wireless version. Maybe for less a boss katana 50 mk2 is a better choice for the price (260€). I've tinnitus and I need for now a good silent practice amp, the katana has a 0.5W but I heard somewhere that remains too loud for a bedroom level.
I am really considering getting the THR30 ii considering that it would serve me for home use and also be something I can get a decent tone at a gig. What do you think? I'm under the impression that the previous model (THR10 V1) had a better quality sound, more pure and more pedal friendly. It is just a shame they were discontinued. By the way, thank you for not just demonstrating the amp but also giving an honest opinion about it. Cheers.
Hey Elmo....if your name is Trickytopronounce, is that all one word, or is it hyphenated? (Tricky-Topronounce?) Can't believe I missed your review of this amp which I've been very curious about, nice job as usual with your demonstration of the features and sounds! Bruce
I honestly don’t understand how you get it to sound this bad, lol. I have the original THR 10 and it sounds awesome. Also many demos on UA-cam getting good tones out of the mark II. Check out Soren Andersen demoing the THR 10 and tweak from his settings perhaps. Unless the other clips I have heard have been from people running the THR through third party IR. Could be! Maybe the THR II IR’s suck.
I'm looking into one of these for teaching (as its one of the few practice amps that does guitar and bass), but I can imagine its quite hard to covey that "In The Room" sound over UA-cam Elmo. While the direct out will definitely sound better, I totally understand the approach you are going for as its supposed to be a practice amp - not an Ax effects haha Shame to hear the amp is a bit ill!
Damn you! You make everything sound great! I'm trying to decide between a Spark and Yamaha (or something else!). If I didn't have to be so quiet most of the time (it makes a headphone jack mandatory) i'd already have bought the Harley Benton 15 tube and playing through it now! E.J.K.
Hi Elmo, how do you think this amp compares to the Vox Adio GT please? Would you recommend one over the other for a little desktop modelling amp to jam over backing tracks on? thanks.
I’m sorry I’m with Elmo on this . Just ordered one of these on eBay . This and the Marshall MG15. Haven’t received the Marshall yet . I currently use a HT5 mk2 to practise on and just wanted something more portable for teaching . My honest thoughts on the THR are :- the extreme sounds suffice ie clean / high gain . They are useable but to me but overly homogenised and lacking in dynamics . There’s a sort of haze inherent with the higher gain sounds . The clean is ok but when I compared it my HT5 even my gf commented there was no comparison HT5 was leagues better . I’ll bear with it but think I was impressed when trying to Marshall mg in a school when teaching . It atleast sounded like an amp and how an amp should respond . The Yamaha has a lag and homogeneity to it that makes it a little uninspiring to play for too long . Dynamically it sucks . For the other sounds :- crunch , lead . My god they are just utterly useless . Think I’ll stick with lugging a HT5 until I get to try the Marshall MG It looks a lot nicer than it sounds . Why do manufacturers go for this versatility approach over quality ‘ jack of all master of non ‘
Oh dear, It appears you missed the point of this amp and went for a one trick pony approach with gain and shreds. Most are buying it for its low volume and not its neighbour aggravating shred volume. Hated this demo and did not make it to the end..
@@hesch-tag I thought so, too, and I bought a Spark. I liked the volume but I found many of the tone cloud presets to sound the same, only eq'd differently, and the amp overall sort of sounds like a blanket is covering the speaker. Two weeks into owning it a THR30II became available and I played them both side by side. It's not as loud and bassy as the Spark but the THR sounds better to my ears and the added portability with onboard power is just a bonus. I unloaded the Spark on Craigslist.
Yes , I had both . Sent the 10 back . I found the 30 is fuller and punchier. Better spread also from the speakers as its a little bigger. Also can use a looper with the 30. Worth the extra cost
@@richardbarnett8877 Hi Richard , No , to be honest. In the end I sold my 30 as well . I really liked the cleans , but just couldnt get over the fizz on drive . They are nice amps for sure , but way overpriced imo. Value for money is not the best again in my opinion.
Have you tried Yamaha thr10x? And if so, do you like the Roland Micro Cube better? Thr10x is at least 3x the price of the Cube. Which one of the battery amps would you say is the best for Van Halen and 80s metal?
Haven't tried the 10x. 80's metal comes in different forms. For me it's definitely still the Cube. I actually bought another one, so I have one in the kitchen as well :D
@@MrPolevaulter That's awesome!! Are you still going to do a video of the gx microcube vs the old microcube? I picked up a gx for $40 and I think your right that the marshall stack doesn't sound as good on the gx because it's probably one of my least used settings on that amp. I love the cleans and the heavy distortion channels for soloing. I think the rectifier might be better on the gx compared to the old one?
I was sure on the THR10X you could preset the volume per preset save? Must have changed it, used to be simple to match, shame. Also I’m all about analogue , (JVM/2555x here), but yeah, I think you may be a little harsh, my old THR10X was so sweet I bought the THR100HD, (went through a digital phase inc Kemper, went back to the THR100HD at the time, it was a better “amp”). I don’t get this at all, is that speaker breakup or mic clipping? Somethings off. 🤔 Edit: either way, entertaining, thanks for the review Elmo. 👍
Man I cannot see very well so any amp you have to use an app before it sounds good is not for me. Google has text to speech n I've learned other tricks but guitar apps offer no help
I actually feel the same way about tge THR series. I only kept a THR10C because I find that's where they excel and it's also a pretty nice music player. The 10II was... ugh, better not remember.
Elmo, Je suis d'accord avec toi, tous ces logiciels, programmes, sons...Cela nous éloigne de l'essentiel : JOUER Moi j'utilise un Orange Crush 20 RT Tu branches}Tu joues 👍
I live in a very small apartment (~4meters x 4) I'd love to buy an amp that sounds good at low volume so I have a few questions, now that you've tried the thr10II and the vox adio air gt, which do you think sounds better? Do you know how many decibels they get or how loud they have to be in order to sound good? (for example compared to a cellphone ringtone how much louder are they?). Thanks for the video ! :D
He doesn't like either of them. But he's got his opinion and he'd rather have a proper tube amp that you can gig with and an amp that doesn't sound fake.
Have never tried the Vox so can't comment. This Yamaha is pretty good for what you want. I have the base model THR10II. Elmo pretty much says he's not the target audience for this amp and that is on point. You have to use either a phone/tablet or a computer to interface and get the full range of amp models and tweaking options. Plus a lot of people need a good quality interface to their computer and this provides exactly that. No need to buy something like a FocusRite if you get this amp. From my perspective, 2 or 3 of the base 5 models are rather good and then you still have 5 more programmable slots to dial in your favorite tones from across all of the amp models and effects. So, that's at least 7 preferred tones ranging across multiple amp models and effects combos even after you disconnect and just run the amp solo. If I want to crank up the quality and volume I just run the headphone out into my powered studio monitors. But, I honestly find the built-in speakers sound good given their size and the stereo effect of the sound cannot be understated. The reverb combined with flanger or chorus with can get pretty huge sounding in a small room and sounds especially good when played through some decent quality headphones. The Bluetooth works fine for my android phone. I haven't found the need to even connect to my computer yet since I'm not recording anything. But, the option is there. Very happy with this amp overall. I would definitely recommend it for someone that is looking for a home practice amp and/or computer interface for their home studio setup. It takes pedals pretty well. I've used my wah and tube screamer stacked in front and it responds well. It's not for the gigging musician on the road. But, even some of those folks aren't adverse to interacting with their gear through their phone or pc. So, I'd imagine some would appreciate this as a 2nd or 3rd amp at home. This is my 2nd amp behind my Boss Katana 100. They both serve their purpose really well. Highly recommend both.
@@JoelWalker1229 Thank you so much for the comment and thanks to GOD you mentioned you have the katana 100 as well because I'm also considering that amp since it sounds beautiful ! However I live in a very small apt (4 meters x 4, basically a room LMAO), do you think the amp sounds good on low volume? in fact how do you think it compares to the thr10II at low volumes would it be good enough especially since it has a 0.5w if i recall correctly, or perhaps too loud even at low volume? I may buy the katana 100 straight up this way I have a amp for room and gig, but i'd be nice first to know what someone like you who has both he thr10ii and the katana thinks, which would you recommend?
@@TheOfficialNukeDem The Katana sounds great at the 0.5w setting while still being manageable for home use. I live in a condo which is basically just a glorified apartment with equity. Haven't had any complaints. I have them both because they do different things well. I needed the Katana 100 only because the Katana 50 doesn't include the effects loops. Same reason I'm sure quite a few players buy the 100. I have it paired up with a Trio+ Band Creator and a small set of pedals (wah/screamer/chorus) and I output the bass and drums to buy powered Mackie monitors leaving the Katana only to produce guitar tones. With the 12" speaker and more powerful amp, the Katana sound will simply destroy the THR on every level aside from mono vs stereo output. However, I think some are overlooking the depth of tones possible with these THR amps in a small desktop chassis. It should probably be compared against other small lunchbox amps like the Spark amp from positive grid and the Katana Air along with the Vox Adio Air. It really depends on what you want and also depends on whether or not you already have any gear that factors into the equation. I happen to own some pretty nice powered monitors that give me plenty of flexibility. I can out put my THR amp directly to those monitors and then the sound is immensely more powerful with deeper bass and overall punch. So, from that experience, I feel that maybe the quality of tones being produced by these little Yamaha amps are being overlooked a bit. However, if you would only be able to rely on the sound coming from the built-in speakers, that changes things. They are rather impressive speakers for their size imo. But, they simply cannot replace what you can get from a 12" cone driver loaded in a case. They're not intended for that. I would say if you want overall flexibility between playing at home and being able to play huge at a gig or just jamming with a band - it's pretty obvious you gotta go with the Katana. I'm more of the home shredder variety and occasionally play in small settings with friends. But, I needed a legit amp that could cover between home practice and easily transport for jam sessions, etc. The Katana is awesome for all of that and I think the available tones are mostly very good. Incredible cleans and probably 3 or 4 different flavors or crunch and lead that are just flat out great sounding. Anything classic rock to hard rock, metal and some blues, too. It's all in there and with surprising power even at the 50w setting and just silly volume at the 100w. The usefulness of the THR is more focused, less flexible perhaps. Again, that depends on whether you have any existing sound systems to amplify the THR audio source through larger speakers. The THR10II by itself is pretty cool and as it's own sound which can be surprisingly big and spatial for such a small unit. But, due to the small size of the drivers, it's more of a compressed sound. But, they don't just sound like thin, tinny garbage, either. The overall sound is that of pretty nice quality which certainly is not represented here in these reviews (no offense - it just isn't). Again, these small amps cover this home practice and computer interface utility really well. The option of being able to easily unplug the power and move this thing to any room you please or even run on some AA batteries for a while is all part of the smaller form factor. I've had my THR at the office a few times and it's really no hassle to travel with. All of this probably does more to explain why I have 2 different amps and what they can do for me. I think both represent good purchases. I used to have the THR10C and THR10X from the first generation of amps until I replaced both of them with the new version. I wouldn't continue buying Yamaha's products if I wasn't impressed with them. But, if I was starting out with zero amps, I'd probably buy the Katana 50 or Katana 100 first because it's just so flexible and is built like a tank to be used either strictly at home or being moved around as well. However, if I knew I would never take either amp out of the house, the decision would be much less obvious.
@@JoelWalker1229 ooh it's actually interesting you mentioned that the speakers of the thr10ii may have a bit of a compressed sound because on reddit people buying the vox adio air gt often mention that the vox is basically a thr but with better speakers that do not compress the sound! I think considering that yamaha released the thr10 at a much much higher price than previously I may give a go to the vox (where I live the vox is 250€, the thr10 320€ and the other models are all 400€ + !!! ) but also I wanna take the katana 100 considering it has an insane price value! Thanks for the help!
Is everyone else thinking what I'm thinking 🤔 that's this amplifier sounds amazing 😍 meanwhile Elmo is cork sniffing it the whole time .. sorry Elmo it sounds amazing for a $500 desktop practice amplifier. And you sounded amazing playing thru it .
You've clearly been spoiled by your mega expensive Marshall's - compare it to other affordable very QUIET bedroom amps. If you can find a better one than feel free to say this one isn't great.
Did you do this demo with the speaker setting on focus or open ? Please try the open setting (emulates an open backed cab)! Changes everything. Makes it sound iike the previous gen, like this : ua-cam.com/video/A8q09xG1gxw/v-deo.html
You have to hook it up to an app or computer + it's really small + it's not tubes = I bet it could sound MARVELOUS and you still would say you don't like it, it didn't sounded very good etc... What you say about Cubes it's just about "it covers the practice purpose and its cheapper"... and... it's not just about it, man... And Katanas don't really follows this concept of "third amp": it's big, heavy, ugly and, c'mmon... sounds "bigger", obvious, but it tastes waaaay more plastic than this... I love Katanas, but c'mmon... This amp could sound great to your ears and I bet you would be forcing to dislike it because of how distant it is from the drawn lines you got in mind about "a good setup" and a little bit because of it's "hype". It sounded great, you are trying too hard to dislike it. I hate those crazy "gear fan-boys", I even trolls a lot Yamaha fan-boys on internet LOL, but man, you are really trying too hard.
Check out part 1 of this video here: ua-cam.com/video/migMFj6YYT0/v-deo.html
Check out more of my amp reviews here: ua-cam.com/play/PLNaLwTdlpQNHNo5bubVjV1OW04gkqU8rM.html
You know Elmo, it`s refreshing to watch a video where the comments are honest and the content not planned to the millisecond... Those little foibles are what makes us all human, NOT like some other videos that are polished and sped up to stroke one's ego... Thanks for staying humble and honest, unashamedly warts and all...
Thanks! Much appreciated :)
Everything depends on what you ask him, for me it is perfect for the room or living room, it is very good at low volume and ideal for playing on backing tracks, and very flexible to really play all the music styles to home or in the car
The THR 30 II w is far better in all areas than the spark 40 that strangely you found great even though it has really far too muddy/dark sounds ... But hey, everyone has its own taste 😉
I think a lot of people are missing the point here. It's a practice amp not a gigging amp. And as a practice amp I think it sounds pretty good.
It's getting hammered by Spark not to mention Cube.
Tried this, tried thr thr30 too. Input lag, obvious when you try to sing along backing tracks. Very weak bass response.
Only good baseline I got with either was loading up the default presets in the app, which give you an idea what you can get from it.
However, I didn't care for the fx and the disto sounds pretty fake.
Was much more impressed with thr10c
Ended up just using a Spark - which is far from perfect but overall I'd say better than this even for music playback or use as a soundbar when watching movies.
Especially hated how it rattles at higher volume - both the thr10 II and 30 did this. Also, some really harsh upper mids and highs hard to dial out. Too bad.
@@andreil1234 I use a Boss Katana MK2 50 and It's amazing considering the cost.
@@richardjones2811 Does it take head phones?
Yes it certainly does but it's not a 3.5mm output, it's 6.5mm so you will have to use a socket to match or get a 6.5-3.5mm converter. @@justice100forwin2
@@richardjones2811 Thanks
The manual says Hi-Gain on Modern is basically a boosted 5150, making that combo the highest gain out of them all.
When you need to work to get your money's worth, but still not getting it.
Very informative Elmo They will not take my freedom Karjalainen 🙌
:D
Come on Elmo, this amp sounds amazing. I totally disagree with you. A cheap guitar with a great amp can still sound great. An expensive guitar with a shitty amp will still sound shitty.
Thanks Elmo for all the fantastic content and demonstration of your very hard earned skill. You have taught me to find the sound that is right for me. I bought Yamaha's THR100HD a couple of months ago and have put it through its paces. I am very happy with it as a base amp to replace practicing with a valve amplifier and save those tubes for the show! It takes pedals very well and while not instantly user friendly out of the box, i am able to get lovely cleans and rock solid gains using a mix of strymon pedals for effects and a FAT Boss overdrive for distortion :) So happy in fact with this that i may use it in a show. Nothing will replace that heavenly sound of 100 Peavey or Marshall Watts roaring out of the garage though
Thanks! :)
I think I’m with you on this overall assessment. I’ve got the old Roland MicroCube that I bought on eBay for $50 US. I play it on the one channel with lots of Gain and Delay. I mess around with the Gain and effects a bit and I might plug in a Looper or Tube Screamer. Quick and simple. Someone gave me a $100 gift card for the local music store so I threw in a few extra bucks and bought a BOSS Katana Mini. I like it. The only feature that I see that would entice me to buy a new practice amp is “wireless.”
Yeah, I've thought about giving wireless a try.
the app is simple to use and allows you to save loads of presets , love this amp - doesn't always sound good but i've played more guitar than i have in years because it sounds so good . the pricing with the different models was annoying- i've got the cheapest one , would have liked the battery but it was getting too near £400. i'm happy with mine
Thanks very much for your honesty. To tell you the truth, I guess I may get by with this amp as I´m not used to playing with the outstanding ones. I suppose it´s just a matter of personal choice. However, I much prefer independent and honest reviews like yours rather than those that just hype the stuff up. At least now we can weigh pros and cons before making a decision. Cheers!!
Thank you :)
Very nice! Much more dynamic and responsive than the Blackstar Silverline i watched you demonstrate, but there is still something missing from this unit.... Really appreciate that you play to analogue output and not digital, can hear it more honestly
What is it that is missing? I own one and it is pretty much perfect.
You can save a master volume for each preset, just need to turn it down then overwrite the preset
It's funny that you mentioned micro cube my buddy's got one the old one and he loves it swears by it.He liked it more than the amp you are demoing and he took it back.I on the other hand have the olive green Yamaha thr10x.and I think it's awesome I don't play as much high Gain I just roll the volume down on the guitar it's a great amp the thr10x. Always love your chops Elmo! I also have the Marshall silver jubilee mini combo it's an awesome small loud tone monster.. not cheap though.
Cheers! Yeah, the Marshall ain't cheap :)
I was interested in this "amp" but I bought the Harley Benton Tube 15 instead. Thank you for the review
I have ordered and returned the THR10/30 II amps three times over the past couple of years, each time trying to get it to sound good at low gain/edge of breakup each time trying a different approach. This last time I tried an OD-200 in the front (which works great with my Cube amps and even my Katana Mini), but the sound of the THR was still not good at all to my ears. In particular, the Modern, Boutique, and Classic sounded pretty bad, with no way to turn them off.
And the app is barely useable, as others have pointed out.
I really wanted to like this amp, but have given it up permanently; for me the Katana Air is a much better choice for an all in one solution. I'm waiting for the Boss Dual Cube LX to become available; apparently the amp models are no longer COSM but have been upgraded...
so basically it needs a hot soup and some tea to get over that cold
Haha :D Yeah :)
Sounds good to me just not loud enough.exellent playing Elmo
Cheers!
I will give kudos to his chops. More than I have. I don't think much of his review and respectfully disagree with it. I thought the factory presets he demo'd sounded better than his. I was able to get much better sounds out of it just the little time I spent with it in the store. I think his overall demeanor in the video towards the amp seems to display a genuine disinterest in it to start with. It's one thing to be interested in something then get disappointed in the end, I can see that, but if your looking for a Ferrari, you don't go drive a Toyota, why would you. Bitching about the different preset levels ???? Did you try adjusting the volume before setting the preset. I heard more nonsense than legitimate grips. Some will like it, some won't, depends on what your wanting from an amp. I've been happy with the THR10c so I think I will likely enjoy the newer models added features. time will tell.
It's absolutely fine to disagree :)
Elmo prefers the Plexi but I think that he gives an honest explanation of the gear he reviews, understands the gear and while he would be well aware beforehand that this amp wouldn't be for him may be usable for others.
Thanks for your time and effort my friend; it's greatly appreciated. I was wondering if you have tried the THR 30II Wireless. I have one on order now and (almost) everything I hear from my friends, Professionals and Not, is overwhelmingly positive. The 30 seems to be a big "Hit" on UA-cam also, mostly regular people not "I got mine for free" types. Thanks for your feedback
I haven't, at least not yet.
i think if it is less than 100w it will seem like it has a cold!
I have always enjoyed your reviews Elmo there is no bullshit, no one is telling what to say, your honest, I did notice you mention the amps get louder, my VOX VTX 20 which I still love, and as I mention sadly I need the usb sorting for the toneroom, when I select the Soldano Amp Model from the Toneroom with my VOX yes it's louder, sound wise Yamaha does sound great, a great feature is the re-chargeable battery , amp is portable, cost wise here in the UK the lowest price of the wireless THR is £350, but I am still in that searching mode, interesting Blackstar has updated their ID Core V3 line , that sounds really good, but in the end these are practice amps, but damn are they good,
Thank you for the kind words :)
Loved it so much 😍❤️!!!
Cool :)
In Italy costs too much now, near 400€ the not wireless version. Maybe for less a boss katana 50 mk2 is a better choice for the price (260€).
I've tinnitus and I need for now a good silent practice amp, the katana has a 0.5W but I heard somewhere that remains too loud for a bedroom level.
I am really considering getting the THR30 ii considering that it would serve me for home use and also be something I can get a decent tone at a gig. What do you think? I'm under the impression that the previous model (THR10 V1) had a better quality sound, more pure and more pedal friendly. It is just a shame they were discontinued. By the way, thank you for not just demonstrating the amp but also giving an honest opinion about it. Cheers.
I'd go for something bigger. Maybe a Roland Cube of some sort.
You're the only person on youtube that has managed to make this amp sound like complete shit. You are doing something wrong or that is defective.
Jet city 20 watt all tube amp head is 299.00 us and sounds great.el 34 powered also.
Hey Elmo....if your name is Trickytopronounce, is that all one word, or is it hyphenated? (Tricky-Topronounce?) Can't believe I missed your review of this amp which I've been very curious about, nice job as usual with your demonstration of the features and sounds! Bruce
Haha :D Thanks!
I honestly don’t understand how you get it to sound this bad, lol. I have the original THR 10 and it sounds awesome. Also many demos on UA-cam getting good tones out of the mark II. Check out Soren Andersen demoing the THR 10 and tweak from his settings perhaps.
Unless the other clips I have heard have been from people running the THR through third party IR. Could be! Maybe the THR II IR’s suck.
I'm looking into one of these for teaching (as its one of the few practice amps that does guitar and bass), but I can imagine its quite hard to covey that "In The Room" sound over UA-cam Elmo.
While the direct out will definitely sound better, I totally understand the approach you are going for as its supposed to be a practice amp - not an Ax effects haha
Shame to hear the amp is a bit ill!
Yeah, it's not entirely well. It's in quarantine :D
hey, nice video! I'm curious if the non wireless version does have bluetooth support for music streaming from your phone? Cheers
Damn you! You make everything sound great! I'm trying to decide between a Spark and Yamaha (or something else!). If I didn't have to be so quiet most of the time (it makes a headphone jack mandatory) i'd already have bought the Harley Benton 15 tube and playing through it now! E.J.K.
Cheers!
Still no goddamn effects loop for proper looper functionality.
Run line out to the looper's input, then back out to the aux in with a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter.
Hi Elmo, how do you think this amp compares to the Vox Adio GT please? Would you recommend one over the other for a little desktop modelling amp to jam over backing tracks on? thanks.
I think the THR is better. That being said, I'd probably go for a Katana Mini instead, or even better, an old Roland Micro Cube (not the GX model).
Why not the GX model
I’m sorry I’m with Elmo on this . Just ordered one of these on eBay . This and the Marshall MG15. Haven’t received the Marshall yet .
I currently use a HT5 mk2 to practise on and just wanted something more portable for teaching . My honest thoughts on the THR are :- the extreme sounds suffice ie clean / high gain . They are useable but to me but overly homogenised and lacking in dynamics . There’s a sort of haze inherent with the higher gain sounds . The clean is ok but when I compared it my HT5 even my gf commented there was no comparison HT5 was leagues better .
I’ll bear with it but think I was impressed when trying to Marshall mg in a school when teaching . It atleast sounded like an amp and how an amp should respond .
The Yamaha has a lag and homogeneity to it that makes it a little uninspiring to play for too long . Dynamically it sucks .
For the other sounds :- crunch , lead . My god they are just utterly useless .
Think I’ll stick with lugging a HT5 until I get to try the Marshall MG
It looks a lot nicer than it sounds . Why do manufacturers go for this versatility approach over quality ‘ jack of all master of non ‘
Spot on.
Hey you tested both, what do you think sounds better between the Thr10ii and the vox adio air?? Pls tell me :(
I didn't really like either, but the Yamaha was probably a bit better.
Oh dear, It appears you missed the point of this amp and went for a one trick pony approach with gain and shreds. Most are buying it for its low volume and not its neighbour aggravating shred volume. Hated this demo and did not make it to the end..
I love you too.
Elmo Karjalainen I sense a hint of sarcasm and... Nah can’t be worth my my time to respond..
Do you know if I can connect the app to the Thr10ii from my phone? The bluetooth connection isn't showing
No idea. I'd think not though.
I thought that was a new feature and a big reason I was thinking of getting one. But the Spark amp by Positive Grid seems to have everything and more
@@hesch-tag I thought so, too, and I bought a Spark. I liked the volume but I found many of the tone cloud presets to sound the same, only eq'd differently, and the amp overall sort of sounds like a blanket is covering the speaker. Two weeks into owning it a THR30II became available and I played them both side by side. It's not as loud and bassy as the Spark but the THR sounds better to my ears and the added portability with onboard power is just a bonus. I unloaded the Spark on Craigslist.
You're expecting big sounds out of a 10w amp. Why?
Nope. I've tried smaller, but better amps.
Agree about the app thing.
Can you get a good Yngwie Tone with that amp with the guitar and OD? Cheers :)
I couldn't.
Elmo Karjalainen thanks!! So a micro cube can get a Malmsteen tone right!!
@@mohamedazharzailan3912 I'd say you can get closer with that. You can check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/Iq_ez8naNGQ/v-deo.html
Is there a big difference (Sound-wise) between the THR30II and the THR10II?
Dunno.
Yes , I had both . Sent the 10 back . I found the 30 is fuller and punchier. Better spread also from the speakers as its a little bigger. Also can use a looper with the 30. Worth the extra cost
@@naffer can the 10 go quieter than the 30 before farting out?
I like the 30 but at really low volumes it gets fuzzy.
@@richardbarnett8877 Hi Richard , No , to be honest. In the end I sold my 30 as well . I really liked the cleans , but just couldnt get over the fizz on drive . They are nice amps for sure , but way overpriced imo. Value for money is not the best again in my opinion.
@@naffer thanks for the reply. I have a 30 which is OK when turned up a bit, but fuzzy at low vol.
Have you tried Yamaha thr10x? And if so, do you like the Roland Micro Cube better? Thr10x is at least 3x the price of the Cube. Which one of the battery amps would you say is the best for Van Halen and 80s metal?
Haven't tried the 10x. 80's metal comes in different forms. For me it's definitely still the Cube. I actually bought another one, so I have one in the kitchen as well :D
@@MrPolevaulter That's awesome!! Are you still going to do a video of the gx microcube vs the old microcube? I picked up a gx for $40 and I think your right that the marshall stack doesn't sound as good on the gx because it's probably one of my least used settings on that amp. I love the cleans and the heavy distortion channels for soloing. I think the rectifier might be better on the gx compared to the old one?
10x is the best
I’ve never watched a video where you could dial a nice sound out an amp that wasn’t you 1987x. Maybe gear review isn’t your forte.
Maybe watching videos isn't your forte, because I've done that in many videos.
I was sure on the THR10X you could preset the volume per preset save? Must have changed it, used to be simple to match, shame.
Also I’m all about analogue , (JVM/2555x here), but yeah, I think you may be a little harsh, my old THR10X was so sweet I bought the THR100HD, (went through a digital phase inc Kemper, went back to the THR100HD at the time, it was a better “amp”). I don’t get this at all, is that speaker breakup or mic clipping? Somethings off. 🤔 Edit: either way, entertaining, thanks for the review Elmo. 👍
Thanks for the input. Yeah, I might have been a tad harsh, but not by much imo.
Elmo Karjalainen fair call, you dig what you dig. 👍
Looking at grabbing a 1987x because of your channel, my wife is pi$$ed, I’m blaming you. 😂
@@Pointyish Haha :D Sorry about that :D
Man I cannot see very well so any amp you have to use an app before it sounds good is not for me. Google has text to speech n I've learned other tricks but guitar apps offer no help
I almost feel like there’s something wrong with this particular THR? This sounds like congested shit, which is not the THR I’m used to hearing.
No way of knowing. I sold it.
I actually feel the same way about tge THR series. I only kept a THR10C because I find that's where they excel and it's also a pretty nice music player. The 10II was... ugh, better not remember.
Elmo,
Je suis d'accord avec toi, tous ces logiciels, programmes, sons...Cela nous éloigne de l'essentiel : JOUER
Moi j'utilise un Orange Crush 20 RT
Tu branches}Tu joues 👍
Even if its a practice amp , if its boxy , i wont like it .
Same here.
I live in a very small apartment (~4meters x 4) I'd love to buy an amp that sounds good at low volume so I have a few questions, now that you've tried the thr10II and the vox adio air gt, which do you think sounds better? Do you know how many decibels they get or how loud they have to be in order to sound good? (for example compared to a cellphone ringtone how much louder are they?).
Thanks for the video ! :D
He doesn't like either of them. But he's got his opinion and he'd rather have a proper tube amp that you can gig with and an amp that doesn't sound fake.
Have never tried the Vox so can't comment. This Yamaha is pretty good for what you want. I have the base model THR10II. Elmo pretty much says he's not the target audience for this amp and that is on point. You have to use either a phone/tablet or a computer to interface and get the full range of amp models and tweaking options. Plus a lot of people need a good quality interface to their computer and this provides exactly that. No need to buy something like a FocusRite if you get this amp.
From my perspective, 2 or 3 of the base 5 models are rather good and then you still have 5 more programmable slots to dial in your favorite tones from across all of the amp models and effects. So, that's at least 7 preferred tones ranging across multiple amp models and effects combos even after you disconnect and just run the amp solo. If I want to crank up the quality and volume I just run the headphone out into my powered studio monitors. But, I honestly find the built-in speakers sound good given their size and the stereo effect of the sound cannot be understated. The reverb combined with flanger or chorus with can get pretty huge sounding in a small room and sounds especially good when played through some decent quality headphones. The Bluetooth works fine for my android phone. I haven't found the need to even connect to my computer yet since I'm not recording anything. But, the option is there. Very happy with this amp overall.
I would definitely recommend it for someone that is looking for a home practice amp and/or computer interface for their home studio setup. It takes pedals pretty well. I've used my wah and tube screamer stacked in front and it responds well. It's not for the gigging musician on the road. But, even some of those folks aren't adverse to interacting with their gear through their phone or pc. So, I'd imagine some would appreciate this as a 2nd or 3rd amp at home. This is my 2nd amp behind my Boss Katana 100. They both serve their purpose really well. Highly recommend both.
@@JoelWalker1229 Thank you so much for the comment and thanks to GOD you mentioned you have the katana 100 as well because I'm also considering that amp since it sounds beautiful ! However I live in a very small apt (4 meters x 4, basically a room LMAO), do you think the amp sounds good on low volume? in fact how do you think it compares to the thr10II at low volumes would it be good enough especially since it has a 0.5w if i recall correctly, or perhaps too loud even at low volume?
I may buy the katana 100 straight up this way I have a amp for room and gig, but i'd be nice first to know what someone like you who has both he thr10ii and the katana thinks, which would you recommend?
@@TheOfficialNukeDem The Katana sounds great at the 0.5w setting while still being manageable for home use. I live in a condo which is basically just a glorified apartment with equity. Haven't had any complaints.
I have them both because they do different things well. I needed the Katana 100 only because the Katana 50 doesn't include the effects loops. Same reason I'm sure quite a few players buy the 100. I have it paired up with a Trio+ Band Creator and a small set of pedals (wah/screamer/chorus) and I output the bass and drums to buy powered Mackie monitors leaving the Katana only to produce guitar tones. With the 12" speaker and more powerful amp, the Katana sound will simply destroy the THR on every level aside from mono vs stereo output.
However, I think some are overlooking the depth of tones possible with these THR amps in a small desktop chassis. It should probably be compared against other small lunchbox amps like the Spark amp from positive grid and the Katana Air along with the Vox Adio Air. It really depends on what you want and also depends on whether or not you already have any gear that factors into the equation. I happen to own some pretty nice powered monitors that give me plenty of flexibility. I can out put my THR amp directly to those monitors and then the sound is immensely more powerful with deeper bass and overall punch. So, from that experience, I feel that maybe the quality of tones being produced by these little Yamaha amps are being overlooked a bit. However, if you would only be able to rely on the sound coming from the built-in speakers, that changes things. They are rather impressive speakers for their size imo. But, they simply cannot replace what you can get from a 12" cone driver loaded in a case. They're not intended for that.
I would say if you want overall flexibility between playing at home and being able to play huge at a gig or just jamming with a band - it's pretty obvious you gotta go with the Katana. I'm more of the home shredder variety and occasionally play in small settings with friends. But, I needed a legit amp that could cover between home practice and easily transport for jam sessions, etc. The Katana is awesome for all of that and I think the available tones are mostly very good. Incredible cleans and probably 3 or 4 different flavors or crunch and lead that are just flat out great sounding. Anything classic rock to hard rock, metal and some blues, too. It's all in there and with surprising power even at the 50w setting and just silly volume at the 100w.
The usefulness of the THR is more focused, less flexible perhaps. Again, that depends on whether you have any existing sound systems to amplify the THR audio source through larger speakers. The THR10II by itself is pretty cool and as it's own sound which can be surprisingly big and spatial for such a small unit. But, due to the small size of the drivers, it's more of a compressed sound. But, they don't just sound like thin, tinny garbage, either. The overall sound is that of pretty nice quality which certainly is not represented here in these reviews (no offense - it just isn't). Again, these small amps cover this home practice and computer interface utility really well. The option of being able to easily unplug the power and move this thing to any room you please or even run on some AA batteries for a while is all part of the smaller form factor. I've had my THR at the office a few times and it's really no hassle to travel with.
All of this probably does more to explain why I have 2 different amps and what they can do for me. I think both represent good purchases. I used to have the THR10C and THR10X from the first generation of amps until I replaced both of them with the new version. I wouldn't continue buying Yamaha's products if I wasn't impressed with them. But, if I was starting out with zero amps, I'd probably buy the Katana 50 or Katana 100 first because it's just so flexible and is built like a tank to be used either strictly at home or being moved around as well. However, if I knew I would never take either amp out of the house, the decision would be much less obvious.
@@JoelWalker1229 ooh it's actually interesting you mentioned that the speakers of the thr10ii may have a bit of a compressed sound because on reddit people buying the vox adio air gt often mention that the vox is basically a thr but with better speakers that do not compress the sound!
I think considering that yamaha released the thr10 at a much much higher price than previously I may give a go to the vox (where I live the vox is 250€, the thr10 320€ and the other models are all 400€ + !!! ) but also I wanna take the katana 100 considering it has an insane price value!
Thanks for the help!
how is the clean sound ?
It's ok.
Quite amusing (particularly in this day and age) to hear someone getting so pissed about having to use an app...
Is everyone else thinking what I'm thinking 🤔 that's this amplifier sounds amazing 😍 meanwhile Elmo is cork sniffing it the whole time .. sorry Elmo it sounds amazing for a $500 desktop practice amplifier. And you sounded amazing playing thru it .
You've clearly been spoiled by your mega expensive Marshall's - compare it to other affordable very QUIET bedroom amps. If you can find a better one than feel free to say this one isn't great.
Roland Micro Cube, Vox AC10C1, Boss Katana 50, Fender Mustang LT25, Boss Katana Mini, NUX Mighty Lite BT, just to name a few.
I guess it’s okay for just jamming in the kitchen. Lol! Otherwise nah!!!!!
Yep.
Can we directly plug this amp to a passive 2x12 cabinet? Thx
Don't think it had a speaker out.
@@MrPolevaulter so what is the function of the L and R output on the backside of the thr30ii?
@@Xzvsc Dunno.
"Good job" ! :) - (no joke )
Thanks :)
Wow I dont remember this amp sounding so bad.
Ok.
one more thing. Yamaha THR is a very good multitool.
Did you do this demo with the speaker setting on focus or open ? Please try the open setting (emulates an open backed cab)! Changes everything. Makes it sound iike the previous gen, like this : ua-cam.com/video/A8q09xG1gxw/v-deo.html
old thr better .sound better
You have a cold
You have to hook it up to an app or computer + it's really small + it's not tubes = I bet it could sound MARVELOUS and you still would say you don't like it, it didn't sounded very good etc...
What you say about Cubes it's just about "it covers the practice purpose and its cheapper"... and... it's not just about it, man... And Katanas don't really follows this concept of "third amp": it's big, heavy, ugly and, c'mmon... sounds "bigger", obvious, but it tastes waaaay more plastic than this... I love Katanas, but c'mmon...
This amp could sound great to your ears and I bet you would be forcing to dislike it because of how distant it is from the drawn lines you got in mind about "a good setup" and a little bit because of it's "hype".
It sounded great, you are trying too hard to dislike it.
I hate those crazy "gear fan-boys", I even trolls a lot Yamaha fan-boys on internet LOL, but man, you are really trying too hard.
Dude. You really missed the timing here. You need to hug your mum. 😊
@@MagisterTuomo I really do... 😢
Love mommy 😍❤️
I most certainly have never tried to dislike any piece of gear.
What a troll lol