I own some high-end modelers, studio monitors and FRFR PA systems, and these are great for getting that live “in-your-face” sound at high volumes. Not to mention laying down some tracks for studio recording. But sometimes, you want that sound and feeling when you’re just relaxing around the house, watching some TV or Youtube, or just noodling ideas and messing around. Or you want to practice at low volumes because of the time or place you’re at. You also want it to be portable so you can play anywhere.
Enter the Yamaha THR10X. This little unit is amazing. It’s solid-state, has two small speakers (in stereo), and offers up amp sims and effects (chorus, flanging, delay, reverb) as well as USB audio recording. There’s software that allows you to connect the unit to a computer to do preset management as well as access 2 extra effects in the unit (compression and noise gate).
The THR10X is the high-gain version of the line. Yamaha makes also the THR10 which is the default original and has a wide range of tones, and the THR10C which focuses on cleaner tones.
There are plenty of review of these units online, and all are incredibly positive. For the price of $299 USD, this is a jem.
Sometime if I play the unit and close my eyes, I really can’t tell at the lower volumes if it’s the THR10X or one of the high-end modelers that cost almost 7X the price! It really is that good for practicing and playing at lower volumes. Highly recommended.
Here’s a great (and funny) Youtube video that shows off the sound. Note that Satchel is a great guitar player for the parody 80s hair band Steel Panther. He’s a rocker and a comedian at the same time, so take this into account when you listen to him: