NAD: Yamaha THR10X (with video clip featuring my 2006 Jackson SLSMG)

[Number Of The Priest]

Last week, I bought a used Yamaha THR10X from a private seller in another province for CAD$245 (USD$181.97) including shipping, and it arrived yesterday.

I first learned about the THR series back in 2012 when I saw this Satchel video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr7NQHrLQxY) and was impressed, but prior to 2016 I wasn't buying much of anything and was happy with my Boss GT-6 into the effects loop of my Mesa DC-2 (and I still am).

Cameron Cooper's Youtube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/speedtorch1231/videos) also kept the THR10X fresh in my mind.

In summer 2017 I bought a Line 6 Helix LT (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...ine-6-helix-lt) and explored it a little bit. However, I must admit that even though it's touted as being one of the simpler-to-use premium processors, I haven't really touched it very much. I couldn't get it to sound good through the effects loop of my Mesa DC-2 and I had purchased it to succeed the Boss GT-6 but I still gravitated towards the GT-6. Setting up the Helix LT for recording was also a nuisance as I couldn't get the Helix to play through my computer speakers; instead I needed to use cumbersome headphones with the Helix, or hook it up via XLR cables to proper studio monitors (which I also have seldom touched), or into my DC-2 to monitor the sound coming off the Helix as I was recording.

The Helix is powerful but the simpler THR10X is probably a much better match for my silent/direct recording needs. With its built-in speakers I don't need separate monitors to hear my playing when recording to computer. I'm not a tone chaser but it sounds satisfactory with minimal tweaking, whether in USB direct recording mode as seen in the attached video, or on its own.

The two recent Boss Katana topics here on JCF had tangent posts about the THR10X. I was even an early invitee to join BenoA's excellent "Boss Katana Amps" group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/boss.katana/), though I am not a frequent participant. Obviously I am a longtime Boss fan going back to 2002 with my GT-6 being the main source of my sound since then. I kept watching Katana videos ever since its release and was impressed enough, but somehow the THR10X still made an indelible impression on me. With a sufficient amount of THR and Katana videos on Youtube for comparison, I think I decided it was time to pick the THR10X. I still may buy a Katana one of these days.

Last week I very nearly bought a CAD$60 Boss Katana Mini. I went back and forth with BenoA about buying it. It sold before I could act, but I realized that its lack of USB connection would have been a detriment for my situation.

Regarding other tiny amps, I also have a Roland Micro Cube and Behringer GM108 that I seldom touch. The Micro Cube I bought very cheap (CAD$40) on the same night I bought my Charvel Model 1C and had half a mind to resell it for a small profit but never got around to it. The GM108 was included with a CAD$200 Ibanez RG570 that I still haven't yet revealed in an NGD post; selling that would bring down the overall price of the RG570 and it was one of my great Deal Alert local purchases. I hung on to these small amps which have come in handy when buying local guitars from sellers who don't actually own amps, but I think the THR10X will supplant the Micro Cube and GM108 and I think I will finally let those two go. Besides, they don't sound quite as good as the THR10X, and neither of them have USB connectivity.

Below is my quick USB recording demo of the THR10X. I'm using my recently acquired 2006 Jackson SLSMG with EMG-85 in the bridge position (https://www.jcfonline.com/forum/equi...9-shipping-tax). Open the video on Youtube itself to read the extensive description including settings I used. If you want to compare, visit my channel to hear the same song played through the Boss GT-6 and through the Line 6 Helix LT.

For any fellow THR owners here on JCF, I am having trouble getting the Yamaha THR Editor software to recognize my THR10X is plugged in to my computer. Obviously I have already installed the compulsory Yamaha Steinberg USB driver, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to record the demo video in the first place. Not sure what I'm doing wrong; I would love for the THR Editor to work properly so I can see what functionality it has for tone tweaking.

[Number Of The Priest]

I managed to get the Yamaha THR Editor software to work properly.

In this video I am using the same basic settings as in the previous video, except THR Editor allowed me to choose a cabinet sim, adjust reverb and delay independently of each other, and employ a noise gate. And since we're Jackson fans, I'm using both my 1998 Shannon Soloist (left channel, and filmed for video) and 2006 SLSMG (right channel, not filmed for video).

I suppose Yamaha kept these features off the THR units themselves as a cost-cutting measure. Perhaps the same can be said for Boss Katana's "sneaky" amps. I am fine with this. Downloading the companion software is free and allows you to save many more presets to your computer compared to the unit itself. THR allows 5 memory settings, and I similarly imagine the Katana probably doesn't allow as many saved presets as its companion software would.

[Number Of The Priest]

Normally I wouldn't share "camera audio" but in this case it actually sounded pretty good and gives an idea of how the THR10X sounds "in the room" at low "won't disturb anyone" volume played over the backing track also at low volume.

Since it's camera audio in monaural, it's only one guitar track, and it's my 1998 Shannon Soloist. No 2006 SLSMG heard here like in the above video.

[synapsistheory]

Sounds great! Awesome playing too!

[Number Of The Priest]

The 2009 KE3 makes an appearance, paired with the THR10X.

[Number Of The Priest]

I recently learned how to use the delay setting in Yamaha THR Editor to simulate a low cut and high cut, which supposedly makes the THR Series sound more like real amps since the technique tames some of the excessive low end flub and high end fizz, as taught by John Dale (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Thpy1EijThs). I put the knowledge to use in this video.

[Number Of The Priest]

This time, using just the filter trick mentioned above as the sole guitar sound... no unfiltered tracks mixed in like the above video.

[illy]

Nice playing, and I love my Yamaha THR10. I don't have the X model, just the normal one.

[Number Of The Priest]

Thank you! How do you like the standard THR?

Looks like the new "mark 2" THR Series are released. I'm not sure I have an immediate need for one, although the thought of having all three "mark 1" models combined in one unit is highly appealing. For now, I'm still enjoying exploring what the THR10X can do.

Here's a new tone I discovered, inspired by Satchel from the first Steel Panther album, Feel the Steel. It was originally Satchel's THR10X video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr7NQHrLQxY) that introduced me to the product in 2012 so this feels like a small tribute.

[Number Of The Priest]

I let myself get carried away by the newly dialed tone and made a second clip in the same day.

[Number Of The Priest]

I dialed in a tone very close to Iron Maiden's Powerslave album. Counter-intuitively, I had to severely decrease the Master control, when conventional wisdom might say that amps sound better with the Master control cranked!

[Number Of The Priest]

For the weekend, I rented a 2019 Fender American Professional Stratocaster, just for the heck of it. So I recorded it, along with my other single coil equipped guitars (1988 Charvel Model 1C and 1998 Jackson SHS1 Shannon Soloist) through the THR10X using my Brown 1 "Satchel tone" which has proven versatile enough to sound great for bluesy neck pickup single coil playing.

The Strat is a great guitar, and I especially like its treble bleed circuit on the volume pot which I think should be incorporated on every guitar (and I might consider modding my guitars to incorporate it). I wouldn't mind owning a Strat if I can find a nice used one (it doesn't necessarily have to be an American Professional) but it would have to be a killer specimen because my existing superstrats already give a satisfactory single coil tone and currently don't feel like I am missing out by not having a Strat.

[Number Of The Priest]

Wanted to make the most out of my rented-for-the-weekend 2019 Fender American Professional Stratocaster before returning it tomorrow. I really enjoyed the way it sounds through the THR10X!

[Number Of The Priest]

This week, I purchased a used Yamaha THR10. In the early days of owning the THR10X, where I hadn't quite found "my tone" yet, I thought the answer was the Brit Hi model on the THR10.

So the first thing I did with the THR10 was dial in a high gain Marshall JCM800 style tone, using the Racer X song Heart of a Lion as inspiration.

[Number Of The Priest]

It turned out that the Racer X tone on the THR10 sounded like the Satchel / Steel Panther tone that I got on my THR10X, so naturally I felt compelled to record Death to all but Metal on the THR10. Compare it to the THR10X version in post #9 above and see which one you like better.