Yamaha THR30II Wireless Amp Simulator: In Depth Review
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- čas přidán 13. 07. 2024
- The Yamaha THR30II wireless amp sim, check out this 'Black' version inside and out.
Contents:
0:00 start
0:36 Intro and preamble
3:34 Inside the unit
3:59 The speakers
5:45 The Battery
6:47 Opening the unit
7:14 The main board
10:24 Processor board
12:32 The processors
15:21 Rear connectors
16:48 Top amp controls
24:18 Non-standard PSU
25:36 Restoring presets
26:37 Wireless PAIN!
28:49 Smart device streaming
29:26 More about batteries
30:34 Buying choices wireless
31:06 Free DAW software
32:12 The control app
33:56 Subscribe!
35:39 Using the control app
39:38 Saving and loading presets
40:32 The amp modelling
41:36 THR session software
42:18 More about amp models
46:51 Tech specifications
49:16 Warranty
50:58 Things I like
56:01 Things I don't like
58:31 Overall review score
1:01:16 Summing up
1:02:07 Important note
1:04:26 The tones and playing
Link for the supply chain issues video: • The Trouble with Music...
When Yamaha bought Line6 there was always going to be much integration between those two companies. The THR30 II includes some of that by way of the wireless unit. But the THR30II wireless version shown here in this review is a new release in 2022 (in fabulous black) but in most other ways the review reflects all of the version II series of this amplifier simulator. Its available in white too!
One thing is certain, Yamaha don't generally make rubbish and neither does Line6 so you know when this amp sim was created and later updated the expertise within those companies really created something a bit special.
So when I saw this version in black I decided it was time to take a really close in depth look and review the Yamaha THR30 II guitar amplifier simulator and to show everything that other reviewers never do. Most guitarists and other people think they know the THR30II maybe, but in reality even owners might well not know much of what's shown in this review. By the way this is the wireless version of this simulator as I have said.
This review took a number of weeks 'in between' other reviews I have recently made, and I'm sure most guitarists and others that have any interest in the THR30II with wireless will love this video. I have tried to show every aspect I can as far as possible and discuss quality, technology inside, tones, control, the software, warranty and much more.
And importantly I show the THR30II internal battery and exactly what that is like - an important aspect for many guys who want to use this device live at a gig.
There are tone samples (at leas 12 ) and some playing by Alan Bruce my friend. I did record something but sadly I had the amp set to 'flat' and that did not include IR's and any real tone :( so my playing is now on the cutting room floor for this one. Alan did a good job though.
Find out EXACTLY what I think of this guitar players amp simulator - a paying customer, and would I buy again? Is this 'amp' really good enough to replace a simple tube amp? And how does it compare to other similar guitar amps that simulate the real tube amps - the market really is flooded with them right now.
Remember this is no Line6 Helix amp and certainly is not made by Roland Boss like the GT1000CORE but the similarities to most amp simulators certainly are here.
Pickups used in the guitar were active and came from Fishman Fluence.
I have spent considerable time creating this video and it is entirely unsponsored and it is a completely truthful independent review - so check it out and don't just watch the sales videos or the music gear retailers trying to sell it to you!
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE, RING THE BELL, AND THUMBS UP to give my channel a boost and thank you for watching - I hope the video is enjoyable.
(c) A B McKenzie and www.tonymckenzie.com 2009-2022
and Evil Owl Studios, Staffordshire, United Kingdom
All Rights Reserved. All Trade Marks Acknowledged
Visit www.tonymckenzie.com for more incredible reviews or my CZcams channel
#guitaramp #guitaramplifier #ampsim #yamahathr30ii #ampsimulator #tonymckenzie - Hudba
David Attenborough of amplifiers and electronics.
:) Thanks for watching...
A THR was my first amp. I have the 30ii now. They're just plain fantastic, best practice amps there are.
It was a pretty good product... and thanks for watching.
I really like your approach and applaud you for being blunt and not sugar coating anything. Thanks for the in depth look and opinions!
Glad it was helpful! I always try to show what others really never do. Thanks for watching.
I’m spending countless hours researching what to buy and if I should buy this . I saw how long this video was and am like - seriously this is the kinda review I need to decide. Ty for the hard work
I try very hard to create videos from the point of view of someone that has not seen the gear before (I had not) and that I almost always pay for the gear so my opinion is not biased and I report what I find. If the thing is hard for me to use, its likely hard for most ordinary guys. I try hard. I would also try the NUX Mighty Space too (I reviewed it too in the same way: czcams.com/video/GreCqrP6sBw/video.html so do check it and personally I felt the Mighty Space was better value as it included the guitar wireless dongle... hope it helps and thanks...
Outstanding piece of gear! I've been using one since 2011. This new model will no doubt make its way to my humble abode.
It did work well. I gave it to a friends son later and he loves it!. Thanks for watching.
Hi Tony..just found ya channel. What a breath of fresh air. I retired recently, and am trying to get up to speed on all this new stuff. Dont change your presentational method, really relaxing and conveying whats importantant.
Awesome, thank you! and thanks for watching.
Hi: so good to see you again: was worried! 😊
Thank you for this, as I’ve been battling through gear and spent way too much trying to get something I needed to PRACTICE with! I use a Yamaha with my guitar teacher every week, and I bought some very expensive very well known digital sim device that hasn’t gotten me playing at home, so I’m thinking on finally getting this and also thinning the guitar herd. Thank you always, from a mad (nutter) NYC Yank in Osaka Japan
Appreciated...
I have the THR10II and it's awesome. Very versatile, would definitely buy again.
Great to hear! They are good. Check out the NUX Mighty Space too as that device comes with the wireless included. Thanks for watching...
Thanks for the tear down, now I see that I can replace the color of the LEDs easily. Great Review.
Ha... well its more about the internal quality and components like ADC DAC and processor etc. but thanks for the post and for watching.
Brilliant Tony I've got the thr10ii and I'm loving it as practice amp cheers 👍👍👍👍
Thanks for the post as a real user - it always matters. And thanks for watching.
Love the look inside! I think these are neat units, but maybe not the greatest thing since sliced bread that some other channels have suggested. Very thorough review.
Yes they are not 'perfect' (I don't think any are) reproductions of tube amps but it certainly is made well and it works fine. Thanks for watching.
Very good review Tony. As usual you've covered all your bases (an American term from our version of Rounders, we call Baseball).
Hopefully. Not a bad little device I thought... shame the wireless was not available at the time... Thanks for watching.
Just got one in black like yours, to have a portable amp - I've got oodles of tube amps at home. The box arrived yesterday, and I'm watching this BEFORE opening it. I got the wireless Line-6 relay too. Thanks man!
Good stuff... those are pretty good bits of gear for sure. Thanks for watching.
Tony Tony Tony. We love your in depth reviews, but please try to demonstrate what these devices sound like for normal people like us. We need: nice clean tone, nice crunch tone, a bit of boost and a volume hike for a lead channel. But what we all want to know about these digital amps is...... does the crunch channel clean up when you roll the volume back like a real amp ? Go on, give the 15 minute widdly widdly solos a rest and show us what we are paying for. Thanks, Miff
Ha I get it, but sometimes that can get entirely boring FOR ME! Remember I do show different things in different products really and sometimes just a few chords with the variable channels etc. and other times just even a track with backing... but overall I really do try and offer a whole overview rather than 'just' playing as many guys do. The THR30 II is a very good product for sure... and so is the Mighty Space from NUX which you might also look at if you get the chance. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Great Discovery, looking for in depth review of gear. I think you did a perfect job, Tony! So: New subscriber, 'cause you're fully worth it. The inside is what counts, like humans. The outside is bonus. Thanks for great explanation. Kind regards, Arthur
Arthur, thanks very much and great that you 'get it' why I create reviews like I do. The sub is appreciated and thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom Thanks again, the machine is in house now! Kind regards, Tony!
Like all your videos, really nice work. Thanks
Thanks for the kind words and of course for watching.
I've been using a THR5 for a few years now and I couldn't be happier...sometimes I even plug it in the mixer (using the headphones output) and play through the monitors on rehearsels and it still sound amazing. I'm gonna save up some money and get the THR30II Wireless bundle for sure and will still keep the THR5
Thanks for watching
Thanks for a really detailed review yet again Tony. I thought it was certainly well made with a lot of useful features, a bit pricy perhaps, especially if you go for the wireless, when available. I have had a hankering for one for years but I think I would go for one of the more basic & cheaper models.
Yes the wireless non-availability is frankly a pain and exactly as you said the pricing (seemingly pushed up by the dealer in this case I think) does not help either. I thought £400 would have been reasonable but seemingly that was never going to happen. The wireless part was also expensive for what it is and it said a lot when version 1 was around £120 and version 2 (basically the same thing) dropped to £80 something. So the choice of one of the cheaper ones is a valid consideration. I never tried any of the others hence this review. Interesting that the main chip was about $12. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Thank you for the very in-depth review. I bought one of these for a non-conventional use. I have my floor harp hooked up to it and it sounds fantastic! Because so few harpists do this, there was virtually no information about any amps. I found a few old articles written about amps no longer in production, so no help there. After several months of research into amps from guitarists' points of view. Their needs are different so it was hard to decide what would work. I kept going back and forth - all amps have their pros and cons. I could have gone with something like a Fishman Loudbox, but I wanted something that had some more versatility.
I picked the THR30ii for a few reasons. It has a flat setting so I can just amplify the harp and it's quite faithful to the harp's natural tone. The acoustic settings are also great and even some of the electric guitar models like clean and lead and I can get some really funky sounds out of a harp. That's amazing. Also, this amp can nicely handle the wide tonal range a harp has. And it functions as an audio interface, so it covers two things in one for me. I can also get all kinds of different tones and I don't have to go buy a bunch of effects pedals to get them. Being able to play with effects and a harp is way too much fun. On top of that, it's battery powered, so I can take my portable harp and this amp and go busking or play at a hospital and give my smaller portable harp a kick up in tone and volume. With a much more narrow and much shorter soundbox, it doesn't have the richness, depth, or ability to project the way my floor harp can. So this amp helps make up for that harp's smaller soundbox and it sounds really, really good. Much better than that harp sounds on its own so the THR30ii works great for both of my harps for different purposes.
Although I'm writing about a harp, I can see this being a fantastic guitar amp for home too, or gigging with a PA to hook it up to. It's really impressive how rich it sounds without shaking the windows.
Is this amp perfect? Probably not. Is there a perfect amp? No. It depends on what someone needs. For a practice amp or possibly a busking amp or cafe performance, or even as a stage monitor hooked up to a PA, it's a great "unconventional acoustic instruments other than guitars" amp. Perfect for what I was looking for and it's delightfully fun to play with.
This is in fact a very good post about the experience you have as a user of the gear. I love to see these because they are honest whereas these days there is so much less than perfect from some that are paid to create content one way or another - so your points will absolutely help any reader of them and I do know that they are read all the time. Thanks for doing it! And of course for watching .
@@tonymckenziecom Thank you, Tony! I agree it is difficult to sort through which reviews/videos are just sponsored plugs and which are what someone genuinely thinks. I follow a harpist on CZcams who rents the harps she reviews so she isn't beholden to a company and is free to give her honest opinion. I appreciate that immensely. Unfortunately she doesn't review any gear other than the harps themselves. That's one "benefit" of the harp as an instrument. They're so expensive that they're commonly available to rent, unlike a lot of other instruments or gear.
Had the original and now have this one. Love it.
Yes it IS a pretty good unit for sure. Hard work on the wireless (at least here) though. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom Luckily got mine when the wireless unit was available and it does work really well. Still think it should be included with the amp.
I have gad a THR10 bout 5 or 6 years. I really like it, even though it cost the same as my Katana mk1. Like that one 2. I took the yhr10 to a rehearsal, there was electronic drums and the little box held its own.
Maybe not the glorious feeling of my 50 watt jcm800 with 1960a 4x12, but I put it in a backpack and took it to rehearsal.
Great review as always.
James
This type of equipment certainly has its place and I will always point that out of course. Tube amps are 'just that bit' different IMO re tone and feel, but this little THR30II is pretty cool. Thanks for watching.
Nice review!
Hey hope you're doing OK over there Tommy... I'll be somewhere that we almost met once some time in September... regards... and thanks for watching Tommy.
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it
appreciate the effort makng this video
My pleasure!
Great review again Tony. I have the older Yamaha THR10X the green one more for rock, I've had it a few years, I don't think they make it anymore, they sound great and it's easy to get a good sound. It's useful having the added line outputs to plug in a PA but I would have liked to have seen a footswitch input so you can switch between the 5 user memories for live use. Although it looks good in black, if its like the dark green one black will attract/show dust and it's a pain to clean around the knobs also making the various knob names hard to read in dim light. One other thing is if it's light like the smaller one it's really easy if your using a guitar lead to walk across the room with the guitar forgetting the guitar lead is attached and drag the amp off a table or chair. I have done this a few times, luckily it survived the fall on a cushioned carpet floor.But it could do with something to stop it getting easily dragged of a table which might include repositioning where the guitar lead plugs in, maybe on the front side rather than the top as on the top the guitar lead won't pull out.
Very valid points for sure. As you saw, mine had no wireless as they were short supply.. but that would have helped to alleviate the 'table pull off' going on. Thanks for posting those comments. I bought the black only because of the white or black (of this version) I liked the black better :) - so thanks for the post as it all matters and forewarned is always best. And thanks for watching.
I picked up one of these a year ago just before covid and have already replaced one of g10 dongles (be very careful switching playing positions with it plugged into a side mounted jack they break very easily) I also had a difficult time finding and replacing it. sometimes the wireless doesn't like to play well around other electronics and will drop out not sure if i would use it in a recording setting or even on stage with the amp behind a mixing board *untested*. But for parties it absolutely kills, its perfect at room levels people love the novelty of it its like a hat trick, and then you can play over jam tracks and it does the Vai, Evh, Extreme sound very well. there is also a wireless footswitch from a company called airstep that enables channel switching or activates the comp/fx/delay/reverb its perfect for what i need it for which is basically nothing except showing off in front of people. =]
I never did find a G10 either... but at the price they are (about £90 in the UK) they are really over the top, when the NUX Mighty Space comes with a wireless included. Thanks for the other info too... appreciated, and thanks for watching.
Hi Tony. I'm new to your reviews and have never seen anyone go so far as to disassemble the item under review to assess the true sum of its parts. Many crimes can be hidden behind pretty facia panels so keep up the good work.👍
I bought a THR30II earlier this year and intended buying a Line 6 G10TII at a later date but as you quite rightly report, there is no stock of these devices in the UK.
Upon further investigation, it would seem that there have been many problems with the G10TII and it looks like Yamaha/Line 6 will need to restore customer faith in their product.
I really like my Yamaha THR30II and the way the G10TII integrates with it but I suspect that there are better wireless relays out there with a good reputation for service life.
Keep on telling it like it is for us.
Well, its exactly why I created videos showing what customers are actually buying, whether hardware, warranty, customer experience (generally I do buy most things personally) and what happens if something is less than perfect. You're right re the shiny face plates... notice on so called 'reviews' they never talk about warranties or most other stuff that actually matters once you have paid for the item. Sound is sound and that is generally subjective, but hardware? and warranty? and attitude when they tell you to 'get *******' that's generally lass subjective really. Of course, the tones matter too, but what would the gear really be worth if it failed after a few months and generally no one cared? Thanks for noticing... I spend a long time generally making any video, I'm not perfect by any means, but at least I try... and thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom Thanks for taking the time to reply and I totally agree with all you have said.👍
I had an original THR10 for a bit back in the day. An amazing practice amp. One of the first I recall that offered "component modeling" technology that, IMO? Really set itself apart from Red Bean modeling standards of the time. A lack of any foot switching or FX loop kind of was the only put off at the time, although that's not what it was honestly designed for.
Incredible tones and tube amp "feel" to be had though. Easily good enough for demo scratch tracking or potentially even much more IMO.
Great content Tony!
Cheers!
Thanks for the comments Jason very useful I think overall offering more about the THR30 series... and thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom Hi, so once youve set your tr mode in the app i assume you can then save each one and name them in the library as referance to each tune you may play again!? thanks
Hi.. Tony. So many videos out there. I came across your video today after purchasing my THR30 today through Sweetwater in the US. I love that company. They also had the GT10ii back ordered. Then looked other places with the same problem on back order. Found out the GT10. Had issues of over heating. Line 6 wanted everyone to stop using them. I guess GT10 ii is the fix. I did find one online through a small music store in New England. They should arrive close to the same time. It would not have been fun to wait past a warranty if the receiver did not work on the THR. Great review I much say ! Ohh and it’s $110 US dollars more…
Great info Barry and thanks for posting it... I never found one of the new ones at all. Notice though how there is no mention by anyone re that point and some will be disappointed if they buy the unit and then try to find a wireless for it. Great point on the warranty as well. Thanks for watching and nice to hear you...
I’ve always enjoyed your reviews Tony, many thanks for your passionate and detailed analysis as always. You’ve clearly made a grate success of your working life and it’s wonderful to watch you spend your time and money doing what you love. You remind me of my Dad and his passion for HAM radio. As a deep lover of all things guitar and guitar gear, I hope that I’ll be in a position to take after you in the years ahead. Keep up the great work. 👍
:) Strangely... I too did do some stuff in Ham Radio in the 90's. Here in the UK it was all cartel pricing from basically 4 'dealers' no matter in general which brand. It was all very cozy indeed and you could never buy from them with real discounts. So I at that time decided to break their cartel and make no mistake I did. I imported the HF rigs and discounted them until they were losing business and I was winning it. I made only around 5% (but I did not do it for the money) and did that for about three years, after which the makers dropped the prices and the $ rose so I could not do it feasibly. Today its a little different here in the UK but the likes of some of them even today (some of the same ones in fact) are there selling the gear at basically fixed prices and its unlikely to change. Thanks for the kind words - I liked doing this one and ha my playing is not on there because the 'switch' was left on 'flat' and that removes all IR's and effects etc. - it sounded bad so I left it off. Oh well... and of course thanks for watching.
Yeah may as well go cheaper if you don't need extra features. One thing to keep in mind though is the line outs that are only on the 30. With those, I can connect them to my interface, use my interface driver, and also record with my microphone attached to my interface at the same time. The interface drivers are nice (motu), and so it's a nice setup for the THR. Without the line outs I would need to use the THR drivers, which are great, but there is no mic input for this amp sadly (the one feature that would make it perfect for me), so you can only record guitar and mic seperately... Not a big issue for most, but definitely for those who like recording live singing/playing performances. There are ways to record two interfaces at once... Easy on Mac, but on Windows it's tricky and generally super unstable. Ok rant over.
@@tonymckenziecom With the electric bass, is it only recommended to use it in the "bass" mode or can it be used in the others without problems? (special, hi gain etc.)
Half way in and it's been nothing but a waste of time this guy is a clown show.
Thank you for doing the teardown Tony, I bought one of these 18 months ago along with a Line 6 Relay G10TII wireless device to compliment it, and for me a living room noodler it is so easy to switch on and use. I use it along with the app for more functionality, amp choices, effects and the like.
I love the thing and its a perfect little practice amp. Not sure I'd fully trust the technology on stage, I noticed if you put the guitar down and dont play it for a few minutes it takes a while and some knob twiddling on the guitar for it to wake up again, and the bluetooth to the app has one one or two occasions dropped.
Ta for the inside view, i was curious but didnt want to take a screwdriver to mine.
I waited a couple of months for my G10T 18 months ago, sounds like they are not making them in large numbers.
PS. Tony, give me a shout if you want to borrow my G10TII to review with the Yamaha
Great post and just what the doctor ordered :) so thanks for a real users opinion - and from an 18 month user is really good. I like to see that sort of thing because it does tend to enhance the video for maybe someone looking at the gear. Interesting on the unit 'going to sleep' (maybe to conserve battery in the wireless and amp somehow) very interesting. Its OK I'll get one and come and review it when it eventually arrives but thanks for the offer. Thanks for the post and for watching too.
Hi Tony,
Yes good point, I forgot to add that I play it for the most part unplugged from the mains so the going to sleep thing could well be battery conservation. I'll test the theory with it plugged into the mains and see if it makes a difference and I guess that will depend which battery it's conserving, the amp, the GT10 or both.
Great in depth video Tony. It’s a BIG like from me and a new subscriber. Any chance you could review the Positive Grid Sparks Amp?
I don't have ANY Positive Grid amps after they let me down on supply even after paying months earlier some while back. But I DO have a NUX amp similar to the THR30II and that will be compared to the Yamaha unit and reviewed similarly. That will be over Christmas and I'm sure it will be worth watching with interesting conclusions... Thanks for the sub, and certainly for watching too.
A very interesting review, and the only one to show us the internal construction.
I am not a fan of pcb mounted sockets, sooner or later the print cracks and on a board full of surface mounted
devices, replacing them will make you swear!
The issue with the wireless section is concerning.
If you want to buy one, you will have to wait, all the big sellers say that it is on back order.
For now i can wait, my trusty Vox VT-40X does all i need for now.
Thanks for another great highly entertaining review Tony.🙂👍
I know, I looked and saw nothing showing internal build. Yes I'm sure that lugging the device, plugging in and out all the time particularly if you do use it for gigs then that could potentially be a weak link. The wireless I could not believe. I have had this about a month (doing other stuff between this review) and nope no wireless device and seemingly hyped up retail price by dealers I thought was a p*** t***. But its happening everywhere I guess. Yes well the gear we have is what's really important and the vapor ware currently from most makers is exactly that - and this unit shows that perfectly. There are so many makers out there but very slow (if at all) releases of new gear and honestly I'm not surprised. I saw Fulltone stopped :( and that's really sad. I really loved that gear, it was extremely well made and even partly hand made - always signed inside and dated, and that is a very sad thing to see then stop making gear. Me? I'll be buying some Fulltone stuff as I never really found much gear with that level of quality that Mike Fuller made. Great comments and thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom Todays gear seems to be lacking the magic that the ones that were available before all the current crisis had.
You can't define it, but you know it when you see and hear it.
Yet people buy the new stuff, i wonder how many regret buying the stuff that is way over hyped on CZcams only to find that it sounds nothing like what they hear on here.
A friend of mine fell for the dreaded Spark Amp, waited a long time, then when it arrived it sounded terrible, i tried to help him with all the firmware updates and known fixes, but is still sounded bad with a boomy bass that wouln't go away.
I put it out of it's missery and took it to the recycling centre, good riddance to it!
You can only do so much with these practice amps, they are designed for one thing only, but not many that i have heard sound very good.
Thanks for another fine review. A portable solution for those on the road, perhaps. I am using a Blackstar through my UA Ox, and don't need to transport it. The impression I have from the youtube audio is that it is a bit too frail sounding, not enough bottom - although I am sure you can tweak it to compensate.
Yes you can tweak it, if you look at the images of the amp settings if I remember we had them mainly at 12 o clock but Alan might have tweaked here and there. Through the desk obviously I could have changed lots but better for the review as is. Thanks for the info on your gear and I nearly bought an OX some while back. Yes for this little amp you could use it right to the PA and flip the unit as a sort of monitor towards you. Of course on a stage control might be more important than faffing about with an iPad... but if anyone out there IS gigging with the unit do post how you control it... thanks for watching as always and for the interesting post...
Oh! Marvelous tear-down review Tony! 👏👏👏
How did you disassemble it? Was it just having to remove the front screws (and did you have to pull-off the Yamaha logo)?
I'd like to know if that battery can be replaced in the future; perhaps with something that has greater longevity. Any insights on that?
Its a bit awkward to strip and yes the Yamaha logo has to come off - be careful as its particularly flimsy IMO. My view is the battery could be replaced obviously with the same specs! Thanks for watching..
I've always had a running bet that you WILL put them back together!
:) Ha I have even questioned myself sometimes - there have been pieces of gear that really were difficult to put back... not least the Helix floor unit. Thanks for watching...
Hi Tony,
What amp would you recommend for quiet playing that has a tube tone and great attenuation? I've been looking at this Yamaha and some Carr amps not sure which to choose. I currently run a DSL40c with a weber mass 100 and love the way it sounds but it can be a little too loud for home use. Appreciate any input
Recommend is not easy... all these types of products could work for you... or not - depending on what YOU like. These devices are very good with cleaner stuff, and are improving on distorted stuff though. Alternatively tube amps can be bought from around (believe it or not) £120.00 or so... but no effects. Consider the convenience of the THRII and thanks for watching.
Great review Tony couldn't you use any wireless system with it?Or it has to be a special kind of wireless,Like Boss amps and no pedal board that extra,Cheers!
Seems to me that the Line6 addon (might be marketed as Yamaha who knows - I cant get one!) for wireless is what's needed. If I do get one of course I'll be back to demo that part. Thanks for watching
Mine arrives on Thursday September 1st 2022. It's exactly what I wanted from my 3rd amp. Great & thorough Review . . . (as always). oNe LovE from NYC
So how god was the unit to you?
@@tonymckenziecom It arrived yesterday 9/3 - so far I like it alot. Haven't used the App-yet, but I managed to dial-in and Save 5 Presets with (balanced volumes and tone profiles). Played the Bass thru it too = Very nice (low volume clean, clear sound) . Yamaha makes quality stuff. Stay well my friend.
The extended stereo feature is on by default. The "#" that comes on the display actually signifies that it is turned off. Counter intuitive for sure.B Just throwing that out there :p hopefully I save someone from confusion.
Great point and I'm sure it will help many... Thanks for watching.
Excellent review! I bought the THR10II and I love everything about it but it has a weird crackle on all the clean tones so I am going to return it. I have managed to get a good deal on a Positive grid spark which should arrive in a few days but I am still very interested in one of these if I can get one for a good price!
Yes if there is trouble on ANY gear send it back - should not be out there. Personally I'm not really a fan of Positive Grid as when I ordered some years ago they failed to deliver for months and eventually I got a refund. But hey, let me know what you think of it when you get it - there's nothing better than an owner user that has the gear and they post the comments about how it is for them... and it helps many guys too. And thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom I tried 2 THR10II they both had a weird a crackle. I received the Spark and it's not bad! It is bass heavy and because of that, it's a very dark sounding amplifier whereas the THR10II is more clear and has better speakers. The Spark however can surprisingly get very loud, I tested it (much to the dismay of my neighbours below) and it reached 110dB from around 5ft away.
If I plug a HX Stomp (with amp+cab+ stereo effects) through the aux in of the TRH30ii, will I take good sound from it?
Do you think it will work just fine? Or do you sugest to plug in front with flat option (abdicating the stereo effects from HX Stomp)?
Thanks
To be honest? You really need to try it yourself. My OK may or may not be your OK - and thanks for watching
Had mine about 14months now, great practise amp and good to finally see the inside of it.
Mine does have a gremlin lurking and I'm not sure what happened. When set on the Boutique setting with Hi gain or Lead amp it will buzz quite loudly and renders those sounds unusable.
Might send an email to Yamaha and see how a warranty will go.
Thanks for the info on this - yes I would contact them and get it solved. Thanks for watching.
@JacquesShurmer I had the exact same problem with a brand new one that I bought the very first time I used it.
I need this.
:) make sure you can find a wireless unit for it if you need one... thanks.
Hello Tony! According to many reviews, this unit has an output of 15W with batteries and 30W with the power supply. Shall I experience a volume drop when I unplug the power supply? I hear no difference with my unit.
Like taking a 30w tube amp and comparing with 100w tube amp you might be surprised that the difference is nothing like what you think. Take this unit and slap it on a 4x12 speaker cab and it will move the room :) I think your device is probably fine and thanks for watching.
Great review as always Tony. On the wireless issue, l took this up with one of the UK's leading retailers who feature quite a lot on YT and they confirmed that my own ( original) G10 Relay was compatible with this amp. Cameron Cooper has also confirmed.
Are any of your followers able to confirm through direct experience as this wee box would suit me dandy :)
Great point... and thanks for posting that. Anyone out there confirm that the G10 (original) works with the THR30II ??? come on you lot... say something :)
Got this one
They are pretty cool... and thanks for watching.
I didn’t know there was a mark 2, I got the yellow one couple years ago, but I prefer the look of this black one. I do like the amp though, I have the first version thr10 as well in black.
V2 is not hugely different ;-)
Thanks for the comment and for watching.
The ii is not hugely different from the original THR ( no suffix). But there are no longer dedicated C and X variants.
A mezzabarba or a yamaha thr...... dust clouds for the THR. Haha good and thorough job non the less. !!
:) ha I agree... bu the old THR30 II did a pretty good job realy. Thanks for watching.
Same here, looking to buy something small and good, and this video has been great.
Many thanks Tony.
I was just on the Yamaha USA website on the apps download page for this amp. One review, and the guy gave it one star, says the Bluetooth between the amp and his phone drops in and out so much he can't use the apps and gave up, and half the settings are on the app. Thats weird, I don't know what phone he has or what, but I'm running a Galaxy S23Ultra and BT v5.3 or 5.3?. I think Tony mentioned this model being reviewed is BT v4.2. Since this video was made anyone know if any upgrades have been made to this model, like BT 5.0 or higher?
Or any other manufacturer upgrades? Changes....thanks everyone :) rock on! \m/
Thanks for the info - all useful. I'm not up to date on the BT currently. I used an iPhone 13 big fat one ... reminds me of the wife :) (joking of course) and thanks for watching....
also works with the g30 transmiter, at least the one that i have
Thanks for posting that.... and for watching.
I have the exact same one, the wireless dongle having to be charged separate is a pain, i always end up having to use a cable because they get forgotten.
I just could not even get a wireless unit at the time. It was a pity really... thanks for the post and for watching.
I always wondered if there was enough bass in that thing. It was only until the Spark came around where I thought you can get lots of bass from small speakers - but it has too much bass. It would be nice to have something cleaner.
Well it has adequate bass (and as you might guess lots of treble) and overall the tones were pretty good. I am not a fan of Spark and ultimately cancelled my order through non-delivery for months. Not a reflection on the gear itself, but the company I did not like really. Thanks for the post and for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom They are sick. When you scroll through a list of amps there's 5 that are 'locked' because you have to pay for them. Same with pedals. They keep inventing more amps, and I fear soon the list will be tons of ads.
So its mean thr 30 ii wiress can’t use cabel? Must be buy transmetter separately?
No... it CAN use cable but the wireless dongle is extra...
I really liked this review...
One point; you go to checking the speaker but then you don't check what speaker they are -at least that was my interpretation.
Is really no-one interested in the quality of the speakers? It all is just subjective?
No there is an interest in the components of course. But if I remember correctly they did not have a name... been a while, and had I found the info I would have noted it in the video. Thanks for watching.
A year on and I'm watching your vid. Very informative. You affirmed my decision, and even the bespoke plug-in unit met your qualified approval. I bought the THR10ii 20W today ... but I had asked for the 30ii, so was rather annoyed when I got it home. For the record, here in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada, the 10ii cost $649.99. I'll exchange it on Monday for the 30ii. Is it not possible to use another wireless device? I bought a Vox Amplugs today ... not the same purpose? Will it work?
I have not tried others... sorry I can't say. But it did annoy me. The NUX mighty space comes with its wireless...
Thank you for telling what you know. I appreciate that you didn't tell me I need one because all the social media zombies have one.
Thank you thank you . So refreshing
Michael... great to know you liked the review. Generally my reviews are of gear I have bought (I have a number of them coming up over the next few weeks when back from vacation) and I always try and show what others never do. And of course I sell nothing. When I do receive a product from any maker I get agreement to say and comment exactly what I want without hype. BTW scarily, other than YT I don't really have other social media areas. My grand daughter does have a FB channel set up for me but I've never even logged in to it... so best from me is right here on YT and on my website tonymckenzie.com (that is being updated over the next couple of weeks). Thanks for watching and I appreciate your kind comments.
I had the same but the crean color. Howeveemr, My bluetooth was jammed. I cannot turn on the bluetooth so. i cant connevr my phone. I hesitant to open the circuit.
Speak to where it came from? I would... thanks for watching.
Very interesting Tony I've never actually seen the inside of an amp before. That was the first time. The only thing Yamaha I believe I've ever owned was back in about 1990 I had a black Yamaha electric guitar that was a Les Paul imitation. Can't remember the model number now to save my life. Somewhere around here I've got a picture of me playing it. Once my oldest son got his hands on it it was gone though. Lol. I could listen to you talk all day tony. I love your accent. You sound a lot like Paul mccartney. Lol. I hope that's not an insult. As always loved the video. Take care of Tony be safe.
Ha Danny - so many people have said the McCartney thing... and I don't mind... on the basis that I want to call his bank and transfer :) out! :) Well this is an amp for sure, but its not really like the tube amps and I recommend you go and watch one of the Marshall amps I reviewed on my channel - there are loads of tube amps I have reviewed. But Yamaha have made some great guitars over the years don't forget that I had a Yamaha 3000 back in the day, and remember that Santana used to play those! The 3000 and 2000 series have climbed up in value too. So that Yamaha Les Paul might well have been a very good guitar. I'm glad you liked the video and I always try and show the stuff no one does. I even sometimes go back and watch my own reviews :) am I mad? probably :). In any case thanks for the post and for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom thank you Tony I'll go back and look at some of your other videos on the other amps. Yes wouldn't it be nice to have Paul McCartney's money. Lol. Enough for 20 lifetimes. Love Carlos santana. Always been one of my favorites. Got to see him live back in 76 in nevada. Thank you for responding tony.
I'm not jealous I bought mine immediately before the white and black models were released. Not at all. YOU'RE JEALOUS. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH **jumps off cliff**
....Sorry about that... **dusts off** Yes I like Yamaha gear too. I've owned an acoustic and electric (the weird RGXa2) by Yamaha and they both had amazing bang:buck ratios. They make SO much stuff, they're bound to make some gem products now and again haha. But yeah maybe my favourite brand for low-mid range. Epiphone also makes some very nice sub $1000 guitars.
Oh I agree with all of that... Yamaha.. ah I had an SG3000 once silly me sold that :( and the Epi's are solid. Thanks.
Yes sir I just bought that amp in cream color (because it matches my Stratacaster) but I have always wondered what the speakers and battery looked like but anyway that black is SUPER sexy.
Great to hear - you should post what you think of it in a week or two :)... and thanks for watching.
Trying to decide between Fender GTX50 and this.... fender is $100 cheaper and seems to have more options. Not sure I trust the battery anyways.... all about which has the better tones to me
Well the tones obviously are critical I agree. After messing about the overall tones I think are very good. I have not tried the Fender sorry. The battery will depend on the volumes etc. as they often do. Take a look at the NUX Mighty Space which I just completed a review of here: czcams.com/video/GreCqrP6sBw/video.html that I compared overall with the THR30 MK II and see what you think. Thanks for watching.
I really wanna buy thid buy im worried about the lithium battery not working eventually
Its a fair point, but most devices like this are similar... expect up to a number of years.... thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom no problem. Maybe i should get a roland street cube or something with an effects loop
Lo tengo pedido pero no hay stock hasta dentro de 2 semanas. El mío será Blanco.
El stock en el bit inalámbrico no se podía encontrar en ninguna parte aquí. Estoy seguro de que el color no cambiará los sonidos y disfrutará, es una pieza de equipo bastante buena ... Gracias por vernos también.
Gdammit. I was about to buy one for the wireless capability and this video made me realize the line 6 relay really isn’t in stock anywhere. :/
Sadly they seem to be scarce right now and the radio is uncommonly difficult to get. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom If it helps anyone, I wound up buying it anyway because I really liked the amp, and I wound up receiving the line 6 Relay transmitter in just under a month from the day it was ordered (and backordered). Not bad! I’m very happy with my decision and I love the amp!
I just bought a THR30iiA. I'm sending it back. Looks great and not a bad sound but nylon not so great. For me the chorus reverb and delay are harsh so makes having everything in one box pointless. Disappointed and expensive to send back.
I did think it was a reasonable practice amp but the no show on the wireless was silly. Have you seen the NUX Mighty Space? I reviewed that too and maybe helpful to you... its a pretty cool device here: czcams.com/video/GreCqrP6sBw/video.html and thanks for the post and for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom apart from having the wireless gizmo do u think the NUX has a better sound? The speakers look a little bigger.
So I just got one of these yesterday and I'm getting crackling in the speakers. I think it may just be one, but not sure. Sometimes it goes away and sounds fine. It was a demo model I got from Sweetwater so it's been used. Any ideas what would cause this? If it's just a loose connection, I don't mind fixing that myself. Anything deeper and I'll probably have to send it back.
This is a video I got of it earlier today.
czcams.com/video/eCLnKssxIm0/video.html
replied on the video
Still no boosts on board for the THR30II, it does sound good, but the low end is so flubby it feels like playing on a bad interface with lots of latency, SUCH a strange feeling, nobody talks about it either.
Thanks for the comments. I did not really notice it particularly on this one... but I don't doubt your comments... and hey thanks for watching too.
@@tonymckenziecom it's definitely only something I noticed when going back and forth with the Katana Air. Adding an SD-1 (through the Katana's boost section) does exactly what you want it to do, it focuses the low end and brings out the mids, it's really quite remarkable. All of the sudden I 100% understood how necessary an OD is for getting a studio-ready tone. Sadly, that also made me realize how lacking my, arguably nicer, THR30II was
@@Soloist1983 Well I think that most simulators are generally good in a number of ways, but ultimately there is generally one issue or another on virtually every one I have seen. Of course when you own one then you get to see those little things, sometimes frustrating, but some of the stuff has limitations that they never talk about... we find them later when we own one. Some OD pedals are even 'necessary' for tube amps also like the rectifiers as a good example; without the OD they can sound good, but with one they can sound great. Personally I never did get to the Katana (I will) and thanks for the info, all very useful.
The play time for the battery does last about 3 hours ;-)
Thanks for the info and for watching.
To me amp sounds better through my headphones rather than it’s speakers
Good point and probably correct - look at the speakers, not particularly top notch, but they work, on the other hand, headphones can be brilliant. In fact, I often mix with headphones rather than speakers - those sound more defined to me. Thanks for the post and for watching.
I heard so much hype about this amp so I dropped the $550 to buy it. After a few months I started experiencing a constant feedback regardless of the type of cord I use. Anyone else experiencing this? It's such a let down as I invested almost $600 and the thing is constantly letting out high pitched buzzing. I feel like throwing it in the trash and swearing off Yamaha and CZcams reviews forever.
Well the first thing I would do is to throw it back to Yamaha under warranty? The one I reviewed here was basically perfect (and I just bought it from a music retailer just as anyone could - so I could see the actual product people buy) and it sounds to me like you might have something wrong there. I do know on many 'reviews' out there that they are not really reviews in the sense that I would relate to a review - they are often either purely promotional videos or they are sales videos created by some of those guys with financial gain behind it all. This video, its contents and even the unit was bought by me and is exactly a true representation of what I got, the build quality, the covered warranty and the tones. In any case thanks for posting the info - you should especially if there are problems later down the road - many viewers can then create an informed decision at buy time. And thanks for watching.
Nasal thin and boxy sound….
I’ve got the Spark and the THR at home right now….
I’m sending them both back, but the Spark sounds fabulous compared to the Yamaha. I just don’t want to have to use the app all the time. The only thing that the Yamaha has going for it, is the battery and wireless connection…. But it’s soulless
Check out the NUX Mighty Space I reviewed here: czcams.com/video/GreCqrP6sBw/video.html and you might find that is pretty good! and thanks for the post and for watching.
Yamaha owns Line 6
Indeed...
the 10 X kills that thing
Maybe... :) Thanks.
So the lithium battery is not replaceable by common folks.
So what are we going to do when it is exhausted? Send the amp to a yamaha lab and pay 5 times the cost?
Very annoying (and very common these days, regrettably)...just another way to do planned obsolescence.
Well you COULD open it up... that's possible but could you get the battery? Thats the better question really. No replacement then no point opening it up. It IS common just as you said too. I also see a few 'penny' batteries in gear that no-one mentions. You can change them of course, but only if you know they are in there. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenziecom thank you for your understanding and for doing these videos that nobody else do. So many people out there want lithium rechargeable batteries in their devices for convenience, but they don't understand that lithium batteries have a relatively short life, especially if not treated in the right way...so they are essentially buying equipment for the short term, since very few people really cares about changing exhausted batteries (especially if not easily accessible), they just throw functioning devices in the trash and buy new ones.
What really makes me angry is that it would be very simple to design devices with easy access to lithium batteries and to use standard ones, so that every consumer could swap them (it would also improve the autonomy of the device, like it was with older phones).
P.S.: sorry for my not perfect english...it's not my native language....
Sounds too boxy....maybe it was the recording
or not...
@@tonymckenziecom LoL Tom....It did to me, but might as just been how it was recorded, relax, lol ;)...Nice video anyhow, as usual a joy to watch you doing your thing. Take care mate ;)
Gib Son I think Tony actually meant that it might indeed sound a bit boxy in real life, not due to the recording necessarily.
@@SantoRedentor Ye :? boxy indeed. nice tool anyway, it ain t exactly a 12 inch cabinet, so it s all cool ;)
I like the approach & the effort but some stuff you’re saying is just made up. LOL.
Subjective opinion.
Evil Owl? Are you a satanist?
Not at all. When we bought the 'owl' that was how it was sold... its a studio... we don't make owls... we just adopted the name for the studio. Pretty obvious really.
@@tonymckenziecom Ok, well I am happy you are not promoting that stuff. It seems to be everywhere I look these days.
This is killing me! I'm 5 years older now, and I've only watched half of the video. 😳😳
Then PLEASE don't watch it. Its clearly not for you.