Yamaha has a wide range of categories and strong technology in the musical instrument industry. However, electric guitars and electric guitar speakers have never been the focus of the brand's R&D and production, and there have been few products for many years, and the update speed has been slow. In this context, Yamaha's THR series of digital circuit speakers launched in 2015 became "popular" in the market overnight, and it is still the most popular and highest-selling digital analog speaker in the industry.
The THR5 and THR10 are positioned by Yamaha as a guitarist's "third amp" for daily practice and home recording. The principle of the THR series is still "transistor digital analog", but the patented VCM technology used allows the speaker to create a more realistic valve tone. THR10, priced at 1900 yuan, has six sound effects: CLEAN (clean tone), CRUNCH, LEAD (lead tone), BRIT HI (British high gain), MODERN (modern), BASS (electric bass), ACO (acoustic guitar), FLAT (flatter tone), and the basic THR5 reduces the two sound effects of Bass and Aco, in exchange for the price difference of 250 yuan. If you don't have the need to use bass and acoustic guitars, the TH5 will be a good choice. There are two versions below the THR10X, the THR10X, and the THR10C, with the former emphasizing a powerful distortion tone and is suitable for rock and metal guitarists who need high gain; The latter, on the other hand, has a warmer sound and better dynamic feedback, and is aimed at musicians in Blues, Jazz, country and other styles. For beginners, or those who don't have a specific playing style, it is recommended to choose the most balanced tone and off-white shell THR10.
As a modern digital speaker, the THR Series can be connected to a PC or tablet, and the simulator parameters can be adjusted and edited via software. After the user has set the tone, it can be stored in the speaker's 5 memory for quick switching during use.
The THR10 is arguably one of the most talked about speakers among musicians and guitar enthusiasts right now, with critics arguing that it sounds "too plastic" and not realistic enough, and the faux tube bulbs on the front are also poorly designed. But it's fair to say that the THR10 embodies Yamaha's technical advantages, is affordable, functional, and offers the right tonal concept for beginners, making it a good choice for guitar enthusiasts with limited budgets and limited practice conditions.
After the success of the THR10, Yamaha introduced a digital circuit amp in 2016, the THR100. Compared with the THR10, it has more adjustable parameters and richer stored timbre, but the price of the dual-channel version with a cabinet is close to 9000 yuan, which is comparable to the products of many big tube manufacturers. This speaker is more suitable for professional musicians with senior performance experience and high recording needs.
