Members elsupermanny14 Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 So, I'm starting to realize that my 1-watt amp WITH attenuator is still too loud for playing after 9pm (I live in an apartment). I have come to learn that my neighbor is totally cool with me cranking my 1-watt amp on the weekends and during the week before night falls. However, once 9pm hits the 1-watter is still too loud. I'm trying to found a really, really low volume practice amp. I don't want to use headphones because I hate wearing them for long periods of time. Been looking at the Yamaha THR and I like the Soren Anderson reviews on youtube. I still have a couple questions about it, and I think a few of you guys already bought one of these so maybe you can help me out. 1. How loud is it really? Honestly? I want to play at 11pm-12am at night with the overdriven models without pissing of my neighbors. Can I do that or is it still too loud for that? 2. How does it take pedals? The amp would be purely for practicing and I'm not planning on connecting a chain of 8 pedals into it, but I do have a Moss ME50 that I like to keep handy for noodling on the guitar. Would this amp take something like the Boss ME50 well or would it sound like shi*t? 3. Is the three band eq worth the extra $100 or should is it worth saving a $100 and getting the version with only a tone knob? 4. Are there any other competitors that sound as good as this amp seems to sound for practicing? That's pretty much. Just want to know what you guys think about this amp. Looks really interesting for what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I'd plug into it with headphones. At the volumes you need, anything else will be too loud. And unfortunately the 3 band eq IS worth that $100. I really wish they just had one unit just a TAD bigger than the thr5 with the 3 band eq. The whole thr5/thr10 thing is stupid, or some marketing scheme to get people to spend $300 on something MIC. $200 is already pushing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dehumanize Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 PFL. I'm interested in one of these for student dorm/apartment use, mostly concerned about the high gain sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I don't know how thin your walls are but my guess is yes, it will still be too loud if your neighbour has expressed a wish to not have music going through at that hour (not unreasonably, some folks go to work at 5:30 in the morning). I have the THR10 which I got because of the ability to save preset. It also turn out that the flat preset is good to record my Roland elctronic drum kit. But the THR5 sounds as good as the 10 and is the better bang for the buck between the two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsupermanny14 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I don't know how thin your walls are but my guess is yes, it will still be too loud if your neighbour has expressed a wish to not have music going through at that hour (not unreasonably, some folks go to work at 5:30 in the morning). I have the THR10 which I got because of the ability to save preset. It also turn out that the flat preset is good to record my Roland elctronic drum kit. But the THR5 sounds as good as the 10 and is the better bang for the buck between the two. Hell he actually has not said anything to me about the night playing. I talked with him a while back to see if the music bothered him and he said during the day or the weekends he does not mind and totally supports being creative. He just asked that I be respectful at night which is a great compromise with a cool neighbor. I have played my amp (it's a 1-watt) at like 9:30ish before but it can be too loud, even with the attenuator significantly cutting overall volume. I honestly think it has to do with the fact that it's a 12" speaker sitting on the ground and it projects more and probably vibrates more through the floor (his ceiling). I was hoping that with the tiny speakers in the THR and positioning on my desk off the ground it would lessen any possibility of noise going through the ground or vibrating too much. Can this amp be played at low volumes or am I sh*t out of luck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dehumanize Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 If I can play a 50w with 212 at a reasonable nighttime volume, I see no reason any lower wattage combo couldn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BeanoBoy Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 The THR sounds good at LOW volumes, however, like any amp, it sounds better when you can turn it up to around 11 o'clock minimal. Doesn't sound bad bad lower than that, just a tad weaker. What 1 watt do you have? The Blackstar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members AlexMC Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 So, I'm starting to realize that my 1-watt amp WITH attenuator is still too loud for playing after 9pm (I live in an apartment). I have come to learn that my neighbor is totally cool with me cranking my 1-watt amp on the weekends and during the week before night falls. However, once 9pm hits the 1-watter is still too loud. I'm trying to found a really, really low volume practice amp. I don't want to use headphones because I hate wearing them for long periods of time. Been looking at the Yamaha THR and I like the Soren Anderson reviews on youtube. I still have a couple questions about it, and I think a few of you guys already bought one of these so maybe you can help me out.1. How loud is it really? Honestly? I want to play at 11pm-12am at night with the overdriven models without pissing of my neighbors. Can I do that or is it still too loud for that?2. How does it take pedals? The amp would be purely for practicing and I'm not planning on connecting a chain of 8 pedals into it, but I do have a Moss ME50 that I like to keep handy for noodling on the guitar. Would this amp take something like the Boss ME50 well or would it sound like shi*t?3. Is the three band eq worth the extra $100 or should is it worth saving a $100 and getting the version with only a tone knob?4. Are there any other competitors that sound as good as this amp seems to sound for practicing? That's pretty much. Just want to know what you guys think about this amp. Looks really interesting for what it is. I run a 1W amp (Brunetti Singleman) and can't turn it above 8 o'clock at ANY time of day. I've been looking at attenuators (Weber Mini Mass) in the hope of getting power tube overdrive at bedroom levels but your OP suggests I might not get the drive I want at suitable volume levels... what attenuator do you use, please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mistersully Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 i very nearly bought one today as a living room practice amp... currently i have a vox da5 for that i wouldn't use the recording side of it as my kemper covers that for me, but i think it would be a cool little practice amp... the clips i've heard sound great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 Hell he actually has not said anything to me about the night playing. When I said some folks get up at 5:30 a.m. I meant they go to bed at 9:30 p.m. I was just validating his request which you have already done yourself. Your point of the neighbor being one level below makes me thing the THR is low volume enough to be quiet in an acceptable way and it sounds good even at very low volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I have a THR5 and I play it all the time in the evenings, but I live in a house. It sounds fairly decent at low volumes. However, to get where you want to be, headphones may be the way to go. How about investing in a pair of really comfortable headphones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mdintx Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 How about you get the cabinet off the floor? You can get a closet organizer piece like this: http://www.target.com/p/closetmaid-31-horizontal-organizer-white/-/A-11187107 Then after hours, plug into the ME-50 with headphones. I know you don't like wearing the headphones but it's reasonable compromise for after 9:30 and you wouldn't have to spend the money on another amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 Personally, might be time to invest in a good set of headphones inclusive of what you need to run them through your amp. You can get pretty amazing headphones for under $100 and really good ones for around $50. My mate just bought a set of Audio-Technica*ATH-M40fs for $50 and they are bloody good. Pretty much as good as my Sennheiser hd 280 pros, which cost $100. I prefer studio headphones, flat EQ, clear and true, closed back. None of this ultra-bass {censored} you see the kids carting around with. PS Most come with long cords too for jamming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 If it's a downstairs neighbor, he will hear all low-frequency sounds, and maybe even some of the highs. In my last apartment, something as simple my upstairs neighbor as sliding a chair in the dining room sounded like he was dragging a couch. I could also hear his non-cranked radio really, really well. If this is your situation, then you may have to rethink your position on headphones. I also don't like wearing headphones for long periods, but I once lived with a roommate who hated guitars, music, noise, whatever that wasn't his damned religious cult internet radio. I bought a modeling pedal and plugged in headphones, and I just got used to it. The bonus is that going back to your amp is even sweeter, if you're looking for silver lining. You're probably looking at the small speakers in the THR amps as the solution. I usually practice through my Vox Pathfinder 10, which has a tiny 6.5" speaker. If you turn that up, that little speaker will still bother the neighbors. Buy the THR because it looks like an awesome little amp/gadget, not because it'll let you crank at night without headphones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wayne2 Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 12" speaker on the floor will go right through. Throw a thick rug down, maybe with some padding under it, soundproof the crap out of that floor if your situation permits, and raise the amp off it. If the advertising is to be believed, this is the exactly the situation Yamaha was trying to address. I do agree $300 bones is a lot for a boombox made in China, and having gone the one knob and eq pedal routes I'm done buying anything that doesn't have good onboard eq, so the THR5 is out. I hate headphones too so I feel your pain. When I want to play very very low I sit about six feet in front of the Frontman and turn the volume to where I can just hear it well enough to understand what I'm playing. Even then it used to reverberate around the house until I put carpet down and filled the room with some junk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 The THR sounds great at low volumes. I think it actually sounds better low than loud. I think it'll be perfect for what you want. For me personally the 3 band eq on the THR10 was a must. I like to be able to control the level of each frequency rather than having a single tone sweep. Other people are ok with the single tone knob tough so it's really just personal preference. It takes some pedals ok, others not so much, but that's the case with any amp. I don't know of any amps that will take every single pedal well. As for competitors to it, the Microcube and vox DA5 are probably the closest ones. Out of those, in my opinion the DA5 blows the MC away. I personally have a DA5. And the THR blows the DA5 away. The advantage of the DA5 is obviously the price but the THR sounds significantly better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elsupermanny14 Posted August 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 The THR sounds great at low volumes. I think it actually sounds better low than loud. I think it'll be perfect for what you want. For me personally the 3 band eq on the THR10 was a must. I like to be able to control the level of each frequency rather than having a single tone sweep. Other people are ok with the single tone knob tough so it's really just personal preference. For the $100 difference I think I'm willing to sacrifice the 3-band eq. I want an amp for practicing at night not for getting a good sound, not necessarily "the tone." Plus, my Blackstar only has one 1-eq knob and I love my Blackstar! I like the "true" tone of my guitar coming through the amp and letting 7-band eq do any minor adjustments if necessary (which they never are). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SDshirtman Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 1. It has a separate volume knob thats isolated from the gain and master volume so you can make it as quiet as you want without sacrificing the tone it generates. 2. I've only run a few pedals through it (rat and a wah) so far but it seemed to take those well. 3. I tried both models in the store and ended up walking away with the 10 because I liked the the preset capability and the EQ options. Worth the extra Franklin. 4. IMO No. I have a mesa studio 22+ and a roland micro and I haven't touched either one since buying my THR10. Seriously cool little amp. As far as it vibrating through your floor I dont think you'll have any problems. When I play mine I'm usually sitting right in front of it and it sounds ample with the volume at around 10-11 o'clock. If I get up and walk 6 ft away its actually very quiet. I love this little amp an its by far one of the coolest guitar related purchases I've ever made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I had a micro cube for a while. good for the money but not in the same league as the THR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Meowy Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I have the THR5. I don't miss the tone knobs and if I really want them (or to save / restore presets) I can run through THR editor on my laptop. For my needs and for the $100 saved, I am not missing anything getting the THR5 / not getting the 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 EXACTLY!! My hope is that with the tiny speakers and the amp resting on the desk and not on the floor where the sound vibrates through, it would "project" a lower volume sound while not vibrating the floor or carrying the sound into the downstairs apartment. The youtube demos I have heard for the THR seem to destroy anything that the MicroCube and Vox offer. It just seems to sound like a big amp even when played at low volumes. That is sort of the goal I am pursuing. Based on the clips I've seen, the THR looks very, very nice in comparison to the Pathfinder 10, but it is 3x the price. If you're really GASsing for this amp, then get it and see if it does what you want. The worst that can happen is you have to return it, or you get to have a new, cool piece of gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mnhhngbfs Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 Perhaps an amp isn't the answer here.. You could probably get away with using an interface of some sort along with modeling software (Native Instruments' GuitarRig, Revalver, etc.) for your late night jamming needs. It's much easier to keep computer speakers tamed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cylon Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 THR or podeleven rackaxe fx2 into studio monitors is the only thing that will work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 30, 2012 Members Share Posted August 30, 2012 I have the THR5. I don't miss the tone knobs and if I really want them (or to save / restore presets) I can run through THR editor on my laptop. For my needs and for the $100 saved, I am not missing anything getting the THR5 / not getting the 10 The THR5 is great. I played with it a LOT when I had it for the try period. It's probably because I loved the 5 so much that I decided to invest the extra $100 to get the 10 for the presets and flat "model" (run my Roland drum through it and it works great). The separate volume for play back is handy too. But the 5 sounded just as good as the 10. If one doesn't needs those extra features the 10 has, the 5 is the best value of the two. And i miss the small size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IbanezJon Posted August 31, 2012 Members Share Posted August 31, 2012 Your biggest problem is the 1x12 imo.. smaller speakers on a tabletop or something should help a lot.. but it still may be too loud. That said I practice sometimes with HT-60 2x12 (elevated to waist hieght) in an apartment with brick wall seperating me and a neighour. With others sleeping in the same apartment. The secret for me is the Digitech RP in the loop.. with master volume setting of 1-100. I play sometimes on 3 or 5 out of 100, really late at night. The tone still sounds ok considering. It will be interesting to compare how the THR10 sounds, when I get it, in the near future. I look foward to cranking it but it wouldn't surprise me if it doesn't sound any better than the HT-60/RP combo. Either way, I'm sure I'll be happy with either one. The smaller speakers, I'll be cranking that THR a lot more than I can crank the HT-60 under usual practice circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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