The Spark Go replaced 3 amps for me. The one in my living room, the one in my workshop which I just use to check if electrics are working and finally the one at my parents' house. Best of it: I can use the exact same Spark Go for all 3 use cases.
I agree! And I love that the Yamaha THR also works with bass and keyboards. I have a Spark Go, which is fine for my limited guitar abilities (and portability), but I am seriously going to have to consider getting the Yamaha as my all-rounder at home.
Yamaha THR30II all the way. It always amazes me. I still have a THR10X and a THR5A that I still use as well. I conducted a extensive pre-purchase test prior to choosing the THR30II and for my money the Yamaha just couldn't be beaten.
And let's hope the THR Mk 3 has a looper and also switchable boosts (the Yamaha has no boost models, all of the other 3 do). Then I'm sold on the Yamaha. And the icing on the cake would be the addition of metronome, drums etc in the THR app. To my mind for Boss to release a the EX without a looper, at that price point, is a bizarre marketing decision, seeing as even the Dual Cube has a looper built in.
@@theoc7805 Agreed the looper could be a deciding factor for many. I use my THR's for recording and practicing, straight into my DAW, so I can loop anything and I import drums I have downloaded so the metronome doesn't matter to me, but I agree both would be would be beneficial for practice. The way I see it, the quick and easy recording with zero latency of the THR's is what sold me. Do the other brands use ASIO Drivers? Yamaha - ASIO - Steinberg... all one company.
another reason for desktop amps: getting your feet wet for home recording. they usually function as interfaces and you can use the amp models to directly record. if you want to start recording your own music but you have no idea where to begin, grab a desktop amp and just start by recording a guitar track, a bass track, and some kinda drum plug-in.
I have had the THR30II with the wireless bug for a couple years and had the THR10 previously. Yes they are pricey but they have allowed me to play and practice more frequently than i was able to before. That has been priceless.
Have both. Yes agree. But i dont like much new sounds on the 30II. I miss the old lead sound of the THR10, plexi sounds. 😂 Not the same pleasure with new lead on the 30II. But good product.
Yamaha all day long. Sounds good at low volumes, looks cool, and, most important, gives you loads of tone options with no app needed thanks to onboard controls and presets. And props to Yamaha for putting those controls up front where you can easily see and use them. So over amps with controls buried on the back or not even available unless you use your phone.
I know they’re ancient now but an old used Roland cube will still do a good job for a small practice amp! Plus there’s no app that’s going to get out of date and disappear at some point!
I've had the Spark 40 for about a year I guess. I've lost all interest in any other equipment. It's just so convenient to search for and set a tone in seconds. No knobs,no tweaking, just fantastic tone so I can get to the business of playing and enjoying my little hobby in my precious free time.
I was quite disappointed with my Spark 40. I ended up giving it away to a family member. Currently using a THR10ii which, IMO, is much better. Out of the ones in the video, now I would go for the Nux.
@@BkBk-gy6vrSure, but there is always something ‘better’, in everything. Constantly searching for the ‘better’ thing is a long slow road to ultimate disappointment. Sounds to me like Sheepleton has found something he can sit with so he can just enjoy his guitar. Can’t see any ‘shame’ in that, far from it!
I was expecting a video like this. There are several good options here. Personally, I have owned a Spark40 for a while now as well as a spark Go and while they are amazing amps, I recently bought the NUX mighty Space because I wanted to try it and wanted a looper as well. I gotta say the Spark is sitting on a shelf collecting dust now. The Nux just sounds amazing and I love the looper and drum options. I was a bit disappointed here because while Pete and company here try to show what each product can do they failed to talk about several things that really set the NUX apart from all of these other models. For one the NUx is the only one here that has a built-in battery that lasts 7 hours! This is a very big deal and I use it often. I actually tried several different battery add Ons for my Spark40 but this NUX MIghty Space has this built in. The other thing is that the Nux also has a speaker direct output that you can power a cabinet with so the Nux acts like an amp head up to 30 watts. If you are busking or whatnot this amp is perfection. The basic amp is also quite loud and powerful sounding while not getting muddy like the Spark can ( there are ways around that with the spark BTW). I use my NUX MIghty Space to record almost daily now and it also has some very nice audio interface features like re-amping and dry and wet signal inputs that are all variable volumes. Something I struggled with on my Spark40. One of the nicest features of this amp is the AFTERMARKET app called the Mightier amp app that adds a lot of functionality to the NUX amps that anyone using one should really check out. It is awesome. It has some of the features of the Boss TH-cam stuff like ability to change presets automatically during a song and lots of other neat features. If you add a pedal like the Mvave Chocolate you can use the looper and change patches and drum settings all at the same time with a little tweaking. This thing beats all of the other amps easily when you add up these features. Most importantly it sounds amazing and sharing patches is a dream with QR code sharing. I do not work for NUX just love this product. It really is a game changer for me. Finally, this amp REQUIRES you to get under the hood and adjust settings and it will reward you with fantastic sounds. IR loading, the ability to move the pedal blocks order around, and other features to explore. The delays and reverbs are fantastic. I like making ambient guitar music sometimes and these effects are wicked cool and allow tons of amazing ambient sounds easily. I think someone should do a deep dive into this amp to show exactly what is possible as every one of the reviews I have seen barely scratched the surface of what it possible. Dave Simpson did a decent job but even he did not show what is possible. This little amp deserves to be explored to show people what it can do. Thanks for at least trying to give it fair shake in this video.
I have an old Behringer virtual amp from 2001! I use it with headphones. Looking to upgrade to one of these. I like being able to foot switch effects during a song, use headphones and jam to TH-cam backing tracks in the amp. I'm assuming that the NUX does all of that?
i have just pré ordered thé Spark 2, maybe i would wait for a Spark 2 vs Nux mighty ... ?? 😢. thé final point will be thé rendering of thé speakers ^^ . thank you for all this détails !
I have the Yamaha and initially agreed about the lack of bass. Though changing the speaker setting on the app from open to focus seemed to really improve this. Fantastic amp!
With respect to bass, I’ve found with my Thr that placement can hugely impact that. If it’s a few inches from your face (or mics for that matter) it doesn’t bloom. 6 feet away standing above (maybe even in a corner) the magic happens. Maybe this would be true with the other “desktops” too.
I teach guitar and use a Yamaha THR C. Absolutely no idea why people say there is a lack of bass. I have plenty, in fact more than my gigging Fender Tube amps. At first I thought it was TOO bassy, until i dialed in my own settings. I always have it about a foot off the floor, and stand about 5 or 6 feet away. It fills the room and has lots of bass as and when I want it. Sounds like a great Fender blackface clean amp on the mode I use.
As a blind person trying to learn the guitar it would be helpful if you guys could add an accessibility section to your reviews. For example, does VoiceOver work on the apps you are reviewing? An idea for next time.
I bought one of the first gen THR10’s when they came out. I still have it and play it almost daily. It sounds amazing and perfect for home use. My only wish would be for a looper or send/return
I’ve owned the Spark and still own the Yamaha THR30ii. The Spark has way more features in the app, but it was way too bassy for me. However, it appears they may have fixed that, as Lee mentioned. While the app for the THR is a bit behind the times, the tone is so much better. Also, while I don’t mind using apps, I much prefer using knobs and pedals to craft my sound. The THR takes pedals really well, but is also great on its own.
I personally have the Yamaha THR30II WL in White. It has some great tones. I am all for options, but like with any modeling amp I find like 3 good tones at most and that is what it will be set to forever. I love the convenience and taking it to lessons to teach. So light weight and easy to use.
I go the same amp - not cheap - didn’t use for about 3 months or so, and now the battery is dead, will just not recharge. Also, even when plugged in, it will not work. I have the older Yamaha set, and just being able to plug into a socket and play is so much better. My THR30II WL is now a waste of money. Beware!
@@KickAxe1000 I have had mine for a year with no issues thus far. Charges just fine. Battery life is pretty good. I even use a wireless system so when I'm out and about I have zero cables.
First if it isn't working after three months file a warranty claim, Yamaha has never been anything but extremely helpful with customer service and it has a year warranty. Secondly, I've had my thr for 3 years and the battery has never gone dead and I use it more days than not.
Fellow teacher here - completely agreed with all that! It sounds great, really easy to cart around and the playback/blutooth speakers is the best for backing tracks :)
I'm a big proponent for constraints/limitations in gear, especially for beginners. With too many parameters to control, a lot of people get super carried away playing with different sounds or tweaking settings instead of actually practicing/playing. Not that thats necessarily a bad thing for everyone, it's just a distraction that can easily slow progress and hold someone back from reaching their potential as a player. While the Yamaha doesn't have the vast feature set some of the others offer, everything their amps do, they do very well. And they pretty much covers all the bases, giving the user a model for any genre they want to work with.
The Spark sounded muddy like a blanket thrown over it. The NUX is the winner for me because of the wireless setting out of the box and like Pete, the drum mod an amazing game changer.
You have to mention the poor reliability of the Spark40. There are many videos of Spark users with TONS of comments of other people who have the same problem. The Spark40 stops working sooner or later and produces an extremely loud hissing noise that won’t let you use the amp anymore. Only fix is sending it in for repair. Mine has the same right now.
I never bought the THR hype until I found a great deal on a used one locally. Ever since then I haven't touched any of my other amps because they just don't have enough articulation. They all sound like pure mud after playing the Yamaha THRs (I have the THR10 II 20 watt). It's not about power, it's about pure uncompromised sound quality, and the Yamaha is unbeatable.
I got the Spark when it first came out and I still have it and use it all the time. It's a very convenient and good sounding desktop amp that's definitely worth the $. All the other ones you guys used sounded good also.
The spark 40 still sounds bass heavy to me and the majority of presets are not not my cup of tea but dial in your own tones and you might enjoy it. I have the GO and it doesn’t have the bass heavy problem that the 40 suffers from. The GO sounds good in the room but maybe a little thin and lacking low end however I mainly use it through headphones for jam tracks and it sounds great for that purpose. The Spark mini is probably the best of the 3 Positive Grid amps for balanced in the room tones. I ordered the Nux mighty air along with the spark GO and although the Nux sounded nice and fuller in the room I returned it because through headphones the Spark sounded better to my ears. Can’t go wrong with either just choose the one that sounds good to you.
As the old saying goes... "Put a sock in it!" Or a wash cloth or towel, anything like that will help cut the bass. Take a small flathead screw driver and *_*Carefully*_* pop the grill off, it's just connected with velcro strips, and there's a vent between the speakers.
Glad Rob is gone. The videos devolved into adolescent slapstick entertainment, full of quacking noises, silly graphics and incessant interruptions. I had to unsubscribe for a couple of years but now it seems to be back to good quality gear reviews. Thanks Lee.
Almost two years with my Yamaha THRII30w...Not just one bit of regret. Though I installed the app in my compute to try some patches I got in the internet I´ve uploaded five to my unit and always play using them as a starting point...The aesthetics of this toy are amazing and I use it on a daily basis. Probably the users of other brands are as enchanted as me so in the end I´d say that all these desktop amplifiers are worth the price in terms of how much dopamine we all get from our playing time. Blessed all of us for living in this era of microelectronics, fast chips and infinite backing tracks from youtube...
I ended up buying the THR30II Wireless over the NUX Mighty Space. So easy to dial in a tone, there are great presets and you can tweak to your liking. I do not want option paralysis with the Positive Grid and NUX. I do have the the Mighty Plug Pro from NUX, so not really missing out on the NUX stuff. And my THR30II is complimented as well by a Boss WAZA Air :D Dial a flat setting in WAZA Air, plug it to the line out and you got the best of both worlds!
The Spark still sounds as bad as the pre-firmmware upgrade version. I've had both, Spark and THR, and the latter sounds soooo much better without the artificial muffled low end that Spark has.
I had the THR and the Spark, kept the Spark because THR cleans were just anemic, the Spark sounds great but requires a lot of fiddling to remove the low end boom, in that aspect the THR is much easier to setup.
I will repeat here what I always say: people get caught by "the more options the better" trap. Wrong! Especially when it comes to desktop amps. I LOVED my prev gen THR and I love my THR30II - this is the type of amp when you have 15 minutes to practice you plug in and get rewarding sound immediately. It is hard to get it to sound bad because of its limited options. App? Yes but it's optional! This amp is to get you up and running quickly and not about crafting your dream tone, spending hours adjusting every possible parameter. Options paralysis is I guess the expression used to describe what happens if you sit in front of a piece of gear and start scrolling though hundreds if not 1000s of options. I prefer to just plug in and play! I get that YMMV - but for me THR30II is the amp I use 99,9% for home practising.
Disagree I have at least a dozen different awesome tones on my NuX MIghty Space I use all the time and many more saved I use once in awhile. Looping with the drums is awesome and it sounds fantastic. IR Loading, built in battery and wireless, great audio interface setup. Its just a fanstastic amp. I don't even use my Spark40 anymore and I thought that thing was amazing.
I really wondered how Boss Dual Cube XL would fit in, it has a looper and wireless option too. How dare you not include it 😂. I already have the10x and the new thr10 wireless. The old THR10x is so good that I stopped thinking of buying other amps for home. And I bought the new thr10 wireless to replace the thr10x but still thr10x sounds better for me. I could not achieve the same preset. Now I have both. Anyway I had the original katana air and sold it in a week.
Cloths don't make the man, give a good player beginner gear, they will make it sound good. Give a beginner an expensive rig, they are not going to sound any better. We live a lie thinking that new amp, guitar, pedal is going to make you "better" but in reality it's not, better off practicing or spring for lessons.
Yeah, but Lee, that Boss is the size of a London apartment. It's stretching the definition of 'desktop' to an absurd degree, you really would be as well off getting a cheaper but bigger amp.
They made it as one of firmware updates. I tried THR30II twice and didn't like it, because it sounded to focused. When they introduced "open" setting I kept it.
I've found with my THR that placement makes huge difference in the bass and overall sound as opposed to where your mics are. Probably would for the other "desktop" amps, as well. My ears are happiest about six feet away and standing above it.
I have the THR with a bluetooth pedal to trigger the different channels in our living room. We use it as a bluetooth speaker for music and I use it to play at a reasonable volume. When the house is empty I may plug into the Katana 100 MKII as it honestly has a lot of fantastic tones and is fun to play loud. For everyday playing though the goto is the Yamaha. As someone commented here because of it's convenience I play more often which is a good thing!
I just don't understand why Marshall doesn't do desktop amps. They do amps, they do compacts bluetooth speakers, they do headphones. Just crossover that 🤯
I watched this because I bought a Spark in the presale a few years ago and I just can't stand how boomy it is, even with the bass port stuffed, so I simply never use it. Interesting to see how others compare, as I'm in the market for a better desktop amp. I'll check out that firmware update on the Spark, though, see if it helps (might save me having to buy a different amp)
I teach leassons at a studio and despite there being 2 combo amps in the room, I bring in my lunchbox/ desktop thr5 because: 1. I know how to dial it in everytime 2. The 5 or so different amp models have way more range than the combos in the room 3. it's loud enough for a 14'x20' room 4. It's super light.
Hi! Let me have two questions please! Does THR30II also sound nice through headphones? Can you get gain sounds at lower volumes? My problem is I have tube amps that will break up at high volumes only, and now that I have two little babies I must be silent not to disturb them. Thanx very much!
@@gordospeti I rarely use headphones, but the sound quality is as good as on speakers there. But most important gain structure is very good at low level volume.
Yamaha sounded best but for feature and sound i pick the Spark. Yes Nux has more feature but didnt like that sound at all so boxy. Then even the looper cant save it
They all sound soo good, Im torn, tho. I worry Tech wise, we're headed to a point where guitars themselves will lose their individual character, its getting to the point where I can plug my Gibson acoustic in, and the amp will make it sound like a Fender Tele, etc etc, are we pushing the envelope a bit too far with tech ?
Bought the spark 40 a week ago second hand for €220 and man was it a steal for that price. I "upgraded" from a Boss Katana Mk.I (because it was very big for my setup, only ever used the 0.5W mode, also I liked the appeal of the app) and that was a great decision. Not having to connect my laptop to my amp via USB anymore is a blessing, preset changes are so quick and easy now. I have also been using it with a small pedalboard (wah - tube screamer - looper) and that has been great to practice looping and the spark absolutely takes them well!
I have a desktop amp that I use as a living room / coffee table amp. Honestly all these millions of presets and hundreds of options are kind of pointless. Maybe all the options were a selling point before I bought it but in reality I have one mid gain sound with a little bit of echo dialled in that will let me play for fun or note down any ideas and approximate a heavy tone or a cleanish tone with the volume knob. That being said I HIGHLY recommend having a guitar and amp parked at your sofa in case any ideas strike you.
I have two of the old THR series, and I use them pretty much every day. I have a lot of amps, and such ,I am fortunate. The last thing you wanna do when your inspired is to fiddle about.
I have 2 Sparks. One at home, one at office. The EQ pedal they’ve included with the firmware update is fantastic for tone sculpting. I had the Yamaha which was cool too but for me overall I like the Spark
I bought the Spark 40, and I can't recommend it enough for the home player. It's so much fun, super easy to use... and it's made me a better player because pratice is fun now, plus it's a total bargain.
@@hexaldecima6839 one thing the Spark can teach you, that i never hear mentioned in the reviews, is you can play any you tube video through the app and it will show you the chords to play the song. I don't know of any other amp that can teach you the songs!
I currently.own the spark 40 and the Nux Mighty air, i still have the 1st gen THR, the Spark is hard to setup but after you put on the work it has great cleans and drives, the THR has great drives and its easier to setup but the cleans are very anemic, the tiny Nux for me its the best practice gear a player can buy, sounds great for it's size, portable and totally wireless and it's cheap.
I owned the spark and IMO it sucks with every tone provided. I (maybe my fault) was not able to dail in a single useable sound. I then bought the THR10 and loved it instandly! Still do!
Once again you guys have managed to simplify my decision process greatly by adequately showing the important differences between these different brands/models. Thank you guys for all your education and help 👍🏻
I run my Yamaha Thr10 and Thr10x in stereo and they are the best amps I've ever heard!! They have a better mojo and vibe than the newer ones to my ears.
I use a tiny Joyo amp to teach lessons. For under $30 it sounds really good, it has bluetooth, and it fits quite nicely in my backpack. It's basically a bluetooth speaker that also works as an amp 😂
Pete is right..."we" just want to noodle around on the guitar while there is the small time window to just play....and then we don'tneed all those features etc...3 or 5 presets are enough for me ...and i still have the Vox air whatever....but might get a Yamaha THR10 soon...cheers.
I still think the Roland Micro Cube is the best small desktop/practice amp. It sounds great at low volume but is loud enough for jamming on the porch and covers a nice variety of tones. It's also robust and runs on batteries so it's super portable. It's no longer in production, but you can easily pick one up used for super cheap.
I keep going back to my Micro Cube as well. Picked it up for 15 euros at a yard sale. The effects are bit limited though-- sometimes I'd really like to have both echo and reverb. But the presets are great.
Spark mini is cool. Except it is too bassy. Internal equalization doesn't help so I use an equalizer pedal. Not good for walking around and playing though. I bought a Flamma amp for $80 on Amazon and I use it way more than the spark mini. I've also noticed that notes just die out with certain presets. Noise gate adjustment doesn't seem to help. It is cool you can change effects and all but what I mentioned above pisses me off so much the Spark sits there and I use my Flamma for $120 less than the mini.
The Spark 40 is way too bassy in my opinion. You can fix this with the graphic equaliser module they released in the recent firmware update, but then you lose you mod slot. I like the Yamaha because you can use the line out and aux-in as an effects loop and stick a stereo looper and drum machine in there.
@@zebulon39u you need the app to change this setting, but once it's done you no longer need the app. I remember it was a bit confusing. You have to click on the settings wheel in the top right of the app, and then it's the Guitar/Audio knob. You need to turn that down to 0
Everytime I try an amp, I always fall back on the Yamaha. I'm hoping that one day Yamaha brings iut thw MKIII - but since its also the priciest maybe I should be careful what I wish for lol
NU>X for the win. Except it's the ugliest/cheapest looking. They really need to work on the product design aesthetics, to please the eyeballs as much as the earballs..
I'm still to this day utterly regretting selling my THR-10, none has come up for sale on the used market, or I just miss the window where they're up for sale.. Yamaha still sounds best to me, although I haven't heard the Air EX in real life it doesn't seem to be as good as the Yamaha, too boxy of a sound, I've heard the Katana 50 Mk.II and it was very dissappointing. As an Andertons video showed, switching the speaker to either a V30 or Greenback (I believe it was) made the amp sound good/better at least. I'm sure you could ad a loop pedal to either of the amps that doesn't have a looper, then what? It's nice to have loads of features, but in majority of cases, they are never utilized and there is 100% still gonna be something missing, I'd rather just get the actual better amp and get some pedals that really can deliver what I'm after (Although expensive so not likely to be bought anyway, but it'll be something like a Strymon Big Sky and TC Electronic Flashback x4).
I have the Spark Go which is great for practice. Will eventually look to get something more one the Garden Room is cleared of the clutter and converted to a man cave! Guitars & Golf Clubs 😂
Spark all the way for me I’ve had mine for ages absolutely love it flicking pedals on and off the interface etc is brilliant and the price is fantastic.
I think what we all really want to know is which one did Pete believe had the best real guitar amp dynamic response. I do use modelers alot , I’ve had 7 of them, and a lot of them have a problem with tone suck in the front end , it ruins the dynamics of string and pick pressure. And a lot of them have quite a little bit more latency than others do... i’m personally looking at the NUX or the spark I would like a concise opinion upon input dynamics
I use my spark without the app 95% of the time. There are so many presets available which can be tweaked manually from the knobs. Too bad andertons didn't show it here. It's so convenient even without the app and despite being 40 watts, it's really Loud.
The beauty of the thr is its simplicity and similarity to a proper amp. It doesn't feel like modeling. You don't kneed to use any app. I only wished they put dials for the compression and maybe fır a drive pedal(something like a tube screamer) on the unit and you would never need the app. Just play a backing track of your phone and start playing. However I do think that Yamaha needs to improve the app slightly. First of all please bring back the list of presets back from the first gen and add a ts /drive and probably an effect in the app. Nothing crazy.
I got the Daneletro Honeytone new for below forty bucks here in the States and I'm satisfied. I don't need much out of a practice amp, just some volume and something light in weight to play in the living room while sitting in my recliner. I have full size amps for performance.
I sold my spark as I found the sound too deep and couldn’t get it bright enough. I would have kept it as a blue tooth speaker but the deep sound made it horrible for this application. My personal opinion. I also got sick of using the app. Kept my black star fly. A few knobs to turn, a pedal or two and that’s it. Much simpler for my needs.
Great work on capturing the muffled sound of the Spark. Really guys, whoever says the Spark is so great, try the THRs. Much better sound and feel/dynamics. Don't believe the hype.
Absolutely love my Spark 40 best buy I’ve got for quite some time and the foot pedal is great. I agree in desperate need of a looper. Now PositiveGrid have said the foot pedal will have future software updates that allow more tricks and options in the future, so fingers crossed one is a looper option. Love your channel by the way keep up the good work.
I believe the exciting new news for the Spark 40 is that they came out with a power fl powered speaker cab that is 120 watts. I bought it for my Spark 40, and it's awesome.
I have a little Blackstar Fly and it's a riot for what it is, but these are another level. Nux or THR for me. That boutique special sounded the best of the bunch. Tasty playing too!
I have the Spark 40 and had the Katana air. I bought a Yamaha THR30 and the difference between it and everything else is just way too huge. IMHO the THR is unmatched in sound quality and ease of use. Makes everything else sound like a toy in comparison and i could honestly say it’s the best piece of gear i have ever bought for playing and recording at home.
I'm considering getting a THR over the Spark and the Nux. Read in a lot of places that of all the desktop amps that have come out, the Vox Adio Air is the best sounding. It's butt ugly but sounds better than even the new THRs. Have you tried that one ? Also, does the THR sound tinny / thin compared to something like the Spark 40, which seems to have a better bass response ?
@@tzmathew I haven’t heard the Vox honestly. The THR sounds amazing. It doesn’t lack bass and can in fact be used with a bass guitar and deliver amazing bass ones. It’s just a lot more balanced than the Spark with sounds way too flabby and dark. I haven’t turned on the Spark in months while I play the THR daily.
I can only compare to Katana 50, but I love my Nux Mighty Space to bits. Between the amp models, custom IRs, speaker EQ and preset EQ I always get exactly the sound I want. Idk, maybe Yamaha is even better, but NMS is absolutely great. Can't go wrong with it. With the looper pedal and drum machine and battery operation, it's a super convenient machine.
Absolutely. I still have my THR10II (20 watt) and I hung up my tube amps because there's not a 12 inch speaker in existence, even with a good tube head that even comes close to the pure articulation and sound quality of a Yamaha THR. It's like listening to your favorite guitarist play through the best stereo ever, only not at crazy high volumes. It does lack low end thump because of the physics behind 3-inch speakers, but you quickly get over it. It's borderline perfect sound quality.
I have the Spark and agree a looper is nice to have. Also would have been interesting to know if you have an external cabinet to connect to which one would sound best. I agree that the Yamaha is cool looking but that should be the least important thing to consider. It really should boil down to the functionality offered the simplicity of the interface (trade off between functionality and simplicity) and of course how they sound. I would grade them as following -- Interface Spark, Katana/Nux, Yamaha -- Features NUX, Spark, Katana, Yamaha, -- Sound Katana, Spark, NUX, Yamaha -- Looks Yamaha, Katana NUX/Spark (tied for third).
I have a Yamaha THR10ii that I've been very happy with, but I just bought a NUX for the feature set, especially the looper. However, I'm not sure I'll keep it. The controls are way nicer on the THR. They're right on top, while NUX puts them in a depressed area on the back of the top. Since I use it on a desktop not too far below eye level (it is a desktop amp, after all) I can see and use the THR controls easily while sitting. To use the NUX controls, I need to stand up and lean over it because I can't see them from the front. And I like the THR knobs, the switch that allows me to select amps, and the buttons for patches (NUX has one button that cycles through them). Honestly, NUX really needs to work on the physical design, it's just not good. The THR just feels simpler and smoother to use, mostly because of the accessibility of the controls and switches. With the NUX, I sit with my phone app in front of me to control the amp because the controls are hard to get to. Although the Yamaha has an app that works well, I don't feel the need to use it at all to just sit and play. For a practice amp, I definitely appreciate simple and convenient. In short, I prefer the Yamaha in almost every way, because the design and convenience, for me, outweigh the NUX built-in effects. I say "almost" because the NUX built-in looper is a big, big deal, and I really appreciate it. What I really hope is that Yamaha makes a THR-iii that has a looper (OK, and maybe a built-in drive pedal or two).
Well, you know, why would you buy an amp for practice that has a million options and an app to navigate all that uselessness? Just go laptop + Amplitube/Guitarrig or whatever Vst you like. You can loop, record, tune your guitar, play backing tracks and add drums all in one device (your computer). If I would buy a practice amp I my first hard demand would be NO app, NO bluetooth. Just a couple of nice sounds (clean, crunch, lead) and maybe (not really essential) some fx with one or two knobs to control them. To each his own of course .
I've got the katana air and will sell it and get the ex I dont need both. I wo t go back to cables, will always be wireless for me, not a 3rd party add on one as you have got to remember to charge it, I think positive grid should do a wireless version even adding 100 quid to 0rice would be good value. I dont want or need to know or care what amp the sound is emulating so to me the katana sir is perfect I just say I want a crunchy sound so choose crunch then build up the chain of effects with EQ s to get the tone that I'm after, it feels natural way to get the sound I want choose a genre, add the pedals tweek alter eq and I'm there, dont need presets or start with this sort of amp x or amp y sound just start with ball park and build literally any sound I want So Lee saying air has least number of sounds, clean,crunch leadxetc, is t quite true that's just the very very basic ball park starting point. You can get any sound you want, infinite really. Once boss updates BTS so I can once again run BTS, AIRSTEP and AMP together again i will get one. And prob do.like i did on my current air put 2 x outputs to go out to cabinets so can have huge 12 inch speaker stereo when i want to. Good review you always do the reviews i want to see. Thanks
For wireless guitar adapters go with the Swiff Audio WS70 mini digital wireless system its the best for latency and sound quality during testing at only $39. 😉
had the spark ,couldn't get any kind of gain sound that did'nt sound muddy. the app great as it is, kept crashing, shame. Replaced with nux, sounds good out the box.Sounds like a proper amp plugged into a 1x12 or2x12 cab. this one's a keeper.
Sounds like the spark has the same issue as bias fx, where it just doesn't sound quite right/ seems to lack a bit of feel, and also sounds a bit too fake almost? I don't know how to describe it fully, but I used bias fx for ages, and nothing out of it ever quite hit right. Made my own amp plugins in amp fx, and still no bingo. Got neural dsp, and it was just so much better. Sounds like the spark has the same kinda vibe compared to the others, which just sound more natural or something
I personally think the Yamaha THR sounds the most natural and least digital.
The Spark Go with all the features in a pocket size is great too.
I agree, andf it's probably the least boxy of the pack, especiallu compared to the Katana.
The Spark Go replaced 3 amps for me. The one in my living room, the one in my workshop which I just use to check if electrics are working and finally the one at my parents' house.
Best of it: I can use the exact same Spark Go for all 3 use cases.
Agreed!
I agree! And I love that the Yamaha THR also works with bass and keyboards. I have a Spark Go, which is fine for my limited guitar abilities (and portability), but I am seriously going to have to consider getting the Yamaha as my all-rounder at home.
Yup, sounds the most natural to me too.
Still THR for sound , simplicity of use and looks for me.
Yamaha THR30II all the way. It always amazes me. I still have a THR10X and a THR5A that I still use as well. I conducted a extensive pre-purchase test prior to choosing the THR30II and for my money the Yamaha just couldn't be beaten.
And let's hope the THR Mk 3 has a looper and also switchable boosts (the Yamaha has no boost models, all of the other 3 do). Then I'm sold on the Yamaha. And the icing on the cake would be the addition of metronome, drums etc in the THR app. To my mind for Boss to release a the EX without a looper, at that price point, is a bizarre marketing decision, seeing as even the Dual Cube has a looper built in.
@@theoc7805 Agreed the looper could be a deciding factor for many. I use my THR's for recording and practicing, straight into my DAW, so I can loop anything and I import drums I have downloaded so the metronome doesn't matter to me, but I agree both would be would be beneficial for practice. The way I see it, the quick and easy recording with zero latency of the THR's is what sold me. Do the other brands use ASIO Drivers? Yamaha - ASIO - Steinberg... all one company.
another reason for desktop amps: getting your feet wet for home recording. they usually function as interfaces and you can use the amp models to directly record. if you want to start recording your own music but you have no idea where to begin, grab a desktop amp and just start by recording a guitar track, a bass track, and some kinda drum plug-in.
I have had the THR30II with the wireless bug for a couple years and had the THR10 previously. Yes they are pricey but they have allowed me to play and practice more frequently than i was able to before. That has been priceless.
I have a THR10 and wonder if they sound different to the newer one you own.
Have both.
Yes agree.
But i dont like much new sounds on the 30II. I miss the old lead sound of the THR10, plexi sounds. 😂
Not the same pleasure with new lead on the 30II. But good product.
@@Armagedon197238 : thanx for your reply - you are the 2nd guy with a similar opinion on this topic.
The older THR are better than the newer ones
Yamaha all day long. Sounds good at low volumes, looks cool, and, most important, gives you loads of tone options with no app needed thanks to onboard controls and presets. And props to Yamaha for putting those controls up front where you can easily see and use them. So over amps with controls buried on the back or not even available unless you use your phone.
Does it have a headphone connector
@@hopdig yes
I know they’re ancient now but an old used Roland cube will still do a good job for a small practice amp! Plus there’s no app that’s going to get out of date and disappear at some point!
I've had the Spark 40 for about a year I guess. I've lost all interest in any other equipment. It's just so convenient to search for and set a tone in seconds. No knobs,no tweaking, just fantastic tone so I can get to the business of playing and enjoying my little hobby in my precious free time.
How loud? Is it I’m thinking about one
I was quite disappointed with my Spark 40. I ended up giving it away to a family member.
Currently using a THR10ii which, IMO, is much better.
Out of the ones in the video, now I would go for the Nux.
@@martingoodwin8884loud enough for home practice. Nowhere near loud enough for anything else.
None of these units are.
@@BkBk-gy6vrSure, but there is always something ‘better’, in everything. Constantly searching for the ‘better’ thing is a long slow road to ultimate disappointment. Sounds to me like Sheepleton has found something he can sit with so he can just enjoy his guitar. Can’t see any ‘shame’ in that, far from it!
@@BkBk-gy6vr the spark is amazing sounding if you know how to use it properly, especially through headphones for silent practice at home.
I was expecting a video like this. There are several good options here. Personally, I have owned a Spark40 for a while now as well as a spark Go and while they are amazing amps, I recently bought the NUX mighty Space because I wanted to try it and wanted a looper as well. I gotta say the Spark is sitting on a shelf collecting dust now. The Nux just sounds amazing and I love the looper and drum options. I was a bit disappointed here because while Pete and company here try to show what each product can do they failed to talk about several things that really set the NUX apart from all of these other models. For one the NUx is the only one here that has a built-in battery that lasts 7 hours! This is a very big deal and I use it often. I actually tried several different battery add Ons for my Spark40 but this NUX MIghty Space has this built in. The other thing is that the Nux also has a speaker direct output that you can power a cabinet with so the Nux acts like an amp head up to 30 watts. If you are busking or whatnot this amp is perfection. The basic amp is also quite loud and powerful sounding while not getting muddy like the Spark can ( there are ways around that with the spark BTW). I use my NUX MIghty Space to record almost daily now and it also has some very nice audio interface features like re-amping and dry and wet signal inputs that are all variable volumes. Something I struggled with on my Spark40. One of the nicest features of this amp is the AFTERMARKET app called the Mightier amp app that adds a lot of functionality to the NUX amps that anyone using one should really check out. It is awesome. It has some of the features of the Boss TH-cam stuff like ability to change presets automatically during a song and lots of other neat features. If you add a pedal like the Mvave Chocolate you can use the looper and change patches and drum settings all at the same time with a little tweaking. This thing beats all of the other amps easily when you add up these features. Most importantly it sounds amazing and sharing patches is a dream with QR code sharing. I do not work for NUX just love this product. It really is a game changer for me. Finally, this amp REQUIRES you to get under the hood and adjust settings and it will reward you with fantastic sounds. IR loading, the ability to move the pedal blocks order around, and other features to explore. The delays and reverbs are fantastic. I like making ambient guitar music sometimes and these effects are wicked cool and allow tons of amazing ambient sounds easily. I think someone should do a deep dive into this amp to show exactly what is possible as every one of the reviews I have seen barely scratched the surface of what it possible. Dave Simpson did a decent job but even he did not show what is possible. This little amp deserves to be explored to show people what it can do. Thanks for at least trying to give it fair shake in this video.
I have an old Behringer virtual amp from 2001! I use it with headphones. Looking to upgrade to one of these. I like being able to foot switch effects during a song, use headphones and jam to TH-cam backing tracks in the amp. I'm assuming that the NUX does all of that?
i have just pré ordered thé Spark 2, maybe i would wait for a Spark 2 vs Nux mighty ... ?? 😢. thé final point will be thé rendering of thé speakers ^^ . thank you for all this détails !
I have the Yamaha and initially agreed about the lack of bass. Though changing the speaker setting on the app from open to focus seemed to really improve this. Fantastic amp!
With respect to bass, I’ve found with my Thr that placement can hugely impact that. If it’s a few inches from your face (or mics for that matter) it doesn’t bloom. 6 feet away standing above (maybe even in a corner) the magic happens. Maybe this would be true with the other “desktops” too.
@@writewheel oh yes absolutely. I get a very different sound (better to my ears) if it’s on the floor compared to on the settee or a table.
I teach guitar and use a Yamaha THR C. Absolutely no idea why people say there is a lack of bass. I have plenty, in fact more than my gigging Fender Tube amps. At first I thought it was TOO bassy, until i dialed in my own settings. I always have it about a foot off the floor, and stand about 5 or 6 feet away. It fills the room and has lots of bass as and when I want it. Sounds like a great Fender blackface clean amp on the mode I use.
@@gazzie12000 I agree!
@@michaeljcoulter me too. Actually one thing that amazes me is precisely how such a fat bass sound comes from that tiny device.
As a blind person trying to learn the guitar it would be helpful if you guys could add an accessibility section to your reviews. For example, does VoiceOver work on the apps you are reviewing? An idea for next time.
I bought one of the first gen THR10’s when they came out. I still have it and play it almost daily. It sounds amazing and perfect for home use. My only wish would be for a looper or send/return
With the THRII you can loop via the AUX input - if you search 'Yamaha THR looper' you'll see a video showing you how it works.
Just plug a looper into the input. That’s what I do, works fine. If you want to play clean rhythm and crunchy lead over top, use your volume knob
@@NickJardineDo you also use other pedals like this with the THR? E.g. Guitar > Overdrive > Reverb > Amp. And if you do, how does it sound? 👀
@@MCMANDO1991 hey - no, I dont. The amp has every effect you could need built in. I have used a wah and tube screamer before but not anymore.
I’ve owned the Spark and still own the Yamaha THR30ii. The Spark has way more features in the app, but it was way too bassy for me. However, it appears they may have fixed that, as Lee mentioned. While the app for the THR is a bit behind the times, the tone is so much better. Also, while I don’t mind using apps, I much prefer using knobs and pedals to craft my sound. The THR takes pedals really well, but is also great on its own.
I personally have the Yamaha THR30II WL in White. It has some great tones. I am all for options, but like with any modeling amp I find like 3 good tones at most and that is what it will be set to forever. I love the convenience and taking it to lessons to teach. So light weight and easy to use.
I go the same amp - not cheap - didn’t use for about 3 months or so, and now the battery is dead, will just not recharge. Also, even when plugged in, it will not work. I have the older Yamaha set, and just being able to plug into a socket and play is so much better. My THR30II WL is now a waste of money. Beware!
@@KickAxe1000 I have had mine for a year with no issues thus far. Charges just fine. Battery life is pretty good. I even use a wireless system so when I'm out and about I have zero cables.
First if it isn't working after three months file a warranty claim, Yamaha has never been anything but extremely helpful with customer service and it has a year warranty. Secondly, I've had my thr for 3 years and the battery has never gone dead and I use it more days than not.
Fellow teacher here - completely agreed with all that! It sounds great, really easy to cart around and the playback/blutooth speakers is the best for backing tracks :)
Just ordered the exact same on white can’t wait
I'm a big proponent for constraints/limitations in gear, especially for beginners. With too many parameters to control, a lot of people get super carried away playing with different sounds or tweaking settings instead of actually practicing/playing. Not that thats necessarily a bad thing for everyone, it's just a distraction that can easily slow progress and hold someone back from reaching their potential as a player. While the Yamaha doesn't have the vast feature set some of the others offer, everything their amps do, they do very well. And they pretty much covers all the bases, giving the user a model for any genre they want to work with.
Absolutely! People get so distracted by the acquisition of stuff, rather than skills!
I agree I got rid of the THR and bought the katana and now my playing has suffered because the katana is too complex
The Spark sounded muddy like a blanket thrown over it. The NUX is the winner for me because of the wireless setting out of the box and like Pete, the drum mod an amazing game changer.
You have to mention the poor reliability of the Spark40. There are many videos of Spark users with TONS of comments of other people who have the same problem. The Spark40 stops working sooner or later and produces an extremely loud hissing noise that won’t let you use the amp anymore. Only fix is sending it in for repair. Mine has the same right now.
I never bought the THR hype until I found a great deal on a used one locally. Ever since then I haven't touched any of my other amps because they just don't have enough articulation. They all sound like pure mud after playing the Yamaha THRs (I have the THR10 II 20 watt). It's not about power, it's about pure uncompromised sound quality, and the Yamaha is unbeatable.
I got the Spark when it first came out and I still have it and use it all the time. It's a very convenient and good sounding desktop amp that's definitely worth the $. All the other ones you guys used sounded good also.
The NUX Mighty Space has a lot of cool stuff going on. It has a "Speaker Out" and you can even drive External Cabinets with it. Nice!!
The spark 40 still sounds bass heavy to me and the majority of presets are not not my cup of tea but dial in your own tones and you might enjoy it. I have the GO and it doesn’t have the bass heavy problem that the 40 suffers from. The GO sounds good in the room but maybe a little thin and lacking low end however I mainly use it through headphones for jam tracks and it sounds great for that purpose. The Spark mini is probably the best of the 3 Positive Grid amps for balanced in the room tones. I ordered the Nux mighty air along with the spark GO and although the Nux sounded nice and fuller in the room I returned it because through headphones the Spark sounded better to my ears. Can’t go wrong with either just choose the one that sounds good to you.
As the old saying goes... "Put a sock in it!" Or a wash cloth or towel, anything like that will help cut the bass. Take a small flathead screw driver and *_*Carefully*_* pop the grill off, it's just connected with velcro strips, and there's a vent between the speakers.
Pete getting impatient with Lee talking is my favorite recurring theme. 😂
too much sugar :P
The THR and Boss definitely sound the best, but I’m not sure which I’d prefer.
Love my THR30W. It’s the lack of options compared to others that I like. Less fiddling more playing.
more good sound, and it doesn't need to be tweaked a lot. Less is MORE.
Glad Rob is gone. The videos devolved into adolescent slapstick entertainment, full of quacking noises, silly graphics and incessant interruptions. I had to unsubscribe for a couple of years but now it seems to be back to good quality gear reviews. Thanks Lee.
Almost two years with my Yamaha THRII30w...Not just one bit of regret. Though I installed the app in my compute to try some patches I got in the internet I´ve uploaded five to my unit and always play using them as a starting point...The aesthetics of this toy are amazing and I use it on a daily basis. Probably the users of other brands are as enchanted as me so in the end I´d say that all these desktop amplifiers are worth the price in terms of how much dopamine we all get from our playing time. Blessed all of us for living in this era of microelectronics, fast chips and infinite backing tracks from youtube...
I ended up buying the THR30II Wireless over the NUX Mighty Space. So easy to dial in a tone, there are great presets and you can tweak to your liking. I do not want option paralysis with the Positive Grid and NUX. I do have the the Mighty Plug Pro from NUX, so not really missing out on the NUX stuff. And my THR30II is complimented as well by a Boss WAZA Air :D Dial a flat setting in WAZA Air, plug it to the line out and you got the best of both worlds!
I have been rocking the original THR10 and just did an update on it and those REALLY improved things to my ears.
What was the update ?
The Spark still sounds as bad as the pre-firmmware upgrade version. I've had both, Spark and THR, and the latter sounds soooo much better without the artificial muffled low end that Spark has.
I had the THR and the Spark, kept the Spark because THR cleans were just anemic, the Spark sounds great but requires a lot of fiddling to remove the low end boom, in that aspect the THR is much easier to setup.
Best sounding the Yamaha. The Spark sounding too dark.
I will repeat here what I always say: people get caught by "the more options the better" trap. Wrong! Especially when it comes to desktop amps. I LOVED my prev gen THR and I love my THR30II - this is the type of amp when you have 15 minutes to practice you plug in and get rewarding sound immediately.
It is hard to get it to sound bad because of its limited options.
App? Yes but it's optional! This amp is to get you up and running quickly and not about crafting your dream tone, spending hours adjusting every possible parameter.
Options paralysis is I guess the expression used to describe what happens if you sit in front of a piece of gear and start scrolling though hundreds if not 1000s of options.
I prefer to just plug in and play!
I get that YMMV - but for me THR30II is the amp I use 99,9% for home practising.
Disagree I have at least a dozen different awesome tones on my NuX MIghty Space I use all the time and many more saved I use once in awhile. Looping with the drums is awesome and it sounds fantastic. IR Loading, built in battery and wireless, great audio interface setup. Its just a fanstastic amp. I don't even use my Spark40 anymore and I thought that thing was amazing.
I really wondered how Boss Dual Cube XL would fit in, it has a looper and wireless option too. How dare you not include it 😂. I already have the10x and the new thr10 wireless. The old THR10x is so good that I stopped thinking of buying other amps for home. And I bought the new thr10 wireless to replace the thr10x but still thr10x sounds better for me. I could not achieve the same preset. Now I have both. Anyway I had the original katana air and sold it in a week.
Nux is even a head amp. The only one with power amp section
Pete is unreasonably good at grooving with whatever gear you all are doing a demo for, the nux jam was great
@@BkBk-gy6vr What are you upset about?
@@BkBk-gy6vr No such thing as a bad product, it would just be a product you wouldn’t buy.
@@philfyphil I like Linus's take, no such thing as a bad product, just a bad price
Cloths don't make the man, give a good player beginner gear, they will make it sound good. Give a beginner an expensive rig, they are not going to sound any better. We live a lie thinking that new amp, guitar, pedal is going to make you "better" but in reality it's not, better off practicing or spring for lessons.
@@philfyphillol wut? There are definitely bad products that died off because it sucked
Yamaha is still hard to beat in terms of quality of tone… the THR can be used for studio work for real.
Got an older THR10 and a THR5…. The 5 has no presets..,single tone control.. sounds so sweet.
Yeah, but Lee, that Boss is the size of a London apartment. It's stretching the definition of 'desktop' to an absurd degree, you really would be as well off getting a cheaper but bigger amp.
The way to get the bass back on the THR30 is to go to the settings “gear” and switch it from “focused” to “open”. It’s like a whole different amp
They made it as one of firmware updates. I tried THR30II twice and didn't like it, because it sounded to focused. When they introduced "open" setting I kept it.
I've found with my THR that placement makes huge difference in the bass and overall sound as opposed to where your mics are. Probably would for the other "desktop" amps, as well. My ears are happiest about six feet away and standing above it.
I have the THR with a bluetooth pedal to trigger the different channels in our living room. We use it as a bluetooth speaker for music and I use it to play at a reasonable volume. When the house is empty I may plug into the Katana 100 MKII as it honestly has a lot of fantastic tones and is fun to play loud. For everyday playing though the goto is the Yamaha. As someone commented here because of it's convenience I play more often which is a good thing!
I just don't understand why Marshall doesn't do desktop amps. They do amps, they do compacts bluetooth speakers, they do headphones. Just crossover that 🤯
I watched this because I bought a Spark in the presale a few years ago and I just can't stand how boomy it is, even with the bass port stuffed, so I simply never use it. Interesting to see how others compare, as I'm in the market for a better desktop amp. I'll check out that firmware update on the Spark, though, see if it helps (might save me having to buy a different amp)
I teach leassons at a studio and despite there being 2 combo amps in the room, I bring in my lunchbox/ desktop thr5 because:
1. I know how to dial it in everytime
2. The 5 or so different amp models have way more range than the combos in the room
3. it's loud enough for a 14'x20' room
4. It's super light.
To me the Yamaha THR30 is the only one here that sounds like an amp. The others are more like caricatures of amps.
I bought my Mighty Air because it was affordable at the time. I'm with Pete, tho. The Space is the way to go!
I bought Yamaha THR30II, best buy in my file, Kemper collects dust. Desktop amp is about practice, this what makes us better guitarists.
Hi! Let me have two questions please! Does THR30II also sound nice through headphones? Can you get gain sounds at lower volumes? My problem is I have tube amps that will break up at high volumes only, and now that I have two little babies I must be silent not to disturb them. Thanx very much!
@@gordospeti I rarely use headphones, but the sound quality is as good as on speakers there.
But most important gain structure is very good at low level volume.
@@graycolors2879 Thanx very much!
Yamaha sounded best but for feature and sound i pick the Spark. Yes Nux has more feature but didnt like that sound at all so boxy. Then even the looper cant save it
I had a nut mighty air and sold it for this very reason. Hated the way it sounded. A thousand sounds and all of them terrible 😂
They all sound soo good, Im torn, tho. I worry Tech wise, we're headed to a point where guitars themselves will lose their individual character, its getting to the point where I can plug my Gibson acoustic in, and the amp will make it sound like a Fender Tele, etc etc, are we pushing the envelope a bit too far with tech ?
Bought the spark 40 a week ago second hand for €220 and man was it a steal for that price. I "upgraded" from a Boss Katana Mk.I (because it was very big for my setup, only ever used the 0.5W mode, also I liked the appeal of the app) and that was a great decision. Not having to connect my laptop to my amp via USB anymore is a blessing, preset changes are so quick and easy now. I have also been using it with a small pedalboard (wah - tube screamer - looper) and that has been great to practice looping and the spark absolutely takes them well!
Yes! I agree with Pete, please do a blindfold test of these amps!
I have a desktop amp that I use as a living room / coffee table amp. Honestly all these millions of presets and hundreds of options are kind of pointless. Maybe all the options were a selling point before I bought it but in reality I have one mid gain sound with a little bit of echo dialled in that will let me play for fun or note down any ideas and approximate a heavy tone or a cleanish tone with the volume knob. That being said I HIGHLY recommend having a guitar and amp parked at your sofa in case any ideas strike you.
I have two of the old THR series, and I use them pretty much every day. I have a lot of amps, and such ,I am fortunate. The last thing you wanna do when your inspired is to fiddle about.
THR30ii all the way. You can run the 2 line outs into 2 powered FRFR speakers.
I have 2 Sparks. One at home, one at office. The EQ pedal they’ve included with the firmware update is fantastic for tone sculpting. I had the Yamaha which was cool too but for me overall I like the Spark
the only thing missing for me is the spring reverb...
I bought the Spark 40, and I can't recommend it enough for the home player. It's so much fun, super easy to use... and it's made me a better player because pratice is fun now, plus it's a total bargain.
I completely agree!
It taught me how pedal chain works. It's a good amp, but also a good starting amp for anyone taking guitar to the next level.
@@hexaldecima6839 one thing the Spark can teach you, that i never hear mentioned in the reviews, is you can play any you tube video through the app and it will show you the chords to play the song. I don't know of any other amp that can teach you the songs!
Absolutely. Well said. Spark 40 for at home, learning, songwriting... great, will designed all in one solution.
I currently.own the spark 40 and the Nux Mighty air, i still have the 1st gen THR, the Spark is hard to setup but after you put on the work it has great cleans and drives, the THR has great drives and its easier to setup but the cleans are very anemic, the tiny Nux for me its the best practice gear a player can buy, sounds great for it's size, portable and totally wireless and it's cheap.
I owned the spark and IMO it sucks with every tone provided. I (maybe my fault) was not able to dail in a single useable sound. I then bought the THR10 and loved it instandly! Still do!
Once again you guys have managed to simplify my decision process greatly by adequately showing the important differences between these different brands/models. Thank you guys for all your education and help 👍🏻
I run my Yamaha Thr10 and Thr10x in stereo and they are the best amps I've ever heard!! They have a better mojo and vibe than the newer ones to my ears.
I use a tiny Joyo amp to teach lessons. For under $30 it sounds really good, it has bluetooth, and it fits quite nicely in my backpack. It's basically a bluetooth speaker that also works as an amp 😂
The NUX can drive a cab too isnt it?
Pete is right..."we" just want to noodle around on the guitar while there is the small time window to just play....and then we don'tneed all those features etc...3 or 5 presets are enough for me ...and i still have the Vox air whatever....but might get a Yamaha THR10 soon...cheers.
meanwhile i bought a THR10 whatever and its a lot better than the (not too bad) Vox adio air...cheers.
I still think the Roland Micro Cube is the best small desktop/practice amp. It sounds great at low volume but is loud enough for jamming on the porch and covers a nice variety of tones. It's also robust and runs on batteries so it's super portable. It's no longer in production, but you can easily pick one up used for super cheap.
Yep I have one and love it..I like that boss katana.
I keep going back to my Micro Cube as well. Picked it up for 15 euros at a yard sale. The effects are bit limited though-- sometimes I'd really like to have both echo and reverb. But the presets are great.
Spark mini is cool. Except it is too bassy. Internal equalization doesn't help so I use an equalizer pedal. Not good for walking around and playing though. I bought a Flamma amp for $80 on Amazon and I use it way more than the spark mini. I've also noticed that notes just die out with certain presets. Noise gate adjustment doesn't seem to help. It is cool you can change effects and all but what I mentioned above pisses me off so much the Spark sits there and I use my Flamma for $120 less than the mini.
The Spark 40 is way too bassy in my opinion. You can fix this with the graphic equaliser module they released in the recent firmware update, but then you lose you mod slot. I like the Yamaha because you can use the line out and aux-in as an effects loop and stick a stereo looper and drum machine in there.
Interesting comment. I've often wondered if this was possible. I'm surprised they didn't discuss this, especially because Pete likes loopers so much.
@@zebulon39u , yeah it works great. You have to turn down the normal signal path using the app or you’ll get feedback and nasty artefacts
Thanks for the reply. Does it work if you don't use the app, though? Is the app necessary?@@chascoppard
@@zebulon39u you need the app to change this setting, but once it's done you no longer need the app. I remember it was a bit confusing. You have to click on the settings wheel in the top right of the app, and then it's the Guitar/Audio knob. You need to turn that down to 0
Me watching this after just ordering my first 100w Tube head. Can’t wait !
You got my vote. I say Pi$$ on these desktop things. By an amp. But that’s just me.
@@deanmccaskill5495 idk what my comment was referencing lol but I did wind up with a 120w hand wired tube amp back in Feb lol
Everytime I try an amp, I always fall back on the Yamaha.
I'm hoping that one day Yamaha brings iut thw MKIII - but since its also the priciest maybe I should be careful what I wish for lol
Positive Grid has the best, most intuitive visual schematic layout IMO, I have all their software.
NU>X for the win. Except it's the ugliest/cheapest looking. They really need to work on the product design aesthetics, to please the eyeballs as much as the earballs..
I'm still to this day utterly regretting selling my THR-10, none has come up for sale on the used market, or I just miss the window where they're up for sale..
Yamaha still sounds best to me, although I haven't heard the Air EX in real life it doesn't seem to be as good as the Yamaha, too boxy of a sound, I've heard the Katana 50 Mk.II and it was very dissappointing.
As an Andertons video showed, switching the speaker to either a V30 or Greenback (I believe it was) made the amp sound good/better at least.
I'm sure you could ad a loop pedal to either of the amps that doesn't have a looper, then what?
It's nice to have loads of features, but in majority of cases, they are never utilized and there is 100% still gonna be something missing, I'd rather just get the actual better amp and get some pedals that really can deliver what I'm after (Although expensive so not likely to be bought anyway, but it'll be something like a Strymon Big Sky and TC Electronic Flashback x4).
I have the Spark Go which is great for practice. Will eventually look to get something more one the Garden Room is cleared of the clutter and converted to a man cave! Guitars & Golf Clubs 😂
Nux got the looper .so clear winner. As the amp is for practice.
Spark all the way for me I’ve had mine for ages absolutely love it flicking pedals on and off the interface etc is brilliant and the price is fantastic.
I think what we all really want to know is which one did Pete believe had the best real guitar amp dynamic response. I do use modelers alot , I’ve had 7 of them, and a lot of them have a problem with tone suck in the front end , it ruins the dynamics of string and pick pressure. And a lot of them have quite a little bit more latency than others do... i’m personally looking at the NUX or the spark I would like a concise opinion upon input dynamics
I got the Yamaha. Fantastic for learning and taking around. I love it
I use my spark without the app 95% of the time. There are so many presets available which can be tweaked manually from the knobs. Too bad andertons didn't show it here. It's so convenient even without the app and despite being 40 watts, it's really Loud.
The beauty of the thr is its simplicity and similarity to a proper amp. It doesn't feel like modeling. You don't kneed to use any app. I only wished they put dials for the compression and maybe fır a drive pedal(something like a tube screamer) on the unit and you would never need the app. Just play a backing track of your phone and start playing. However I do think that Yamaha needs to improve the app slightly. First of all please bring back the list of presets back from the first gen and add a ts /drive and probably an effect in the app. Nothing crazy.
I got the Daneletro Honeytone new for below forty bucks here in the States and I'm satisfied. I don't need much out of a practice amp, just some volume and something light in weight to play in the living room while sitting in my recliner. I have full size amps for performance.
By the end Pete is saying NUX and Lee is saying New-X. 😂
I love the use case here. It’s really hard just from a physics standpoint to get “that sound” out of a smaller set of speakers.
Run the THR30ii to a couple of powered FRFR speakers. 👍
The two line outs is what sets it apart if you ask me. Can use it as a head
I sold my spark as I found the sound too deep and couldn’t get it bright enough. I would have kept it as a blue tooth speaker but the deep sound made it horrible for this application. My personal opinion. I also got sick of using the app. Kept my black star fly. A few knobs to turn, a pedal or two and that’s it. Much simpler for my needs.
Great work on capturing the muffled sound of the Spark. Really guys, whoever says the Spark is so great, try the THRs. Much better sound and feel/dynamics. Don't believe the hype.
Absolutely love my Spark 40 best buy I’ve got for quite some time and the foot pedal is great. I agree in desperate need of a looper. Now PositiveGrid have said the foot pedal will have future software updates that allow more tricks and options in the future, so fingers crossed one is a looper option. Love your channel by the way keep up the good work.
Love Positvie Grid software, but Spark does sound "too warm" if not to say "boomy and muffled", doesn't it though, even with the latest firmware?
According to their own website and one of their videos about specifically that it has a looper - at least when used with the Airstep.
@@AvidEric didn’t know about Airstep, yes they do a Spark edition that has a looper. I have positive grids own foot pedal might look to change.
I believe the exciting new news for the Spark 40 is that they came out with a power fl powered speaker cab that is 120 watts. I bought it for my Spark 40, and it's awesome.
Always find that the room mic captures better the sound IMHO. It seems it represents better the sound the reviewer are hearing.
I have a little Blackstar Fly and it's a riot for what it is, but these are another level. Nux or THR for me. That boutique special sounded the best of the bunch. Tasty playing too!
I have the Spark 40 and had the Katana air. I bought a Yamaha THR30 and the difference between it and everything else is just way too huge. IMHO the THR is unmatched in sound quality and ease of use. Makes everything else sound like a toy in comparison and i could honestly say it’s the best piece of gear i have ever bought for playing and recording at home.
I'm considering getting a THR over the Spark and the Nux. Read in a lot of places that of all the desktop amps that have come out, the Vox Adio Air is the best sounding. It's butt ugly but sounds better than even the new THRs. Have you tried that one ? Also, does the THR sound tinny / thin compared to something like the Spark 40, which seems to have a better bass response ?
@@tzmathew I haven’t heard the Vox honestly. The THR sounds amazing. It doesn’t lack bass and can in fact be used with a bass guitar and deliver amazing bass ones. It’s just a lot more balanced than the Spark with sounds way too flabby and dark. I haven’t turned on the Spark in months while I play the THR daily.
I can only compare to Katana 50, but I love my Nux Mighty Space to bits. Between the amp models, custom IRs, speaker EQ and preset EQ I always get exactly the sound I want. Idk, maybe Yamaha is even better, but NMS is absolutely great. Can't go wrong with it. With the looper pedal and drum machine and battery operation, it's a super convenient machine.
Absolutely. I still have my THR10II (20 watt) and I hung up my tube amps because there's not a 12 inch speaker in existence, even with a good tube head that even comes close to the pure articulation and sound quality of a Yamaha THR. It's like listening to your favorite guitarist play through the best stereo ever, only not at crazy high volumes. It does lack low end thump because of the physics behind 3-inch speakers, but you quickly get over it. It's borderline perfect sound quality.
I would LOVE to have had access to this stuff when I was learning.
I have the Spark and agree a looper is nice to have. Also would have been interesting to know if you have an external cabinet to connect to which one would sound best. I agree that the Yamaha is cool looking but that should be the least important thing to consider. It really should boil down to the functionality offered the simplicity of the interface (trade off between functionality and simplicity) and of course how they sound. I would grade them as following -- Interface Spark, Katana/Nux, Yamaha -- Features NUX, Spark, Katana, Yamaha, -- Sound Katana, Spark, NUX, Yamaha -- Looks Yamaha, Katana NUX/Spark (tied for third).
I have a Yamaha THR10ii that I've been very happy with, but I just bought a NUX for the feature set, especially the looper. However, I'm not sure I'll keep it. The controls are way nicer on the THR. They're right on top, while NUX puts them in a depressed area on the back of the top. Since I use it on a desktop not too far below eye level (it is a desktop amp, after all) I can see and use the THR controls easily while sitting. To use the NUX controls, I need to stand up and lean over it because I can't see them from the front. And I like the THR knobs, the switch that allows me to select amps, and the buttons for patches (NUX has one button that cycles through them). Honestly, NUX really needs to work on the physical design, it's just not good.
The THR just feels simpler and smoother to use, mostly because of the accessibility of the controls and switches. With the NUX, I sit with my phone app in front of me to control the amp because the controls are hard to get to. Although the Yamaha has an app that works well, I don't feel the need to use it at all to just sit and play. For a practice amp, I definitely appreciate simple and convenient.
In short, I prefer the Yamaha in almost every way, because the design and convenience, for me, outweigh the NUX built-in effects. I say "almost" because the NUX built-in looper is a big, big deal, and I really appreciate it. What I really hope is that Yamaha makes a THR-iii that has a looper (OK, and maybe a built-in drive pedal or two).
Well, you know, why would you buy an amp for practice that has a million options and an app to navigate all that uselessness? Just go laptop + Amplitube/Guitarrig or whatever Vst you like. You can loop, record, tune your guitar, play backing tracks and add drums all in one device (your computer).
If I would buy a practice amp I my first hard demand would be NO app, NO bluetooth. Just a couple of nice sounds (clean, crunch, lead) and maybe (not really essential) some fx with one or two knobs to control them.
To each his own of course .
I've got the katana air and will sell it and get the ex I dont need both.
I wo t go back to cables, will always be wireless for me, not a 3rd party add on one as you have got to remember to charge it, I think positive grid should do a wireless version even adding 100 quid to 0rice would be good value.
I dont want or need to know or care what amp the sound is emulating so to me the katana sir is perfect I just say I want a crunchy sound so choose crunch then build up the chain of effects with EQ s to get the tone that I'm after, it feels natural way to get the sound I want choose a genre, add the pedals tweek alter eq and I'm there, dont need presets or start with this sort of amp x or amp y sound just start with ball park and build literally any sound I want
So Lee saying air has least number of sounds, clean,crunch leadxetc, is t quite true that's just the very very basic ball park starting point. You can get any sound you want, infinite really.
Once boss updates BTS so I can once again run BTS, AIRSTEP and AMP together again i will get one.
And prob do.like i did on my current air put 2 x outputs to go out to cabinets so can have huge 12 inch speaker stereo when i want to.
Good review you always do the reviews i want to see. Thanks
The THR always wins this for me.
For wireless guitar adapters go with the Swiff Audio WS70 mini digital wireless system its the best for latency and sound quality during testing at only $39. 😉
I've got a Yamaha THR10ii and I'm really happy with it. It's the amp I play through by far the most when I'm at home.
Desktop amps are brilliant. I'd even be interested in a desktop cab with preamps that take pedals well.
had the spark ,couldn't get any kind of gain sound that did'nt sound muddy. the app great as it is, kept crashing, shame. Replaced with nux, sounds good out the box.Sounds like a proper amp plugged into a 1x12 or2x12 cab. this one's a keeper.
Nux Mighty Lite BT MKII (newer version) is the best I've played for its size/price. Prefer over Spark Mini, micro cube and mooer hornet.
So Katana Air EX for like $600 or a 100w MK II on the 0.5w channel for $375?
Sounds like the spark has the same issue as bias fx, where it just doesn't sound quite right/ seems to lack a bit of feel, and also sounds a bit too fake almost? I don't know how to describe it fully, but I used bias fx for ages, and nothing out of it ever quite hit right. Made my own amp plugins in amp fx, and still no bingo. Got neural dsp, and it was just so much better. Sounds like the spark has the same kinda vibe compared to the others, which just sound more natural or something