Of all the factors limiting a guitarist's ability to rock, space is the most frustrating. Even after you've spent years practicing and saved up enough money for that perfect rig, you still have to wait for those rare moments when the house is empty and the hour is right to dime the amp and nail the intro Van Halen's "Panama." There is no better feeling than playing through a good amp turned up, but for most players with families, roommates or an apartment, the opportunities are too few and far between. The Yamaha THR10 is here to make every day an "empty house" day.

Modeling Done Right

Even with its massive array of abilities, the Yamaha THR10's best trick is probably the fidelity of the tones it produces. Modeling amps are no longer a new idea, but for years their reputation has been tarnished by all-too-digital-sounding recreations of the tones they were chasing. The natural, organic response of your attack was masked, the overtones were all wrong and the decay of the signal didn't sound natural. Thanks to Yamaha's institutional knowledge building high-end audio equipment over the years, they have paired two amazing speakers with stereo sound alongside virtual circuit modeling processors that get closer to the actual thing than almost anything out there. This makes the Yamaha THR10 less of a consolation prize amp and more of a miracle of design.

This little box responds like a real tube amp, cleaning up with your guitar's volume, translating your attack with high fidelity. Even at low amp volume with your guitar volume turned up, the THR10 gets a full sound. It hits the sweet spot of being aggressive and authentic enough to induce a smile while staying quiet enough to stop neighbors from banging on the walls. If this were all the THR10 could do, it would still be worth the price.

The Ultimate Practice Tool

The THR10 has pro audio caliber speakers that are great for plugging in a laptop or iPod and just listening to music. Plug in an iPod with the matching THR Session app and you can slow down the song, loop a section or even take away parts to practice along with your favorite artist in a way that used to require a computer and an amp (or USB interface).

The Yamaha THR10 is not a consolation prize. It's a miracle of design.

The THR10 also comes with Cubase AI, a professional recording and editing program, and THR Editor, a program that allows you to create new modeling parameters for the amp to get an even wider ranger of tones when you connect it to a computer with a USB cable. It even can operate on battery power alone if you can't find any outlets (or want to take it in the car). Like a studio in a box, this is a fantastic entry point for anyone looking to try out different sounds and get into recording without spending $1000+.

Nuts And Bolts

The Yamaha THR10 has eight main models: Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brit Hi, Modern, Bass, Aco (Acoustic) and Flat (for listening to music, not playing an instrument). It's little brother, the THR5 is bit more guitar-focused, lacking the Bass, Acoustic and Flat settings. With standard three-knob EQ, a gain knob and master volume, it's a familiar set up. Onboard effects include Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Tremolo, as well as a delay (with a Tap Tempo button) and three reverbs. Other functions include a tuner and five user preset modes.

While this certainly won't be the only amp you'll need, the Yamaha THR10 is a probably the best "swiss army knife amp" out there. It won't take much room on your shelf or that big of a bite out of your bank account.