Yamaha THR5A Acoustic Amp (tiny)

[ST]

Well it's my week to score big (or small)

First it was the Composite Acoustics Cargo and today I found one of these at a great price.  Yamaha THR5A (and yes, it does glow).


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There's a decent video that demonstrates what this does.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE-u4JmoVwo

It's just loud enough that I can play as I like to with a soft touch and still be heard in a room with other people playing. It's loud enough to do  some acoustic lead (which is largely pointless without some amplification) in a group of other players. In those situations I usually pass instead of thrashing my hands trying to be heard and and not being heard anyway.  

It's not a gigging amp, but it's something that I could see leaving taking out to a small gathering of friends. It's nice that it runs on batteries as well as AC power. And it's tiny.

My 25 watt Trace Acoustic Cube is louder, ... and it's up for sale. Finally after 20 some years, I've found something that's just as easy to take to a social occasion without fanfare or eliciting the "oh no, an amp" response.  The one downside with the Trace was that it had to run on AC power.

The THR5A also allows pretty deep editing of the effects via USB, but you can't store those setting in the unit - at least that I've found. The larger THR amps let you do that, but not this one.  Oh well - it's fun to play with them.

Anybody else got one? - Note this is the THR5A - the Acoustic amp version (2 x 5 watts).

[WileE]

Nice!  I've been eyeing those for quite some time.  How do you feel the acoustic sound is?  That is, is it natural sounding?

[ST]

Hi WileE ,

Nice!  I've been eyeing those for quite some time.  How do you feel the acoustic sound is?  That is, is it natural sounding?

I'm probably the wrong guy to ask.

Here's why When is an Acoustic Guitar Not an Acoustic Guitar?

... When you amplify it.



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Having said all that (in 2009), it's still pretty much the way I think about this. And having said that...There are lots of THR5A demos and reviews on youtube  and most of them have waaaay too much reverb/delay/chorus for my taste so it's hard to actually hear the tone of the guitar through the amp.

I think that used as intended it sounds really good. I was testing out my Yamaha Silent Guitar in preparation for selling it (because I just got a CA Cargo).  The Silent Guitar sounded SO much better through this little amp than it did through headphones or a conventional acoustic guitar amp - I really hated to let it go. But things come and go, and it was time.

How would you be using it if you got it?

[WileE]

Thanks for the clarification.  Your observation about the reverb/delay/chorus use in the demos is spot on.  They didn't do much to sell me.  But, I think your statement about how good it sounds with the Silent Guitar is testament enough to make it worthwhile.  I recall reading someplace that it sounds pretty good as a portable music player through the aux input as well.  That could be useful as well. 

[ST]

i did some scratch tracks so that you could hear the Cargo with and without the Yamaha THR5A.

When you click on the links below be patient and the track should play automatically in 5-15 seconds depending on your connection speed.

CA Cargo Test track 1

CA Cargo Test track 1 through Yamaha THR5A Condenser 100%

The setup was simple:

I have two Cliff Mics RM1 Ribbon Microphones.

1. 24" from me playing the Cargo
2. 24" from the Yamaha THR5A (about 20 feet from me in the null point of the first microphone so there's no bleed).

I played the track once and recorded using the two microphones and got these two tracks.

The THR5A is set to emulate a condenser microphone 100% mix.

This should give you an idea of the difference between the guitar in the air, and amplified through the THR5A.

I used NO effects or processing on the THR5A except for the microphone emulation.

If you open the links above in separate windows then you can switch back and forth between the versions very easily. If you hit play in one window, it automatically pauses the player in the other window. You'll understand what I mean when you try it.

[ST]

Two more

1. CA Cargo Test track 2

2. CA Cargo Test track 2 through Yamaha THR5A Condenser 100%

[ST]

One more

CA Cargo test 3 direct through Yamaha THR5A via USB Interface

When you follow the link - don't click any buttons, just let the player initialize (could take a few seconds) and then the track should start automatically.
 
This time there were no microphones. The Yamaha THR5A has a USB interface through which I recorded directly into Audacity.

I start off with the Condenser microphone setting  and you'll hear me cycle through Dynamic Microphone and Tube Microphone. Then I tried a little compression and chorus and then delay (got messy) and then some reverb.

[WileE]

Thanks!  Those are all great help.  You sold me.  I guess I'll have to keep my eye out for one.