Yamaha thr100hd - any good?

theflyisback

Has anyone got/used one of these?

I'm possibly looking at futureproofing for potentially a helix purpose in the very near future.

I'm quite interested in the dual amp in one head thing for stereo stuff, it will mainly be the clean channel i will be using i would guess and naturally don't really need to explore the modelling side of things it can do. 

I'm reluctant to go full FRFR in case the helix doesn't work and could use a good clean solid state platform for potentially other instruments as well (i.e. synths) and as a reliable, light back up for a valve amp. 

I see these usually come with a matching 2 x 12 cab. Is the cab stereo?  Or would you need 2 cabs for that?

Any advice would be great.


   

DrJazzTap

I tried one out in a PMT store, I was very impressed. I would love to get one, but the price puts me off. I think the cab was about £500.

theflyisback

There's a "ex demo" cab in Sound Affects Premier near me for £283.  Just noticed it does have a mono or dual input so I assume it is stereo.

rossyamaha

theflyisback said:

There's a "ex demo" cab in Sound Affects Premier near me for £283.  Just noticed it does have a mono or dual input so I assume it is stereo.

It can be stereo or dual mono. Or just mono. It was a difficult thing for a lot of people to get their head round. It's 2 amps in one box. I mean literally 2 amps. But, you can run it as 2 amps or as a single dual channel amp, or as one amp for you you and one for the the other player into separate cabs or wet dry or stereo or mono etc etc. Loads of options but it's just at the heart of it and in it's most boring 2 channel amp format, a really really great sounding thing. 

theflyisback

rossyamaha said:

theflyisback said:

There's a "ex demo" cab in Sound Affects Premier near me for £283.  Just noticed it does have a mono or dual input so I assume it is stereo.

It can be stereo or dual mono. Or just mono. It was a difficult thing for a lot of people to get their head round. It's 2 amps in one box. I mean literally 2 amps. But, you can run it as 2 amps or as a single dual channel amp, or as one amp for you you and one for the the other player into separate cabs or wet dry or stereo or mono etc etc. Loads of options but it's just at the heart of it and in it's most boring 2 channel amp format, a really really great sounding thing. 

Aye, plenty of options there and on paper its pretty impressive. 

Price wise I suppose i could get 2 decent amps for similar outlay but i know i'd end up getting fed up of carrying 2 around and i'd just settle for mono again.  

Struggling to find somewhere to try one in the dual format in the flesh though.  Can only locate the single ones locally.  

  

ICBM

I had the pleasure of a personal demo from Ross a couple of years ago, and I have to say it sounded spectacularly good - while were were doing so, one of the other shop staff came through and asked what kind of valves it was running . It's certainly the best-sounding digital amp I've ever played. The amp isn't cheap, but it's still cheaper than most higher-end two-channel valve amps. I have to say the cab looks overpriced though, but I haven't tried one - we ran it through a Marshall 4x12" for the demo.

The only negative thing I've heard is that it isn't very loud for a 100W amp - more like equivalent to a 20-30W valve amp - which I can believe, since Class D amps just don't seem to sound as loud even as traditional Class AB solid-state amps, let alone valve ones. It certainly didn't shake the shop like a 100W Marshall or Mesa would, but I would say it's giggable if you normally use a valve amp of 30W or less.

I still haven't got around to buying one, but that's really only because I'm not playing electric guitar in a gigging band now. If I was, it would be at the top of the list.

Titch

I would agree with ICBM, good sound but not very loud, I tried one when I was looking for a solid state amp (ended up with a Blues Cube but that's another story) and I was rather disappointed as it has some really good features.

rossyamaha

Just on the volume thing, the HD is 2 x 50w amps. The single channel is 100w. But yes, it's probably equivalent to a 20-30w tube amp. Run together it gets stupid loud. The trick is to max the "Volume" (far right on the control panel) and use the channel or "Master Volume" as your actual volume control. 

I did a ton of gigs with it and had no problem at all. Even with the 112 cab on it's own. And we play very loud. I'm normally running a Mesa Lonestar at 100w cooking kind of loud. Still mic the amp up too. Yes, I'm that guy. If it's too loud you're too old. ;-)

HAL9000

rossyamaha said:

Just on the volume thing, the HD is 2 x 50w amps.

Does that mean that the THR100H (without the 'D') is a 50W amp then...?

GrahamG

ICBM said:

I had the pleasure of a personal demo from Ross a couple of years ago, and I have to say it sounded spectacularly good - while were were doing so, one of the other shop staff came through and asked what kind of valves it was 

Well in that case I could do with Ross nipping over to my house(or I could nip over to his) ,to show me how to get a good sound out of my 100H,because I can't.
Oh & the 100H is "rated" at 100w.but is nowhere near as loud as my JVM215C 50w,but the least said about the JVM the better 

susbemol

I've never owned one but I've heard it a few times. The lack of volume is a very common complaint from many owners, it seems.

I also thought it sounded OK, nothing to write home about just like many of the other modern digital amps available right now.

theflyisback

How ‘not loud’ is not loud enough?

i never go past 4 on my Laney VC30 2x12 in rehearsals and I gigged last night un mic’d in a 150 capacity venue and it was between 2 and 3 and was still too loud apparently.   

Surely theres enough juice in these to cover 95% of bases 

ICBM

theflyisback said:

How ‘not loud’ is not loud enough?

i never go past 4 on my Laney VC30 2x12 in rehearsals and I gigged last night un mic’d in a 150 capacity venue and it was between 2 and 3 and was still too loud apparently.

4 is probably just short of full power. You can't tell from the knob settings, especially on a guitar amp.

theflyisback

ICBM said:

theflyisback said:

How ‘not loud’ is not loud enough?

i never go past 4 on my Laney VC30 2x12 in rehearsals and I gigged last night un mic’d in a 150 capacity venue and it was between 2 and 3 and was still too loud apparently.

4 is probably just short of full power. You can't tell from the knob settings, especially on a guitar amp.

Actually, ignore me... just looked at the panel on my amp and what I thought was 4 is actually 2 and a quarter (9 o clock basically)!

I probably do get maximum volume velocity about 4.5 on the dial then it’s just break up as you suggested.  Never hit those territories before. 

Last night was between 1 and 1.5.  It was just behind me at foot level so I expect not to hear it so much but I was hearing more of the acoustics of my tele than what was coming through my amp last night. I felt more air push from the drummers breath than my speakers.  Bloody strange gig. 

thomasw88

I had one for a few months.  Absolutely loved it in the house. The clean, and crunch settings were glorious.

But live it didn't cut through at all.  Bought the recommended Eminence legend speaker, still didn't cut through.   Had to sell it in the end.

I ended up buying a quilter Pro Block.  I use this mainly for rehearsals,  plug n play gigs, and as a backup.   It sounds great, although not quite as versatile as the Yamaha.

I just had the single channel one tho. the dual one might be louderer...   

GrahamG

The 100H is 100w the 100HD is 50w x 2,i tried both(in the shop)when I bought the 100H,because I felt it would do better at gig volume.

LordOxygen

After several months of looking for a new head for home use, last night I picked up a used, but near mint condition THR100HD.

I had little more than 10 minutes to poke about with it, but even with very limited time I can tell its going to be a superb amp for me at home. Actually excited to get home this evening and play with it properly.

Shame the LEDs are so bright! both on the amp and the footswitch. Will have to put masking tape over them

timbuk02

Shame the LEDs are so bright! both on the amp and the footswitch. Will have to put masking tape over them

Warwick Rockboard make these LED dampers which just stick over the top...