I Thought Bluetooth Amps Were a Joke… Until I Tried These
I’ve always been skeptical of battery-powered guitar amps — but after spending a week jamming in Colorado with some friends, I finally get it. In this video, I compare three of the most popular portable guitar amps to find out which one actually delivers:
???? The Yamaha THR30II
???? The Boss Katana Air EX
⚡️ The Positive Grid Spark 2
If you’re looking for the perfect travel amp, this might help you decide.
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???? Gear Featured in This Video (affiliate links)
Yamaha THR30II → https://sweetwater.sjv.io/Vxdv73
Boss Katana Air EX → https://sweetwater.sjv.io/nXVZY7
Positive Grid Spark 2 → https://sweetwater.sjv.io/yqoPV2
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???? Listen to My Music
→ Spotify
→ Apple Music
???? My Guitar Courses
→ https://rhettshullguitarcourses.com/l/products
???? Instagram
→ https://www.instagram.com/rhettshull
????️ Podcast: Dipped in Tone
→ https://www.youtube.com/@DippedInTone
#Thought #Bluetooth #Amps #Joke
Originally posted by UCCJ56k8nBeqWLoxNa6DToAQ at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WPSdqSBj04
In defense of the “fidgety” Spark…Once you know the app and amp it’s great! I own both thr & Spark 40 & mini. They’re all great amps. It comes down to preference. I gravitate to the Spark….for now.
You can get some seriously nice vintage tones from that little thing
I've got a whole bunch of amps at home that cost way more than the THR, but it's the one I play the most often by far. Such a great sounding practice tool! I don't even feel like I missing playing a bigger amp at all and being able to load a backing track on my phone to play through it is just so convenient!
I bought the Yamaha THR10, then THR10x, then THR30ii use them all. I use them more than my tube amps Marshall JVM410H 100 watt and Fender Supersonic Twin 100 watt. They just really sound great and are convenient for small jams and practice sessions. And way lighter, feels like I'm gonna snap in half sometimes lugging these tube amps and cabs around.
I really love the idea of the THR, and I had 3 of them. Ultimately, I couldn’t get along with them because the speakers are simply too small. And you need to have it pointed right at your head to hear the stereo effect. Very cool, but I’m happier with the tone of my Quilter Aviator Cub, which is not even the same thing at all. But it is in the same price range, it’s lightweight tho bigger, and the three inputs and active EQ give a huge range of sounds. A very affordable Monotone Anthem speaker made it perfect.
The Spark 2 is a great little practice amp. You actually don’t need the app regularly, after you get your presets and stuff saved. You can use the knobs to switch between all your presets. No app needed.
The Spark has way better practice features than the other 2 as well. You can play any song or backing track from youtube, and the Spark 2 will show you the chords being played and break the song down in real time. It also has an AI rhythm section that will play along with your and jam. Keep in mind Spark 2 is also designed to be used with the optional bluetooth footswitch, which does come in handy to get, especially for the jam session sort of features. The Spark 2 sounds great for it’s size too. It really does most sorts of tones really well. Especially distorted Marshall type tones. The only thing I can point out as a negative is that it doesn’t seem to do edge of breakup Fender amp sort of tones very well. It does them, don’t get me wrong. Like, it has a bunch of Fender amps to choose from. But they don’t sound at all convincing in the room with me. Perhaps I haven’t spent enough time dialing in those tones. But it does Marshall tones well right out of the box. I was surprised I had a great Jimmy Page sort of tone going, and when I turned it up I was surprised at how good the feedback felt when I’d turn towards the amp. It also cleans up well with the guitar volume knob. I don’t personally need the amp to include a battery, which is good bcuz it doesn’t include the optional battery pack. I don’t need the rechargeable battery, so I’m glad it’s sold separately I wouldn’t want to pay more for the thing just bcuz it has a battery. So I think it was cool to charge less for the amp, and to sell the battery separately for those who want it. Overall I love the Spark 2.
Just to be clear to anyone who cares about this stranger’s opinion – I’m a tube amp player. My favorite amp is my FSR 1×12” 12W Princeton Reverb. The Spark 2 doesn’t do the Princeton thing well. But it does the tweed crunch thing well. I prefer tube amps any day, but for practice features and convenience sake- it’s hard to touch the Spark 2 for value.
P.S. I can also vouch for Positive Grid’s wireless setup that they sell for $129. I have used probably 4-5 different wireless dongle setups, and PG’s was the best. It simulates having a long cable pretty well. It also does a great job of not picking up interference. Every other wireless setup I’ve tried picked up a lot more noise. Super handy.
I like the spark because of the app I type in led zeppelin in th a.i. and get good options to dial that in
I’m sure I’m gonna come across as a positive grid fanboy, but you you swung and missed on a lot of points.
There’s absolutely no need for app use on the spark.
If you do use the app and dial in any tone, you’d like, you can store it on one of eight different banks. The battery power lasts forever.
I’ve tried the Yamaha and in my opinion, the spark for less than half the money has a much better sound. The SoundCloud app that you download from the Spark will allow you to download preset tones that were shared by others. The build quality is fantastic and it’s my second one I’ve owned.
I have the Yamaha THR10ii (non-wireless). It’s a great utility / practice amp all around. My only complaint is I find the EQ lacking. This can easily be solved for guitar by sticking an EQ pedal in front, but playing audio via the Bluetooth lacks definition and a bit lifeless.
The amount of talent in that room, would love to be able to jam like that.
the reason the bOSS has AA batteries is to protect them from Li-Ion battery rot for longevity. When you reach 500 charge/discharge cycles, you will have to open the other amps and remplace the battery, not something that the regular Joe can do on its own. There is a reason it was make like that, so it can last for a long time (like any amplifier should do) and still run. Granted AAs won't give you the same battery time, but it is manageable and you can use rechargeable AAs. That is actually a good thing. For the Positive grid, the dependency on the app kilss the product. i'll bet you in 10 years that app wont exist and they will force you to upgrade because that version is 'no longer supported'
I love my Spark. You can also use the AI to have it put a tone together for you. It's a very good starting point at the very least. Not necessarily describing the tone, but I would say "Clapton Layla rhythm tone" and mess with it from there.
Honestly I think a whole lot of people have slept on this idea and missed the boat. No brainer – ok sure get the Yamaha… but if you really wanted bang for your buck you cannot beat the BOSS KAT AIR EX. I spent 3 years deep diving these things out of absolute necessity and with a couple of simple 3rd party apps – 10€ more you can totally stick the BOSS into a helix, or run it like an uber smart powercab. With the rechargeable pack or even an external lithium battery you can camp out or busk for days on end. The Yamaha and BOSS aren’t cheap, but if you break down what you’re actually getting, especially with that Kat Air EX and you know how to dial in an amp, you can’t go wrong. Light weight, just enough power as is, and stereo line out or run it to a real cab with a simple mod.
This video doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface Rhett.
Anyone have some awesome THR II presets they want to share? ????
i actually own that positive grid one and love it, but now i wonder if should buy the yamaha too?!?!? I'm not sure if the yamaha or boss have presets because I have 4 presets (that did take some time to achieve) that allow me to just turn on the PG spark 2 and switch between them without the app or phone being connected.
Great. Now I want a THR30…
If you spend $500-$600 for one of these you are insane. What a waste
The wireless sticking out is weird????
That is the dumbest thing ever!!
Sorry fellas, I have two sparks and a wall full of tube amps. You can dial-in a great sound without using the app on the Spark one or two. Using the app you can get absolutely killer sound to any genre you want and run it straight into your computer, or especially the smart, too, gets very loud and still sounds quite good when pushed. Plus the multitude of patches you can. Is phenomenal for any sound you are looking for on any guitar or bass
The criticism of the Spark makes no sense to me. I have one of the smaller models and I spent like an hour looking through the different options and getting things setup, and now each time I play I spend essentially zero time on the app. You can also set each preset once on the app and send them to the box and now those presets are saved, so you don't need to use the app at all at that point.
Still haven't had my hands on one. You really make me want to try one.
Yamaha THR seems to be the one piece of gear I don't trade/sell to experiment with something new. I only sold my THR10X because I upgraded to the THR30II. Awesome for plug n play, jamming along to spotify, bluetooth vinyl, and also works amazing as a mini FRFR for my Helix rig.
I've had a Tone King Imperial and sold it for the THR, it sounds fantastic, lots of different sounds and you can play it at home quietly
The title of your videos kill me. They're always "i thought said product would suck". Its insane that you haven't learned to be less cynical. Grow up because the only constant in life is f**king change.
Yup. My THR is great. I use it all the time for guitar and bass.
The guy singing is really good. Does he have a band and do they have a youtube link?
Bro the yamaha is great ive always hated the katana but you need to try the new "nux" amp line is the way to go way better tones than all of those
I'd go with the THR30ii (I've had mine for a couple years too – keep it mounted under my desk and use it regularly to practice, try stuff out, or just noodle)
What’s the second song he sings?
Which would I buy? I have NO IDEA FROM THIS VID!!! Usually when someone has a beef or rave with something, they make a video to DEMONSTRATE THEM… not just repeat their claims a few times. As an electronics engineer, this vid comes across as bias. Clearly you open on the FLAGSHIP you're going to promote, and then you lay them out on a table like spokes on a wheel, feigning peership, before picking up the Yammy and crowning it KING OF THE PYLE!
Every time you mention the POSITIVE GRID SPARK2, you talk about the "fiddlyness of being tied to the app", but you never back that up with a demonstration of what is actually fiddly about it, which also requires demonstrating how something else provides a better solution. We can all see it has knobs too… When they came out, I got a boner for the SPARK. I'm definitely going to do more homework before I even consider a purchase.
I unsubbed a long time ago when you were bumbling through your home studio build. You should have just jacked the house up a couple to three feet than all the convoluted rushed starts and Twilight Zone re-dos you suffered yourself and fans through. I literally wanted tear my hair out watching a couple of those.
In your defense, you've accomplished a SHIT TON of stuff, for someone starting a family, but I still don't know how to make that an endorsement, when I just don't trust any of your vids. They always feel like you're hiding things… and pushing others. 'Think I'm going back to doom scrolling…
That Gibson Acoustic sounds MAGICAL. Great voice too!
I keep a Spark Go in the side pouch of my Kemper bag and it's fantastic for just sitting in the green room (or the tailgate of your car) and warming up before a gig.
Not a big fan of the Yamaha. The Spark I like ok… and the Katana of course.