t h e ga s station This quartet are proof of how much technology has revolutionised the humble role of the desktop amp 98 Total Guitar november 2017 TGR299.gear_test.
the tg test Words Nick Guppy / Photography Joby Sessions Desktop Amps Playing at home has never been so much fun. This quartet of desktop amps blends high tech with great tone T echnology has made profound changes to the way we play and record the electric guitar. In the good old pre-digital days, we’d slow down vinyl records from 33rpm to 16rpm, or scrub away the magnetic oxide on a cassette tape with repeated pause/rewinds to work out solos.
t h e ga s station YaMaHa THR10 V2.0 £299 Yamaha’s third amp gets updated VoX adIo aIR GT £249 High-tech mini monster What exactly is a ‘third amp’? We’re liking the look of this... Yamaha gave us the ‘third amp’ concept; a product that could sit happily on a bookshelf at home, ready for action when a stage or studio rig would be too much weight or too much trouble to hook up. Vox Adio Air GT is a bold new design that marries cutting-edge technology with traditional Vox style.
the tg test FeNdeR MUSTaNG GT40 £195 Maximum horsepower BLaCKSTaR Id: CoRe BeaM £199 Small but perfectly formed Is this a stallion or a pony? Is this the Blackstar that we know and love? Fender may be traditional but they can do high tech as well as any of the competition and better than most. The awesome new Mustang range includes the compact GT40, which includes Bluetooth for audio streaming and Wi-Fi, letting you connect the amp directly to Fender’s Tone portal without the need for a PC.
the tg test Head to head Vox’s box of tricks, the Adio Air GT does everything except make your dinner Which amp should you pop onto your shelf? T 102 his quartet of desktop rockers demonstrates how technology has changed the humble practice amp beyond recognition, with wireless connectivity, digital modelling, external audio and software apps that considerably expand their functionality.
t h e ga s station FINaL VeRdICT Which desktop amp is the right one for you? a ll four of these desktop amps are capable of inspiring players at all levels, from beginner to pro. For stay-at-home use that takes up the minimum space, the ID:Core BEAM wins, with excellent audio playback quality that can compete with sound-bars costing twice the price. Yamaha’s THR10 may not have the wireless functionality of the other three, but its sounds are superb and Yamaha’s distinctive styling hasn’t dated at all.
