replace my thr10. Looking for a rechargeable living room amp - spark mini or nux mighty air?

John_P · April 2023

I've had my thr10 since they first came out and love the sound, size and ease of use, but I'd like to replace it with something I don't need to plug in. It's many years since I looked at practice amps so I'd appreciate any reviews and thoughts.

I'd like something that sounds as good as the thr, but has usb charging and can also play songs through by Bluetooth.

Just saw the new positive grid spark go but the mini is probably more practical. I'm assuming it ticks all the boxes but is that the best option?

Edit - just seen the nux mighty air that might be even better. Has anyone compared them?

ditchboy · April 2023

Would you recommend the thr10? I sold my fender mustang recently for some boss wazas but still fancy a small amp I can use in the living room.

John_P · April 2023

ditchboy said:

Would you recommend the thr10? I sold my fender mustang recently for some boss wazas but still fancy a small amp I can use in the living room.

I love the thr. It gets used every day.

I just want something that doesn't need any cables and has bluetooth for playing along with tracks - if you don't mind having a power supply and cables then the thr is great.

ditchboy · April 2023

Thanks. I’ve toyed with the idea of just buying a 5 rather than a 10 as they can be picked up for £100.

BluesLover · April 2023

Put rechargeable batteries in your THR10, and buy a Bluetooth adaptor?

PAL · April 2023

Spark Mini.

Wazmeister · April 2023

John, Boss Dual Cube LX IS SUPERB.

hollywoodrox · April 2023

John_P said:

ditchboy said:

Would you recommend the thr10? I sold my fender mustang recently for some boss wazas but still fancy a small amp I can use in the living room.

I love the thr. It gets used every day.

I just want something that doesn't need any cables and has bluetooth for playing along with tracks - if you don't mind having a power supply and cables then the thr is great.

I thought the THR 10 took AA batteries, they’re easily replaceable unlike proprietary Li ion which will probably need to be sourced and replaced

John_P · April 2023

Thanks chaps. I don’t want the hassle of batteries and cables - so rechargeable and Bluetooth are key features if the mighty air or spark mini sound as good as the thr.

shsam75 · April 2023

I think with both the Spark Mini and the Air you will be tied to a screen to get the best out of it. I have a thr10ii and even with 5 decent presets I still find myself opening the app to tweak.

Having said that, Spark and Air do have solid apps, particularly Air with its 3rd party Mightier app (not on iOS5 though) I have a Nux Mighty Plug and I'm considering selling the thr to pick up a reduced Air now they have released the Space

bertie · April 2023

hollywoodrox said:

John_P said:

ditchboy said:

Would you recommend the thr10? I sold my fender mustang recently for some boss wazas but still fancy a small amp I can use in the living room.

I love the thr. It gets used every day.

I just want something that doesn't need any cables and has bluetooth for playing along with tracks - if you don't mind having a power supply and cables then the thr is great.

I thought the THR 10 took AA batteries, they’re easily replaceable unlike proprietary Li ion which will probably need to be sourced and replaced

this

just buy some rechargeable AAs (takes 8) and just use a lead to connect your phone to the aux in - its what i do, (or via the usb from a laptop)

the THR has a much better sound that the spark mini (and no having to use the f***ing phone to change the settings)

Danny1969 · April 2023

Another option is a beefy Bluetooth speaker and a Nux MP1 ..... plug the Nux into the guitar then use an aux cable to go from that to the BT speaker. It will be in stereo so it sound wider than it is and the you can bluetooth backing tracks to the Nux which will then come out the speaker. This is what I do a lot when I'm not using headphones.

Just get a beefy BT speaker, not a little one.

Bowks · April 2023

I sold my THR10 v1 and replaced it with the THR10IIW, which has a recharbable battery and a wireless receiver that works with the Line 6 G10. It gets used every day, either to play guitar or as a Bluetooth speaker.

timmypix · April 2023

Sounds like you might just want the THR10ii, as Bowks says. I've got the THR30ii - rechargeable, battery lasts about 3-4 hours, bluetooth, wireless adapter so no messy cables to trip over. I love it!

menamestom · April 2023

I was looking at the THR but they are expensive, THR30ii with the G10 ends up around £550.

The Spark mini with a separate wireless system from Amazon would be around £200.

Depends on budget I guess.

bertie · April 2023

menamestom said:

The Spark mini with a separate wireless system from Amazon would be around £200.

Depends on budget I guess.

or a used THR10 with a set of rechargeable AAs and a wireless transmitter about the same, and better

menamestom · April 2023

bertie said:

menamestom said:

The Spark mini with a separate wireless system from Amazon would be around £200.

Depends on budget I guess.

or a used THR10 with a set of rechargeable AAs and a wireless transmitter about the same, and better

But the thread is literally about him getting rid of a THR10.

To be fair I see why people want built in lithium batteries over AA’s.

bertie · April 2023

menamestom said:
But the thread is literally about him getting rid of a THR10.

yes for specific reasons - for which there are alternatives,

having been someone that was going to do the same thing I now certainly wouldnt get shot of a THR10 for a Spark Mini. In fact I didnt I got shot of the Spark

but yes, its a great shame that the new THRs with on-board rechargeables - come in so expensive

Grampa · April 2023

I made the mistake of selling my original THR10 and replacing with a THR10ii Wireless, mainly for the considerations the OP has listed. All the extra toys were wonderful, sadly it didn't sound anywhere near as good so only lasted a few weeks before being replaced with a THR5. Currently in the process of building a bit of a mutant original THR10 from a faulty/damaged one I got on the cheap.

rustneversleeps · April 2023

Wazmeister said:

John, Boss Dual Cube LX
He has a point.Recently got one and impressed.

John_P · April 2023

Update - thanks for all the comments.

I ordered a spark mini last night and it arrived today. Just got in from a day out and had a quick try with it.

Feels solid and chunky enough for a tiny box, super easy to use - already programmed 4 presets and playing along to songs on spotify. Plenty of volume for a sofa amp and it'll get used on trips away as a bluetooth speaker. I'd already had the nux 5rc wireless system so with that I've got a much tidier setup with no cables that I can take anywere. Very impressed on first impressions.

hollywoodrox · April 2023

I always prefer AA’s as it doesn’t mean I’ve got to do surgery when the inbuilt cell dies
And if they die you can buy them anywhere . Spark mini is still pretty awesome though

hollywoodrox · April 2023

John_P said:

Update - thanks for all the comments.

I ordered a spark mini last night and it arrived today. Just got in from a day out and had a quick try with it.

Feels solid and chunky enough for a tiny box, super easy to use - already programmed 4 presets and playing along to songs on spotify. Plenty of volume for a sofa amp and it'll get used on trips away as a bluetooth speaker. I'd already had the nux 5rc wireless system so with that I've got a much tidier setup with no cables that I can take anywere. Very impressed on first impressions.

Congratulations , the mini seems an awesome bit of kit and from what I’ve seen on videos & forums is supposed to project the sound quite well . I wouldn’t mind one

BigPaulie · June 2023

Danny1969 said:

Another option is a beefy Bluetooth speaker and a Nux MP1 ..... plug the Nux into the guitar then use an aux cable to go from that to the BT speaker. It will be in stereo so it sound wider than it is and the you can bluetooth backing tracks to the Nux which will then come out the speaker. This is what I do a lot when I'm not using headphones.

Just get a beefy BT speaker, not a little one.

I'd be interested in this solution, @Danny1969 ;;

Can you, or anyone else, recommend a bluetooth speaker with Aux input that sounds good for this purpose? I tried it before sending the headphone output of my Line 6 Amplifi TT to the AUX Input of a Mackie Freeplay BT speaker and there was a significant latency issue.

flying_pie · June 2023

BigPaulie said:

Danny1969 said:

Another option is a beefy Bluetooth speaker and a Nux MP1 ..... plug the Nux into the guitar then use an aux cable to go from that to the BT speaker. It will be in stereo so it sound wider than it is and the you can bluetooth backing tracks to the Nux which will then come out the speaker. This is what I do a lot when I'm not using headphones.

Just get a beefy BT speaker, not a little one.

I'd be interested in this solution, @Danny1969 ;

Can you, or anyone else, recommend a bluetooth speaker with Aux input that sounds good for this purpose? I tried it before sending the headphone output of my Line 6 Amplifi TT to a Mackie Freeplay BT speaker and there was a significant latency issue.

I'm considering this approach. I'm only looking at speaker options just now, and haven't tried any out, but would remark that it's possible to get both a mighty plug pro and a Marshall Acton III for cheaper than a THR wireless/Katana Air, etc

Danny1969 · June 2023

Well you can't use BT to send the guitar signal as that is packet based and channel hopping so will always have latency .. always.
My approach is to just connect a 3.5mm stereo aux cable from the Nux MP to the aux input of various speakers I have here inc a Creative Stage speaker, a Sony iPod dock and a few other various BT speakers with aux inputs using 3.5mm stereo jack socket.

2 of these things were picked up in charity shops for less than a fiver.

BigPaulie · June 2023

Danny1969 said:

Well you can't use BT to send the guitar signal as that is packet based and channel hopping so will always have latency .. always.
My approach is to just connect a 3.5mm stereo aux cable from the Nux MP to the aux input of various speakers I have here inc a Creative Stage speaker, a Sony iPod dock and a few other various BT speakers with aux inputs using 3.5mm stereo jack socket.

2 of these things were picked up in charity shops for less than a fiver.

Cheers, Danny.

I should have been more specific and say I was connecting the Amplifi TT to the Mackie speaker via Aux cable and the latency was unusable.

I've had similar latency issues using the Aux input on various BT speakers by Anker, Sony and JBL

Hence asking for a recommendation of a BT speaker with Aux in which does not have latency issues over AUX.

Danny1969 · June 2023

BigPaulie said:

Danny1969 said:

Well you can't use BT to send the guitar signal as that is packet based and channel hopping so will always have latency .. always.
My approach is to just connect a 3.5mm stereo aux cable from the Nux MP to the aux input of various speakers I have here inc a Creative Stage speaker, a Sony iPod dock and a few other various BT speakers with aux inputs using 3.5mm stereo jack socket.

2 of these things were picked up in charity shops for less than a fiver.

Cheers, Danny.

I should have been more specific and say I was connecting the Amplifi TT to the Mackie speaker via Aux cable and the latency was unusable.

I've had similar latency issues using the Aux input on various BT speakers by Anker, Sony and JBL

Hence asking for a recommendation of a BT speaker with Aux in which does not have latency issues over AUX.

I've just had a play through the Creative Stage ... this does have a tiny bit of latency but it's very very small, maybe due to the digital DSP circuit before the amp which EQ's the input to the speakers.

Deadman · August 2023

I’m going through pretty much every desktop modeller and now I’ve just picked up the Spark mini and I’m in flipping awe of it. Had the 40 previously but felt it wasn’t portable enough and a bit bassy/boomy but this model is just perfection for my needs. I’m getting some sounds I’ve been hankering for all my life too, namely AC30 overdriven stuff. Anyone who’s looking for Weller/Jam sounds (really, really decent ones, think Setting sons/ All mod cons era) they’re inside this little box.….and whilst I’m sat at my dining room table for God’s sake! Big, big, thumbs up from me.

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replace my thr10. Looking for a rechargeable living room amp - spark mini or nux mighty air?

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