Boss Katana Air Impressions: BKA vs Yamaha THR10 and plugged in vs batteries

After playing around with the Boss Katana Air, I decided to compare it against the Yamaha THR10. Both are small and portable, one is wireless. Here are my deeper impressions of the Katana Air.
Note that while I did a volume comparison, it appears the volume got clipped so you can't really tell how loud the Katana Air and THR10 are. They are both very loud - however, I will note that while on batteries, it wasn't loud enough to hurt my ears, which is what happened while plugged in.

[@andrewwilkinson2436]

The Boss Katana Air is simply the best (practice) amp I've ever owned. Amazing amp. Love the stand-by mode when not playing the gtr, and the APP is another fantastic feature, so is the Bluetooth! :) :)

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah, it's a great amp for practicing. Definitely the most convenient - you really have no excuse not to play when everything is all set up. They did a great job with that! I actually wound up returning the Katana Air for the Vox Adio Air. It's not wireless, but at least it has bluetooth capability like the Katana Air - and actually, I find the Vox app to be much more intuitive than the Boss app. Anyway, check out my latest video where I played my Kemper Amp through the Katana Air, THR10, and the Vox Adio Air.

[@user-sx2fg9wl8t]

Good to see someone demo the amps how they really sound. Most other people on KZbin record them threw a u beaut sound system. Well done

[@shadowm3ld]

I appreciate that! I agree. It’s hard to capture how they sound since each mic/phone is different. But these little amps can get really loud, so that’s more the point of this demo.

[@Dan.Solo.Chicago]

I have both and the Yamaha is just to digital sounding. Whenever I heard anyone say that, I didn't really know what they meant by it, until I got the THR10. I end up using it more as a Bluetooth speaker than an amp. The Boss Katana Air is like a gift that keeps on giving. I keep finding new tones and features I didn't even know it had. Especially when using the app.

[@1969MARKETING]

you can tell Yamaha did it's research on everything with the THR10 and nailed it the 1st time. i have one and i love it.

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah, I think Yamaha is underrated... it’s a great amp for a small space. And it looks great. Love the orange glow - just a nice touch that makes it feel warmer too haha

[@30smsuperstrat]

Great Review! Way to knock it out of the park! The biggest issue here is price point. I’ve owned the THR10c for 3 years. It priced a lot of people out at $250 for what it is. $400 for a practice amp it outrageous. Especially when there are compact wireless systems in the $40-$70 range that are as good as what Boss is doing here. Just plug a compact wireless into your favorite battery amp and you’ve eliminated the advantage of the “air”. Boss Katana sound engine is great but I have not found it to be better then the Yamaha THR. Comparing it to the price point of the Katana Artist, a professional quality amp, again the Air misses badly in terms of value.

[@shadowm3ld]

SMSuperstrat thanks and I totally agree. I wanted to be blown away by the Katana Air and to an extent I initially was. I love the wireless capability with virtually zero latency. What you can’t necessarily achieve with a wireless transmitter is that the Katana Air transmitter automatically turns off by the transmitter and the amp. So technically the built in unit can not be beat. That being said, I never liked any of the tones I got out of the Katana Air and always felt the THR10 was way sparklier and warmer - especially when using my Kemper. I actually made a video comparing my Kemper tones through Katana Air vs THR10 vs Vox Adio Air. I think the Vox Adio Air is comparable in tone to the THR10 but way louder and with more bass response.

[@shadowm3ld]

Also you’re right about the price point being way too high. I think the Vox is priced right - maybe a little high... but I wound up getting it on 4th of July sale so it was priced similar to when I got the THR10

[@Rob_who]

Absolutely that air is way to expensive

[@Popcorn-ue9qp]

Can u use more than one built-in modulation effects all at once? For example can u use a tremolo effect and chorus effect at the same time?

[@shadowm3ld]

Not on the THR, but you might be able to on the Katana using the app.

[@Levkhat]

THR is about 5 years old, while katana air just came out. These speaks a lot in terms of technology and sound. I own THR10C and it is great awesome amp. Boss makes great products including Katana air

[@shadowm3ld]

I agree that the THR10 is still an amazing amp... plus it's a good value. The wireless capabilities of the Air are quite impressive, however... definitely worth an upgrade if you want to have a practice amp that you get daily use out of.

[@dangreving1094]

Yeah i have had the thr for years gave 3 away as gifts, use it all the time in my rv, i also have the katana head, I’m gonna buy the air for sure. Cant wait to ditch the cord.

[@shadowm3ld]

I tell you, the wireless capability is really amazing... Boss just came out with a piece wireless connector based on the one used in the Air and I'm thinking of getting that and returning the Air for maybe the Vox Adio Air...

[@henneburymarc]

The technology in speakers did not change in those years

[@user-xg3uz7sj3g]

what about speaker sound quality as battery powered? which is loude? I have a mp3 player. and one more quesiton. what i heard is The volume drop on going from mains power to batteries on the vox adio air gt is because it drops from 50 watt to 2.5 watt?

[@shadowm3ld]

I don’t think the speaker quality changes when you go to battery power. It’s just a drop in volume. But it’s still pretty loud. I did a comparison with the Adio Air and eventually returned the Katana Air. Check out my uploaded videos and you’ll see a comparison with all 3.

[@1analist]

Awesome thx buddy just what I needed !

[@alexaraya2018]

1analyst so which did you buy?

[@Dan.Solo.Chicago]

If you can't afford the Katana Air, get a Nux Mighty Air. I love that amp, mainly because along with the metronome it has a selection of drumbeats that you can tweak and jam with instead of just a plain old metronome.

[@hectors8355]

My impression is that yamaha thr is still a winner in terms of sound quality, I own also a thr10 and you can feel that "tube" feeling at low volumes. Katana air seems more shrill mainly in the distorted channels but it has the cutting edge connectivity although im not tried one in person yet. I´m not sure if 400 bucks are justified....

[@shadowm3ld]

Héctor S I agree that there is a warmth to the THR10. In the video, I cut out a part where I mentioned I compared them both through my Kemper using the Aux ins. The THR10 felt warmer and had a nice sparkle at the top, whereas the Air felt too shrill and lacked that warmth. But when I played in church, my sound guy said the Air was a lot clearer than the THR10 as well as louder. So maybe for the top end on the Air, it just cuts through the mix better.

[@kevin285]

And of course unlike the thr the air has a parametric , graphic and global eq that can be used together to tweeks sound

[@rodnocker505]

I have the katana air and the spark and I use my BK air way more than my spark. Btw the acoustic setting isn’t for electric guitars it’s actually for playing you acoustic electric and sounds fantastic when I play my Taylor through it. The super light weight of the bk air is one of the things I like most. A lot of people says it feels cheap but I travel for work and it’s alright with me.

[@shadowm3ld]

As a practice amp, I don’t think Yamaha could’ve done a better job. Everything you said is right, but take into account the wireless and it’s amazing. Just not a fan of the tone of the speaker… but again, I agree with everything you said.

[@weebleschneeble7543]

Perfect comparison video Thank God someone understand how Let alone demo.

[@shadowm3ld]

Thanks, sorry for the late reply. I wound up settling on the Vox Adio Air. Check it out on my channel.

[@simoncab1362]

I wonder if the shrillNess is because of the tiny plastic box and little cheap speakers I'm tempted to get a used one of these mod it and put it through a twin 10 inch speaker cabinet as stereo as straight through connection (as air is wired parallel) or mono it and put it through a single 10 or prob 12 inch cab to try to remove the shrillNess and get it more mellow . Presume that air speakers are say 8 ohm so can go two 8 ohm stereo or 1 x 4 ohm 10 or 12 inch single I'm thinking would give me less ear shattering shrillNess and have all ease of use of the air Just a question once air in sleep mode -movement wakes amp up with wireless but does it wake Bluetooth to phone app or does that need a button push to pair? if it does prob mod that to save having to keep having to re pair the app hopefully can jump the Bluetooth button so it keeps paired Any thoughts on the bigger guitar cab speakers to improve shrill sound? Not fr monitor speakers as think this will just make air shrill sound but louder but cab speakers

[@shadowm3ld]

Great comments... I am not sure about the Bluetooth pairing since I returned the Air. But I got the Vox Adio Air and you have to connect it in Bluetooth settings every time you turn it on. It’s not a big deal since it’s not pairing. But I tell you, I miss the wireless practice advantage that Katana Air provided. Was a really convenient feature when I had the Katana Air. Regarding the speaker shrillness, I couldn’t say if your hypothesis would work, but I would imagine it wouldn’t make it sound any worse. I made a speaker comparison vid between the THR10, Katana Air, and Vox Adio Air and the other were so much warmer compared to the Katana. So I would imagine changing out the speakers could only help. In this way, you’re probably going to save a lot of money rather than buying a full Katana Amp, plus you get the wireless connectivity. Very smart idea. Would love to see a video of this DIY project!

[@kevin285]

Hi I actually did a comparison of my thr and a vox and to me they all sounded good but just different when I played them to my mates they all had different favourite I kept the kstana air because of the possibility of being able to make any sound you want with 55 effects 4 of which can be used at one the ability to re arrange sound chain completely Inc effects before and after amp. Parametric and global eq etc. 6 types of delays 2 of which can be used at once and 18 different types of od and didtortion the list goes on.its simply mind blowing. And for gigging just add a powered frfr speaker to the rec out and it makes a great gigging head. To be honest it's the only amp I need. I have looked at new thr 11 30 amp but it still is to restrictive on its features with just 15 presets echo reverb and q of only 4 effects. Thoughthe it might be my perfect amp but the kstana air is just streets ahead.

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah I liked the Katana Air for many reasons, but as a FRFR speaker, it didn’t do it for me. It was more powerful than the THR10, but the THR sounded so much warmer and better. I wound up going with the Vox Adio Air for its power and it sounded warm too (not as warm as the THR tho). I made a video comparing just the speakers on all 3. The biggest problem with the Vox is that it looks awful. Like an unattractive women’s purse haha

[@metalmeister3054]

I know I'm really late to the game but in terms of playing just metal and traveling on the road would you suggest the boss over the Yamaha?

[@shadowm3ld]

I would say that the Katana is better for metal, then again I haven’t tried the new Yamaha THR which might be better. I think that one is also wireless now, so for practicing I think you’re good either way. Not sure what you’re in the road for, but I wouldn’t gig with either of these unless you’re doing something small. Good luck!

[@MarcsFpvAddiction]

Thanks for the video. Are you using an Android phone or an Apple?

[@shadowm3ld]

Marc Pike used an iPhone to record. I think the real limitation is that you can’t hear the true volume because it’s so loud it just caps out the top volume.

[@brandoncostner7437]

The thr looks so damn classy tho

[@shadowm3ld]

Agreed! I love the look of the THR

[@marcosantacroce7129]

Who buys amp for the look ? Mah

[@brandoncostner7437]

@@marcosantacroce7129 happy wife happy life

[@shadowm3ld]

Hilarious... the THR’s fake tube glow just make it feel warmer too. But I’m now using the Vox Adio Air and it’s fugly. So if another amp came out with similar features I would actually buy it for its looks haha

[@davidmilroy3851]

Good to see u demonstrated the amps by them self.unlike most of the others put them threw a pa .I buy the katana 50 and had to sell it straight away peace of crap

[@feinerganz]

How about autosleep / wakeup feature - is it possible to turn this off? If I put my looper in front of the amp and plug transmitter into it would I have to kick the pedal every 2 minutes to prevent it from falling asleep? Thanks for making this vid, really useful.

[@shadowm3ld]

luke haha I think I saw someone make the same exact comment on some other forum. I’m guessing that’s you. When I researched the Air, I heard that someone said the transmitter sensed vibrations and that’s how it knew to turn itself off. First of all, I have some really good news for you. I’m pretty sure the vibrations it’s sensing are sound waves, not physical vibrations! So I plugged in my Kemper and then left for about 20-30 mins. After I came back, the transmitter was off, so I physically moved the Kemper and nothing happened. Then I grabbed my guitar and then rotated the transmitter and it turned on. Then I decided to just noodle around a little while not moving the Kemper and it stayed on for at least 20 mins straight and then I gave up the testing. I think what happened was that when I turned the transmitter while holding my guitar, there must’ve been some popping or string noise that turned it back on. So, I’m almost positive it senses sound waves! More importantly, however, I’m stoked that it works great transmitting from my Kemper! That’s pretty awesome! This is a killer product as a piece of hardware and software. I’m impressed.

[@feinerganz]

Well that's a comprehensive answer. Thanks to you! No I wasn't responsible for the other comment you saw. I've been silently tracking this amp for months now. Interesting though - every promotional video talks about "motion detector" which is pretty straightforward. So now it seems they changed it for detecting the sound signal instead, didn't they? Or maybe combination of both? Because with vibrations (sound wave or not, they're physical) your dog barking would turn the amp on constantly which would be rather annoying.

[@shadowm3ld]

luke good point! I think how it works is that if the transmitter detects a signal from the source to itself, it stays on. If not, then it falls asleep. I’ll do more testing today.

[@shadowm3ld]

Okay, I did one more test and it appears you do have to physically move the transmitter to wake it and the amp up. I left it connected and stepped away and then started strumming and nothing happened; but then I rotated the transmitter and it woke up. I think this is how it works: if the transmitter detects a signal, it stays on, otherwise it falls asleep. But to wake it up, you have to physically move the transmitter.

[@feinerganz]

So no change there. Well too bad. No option to switch the sleeping mode off or adjust its time via app or sth? You're priceless source of information. Thanks.

[@AngelMartinez-qs3cf]

Great video, can you please compare with Vox Adio GT Air? I hear it is the best sounding amp than the Yamaha..

[@shadowm3ld]

Haha, sorry Angel, I don't have the Vox Adio GT Air... but maybe I'll look into it. Thanks!

[@LukeDKramer]

Thanks for the video! I've been trying to decide between these two for a few weeks now. I got to try out the THR10X in person and I was very impressed by it! Both the guitar tones and music reproduction were fantastic for such a little amp. My question for you is, which is better for music reproduction like plugging in your phone? I know the Yamaha has full range HiFi speakers, but I thought I heard that the Katana has guitar focused speakers which would make music sound pretty bad through it.

[@shadowm3ld]

Luke Kramer great question. I was drawn to the speakers on the THR10 too as I am using a Kemper setup, so it’s important for me to have an accurate uncolored speaker sound (FRFR). I did a brief comparison between Air’s and the THR10’s AUX input using my Kemper and I felt the THR10 sounded more sparkly and warm whereas the Air was more shrill and trebly. I also ran my music through it via Bluetooth and it sounded fine (nothing really noticeable, except maybe not as much bass tones). I’m not sure this answers your question tho, sorry. What are you trying to record?

[@LukeDKramer]

shadowm3ld Thanks so much for the reply! I’m not really looking to record anything. I have quite a few nice tube amps and whatnot. This would just be for taking down to the lake to practice guitar and play music through while in the water. I’m just too much of an audio nerd to have less than hifi music if I can get it haha. The littler practice amps like the Katana mini and Blackstar Fly didn’t impress me which is why I was looking at these. Music through the THR sounded pretty awesome but I cannot find a Katana Air anywhere around me.

[@shadowm3ld]

Luke Kramer so I ran music via Bluetooth at church so the drummer could hear the beat. It sounded fine to me - nothing really noticeably missing. I doubt you will be getting thumping bass, but you will hear everything clearly imho. I’ll be honest: everything is insignificant compared to the wireless capabilities of the Air. It is simply amazing. It’s like getting lasik - you don’t think it’s a big deal taking your glasses on and off, but when you have laser eye surgery, you can’t imagine ever going through the ungodly hassle of wearing glasses. It’s very nearly life changing for guitarists and everything else fades away.

[@LukeDKramer]

shadowm3ld Haha good analogy. Thanks for the info, at least now I know that the Air has full range speakers so it’ll sound fine for music. I’ll just have to check it out and I guess it’ll come down to sound and price for me.

[@lothar34]

Does your phone have any onboard EQ? I didn't realize it until recently but my Galaxy 8 has quite a bit of EQ options. There isn't much difference through the phone speaker, but when going bluetooth or aux into something else it can really make a difference taming woofiness or shrillness

[@Junkbox44]

Sold my katana air after 20 minutes of playing the Yamaha THR-10

[@shadowm3ld]

Why? I’m guessing you like a warmer tone? The Air is so shrill in comparison.

[@Philminator]

I like sound Yamaha thr30ii but katana air it seems you can make make presets out of it

[@papaangugerebadasilva308]

@@Philminator thr10 v2 ? or v1 much diference

[@user-ub8ej9dc8p]

Пиздабол!

[@mrblues1981]

quick question have you try to connect wireless earphone or headphone on it ??

[@shadowm3ld]

arda salt yeah I tried connecting Bluetooth headphones and it doesn’t work. That would be awesome if it did, but the latency might be crazy... there’s no perceptible latency when playing over the Bluetooth guitar module, but for it to go back to Bluetooth headphones... I’m sure there would be some delay. But yes, this is a good idea for Boss to look into!

[@TidesOnEarth]

Whoa... you two called the Waza-Air Headphones! lol

[@simoncab1362]

A lot of people point out that can just get a wireless connecter to a vox gt or yam thr which is possible but one of the key points of ease of the air is that you can leave boss air plugged in and just on stand by and simply pick up the transmitter from the amp plug into guitar and it all kicks into life and leave with guitar or pop back in boss air and it will keep charged and it will all go to sleep whilst with using a wireless system with yam or vox need to turn amp on even if left plugged in to wall and also have wireless receiver plugged into wall to keep it charged and same with transmitter and then once finished the amp will go off again and need turning back on again when you want to play again. The airs simple self turn on so you just have to pick up transmitter and play makes its tone, that are worse than the yam or vox still make it a possible purchase for that ease that you just can't get with vox or yam even with wireless system. Also a question to anyone who may know will the boss air fill a 10 x 12 foot room with sound or like the yam will the sound still seem to be coming from a small amp in the corner. The vox seems to be able to fill a room with sound of that size and wonder if boss air will.

[@shadowm3ld]

I think the Katana Air will full a room that size. It’s definitely loud, but the question is whether you’ll like the tone that fills that room. I would prefer the Yamaha for tone, but for that size room, it MIGHT break up a little.

[@shadowm3ld]

Oh also, I agree that the transmitter and wireless features make the Air. I think that if you just want to be able to shred at any given moment by just picking up your guitar and playing, then the Air is for you. It gives you no excuses about not practicing bc you have to set up.

[@davedavem]

Just ordered the Boss Katana Air. Sounds way better to me. The comparable Vox (I forget the name) has great tone and probably better speakers, but I was drawn in by the convenience of the Boss wireless system for my uses (at home in the living room - everything needs to be gone in time for the family to watch TV!). The volume drop on going from mains power to batteries on the Boss is because it drops from 30 watt (15 per speaker) to 20 watt (10 per speaker). AFAIK the Yamaha is always 10 watts.

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah, I didn’t mention the drop in volume when switching to batteries. I just did a comparison of these against the Vox Adio Air - check it out if you’re interested. But yeah, for you specific use, I would say the Katana Air is definitely the most practical solution. I wound up returning the Katana Air and keeping the Vox Adio Air.

[@Amiga1200_Juicer]

hey mate which one is better for audio playack? with bt or aux, which has more hifi quality?

[@shadowm3ld]

That’s a good question... I think they both sound good. The newer THR10 has Bluetooth but this old one doesn’t, so I can’t compare Bluetooth on this old version. The Bluetooth on the Katana was pretty solid though. I have since moved over to the Vox Adio Air and I love the Bluetooth speaker on there... more powerful and I think it has a better range than the Katana.

[@Amiga1200_Juicer]

@@shadowm3ld thanks for the details mate!!

[@jonsman786]

Does the boss connect to wireless headphones?

[@shadowm3ld]

No, it doesn’t have Bluetooth audio out. That would’ve been cool, but I think you would have double the latency to deal with and I don’t think we’re quite there yet.

[@ryanleeashbaugh9390]

Great video! Everyone wants to know: Air vs THR. Thanks a load.

[@shadowm3ld]

My pleasure - both are good options, but the Air is a winner for convenience and power. Also if you use it as your main rig, or at least to take advantage of the Katana's capabilities, then it's definitely worth the extra money.

[@Soloist1983]

I'm probably the only other one here with the Katana Air and THR30ii. While the THR30ii sounds better from a speaker system standpoint, the lack of having a boost with the THR30ii is really a bummer, you can "feel" the lack of a front end boost, which makes it harder to do hammer-on's/pull-off's in the Tom Quayle style. Still, the Yamaha does a lot more things REALLY well, it is a far better speaker for music streaming and in general, for guitar, but the lack of boost really hurts it. The Boss needs NOTHING but a guitar and a transmitter, that's it, the Yamaha pretty much needs a tubescreamer all the time. I mean, don't get me wrong, some of the THR30ii sounds have an overdrive pedal "baked in" to the amp model, but it is NOWHERE near the same, in terms of feel and touch like the Boss. That, combined with the Yamaha being almost $200 more, and the Katana starts looking even better. Unless you really play well with the Yamaha sound, I think 99% of people will "feel" more confident playing on the Katana, as it sounds more like an amp you can tweak to your liking, the Yamaha feels like "amp emulations" that fit within a set of rigid parameters, because the sound is trying to be "radio radio" right out of the box. This leads to some really unpleasant sounds if you EQ it wrong from the panel; that NEVER happens with the Boss. I wanted to love the Yamaha, I really did, but sadly, I think they have been dethroned in terms of producing the best lunchbox practice amp. The only thing that the Yamaha MIGHT do better at is the sound sitting in a recording mix with less tweaking, as again the sounds tend to sound more radio friendly, they just don't feel great to play on, unless you have a boost in front of it. Though honestly, who wants to bring a boost pedal along with their "wireless" amp...it just totally defeats the "all-in-one box" solution idea.

[@shadowm3ld]

Great breakdown between the 2... I never wound up getting the updated THR. I’m interested to hear your thoughts on the Vox Adio Air... I made another video comparing all these 2 against that one. I wound up returning my Katana in favor of the Adio... it was a tough choice because I loved the convenience of the Katana Air, but it just was too much on the top end that the screeching really something I liked. The Adio is butt ugly, but it felt like a louder THR, but not quite as warm. Keep in mind that all my preferences were based on using these units as powered speakers for my Kemper Amp.

[@Soloist1983]

@@shadowm3ld I'll have all of them soon enough, lol. I'm actually about to put my Air and THR30II side by side, as my current review is while A/B'ing them throughout the day. In other words, my overall impression. Should be interesting to hear them at almost the same time. I think the most important thing to understand is that you WILL miss the "infrasound" component of a real amp with these lunchboxes. There is no way around that physics problem, so if you are cross shopping with a Katana 50/100, just stop, as a 12" driver with that much headroom and a lower peak resonance frequency will give you more of that infrasound, that subtle feeling of the guitar vibrating your chest. I think a lot of people try to blend the Katana Air, THR, and the new Vox, into the second AND third amp category when they are only great at being that third amp 👍

[@strawman3059]

Are we getting the same chord all the way through?!?!

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah, pretty much. Sorry... next time I will do a low chord and then a single lead line...

[@lydmo8287]

The Katana Air just sounds so much better.

[@garyhundsrucker7771]

I would like to see both opened up to see the insides now!I have the green thrx but would like to paint it black .I might have to do a vid on opening it up ! If it doesnt go well you'll all know not to do it then!😉🤞

[@shadowm3ld]

Gary Hundsrucker haha do it! I’m considering taking mine back actually. I love the Air but I definitely need more volume so I might go with the Adio Air.

[@garyhundsrucker7771]

shadowm3ld Hey,check out my channel for the opening up of the Yamaha amp!Maybe I could put a speaker out jack to hook up my 4×12 to it!I'll have to check the ohms to see if it'll work like the Code 50 did!

[@MichaelDespairs]

if you paint it all the silkscreened control lettering is gone

[@lothar34]

THR10 clean has zero volume- that's why I sold mine. I know its for practice, but the sound of my strings drowned that thing out on the 2 cleanest settings. THR brown sound is awesome though.

[@eugeizquierdo]

Did you try the turning on the compresor via thr software? I had the same problem but was totally solved turning the compresor on...

[@Cestariarts]

Good to put on suitcases and fly?

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah I think you could really fit any of these into just about any size suitcase depending on your need.

[@karimpardayev]

I have the same handel on my door as the boss katana has

[@enakki]

HOW it sounds compared to THR from sound characteristic perspective? Does it have similiar hi-fi quality character or more-like regular guitar combo? does it sound boxy? more less than THR... coudl you please add some more info? not asking about the tone. as it is same as other katana's.

[@shadowm3ld]

mikku marttinen you know I don’t usually use it as a stand alone modeler... I use it primarily as a stereo monitor for my Kemper. It sounds great to me, so I really can’t complain. I also like the THR10 for the same purpose. To me it sounds good, but I think sound is mostly subjective. That being said, I think it sounds very good. Solid state has come a very long way from my old Peavey amp from the 90s.

[@johnnykeller7648]

I'm defending neither just gonna state something: this isnt an "apples to apples" comparison. The Boss being a 30 watt is gonna have a larger transformer and beefier power section, thus at lower settings sound bigger and beefier than the Yamaha. The two also have different target demographics, you'd have been better off, and the compression would've been less "apples to oranges" if you'd've used the THR10X...or "metal" version of the THR. The only two things these desktop amps have, as presented is just that; their size and the ability to record DI into a DAW w/ cab sims....outside of that there is no comparison. I'm still on the fence and about which one I would buy.

[@shadowm3ld]

Johnny Keller good points. I actually wound up returning the Katana Air and got the Vox Adio Air instead. I think the main benefit of the Katana Air is that it’s wireless and makes practicing super easy. I use these as a monitor for my Kemper, so my main needs are power, volume, and little to no color... I made a comparison of my Kemper using all 3 amps and I found the Vox was the best choice for that.

[@johnnykeller7648]

shadowm3ld You should check out Synergy Amplification....it's kinda like the analog tube approach to Kemper. It's a modular amp system that kinda appeals to me, personally because I'm looking for something I can record DI, as well as have a more traditional physical interface to work with. $799 for the unit and $399 per module, they've got ones based of the JCM 800, Friedman Brown Eye and Dirty Shirly, Fender Bassman....and a few others. They're tube units as well, not emulations. I'm a little weird I've entertained the thought of like a Helix...and yeah it comes close, but it's not where it should be IMHO the Clean tones always give away modelers. I cant afford to spring for a Kemper or AxeFx so I'll prolly wind up doing the Synergy thing

[@shadowm3ld]

Johnny Keller cool, thanks for telling me about this! Looks pretty sweet! I also thought of getting a Helix to use with my Kemper - but only for its effects. Fortunately I waited a little and eventually Line 6 came out with the HX Effects. That was good enough for me as I really didn’t need the amp emulation as the Kemper is far superior. The Kemper is the best piece of guitar gear I have ever owned. Sure it’s expensive... but if you have a lifetime ahead of you to play guitar, I really suggest saving up for it. It’s really the price of a Synergy plus 3 modules or so. Except when you have a Kemper, you can have thousands of amps, most of which are free. I just threw down about $35 for a Dumble Overdrive Special from Michael Britt. That amp alone should be more than $10k, and it sounds amazing clean using my Kemper and Vox Adio Air.

[@aryinc]

boss katana air all the way. sounds les fuzzy. the katana air is very very good for metal. the high end sounds great and the low end also, it sings and it chugs. i heard and it sounded like katana, kinda like the katana head 5'' speaker, iut did/does the metal thing and is packed with features. i was sold, use the driver functions to oomph it up. katana sound like katana and for the metal thing has to be your choice.

[@shadowm3ld]

arjan snijder I agree it is definitely more suited to metal. It was a little to squeaky and bright for me, but I thought it was great for that metal sound. I wanted something warmer. But I would say the Katana Air was the best practice amp for sure because of its wireless connectivity. Just made it so effortless to play. Although, I don’t like the mobile interface much - just didn’t do it for me.

[@aryinc]

@@shadowm3ld i give 2 shits about the mobile app XD. i have the katana head version also and have the mini wich is more of a novelty product. love the katana range, they're all similair and i was already blown away by the katana head. for metal you can get a almost tube like sound from the head,plug in a emg equiped or a duncan loaded metal guitar and your in thrashmetal ballpark.

[@-thirteen]

You can buy a transmitter for any amp, no?

[@shadowm3ld]

I believe you can, but they’re kind of pricey considering how the Katana Air comes with its own and it works flawlessly.

[@-thirteen]

@@shadowm3ld there are some on amazon for around $40 with good reviews, I've since learned. Will work fine for me in the living room with my Spark. If it ever arrives.

[@shadowm3ld]

size queen go for it!

[@Oridemos]

Bro you turned both volumes up to the "middle" and said "WOW WHAT A DIFFERENCE" ones 10 watts and ones 30.

[@shadowm3ld]

Jon Ng yeah it’s definitely louder. This was my first time doing a side by side comparison and I don’t know much about wattage. But even though the Air was louder, it didn’t sound as warm as the Yamaha. I ultimately went with the Vox Adio Air because it had the volume and the tone. Thanks for the comment

[@Oridemos]

I actually just picked up the boss katana 50 watt today. Best practice amp ive had in a while, id reccomend it

[@shadowm3ld]

Jon Ng yeah a great practice amp for sure. Definitely the easiest to just jam at home and the wireless connectivity gave me no excuse to not play. So easy!

[@MinecraftianRaihan]

I think your volume on the thr is a bit low...I have a thr10X (the one made for metal) and it’s a LOT louder

[@shadowm3ld]

It’s hard to capture the sound at a good volume without it breaking up. But yeah, I didn’t want to piss off my neighbors by blasting the volume.

[@dantredogborsa7048]

Is it just a volume comparison? =\

[@shadowm3ld]

Dantré Dogborsa yeah not really a tone comparison. Sorry! Maybe that’ll be my next video.

[@dantredogborsa7048]

Hey, two weeks have passed... time for the new video. =D

[@shadowm3ld]

Dantré Dogborsa haha sorry for the radio silence. I’m actually considering taking it back... I need a little more volume for what I use it for but I still love its capabilities! Especially the wireless is huge!

[@robgen06]

i have both yamaha by landslide as far as real tone

[@autumn119]

Still on the fence, I love the air in term of features (The 50 built in pedals including the tube screamer which I don't have) The wireless as well as it charging on the amp. I love the look and sound of the yamaha, but I think you can get more tones with the air and I don't have to hassle with cords. I am looking for a small home amp that sounds good at low volumes for a range of styles, from smooth jazz, to death metal, to polyphia type tones. I can't seem to decide which sounds better (as price isn't a issue)I need something that i'll use for years and actually enjoy using. Right now I have a 60$ offbrand crate amp that sounds terrible, so anythings a upgrade, but i'm looking for something that I won't regret buying. Any opinions would help :3 (sidenote, when I watch any videos with either ones they're all using 1-2k guitars ad 1k mics so idk how they would sound with my ibanez rg470ahm)

[@shadowm3ld]

Seb and a Corgi I liked the Katana Air precisely because it was an awesome practice amp. Being able to pick up my guitar and jam without having to turn anything on or plug anything is (after the wireless unit was plugged in of course)... that really was priceless. There are a lot of tones to choose from, however, I found the phone app was not that intuitive, so it complicated things. I found that whatever you gained in wireless convenience was complicated by the app. Moreover, I just didn’t really like the tones. I am no tone snob, but I found the Katana Air was too harsh at the high end. I did a comparison video using a Kemper Amp through the THR10, the Katana Air, and the Vox Adio Air. I felt that overall, the warmth and tone of the Yamaha THR10 was my favorite, but it broke up real fast as it got louder and the break up was not good (clipping). The Katana had harsh tones but could take louder volumes before clipping. But the Vox Adio Air was my favorite as it handled louder volumes better than both, was much warmer than the Katana Air (but didn’t sound quite as good as the THR10, but close), and it had the convenience of Bluetooth connectivity to your phone and customizability using the app. If you were looking for the cheaper option, I’d say to go for the THR10, but otherwise I would say to go for the Adio Air. It is the best of both worlds IMHO. Good luck and let me know what you choose!

[@autumn119]

@@shadowm3ld Thanks for the reply! I'll definitely check out the vox, I haven't yet seen it but I'll go check some examples out. Thanks again and I'll tell you which I choose when I decide! Cheers

[@shadowm3ld]

Seb and a Corgi check out my videos and you’ll see the the comparison video of you’re interested. If not, there are several videos you can find pretty easily. I really like my Vox, even though it looks hideous.

[@autumn119]

@@shadowm3ld In the end I got the katana air for convenience and I like the modern tone

[@riverrhodes7394]

I have the Yamaha Thr10ii version, and I deeply regret purchasing it. I have a boss Katana mini, and I actually prefer the mini 🤦🏽‍♀️A little overhyped and way overpriced

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah… since I first posted this vid, Amos have really come a long way and there are so many options out there. Katana is a great amp, and many people love it. The Katana Air was just so easy to play. Returned mine, but still appreciated it for what it did for me.

[@riverrhodes7394]

@@shadowm3ld Great review by the way! It really helps beginners to know about gear before they buy

[@shadowm3ld]

@@riverrhodes7394 thanks bro. Rock on!

[@AshShearer]

I am getting sick of reading how so many people already have their Katana-Air's already and I am still waiting on mine to get off the ship 😀 I had a THR10X, it was a great little practice amp but then I got a VOX Adio Air GT and the THR gathered dust. I am waiting to test the Air out against the Adio Air...

[@shadowm3ld]

Ashley Shearer yeah I guess I lucked out in getting mine. But I’ve found that Sam Ash in my area usually carries newer products sooner than everyone else. They had it in the store before I saw anything else but “preorder” as a status online. Love my local Sam Ash. Looking forward to your comparison!

[@malibumaali]

Thats the review I want! As much as I like the yamaha, the bluetooth capability makes the vox and Boss edge out just that little bit more. But i haven't had a chance to put the two head to head.I'm and amateur player at best so being able to use these for practice and audio streaming adds a huge value to me.

[@shadowm3ld]

I agree. I think I like the tone of the Yamaha a little better, but the wireless capabilities are amazing. For home practice, nothing beats it! That being said, Boss just came out with a wireless system that is based on that used in the Air. I'm thinking I might return my Air and get the Adio. Gonna check it out :)

[@malibumaali]

shadowm3ld I was just about set on getting the regular katana 50 but the Bluetooth just makes so much more sense. Think it's time for the Vox to come home

[@shadowm3ld]

chestrockwell well good luck to you!

[@lylehutz]

Debating these two and the spark amp

[@RADERFPV]

Same, tough decision.

[@martincollier5128]

Thr10 sounds real........boss sounds digital

[@shadowm3ld]

The Air definitely sounds more shrill and doesn’t feel as warm to me. I use mine as a stereo monitor for a Kemper setup and when doing a comparison, I felt the Air was more trebly.

[@PeX218]

Oh no, that bullshit guitarrists says “analog is better than digital”... pff, c’mon guys

[@crisstarr]

Boss sounds better to me

[@shadowm3ld]

Lengendary Anonymous I think it depends on what style you like. To me the Air sounds good at the high end and not great on the low end.

[@tonepilot]

Try to play single notes on the higher gain settings.

[@shadowm3ld]

TonePilot okay I can try that. Maybe I’ll do another follow up video.

[@tonepilot]

shadowm3ld That would be great, the higher gain settings are not really meant for chords - more single notes or power chords. Do you think the Katana Air would be OK for playing live at a coffeeshop? 15-25 people. I’m looking for a lighter solution than my heavy amp I only play at low volumes anyway. Cheers

[@shadowm3ld]

Yes, I would definitely say for a small setting it is fine. I once played for a church service in a school theater that sat probably 500-1000 people and the sound guy was surprised at how they could still hear the THR10 I was using as my monitor. The Air is louder... so you should be just fine.

[@tonepilot]

shadowm3ld thanks mate!

[@tonepilot]

shadowm3ld I ended up testing the THR10 and the Vox Adio Air GT. The Vox just sounded so much fuller than the THR and also louder (it’s 50 watts). I ended up buying the Vox. They didn’t have a Katana Air to test.

[@Rob_who]

They both sound pretty crap better sounds in there than that there has to be

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah this was more of a volume comparison. Tonally, I liked the THR better whereas the Boss always sounded too trebly, which is great for metal. Not my cup of tea though.

[@KelsterVonShredster]

Sound quality was just awful. There is no way those amps sounds like that. I know cuz I've owned both. Sorry to be negative. Other than audio, great video.

[@shadowm3ld]

Kelster` Von Shredster yeah I didn’t really focus on a tone comparison, it was more of a volume test and it’s not accurate as the audio is clipped at the highest volume. Thanks for watching though 🤟

[@roszponek]

Hello Kelster, Can You tell if Boss Air can be better for metal/hard rock tones then Yamaha? I owned THR 10 but volume was not enough and metal case coused strange things like I put Yamaha on desk and there was no bass, I've put it on bed and there was way to much bass. Now I'm thinking about Boss air because it is Katana and they have great reviews and it is totally wireles + have BT app which is missing on THR 10.

[@shadowm3ld]

Filip Drzewiecki I think it does depend on where you place it, as is the case for many other amps. I think for metal, it sounds as good as any other Katana, but I wouldn’t use it in a live metal band situation because it doesn’t have the power of a Diezel or Hughes and Kettner. But for its size, it is great and for a personal stereo monitor in a live situation it has plenty of power.

[@roszponek]

Yea of course I don't have plan to use for other things than home//balcony/garden practice :)

[@shadowm3ld]

I think it will be perfect, and maybe too much amp then :) But seriously, there are a lot more features in the Air compared to the THR10... basically, the Air is like a full effects unit and modeler whereas the THR10 is pretty basic in comparison. If you want to have a ton of effects that you can put in any order, then the Air is for you. If you just need a practice amp that sounds good and you need something cheaper, then the THR10 would be a more affordable option.

[@joeandrews9846]

Katana sounds washed out and digital.

[@shadowm3ld]

Joe Andrews yeah and really harsh on the high end. I also made a comparison video with the Katana Air vs THR10 vs Vox Adio Air. I think the Adio is the best for overall volume and tone (out of a Kemper at least)

[@joeandrews9846]

Adio is a nice one... The THR is 5 plus year old tech and still holds up...

[@shadowm3ld]

Joe Andrews I agree completely. If you just need a practice amp at normal to a little loud volume, the THR10 still sounds amazing on its own

[@kimbarsegyan]

Same chord over and over again?

[@shadowm3ld]

Kim yeah sorry. But I made a comparison video using a Kemper through the THR10, Katana Air, and Vox Adio Air.

[@crisstarr]

The Yamaha isn't wireless

[@shadowm3ld]

Lengendary Anonymous yes it’s not wireless at all. But still sounds great for what it is. I think it actually sounded better than the Air.

[@ukaszukasz7059]

Yamaha THR10 is shitty, 3 amp simulation are useless, clean not very good, without aplication Yamaha is weak, I'm sold mine

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah it’s not for everyone. From your profile picture, it looks like what you need is like a large metal tube amp! THR10 is probably small potatoes for you I bet.

[@bobsmith1965]

I don't know if its the way its mic'ed but they both sound like shit. Yamaha THR10X is the way to go.

[@shadowm3ld]

Yeah I didn’t mic it well. The video is recorded on my iPhone. But yeah, the Katana Air didn’t sound nearly as warm as the THR. It was way too trebly and hot on the high end. I did another comparison between these and the Vox Adio Air where I looked only at the speakers as FRFR.