Yamaha Design “Synapses” THR5/THR10

2011 / GUITAR AMPLIFIER

GOOD DESIGN AWARD
Red Dot Award
iF Design Award

A guitar amplifier for your desktop.

Revolutionary

In the THR we aimed to create an iconic design that would be a new tool for the guitar, featuring modern functions such as the ability to connect to PCs and audio equipment. In doing so, we created a new concept—the guitar amplifier you can use on your desktop.

Pride

The functions of the THR have been carefully chosen to provide gratifying performance in a compact design. Equipped with an array of knobs and switches that feel great to the touch, the THR inspires the guitarist to play, and utilizes an array of all-metal components ands flame-like lighting that materializes when the power is switched on.

Appreciate

With the THR we employed materials and coatings that would inspire a feeling of ownership through the scratches and scuffs that they accrue with use. This sense of ownership is accentuated by the large flat surfaces of the body, which offer plenty of space for the owner to customize the THR’s appearance to suit their desires.

Intuitive

The knobs, jacks, and buttons of the control panel are arrayed on the top of the casing in an effective layout that offers the guitarist intuitive control when shaping their sound. And, since the THR is battery-capable, players can take it anywhere they want.

Toshihide Suzuki: Designer; Yamaha Design Laboratory

Giving form to the feeling of being a guitarist.

The THR is a guitar amplifier made not for the stage or band rehearsal, but for the third location where guitarists play: offstage ("THR" is an abbreviation of "third").
This advanced new amplifier seeks to inspire guitarists to play, and as such, features a combination of next-generation amplifier modeling and high-grade audio technology that do just that. Yet the THR itself is far from futuristic; instead, it is shaped simply to highlight the attractiveness of its component parts and materials. The knobs and switches are designed to leave an impression, and metal has been selected for the casing, the handle, and the bolts to give the finished product a bold, rugged feel. We added built-in lighting to the inner surfaces of the iconic speaker grill to illuminate when the amplifier is turned on, giving the player a sense of exhilaration and anticipation.
As its designers, we will be delighted if guitarists enjoy playing the THR.