I have the THR-5, THR-5A, and THR-10C...so I may be a little biased.

But dude, hands down the THR is the best modeling amp for a player that is seeking performance in the confines of a bedroom/apartment. It's portable, durable, and comes with a fair amount of effects and settings that will more than meet any guitarists needs for recording and just general playing.

I mean, it models 5-7 different types of amps giving you the sounds you would get from tube driven beasts to solid state performers, and still lets you reap the benefits that one would have to normally crank to in a small box that allows for playability/sound at normal levels. I still lose my shit that I can get freaking feedback from my THR and no one in my complex can hear me outside of my door. Versus when I play on my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, I get complaints from the neighbors 5 floors down and 10 rows over that they can hear me, playing well at least, but that they can still hear me. And that's at a freaking '4' on the volume setting.

Effects wise, it gets you all the standard stuff, reverb, delay, flanger, etc etc. You really don't need any pedals, save for a wah if you dig it and maybe a fuzz, but beyond that, I rarely find myself wanting anything else in terms of effects. I am a huge blues fan and the cleans are crazy solid, just like its ability to keep up with the output necessary for more aggressive over driven stuff (Smashing Pumpkins, Punk/Ska, Nirvana, Aerosmith).

But again, for me at least, the big thing is sound. I can plug in my headphones and still get the same sounds as when I am unplugged, and even unplugged, it gets loud but not loud enough that people outside of the room I am playing in, can necessarily hear it.

My advice, order it from GC. Pick it up, plug in, try it out. If you don't dig it, take it back before the 30days and get yourself a full refund and/or swap for the BEAM. But everyone I have recommended the THR to has loved it, shiz def does not get enough praise for its abilities.