Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

[Mad-Max]

I just got done trying out an HT Club 40 Combo, and I'm really impressed with the amount of sounds you can get from it. It's really versatile, and has really nice dynamic breakup. It really responds to picking attack.

One thing I thought was great was the clean channel. It was really nice, almost fender-esque. I was also playing with a Telecaster, so that probably contributed in some way, but it was very enjoyable.

Not only that, but it's SUPER simple. Really easy to dial in tones.

Are there any fans in the house?

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I like them. They're like a cheaper Orange, an alternative to Marshall with a dash of Mesa in it. There are so many competing amp companies now that it's hard to go wrong.

The coolest thing is to get a nice cab or two (or if you're me yknow... Six or seven) and a bunch of different heads.

 

[Lampy H]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

Yes and no. When I tried out the Blackstar ID 60 head that I ended up with, I AB'd it directly against the 50w HT head. For my money, when dialed in right, the solid state ID did everything the HT could, and a whole lot more. I like the different tube voicings. I like the built in effects. And I especially like the programmability of it all. So, if you really only need to sounds, straight into the amp, the HT series would probably suit your needs more. However, I dig the extra gravy on the side with the ID amp, and I think it sounds just as good.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I have a couple of HT-5's that I love. All of my friends that have played through them love them as well. I leave one of them at a buddy's place where we all get together and jam. It's the amp that everyone always gravitates towards.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I have the HT40 and love it.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I have an HT20H...very nice w/ a 5751 in V1 and a Boss Fender Deluxe Reverb in-the-loop (on always).

 

[Mad-Max]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I truly think these amps get a lot of unnecessary flack for some reason. I got some killer tones with it playing through a Telecaster. At one point I was really nailing an early Billy Gibbons tone with it. I had it inbetween the bridge humbucker and the middle single coil pick-up, and had the gain only less than halfway, and nailed some of the tones he got on Fandango. I had to turn the gain all the way up to get into high gain metal territory, but if I wanted more gain, I could always throw in an OD, which I have like 3.

Overall, I'm pretty impressed with them. I might get an HT Club head for myself at some point just for when I'm jamming with friends or if I'm doing small gigs.

 

[patrick2099]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I just got done trying out an HT Club 40 Combo, and I'm really impressed with the amount of sounds you can get from it. It's really versatile, and has really nice dynamic breakup. It really responds to picking attack.

One thing I thought was great was the clean channel. It was really nice, almost fender-esque. I was also playing with a Telecaster, so that probably contributed in some way, but it was very enjoyable.

Not only that, but it's SUPER simple. Really easy to dial in tones.

Are there any fans in the house?

I have that amp, and really like it. The thing that I like the most is the versatility. Between two channels, two voicings for each channel, two voicings for reverb, and ISF it is extremely versatile. I was worried about only one tone control for the clean channel, but I find it usable along the whole range. I did swap out the preamp tubes. I'm pretty sure it was a Tung Sol in the OD tube and Electro Harmonix in the Clean tube, but I may have them reversed.

The only negatives about mine are

1) The cab is made of particle-board and while it seems well built and durable, some of the screw holes have become stripped. I bought it used, so I don't know how careful the previous owner was with it, but you have to remove the entire back panel to change the tubes, which is sucks if the screws are going to strip easily.

2) While the amp sounds decent enough at low bedrooms, to get it sounding great it needs a little more volume. You don't have to crank it, but it does sound much better when it is over bedroom or apartment levels. This is to be expected though, and is no different with the HT40 than any other tube (or hybrid if people want to get picky) amp that I have tried.

I was also surprised by the ID series. They do sound great at low volumes. I haven't had mine long enough to get the speaker broken in or even crank it yet, but I like it so far.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I just got done trying out an HT Club 40 Combo, and I'm really impressed with the amount of sounds you can get from it. It's really versatile, and has really nice dynamic breakup. It really responds to picking attack.

One thing I thought was great was the clean channel. It was really nice, almost fender-esque. I was also playing with a Telecaster, so that probably contributed in some way, but it was very enjoyable.

Not only that, but it's SUPER simple. Really easy to dial in tones.

Are there any fans in the house?

I would have been a HUGE fan . . . IF they did not have any diodes in the tube circuit.

That is just me, and yes, it matters to ME. Big Time !!!

YMMV

If they were 100% tube dist-only, i probably would have had one already.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I would have been a HUGE fan . . . IF they did not have any diodes in the tube circuit.

That is just me, and yes, it matters to ME. Big Time !!!

YMMV

If they were 100% tube dist-only, i probably would have had one already.

I've tried to understand this 'not uncommon' viewpoint on Blackstars, but don't as yet. I only care about TONE and I'd challenge anyone to pick this amp in a blind test with several others, identifying it as having diodes and others NOT. Especially true for those who have this viewpoint, yet use a tubescreamer (or similar pedal) and are OK with that.

Could you explain why you feel this way?

 

[patrick2099]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I've tried to understand this 'not uncommon' viewpoint on Blackstars, but don't as yet. I only care about TONE and I'd challenge anyone to pick this amp in a blind test with several others, identifying it as having diodes and others NOT. Especially true for those who have this viewpoint, yet use a tubescreamer (or similar pedal) and are OK with that.

Could you explain why you feel this way?

That has always been my "favorite" criticism of Blackstar Amps. I don't know that this is what was happening in this thread, but I have seen it plenty of times. People run OD or Distortion pedals in front of a tube amp, and then say Blackstar HTs suck because they are basically a distortion pedal in front of a tube amp. A lot of great sounds have been made, though the decades, with an OD or distortion in front of a tube amp.

I haven't tried all of the amps out there, and I have tried amps that I have liked better than the Blackstar HTs, but for the money I am still happy with my purchase.

 

[Hank-]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

The problem people had was with the marketing of the HT series amps, not so much with their sound. Blackstar was(maybe is?) advertising it as an all valve amp, while it seems people found out that they used SS components in the pre & power section as well(ss phase inverter). Nonetheless, from what I read the clean sounds are supposedly great & no clipping diodes there, the distortion when directly compared with another all valve amp in the same room tends to show the hybrid nature of the amp.

In any case its a well selling amp series, so people are definitely liking these.

 

[LRS]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I liked my ht5 a lot. Head plus two 10" cabs. The clean channel could be pushed with a Telecaster straight into Keith Richards territory. I sold it because with its 5W I couldn't get any clean sounds for gigs. For band rehearsals with a civilized drummer it's a nice little amp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I've tried to understand this 'not uncommon' viewpoint on Blackstars, but don't as yet. I only care about TONE and I'd challenge anyone to pick this amp in a blind test with several others, identifying it as having diodes and others NOT. Especially true for those who have this viewpoint, yet use a tubescreamer (or similar pedal) and are OK with that.

Could you explain why you feel this way?

Let me try and explain it slightly differently.

Those diodes that's in the amp - there's nothing i can do about it.
I have NO say in the matter.

An SS pedal (like a TS9) in front of the amp, i DO have a say in the matter, because i have the option to put it there, or take it away.
I also hardly play with any sort of OD in front of my amps - ever.
Fuzz sometimes yes, only because my amps can not reproduce a fuzz tone - but they can produce killer overdrive tones without the help of a pedal.

I also think it comes down to principle.
When i buy a valve amp - i want a Valve Amp.
I do not want to pay for an amp that claims to be a valve amp, BUT, also have SS-stuff in there.
I am NOT saying they sound bad - not at all - but when i buy a valve amp, i want a PURE valve amp.


...................................... o0o ........................................



It's like when i buy my future wife a DIAMOND vs. a cubic zirconia ring (of the same size and style)
For all practical purposes they LOOK the same, and equally impressive.
Hell, probably all her friends will think it is a real diamond . . .



. . . but *I* will know it's not.

And what matters in MY life, is how *I* feel about something.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

The problem people had was with the marketing of the HT series amps, not so much with their sound.
Blackstar is advertising it as an all valve amp, while it seems people found out that they used SS components in the pre & power section as well (ss phase inverter).
Nonetheless, from what I read the clean sounds are supposedly great & no clipping diodes there, the distortion when directly compared with another all valve amp in the same room tends to show the hybrid nature of the amp.

YES !!!

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

Thanks for the explanation...I understand your viewpoint.
Only thing I'd challenge is that from a pure TONE standpoint, that someone could ID the use of included ss components in a blind test.
BUT, as always, things are what we believe they are more so than reality.
Thanks again.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

I did not know any of what Blackstar's build was, and this has been an informative thread. I assumed they were PCB, all-tube pathway but it sounds like it uses extensive use of clipping diodes to generate the drive tone?

For the record, I'm not against the solid state phase inverter, as the tone from a tube PI is questionable or possibly non-existent. I'm less for clipping diodes as IC drive would make far more sense.
I'm a little disappointed.
I have to say I've played a few Blackstars at low levels and was never a fan of the sound, although the idea of them really interested me. Sounds like I would be better served just getting a Tiny Terror.

 

[Hank-]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

^ In my all tube Laney, if I change the PI tube from a Tungsol RI or EHX 12ax7 to a JJ ECC83S, there is a tonal change happening. I'm not into the whole balanced/matched triodes thing of the PI tube though. I've not had a amp with an ss PI, so I wouldn't know how that effects in terms of power tube saturation. I guess it was something that bothered some. The word about Blackstar as a company was that the people(or engineers) that started it were former employees of Marshall & were the ones that gave us the JCM 900(with the op amps/diodes). So my guess is some of the negatives they get is from that previous association. I don't think that's fair though, but meh. Good thing is that their amps seem to be reliable enough & sound good.

 

[jon the art guy]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

the PI just switches the power saturation from one tube or power stage to the other in a class AB amp. Tube PIs would assumedly be a bit spongy on the switchover, much like the difference in a ss rectifier vs a tube one. That might make for a slightly....slightly quicker tube saturation I guess? Honestly I think it's a good idea because you could dial in how fast you would want the switching to work like an SS rectifier with controlability.

 

[Lampy H]

Re: Any fans of the Blackstar HT series around here?

If it sounds good it sounds good.