Andrew Lamprecht
Minion of One
Anything about this company and their amps?
Positives? Negatives?
Specifially looking at the HT-40...
Positives? Negatives?
Specifially looking at the HT-40...
Blackstar Amps
- Thread starter Andrew Lamprecht
- Start date
Re: Blackstar Amps
This is the amp I really want. I've played the HT5, and IMHO it beat the Egnator tweaker, Vox nighttrain, Orange tiny terror, Ibanez TS head/combo and the Marshall class 5.....all of which I cranked with the same guitar and at the same time. The price is also really good.
I also like the flexibility of 2 voices for clean and dirty. I primarily plan to run a heap of different dirt pedals thru the clean channel for the different styles of music I play (but I'll also use the blackstar dirt too as appropriate), so this gives added ability to tweak the base tone for each 'level' of drive so they sound the best.
Check youtube for an idea of what it can do. There's a guy who plays slightly driven 'strat blues' thru the HT40 who sounds incredible.
This is the amp I really want. I've played the HT5, and IMHO it beat the Egnator tweaker, Vox nighttrain, Orange tiny terror, Ibanez TS head/combo and the Marshall class 5.....all of which I cranked with the same guitar and at the same time. The price is also really good.
I also like the flexibility of 2 voices for clean and dirty. I primarily plan to run a heap of different dirt pedals thru the clean channel for the different styles of music I play (but I'll also use the blackstar dirt too as appropriate), so this gives added ability to tweak the base tone for each 'level' of drive so they sound the best.
Check youtube for an idea of what it can do. There's a guy who plays slightly driven 'strat blues' thru the HT40 who sounds incredible.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Blackstar Amps
They are getting excellent reviews here. I can only give you my experience, which is that I've tried 3 of their HT drive pedals through the HT-40 set clean and the tones were immense. So much so that I should be picking up the HT Dual pedal later today. I'm not in the market for an amp so didn't give it a thorough workout, but if the pedals are anything to go by, then they're going to be superb.
They are getting excellent reviews here. I can only give you my experience, which is that I've tried 3 of their HT drive pedals through the HT-40 set clean and the tones were immense. So much so that I should be picking up the HT Dual pedal later today. I'm not in the market for an amp so didn't give it a thorough workout, but if the pedals are anything to go by, then they're going to be superb.
Lazarus1140
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
I played the HT20 and HT40 at the last Dallas Guitar Show and was really impressed. I don't think either can be beat for the money.
The only thing that kinda puts me off is the inclusion of a digital reverb. I'm not sure why that bothers me since I've used a digital reverb stompbox in the past.
I played the HT20 and HT40 at the last Dallas Guitar Show and was really impressed. I don't think either can be beat for the money.
The only thing that kinda puts me off is the inclusion of a digital reverb. I'm not sure why that bothers me since I've used a digital reverb stompbox in the past.
richard parker
Active member
Re: Blackstar Amps
I like a clean channel to have a fair degree of crunch available and I'm not sure they do this. Other than that they do sound very good and are not too expensive. I'd look at as many reviews as possible because I know some guys have had reliability issues with various Blackstar amps.
I like a clean channel to have a fair degree of crunch available and I'm not sure they do this. Other than that they do sound very good and are not too expensive. I'd look at as many reviews as possible because I know some guys have had reliability issues with various Blackstar amps.
alteredbeast
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
+1 i own the ht-5. couldn't be happier for home applications, unless the 50w 5150 III blows my socks off, we'll see. but i still wouldnt get rid of the ht-5 if i were to obtain the 5150 III.
+1 i own the ht-5. couldn't be happier for home applications, unless the 50w 5150 III blows my socks off, we'll see. but i still wouldnt get rid of the ht-5 if i were to obtain the 5150 III.
stevie_bees
Cat In The Hatministrator
Re: Blackstar Amps
I've got an HT-5 that I've enjoyed for several years now. Overall its a great little amp, especially for the price, but I did find that (at least with my particular amp) it doesn't have much in terms of highs, especially in the "presence" range. I ended up recently getting an AC15 because I wanted an amp with better cleans, and I must say that, in my opinion, the difference between the AC15 and the HT-5 is pretty big...the HT-5 kind of feels like a pedal with a power amp while the AC15 really feels like an amp.
That said, I haven't tried any of the newer HT models like the 20 or 40. I haven't had any reliability issues or anything, although I don't play gigs or anything so its lead a pretty comfortable life.
I've got an HT-5 that I've enjoyed for several years now. Overall its a great little amp, especially for the price, but I did find that (at least with my particular amp) it doesn't have much in terms of highs, especially in the "presence" range. I ended up recently getting an AC15 because I wanted an amp with better cleans, and I must say that, in my opinion, the difference between the AC15 and the HT-5 is pretty big...the HT-5 kind of feels like a pedal with a power amp while the AC15 really feels like an amp.
That said, I haven't tried any of the newer HT models like the 20 or 40. I haven't had any reliability issues or anything, although I don't play gigs or anything so its lead a pretty comfortable life.
Re: Blackstar Amps
The lack of presence can be easily cured with a tube swap. Change the stock sovteks to Electro Harmonix or Tung Sols (change at least V1). In Blackstars EHs give really lush and shimmering cleans and a nice warm and complex overdrive while the TSs are best for playing metal: Nice tight overdrive with harmonics galore without getting harsh or fizzy. The cleans with Tung Sols might be too glassy for some people, though.
Both brands really bring Blackstar amps or pedals to live and provide the somewhat missing presence and dynamics.
The lack of presence can be easily cured with a tube swap. Change the stock sovteks to Electro Harmonix or Tung Sols (change at least V1). In Blackstars EHs give really lush and shimmering cleans and a nice warm and complex overdrive while the TSs are best for playing metal: Nice tight overdrive with harmonics galore without getting harsh or fizzy. The cleans with Tung Sols might be too glassy for some people, though.
Both brands really bring Blackstar amps or pedals to live and provide the somewhat missing presence and dynamics.
Kam
Shaftologist
Re: Blackstar Amps
I really like what I've heard of the HT series (both online and in person) but they really need to release a head version around the 50 watt mark. As far as I know, they've got a bunch of combos, a 20 watt head and a 100 watt head. It just seems like an odd gap to leave in your product line and I bet they'd sell abunch of them if they introduced something around the middle ground in head format.
EDIT: Although I've just read that they've introduced a 50 watt series one head... :scratchch
I really like what I've heard of the HT series (both online and in person) but they really need to release a head version around the 50 watt mark. As far as I know, they've got a bunch of combos, a 20 watt head and a 100 watt head. It just seems like an odd gap to leave in your product line and I bet they'd sell abunch of them if they introduced something around the middle ground in head format.
EDIT: Although I've just read that they've introduced a 50 watt series one head... :scratchch
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IanBallard
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
Totally agreed. You could roll with any of several company's products and be happy. In fact, I think there can too many choices to where it makes a person's head spin. (Referencing the George Carlin bit about "absurd numbers of consumer choices"
)
I like "the Marshall sound" overall and these amps are made by former Marshall engineers, so they would have that flavor. The made in UK expensive ones like the Series 1 200w is the bee's knees from all the folks I've talked to that have tried them. You can switch it down the 20w and practice in your bedrooom and then take it to a gig and make the jerk bouncer at the club cry to his mommy.
I don't know about the China-made ones, but if it's any indication from the amps from Jet City, MIC isn't crap anymore as long as the people running the company are paying close attention to quality and put decent tubes in them.
Totally agreed. You could roll with any of several company's products and be happy. In fact, I think there can too many choices to where it makes a person's head spin. (Referencing the George Carlin bit about "absurd numbers of consumer choices"
)I like "the Marshall sound" overall and these amps are made by former Marshall engineers, so they would have that flavor. The made in UK expensive ones like the Series 1 200w is the bee's knees from all the folks I've talked to that have tried them. You can switch it down the 20w and practice in your bedrooom and then take it to a gig and make the jerk bouncer at the club cry to his mommy.
I don't know about the China-made ones, but if it's any indication from the amps from Jet City, MIC isn't crap anymore as long as the people running the company are paying close attention to quality and put decent tubes in them.
Dr.K
Formerly Active Member
Re: Blackstar Amps
My Blackstar is an MIK. It's a nice little amp it just doesn't clean up really well. I think the EH tube change will do me some good. I've been considering a speaker change but I don't think it''ll work as the tubes are to close to the speaker mag so I'm somewhat limited. Overall good deal for the $.
My Blackstar is an MIK. It's a nice little amp it just doesn't clean up really well. I think the EH tube change will do me some good. I've been considering a speaker change but I don't think it''ll work as the tubes are to close to the speaker mag so I'm somewhat limited. Overall good deal for the $.
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Blackstar Amps
IanBallard
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
Not THAT Black Star...
Not THAT Black Star...
Re: Blackstar Amps
Unless you're using my fingers...:chairshot
So true! Absolutely no excuses for bad tone these days!
Unless you're using my fingers...:chairshot
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Blackstar Amps
It really is. I'm encouraged by the sheer number of affordable tube combos and heads out there now, from so many companies. It used to be that you had to spend a lot of money and get a pricey tube amp to get anything that sounded good and didn't require apologies; "practice" amps were all sad jokes very unlikely to inspire a beginner at all. Now you have loads of modeling amps in all price ranges, most of them way better-sounding than what that same money has ever bought you in the past, and you have good-sounding tubes amps in just about all price ranges. It's a great time to need an amp.
It really is. I'm encouraged by the sheer number of affordable tube combos and heads out there now, from so many companies. It used to be that you had to spend a lot of money and get a pricey tube amp to get anything that sounded good and didn't require apologies; "practice" amps were all sad jokes very unlikely to inspire a beginner at all. Now you have loads of modeling amps in all price ranges, most of them way better-sounding than what that same money has ever bought you in the past, and you have good-sounding tubes amps in just about all price ranges. It's a great time to need an amp.
RobSoundtrack
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
I too have the ht-5,
fantastic amp; bought it as a toy and was blown away.
I use it for recording more than my bogner,
and plan to sell my marshall head to purchase another blackstar.
I too have the ht-5,
fantastic amp; bought it as a toy and was blown away.
I use it for recording more than my bogner,
and plan to sell my marshall head to purchase another blackstar.
Oldslowhand
New member
Re: Blackstar Amps
Here's a review from a Brit site
http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/...bo-amps/ht-club-40-1-x-12-combo-254157/review
hope it's of use there is an audio demo on page two
Here's a review from a Brit site
http://www.musicradar.com/gear/all/...bo-amps/ht-club-40-1-x-12-combo-254157/review
hope it's of use there is an audio demo on page two
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