Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Wondering what you guys put into your HT-5's

I would love to up the ante with some new tubes but I don't know which ones to buy, mullard, tung sol, EH???

also i keep looking up on this but is the HT-5 self biasing? someone mentioned this to me a long while ago

 

[jmh151]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

The power amp tube is hard to find, best bet is to look on eBay, there's a few places selling full tube upgrade kits for it.

I've read that changing the power amp tube doesnt change the tube much, but changing the preamp tube does. I went to Guitar Center and got a generic Groove Tubes 12AX7, and it made a huge difference, a huge upgrade over the stock tube- could also be that the stock preamp tube went bad

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

just to clarify, is an ECC83 a 12AX7 tube?

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

You are just going to have to try a few and see what you hear/feel.
Modern day tubes are not too expensive. Try at least 2 different brands.
Yes an C83 and an AX7 are the same.
The pictorial on their web-site implies the power tube is Cat Biased, with no user adjustable parts.
best

 

[DarkMatter]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I've tried a tung sol and a groove tube in the preamp of my Ht5. They are both far better than stock. The tung sol was smooth and balanced with a nice chimey high end. The GT was not as smooth but it has more of a Marshall like growl. More gain from the GT I think too, but I preferred the tungsol.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Right, I see... so it's the pre amp tube that I should change then. and from the info given about biasing which partially went straight over my head, I take it i just shove the tube it? lol

Tung sol I will try, EH and a GT. there is Hughes and kettner if i can get hold of one.... and Brimar as well.... the brimar will be interesting, especially since they are british made so they will likely give a crunchier type of sound? also where did you source a GT tube from? I am interested.

EDIT: anyone tried Sovtek tubes?

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Tungsol was best in the one I had. The stock Sovtek WA is dull.
EH and JJ were good too.

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I loaded up a gold pin Tung Sol 12AX7, and was amazed by the difference!

Amp was quieter than with the stock Sovtek, more complex tone, maybe a bit more distortion on the dirty channel, and I'm sure I've got more headroom on the clean channel too (not hthat I use it when playing with the band).

I hate using clichés, but it was like lifting a blanket off the amplifier. Everything was just 'better'.

 

[jmh151]

Yes, ECC83 and 12ax7 are the same.

Other popular mods are running it through a Celestion Vintage 30 12 in speaker, a booster before the amp and an eq in the effects loop

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I would say try a Tung Sol 12AX7 if you are after a brighter tone and the Mullard is nice if you are after a smoother tone. JJ makes a long plate 12AX7 that's pretty cool it's not good for high gain stuff though, ECC803S is the model.

I'm not a huge GT fan since they sold out to Fender.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I do high gain sometimes but I don't need it too bright but I will try a gold pub tung sol

 

[jmh151]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I would say try a Tung Sol 12AX7 if you are after a brighter tone and the Mullard is nice if you are after a smoother tone. JJ makes a long plate 12AX7 that's pretty cool it's not good for high gain stuff though, ECC803S is the model.

I'm not a huge GT fan since they sold out to Fender.

Groove Tubes are just re-labled tubes from other makers. The Groove Tubes I just pulled out of my Carvin were Russian Sovteks.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Yes ecc83 are 12ax7s.

You honestly count go wrong with Mullards, Tungsols or JJ Ecc803s.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Groove Tubes are just re-labled tubes from other makers. The Groove Tubes I just pulled out of my Carvin were Russian Sovteks.

that sucks :28:

bit of a cheat then really?? how do they get away with that one?

anyways I'll remember that.

 

[zzmoore]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

that sucks :28:

bit of a cheat then really?? how do they get away with that one?

anyways I'll remember that.

The WHOLE world runs that way.
Walgreens do not make batteries.
Firestone makes tires for 100 different brands.
Factories in Singapore crank out purses, shirts, shoes and sunglasses for 50 different names.
There are really only 3 places in the world that make tubes in any real numbers.
JJ
Shuguang
New-Sensor.
All of the tubes you are ever likely to put your hands on will come form one of those 3.
best

 

[jmh151]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

The WHOLE world runs that way.
Walgreens do not make batteries.
Firestone makes tires for 100 different brands.
Factories in Singapore crank out purses, shirts, shoes and sunglasses for 50 different names.
There are really only 3 places in the world that make tubes in any real numbers.
JJ
Shuguang
New-Sensor.
All of the tubes you are ever likely to put your hands on will come form one of those 3.
best

My understanding is when GT gets the tubes from Sovtek, they perform additional tests to make sure they don't fail. So while a GT branded tube is likely to have a low failure rate, it doesn't mean it sounds the best- but amp manufacturers like at advertize they use GT tubes since they're more reliable.

Mesa Boogie does the same thing- someone else makes their tubes, then Mesa takes them and perform further tests on the tubes they recieve, even tapping each tube with a hammer to see if they're microphonic or weak- ones that don't pass their tests are destroyed. The Mesa tubes are so tightly spec'd that Mesa says once you bias your amp for a Mesa tube, you won't have to re bias your amp again if you continue to use the same Mesa tubes.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

I might just get a small selection off ebay and try them see which I like best

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Mine came retubed with a Mesa tube and I forget which brand they use. (think this one is Sovtek) At any rate, I bought a Tung Sol gold and didn't like it. Just seemed too..mushy for lack of a bette word and not aggressive enough. I liked the Mesa tube better. I'll probably try a few more too.

With regards to upgrades, I just got an MXR 10 band EQ and put it in the loop and OH MY GOD. I liked the overall tone of the amp but wanted a little more gain and more "umph". This did the trick in spades. I already use a Tube Screamer when I want some more push, but that was nothing compared to an EQ in the loop.

I play a lot of high gain stuff and to be honest, even with the gain on 75% or so and the volume relatively low, using the EQ with the metal settings that MXR gives it's over the top. I actually will have to tone it down! (my room shakes) I know you said you don't do a lot of high gain stuff, but even so the tonal shaping possibilities are endless and it really brings out the qualities of the amp. Highly recommended.

 

[Left_Hand_Strat]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

Mine came retubed with a Mesa tube and I forget which brand they use. (think this one is Sovtek) At any rate, I bought a Tung Sol gold and didn't like it. Just seemed too..mushy for lack of a bette word and not aggressive enough. I liked the Mesa tube better. I'll probably try a few more too.

With regards to upgrades, I just got an MXR 10 band EQ and put it in the loop and OH MY GOD. I liked the overall tone of the amp but wanted a little more gain and more "umph". This did the trick in spades. I already use a Tube Screamer when I want some more push, but that was nothing compared to an EQ in the loop.

I play a lot of high gain stuff and to be honest, even with the gain on 75% or so and the volume relatively low, using the EQ with the metal settings that MXR gives it's over the top. I actually will have to tone it down! (my room shakes) I know you said you don't do a lot of high gain stuff, but even so the tonal shaping possibilities are endless and it really brings out the qualities of the amp. Highly recommended.

Yeah I have been thinking about the effects loop a lot more recently, I have never used it, I'm a terrible person when it comes to effects cause no matter what it is, it gets whacked straight in front of the amp which probably doesn't always help.

also another thought, sounds daft, but I think it would be interesting to hear this, but putting a Blackstar HT distortion pedal in the effects loop would be interesting, because then you effectively have two tubes and more kick to the sound after the pre amp stage before getting to the power amp stage.

I will definitely buy some tubes off ebay.

and I must read the info on this thread again because I keep forgetting if the HT-5 self biases or not and if I need to set the bias. :banghead:

 

[LonePhantom]

Re: Blackstar HT-5 tube ideas? (have asked before)

No need for biasing for the preamp, the power stage does require biasing, although you may be lucky.