Want my Blackstar HT-20mkII to be brighter, less lows- speaker change?

[Erlend_G]

Hello;

I find that the overall tone of my Blackstar HT-20mkII isn't exactly to my liking.

It has too much in the lows / low mid area; and too little high-mids. It's a bit "hollow" sounding and subdued, to my ears.

I much prefer the "Marshall" type high-mid attack and crunch; while the Blackstar has more of a "hollowness" in the 200-400hz area...

So, I'm considering either a speaker change (some say greenbacks sound great in it), or a Joyo 10-band EQ pedal.

Any input?

Thanks,
-Erlend

 

[Demanic]

The 10 band eq is probably a lot cheaper than a new speaker. I'd try that first.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Hsb]

Ill vote for the eq as well. Can do a lot of tone sculpting with one.

 

[Erlend_G]

thanks.

I'll sit and think this trough for a while...

As my guitar & amp is "everything I got", and I'm else in a "prison like" life situation, need to be home every morning at 10 to get my methadone;

soon it's winter and "dark time" here in North Norway,

and guitar tone gets crucial for life quality .

I'm thinking about the EQ pedal aswell. It's cheaper than a new speaker, and it allows for drastic changes in "tone".

-Erl

 

[CK71]

I agree with the others about the EQ I think you will really like it. I used to have a club-40 and used a 10-band EQ. It added a lot of versatility to the amp.

 

[Top-L]

thanks.

I'll sit and think this trough for a while...

As my guitar & amp is "everything I got", and I'm else in a "prison like" life situation, need to be home every morning at 10 to get my methadone;

soon it's winter and "dark time" here in North Norway,

and guitar tone gets crucial for life quality .

I'm thinking about the EQ pedal aswell. It's cheaper than a new speaker, and it allows for drastic changes in "tone".

-Erl

Its an EL84 amp, not much you can do about that. EL84 is usually considered buttery, but not known for deep low end.

https://humbuckersoup.com/tubes/diff...el84-el34-6l6/


EQ pedal or new amp.

You could try preamp tubes. The hottest and brighest AX7s that I've encountered, are graded ECC83s from Groove Tubes. Those are consistently hot and bright.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ct-preamp-tube

 

[ehdwuld]

Doesnt that amp have a "morph " knob
that lets you change the tone stack from American to British

 

[Erlend_G]

Doesnt that amp have a "morph " knob
that lets you change the tone stack from American to British

Yes, it has;

but there isn't that much of a difference;

At one "extreme" the sound's a bit tighter, and the mids more focused;
in the other end, the bottom end is looser, and the mids more scattered.

I thought it would have a more drastic impact, (when I bought the amp). but I leave it at noon, or at 11'o clock

 

[Lewguitar]

Maybe consider adding a Celestion Vintage 30? Those are bright and not especially bassy.

 

[GreatOz]

My vote is the EQ pedal simply because it's cheaper, but if you have extra cash to spend, I would recommend a speaker swap. I assume you're using the stock speaker (I think it's the 50W Blackbird), which I didn't care for. I use a Celestion V-Type Speaker in a 1 x 12" open-back cab and they sound fantastic for both my Strat and McCarty. But this is also for the HT-5R MkII, not the full HT-20R so take that with a grain of salt lol

Side note, the "classic" voicing (no light) I didn't care for on either the clean or the overdrive channel, the "modern" voicing (light) works way better, at least for the mix and is a lot cleaner.
For me, I borderline have the opposite problem with it being too bright.

 

[ehdwuld]

On my Bugera copy
I can turn the morph knob and it changes how the tone controls work
I have to turn the mids back and it chimes in a Fenderish way

 

[Erlend_G]

My vote is the EQ pedal simply because it's cheaper, but if you have extra cash to spend, I would recommend a speaker swap. I assume you're using the stock speaker (I think it's the 50W Blackbird), which I didn't care for. I use a Celestion V-Type Speaker in a 1 x 12" open-back cab and they sound fantastic for both my Strat and McCarty. But this is also for the HT-5R MkII, not the full HT-20R so take that with a grain of salt lol

Side note, the "classic" voicing (no light) I didn't care for on either the clean or the overdrive channel, the "modern" voicing (light) works way better, at least for the mix and is a lot cleaner.
For me, I borderline have the opposite problem with it being too bright.

Oh!

On my HT-20, the voicing does very different things on each channel..

The clean channel is either "voicing off"- a mid-scooped, clean fender-ish clean;
voicing on- a middy, "nasty" more overdriven tone. But still clean if I turn down the gain.

On the overdrive channel, I never use the "voicing" button, because I don't like the sound. It makes the sound much more bright and agressive. :/The

The "voicing" button also affects the sound, of the line in/mp3 mini jack input. Gives it a "loudness" type of sound.

The HT-5 and HT-20 are slightly different amplifiers, it's not only the power difference.

I'm glad you like your amp!

I like mine aswell, but some days I regret that I didn't buy a Princeton Reverb instead.

rock on \m/

-Erl

 

[Mr. 80's]

Since that amp has an MP3 line in for "jamming along with your favorite music" as they say, it makes me believe that it doesn't have a real guitar speaker in it but more of an FR/FR like a modeler otherwise it wouldn't play well with backing tracks at all. So my vote goes for a real guitar speaker and not use the MP3 line in if that's the case.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Yes, it has;

but there isn't that much of a difference;

At one "extreme" the sound's a bit tighter, and the mids more focused;
in the other end, the bottom end is looser, and the mids more scattered.

I thought it would have a more drastic impact, (when I bought the amp). but I leave it at noon, or at 11'o clock

I turn mine to the left or American side on my HT-20.
For me, it’s much better the other darker, looser. British side.
I’d suggest popping a new production Mullard preamp tube in there. To be, it’s a bright tube.

But if you go a speaker swap route I’d recommend the WGS Veteran 30. It’s a Vintage 30 clone without the harsh upper mids thing going on.
I have one in my 2x12 paired with a WGS ET-65 (Creamback clone) which I use for my Blackstar.

 

[Animal]

But if you go a speaker swap route I'd recommend the WGS Veteran 30. It'€™s a Vintage 30 clone without the harsh upper mids thing going on.

If the stock speaker in his HT-20 sounds as a hollow as the Rocket 50, then a V30 type speaker will be a quite significant upgrade:

 

[Gtrjunior]

If the stock speaker in his HT-20 sounds as a hollow as the Rocket 50, then a V30 type speaker will be a quite significant upgrade:

Yes, agreed.

 

[Erlend_G]

Animal:

Whoa, that sure was a big difference between those speakers.



But when I think about it,. I don't really want to swap a 100% functioning component, as I'm broke A/F the next 10 years.

So EQ pedal it is, a Joyo series with beautiful led lighted faders.

rock on \m/

-Erlend

 

[Erlend_G]

Double post

 

[Top-L]

If the stock speaker in his HT-20 sounds as a hollow as the Rocket 50, then a V30 type speaker will be a quite significant upgrade:

I liked the Rockit 50 better in this video. It has a more produced, smoother sound but seems to have more lower mids. When he starts soloing, you can hear how the V30 gets away from him, sounds shrill and icepicky. The 50 is better behaved.

The WGS V30 sounds like it was miked on the dust cap and the Rockit 50 near the edge. If you want more cut from the 50, move the mic in. Either could be made to sound like the other. The V30 is louder in the comparison.

The in room sound, you would just have to try both and see which you like more.