Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

[LatsMcGee]

For those who have played both amps, I'm curious as I'm seeing both of them turning up locally very cheap, I may skip selling my dark terror and grab one of these heads for my "clean" channel and stompbox amp.....what say you?

 

[Red_Label]

Re: Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

I haven't owned either (though I have plugged into the Blackstar for a bit). But if you want clean headroom... there's likely no comparison between the 20 watt Jet City and the 5 watt Blackstar. Twenty watts will usually get you WAY more clean, punchy headroom than 5 watts will all day long. The new 5 watt amps are usually plenty loud for most people's needs, but they break-up so much earlier than the 15+ watt amps out there. So I guess that it depends on what your definition of cleans are, and what you're volume needs may be. Plus, I could be wrong but I'd think that the Jet City's circuit is more "pure" than the Blackstar's is. But that's just a hunch from looking at the features and control options.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

Yeah the wattage has me leaning on the Jet City, I just don't want to buy another cab, lol, I love my beat up mesa 1x12,

 

[dominus]

Re: Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

Your Mesa 1x12 should be fine with 20W I'd think.

If I was getting the 20W Jet City, I'd hold out for one with an effects loop. Looks like the JCA20HV has it, as does the JCA22H.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

They both have good cleans, but the HT5 doesn't have hardly any headroom for them.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Which amp has better cleans in your opinion? Jet City 20 or Blackstar HT5?

Your Mesa 1x12 should be fine with 20W I'd think.

If I was getting the 20W Jet City, I'd hold out for one with an effects loop. Looks like the JCA20HV has it, as does the JCA22H.

Oh I know the black shadow can handle it, I currently have my dark terror on top of that cab though and that's probably where she will stay....I'd just want to get a dedicated cab just for that head...The JC20 I'll be snagging is ridiculously cheap...I'll probably never find one this cheap again....