[euclid]

Anyone on the forum own and play one? I was looking at the 20 and 40 watt HT series combos. I hate to eat my words with an earlier post about Orange amps but I am really impressed with how the Blackstars sound. I was also impressed with how Blackstar amps came about in the first place. I've talked to a few other players about them and from what they are saying the Blackstars sound more like Marshalls then Marshalls. They are certainly well made and put together. The HT series are manufactured in Korea as opposed to a lot of other companies outsourcing them to China. The QC from what I'm hearing is a lot more consistent. Plus unlike the Orange (sorry Orange I still love you) they are using EL-34's instead of EL-84's( at least in their smaller low watt offerings. I'm trying to talk myself out of considering the Blackstar but am having a hardtime.

[CoolBritannia]

Hiya, I'm using a Blackstar Stage 60 at the moment and it's the best amp I've ever had. I think you nailed it on the head, currently, they're the new Marshall. Also, I thought for under £700 the stage 60 gave me a lot of options, the 2 gain channels, the ISF, the 4 button footswitch, really great. Plus the 60 goes about as loud as my old 100 watt Marshall. I'm by no means an expert, or even a tone whore, but I'm in love with the thing tbh. I run a Strat,a Tele, a Les Paul and my new 339 through it and it nails a very decent Fender classic tone, the Marshall tone, it's brilliant.

I'm thinking of buying a HT5 as a practice amp too, and one day I'll probably get an Artisan, Blackstar get my vote.

[Wild_Rose]

I actually have a huge GAS over a Blackstar HT-5 at the moment.... I've heard really really good things about it!

Orange amps are awesome, but you have to pay a lot more to get one of those!

[euclid]

CoolBritannia, on 11 September 2010 - 08:07 PM, said:

Hiya, I'm using a Blackstar Stage 60 at the moment and it's the best amp I've ever had. I think you nailed it on the head, currently, they're the new Marshall. Also, I thought for under £700 the stage 60 gave me a lot of options, the 2 gain channels, the ISF, the 4 button footswitch, really great. Plus the 60 goes about as loud as my old 100 watt Marshall. I'm by no means an expert, or even a tone whore, but I'm in love with the thing tbh. I run a Strat,a Tele, a Les Paul and my new 339 through it and it nails a very decent Fender classic tone, the Marshall tone, it's brilliant.

I'm thinking of buying a HT5 as a practice amp too, and one day I'll probably get an Artisan, Blackstar get my vote.

Thanks for the response. I'm gonna look at both models today and I may sell some gear I'm not using anymore and go for it. I'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes. Its funny put so much of the music I am into is driven by Marshall so that sound is and will always be in my head I have always said that if I took up guitar I would have to find an affordable amp that gives me that type sound. The solid body guitar may have been invented in the USA but the British turned amplifier manufacturing into an art form and IMO British amps are the standard to which others are compared and measured.

[CoolBritannia]

Recorded a few practice covers today using the Stage 60's emulated output, sounds decent put I don't think it compares that well to a mic'd up amp.

I'm considering an Orange Tiny Terror as well, or the combo amp, how are they?

[St James]

CoolBritannia, on 12 September 2010 - 10:32 AM, said:

Recorded a few practice covers today using the Stage 60's emulated output, sounds decent put I don't think it compares that well to a mic'd up amp.

I'm considering an Orange Tiny Terror as well, or the combo amp, how are they?

OF ALL THOSE YA MENTIONED THE ORANGE TINY TERROR IS THE BEST
(not the combo pick your own speakers)......
ESPECIALLY AFTER YA DO THE MOD THAT MERCURY MAGNETICS OFFERS FOR EM

BUT YOU WILL NEED A STAND ALONE REVERB TANK....
YOU CAN BUY AN ACCUTROINICS TANK FOR 45.00 and it fits in a lot of places or just buy the piggy back unit.

THE BLACKSTAR is oK but after 3-6 monts start having problems of ratteling, humming blowing tubes, weal spealkers....

To may amps trying to be boutitque but charge cheapo money for em.....
Either ya pay or ya don't but ya never get GREAT for little.!!@

GO FOR the ORANGE TINY TERROR,
I love mine for practice, and I use a ELECTRO HARMONIX HOLY REVERB WITH IT to make up for the lack of reverb and I HATE ANAOLOG REVERB

St James

[CoolBritannia]

I'll take that under consideration but I think you're selling the blackstars short dude. However I've always wanted a Tiny Terror too so I shall be purchasing!

[chrisnorthw]

I have a HT Club 40 and find it to be a good vesatile amp, works sweetly with a Les Paul and has some good clean tones available for Strats and Teles. I've been very happy with it since I got it. Although not put together in the UK (Built in South Korea) the quality of the finish is excellent, the components feel solid and it comes with a 3 year warranty, can't ask for more than that.
It can go from Boutique to Fender type cleans, then crunch to high gain with ease. Also has 2 types of digital reverb, a dark and light, plus effects loop and emulated out to allow direct recording to a desk.
The advantage of the HT40 over the HT 20 is the 2 clean and 2 overdrive modes, only 1 of each available on the HT20.
Definately worth checking out, by the way it's plenty loud!

[euclid]

chrisnorthw, on 19 September 2010 - 10:37 AM, said:

I have a HT Club 40 and find it to be a good vesatile amp, works sweetly with a Les Paul and has some good clean tones available for Strats and Teles. I've been very happy with it since I got it. Although not put together in the UK (Built in South Korea) the quality of the finish is excellent, the components feel solid and it comes with a 3 year warranty, can't ask for more than that.
It can go from Boutique to Fender type cleans, then crunch to high gain with ease. Also has 2 types of digital reverb, a dark and light, plus effects loop and emulated out to allow direct recording to a desk.
The advantage of the HT40 over the HT 20 is the 2 clean and 2 overdrive modes, only 1 of each available on the HT20.
Definately worth checking out, by the way it's plenty loud!


As I said earlier I am having a hardtime talking myself out of getting a Blackstar although I do like the stripted down approach of the Orange. Still not quite sure what I will do. I haven't sold off any of my bass gear I'm nolonger using as of yet. Gonna take my time.

[Rewddawg]

euclid, on 11 September 2010 - 02:34 PM, said:

Anyone on the forum own and play one? I was looking at the 20 and 40 watt HT series combos. I hate to eat my words with an earlier post about Orange amps but I am really impressed with how the Blackstars sound. I was also impressed with how Blackstar amps came about in the first place. I've talked to a few other players about them and from what they are saying the Blackstars sound more like Marshalls then Marshalls. They are certainly well made and put together. The HT series are manufactured in Korea as opposed to a lot of other companies outsourcing them to China. The QC from what I'm hearing is a lot more consistent. Plus unlike the Orange (sorry Orange I still love you) they are using EL-34's instead of EL-84's( at least in their smaller low watt offerings. I'm trying to talk myself out of considering the Blackstar but am having a hardtime.

I have heard good things from owners of the Blackstar. I believe Peavey makes them. BTW Orange absolutely uses EL84's in their smaller amps as does all the other makers. Mesa has an absolutely sweet small amp with alot of features but is a little pricey at $900 US. It has 5,10 & 20 watt modes with lots of features.

[Bender 4 Life]

My practice & recording rig is an HT5 head thru a Jensen 12" "vintage ceramic" series speaker.......it's a great pairing and has lasted more than a yr on the stock tubes with no rattles or other issues (but rattling HAS been an issue with Blackstar cabs & combos).
As with any tube amp, the name on the cover-plate doesn't mean as much TONE wise as the choice of tubes & spkrs. you mate w/it.
The stock Sovtek (Sarajevo) ecc83 pre-amp is ok, and when the 12bh7 power tube starts to degrade I have a '61 NOS Tung Sol (USA) to drop into it, at which time i'll also go with a "Groove Tube Gold" in the pre-amp.

[TattooLP]

Love my HT-5. I can get all kinds of sounds out of it. It gets just loud enough that in my house I can't go much louder and I suppose with a mic it could be used on stage. I'm still toying with getting a Blues Jr or Blues Deluxe and maybe even a GDEC just for fun; but to practice or maybe jame with friends the HT-5 is good stuff.

[bernard_wally]

Stooges currently rock these!

[JAC]

Here is my HT-1. This is a great amp. Very loud and crunchy with sustain and, is only one watt! Looks great and, is well built.

[canon_mutant]

Blackstars are great. Love what they're doing. Almost got a HT-20 but the one I got had a nasty noise problem which I understand was a problem with early models now corrected. But then I fell in love with the Egnater Rebel 30 and now have a Renegade so no more need . . . but if I did, they would still be on my shortlist.

[kidblast]

Wild_Rose, on 12 September 2010 - 05:53 AM, said:

I actually have a huge GAS over a Blackstar HT-5 at the moment.... I've heard really really good things about it!

Orange amps are awesome, but you have to pay a lot more to get one of those!

From what I've heard, these Blackstar's seem like fantastic amps for the money.

[Versatile]

Blackstar are on a roll...UK engineering...Chinese manufacture...par for the course at the moment

Laney uses EL 34 and EL 84's in various amps...maybe worth a look...

V

[Vestapol]

My jamin buddy has a Blackstar and he loves it. I've used it a few times and the range of tones I can get is wider than other amps I usually use. But my buddy is way more experienced & tech-knowledgable (and owns four Marshalls, one vintage)and he swears by his Blackstar.

He's had it a year now with no problems...

Cheers,

[trelf]

Played the HT5 stack today - great sounding amp

My cousin got the head plus two blackstar cabs for £275gbp

Amazing thing

[ancient_owl]

I own Blackstar HT-5 combo version and it's simply amazing for my purposes

It really shines when I add MXR Custom Badass Modified Overdrive (I guess just any overdrive pedal'll suit) even for clean channel. Otherwise it's a bit dull sounding.
It has a really heavy overdrive tone - great for metal but not really good for classic rock/blues. Two channels, effects loop, separate controls for channels, heavy load of GAIN - amazing amp. Although, it's not actually a true valve - it has solid state components in a preamp - but I don't bother as it has a cool tone.