Blackstar HT-5

[nobozos]

I just played through a Blackstar HT-5 amp at the store. It was a head with 2x10 cabinets. I thought it sounded pretty good. The dirt channel had decent gain and breakup. Not super-heavy gain, but classic gain. Note articulation was good, and tone was very decent.

I was unable to push the amps volume to check the cranked tone, but at the lower volumes, it sounded good.

Does anyone else have any experience or information they can share on Blackstar products? I may be interested in getting the HT-5, but I haven't heard much about Blackstar.

 

[Hendog]

I just played through a Blackstar HT-5 amp at the store. It was a head with 2x10 cabinets. I thought it sounded pretty good. The dirt channel had decent gain and breakup. Not super-heavy gain, but classic gain. Note articulation was good, and tone was very decent.

I was unable to push the amps volume to check the cranked tone, but at the lower volumes, it sounded good.

Does anyone else have any experience or information they can share on Blackstar products? I may be interested in getting the HT-5, but I haven't heard much about Blackstar.

I love mine. Sounds great at any volume and does the high gain thing very well. I would give it a 9 out of 10 (when you consider its price).

With my 4x12 it can keep up with a drummer too!

 

[Hendog]

nobozos, I would love to be more helpful to you as you were so helpful to me in the past.

Can I answer any specific question?

 

[jptortor]

Hey,

I have an HT-5 Combo that I have been using a lot for jazz/pit orchestra gigs. The cleans are very decent and the gain sounds are great. Its also surprisingly loud.

All in all, I really love the thing. For cleaner or lower gain sounds another really great small amp is the vox ac4. I am really liking that a lot lately as well!

 

[colinboy]

Blackstar have just released a new line called 'series one' and they are the ultimate valve amp in my opinion.
theyve got a new invention on these amps where you can turn the volume down fairly low and have no loss of power and tone from the valves.
checkout the blackstar website for more info!

 

[jamminjim]

Ernie Ball Music man guitars are GREAT!

 

[Progdude]

Ernie Ball Music man guitars are GREAT!

I have the HD Dual pedal. I use it for 90% of all my gainy tones. I almost bought the HT5 head yesterday to go with my Egnater Rebel 20 head. But they only sell it as a 3 piece unit. 1 head and 2 1X12 cabs. Thats $600.00 for the whole thing! The head its self on their website is $299.00. G.A.S. insisted I get something that day so I picked up the EPI Valve JR head and told myself Ill get the Black Star HT5 next month......

My main guitar is a Silo with the AT1 in the bridge and an Area 67 in the middle and the new Liquifire in the neck. I can get ANY tones I want from that guitar thru the Black Star HT-Dual into my Egnater Rebel 20. All I use is a Carbon Copy for effects or a Boss DD7 to run the 2 heads together.

Next time you check out the HT5 head. Run it into a REAL cab. Like a Nice Marshall 412 or Mesa 412 and watch it REALLY open up!!!!!!

 

[JoeDogInKC]

Buddy of mine has the HT-5 with one of the 1x10 cabs. I think the cab sounds pretty bad, but it sounded great through my oversized Egnater 1x12 cab. I believe he is planning on getting a replacement speaker from Weber (RIP Ted) to replace the stock one and see if the cab sounds better.

 

[Progdude]

Buddy of mine has the HT-5 with one of the 1x10 cabs. I think the cab sounds pretty bad, but it sounded great through my oversized Egnater 1x12 cab. I believe he is planning on getting a replacement speaker from Weber (RIP Ted) to replace the stock one and see if the cab sounds better.

Like I said above.....A bigger cab will make that amp really come alive.

 

[nobozos]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was trying to decide what to do regarding this amp. I thought about maybe trading my 5150 Combo for the mini-stack, but I really want to keep the 5150 Combo, since it sounds great with the EBMM/EVH. Based on what I've heard, I should just buy the head, and run it into the speaker cabinet of my 5150 Combo.

 

[Hendog]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was trying to decide what to do regarding this amp. I thought about maybe trading my 5150 Combo for the mini-stack, but I really want to keep the 5150 Combo, since it sounds great with the EBMM/EVH. Based on what I've heard, I should just buy the head, and run it into the speaker cabinet of my 5150 Combo.

I would like to make clear that I DONT recommend selling your real amp for the HT-5.

It is a wonderful head and very useful, but I'm not trading in my 100 watt heads to use it exclusively!

 

[spkirby]

Agreed! My Cornford stays as my main amp but the HT-5 head is great for jamming at home or those pub jam nights when you dont want to have your best gear out on display

My HT-5 sounds great through a Celestion V30 cabinet btw.

 

[nobozos]

Thanks guys. The only reason I entertained the idea is that I don't play in a band anymore, and my 5150 Combo doesn't get alot of use. I primarily practice through my PC using a Guitar Port. Occasionally, a benefit pops up, and we get the old band together for it, so the 5150 would be useful for that. I was thinking the Blackstar may be able to handle it if it were mic'd, but I wasn't sure.

Yeah, I'm not getting rid of the Combo.

 

[jhmusicman]

Hi Guys..I have been using Blackstar now since November, and have doen countless sessions with my HT5...here is a video of me using mine performing one of my own tunes...I have also posted atopic here about the new Blackstar product videos I filmed that are on youtube, using a fine sellection of EBMM guitars....I have also, along with some other fine UK EBMM endorsee's filmed some EBMM promo videos for UK distributor Strings and Things....I demoed 6 guitars including a Petrucci Stealth 6 string, my own JP 7 string, my BFR Double Neck Silo, an Axis, the 25th Aniversary and he Gold Roller....they should be up very soon..cheers Jamie Humphries
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWnQfvvNdLI&feature=channel_page"]YouTube - Ernie Ball-Musicman Guitarist Jamie Humphries Ceremony[/ame]

 

[fbecir]

Great song Jamie !!!

Thanks a lot !

 

[dstockden]

Jamie , Excellent tones, what cab are you running through?

 

[przemek_n]

Nice tune and nice playing.

Is there a SC size HB in the bridge position?

 

[jhmusicman]

Great song Jamie !!!

Thanks a lot !

Cheers!!..am working on more videos of my own tunes with a selection of fine EBMM guitars!! If any of you are interested you can buy my album from http://www.jband.co.uk cheers..Jamie Humphries..

 

[jhmusicman]

Thanks guys!!...I ran the head into a speaker coffin I had made..It has a vintage 30 in it...it was mic'd with a Shure SM57...Pickup wise...the guitar was custom made...I am a DiMarzio endorsee, so Steve Blutcher matched the pickups..I wanted a slightly more contempory tone in the bridge, and Hendrix/SRV tones for neck and middle...I believe the bridge is a Fats Track, not too high output so it cleans up, and I think an area 51 in the middle and an are 67 in the neck...not sure if that is correct, but defo a 5o something in the middle and 60 something in the neck..Jamie Humphries

 

[dstockden]

Oh yeah forgot to mention love the album (never did find you to sign it at the bash!)

especially Ceremony and Fubar!