I've now been playing around with my new rig all day and I feel pretty confident I know enough about it to write a review. My review of the RP1000 will have to wait a bit longer as there's simply loads to delve into there. Anyway, here's my thoughts on the Blackstar HT60 Soloist:
General Sound
As an amp builder, a lot seems to be made of Blackstar's links with Marshall and I'd say this amp has some Marshall DNA but I'd say it's no more than a distant relationship. In terms of the style of footswitch, valves and basic layout, if you've had a Marshall before, you'll be OK with a Blackstar. The use of EL34 valves obviously puts it in the same tonal ballpark but overall I'd say that the tone of a Blackstar is far more modern than any Marshall I've tried. The bass is tighter and the distortion is crisper so under gain, it really does cackle and sizzle in a good way. The general impression is modern and aggressive whereas I'd describe a Marshall as traditional and smooth. Don't get me wrong, the Blackstar isn't harsh at all, but it is more modern than a Marshall. I suppose it may be argued that part of this is the ISF function that allows you to move between British and American voicings but I don't think that's entirely it. I found the ISF feature to be very clever and useful and it certainly has an impact but I have it dialled mostly to the British side and the amp is still noticeably more modern sounding than a Marshall. In a way, it reminds me of the Lead channel on my old H&K Switchblade. That channel was supposed to be voiced as 'British High Gain', so essentially Marshall, but it always retained a distinctly modern edge to it and the Blackstar is the same. The Blackstar is, however, a far brighter amp than the Switchblade because on that amp the Presence control was always dialled right up whereas on the Blackstar, it's dialled right back. It's the same story on the EQ where I'm bringing bass up and knocking the treble back whereas the Switchblade was the opposite.
Build Quality
The amp seems very well put together and looks a smart piece of kit for the price. For a 1X12 combo it is physically big and part of that is due to incorporating side grab handles but it's a handy feature so I can forgive its bulky dimensions. The only thing I don't like about it is that the feet on the bottom of the amp are in just the wrong position for the amp to sit nicely on my amp stand but it seems to have holes available for wheels to be fitted that would be a bit further apart so I may look into doing that.
Clean Channel
Nothing complicated here with just volume and tone controls but it does also have a 'Voice' button that moves it between a 'Boutique' Class A voicing and a 'Modern' Class AB voicing. The difference is quite noticeable and is a very good feature of the amp that adds to its versatility. I'd have to say that the Clean channel is a lot better than I was anticipating. I had assumed that I may end up using the RP1000 amp models for clean tones but I don't think I will now as it's really quite impressive. I'm not claiming it's anything to rival Fender etc. but it is nevertheless good.
Overdrive Channel
The Overdrive channel is very similar in operation to the Clean channel as it has a 'Voice' button that allows it to change from a 'Classic' setting that is tight and crunchy to one that is rather looser, with less power amp feedback. Personally I preferred the 'Classic' voicing but both are perfectly usable and will give you some quality tones. The gain control will take you from a nice crunch to quite impressive levels of gain and I speak as a person who likes gain. The Overdrive channel also has the ISF feature I've already mentioned and a 3-band EQ. There is also a universal Presence control that affects all channels on the amp.
Boost
This is a REALLY useful feature of the amp and perfect for anyone playing solos. What's more, it's extremely effective, providing a significant volume boost when engaged and the amount of boost you get is governed by one simple knob. I love it. This is marketed as a 2 channel amp because the boost feature does nothing other than make things louder but it seems to me that to all practical purposes, this is another channel as in the past, I've always used an extra channel simply to make me louder for solos. 2 channel or not, this feature gives me all I would need from a 3 channel amp anyway and I suspect, all most people would need from a 3 channel amp. What's more, a button on the back of the amp allows you to have it set up so you either boost whatever channel you happen to be in at the time or automatically switch to the boosted overdrive channel even if you were in the Clean channel. Again, I think it indicates a very versatile amp. Also worth mentioning here is the 'Overdrive Body' button that is next to the Boost knob on the front of the amp. When engaged, this provides a mid boost to the Overdrive channel when 'Boost' is selected, adding more sustain.
Reverb
What can I say; it's Reverb and works perfectly well as far as I'm concerned, though it's not something I'm too fussy about so others may be more critical.
Back Panel
The amp has all the usual features you'd expect on an amp like this as well as a couple of thoughtful features. There is a Speaker Emulated Output that can be configured for 1X12 open back or 4X12 closed back sounds. It also has the usual options for extension cabinets if you want to use them. Nice touches on the back panel are a button to move the Reverb between 'Dark' and 'Light' settings and a button that will adjust the effects loop between +4dBV and -10dBV; a feature I find quite useful.
Footswitch
The footswitch has 4 buttons to control both channels, the Boost function and Reverb. All buttons engage easily and it is connected to the amp using a multi-pin plug like you'd find on a PC.
Overall
This is a very impressive amp for the money. It offers a huge amount of versatility in a very practical package and although the 2X12 60w and 100w versions offer more features, I can't say that I'm left wishing this version had those additional features. This 1X12 is more compact and offers everything a guitarist could want. It has enough headroom for most purposes but can still be driven hard enough at gigs. At 60w, this is the most powerful amp I've ever owned but it's not as loud as my 50w Switchblade and believe me, that's no bad thing. You really did need volume on the Switchblade to get it to sing and it was awesome when it did but this one is far better at bedroom levels and at gig volumes you can drive it that bit harder. I am very aware of the fact that if I don't say something bad about this amp, people will simply conclude I'm looking at my new purchase through rose tinted glasses but there really isn't much to find fault with. In an ideal world I would prefer it if it wasn't as bright sounding as it is and high notes weren't quite so cutting. This aspect of the amp undoubtedly gives it a very cutting bottom end but can also make the high end a touch harsh, though it has to be said that a little more playing with the EQ settings may take part of this away. In general I really can't complain at all and I love it. It's an amp I would have no hesitation in recommending to someone else and changing to this amp is not a move I regret at all.
