Blackstar HT-5 Owners...

[indysmith]

How are you finding it...?
I know a few of us have had them a while now and I'm just wondering how they're settling in?

For me it's a strange amp; I like the sound, I like the look, the size, the volume... but I still feel like I always have - it's very modern, and somewhat "over-voiced" if you know what I mean? It sounds like there's an awful lot of components between the pickup and the speaker. The gain control on the drive channel also seems silly to me - just for normal playing I don't often venture past the 9o'clock point... It has a LOT of gain most of which I find unusable.
The ISF control is a great feature, I'd have it on every amp if I could - it's a really interesting additional control... hard to describe exactly what it does but it definitely works and makes a big difference!
Overall so far I'm very happy with the amp, and glad I got it - best practice-style amp I've tried still, but there's still room for improvement.
Can't wait for some mods to come out for it... maybe something a bit more vintage-sounding, less hard highs, more open sound. Considering changing the speaker. The Celestion G10 Vintage and G10 Greenback both look good. I'm more of a greenback kind of guy nowadays but they are very expensive and I can't help thinking the G10 Vintage would suit the amp a lot better.
Thoughts?

[Stevepage]

I tried the HT-5 combo yesterday with a Strat Plus. I was really impressed with it. Clean tone was great and warm and so was the drive channel. Had alot of depth for such a little thing. I'd buy one myself if I needed a smaller amp.

[lamp]

I like mine a lot.  I do tend to play with a fair bit of gain, so it suits me just fine. 
Impressive for the price.  In fact since I got it, I haven't touched my Tiny Terror. 

[Ivan]

I had the combo for a few months and sold recently because I wanted the head (although I haven't got it yet).

I loved it but I know what you mean when you say over-voiced. I guess that voicing is what gives it great drive sound at low volumes. However that drive sound is only great up to a point and like you said its due to the gain knob. I usually had mine around 10:00 and NEVER beyond 12:00. My opinion is that they tried to cover too much gain range and at higher levels it just doesn't sound as good.

I didn't have much use for the ISF though as it was more of a set and forget feature for me.

The headphone output + the cabinet emulation was the best thing about the amp as it was made for practicing!


On a side note, am I right to assume that the HT-5 is not 100% tube? Because it sure didn't feel like it....

[dheim]

i've got the combo version from a little while and i'm loving it! it's an high gain kind of amp, so your impression of over-voicing is inevitable, in my opinion. usually i play with every bit of available gain turned to the max, so this is not a problem for me! if i want more vintage tones i've got a very nice overdrive/distortion that sounds quite like a plexi, the EHX english muff'n... i changed its tubes with a couple of 12AX7s and now it's perfect!

[dheim]

i don't think that blackstar products are 100% tube, but if they sound good who cares?

[Matt77]

I use my Martamp in the day.
I tend to use the HT-5 at night going straight in to my recording unit and then out to a pair of active near field monitors. I can get a good quiet tone at night that way.

A more expensive amp sounds more open but I think the HT-5 is the best at that price.

[Ivan]

I actually think its the best amp at its price range!

[HTH AMPS]

It sounds like there's an awful lot of components between the pickup and the speaker.

Thats because there is - the gut shots that're floating around the net show this.  It uses just one ECC83 so you have a maximum of two gain stages (the same as an Epiphone Valve Junior, i.e. not very much gain) so the majority of gain must come from opamp stages.  Nothing wrong with that of course if it sounds good - I have no problem using a stompbox for more gain and don't care if it's inside the amp or outside.

[_tom_]

Yeah I know what you mean about the "over voicing" thing. The only other thing that pisses me off is that it doesnt clean up very well with the volume knob at all.

[Bradock PI]

My wife has one of these with Riff Raffs it seems fine but I think it is designed to give right up to meaty 90s drive from moderate pickups I can imagine with anything else it will be overblown although my wifes guitar teacher did want it cranking up more for some stuff he wanted. You do need to use the clean channel for cleans as it seems to be designed to give heavy drive at very low volumes which may be disconcerting if your used to a more traditional amp response.

I have the Vox AC4TV and because that still gets a bit loud even on a 1/4W for crunch I use a blackstar HT Dual the crunch channel on that is a lot gentler than the HT5 and the drive channel is similar but with a vintage flare from the vox.  The Vox is also a 2 tube amp but I did compare that with the Fender junior and junior blues which are 4 and 5 Tube respectively I believe. It was funny because I demo'ed the Vox several times and each time had one of the shop crew play while I listened most of them had not heard the Vox and were amazed that a sub £200 amp had that tone.

The blackstar is tighter and clearly more 80s upwards the Vox is very 50s/60s.

The HT5 is marketed as a bit of an all things for everyone amp but we all know that doesn't exists I think all in all for a small combo it has a great range for a pretty reasonable price and the ISF really does alter the tone a lot.

[jibidy]

I really like mine. Its the best amp i've owned. Although ive only owned a MG and Randall G3.

I like the features, Headphone/Line out with speaker emulation. Lots of outputs for cabs. Good effects loop.

I use a Jekyl and hyde for more gain now. The clean also works wonderfully for me. Sounds great with my vintage Shergold, and my modern Epi SG.

Though someone did say that it sounds like its got a blanket over the speakers...I slightly agree. You just need to match it with some suiting speakers. I am running it in to a Randall 2,12" (not the american one), and to my ears it could do with a little opening up.

[juansolo]

I really like mine. I've got the head going into a Martamp 1x12 loaded with a Hot100. Very versatile little amp and an absolute bargain. I really don't think there's anything out there at the price to touch it.

[LazyNinja]

I really like mine too it's the best bedroom tone I've ever had. I like my gain set to about 10 oclock and push it with boost. It does a great convincing cranked sound.  But I also know what you mean about the over-voicing thing. Fortunately it's a good voice! I remember people saying similar things about the Blackstar pedals. About the blanket thing, I find this amp to be very pickup sensitive (or rather, prefers ones with lots of clarity i.e. BKP!).

Indy; I've got the greenback in my combo and I must say the difference is no where near as big as I was expecting, at least for bedroom volumes anyways. It might be that the voicing is too prominent? It has tamed the harsh highs a bit though so it's worth doing but I'd give G10 Vintage a go too.

[indysmith]

Indy; I've got the greenback in my combo and I must say the difference is no where near as big as I was expecting, at least for bedroom volumes anyways. It might be that the voicing is too prominent? It has tamed the harsh highs a bit though so it's worth doing but I'd give G10 Vintage a go too.

Interesting! I might give the G10 Vintage a go then and report back! :)