I put new Mesa el34 and Mesa 12ax7 tubes in my HT Stage100 MK2, just to see what it does. I never biased the amp because I didn't know you had to and played it for months, a lot! I panicked when I learned that you need to bias this amp for power tubes , and even realized the once green led lights on the inside were now turning red. I put the original Ruby El34 tubes back in. I'm going to put those Mesa power tubes back in and get it biased, but my point is that the amp sounded really good even without being adjusted. I actually preferred it. The amp still works great almost a year later. I haven't played a Blackstar amp I didn't like. I like them, too!
I'm a big fan too. Had a HT5R for a few years and just recently did a trade for a HT40 Club which is awesome. Also have a HT1 head that I play through a 2x12 with Celestion seventy 80 speakers and it also sounds awesome. Well to me anyhow! I'm really pleased with Blackstar. So much so that I also have the Fly3, Super Fly, ID core 20 V3 and the Acoustic Core 30. I think I might have an obsession. lol :)
My girlfriend’s sending me her HT club 40 and it’s fucking amazing. I always thought the 5150 iii was my ideal amp, but then I played her blackstar. It does exactly what I need it to do, minus a boost function, but I plan on buying an mxr micro amp to fix this. 9/10 amp
Hey, thanks for the watch and comment! That is very awesome!! That head is so super versatile you won’t need another head ever again! When you want to experiment with different sounds you can try different speakers out.
Blackstars sound absolutely fantastic to me and I'm about to buy one. I've been playing guitar for almost forty years and am a die hard tube amp user. That being said, of course tube amps have non-tube circuitry as well. I don't see why this is a big deal, especially considering how many players use pedals to boost tube amps. Also, companies like Hughes & Kettner brag about their mix of tube and solid state circuitry. If it sounds good it is good. Period. I think Blackstars sound better than Marshalls.
I completely agree that a nice mix of tube and solid state can sound great! Also, the Hughes and Kettner gear is super nice indeed. The solid state rectifier circuitry is very nice and does fix some issues with tube based rectification. Very awesome that you are looking at getting a Blackstar amp, which model are you looking at getting?
@@MusicAndWood I'm probably getting the HT 20 Mk II combo because I prefer combos and single speaker isolated cabs. I discovered back in the 80s when I played a Marshall Plexi for years that the 4 x12 configuration was too woofy for me. I played shred guitar in a lot of L.A. metal bands back then as sort of a teen guitar wiz. I even had a small following of GIT types. I knew a lot of jazz players and they would either use combos or a combo and a 1x12 cab underneath it, or a 2x12 like Trey Anastasio does with his Boogies. I discovered that you got a much more direct sound, and it was easier to mic for gigs or in the studio. It just worked better for me. I was going for clarity and articulation, which is not to say I didn't play loud. I certainly did. I eventually got a Boogie 50 Cal Plus combo in 1990 and used that amp for years. Played The Roxy with it too, and a gig on a tennis court at the home of Gene Rodenberry in 1991. To my ears Blackstars sound better than Boogies today. I find them more musical too. I often switch between clean chords and overdrive for solos, and some distorted rythmn too. I like a good mix of tones.
Not that horrible if you know what you are doing. Just like with any amp, from a hand wired tube to mass production solid state PCB. Granted the simplicity of a hand wired eyelet board tube amp makes it easier to diagnose.
@@MusicAndWood well I am not even talking about not being hand wired. Marshall amps have PCBs since they created the JCM800 and it’s a great amp to service. I am talking about ICs all over the place with no schematics available. Typical design on blackstar amps. That’s called planned obsolescence in my book.
@@MusicAndWood yes it’s the trend I agree. Apple is definitely one of these companies as well. Fortunately some companies still build good products which are also serviceable. I bought a Marshall DSL100H and I serviced it myself recently and it was very easy to work on. The reverb circuit is filled with ICs as well but it’s on a daughter PCB so if it goes nuts, I can unplug it or replace it simply. For the rest, it is capacitors and resistors like in the good old days. Blackstar amps might sound good, I don’t know that, I don’t own one but I wouldn’t support their company at all. Check amp repair tech videos on the subject if you wanna know why.
Nice stuff on the Marshall! I have heard stories about the difficulties getting schematics on Blackstar amps for sure. I also wish that more things were repairable or upgradable. Have you heard of framework ? They make pretty cool user serviceable / upgradeable hardware.
I put new Mesa el34 and Mesa 12ax7 tubes in my HT Stage100 MK2, just to see what it does. I never biased the amp because I didn't know you had to and played it for months, a lot! I panicked when I learned that you need to bias this amp for power tubes , and even realized the once green led lights on the inside were now turning red. I put the original Ruby El34 tubes back in. I'm going to put those Mesa power tubes back in and get it biased, but my point is that the amp sounded really good even without being adjusted. I actually preferred it. The amp still works great almost a year later. I haven't played a Blackstar amp I didn't like. I like them, too!
I'm a big fan too. Had a HT5R for a few years and just recently did a trade for a HT40 Club which is awesome. Also have a HT1 head that I play through a 2x12 with Celestion seventy 80 speakers and it also sounds awesome. Well to me anyhow! I'm really pleased with Blackstar. So much so that I also have the Fly3, Super Fly, ID core 20 V3 and the Acoustic Core 30. I think I might have an obsession. lol :)
Thanks for the comment and watch! The HT40 is a great amp! Glad to hear you are digging the Blackstar amps too!
RE reliability. I've got a Blackstar Series One 50W head and it still sounds great. It's from 2009 and has been used in a studio that closed recently.
Awesome! I am glad you have a great Blackstar Amp that you like too!
Nice video, thanks. Which Jensen do you pair with the HT5? I have the Mk2 combo but was considering a speaker replacement.
Thanks! I used a C12R in a 1/3 open back cab that I made.
My girlfriend’s sending me her HT club 40 and it’s fucking amazing. I always thought the 5150 iii was my ideal amp, but then I played her blackstar. It does exactly what I need it to do, minus a boost function, but I plan on buying an mxr micro amp to fix this. 9/10 amp
Excellent! Blackstar amps sure get it done well!
I have the MkII 100 watt head on the way.........Can't wait!
Hey, thanks for the watch and comment! That is very awesome!! That head is so super versatile you won’t need another head ever again! When you want to experiment with different sounds you can try different speakers out.
Blackstars sound absolutely fantastic to me and I'm about to buy one. I've been playing guitar for almost forty years and am a die hard tube amp user. That being said, of course tube amps have non-tube circuitry as well. I don't see why this is a big deal, especially considering how many players use pedals to boost tube amps. Also, companies like Hughes & Kettner brag about their mix of tube and solid state circuitry. If it sounds good it is good. Period. I think Blackstars sound better than Marshalls.
I completely agree that a nice mix of tube and solid state can sound great! Also, the Hughes and Kettner gear is super nice indeed. The solid state rectifier circuitry is very nice and does fix some issues with tube based rectification. Very awesome that you are looking at getting a Blackstar amp, which model are you looking at getting?
@@MusicAndWood I'm probably getting the HT 20 Mk II combo because I prefer combos and single speaker isolated cabs. I discovered back in the 80s when I played a Marshall Plexi for years that the 4 x12 configuration was too woofy for me. I played shred guitar in a lot of L.A. metal bands back then as sort of a teen guitar wiz. I even had a small following of GIT types. I knew a lot of jazz players and they would either use combos or a combo and a 1x12 cab underneath it, or a 2x12 like Trey Anastasio does with his Boogies. I discovered that you got a much more direct sound, and it was easier to mic for gigs or in the studio. It just worked better for me. I was going for clarity and articulation, which is not to say I didn't play loud. I certainly did. I eventually got a Boogie 50 Cal Plus combo in 1990 and used that amp for years. Played The Roxy with it too, and a gig on a tennis court at the home of Gene Rodenberry in 1991. To my ears Blackstars sound better than Boogies today. I find them more musical too. I often switch between clean chords and overdrive for solos, and some distorted rythmn too. I like a good mix of tones.
Sounds like you have certainly had some fun jamming! Nice choice with the HT 20 too!
This guy DEF sounds like he was compensated for this video... or he has a bright future on the Home Shopping Network.
Thanks, if I fail at TH-cam at least I could try HSN!!
U won’t like them when they break down. Their life is about one year. Try getting one repaired. Or see some repair videos.
They suck to repair so if you like planned obsolescence, yeah go and get one
Not that horrible if you know what you are doing. Just like with any amp, from a hand wired tube to mass production solid state PCB. Granted the simplicity of a hand wired eyelet board tube amp makes it easier to diagnose.
@@MusicAndWood well I am not even talking about not being hand wired. Marshall amps have PCBs since they created the JCM800 and it’s a great amp to service. I am talking about ICs all over the place with no schematics available. Typical design on blackstar amps. That’s called planned obsolescence in my book.
Nice channel you have by the way! Wouldn’t you think just about all electronics by those standards today have planned obsolescence baked in?
@@MusicAndWood yes it’s the trend I agree. Apple is definitely one of these companies as well. Fortunately some companies still build good products which are also serviceable. I bought a Marshall DSL100H and I serviced it myself recently and it was very easy to work on. The reverb circuit is filled with ICs as well but it’s on a daughter PCB so if it goes nuts, I can unplug it or replace it simply. For the rest, it is capacitors and resistors like in the good old days.
Blackstar amps might sound good, I don’t know that, I don’t own one but I wouldn’t support their company at all. Check amp repair tech videos on the subject if you wanna know why.
Nice stuff on the Marshall! I have heard stories about the difficulties getting schematics on Blackstar amps for sure. I also wish that more things were repairable or upgradable. Have you heard of framework ? They make pretty cool user serviceable / upgradeable hardware.