Following on from my thread about a home practice amp I am seriously interested in the Blackstar HT-1. However, after some initial research I have some questions...

First off - I am NOT a scientist.

A look at some charts suggests that a 1 watt amp will be 16 decibels quieter than my 40 watt amp. Can it truly be said to be a 'quiet' amp suitable for home practice?

On some forums I read some 'internet experts' claim that it is 'not a real tube amp'. I don't know what this means. On other forums I have read the same about my Marshall DSL401 - "open it up and look inside and you'll see it's not a real tube amp". Any comments on this?

Some have said that it sounds quite like a Marshall. This puts me off as I already have the Marshall sound well and truly covered. Does it sound like a Marshall?

I can't find any info on the weight of the amp, does anyone know how much it weighs?

It does seem like a great amp but a lot will depend on how high I can realistically set the gain and volume controls....

Thanks in advance,

Tony

Morning Tony. You are bang on, the HT-1 is by calculation (log wattsx10+spkr sensitivity, which I am taking as 100dB for comparison) 16dB quieter than a 40watt amp into the same speaker and certainly the 8" speaker in the One is not going to be as sensitive as a V30 for instance, but if we take said V30 and 40W that would produce 116dB at 1mtr and the safety limit for your hearing at that SPL is LESS than 15minutes! The HT-1 will probably hit some 90dB and that is louder than most flat screen tellies will go, most start to crack up badly at about 85dB (and even at 90dB you should not be exposed for more than about 6 hours) The HT-5 does hit 100dB with the internal 10" speaker(and is positively antisocial into a 4x12!)and the new 12" version is probably even louder...BUT I emphasise, you don't have to play at these levels, you can set the "dirt" with a drive knob and advance a master volume to any level you want. And of course both models take cans.

"Not a proper tube amp"? Well what is? The DSL has 6 FETs and 2 ic stages in it! Yes the Blackstar range, with the exception of the Artisan series, are hybrid designs, partly for sound engineering reasons, partly reliability and, yes, partly to bring very good, sophisticated, very versatile guitar amps to the mid price market. Back soon.
Dave.

It's mee!Valves are expensive, both of themselves and in the power they consume and the amount of support hardware they need. If the job can be done as well AND audition as well using solid state components Blackstars' philosophy is do it. Thus the HT-1 and 5 use a MOSFET balanced Phase Inverter to drive the push pull output stage. Now MOSFETS are well respected by the hi fi fraternity and the circuit in these amps runs at high voltage and has a massive, clean headroom, far above that needed to drive the valves, if ANYTHING "bad" could be leveled at the Blackstar PI it could be said to be TOO clean! Oh! and it virtually never goes wrong, can't hum due to crap heater cathode insulation.

At the very front end of the amp there is a very well designed fet ic input stage. This has an input overload capability of some 5V pk to pk, better than any ECC83 (be a bit lower for the HT-1 but then it does not need it). Once again no hum, very low noise and it will stay that way (again, practically zero defects).Yes, there are other IC stages doing tone stack duties and a bit of signal compression but this is to "manage" the signal levels so that they present to the valves correctly and allow it to work at its "sweetspot" and of course op valve distortion is ALL valve! I can assure you that the circuitry was arrived after hours of play/cut/solder/play/cut/fag/swear/tea/play.....Dave.

Quote ef37a:

---

"Not a proper tube amp"? Well what is? The DSL has 6 FETs and 2 ic stages in it! Yes the Blackstar range, with the exception of the Artisan series, are hybrid designs, partly for sound engineering reasons, partly reliability and, yes, partly to bring very good, sophisticated, very versatile guitar amps to the mid price market. Back soon.
Dave.

---

Dave,

First off thanks for your time in giving me all this brilliant information.

So the DSL I already have and the HT series amps are hybrid designs but they are advertised as 'all tube' amplifiers? I usually understand hybrid to mean a valve driven pre amp stage and a solid state power stage or vice versa.

To be slightly off topic, I always wondered why amp manufacturers don't include a third volume control? Gain to control input to the pre amp, Master to control the input to the power stage and something like 'speaker out' to control the actual volume coming out the amp. Kind of like an integrated power soak but voiced specifically by the manufacturer for their own amp. Is it too expensive or does it take us too far from being 'real tube amps'?

Thanks again Dave,

Tony.

Tony,
I do not think that you will find any Blackstar literature that refers to any amps other than the Artisan series as "all valve". If you do please let me know!

Yes, "hybrid" does generally mean at least part valve pre and sstate PA but B's do not do that (not saying they never will, but they will be upfront about it!)Hybrid is also a rather "dirty" word in some amp circles having connatations of rubbish cabs with crappy IC amps in them. Many, many guitar amps are as "siliconized" as B's but they are equally as cautious about calling their kit "hybrid"! Bottom line is "if silicon can do it as well, sound as good and is cheaper and more reliable, why not? THE most expensive part of a "valve" amp is the op stage and that is vacuum technology still.
Third VC? Well, some amps have a Post PI Master Volume,some swear by them, others at them! Input pot? Well you have one on the geetar! (yes I know it its NOT quite the same but lets not get into cables and picofarads eh?).
Power control? See Series One(best there is!).Internal power soak? Perfectly possible and has been done but got to add quite some cost.
Dave.

I would say, having bought an HT-1 Just try one and forget about, Valve, Hybrid,SS etc. They are very sweet sounding and I can't hear anything like that scooped Marshall sound that I used to love way back but now find rather unpleasant.

--------------------
www.myspace.com/shambolic-charm

Quote Shambolic Charm:

---

I would say, having bought an HT-1 Just try one and forget about, Valve, Hybrid,SS etc. They are very sweet sounding and I can't hear anything like that scooped Marshall sound that I used to love way back but now find rather unpleasant.

---

Oh, I'm in no way some kind of valve purist. The technicalities of the circuit will not make any difference to my choice of practice amp. It's just interesting to learn this stuff from someone who very clearly knows what he's talking about. The HT-1 is top on my demo list.

I tried one out and was amazed by the warm tone of it at it's volume and how silent it was. For recording clean guitar I think it might be a fantastic tool. I'd like to see how it reacts to pedals though, eg Big Muff etc...

Since I tried it I am thinking of buying one... Have to shift somethings to make some space first, as my music making space is looking very cramped indeed...

--------------------
http://soundcloud.com/earwighoney

Faced with a similar dilemma recently, and still going down the 'smaller, second amp for home use, back up and visiting guitarists' route I too arrived at the HT1/HT5 choice. I was selling a Mesa Boogie Lone Star Special to fund it, which was too big and had to go, so plenty of budget but Blackstar was the go to solution. My local guitar shop had both in stock so I went and demoed the pair. I decided on the HT5. Its heavier and bigger, sure. But not by much. I was only after the head anyway, the idea having been to also fund a suitable extension cab for my main amp + a really nice pedal board from the proceeds of the Lone Star. I found that the HT5 is just more amp, not in terms of size, power and weight but most importantly range. And with the gain dialed way back nothing much to chose between the two.

I ended up buying another acoustic instead (which as we know you've just done too, Tony, if you've finished the restoration of your Guild yet). So far neighborly relations are going very well and they were the issue. My wife never complains provided I avoid the Cry Baby, which she does not enjoy in isolation at the end of a stressful day!

--------------------
Strictly project and just for fun

I'm getting an HT5 once I sell my POD HD 500.

I'll never learn that the only way to go is all analogue

HT 5 is a great little amp
I think its worth for the bigger speaker and I did want a little more headroom for cleaner sounds

--------------------
Matt
www.krcollective.org

Quote matt keen:

---

HT 5 is a great little amp
I think its worth for the bigger speaker and I did want a little more headroom for cleaner sounds

---

For what it's worth I'm pretty much sold on the HT-1, I'm just saving some cash and working on the Mrs to make it happen. I just spent the savings on a new strat so it may take some time for the convincing to work

Quote _ Six _:

---

I'm getting an HT5 once I sell my POD HD 500.

I'll never learn that the only way to go is all analogue

---

I wouldn't even bother with the HT5, go straight to the HK Tubemeister if you can afford it: every single review has raved about the Tubemeister, the Red Box DI is absolutely superb and probably the best in-built DI that I've heard from any amp.

Quote BigElectricCat:

---

Some have said that it sounds quite like a Marshall.

---

That'll be because the company was started with ex-Marshall employees/designers.

I tried the HK Tubemeister (EL84), Engl Gigmaster(EL84), Blackstar HT20, Marshall Haze...
Sorted out the Marshall immediately.
Well, the Tubemeister is great, the Engl is great as well (different tone), Blackstar more an old Marshall-like sound...
You have to try them, they are all good.

I ended up buying a Blackstar S1 45 Combo, which was on sale! Love it! Nice DPR feature, you can run it on 4.5 Watts. And I like the smoother EL34 (compared to the EL84) valves.

Edited by C-Bro (05/10/11 03:36 PM)

Whoo! Hoo! Quite a leap from a thread about the HT-1 to the S1-45! Belting combo tho'(there's a head version now. I SAID they should make head 50watter AGES ago, don't listen you see!).

EL34'? Yes I prefer them. EL84's have "that" sound (AC30) but only it seems if you run them at max heat (and above in many cases!).Sort of OK when we had Mullards but modern valves are not so good. The EL34's in the 45 are run at about 40% of max dissipation and should last quite a long time.
Enjoy.
Dave.

Quote ef37a:

---

Whoo! Hoo! Quite a leap from a thread about the HT-1 to the S1-45! Belting combo tho'...

---

Sorry, if I was a little OT, Dave.
I chimed in because the Tubemeister was mentioned.
I think, you get a lot of good products in this price range.

All of the Blackstar products are IMHO cleverly designed, reasonably priced and sound great (if you like that sound!).

I bought the S1-45 for my home-studio as I have two other amps, one with 6L6es, and one with EL84s, and I really wanted some EL34 flavour.

Anyways, you still have some credit with me, Dave! Thanks for your past help, and I always enjoy your expert knowledge here on the forum.

Thomas

Oh! No criticism meant Thomas I assure you!

In fact,any excuse to witter on about Bs' amps is meat and drink...!

Dave.

Have you considered an Orange Tiny Terror or is it too high in the price list?

--------------------
www.descentintomadness.com