Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 ...at my local GC. Went by for a few minutes to say hi to some of my buddies there and there it was still sitting in the shipping box.. A Blackstar HT-5 Mini Stack. We unboxed, set it up and I plugged in and everyone was like WOW! Sweet, sweet...SWEET! Great overdrive without sounding hard or conjested. Almost Fender-like cleans. A "voicing" knob called ISF that really works well. Two 10" Celestions, each in their own cabs. Very cool looking and well-made. And all for $599. One other guy played it for a few mins and I closed the deal. Gave them some money down and will trade a seldom played guitar in for the rest in the morning. I've tried the Egnater Rebel 20 (more money with a single 12 cab) a couple of different Bugera's, and a couple of Randall combo's recently, and owned a number of different amps over the years, but this little mini stack sings so sweetly way beyond anything I've heard. I used a strat, a tele and a PRS Singlecut and they all sounded wonderful through this amp. It seemed to matter not what I did with gain or tone controls, it always sounded great. This is an amp that anyone wanting a lower-powered amp should audition before making a move. I did not need to be spending money on a new amplifier at this time, but I just could not walk away from it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 You been hangin' out with Gilligan since last fall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 i hear amazing things about those little blackstars... Damon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 The overdrive channel is so good and varied, combined with the ISF control, I can probably sell all my distortion pedals...no need for them anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I've been using the head/cab since last December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I've been using the head/cab since last December. So I assume that you agree it's one hell of a little amp....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 So I assume that you agree it's one hell of a little amp....? Ya, its pretty decent, for the price. I'd prefer a $500 5-watt head with a few more features but there isn't really anything out there. This is as close as it comes. The shared EQ doesn't match up well at all between channels, and I wish the line-out could be use for live playing. And a built-in boost would be cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 The overdrive channel is so good and varied, combined with the ISF control, I can probably sell all my distortion pedals...no need for them anymore. Just keep a TS9 and/or SD1 as a Boost and you will be in TONE HEAVEN:thu: I love my Blackstar HT5 combo, I had the Head before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I've got a HAO Rust Booster, which I really like...that should do the trick.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members neilr11 Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Have the Blackstar head, great amp, was surprised when I tried it as well and bought mine on the spot. Have had the TT, the Rebel 20, the Blackstar is better. Would like to try the new Vox Night Train next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I tried a Night Train a few weeks ago..forgot about that one. That says something... Great cleans...it's a Vox. Overdrive really sucked IMHO... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I tried a Night Train a few weeks ago..forgot about that one. That says something...Great cleans...it's a Vox. Overdrive really sucked IMHO...Really? I like the Night Train's overdrive better than the Blackstar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Really? I like the Night Train's overdrive better than the Blackstar. Hmm...really? Different ears I guess. The main guitar guy at GC hated it too. He's a Fender guy for the most part. He loved the Blackstar and had been telling me about a low-watt Blackheart they got in used not long ago that I missed. Maybe it was the cab it was plugged into. Can't remember what it was, but it was a 4x12. I've always been a Vox fan and was really thinking I would get the Night Train, but no go for me, at least. As an aside, I played a used Samamp VAC45 yesterday. If you're not familiar with this boutique amp, it's all handwired, 6L6's for output tubes and has a unique method of bleading voltage using different light bulbs, giving the amp outputs via a switch of 5, 10, 15, 25 and 45 watts. A 12" Jensen Neo was in the combo and it was fantastic. But at $1100 used, I was not ready to shell out that much. If it hangs around I may go for it in a few weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Lotsa nice overdrive tones, and pretty accurate with my findings. [YOUTUBE]vxL04_EKUdI[/YOUTUBE] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JMR Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I like pgs demos, the night train sounds just like it does in the videos... I liek how it's a stripped down vox, I want a stripped down 30 (maybe even 50?) watt vox, though, for more headroom. Because I love vox tone, but I don't really need two channels or onboard verb or tremolo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slave2TheAudio Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I have the blackstar. Its soooo awesome. Love it to death. I heard they are back rdered for forever, so if you come across one and you like it, get it. They are rare to find these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Picking it up tomorrow...money down, reboxed and in the stockroom at GC waiting for me. I could not leave the place without getting it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Slave2TheAudio Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I hear you. I heard someone playing it from across the GC, said "wow, where is that coming from?" I followed my ears right to it. Played it, said "damn I have to get this." Went home, arranged my finances and bought one next day.Great amps. I run mine through a 4x12 and it still pushes it with ease Wouldn't trade it for anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members brandass Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Just keep a TS9 and/or SD1 as a Boost and you will be in TONE HEAVEN:thu:I love my Blackstar HT5 combo, I had the Head before that. Any significant tonal differences between the head (driving a small cab) and combo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sbs Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Blackstar was started by a bunch of former Marshall engineers and employees that didnt like the direction Jim Marshall's son and niece are taking the company with their new world business strategies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members yell03 Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Any significant tonal differences between the head (driving a small cab) and combo? I used the Head with 3 different cabs: 1x12 Egnater Rebel cab 1x12 Avatar Closed Back with a Celestion G12H30 2x12 Genz Benz G-flex Now I have the Combo which uses a 1x10 Celestion. Pushing the 2x12 cab, yes, there is a big difference, lots more air being pushed and it gets much heavier. Even running it through two 1x12s did not sound as good or thumpy as a 2x12 cab. As for using it through a 1x12, I do not notice much difference in running the 1x10 combo. Tonally they are similar, but the 1x12 sounds a bit better for cleans. With gain, the 1x10 combo ranks right there with the Head and 1x12. I chose the combo for ease of portability. Same reason I have a Marshall JVM215C 1x12 combo, sure, a JVM Head pushing a 4x12 would be GREAT, but I am not hauling it around. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cade Posted August 14, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 In addition to the two 1x10 cabs the mini stack includes, I've got a 4x12 and 2x12 cab I'll be trying the head with. It sure does sound great with the 2 10" cabs, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sdgails Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I tried one of these, very nice....I then played the egnater rebel and {censored} my pants!! wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members B Money Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 I've been using my HT5 at band practice recently, playing through a Marshall 4x12 loaded with a mix of V30s and G75T speakers. If you think the Blackstar sounds good at low volumes, just wait until you really crank it up! The clean channel breaks up pretty quickly and gives a nice half-baked overdrive tone, but the real money is in the crunch channel. With the channel volume up around 7 or 8, it sounds really great. All the gain you could possibly want with a nice aggressive voice. Mine doesn't sound harsh at all. It gets a little squishy, but I like it. Amazing little amp for the price. I'm not suprised they are selling like hot cakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peavey_impact Posted August 14, 2009 Members Share Posted August 14, 2009 Yeah, the Blackstar is at the top of the 5 watt rock amps as far as I'm concerned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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