Blackstar AMPED 1 - amp in a pedal

GazAus

Looks like some websites have it up early....

https://www.vandemoer.be/en/blackstar-dept-10-amped-1.html

paulphoenix

What no ISF knob?! 

ICBM

paulphoenix said:

What no ISF knob?! 

It's got a USA/UK(/Flat) switch instead.

The question is whether the US/UK will be the wrong way round as usual .

Danny1969

These things are incredibly easy to make now. You just buy a pre built class D amp module with integral SMPS with Aux PSU from one of the many suppliers and chuck it into a box with a simple pre amp and tone stack. Basically another 3 dual opamps. Any idiot can do it including me. I have one on the back of my Marshal combo for redundancy.  

I haven't seen BS's offering but i would be amazed if they bothered to design and manufacture the module, much less hassle just to buy it in like Fender, Seymour Duncan etc. 

Reverend

my experience of blackstar has been mixed. Not blown away by the cabs I've used in rehearsal studios - there was a marked difference with a jcm900 between the marshall 1960 cab and what ever blackstar cab they had. Then again, in a another studio they had a solidstate head that had a similar dial to this to emulate different valves etc and that sounded pretty decent. 

Call me a contrarian if you like but I might reserve judgement until it comes out. 

ecc83

ICBM said:

paulphoenix said:

What no ISF knob?! 

It's got a USA/UK(/Flat) switch instead.

The question is whether the US/UK will be the wrong way round as usual .

No doubt Impman will tell us when/if he can but AFAIK the original class D amp was designed in house (with help from a chip developer's board) ? These have proved extremely reliable so I doubt Blackstar will re-invent that wheel?

Dave.(does seem expensive tho'but)

impmann

Well launch day has arrived. 

Yes it’s a wholly designed in house piece (despite the cynicism above). I’ve shown my pre production unit to several equally sceptical guitarists who’ve all made the same faces regarding no valves and class D.
Once they’ve heard it, played it and experienced the feel of it, they’ve all wanted one. Genuinely… and I’m no salesman or marketeer. 

Before anyone pipes up about the response thing looking like a lift from TVP/Silverline… the idea is similar, but the way it works is new. It’s not a “voice” control but it’s how the amp reacts at volume - the feel of it. So tonally it’s a lot different to the TVP switch.

The UK/US/Linear switch  - is very much about gain structure and voice. And the way the EQ reacts is very dependent on this switch.

Im a pedalboard guy - and this has revolutionised my feelings about amps in general. It’s my favourite thing Blackstar have ever made (so far). It might not be for you but… put it another way, a famous guitarist visited recently who is know for just plugging into 100w valve amps and turning things up to 10. He was begging us to take one home/on tour.

Have I found my perfect home, live and recording solution? Yes. 

(I’m not on this forum in any way to represent Blackstar, I’m not paid to write this, make your own mind up - I’d suggest by trying one out rather than basing your opinion on YT demos etc)

relic245

From the youbube demo I've just skim watched I think I like this. 

I like blackstar products in general, being a long time Artisan user.  It sounds very promising to me, but as @impmann ;
said the only way to really get it (or not) is to try one. 

I love the midi implementation, it would work perfectly well with the midi pedalboard I recently built. 

For me the is only 1 potential downside - too many options!

So many cabs etc to choose from.  I already get that on my hxfx of which particular model of a drive pedal to choose etc.  I guess I'd have to learn to be a bit more disciplined. 

As I get older the idea of carrying a heavy amp to gigs gets less and less appealing. Something like this could be a great solution.

ecc83

impmann said:

Well launch day has arrived. 

Yes it’s a wholly designed in house piece (despite the cynicism above). I’ve shown my pre production unit to several equally sceptical guitarists who’ve all made the same faces regarding no valves and class D.
Once they’ve heard it, played it and experienced the feel of it, they’ve all wanted one. Genuinely… and I’m no salesman or marketeer. 

Before anyone pipes up about the response thing looking like a lift from TVP/Silverline… the idea is similar, but the way it works is new. It’s not a “voice” control but it’s how the amp reacts at volume - the feel of it. So tonally it’s a lot different to the TVP switch.

The UK/US/Linear switch  - is very much about gain structure and voice. And the way the EQ reacts is very dependent on this switch.

Im a pedalboard guy - and this has revolutionised my feelings about amps in general. It’s my favourite thing Blackstar have ever made (so far). It might not be for you but… put it another way, a famous guitarist visited recently who is know for just plugging into 100w valve amps and turning things up to 10. He was begging us to take one home/on tour.

Have I found my perfect home, live and recording solution? Yes. 

(I’m not on this forum in any way to represent Blackstar, I’m not paid to write this, make your own mind up - I’d suggest by trying one out rather than basing your opinion on YT demos etc)

No Mr I never take any notice of YT demos. They never get them right, in the Cooper one the guitar was too quiet relative to the waffle.

The pedal is bigger than I first thought and GAH! It has a fan in it! Bruce will be spinning! Also, there seems to be plenty of room for a proper DIN MIDI port?

Cooper also said it was bit lacking in gain for him? I shall keep an eye on other reports, I mean, gain is easy. Any chance you are working on,

1) A bass version (SVT?) with a compressor?

2) An acoustic guitar model with a graphic, feedback control and an XLR mic input? Don't forget to give it full fat spook juice!

Lastly, when/where can I download a handbook please?

Dave.

impmann

ecc83 said:

Lastly, when/where can I download a handbook please?

Dave.

https://blackstaramps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMPED-1-OWNERS-MANUAL.pdf

Look and you shall find, Dave. ;-)

ecc83

impmann said:

ecc83 said:

Lastly, when/where can I download a handbook please?

Dave.

https://blackstaramps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMPED-1-OWNERS-MANUAL.pdf

Look and you shall find, Dave. ;-)

Thanks but, I went on the Blackstar site, found 'pedals' and there was every one but that!

Dave.

impmann

ecc83 said:

impmann said:

ecc83 said:

Lastly, when/where can I download a handbook please?

Dave.

https://blackstaramps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMPED-1-OWNERS-MANUAL.pdf

Look and you shall find, Dave. ;-)

Thanks but, I went on the Blackstar site, found 'pedals' and there was every one but that!

Dave.

You can find it from the AMPED1 pages, but not from the overall manuals page. I've fed that back, thanks for the observation.

ecc83

impmann said:

ecc83 said:

impmann said:

ecc83 said:

Lastly, when/where can I download a handbook please?

Dave.

https://blackstaramps.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/AMPED-1-OWNERS-MANUAL.pdf

Look and you shall find, Dave. ;-)

Thanks but, I went on the Blackstar site, found 'pedals' and there was every one but that!

Dave.

You can find it from the AMPED1 pages, but not from the overall manuals page. I've fed that back, thanks for the observation.

Very welcome. I see the minimum speaker impedance is 8 Ohms. I take is the amp is short/low Z protected because 'it'appen.

Dave.

Danny1969

I am surprised Blackstar bothered to develop their own class D amp but it's nice to know that companies do still want to have an individual product and are prepared to put the time and effort in ... even with a dev kit it's a lot more hassle than buying in a ready made module. It looks well thought out with the linear response for modellers and the voiced settings for pedal guys. 

I do think it's expensive though, I know it needs to be to cover the R&D and the build quality but still ..... 

ecc83

Danny, the original ID 60/100W module used an IRS9***** controller chip driving a high current MOSFET OP stage. I am pretty sure that was developed by the late Bruce Kier. It is a very successful design and incorporates some clever frequency dependent limiting to mimic AFAIK the characteristics of valves. The basic amplifier is. I was told, much more powerful that the 'badge' power and this is part of the reason for its success.

I would think that Blackstar would retain most of that module's great historic record?

Dave.

impmann

ecc83 said:

Danny, the original ID 60/100W module used an IRS9***** controller chip driving a high current MOSFET OP stage. I am pretty sure that was developed by the late Bruce Kier. It is a very successful design and incorporates some clever frequency dependent limiting to mimic AFAIK the characteristics of valves. The basic amplifier is. I was told, much more powerful that the 'badge' power and this is part of the reason for its success.

I would think that Blackstar would retain most of that module's great historic record?

Dave.

That module (and the power supply that supports it) is a very reliable design - and yes, it is retained in other amplifiers with a few subsequent tweaks. Not used here as there isn't the space along with everything else crammed into this little box.

TimmyO

To say that the folk on the Bluguitar group have "thoughts" about the product name would be an understatement... 

@impmann is it really ignorance of the Amp1 product or a "fuck you we're having that name" ?  

allen

This looks like a well thought out and feature packed device. I'm impressed if it sounds good too.

TimmyO

Nosing trough the manual - I like the ability to use cab modelling on the direct outputs.

Is cab-rig IR-based or. ?

Is the signal/modelling analogue or digital? 

mark_jwedge

I’m seriously impressed with the Leon Todd and Sasha Ivantic demos. My hand is already creeping towards my credit card! Deep diving all the demos I can find right now