Amplifier Mistake (Blackstar)

RaymondLin

Bogner Atma is calling

Or Mesa mkV:25

ThePrettyDamned

thomasross20;452999" said:

*faints* lol.. Anybody played with the NL cabs live? Axe FX looks to be not too simple and I defo wanna keep things simple

Honestly, if the blackstar sounds good and works for you, I wouldn't worry too much.

Maybe there are better sounding amps out there, but you've found something reliable and light weight that works for you. That's more than some people online, you know!

thomasross20

Lol... I'd love to try one of these tube amps properly - maybe at a meet-up.
Yep, will probably stick with Blackstar... and probably even the combo, despite how heavy I find it.
I just wish they did those Blackstar heads a lot smaller - what a pain!

ThePrettyDamned

thomasross20 said:

Lol... I'd love to try one of these tube amps properly - maybe at a meet-up.
Yep, will probably stick with Blackstar... and probably even the combo, despite how heavy I find it.
I just wish they did those Blackstar heads a lot smaller - what a pain!

You'd lose money, but if you're having lifting problems, the ID60 head and a cab would be so much easier to lug around. 

thomasross20

I missed your post earlier. I'll have to check just how much overhang there would be with the 60 head and separate cab.
Would rather have the 100 head but that's even bigger. There's just no "right" solution with the Blackstar heads, in my opinion.
Everything about the 260 is perfect other than the weight. Another option is to get the ID60 combo as originally intended and hope it'd be loud enough.

ThePrettyDamned

thomasross20 said:

I missed your post earlier. I'll have to check just how much overhang there would be with the 60 head and separate cab.
Would rather have the 100 head but that's even bigger. There's just no "right" solution with the Blackstar heads, in my opinion.
Everything about the 260 is perfect other than the weight. Another option is to get the ID60 combo as originally intended and hope it'd be loud enough.

Overlap won't matter so long as it's secure.

Or get a 2x12 cab for the 100 watt head?

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

I'll have to check just how much overhang there would be with the 60 head and separate cab.
Would rather have the 100 head but that's even bigger. There's just no "right" solution with the Blackstar heads, in my opinion.
Everything about the 260 is perfect other than the weight. Another option is to get the ID60 combo as originally intended and hope it'd be loud enough.

I'd be very surprised if it wasn't, going by your stage volume the other night.

The size of the heads is an issue, but there are definitely 1x12" cabs that will take the 60 - although not the 100 as far as I know.

Don't worry about the impedance either - even at 8 ohms, a 100dB speaker will put out the same volume as a 4-ohm 97dB one, and I would be surprised if the stock Blackstar speaker is any higher than that. Using an 8-ohm cab gives you the option to connect a second cab if you're ever playing somewhere there is one too.

Or you could just buy two ID60 combos, and be nicely balanced when you're carrying them .

Vibetronic

thomasross20 said:

Lol... I'd love to try one of these tube amps properly - maybe at a meet-up.
Yep, will probably stick with Blackstar... and probably even the combo, despite how heavy I find it.
I just wish they did those Blackstar heads a lot smaller - what a pain!

totally know where you're coming from; I got an Engl head and 4 x 12 a few years ago, which is amazing, but I've put my back out a few times moving it around. I should probably have thought it through more, but at the time I wanted the best thing I could get and had the cash for it - don't regret it a bit, so I wouldn't get rid of an amp you love just yet. Now I normally see if the venue has a cab so I only have to bring the head, which isn't too bad, but more often than not I just use my Blackstar HT5 with a Boss distortion pedal (set flat with the level on high) as a boost for solos (and sometimes with a bit of help from the sound guy !). Get a good chiropractor too

thomasross20

Quick update!!! I might have found somebody who will buy it for a good price so quickly need to decide what I'll going to do and what other options are!! If I stick with blackstar I'll want to keep the foot switch...

What do you think I should do based on what I've said to date?

thomasross20

I think I'll go for it and stick to the id60 or head/cab idea.

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

Quick update!!! I might have found somebody who will buy it for a good price so quickly need to decide what I'll going to do and what other options are!! If I stick with blackstar I'll want to keep the foot switch...

What do you think I should do based on what I've said to date?

Sell it and buy the ID60 combo. Quickest fix and most portable simple solution.

I'd probably prefer the head and cab overall - I think the Montage cab would give you more options and possibly sound better than the speaker in the combo - but the size of the head will annoy you .

ThePrettyDamned

What he said.

Except I still say get head and cab

Jalapeno

Head + Cab(s). 

Or

1x12 Combo, plus optional 1x12 extension cab (IF the ID60 combo is light enough for you)

thomasross20

Well I texted the guy who sounded interested off gumtree a couple hours ago but no reply as yet - hopefully he'll get back to me else it'll be another case of gumtree time-watster

ICBM

Jalapeno said:

1x12 Combo, plus optional 1x12 extension cab (IF the ID60 combo is light enough for you)

Unfortunately this isn't possible without changing the speaker in the combo from 4 ohms to 8 ohms and adding an extra jack (or maybe hardwiring the internal speaker to the amp so you can use the existing one for the extension).

Voxman

ICBM said:

Jalapeno said:

1x12 Combo, plus optional 1x12 extension cab (IF the ID60 combo is light enough for you)

Unfortunately this isn't possible without changing the speaker in the combo from 4 ohms to 8 ohms and adding an extra jack (or maybe hardwiring the internal speaker to the amp so you can use the existing one for the extension).

Yup, it's a real nuisance and one of the things that put me off the ID60TVP combo.  I don't know why they didn't wire it such that the internal speaker stays on when using an extension cab.  In my Vox Valvetronix AD120VTX there's an 8/16 Ohm impedance selector, and the internal speakers stay on when connecting an extn cab.  E.g. with my Vox AD212 you get all 4x12" speakers going - and 6x12" if you connect to a 4x12 cab. Otherwise there's not much point in having the combo - you may as well go for the head and have cab flexibility.  

So, my advice is definitely go for the Head plus cab option.  

ICBM

Voxman said:

Yup, it's a real nuisance and one of the things that put me off the ID60TVP combo.  I don't know why they didn't wire it such that the internal speaker stays on when using an extension cab.

Because the ID power section only delivers full power into 4 ohms, so that's what they put in it - if they put an 8-ohm speaker in the amp in order to allow an extension cab, it would restrict the amp to 30W normally. Which I would get around by using a more efficient speaker and not worrying about the lower power, but that costs more usually.

The other way of doing it would be like the earlier Valvetronix where the extension speaker jack is in series with the combo speaker, but that means you lose power when running the extension cab (which even though the cab still moves more air, is a bit counterproductive), and the switch in the extension jack is a source of unreliability.

thomasross20

You just know I'm going to end up coming back with a Mesa Mark V:25, wait for the Victory V40 or something lol...

ID60 into the integrated 4-ohm speaker is great then if that speaker gives it the max volume. Can you not disconnect the amp head section from the speaker like in the ID260 so that you can just plug into other cabs?

Head & cab definitely lighter and more versatile - sounds the best bet if the head fits ok and I can get the right sort of cab.

steamabacus

thomasross20 said:

You just know I'm going to end up coming back with a Mesa Mark V:25, wait for the Victory V40 or something lol...

ID60 into the integrated 4-ohm speaker is great then if that speaker gives it the max volume. Can you not disconnect the amp head section from the speaker like in the ID260 so that you can just plug into other cabs?

Head & cab definitely lighter and more versatile - sounds the best bet if the head fits ok and I can get the right sort of cab.

Well, Anderton's seem to have them in stock but (gulp) look at that price tag!
X_X

ICBM

thomasross20 said:

ID60 into the integrated 4-ohm speaker is great then if that speaker gives it the max volume. Can you not disconnect the amp head section from the speaker like in the ID260 so that you can just plug into other cabs?

Yes, but you can't run both at the same time, which doesn't really help unless the external cabinet is much more efficient. (Which it might be.)

thomasross20 said:

Head & cab definitely lighter and more versatile - sounds the best bet if the head fits ok and I can get the right sort of cab.

The Montage . Seriously - and not just because someone I know is selling one.

It's light, well-made (all-ply), has a removable middle panel in the back so you can run it open or closed-back, and is the right width for the ID60 head. (I think it's actually 6mm narrower according to the specs, but you won't really notice such a small overhang.)