Blackstar HT-Metal arrives

ThePrettyDamned

Definitely need to try one of these out.  I loved the HT and Series One range for their slightly compressed classic sounds, but they always lacked the aggressive mids and top end for the really heavy stuff.  

Sadly, the only demos are of the little baby ones or by Chappers, and while it sounds okay, he somehow makes everything sound pretty much the same...

Looks to be another hybrid preamp - 2 12ax7's, 2 6l6 power valves for 60 watts and presumably some solid state circuitry for extra voicing or distortion, but from what I've heard, the valves are used in a big way in the pedals so I can't imagine it's any different in these amps.  

Let me know if you get the chance to test them - I generally ballpark my tone for Mark Tremonti - medium - high gain and very aggressive mids.  

ThePrettyDamned

Sadly, the 2 distortion channels share an eq, which seems a bit of an oversight.

ecc83

ThePrettyDamned said:

Sadly, the 2 distortion channels share an eq, which seems a bit of an oversight.

Would have made the amp considerably more expensive. Maybe there is a Metal Series 104 in the pipeline? 

And the valve line up is 2xECC83 in the pre amps but also an ECC82 (do NOT fit anything else|!) as the PA valve driver...And yes, there is a lot of opamp tone shaping but most of the pre amp dirt comes from the valves.

Dave.

dindude

The 5 watt version just got a gold rating the latest issue of Guitarist mag, so it must be good (cynical hat on).

In all seriousness, hope they've given the metal some dynamics and like you said, some aggression, the HT series need this much more than it needed more gain.

ThePrettyDamned

ecc83 said:

ThePrettyDamned said:

Sadly, the 2 distortion channels share an eq, which seems a bit of an oversight.

Would have made the amp considerably more expensive. Maybe there is a Metal Series 104 in the pipeline? 

And the valve line up is 2xECC83 in the pre amps but also an ECC82 (do NOT fit anything else|!) as the PA valve driver...And yes, there is a lot of opamp tone shaping but most of the pre amp dirt comes from the valves.

Dave.

I was really hoping you'd chip in

Sounds good - I remember ICBM talking about the pedals and saying how, although TS derived, the valve *is* absolutely important and is used for a gut load of gain.  

I don't mind solid state distortion - I play a bandit! But my dream amp is a 6505+ or 5153.  The Blackstar looks like it could be a serious contender.  I can live without a seperate eq - a pedal could provide the missing link, and as you say, cost is a big deal in the HT range.  

ThePrettyDamned

dindude said:

The 5 watt version just got a gold rating the latest issue of Guitarist mag, so it must be good (cynical hat on).

In all seriousness, hope they've given the metal some dynamics and like you said, some aggression, the HT series need this much more than it needed more gain.

Absolutely.  My 'metal' tone doesn't focus on tons of gain - it's more about a high output pickup and a moderate gain, where a different eq would give something only a bit gainier than your average Guns and Roses record.  Basically, heavy bass and the mids and treble set for a really aggressive snarly sound.  If you strum, you get a classic rock, but when you really pick hard and mute, it's a really heavy sound. 

dindude

ThePrettyDamned said:

dindude said:

The 5 watt version just got a gold rating the latest issue of Guitarist mag, so it must be good (cynical hat on).

In all seriousness, hope they've given the metal some dynamics and like you said, some aggression, the HT series need this much more than it needed more gain.

Absolutely.  My 'metal' tone doesn't focus on tons of gain - it's more about a high output pickup and a moderate gain, where a different eq would give something only a bit gainier than your average Guns and Roses record.  Basically, heavy bass and the mids and treble set for a really aggressive snarly sound.  If you strum, you get a classic rock, but when you really pick hard and mute, it's a really heavy sound. 

Agreed. I've been comparing my new Bogner Red to my HT Dist today and whereas the HT sounds good with humbuckers and a bit weaker (but largely the same sound) with single coils, I was astonished that the Red is like a different pedal with a Strat, it's like high-gain Hendrix, sounds amazing with loads of dynamics and takes a neck pickup very well, then plug in a high output bridge 'bucket and your into Van Halen territory with no change of settings - like you say the trick to good high gain (or the sort I like anyway) is to push it over the edge with the guitar, not all with piled on and compressed gain at the pre-amp.

ThePrettyDamned

I love mega compression for solos though.  My favourite solo tone of all time is the Boss DS-2 in Turbo mode - it's just bloody awesome.  

Not sure how it'd work into an already dirty amp, so it might be a case of going from dirty amp gain to clean channel/ds-2 on.  Hmm.  

Anyway, looks like an interesting amp.  Can't wait to try one out.

guitarfishbay

Dave are you still at Blackstar and is a metal 104 in the pipeline?

I thought the 1046L6 was the metal 104?

These HT Metals should sell ok. I think a lot of high gain players wanted that kind of voicing from the original HT series rather than the more 'British influenced' sound they have.

ecc83

guitarfishbay said:

Dave are you still at Blackstar and is a metal 104 in the pipeline?

I thought the 1046L6 was the metal 104?

These HT Metals should sell ok. I think a lot of high gain players wanted that kind of voicing from the original HT series rather than the more 'British influenced' sound they have.

Sadly no, family health reasons.

Not as far as I know. I am pretty sure the 104 6l6 is just a different OP valve flavour but there have been some tweaks to the voicing so it was not just a valve swop* and a re-bias.

But B's are always listening! Email them or join the forum and tell them what you would like to see. Many of the product variations have come from outside ideas and the "modular" nature of the Series Ones makes it relatively easy to build prototype specials..NOT! That they will make anyone a custom amp! (well, not unless you are  a m.millionare rock god!)

*Now, NOT by any means even SLIGHTLY official but. The amps could all probably cope with different OP valves. I would guess there is enough bias range. IF you have the technicals and the kit you could try L6's and in the HT-20 I have heard "internally" that 6V6 can be used. Corse! You might fork the valves but I doubt you would damage an amp.

Dave.

ThePrettyDamned

Hoping to try one of these sometime soon. I'll post my thoughts I've got high hopes, I really like the blackstar sound, and they seem to be pretty sturdy and reliable.

ThePrettyDamned

Just bumping this up - anyone heard one or tried one out yet?