negative - there is no power transformer in this amp. This uses a 400Vdc switching power supply like any home appliance or PA/mixing console would use(computers, TV's, wall warts, etc...). It is a big reason why this amp is so light, the power transformer is both the heaviest and the most expensive component in a tube amp. Obviously not an off the shelf one but reengineered to support the current demands of the tubes as well as having a negative bias tap and a tube 6Vdc heater tap. Also as you mentioned it uses Zephyr speakers which are light because of the ferrite magnets they use and the plywood is candlenut. This amp is gonna change the way tube amps are designed going forward. Bye Bye backpain!.....lol
Love his demo's. He plays very good and looks like a very friendly guy. And good explanations, he knows what he's talking about. This amp sounds awesome by the way. Very impressive.
That’s an impressive sounding amp. I d probably just play it at 50 watts in Sag mode all the time and mic it if needed. But, my non master amps already do that. The versatility and weight would be good for gigging, but I’m a studio player.
I really love this amplifier! Particularly with the thump that you get out of those el34s! The only thing that I'm not a fan of is the Reverb. It just is not deep, it just is not lush. I'm a Fender guy forever and a day! You just can't beat the Reverb that Fender amps have. But this Blackstar amp is really touch sensitive and has that really organic kind of breakup sorta like a Dr Z Maz 18 Jr vibe. For the price point I think it's a great deal! Thanks for the upload John and great playing their my friend!😉🎸🎶
Dude that amp is catching every single pick, finger, string, bite-y attack-y slice-ish , Snidely Cutlash nuance of every tonal innuendo that your fingers are putting out🤜💥🤛Man it's a Sick Puppy faSHO!🖤🖤 Has a great sounding midrange which you can't say about a lot of amps, since so many of em get boxy in the mids.
I think that is a criticism that could be levelled at many/most modern PCB based amps. I would expect that Blackstar want you to take the amp to an approved service centre/engineer so perhaps a better question is how many of those there are globally and how long they expect to support the amp for? - the latter because I believe they no longer sell some of the parts for the HT-5. It can be frustrating - I had an Orange amp that melted the output transformer and I wanted to replace it - simple swap, I build amps, I can do that... Do you think Orange would sell me the part? No chance.
Thinking about switching from my beloved Engl Screamer to the St. James (for various reasons). Anybody have any comparison between the two, would it be a downgrade tonewise to go from the Engl to the Blackstar?
To be fair this is a potential risk for any proprietary part in an amp or other gear. I had an Orange tube amp that melted the output tranny, its a simple swap, I build amps, I haz the skillz - but do you think Orange would sell me the transformer? Oh well, fitted a Hammond one that was better anyway and the amp still rocks many years later.
John could take a stick, put steel string on it, grab a pick up from a beginner guitar and plug it into a wall outlet and it would sound like Hendrix walked in. Great work brother.
I hate you. My son just watched this. He already has an HT Stage 100 MK II (I think) and a Blackstar 4 x 12. What are you trying to do to me?!😂 Now he's in the trading of his Marshall head mode!
I uncovered the PAF bridge pickup in my 1960 Gibson Les Paul I was getting feedback because of the cover on it and sounds killer I think Jimmy Page uncovered the bridge pickup on his number one Les Paul
@@DMSProduktions ya there's probably no difference from getting them factory uncovered or uncovering them yourself is there. The Gibson PAF they're probably all uncovered then they put covers on them they're probably not sold any different as far as that goes what do you think
That is totaly normal. Have you ever played a Stratocaster and a Les Paul with the same settings ? One thing that experienced guitarists know is that you gotta set your rig according to the type of guitar you're using. Humbuckers vs single coils. Didn't you know that? Well now you know
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negative - there is no power transformer in this amp. This uses a 400Vdc switching power supply like any home appliance or PA/mixing console would use(computers, TV's, wall warts, etc...). It is a big reason why this amp is so light, the power transformer is both the heaviest and the most expensive component in a tube amp. Obviously not an off the shelf one but reengineered to support the current demands of the tubes as well as having a negative bias tap and a tube 6Vdc heater tap. Also as you mentioned it uses Zephyr speakers which are light because of the ferrite magnets they use and the plywood is candlenut. This amp is gonna change the way tube amps are designed going forward. Bye Bye backpain!.....lol
Love his demo's. He plays very good and looks like a very friendly guy. And good explanations, he knows what he's talking about.
This amp sounds awesome by the way. Very impressive.
With John's awesome playing he makes anything sound good.
Great demo John. You can make any amp sound great. Looking forward trying it out. Thank you.
Sound absolutely stunning!👌
Thumbs up for the Chet lick! Amp sounds stellar
That’s an impressive sounding amp. I d probably just play it at 50 watts in Sag mode all the time and mic it if needed. But, my non master amps already do that. The versatility and weight would be good for gigging, but I’m a studio player.
John Bohlinger is another one of those guys who can make pretty much anything sound good. Love his reviews and interviews.
Johnny alway a pleasure hearing ya play , u can make anything sound good , that’s talent 😱🎶🎸thanks John !
I really love this amplifier! Particularly with the thump that you get out of those el34s!
The only thing that I'm not a fan of is the Reverb.
It just is not deep, it just is not lush. I'm a Fender guy forever and a day!
You just can't beat the Reverb that Fender amps have.
But this Blackstar amp is really touch sensitive and has that really organic kind of breakup sorta like a Dr Z Maz 18 Jr vibe.
For the price point I think it's a great deal!
Thanks for the upload John and great playing their my friend!😉🎸🎶
Your hands and that Les Paul would make any amp sounds good !
I own two Blackstar amps, now. Perhaps a third is not far off...? However, I am going to look at the other version of this amplifier first!
Pretty impressive, been looking at many demos and this one is calling me! 😉🎶👌🏻🔥
Dude that amp is catching every single pick, finger, string, bite-y attack-y slice-ish , Snidely Cutlash nuance of every tonal innuendo that your fingers are putting out🤜💥🤛Man it's a Sick Puppy faSHO!🖤🖤
Has a great sounding midrange which you can't say about a lot of amps, since so many of em get boxy in the mids.
Love his playing!
Sounds good. Open it up and let's see how serviceable it is.
I think that is a criticism that could be levelled at many/most modern PCB based amps. I would expect that Blackstar want you to take the amp to an approved service centre/engineer so perhaps a better question is how many of those there are globally and how long they expect to support the amp for? - the latter because I believe they no longer sell some of the parts for the HT-5. It can be frustrating - I had an Orange amp that melted the output transformer and I wanted to replace it - simple swap, I build amps, I can do that... Do you think Orange would sell me the part? No chance.
Fundamentally how good you need to be to gig professionally.
Tasty picking sir.
The amp sounds like the old, original Classic 30
And weighs half of the classic.
Such a good player amp sounds great as well
VERY NICE
Man I forget how good John is at guitar
How dare you
You must not know any good players, very nieve
naive*
Damn that amp sings with John playing 😱
very cool review !! and lovely playing off cource !!i think i'm gonna check those amps out !!!
Really want to get this little guy… this clip isn’t doing my bank account any favors, thanks for nothing you guys! Haha
Sorry!
@@premierguitar NO you're not! ;oP
Killer demo as always John! Amp sounds pretty nice, not sure why so many hate on this company. They make good sounding amps!
Silly fan boys. The founders of Blackstar used to work for Marshall, so Marshall fan boys hate them.
Thinking about switching from my beloved Engl Screamer to the St. James (for various reasons). Anybody have any comparison between the two, would it be a downgrade tonewise to go from the Engl to the Blackstar?
I couldn't get parts for older Blackstar, and I am obviously still bitter. "Parts" was a chip board.
The sound that’s in you head 😂
To be fair this is a potential risk for any proprietary part in an amp or other gear. I had an Orange tube amp that melted the output tranny, its a simple swap, I build amps, I haz the skillz - but do you think Orange would sell me the transformer? Oh well, fitted a Hammond one that was better anyway and the amp still rocks many years later.
I feel the same waiting for a ceramic octal tube socket part for my Studio 10 EL34. It needs a mini board that holds it.
It's to make you buy a new amp every couple years after your Warranty is up. .
Do you feel any improvement compared to series one and HT series?
I have a MK2 venue 50 watt
👍🏻👍🏻
Sounds very much like you started with some Jerry Reed inspired licks
Savage 🤟🏼
John could take a stick, put steel string on it, grab a pick up from a beginner guitar and plug it into a wall outlet and it would sound like Hendrix walked in. Great work brother.
I hate you. My son just watched this.
He already has an HT Stage 100 MK II (I think) and a Blackstar 4 x 12.
What are you trying to do to me?!😂
Now he's in the trading of his Marshall head mode!
G.A.S. prices are way up. Shit
F.A.R.T.
Did you uncover your neck pickup
It came like that...I've changed pickups a lot in this guitar. I think they are both #Dimarzio PAFs. thanks
I uncovered the PAF bridge pickup in my 1960 Gibson Les Paul I was getting feedback because of the cover on it and sounds killer I think Jimmy Page uncovered the bridge pickup on his number one Les Paul
@@crunch_amp9282 IF you want more clarity and treble from your humbuckers, ALWAYS get them uncovered, ot IF they are covered, take them OFF!
@@DMSProduktions ya there's probably no difference from getting them factory uncovered or uncovering them yourself is there. The Gibson PAF they're probably all uncovered then they put covers on them they're probably not sold any different as far as that goes what do you think
@@crunch_amp9282 Correct!
Good to see Blackstar got rid of that Tonka Toy amp logo
Sounds a bit bass heavy
Is the name a metallic reference?👀
No. Pretty sure it is a reference to Jim Marshall.
How the hell can you play a gig with no sound on stage and just in ears..I couldnt do it
47% lighter than what??? WTF? so how much does it weigh????? If that is such a big selling feature, why is it a secret?
Big volume drop off from the Les Paul to the Strat.
That is totaly normal. Have you ever played a Stratocaster and a Les Paul with the same settings ?
One thing that experienced guitarists know is that you gotta set your rig according to the type of guitar you're using. Humbuckers vs single coils. Didn't you know that?
Well now you know
@@rodolpheponthus2948 I
@@rodolpheponthus2948 I knew. I've had an SG & Strat for years.
Only one big mistake here you used a Gibson instead of the great Epiphone..
Agreed 👍🏻
Which Epiphone has he been using ?
I love my Epiphone guitars. I have 3 of them, all great.
@@johnbohlinger I don’t blame ya , I love em too. I’m curious to know which ones you have John ?
parts are cheep
F
sounds good, looks boutique, but I can't comprehend $1300 for a Chinese box. that's almost laughable
british
Then throw your IPhone out the window 😂
@@rodolphep0nthus555 He sounds like a Samsung guy….