What impresses me the most about the Blackstar brand is that it's perfectly acceptable not to like their sound , but they keep innovating. For instance, they are now trying to make a lighter amp with this one , something most brands don't even attempt. Not to mention the modeling, which I believe is the future. The Silverline series is exceptional, no matter the model. I have the Stereo Deluxe at home, and it's absolutely amazing. Plus, the Architect software is incredibly easy to understand and use daily. There are no complicated menus, everything is straightforward.
I really love the aesthetic of these amps and their clean tone. Dont really care about it being lightweight since i dont gig, but I completely understand why that would be a selling point for many people. I think BlackStar did a phenomenal job on these.
I’ve been gigging with a blackstar ht-20 mkii combo the last year and I use the direct out into the mixer and I couldn’t be happier with the way it sounds. These cab sims sound absolutely KILLER. I may have to upgrade soon.
yeah totally agree with you, EL34 look, sound and features are amazing. Im a bit of a Blackstar fiend and already have a few of their digital and valve amps. so happy they made these, but my wallet is sad!!
I always snubbed Blackstar, thought they were less then but I have to say this amp is worth looking at! I bought the EL34 version after watching Pete and others play it and remarked how good it was, when it arrived I was hopeful but skeptical, well I was shocked! This amp kicks ass! Pedals sound great with it! And it is light and I need that because I have a bad back! This amp is loud and clean! Very happy😊!
WOAH at 16:50 in - DAMN that reverb and clean sound is INCREDIBLE!!! How "DIFFERENT" did you think the NEWER Ferrite speakers in the cabs as compared to other HI END Celestron - is it PUNCHIER or CRISPER - able to do more work with LESS energy - how does the lightness of the speaker affect the overall SPEAKER sound - can you illuminate on that!?
Wow, that outro jam was insane! Rabea played some really beautiful lines! As usual, great review! Glad I went with the EL34! Definitely the more warmer vintage tone.
Played on of these (6l6) today. Phenomenal! The Eq is ridiculously responsive and the tones seemed endless for such a small form factor and yes: they're really light!
I've watched a few reviews on these and it seems that the clean channel is REALLY clean all the way through its settings- kind of wish there was a bit of bluesy gain available in Channel 1. They sound pretty good, especially the EL34 version. Cool technology, nice to see some interesting innovation.
Glad they added a DI option to the output.. there are a few amps now with this loaded down ouputs on the back that force you to use their built in cab sims, this means you can take the pure sound of the head and send that signal it into something else to use other IRs
I love Blackstar's line of Venue series amps! I have the HT Club 40 combo and the HT 20 Studio head with matching 1 by 12 cab. Both great and versatile amps!
El guitardo....the ht club 40 that you've got...is it the mki or mkii. ? If it's the mki ...how long have you had it and has it given you any problems? Thanks man
I used one of these when trying a Gibson S335. The resulting clean tones were rich and haunting. Perfect for a hollow-body. I then added gain and easily got the 335 to produce that famous snarl. Now selling my TVP60-Artisan to get cash together to buy a St James combo.
@@NuclearDeathWalk most companies do large amounts of r&d before releasing to the public. Part of that is giving the product to professionals & having them put it through its paces in real world scenarios. I’d be willing to bet Will wasn’t the only player using one of these on tour recently road testing them for Blackstar. I don’t gig anymore but I would’ve loved to have the EL34 head & cab when I was playing out regularly. Light, tons of great features & from what I’ve heard from 4 or 5 demos they sound great.
If I hadn't just bought a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb I'd be all over one of these combos. I hope people buy these and other amp companies take note. It's about time tube amps got lighter! With how good digital tech sounds these days you hear the weight of an actual amp being cited more and more as a reason not to bother with tube amps anymore. For somebody who lives in a city, having a lightweight rig is paramount: cars dependency SUCKS, parking is rare, subways are great but the tradeoff is you have to carry your stuff by hand.
Fourth, like the bridge. Saw these being put on display and tested out our local shop last night. The 6L6 black one sounded mighty, and incredibly lightweight to lift.
Blackstar is like that one friend who can play with the big boys, but most people view it as that odd middle ground of beginner and intermediate level of "class" even though it's a decent brand in my view.
Greetings from 'merica. You guys put out some of the most informative and entertaining content available anywhere. But please don't hold balls like that ever again. Great trio of amps.
I have to admit…. This amp has me really excited… I think the price is right on if it sounds this good, has all these features and is super lightweight! My only concern is the reliability…. That’s a LOT of new tech to pack into one package and I would bet it would be really hard to find an amp tech that could work on the digital components. Some of these retailers might offer a free 2 yr warranty so check into that!
So I have a lot of amps. A lot of higher end amps. This amp I got is the head and 2x12 in 6L6 version. It is really great for the price point. I have one gripe. With all the technology built into this amp, it is a total bumble that you added a 9volt plug to the cabinet to light the logo, but did not include power from the head unit to accommodate it. That is a total engineering bumble to not have that included in such a design. Love the amp. You did a great job with the design, but that was a total miscue.
Rabea makes a good point lots of gear out there that allows you to load your own IR's with multiple affects out there that are all tube like the Revv D20 & Revv 7-40 for a bit more and you do get a lot more.
I usually like more prominent flame tops, so I don't know what it is - perhaps just the fact that the venerable Danish Pete is holding it - but that Les Paul is absolutely gorgeous. Great video and juicy playing as always.
These are 50 watt amps - they are priced correctly. I'm not sure what prices people are expecting. Even a DSL 40 combo in the states is up over a grand now.
Just tryed the blonde combo version. The best blackstar amp i've played. It's all in one, no need for effects, light. Volume very manageable at home. I can't really tell at gig volume. The sound is always great on both channel. But that's it, the sound is not magic. A bit too closed, lack of low end. Reverb decent. Kind of a cheap and light version of the supersonic 22 fender. It's a decent, efficient and very practical amp, playable in any scenario. Especially if you don't use pedalboards. But you won't never have THE sound. At same price range, and with same features (light, payable at home and gig, direct output with ir, reverb), I think a fender tonemaster deluxe with a good drive will sound much better and will be as practicale.
I found the Tonemasters sound sterile and respond not at all like a tube amp to your playing. Did you try them or are you saying that based on watching RUclips reviews? I'm having a hard time believing a full tube amp sounds bader
@@rodolphep0nthus555 Already tested the tonemaster deluxe . It's not bad for the price, if you're looking for a really light amp, playable at home and gig. But it's not as good than the valve version. Even with valve, The blackstar is not impressiv with its sound. But it's light. This is what i'm comparing.
Is 50 watts enough to play a large club/theater? I never liked to rely on monitors solely. I needed my amp loud behind me but I played an 800 that always had enough power to blow my socks off on stage.
Blackstar ⚫ are underrated hopefully these new awesome amps gets the respect they deserve. Plus Blackstar is a great name and it's my favorite yngwie malmsteen song lol
These amps always sound good in demos but my concern would be over the reliability with all that stuff inside - of course they are not alone at packing stuff into an amp and maybe it isn't an issue any more. However, since a fair amount of the parts are likely unique to these amps (eg the lightweight transformers) I wonder if spares will be available and for how long? I believe they no longer sell spares for some of the HT amps for example. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Blackstar fan and long time owner of an Artisan 15, I hope my concerns are groundless and these amps get Blackstar the recognition and sales they so rightly deserve.
Always a valid discussion regarding internal technology. Often seen with regards to a blackstar amps build. Makes me smile though. Folks pay £1000 on a high tech phone which is generally unrepairable from a component view. They on average last a couple of years then buy another. Or pay 40-50 quid a month for the same. No-one comments on this fact. What's the difference? I've gigged and rehearsed blackstar amps weekly for 10 years. Never had one issue of any sort.
Blackstar is good stuff. I had the little one watt amp and it was built like a tank, but it couldn’t get on with the distortion channel. I had it for years and it was solid.
Current owner of the HT1R MkII, and I love the cleans but I'm with you regarding the distortion. It does the modern, super-saturated thing ok but that's just not really what I'm after. I'd prefer if it were better at edge of breakup and crunch.
I love these videos, the weight gives cause for concern, components quality and durability for a busy working band will test these true design and durability. I wonder what the chassis and build quality is inside. A sheep in wolfs clothing perhaps, time will test them I guess.
Plus, considering Blackstar's history of calling things "All Valve" that aren't neccicarily so, I'd quite like to see what's going on inside one of those.
@@JordanJamesAW Who cares? It's the tone that matters. Far out people are dumb and I'm not saying you fall into this camp but from your comment it sounds like it, oh no they can't own an amazing sounding amp because in their opinion it has been built wrong. SMH. FWIW even those amps of Blackstar that have the equivalent of a pedal in front of a tube amp for the gain channel have always been real tube amp, it's just on their high gain channel it's a pedal in front of a tube amp. The clean channel has always been a real tube amp and the high gain channel is still a real tube amp but with a pedal in front of it. Nothing has ever stopped people from being able to run their traditional pedals in front of the all tube clean channel and the high gain channels have always sounded great so it's insane people have had a negative perception of those amps just because of an insane opinion about how an amp should be constructed.
John my son is about as unforgiving on amps and gear as anyone can get, when he goes on tour his stuff gets absolutely beat. His Blackstar tube amp and his Blackstar TVP amp have both looked like they have gone through a war and both still sound and function like the day they were brand new. The TVP got played in the rain and the rain was switching his channels as he played and it went across a desert bouncing around in a trailer getting filled with red dirt on a road that was rough enough to break the trailer so that it got left behind, he still plays live with that cheap light amp.
The accountants build the Amps I know the corners they save money on, caps, circuit boards, cheap Transformers and low cost components.You get what you pay for but even the best cut corners, so lesser brands like Blackstar at this price point are not exempt. I’ll bet we open one up and find numerous design, component and build issues. 99% of sound comes from the players hands the other 1% from Guitar and Amp anyway.
@@novicejohnd5803 You are basing your fears on the actions of others instead of looking at the history of Blackstar. Look into who started the company and why they started it. Then look at their track record. Pull stuff apart or you want and make unfounded prejudiced assumptions all you want but I'll go off track record. I've owned lots of cheap gear and lots of inexpensive Blackstar gear and like I said regarding my son, I have never met anyone with the same lack of respect to gear or possessions as my son, he has the ultimate passion fingers, he f'ks everything he touches and his blackstar amps that I bought new look like they belong on a rubbish tip as does pretty much everything else he owns with the key difference his Blackstar stuff still functions like new while pretty much anything else he has owned is either at the dump or waiting to be taken to the dump. Considering his Blackstar amps have been a HT and a TVP, Blackstar's budget amps, I really have no fear that Blackstar's inexpensive amps might be cheap crap because they are not. But then we have the reality that this amp isn't a cheap amp. For an amp that uses a switching power supply, it's actually an expensive amp. Being a switching power supply, I'm 100% certain in the future that power supply will be the common point of repair but considering the life of quality switching power supplies these days and the amount a guitar amp gets used, it will be a long time before the power supply needs repairs and even then from the look inside from another video, it looks like a very repairable part of the amp when it does eventually fail long after the original owner has finished with it. I'm really thinking now about getting both versions of this new amp as possibly the last amps I'll ever buy. I think between the two I'll have every tone I have ever wanted or could ever want.
I dunno, it seems to get a bit mushy as the gain comes up..? My experience with BStar is this... as the volume gets higher the difference becomes more apparent. Compared to Engl, or Mesa, or Marshall, etc.
Pete, I need your help. I'm trying to decide between a Blackstar St. James EL34 and a Revv D25. Is there any chance you could do a shootout between these two amps? I would love to compare them side by side mic'd and direct out, and get your insight about the sound and the features. I think there would be a lot of interest from serious buyers. I know this is an older video. So the chances of you seeing this post are slim, but if you do, I think it would be a cool video.
@GearSlayer No; a real amp tech like Psionics - then we'd get an honest appraisal of whether these things would be repairable when something goes wrong.
I'm a bit suprised you guys havent had the preview/briefing that Blackstar have been doing up ot the release of this where, at least some of your queries and unknowns were addressed by the designer. WHy not get them on the show?
There's new padle amps now. Aren't they actually amps. Is blackstar using this tech? Very cool. Light less expensive, reliable?? And sounds good. All for it.
I have the series 1 el34 head. It will kill any Marshall no exaggeration. Beautiful cleans and that crunch channel does blues to heavy classic rock. I tried a lot of amps, high end blackstar gives the sound of chunky beefy slushes tone. Sami Hagars guitarist uses them. So enough shite talk from me.
The black one is more to my liking but it sounds non-descript, not bad just doesn't really have a flavor like a Marshall. It's closest to a Boogie to my ears but not a Boogie.
It doesn't have a traditional transformer. That's what makes it so light, and the power supply they're using instead both enables it to use ANY input voltage on earth (so real nice for international touring) and supplies dc voltage to the plates of the tubes, instead of ac, which is actually better on the system and makes for more stable operation. Those are way cool.
Zephyr = a light barely perceptible breeze, hence the use of the name to imply light weight. The Andertons product pages show the reduced power as 5W rather than the 2W indicated on the amps...
@@RByrne I'd guess that Blackstar have got it right and applied the correct "stickers" on the amps to match the performance? The Owner's Manual states 2W.
@@UltimateAccuracy okay cool. I had an HT5 that had a different low output rating on the back than the front. I assumed it was because it was a limited run they changed it on the front plate but the back was the same as always.
Miniun speakers always sound cheap. But these sound wow. Imagine this amp with some vintage 30s. Im sold . Gettin one soon. El34 is just blues man. Thats an allround gigging amp.
I`m really liking these videos, I think you are doing a great job, enjoy the joking, love the playing and the demos. Those new amps sound pretty good. About the same price as my Marshal DSL20 1/4 stack, which I`m liking. These vids sound great through my surround sound. Hope Blackstar does good with them, like to see the music industry pushing on. Intro and outro jams are great!
This comment is crazy. You don't just play this stuff through a surround sound system. You have no idea what you're doing if that's what you're doing. Means you don't get to have an opinion on the actual sound.
@@noname-ng6sj Wow, whats up with that? I watch all the RUclips videos on my TV, which doesnt make them sound to great, but with my surround sound cranked (hooked up to my TV) they sound pretty darn nice. I`m talking about Andertons video demos on you tube. Just so you know, I`m 65 yrs old, been playing guitar with tube amps for over 50 years, so I`ll have a opinion on any thing I want thank you.
@@noname-ng6sj How tf else is he supposed to watch videos on the internet? Is is supposed to teleport back in time directly to Andertons so he can listen in person? Lmao whats wrong with you dude?
My first real amp was a Blackstar. I’ll always have a fondness for the brand. That said, I wonder what space these inhabit. Expensive for entry level amp, too cheap for a boutique. The valves may be a sell but many will opt for a Fender Tonemaster and the victory v4 range offers valves, cab sim and a boutique vibe at much less. Good luck to Blackstar but I think they’ve nailed the product and maybe missed the business case. I hope I’m wrong though.
I think Blackstar just invented a new class. The every man's amp! That EL34 amp is perfect, perfect tone, perfect feature set, the one amp that does it all from bedroom to studio to stage. That amp is everything I have ever desired as far as tone goes with none of the compromises I'd need to make with other amps to get that tone. To get that clean tone with that crunch tone I'd need two very heavy and very expensive amps in a complicated rig that isn't practical or realistic and not at all bedroom friendly. Blackstar just brought out an amp that's everything I've wanted but not so expensive that it becomes undesirable or unattainable. I actually think the price is possibly perfect, I think that's as much money as Blackstar could ask without turning people away from what seems like such a killer amp. I think the answer to who this amp appeals to is think about what it would take to get these tones and versatility from another rig, how much would it cost, how complicated would it be? I'm super impressed with this amp and I think these guys here released the perfect video for this amp. Great start to the day.
@@KM-302 my comment discussed the business case not the sound specifically. It is up against some very tough competition that I have played and know to sound exceptionally good. That isn’t uninformed. It’s a fact. If this is better, and it may be, it’ll do well but as I said, it inhabits an unusual price point and I’ll be intrigued how it sells. It may be that Blackstar has nailed a gap in the market and I hope they have. I wish them well but it’s in between some excellent lower priced kit and some highly desirable boutiques. That wasn’t a troll comment, it isn’t uninformed, and it isn’t snarky. It’s a very valid question only time will answer.
I’m really considering Blackstar for the first time. Previously, i had 2-4 little issues with any of their models, but it seems that with this one, they’ve answered/solved all of them. Well played matchstar !
@@FenderMarko47 honestly it’s pretty awesome, very versatile and takes pedals excellently, sounds monstrous with every guitar I put through it (which is exactly what I’m after) but the clean channel is great and I’ve seen allot of guys use them for blues and jazz so they can do just about anything you want, ISF is sweet too, great tool for shaping the midrange, I’d describe my ideal sound as essentially Godzilla as a guitar tone and the HT40 achieves that pretty effortlessly
Man I have tried many amps but the ht 40 seems to sound so much better clean and driven than anything I have ever tried. I don't know why they aren't everyone's favorite. It's obvious they are a step ahead of everything to me. I have the 40 mkI and mkII so I can play them in stereo and it's ridiculously satisfying. Go Blackstar
@@FenderMarko47 I’ve had an HT40 for about 7 years now - absolute beast of a sound. Gave me the kind of drive and saturation I was looking for at the time. If I need a soaring lead tone for a part, that amp will always deliver
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 used to own both the screamer and thunder . I took the thunder to the shop and tried it against a st James . I can honestly say the st James sounded ‘ so modelled ‘ in comparison to the Engl. although I’d fair the st James doing middle of the road Marshall / crunch clean tones better than the Engl , even though it’s modelled to a degree
Bea and Pete nailed it around 5 mins into the video and say the design team were going for a Matchless / Morgan look with these. Look forward to gut shots to see if they've designed them to become obsolete like the HT series PCBs or if they will be long term serviceable amps
Nice! I run a small fan behind all my tube amps. Some of my old Peaveys had fans factory installed. I wish amps still had fans and ground switches. That’s what a gigging amp needs.
@@benlogan430 Didn't the ground switch effectively connect the strings of the guitar to mains live? I'm sure that seemed like a good idea at the time...
What impresses me the most about the Blackstar brand is that it's perfectly acceptable not to like their sound , but they keep innovating. For instance, they are now trying to make a lighter amp with this one , something most brands don't even attempt.
Not to mention the modeling, which I believe is the future. The Silverline series is exceptional, no matter the model.
I have the Stereo Deluxe at home, and it's absolutely amazing. Plus, the Architect software is incredibly easy to understand and use daily. There are no complicated menus, everything is straightforward.
I really love the aesthetic of these amps and their clean tone. Dont really care about it being lightweight since i dont gig, but I completely understand why that would be a selling point for many people. I think BlackStar did a phenomenal job on these.
I’ve been gigging with a blackstar ht-20 mkii combo the last year and I use the direct out into the mixer and I couldn’t be happier with the way it sounds. These cab sims sound absolutely KILLER. I may have to upgrade soon.
Actually some of the best sounding Cab Sims I have heard. Especially considering that it just comes with it.
The Blackstar Artist is such an underrated amp. Good for buyers because you can get them for a good price...
I can't decide if it looks more like a Matchstar, or a Blackless.
Maybe it's because it looks like a Morgan 😉
@@dennycrane2817 *removes lapel mic and exits studio*
MAN these amps are awesome! I've always played Orange and just off this video alone I'm thinking of exploring these! Awesome video
Definitely want both versions but I enjoy the el34 version and the look and tone! The combo is a choice for me!
yeah totally agree with you, EL34 look, sound and features are amazing. Im a bit of a Blackstar fiend and already have a few of their digital and valve amps. so happy they made these, but my wallet is sad!!
I always snubbed Blackstar, thought they were less then but I have to say this amp is worth looking at! I bought the EL34 version after watching Pete and others play it and remarked how good it was, when it arrived I was hopeful but skeptical, well I was shocked! This amp kicks ass! Pedals sound great with it! And it is light and I need that because I have a bad back! This amp is loud and clean! Very happy😊!
WOAH at 16:50 in - DAMN that reverb and clean sound is INCREDIBLE!!! How "DIFFERENT" did you think the NEWER Ferrite speakers in the cabs as compared to other HI END Celestron - is it PUNCHIER or CRISPER - able to do more work with LESS energy - how does the lightness of the speaker affect the overall SPEAKER sound - can you illuminate on that!?
Wow, that outro jam was insane! Rabea played some really beautiful lines! As usual, great review! Glad I went with the EL34! Definitely the more warmer vintage tone.
just a comment to appreciate how good rabea looks, such an amazing weightloss he's had, what a stud!
Played on of these (6l6) today. Phenomenal! The Eq is ridiculously responsive and the tones seemed endless for such a small form factor and yes: they're really light!
congrats !
I've watched a few reviews on these and it seems that the clean channel is REALLY clean all the way through its settings- kind of wish there was a bit of bluesy gain available in Channel 1. They sound pretty good, especially the EL34 version. Cool technology, nice to see some interesting innovation.
Two amazing players from metal to funk. Thank you Andertons. For making purchasing gear so insightful!
Thanks guy's, they both sound great but I much agree the EL34 tubed one is the kind.
Pete, "my fingers cut up but yeah... I still smile when I play"👍.
Even on the 2-watt setting, Pete got over 100 decibels.
That is quite impressive.
Not really. Speaker sensitivity is like 99db per watt at 1m. 2watts means like 102db.
Glad they added a DI option to the output.. there are a few amps now with this loaded down ouputs on the back that force you to use their built in cab sims, this means you can take the pure sound of the head and send that signal it into something else to use other IRs
Pete needs some more coffee! Fun video, guys! Always good to see Rabea and Pete together
Yes indeed
the sound of that tele is amazing
I love Blackstar's line of Venue series amps! I have the HT Club 40 combo and the HT 20 Studio head with matching 1 by 12 cab. Both great and versatile amps!
El guitardo....the ht club 40 that you've got...is it the mki or mkii. ? If it's the mki ...how long have you had it and has it given you any problems? Thanks man
@@UserUser-qt7mb it's the mk 1 I bought used about 6 years ago and yes the reverb is starting to malfunction.
Great playing gents. Looks like they are stepping up the quality and sound
I used one of these when trying a Gibson S335. The resulting clean tones were rich and haunting. Perfect for a hollow-body. I then added gain and easily got the 335 to produce that famous snarl. Now selling my TVP60-Artisan to get cash together to buy a St James combo.
IMO the big innovation here is a 2x12 cab at 30lbs. If it sounds great, I could see buying a few of those.
Pretty sure the mighty Will Sergeant had this amp out on this last Echo and The Bunnymen tour. Sure sounded great under his fingers.
only if he got an early pre-release model since they were just announced/released May 17th 2022.
@@NuclearDeathWalk most companies do large amounts of r&d before releasing to the public. Part of that is giving the product to professionals & having them put it through its paces in real world scenarios. I’d be willing to bet Will wasn’t the only player using one of these on tour recently road testing them for Blackstar.
I don’t gig anymore but I would’ve loved to have the EL34 head & cab when I was playing out regularly. Light, tons of great features & from what I’ve heard from 4 or 5 demos they sound great.
Wow that outro jam....Hats off guys!
both brilliant players great demo review lads!!!
These are pretty damn good!! - Well done Blackstar!...you have my attention 🤟👍
If I hadn't just bought a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb I'd be all over one of these combos. I hope people buy these and other amp companies take note. It's about time tube amps got lighter! With how good digital tech sounds these days you hear the weight of an actual amp being cited more and more as a reason not to bother with tube amps anymore. For somebody who lives in a city, having a lightweight rig is paramount: cars dependency SUCKS, parking is rare, subways are great but the tradeoff is you have to carry your stuff by hand.
Fourth, like the bridge.
Saw these being put on display and tested out our local shop last night. The 6L6 black one sounded mighty, and incredibly lightweight to lift.
Blackstar is like that one friend who can play with the big boys, but most people view it as that odd middle ground of beginner and intermediate level of "class" even though it's a decent brand in my view.
I have a blackstar IQ core 100 and love the amp.
I used an artisan 30 and that was absolutely a pro amp so I agree with you :)
You started with a metaphor and then fumbled it
When you’re live nobody cares what amp you’re using. All the crowd cares about is how much you’re rocking
@@TheMadMedek this is true but also totally irrelevant because you don't buy guitar amps for the crowd
Greetings from 'merica. You guys put out some of the most informative and entertaining content available anywhere. But please don't hold balls like that ever again. Great trio of amps.
Loved that white outline square around the skank face arrow
I have to admit…. This amp has me really excited… I think the price is right on if it sounds this good, has all these features and is super lightweight! My only concern is the reliability…. That’s a LOT of new tech to pack into one package and I would bet it would be really hard to find an amp tech that could work on the digital components.
Some of these retailers might offer a free 2 yr warranty so check into that!
When the talent meets hard work :) both are amazing
Love seeing Rabea together with Pete. Two legends!
10:03 Yes!! Please do this on every video where you use 2 different amps :)
Those are some GIANT frets on that Tele Rabe!
So I have a lot of amps. A lot of higher end amps. This amp I got is the head and 2x12 in 6L6 version. It is really great for the price point. I have one gripe. With all the technology built into this amp, it is a total bumble that you added a 9volt plug to the cabinet to light the logo, but did not include power from the head unit to accommodate it. That is a total engineering bumble to not have that included in such a design. Love the amp. You did a great job with the design, but that was a total miscue.
I like the look and sound of the EL34H. Priced above what I would buy "for fun" though.
Rabea makes a good point lots of gear out there that allows you to load your own IR's with multiple affects out there that are all tube like the Revv D20 & Revv 7-40 for a bit more and you do get a lot more.
Oh nice playing DP--those reverse pick scrapes!
First amp I've used all 12'oclock is the EVH 5150III until today I adjust the EQ because I just feel the need of adjusting them even I don't need to
damn, this really looks like a game changer.. the cab sim part sounds great!
I usually like more prominent flame tops, so I don't know what it is - perhaps just the fact that the venerable Danish Pete is holding it - but that Les Paul is absolutely gorgeous. Great video and juicy playing as always.
These are 50 watt amps - they are priced correctly. I'm not sure what prices people are expecting. Even a DSL 40 combo in the states is up over a grand now.
I bet sales are down on DSL 40s if that is the case.
Just tryed the blonde combo version. The best blackstar amp i've played. It's all in one, no need for effects, light. Volume very manageable at home. I can't really tell at gig volume. The sound is always great on both channel. But that's it, the sound is not magic. A bit too closed, lack of low end. Reverb decent. Kind of a cheap and light version of the supersonic 22 fender.
It's a decent, efficient and very practical amp, playable in any scenario. Especially if you don't use pedalboards. But you won't never have THE sound.
At same price range, and with same features (light, payable at home and gig, direct output with ir, reverb), I think a fender tonemaster deluxe with a good drive will sound much better and will be as practicale.
I found the Tonemasters sound sterile and respond not at all like a tube amp to your playing. Did you try them or are you saying that based on watching RUclips reviews? I'm having a hard time believing a full tube amp sounds bader
@@rodolphep0nthus555 Already tested the tonemaster deluxe . It's not bad for the price, if you're looking for a really light amp, playable at home and gig.
But it's not as good than the valve version.
Even with valve, The blackstar is not impressiv with its sound. But it's light. This is what i'm comparing.
That intro jam belongs in a Gran Turismo game. It's so sweet and fun
Hahaha, I definitely likened it to a video game track as well.
2:29 with the way he said it, I'm now convinced Pete watches Channel 5
It’s always a good day when one wakes up to find some dutch bea in the air. 😃😃
Is 50 watts enough to play a large club/theater? I never liked to rely on monitors solely. I needed my amp loud behind me but I played an 800 that always had enough power to blow my socks off on stage.
What's the pedal Rabea is using @44:30 please ? I could listen Rabeah & Pete for days jams for days ! 🔥
Blackstar ⚫ are underrated hopefully these new awesome amps gets the respect they deserve. Plus Blackstar is a great name and it's my favorite yngwie malmsteen song lol
4:33 ..what is the trick they missed ? i didnt understand ...
These amps always sound good in demos but my concern would be over the reliability with all that stuff inside - of course they are not alone at packing stuff into an amp and maybe it isn't an issue any more. However, since a fair amount of the parts are likely unique to these amps (eg the lightweight transformers) I wonder if spares will be available and for how long? I believe they no longer sell spares for some of the HT amps for example. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Blackstar fan and long time owner of an Artisan 15, I hope my concerns are groundless and these amps get Blackstar the recognition and sales they so rightly deserve.
Always a valid discussion regarding internal technology. Often seen with regards to a blackstar amps build. Makes me smile though. Folks pay £1000 on a high tech phone which is generally unrepairable from a component view. They on average last a couple of years then buy another. Or pay 40-50 quid a month for the same. No-one comments on this fact. What's the difference? I've gigged and rehearsed blackstar amps weekly for 10 years. Never had one issue of any sort.
@@KM-302 Anyone paying that much for a phone is an idiot. I'm paying 400 AT MOST and getting it repaired several times until it is virtually unusable
These sound GREAT. Nice to see Blackstar doing more stuff with the CabRig tech.
Blackstar is good stuff. I had the little one watt amp and it was built like a tank, but it couldn’t get on with the distortion channel. I had it for years and it was solid.
Current owner of the HT1R MkII, and I love the cleans but I'm with you regarding the distortion. It does the modern, super-saturated thing ok but that's just not really what I'm after. I'd prefer if it were better at edge of breakup and crunch.
I couldn’t agree more, that why I moved mine on to someone who would like the higher gain tones. I’m an overdrive kinda player.
I love these videos, the weight gives cause for concern, components quality and durability for a busy working band will test these true design and durability. I wonder what the chassis and build quality is inside. A sheep in wolfs clothing perhaps, time will test them I guess.
Plus, considering Blackstar's history of calling things "All Valve" that aren't neccicarily so, I'd quite like to see what's going on inside one of those.
@@JordanJamesAW Who cares? It's the tone that matters. Far out people are dumb and I'm not saying you fall into this camp but from your comment it sounds like it, oh no they can't own an amazing sounding amp because in their opinion it has been built wrong. SMH. FWIW even those amps of Blackstar that have the equivalent of a pedal in front of a tube amp for the gain channel have always been real tube amp, it's just on their high gain channel it's a pedal in front of a tube amp. The clean channel has always been a real tube amp and the high gain channel is still a real tube amp but with a pedal in front of it. Nothing has ever stopped people from being able to run their traditional pedals in front of the all tube clean channel and the high gain channels have always sounded great so it's insane people have had a negative perception of those amps just because of an insane opinion about how an amp should be constructed.
John my son is about as unforgiving on amps and gear as anyone can get, when he goes on tour his stuff gets absolutely beat. His Blackstar tube amp and his Blackstar TVP amp have both looked like they have gone through a war and both still sound and function like the day they were brand new. The TVP got played in the rain and the rain was switching his channels as he played and it went across a desert bouncing around in a trailer getting filled with red dirt on a road that was rough enough to break the trailer so that it got left behind, he still plays live with that cheap light amp.
The accountants build the Amps I know the corners they save money on, caps, circuit boards, cheap Transformers and low cost components.You get what you pay for but even the best cut corners, so lesser brands like Blackstar at this price point are not exempt. I’ll bet we open one up and find numerous design, component and build issues.
99% of sound comes from the players hands the other 1% from Guitar and Amp anyway.
@@novicejohnd5803 You are basing your fears on the actions of others instead of looking at the history of Blackstar. Look into who started the company and why they started it. Then look at their track record. Pull stuff apart or you want and make unfounded prejudiced assumptions all you want but I'll go off track record. I've owned lots of cheap gear and lots of inexpensive Blackstar gear and like I said regarding my son, I have never met anyone with the same lack of respect to gear or possessions as my son, he has the ultimate passion fingers, he f'ks everything he touches and his blackstar amps that I bought new look like they belong on a rubbish tip as does pretty much everything else he owns with the key difference his Blackstar stuff still functions like new while pretty much anything else he has owned is either at the dump or waiting to be taken to the dump. Considering his Blackstar amps have been a HT and a TVP, Blackstar's budget amps, I really have no fear that Blackstar's inexpensive amps might be cheap crap because they are not. But then we have the reality that this amp isn't a cheap amp. For an amp that uses a switching power supply, it's actually an expensive amp. Being a switching power supply, I'm 100% certain in the future that power supply will be the common point of repair but considering the life of quality switching power supplies these days and the amount a guitar amp gets used, it will be a long time before the power supply needs repairs and even then from the look inside from another video, it looks like a very repairable part of the amp when it does eventually fail long after the original owner has finished with it. I'm really thinking now about getting both versions of this new amp as possibly the last amps I'll ever buy. I think between the two I'll have every tone I have ever wanted or could ever want.
I dunno, it seems to get a bit mushy as the gain comes up..? My experience with BStar is this... as the volume gets higher the difference becomes more apparent. Compared to Engl, or Mesa, or Marshall, etc.
Pete, I need your help. I'm trying to decide between a Blackstar St. James EL34 and a Revv D25. Is there any chance you could do a shootout between these two amps? I would love to compare them side by side mic'd and direct out, and get your insight about the sound and the features. I think there would be a lot of interest from serious buyers. I know this is an older video. So the chances of you seeing this post are slim, but if you do, I think it would be a cool video.
For the weight, it must have tiny class-D transformers (like pedal amps). I would love to see the guts and see an amp tech review.
@GearSlayer No; a real amp tech like Psionics - then we'd get an honest appraisal of whether these things would be repairable when something goes wrong.
@@jjjddd231 I trust @TheGuitologist
@@jjjddd231 assuming you could get the parts even...
Great amps! Great opening jam! 🎸🎸🎸🎸
I'm a bit suprised you guys havent had the preview/briefing that Blackstar have been doing up ot the release of this where, at least some of your queries and unknowns were addressed by the designer. WHy not get them on the show?
Les Pauls are the most beautifull guitars ever created. Just four seconds and I was sold for that color. Geeeez.
Noises foot switch great looking amp still love my little British small amp
There's new padle amps now. Aren't they actually amps. Is blackstar using this tech? Very cool. Light less expensive, reliable?? And sounds good. All for it.
digging the kicks Rabea
Can someone please tell me what song that progression Rabea plays at 34:37 is from?
Love rollercoaster - I first heard the Red Hot Chili Peppers version but I think the original is Ohio Players
I have the series 1 el34 head. It will kill any Marshall no exaggeration. Beautiful cleans and that crunch channel does blues to heavy classic rock. I tried a lot of amps, high end blackstar gives the sound of chunky beefy slushes tone. Sami Hagars guitarist uses them. So enough shite talk from me.
Nice tones from both
The black one is more to my liking but it sounds non-descript, not bad just doesn't really have a flavor like a Marshall. It's closest to a Boogie to my ears but not a Boogie.
Blackstar did a good thing here.
It doesn't have a traditional transformer. That's what makes it so light, and the power supply they're using instead both enables it to use ANY input voltage on earth (so real nice for international touring) and supplies dc voltage to the plates of the tubes, instead of ac, which is actually better on the system and makes for more stable operation. Those are way cool.
These like the Crate Flexwave of the future/current? Awesome.
Rob has left the conversation.
Great sounding amps without pedals.
Im getting Blackstar Series One 45 vibes here. Sounds a bit similar.
Still using my orignal HT club 50 stack.. I guess people call it a mrk1 now...
Zephyr = a light barely perceptible breeze, hence the use of the name to imply light weight.
The Andertons product pages show the reduced power as 5W rather than the 2W indicated on the amps...
Do you know which is correct?
@@RByrne I'd guess that Blackstar have got it right and applied the correct "stickers" on the amps to match the performance? The Owner's Manual states 2W.
it goes 50 wats, sag, 2 watts
@@UltimateAccuracy okay cool. I had an HT5 that had a different low output rating on the back than the front. I assumed it was because it was a limited run they changed it on the front plate but the back was the same as always.
Thanks for spotting this. 2W is indeed correct, we have updated this on our product pages!
That EL34 version blew me away.
Miniun speakers always sound cheap. But these sound wow. Imagine this amp with some vintage 30s. Im sold . Gettin one soon. El34 is just blues man. Thats an allround gigging amp.
You can say what you want about the sound but at least they look sharp
The playing, guys! Jeez
I`m really liking these videos, I think you are doing a great job, enjoy the joking, love the playing and the demos. Those new amps sound pretty good. About the same price as my Marshal DSL20 1/4 stack, which I`m liking. These vids sound great through my surround sound. Hope Blackstar does good with them, like to see the music industry pushing on. Intro and outro jams are great!
This comment is crazy.
You don't just play this stuff through a surround sound system. You have no idea what you're doing if that's what you're doing. Means you don't get to have an opinion on the actual sound.
@@noname-ng6sj Wow, whats up with that? I watch all the RUclips videos on my TV, which doesnt make them sound to great, but with my surround sound cranked (hooked up to my TV) they sound pretty darn nice. I`m talking about Andertons video demos on you tube. Just so you know, I`m 65 yrs old, been playing guitar with tube amps for over 50 years, so I`ll have a opinion on any thing I want thank you.
@@noname-ng6sj How tf else is he supposed to watch videos on the internet? Is is supposed to teleport back in time directly to Andertons so he can listen in person? Lmao whats wrong with you dude?
@@noname-ng6sjI think YOUR comment is crazy…. Why do you need to be an asshat?
😂
My first real amp was a Blackstar. I’ll always have a fondness for the brand. That said, I wonder what space these inhabit. Expensive for entry level amp, too cheap for a boutique. The valves may be a sell but many will opt for a Fender Tonemaster and the victory v4 range offers valves, cab sim and a boutique vibe at much less. Good luck to Blackstar but I think they’ve nailed the product and maybe missed the business case. I hope I’m wrong though.
Maybe we all need to play one then judge what pedigree it has and what it's worth is rather than the usual internet uninformed bullshit.
@@KM-302 I tried one out in store about a week ago before all these videos came out. It was the el34 combo with the boost. Sounded really really good.
I think Blackstar just invented a new class. The every man's amp! That EL34 amp is perfect, perfect tone, perfect feature set, the one amp that does it all from bedroom to studio to stage. That amp is everything I have ever desired as far as tone goes with none of the compromises I'd need to make with other amps to get that tone. To get that clean tone with that crunch tone I'd need two very heavy and very expensive amps in a complicated rig that isn't practical or realistic and not at all bedroom friendly. Blackstar just brought out an amp that's everything I've wanted but not so expensive that it becomes undesirable or unattainable. I actually think the price is possibly perfect, I think that's as much money as Blackstar could ask without turning people away from what seems like such a killer amp. I think the answer to who this amp appeals to is think about what it would take to get these tones and versatility from another rig, how much would it cost, how complicated would it be? I'm super impressed with this amp and I think these guys here released the perfect video for this amp. Great start to the day.
@@KM-302 my comment discussed the business case not the sound specifically. It is up against some very tough competition that I have played and know to sound exceptionally good. That isn’t uninformed. It’s a fact.
If this is better, and it may be, it’ll do well but as I said, it inhabits an unusual price point and I’ll be intrigued how it sells. It may be that Blackstar has nailed a gap in the market and I hope they have. I wish them well but it’s in between some excellent lower priced kit and some highly desirable boutiques.
That wasn’t a troll comment, it isn’t uninformed, and it isn’t snarky. It’s a very valid question only time will answer.
I’m really considering Blackstar for the first time. Previously, i had 2-4 little issues with any of their models, but it seems that with this one, they’ve answered/solved all of them. Well played matchstar !
Very Cool Amps 👍👍🎶🎶🎸
They sound awesome but I’ll stick with my HT40, with the separate EQ and the ISF feature I think it’s worth the extra weight
I've got my eye on a HT40, heard good things.....how's yours?
@@FenderMarko47 honestly it’s pretty awesome, very versatile and takes pedals excellently, sounds monstrous with every guitar I put through it (which is exactly what I’m after) but the clean channel is great and I’ve seen allot of guys use them for blues and jazz so they can do just about anything you want, ISF is sweet too, great tool for shaping the midrange, I’d describe my ideal sound as essentially Godzilla as a guitar tone and the HT40 achieves that pretty effortlessly
Man I have tried many amps but the ht 40 seems to sound so much better clean and driven than anything I have ever tried. I don't know why they aren't everyone's favorite. It's obvious they are a step ahead of everything to me. I have the 40 mkI and mkII so I can play them in stereo and it's ridiculously satisfying. Go Blackstar
@@FenderMarko47 I’ve had an HT40 for about 7 years now - absolute beast of a sound. Gave me the kind of drive and saturation I was looking for at the time. If I need a soaring lead tone for a part, that amp will always deliver
Thankyou all, I'm just about convinced
I have a Blackstar studio 10 6L6…It sounds delish..
Peter! Man you had excessive amount of that blacked out coffee!
I'd like to hear a comparison with the Victory V30😃
25:30 Either someone had too much curry last night or that sounds really really good.
Una pregunta........... Dónde puedo conseguir una sudadera como la que dice "Anderstons" está super chida!!!
How does the el34 version compare to the original victory sheriff 44?
The jam at the end🤌🏼
which is better for getting like a 80s hair metal tone? the 6l6 or el34?
The price on these though, I think more options out there.
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 used to own both the screamer and thunder . I took the thunder to the shop and tried it against a st James . I can honestly say the st James sounded ‘ so modelled ‘ in comparison to the Engl. although I’d fair the st James doing middle of the road Marshall / crunch clean tones better than the Engl , even though it’s modelled to a degree
Bea and Pete nailed it around 5 mins into the video and say the design team were going for a Matchless / Morgan look with these. Look forward to gut shots to see if they've designed them to become obsolete like the HT series PCBs or if they will be long term serviceable amps
Nice! I run a small fan behind all my tube amps. Some of my old Peaveys had fans factory installed. I wish amps still had fans and ground switches. That’s what a gigging amp needs.
@@benlogan430 Didn't the ground switch effectively connect the strings of the guitar to mains live? I'm sure that seemed like a good idea at the time...
Nothing like a good Choob amp.
Can someone pass a message to Rabea to ask what those trainers are that he's wearing? They look great!
Thanks! They’re NikeSB Dunk Low Pro - in the Plum colourway 🙌🙌
@@RabeaMassaad Ooh yes, thank you sir!
Rabea is a cool shoe guy.
@@RabeaMassaad Can you tell us more about the black Tele? 🤩