Black Spirit 200 Floor - Pros and Cons - Things to watch out for!

/ musicbyiank
/ musicbyiank
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Hi folks, this video is something I've been wanting to put together for a little while about my new Hughes and Kettner Black Spirit 200 Floor. It's an awesome amp, I love the sounds, but this video is not about the sounds, it's about the quirks that I've come across.
You can compare the sound of a guitar cab to a full range cab starting at 11:04
You can hear the difference the guitar cab/full range cab switch makes when it's switched in advertently to the wrong cabinet at 14:04
You can see how I pack this unit for fly-in shows at 16:14

[@ianmitchell-gill7393]

Just bought one and it will arrive soon. This helps me out enormously! Should be perfect for the small-time stuff I do. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.

[@musicbyiank]

Cheers,man. I’m certain that you will love it!

[@metalstrings7726]

Great review! Answered many"real"questions. Completely understood what your video was to cover(no extra sounds/modeling).

[@musicbyiank]

Cheers brother. I hope it helped you out.

[@michaelgotthardt4727]

I absolutely love my BS200 ( I have the combo, but I used to have the floor). You are right about the bluetooth- I have never been able to get it working on either model. You can pick these up used on the cheap if you are patient. Nice job.

[@musicbyiank]

Thanks for checking out the video! I still love the amp, but have moved on to an Ampman Modern for the foreseeable future… Cheers!

[@brivington2011]

Thanks for posting!

[@russelltaylor3102]

Good real world review. Thinking about getting one. Sounds impressive.

[@musicbyiank]

It’s a really great amp.. the more I use it, the more I Iike it. I hope the video helped you out.

[@russelltaylor3102]

@@musicbyiank Yes it did for largely all the same reasons you have one 😎🙏

[@dw1784]

I saw that the amp head is a bit cheaper, but it doesn't come with the footswitch pedal. When you add that in it's more expensive than the floor amp. I just bought mine in November and I got a sweet deal of $999 CAD because it was a demo. Still looked new and full warranty. I got a steal of a deal and it sounds great!

[@musicbyiank]

Very nice! I’m sure you will love it! I love mine.

[@RockerDave12]

You're right. It is awesome. BUT... selling at $1000 or more here in the states, it's a bit out of reach for me. I COULD get a used Marshall 100-watt tube head with a slanted cab for $1000, or a new Bugera 333XL Infinium 120-watt Tube Head for $730, or a used Peavey 150 watt 212 combo for $300. I just saying there's other ways to ride the Lightning.

[@musicbyiank]

Ride the lightning… lol….Love it! Yeah you’re right, and actually a friend of mine uses a Bugera and has a killer sound, but, this amp is new, and compared to other new amps, I feel like it’s priced fairly well. Mine came in at $1300 with taxes (in Canada), I think, but a 5150iii starts at $1800+taxes or so. For me though, I’m using this amp specifically because it’s not a head, and is in front of me on the floor. I think I could now get a Blackstar Amped 3 for cheaper, but it doesn’t have delay. Cheers!

[@Jrockneta]

Thanks by experience. I'll think, my next step.

[@zyp205]

Black Star!

[@musicbyiank]

Still love my Blackstar… This sounds very much like it IMO.

[@rankinf123]

Very informative and helpful. I've been thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these units. I've been a little apprehensive because the fact the amp is out on stage, away from the cab and, possibly a power supply. Have you encountered venues where plug ins aren't available at the front of the stage? I know you have the 50 foot amp cable, but you would still need to plug in your wireless.

[@musicbyiank]

I’ve not had an issue at any venue, and we always carry a few extension cords and power bars, so it’s a pretty easy solution, actually. I got a long power cord with this when I bought it, but an extension cord will suffice. I also bought the 50’ speaker cable. I play theatres and festival stages often enough, this cable has been long enough. Hope this helps. Cheers!

[@johnwirk]

My first H&K black spirit 200 failed in 8 months. Contacted seller (sweetwater) and they sent me another one. The second one failed right at the 2 year mark as of yesterday. Both could no longer power on. The fact I paid right at 1k for the amp new really chapps my arce when I have a friend with a cheap line6 head and it has sat in a building with humidity for 10 years and still plays.

[@johnwirk]

For insight on my situation, I only play guitar about 45 mins a day on average. My master volumn was usually around the 9 oclock and the channel vol sat around 12 oclock with the wattage set at 20. No excuse for the failures.

[@musicbyiank]

@@johnwirk Wow! I would be pretty unimpressed with that kind of issue. I've had mine for coming up on two years now, and (knock on wood) have had no problems, but I've switched to using an Ampman Modern instead (it's even smaller), so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully you get your issues with yours sorted out.

[@johnwirk]

@@musicbyiank Yea Im pretty upset. I had actually saved money a few years back and thought, "I'm going to buy a nice amp for once". Blacl spirit had JUST came out and was just under 1k. I bit like a zombie. I dont know how well the tubemeisters have held up but the SS version was a failire from my experience.

[@SleepSoundlyQuell]

You can buy generic screw on replacement rubber feet.

[@musicbyiank]

I will plan on doing that shortly…. Thank you.

[@WannDann2-cz6ms]

I played Kemper and Helix.... both Amps sound good but I can not feel the tube punch on the stage.... can I expect the physical real tube punch and strongess on stage...or is the HK only good sounding?

[@musicbyiank]

This is always a subject of debate… lol. For me, the Black Spirit is as good as any tube amp that I’ve ever used, and I’ve used a bunch. It doesn’t have the same kind of feel as a 5150, but I think it does have the same kind of feel as a Marshall JCM900 or JCM2000, but that’s just my opinion. I love the live sound of it, though, and for me, I would never spend the money on a Kemper.

[@vondragonnoggin]

Are you still using this for your gigs? How are the quality of fx in it? I’m pretty simple effects user - sparse. A little chorus sometimes. Delay. Some slapback delay in front for stuff like Zep or a little longer in front for Van Halen, etc. Boost, and phaser sometimes or flanger. Not all at once and not mixed in very much either. I have a line 6 HXFX. I’m very interested in the Black Spirit though. I have several tube amps but one of my all time favorite amps is the 4 channel solid state AMT Stonehead SH-50-4. A 50 watt Russian made solid state very small head I’ve had 10 years. Hoping to find another great solid state as good as it. I have a Bogner Atma tube head and if I ever had to get rid of either the AMT Stonehead or the Bogner Atma tube head, I’d dump the Bogner because the AMT just is a better sounding amp and feels very tube-like for a solid state. Does Plexi and JCM800 sounds but it’s also really well loved for modern metal. Great VH1 rock sound though and 80’s Metal a la JCM800 sounds really great. No effects in it though. It’s smaller than the Black Spirit 200 head, but not by a whole lot. Hoping to find another solid state as great sounding as the Stonehead with some good build that will last awhile.

[@musicbyiank]

I still have it but I’m currently using an Ampman Modern with a digital delay. I still love this sound of this thing, but I mainly play in a KISS tribute band, and in my platform boots, this one was a little hard to switch channels. I still love it though, and for me,the effects are fine. I also don’t use a lot of effects, a bit of delay, a bit of reverb.

[@vondragonnoggin]

@@musicbyiank- thanks for the answer! I looked at those too. I’m assuming since you’re in a KISS tribute band, that it also does some classic rock/early Metal sounds too. Did you demo both the AmpMan Modern and the Classic? I heard a demo of the Classic getting a fairly good Plexi sound. Also - do you use the boost for leads since you used to use 3 channels but the Amp!an just has two? I halted at the Ampman because of the 4 ohm rating for 50 watts - all my cabs are 8 ohm or 16 ohm, but I’m getting older and don’t want to lug a bunch of cabs either. I have an 8 ohm 112 with a Scumback BM75 in it I use when I go play anywhere else. I think Black Spirit might fit the watts better for me. I like 50 watt amps when playing with a full band. I’d have to get a 4 ohm cab that was lightweight for the Ampman. I have about 8 solid state amps including some 80’s Marshall SS, Gallien Krueger 250rl, Pearce G2r, etc and love trying solid states that get great sound. Sorry to hit you up with all the questions. Video was pretty useful for the Black Spirit 200 Floor.

[@musicbyiank]

@@vondragonnoggin - I didn’t demo the classic, but the Modern gave me a 5150 vibe. I actually tried it through a 412 Iconic cabinet. It sounds great, and more or less the same as the BS200, and even though it’s only two channels, there is a boost button for the leads that give up to 6db extra. Also, the 4 ohm thing is not a concern. This amp has always been loud enough for me. It sounds like a Marshall with an Overdrive or Tube Screamer in front of it. I recommend them. In KISS I use it through a 412 Marshall that is 4/16 ohms. In my other bands I use it through a 112 Blackstar that is 16 ohms. It really is plenty loud… unless you’re a guy that plays wayyyyy too loud… lol. I probably turn mine up to 7 or so on the master volume, with Channel 2 (distortion) at 4-ish, and channel 1 (clean) at 8-ish. Hope this helps. Try it out, I bet you love it, and way cheaper and smaller than the BS200, but you can’t go wrong with either, IMO.

[@vondragonnoggin]

@@musicbyiank thanks for the info! Sounds like a great amp. I’ll see if I can demo one at Guitar Center or Sam Ash. They are really inexpensive used too.

[@musicbyiank]

@@vondragonnoggin - Best of luck. I hope you love it. Cheers.

[@kingfisher7960]

I dont like the fact the BS200 has gone from head with few connection options, to a combo with 2 speaker outs, to a floor amp with many connections for speakers and pedals....I wanted the head with the floor connection options, which they dont make. And the pricing is ridiculous. You can get the combo amp with a thiele cabinet and celestian creambacks for 999.00 vs the floor unit at 700.00 vs the head at 900.00. Thats stupid. You get everything with the combo for the cheaper price? Talk about marketing.

[@musicbyiank]

Where I live, the BS200 Floor is the same price as a BS200 head + Floorboard, so they’re not $200 cheaper here. I personally would never consider a combo option because I couldn’t take it on a plane as a carry-on, although you’re probably right about it, I just never even looked at it. I agree that the pricing (on all amps, really) on this stuff can be a little more than I want to pay. I never even considered the head version, actually, so I really don’t know anything about the connectivity on that. I actually have recently moved from this BS200 to an H&K Ampman Classic. It’s even smaller, and I LOVE the tone. It doesn’t have effects, though but I use it with a delay in the loop, and even with 16 ohm cab, it’s plenty loud. In any case, using the head, or the floor amp, it at least lets you have your sound, anywhere you go. This may not matter to most players, but it’s been something that I have needed over the years. This video was not intended to compare anything, it was simply to show what I thought were the quirks of the BS200 Floor. Cheers.