The truth about 5 watt valve amps - Blackstar HT5R MK2

[@shuaibird.official]

I bought the 5R MKII. It's pretty amazing at .5 watt setting, making it useful for practice. The 5 watt is a bit more noisy than other valve amps I have though. It also comes with a lot of features that are rarely found on valve amps, headphone silent output, usb direct recording, aux input, etc. Overall, this is the best versatile budget valve amp I've owned so far.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

I agree - its a great little amp in general. I’ve been seeing what I can do with it miked in the 0.5 setting and have been pretty impressed. The important extra feature for me was the FX loop. I had hoped the emulated outputs would be better but I’m afraid as with my Marshall they are pretty disappointing - particularly the overdrive channel. Not a big problem as my aim was always to have a useable valve amp for recording and practice and its certainly that.

[@shuaibird.official]

@@thecreativeguitarlounge I haven't tried the emulated outputs yet. I've heard it's not that good as well. You could record it using either mic or load box. It's not a big deal to me. I don't expect to use it for serious recording either. That's not what it's good for imo. Portable low volume valve amp with pretty good tone and dynamics, mainly for practice, it's worth every penny I've spent.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@shuaibird.official I will be using mine to record via mics so will report back on the results. Yes the emulated outs are kind of brittle and fizzy sounding to my ears. You could possibly use them on clean sounds but not for distorted sounds IMO. As you say though, not a problem and yes, a fantastic amp for the price.

[@glenharland5287]

I have 2 of these in stereo. Couldn't be happier.

[@LPGTR]

I just bought one last week, I love it and I use Les Paul and I play couple hours and I love ISF shape to British Side and I am very Impress the clean sounds and very warm to my ears and the Overdrive tones 1 and 2 are awesome and excellent for my liking. The stuff I play Kiss,Bad Company, ACDC, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and Ted Nugent, it works 60s 70s 80s 90, Music. You might want get a Overdrive pedal if want 90s Grunge Sound and give little more dirt on tone, I will probably will take to open mic night. Overall I give Amp 10 Stars 🌟 and I am very happy with the tones I get and I am very Inspired to play more and Very Happy with Black Star Products and I own Black Star Fly and Also ID Core 40 watts, I just feel I am getting the Tones I want hear and I play lot more and I feel magic that any Black Star products I plug into and next amp going to get and buy is HT Club 40 watts.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Yes they are great amps - glad you are enjoying yours as much as I am mine

[@WayCoolStudios]

I have a Crate VC-508 valve amp. I have to agree, 5 watt through a 8 inch speaker is great to play at home or in the studio. The BlackStar looks like it had the good! May be my next amp! Thanks for the review, can’t wait for your next review.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@WayCoolStudios Cheers - The HT5 actually has a 12” speaker👌🏻Still loving it. Thanks for your comment.

[@ClydeSlobbs]

Crate amps are fucking mint mate ..not many people heard of em .i had one in 1982 and put a Westone thunder 1a thru it ..EXACT SOUND AS DEAD KENNEDYS ..I SHIT YOU NOT

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

I'll be doing the mic v emulated outs comparison soon everyone so look out for that 😀

[@mickeybravo6702]

Picked this up after a few times demoing it in the guitar shop. Was looking for tube amp suitable for both home practice and small gig (typically I gig a few times a month as a guitarist with various church groups). This really does have a lot of features between the tone shaping, effects loop, speaker outputs, foot switch, so it can be used as a head, etc. and the power tube is a great one for the size. The different tone shaping options also give a lot of room for specific tone matching different pickups and musical genre. Your review and a few others were what helped me seal this deal.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Glad to have been of some help. I agree with you on the features and sound in the amp. I haven't gigged mine yet but have gigged with a little Roland cube so am sure the Blackstar would be more than up to it - even in a larger venue with mic and monitors. Enjoy!

[@pyroguitars1296]

This is really useful. Thanks. I'll now go and check out your audio (through my wee phone speaker 😂) I'm currently shopping around in the valve, practice, home recording corner of the Internet.

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Cheers! Hope you find the sound tests useful too. Really is a great sounding, versatile wee amp 👍🏻

[@roqueeeeeeeee]

Just came from my regular shop and tried both HT1 and HT5. The HT1 seemed very bland sound wise comparing with ht5 which is a beast. Great clean and overdriven tones and great speaker. I could lower the volume a lot and continue having that beautiful sound. But it's so damn heavy...

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Good to know - I was considering the HT1 but since the HT5 steps down to 0.5 watts its seemed the better choice. Still damn loud though ! and yes, heavy for its size

[@roqueeeeeeeee]

@@thecreativeguitarlounge Actually I went there aiming for the HT1 or the VOX MINI SUPERBEETLE but my mind went other way after I played the ht5. But i'm getting it on a very lower price compared with europe (equiv. GBP 350).

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@roqueeeeeeeee Yes I heard there are some great deals on the blue HT5s in the US. If you want the Vox (or any other amp sound) you could run in an emulator into the HT5's FX return. I'm getting great results doing that with my old Boss GT100. Just using the HT5 as a tube power amp. Love the Blackstar's own sound but nice to have options

[@davroshalfbeard8368]

Just got one today lol had to carry it 😅 from trongate to Central station

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Heavier than they look eh! 😂 Enjoy it

[@Ace96x10]

I just bought a HT 20. it's fantastic.

[@henryb160]

Great introduction. Regarding the speaker out options: I notice the speaker connection has a jack plug and was wondering if it could also be used as a speaker cab. I have a boss Katana Head MKII and was thinking I could use the Blackstar as an occasional cab by simply connecting the speaker cable to the Katana, perhaps using an extended cable if needed. Do you think this would work?

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Cheers - I don’t see why not. I use my Marshall 2x12 combo as a cab for the Blackstar sometimes. Just be sure to match the impedances

[@henryb160]

@@thecreativeguitarlounge Thanks for replying. I think the chance to easily use speakers with this type of access as a cab is a big plus, yet one seldom hears it mentioned in reviews, which in turn causes doubts in my mind. Yes, the head and speaker match at 8 ohms

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

I guess more people would be looking to run a head into a 2x12 or 4x12 cab than a single speaker. I love the fact that I can run the Blackstar into my Marshall 2x12 at 5 or even 0.5 watts.

[@bruiserbrawler8054]

My question regarding the XLR out. Can I use the amp as a monitor while running direct into a board?

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@bruiserbrawler8054 Yeah - just don’t pull the speaker Jack and you’ll get the DI sound from the xlr but still hear the amp thru the speaker.

[@bruiserbrawler8054]

@@thecreativeguitarlounge thanks! That is most helpful.

[@donciseau]

Great video!

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Thank you - the sound part will be here soon 😀

[@davidmajor4484]

What happened to the original Blackstar 5 watt head driven by a single 2 stage tube ??

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Can't help you there I'm afraid. I first came across Blackstar when the guitarist in a band I was recording had the pre-reverb 5 watt combo. By the time I decided I needed one it had been updated to the current reverb model.

[@andreaberteotti5999]

Ht5/20 questions blackstar: I m Sorry DO I NEED A LOADBOX FOR LISTENING the sound' s amp THROUGH THE HEADPHONES IN A HEAD HT 5MKII?AND WHAT DOES IT CHANGE WITH NEW VERSION mkiii? I d like tò know if i can buy a head and listen without buying a CAPTOR for the load because i know tube amp broker themself .

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

I have the MK11 combo version so can’t really help with the head only question or the MK111. I always have something plugged into the input if I’m disconnecting the speaker to use headphone or xlr out for silent recording. I’d guess that the heads would be the same but you should send a question to Blackstar support just to be sure.

[@alexandercorreus6158]

The main difference is that mkiii uses cab rig software, you can choose between different cabs and mics via the pc or mac Software. I think the mkiii is overpriced, in germany you get the st.james head for 100 bucks more. I bought the mkii head a few days before for 399€ new. I don‘t like cab rig. If you plug in headphones the powerload is activated and you dont need a dummy. And the two emulations are pretty good

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@alexandercorreus6158 Thanks for the info. Must admit I wasn’t at first too impressed with the MKIi emulations but have been using them a lot recently in recordings and have changed my mind. They are pretty good.

[@andreaberteotti5999]

Wowww thanks you very much .i have the pedal distortion with its cabrig but if i plug the headphones It has a very bad sound .i believe in this experience that cabrig Is bad because don t listen tò very well and clean. What do you believe a out Cab rig?i m believin tobbuy a HT MK2 tobplay Guitar through a tube amp buy h djn t know if Is Better Orange or blackstar

[@HappyChillmore]

hey man, do you know if the speaker cloth can come off and be replaced easily? thanks

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Sorry but no idea

[@jacobsamano9761]

Anybody here know what could be the problem with my HT5R having volume dropout all of a sudden? Could it just be a tube needs replacing or something more serious?

[@matiasdvoskin3985]

More than likely it’s the tubes

[@betting4life948]

About to buy one for $300 new

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

That’s quite a bargain. Mine was £450 new - about $540

[@betting4life948]

@@thecreativeguitarlounge sweetwater has it right now $299.99.surf green color

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Amazing - I’m jealous!

[@betting4life948]

Is it loud? Never had a tube amp before and for the price I think it would.be great to get

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

@@betting4life948 They are pretty loud. I'm using the 0.5 watt setting at home and still have the volume pretty low. Haven't gigged it though but I guess it would be fine of you had decent monitors.

[@Good-Enuff-Garage]

seems like all the way to the right should be full UK, lol

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

😆

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Heavier than they look aren’t they 😂 Enjoy!

[@syduzzamansyd4530]

Does it sound and feel like a real tube amp ?

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Well yes because it is a real tube amp. I have some sound tests on another video kzbin.info/www/bejne/nqnYaYKEpM6ehKM

[@glenharland5287]

Yes. And you can get the saturated tube sound just like a dimed vintage Marshall stack without peeling the paint off the walls. The solid state components of the preamp is actually a tube screamer curcuit. It still goes into a tube preamp after that.

[@RobBob555]

Oh a fellow Scot 😀.. hello all the way from Glasgow

[@thecreativeguitarlounge]

Hello from Innellan! Fellow Glaswegian 👍🏻