Blackstar HT-5 Combo

What Blackstar say about the HT-5

The HT-5 is the ultimate studio and practice amp, packing all the great tone and innovative features of the award-winning HT valve pedals into a two channel, footswitchable valve combo. The patent-applied-for ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) circuit gives you infinite adjustment over the characteristics of the tone control network and takes you from the USA to the UK and any where in between. So now you can effectively design your own tone and finally find ‘the sound in your head’.

My Opinion on the Blackstar HT-5

This amp should be everybody's first guitar amp. It's so simple to operate that you can find the tone you want from it within a few seconds.

It's another 5W all-tube rig with a number of features that set it apart from the Blackheart model. The ISF is similar to the voicing feature sometimes found on the smaller Hughes and Kettner amplifiers, providing tone shaping to move you from an American to a British sound and back. I've always liked that type of control, but it's a shame that you can't select it through the footpedal.

Is it loud enough?

Yes and no. Here's the detail...

Once again, we're in the range of a 5W amplifier that's too loud for playing at full volume at home and maybe not quite loud enough for a rock gig.

The clean has a volume knob and the overdrive has its own volume knob. They're independent of each other. There is no master volume knob controlling both.

The clean channel breaks up nicely, but it won't be clean higher than 4 out of 10 on the dial. So if you want clean at volumes to compete with a drummer (especially a rock drummer), this amp on its own won't do it.

You could send the signal through the band PA and you have two options for that:

• use the built-in speaker emulator
  
• mic up the amp

I've been miking up 100W amps for years even for small gigs, it makes the overall volume so much more bearable. So for the sake of a basic microphone, stand and lead, get this amp and put it through the band's PA. Even better is the included speaker emulator. Instead of worrying about mic placement and carrying around more kit, a single cable will get you connected to the PA. That way you can get the tone you want at the volume you want.

So that would sort out the volumes for the audience. However, I'd still be wary about the amp being loud enough for you to be able to hear yourself on stage. So careful positioning of the speakers could help (maybe an amp stand) or you'll have to send it through the band monitors if you have any.

If you have a quiet drummer or no drummer at all, then this could be a great amp for you.

Home Use or for Recording

As mentioned above, if you turn this up full, it will be too loud to play at home. These amps exist for that overdriven crunch sound. But turn the volume knobs down and you'll still have awesome tone at bearable volumes.

Blackstar HT Series HT-5C 5W 1x10 Tube Guitar Combo Amp

What Musician's Friend say

The Blackstar HT-5C is a 1x10" combo amp ideal for studio work or practice, packing all the great tone and innovative features of the award-winning HT tube pedals into a 2-channel, footswitchable tube amp format. The patent-applied-for ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) circuit gives you infinite adjustment over the characteristics of the tone control network and takes your tone from the USA to the UK and any where in between. So now you can effectively design your own tone and finally find "that sound in your head."In making the Blackstar HT-5C amplifier ideally suited to home and studio use, the aim was to develop a tube amp that sounded full and toneful even at the lowest volume level. With this in mind Blackstar designed a brand-new tube power amplifier topology. The HT-5C power amplifier is a low-powered, push-pull design which producing the crunch and breakup characteristics of a traditional 100W output stage but at a much lower volume via its 12BH7 dual-triode in push-pull configuration producing 5 watts output, which is rich invalve harmonics and compression.The HT-5C guitar combo amp also has a fully specified speaker-emulated output, further enhancing its studio credentials and allowing any guitarist to get amazing tube tone straight to tape or disk, or through headphones. It also features the unique 4x12/1x12 voicing switch, allowing you to change the tonal characteristics of the emulated signal between 2 emulated cabinet types.Add to this an effects loop with switchable level, along with 16-ohm and 8-ohm speaker outputs allowing you to run the guitar amp into an external speaker cabinet of your choice, and you have everything you need for recording or practicing.