I use Blackstar amp. And I must say that one disadvantage of this amp that many people often talk about is the circuit board. Because when your amp breaks, you can't fix it. It's a disposable amp.
I like how they sound but I have heard that many techs hate working on them because they are difficult to fix and supposedly Blackstar doesn't provide schematics to techs . I don't know if these things are true but these are things I have read on various forms . I have an HT5 MK3 and I really like the sound . I don't like it as much my DSL5CR or the 5 watt mode of my Mini Jubilee but the Blackstar is a different flavor and sounds great in Its own right
Yeah, same here. The guy I use to service my amps hates them. It’s really frustrating as they are super versatile, and for me, have always been extremely reliable.
@@deepzepp4176 I love the sound of Blackstar amp. But the Blackstar amp was not designed to be a repairable amp. I don't understand why Blackstar would do that. A good amp should be repairable.
Great video, and especially as you are experienced with Blackstar. Really tempted to try the MKiii as I have a HT40 MKII, and like you, i’ve never been a huge fan of the clean channel. My only reservation with Blackstar, is that my amp tech hates them. He says they can only be sent as scrap if certain components go bad. But I do love their versatility, and my MKI and MKII have never let me down at a gig, etc. Decisions…….
Thanks so much for checking it out. Yeah I didn’t love the Mk2 cleans but the cleans on the 3 I really like. Blackstar do also repair things in house when needed, I know this isn’t always ideal when you have a go to guy for it, but that option is always there I guess. I’ve been gigging their amps for years and I’ve never been let down, they’ve always been super reliable for me. The only problem I’ve ever had was a bad bass pot on the St James amps EQ but that was only because some pyro dust got in it on stage and fried the pot, not a problem with the amp as such, more that it was in the wrong place at the wrong time haha!
I've got the HTR1 MkIII COMBO. Its great for home, has good headphone sound ,comes alive through my Orange cab. On its own, the 1W is a bit thin and harsh sounding. Headphone use or cab is best. Only negative is youre limited with sound ,no bass,tone,mid control. The isf is good, i use more American sound. The headphone 3 cab sims are ok . I use the middle one, bottom one ,muddy marshall solid state sounding,but ok. Pedals work well. Effects loop would have been good in the 1W tho
But can I download an upgrade for my MKII ?! Nah, didn't think so . Oh well!! I do love my HT20 but the look of this is even cooler. Great playing, Leigh. :)
Haha, I forgot you were a committed HT20 guy too! You'll have to try a mk3 out yourself and see what you think! I love the mk2, but they've worked some magic here to make it even better!
@@LeighFugeGuitar Oh yes, card carrying member and everything haha Yea I'd love to try one out and hear the difference. Maybe I need a 5w version too;-)
Hey Steven! I'm still around! Just had an absolutely crazy April with loads of time spend on the road gigging and not much time at home! Hope you're doing well!
Could you gig with this without having to mic it up? I've been looking at the HT Club 50 head and the St James but if this could work in a band setup then it's a contender.
Good question... that would depend on a few things... how big the gig is and how loud your drummer/band are on stage. This amp is pretty loud, it's 20w so should be easy enough to lift above a band mix, but it's all down to how loud the band really needs to be. The good thing with this amp is if you set it to what you want on stage, you can actually run an XLR out the back and use an emulated cab sound from CabRig to the PA!
They've changed a few things internally too. This one has a 3 preset CabRig output, the MK2 just had an emualated cab out. This also has a reverb with some paramters that you can change inside the Architect software vs. a single reverb sound that was hard baked into the circuit. The clean sound is massively improved too. I struggled with the cleans on the MK2 but on the MK3 they're much better.
Wirh the prices Blackstar are now charging its high time they start using better Quality speakers . Enough with the Blackstar designed speakers and Celestion 70/80s . For thaf matter every company should stop using 70/80s. Blackstar make great sounding amps but they are let down by the speaker choices . Through good quality cabs with good speakers they sound so much bettet . G12H30 Anniversary Celestion Creamback G12M65 Creamback H75 and Greenbacks all sound great with Blackstara . There are also WGS soeaker models that sound awesome with Blackstars like the WGS Reaper the Reaper HP the Green Beret the invader and the ET65.
Great tone and playing… but you mixed up the voicings on the clean channel. When the LED is lit, it’s on the British voice. When it’s unlit, it’s on the American voice.
Why didn't they just make the first one better? How many versions of the same amp do they need to release before they're happy with it? Kind of incompetent.
The original HT series came out I think almost 10 years ago, the mk2 came out in 2019 and the mk3 in 2024. There is quite a bit of time between each update. It's nothing to do with competency. I know a lot of the guys that work at Blackstar and I know a few of the amp designers personally and they always look back at work they've done in the past and wonder how they can make it better. Most amp builders do this. Overtime peoples ideas and designs evolve and they learn new methods to make things even better. Blackstar aren't the only company that revise existing products. Fender have been reinventing the Telecaster and Stratocaster for 60 plus years.
@@LeighFugeGuitar Yes Fender has been reinventing Teles & Strats for 60+ years - but they still make original 50s spec guitars too. Call me cynical, but these HT "improvements" look like a cash grab. I bought a brand-new HT-5 MKii last week for £279, the MKiii is £599 😳
I use Blackstar amp. And I must say that one disadvantage of this amp that many people often talk about is the circuit board. Because when your amp breaks, you can't fix it. It's a disposable amp.
I like how they sound but I have heard that many techs hate working on them because they are difficult to fix and supposedly Blackstar doesn't provide schematics to techs . I don't know if these things are true but these are things I have read on various forms .
I have an HT5 MK3 and I really like the sound . I don't like it as much my DSL5CR or the 5 watt mode of my Mini Jubilee but the Blackstar is a different flavor and sounds great in Its own right
Yeah, same here. The guy I use to service my amps hates them. It’s really frustrating as they are super versatile, and for me, have always been extremely reliable.
@@deepzepp4176 I love the sound of Blackstar amp. But the Blackstar amp was not designed to be a repairable amp. I don't understand why Blackstar would do that. A good amp should be repairable.
Sounds pretty darn cool man - awesome playing too! I'm looking forward to testing out one of these soon :)
Thanks man! I think you'll like this amp, it has a lot of sounds in that will fit you nicely!
Great video, and especially as you are experienced with Blackstar. Really tempted to try the MKiii as I have a HT40 MKII, and like you, i’ve never been a huge fan of the clean channel.
My only reservation with Blackstar, is that my amp tech hates them. He says they can only be sent as scrap if certain components go bad. But I do love their versatility, and my MKI and MKII have never let me down at a gig, etc. Decisions…….
Thanks so much for checking it out. Yeah I didn’t love the Mk2 cleans but the cleans on the 3 I really like.
Blackstar do also repair things in house when needed, I know this isn’t always ideal when you have a go to guy for it, but that option is always there I guess. I’ve been gigging their amps for years and I’ve never been let down, they’ve always been super reliable for me. The only problem I’ve ever had was a bad bass pot on the St James amps EQ but that was only because some pyro dust got in it on stage and fried the pot, not a problem with the amp as such, more that it was in the wrong place at the wrong time haha!
Sounds great, specular playing.
Thanks so much, glad you liked it!
I've got the HTR1 MkIII COMBO. Its great for home, has good headphone sound ,comes alive through my Orange cab. On its own, the 1W is a bit thin and harsh sounding. Headphone use or cab is best. Only negative is youre limited with sound ,no bass,tone,mid control.
The isf is good, i use more American sound. The headphone 3 cab sims are ok . I use the middle one, bottom one ,muddy marshall solid state sounding,but ok. Pedals work well. Effects loop would have been good in the 1W tho
Great video sorry so many people are nitpicking
But can I download an upgrade for my MKII ?! Nah, didn't think so . Oh well!! I do love my HT20 but the look of this is even cooler. Great playing, Leigh. :)
Haha, I forgot you were a committed HT20 guy too! You'll have to try a mk3 out yourself and see what you think! I love the mk2, but they've worked some magic here to make it even better!
@@LeighFugeGuitar Oh yes, card carrying member and everything haha Yea I'd love to try one out and hear the difference. Maybe I need a 5w version too;-)
Possibly the worst sounding valve amp I’ve ever heard 😢.
Nice job! Great sounding amp. Was wondering where you ran off to! Later...
Hey Steven! I'm still around! Just had an absolutely crazy April with loads of time spend on the road gigging and not much time at home! Hope you're doing well!
🔥🔥🔥
Hello you! I thought you'd approve of my guitar choice!
Hey Leigh 👉🫶👍👍👍
Hey!
Could you gig with this without having to mic it up? I've been looking at the HT Club 50 head and the St James but if this could work in a band setup then it's a contender.
Good question... that would depend on a few things... how big the gig is and how loud your drummer/band are on stage. This amp is pretty loud, it's 20w so should be easy enough to lift above a band mix, but it's all down to how loud the band really needs to be. The good thing with this amp is if you set it to what you want on stage, you can actually run an XLR out the back and use an emulated cab sound from CabRig to the PA!
Am I missing something or do they same the same as before besides the cosmetic changes?
czcams.com/video/dtn4xcluc8o/video.html
They've changed a few things internally too. This one has a 3 preset CabRig output, the MK2 just had an emualated cab out. This also has a reverb with some paramters that you can change inside the Architect software vs. a single reverb sound that was hard baked into the circuit.
The clean sound is massively improved too. I struggled with the cleans on the MK2 but on the MK3 they're much better.
What about the drive sounds ?
@@andrewslads jesus christ did you guys even watch the video?!
@@Driftuner Right. Amazing idiocy.
Does it sound like the EL 35 HT 40?
There's some background noise in the video. Not sure if it's the guitar picking it up or your mic. Annoyed me the entire time
Think it’s the fans from my computer in the background
@@LeighFugeGuitar kinda sounds like whispering. I kept pausing the video thinking it was someone trying to talk to me at work.
Wirh the prices Blackstar are now charging its high time they start using better Quality speakers . Enough with the Blackstar designed speakers and Celestion 70/80s . For thaf matter every company should stop using 70/80s.
Blackstar make great sounding amps but they are let down by the speaker choices .
Through good quality cabs with good speakers they sound so much bettet .
G12H30 Anniversary Celestion Creamback G12M65 Creamback H75 and Greenbacks all sound great with Blackstara . There are also WGS soeaker models that sound awesome with Blackstars like the WGS Reaper the Reaper HP the Green Beret the invader and the ET65.
Stop whinning and go get a job waffle boy
Do you know any other scales besides pentatonic lol
Yeah, but I just play what I play. Being a blues based player I'm not sure there is much space for Phrygian in my playing haha
Great tone and playing… but you mixed up the voicings on the clean channel. When the LED is lit, it’s on the British voice. When it’s unlit, it’s on the American voice.
Why didn't they just make the first one better? How many versions of the same amp do they need to release before they're happy with it? Kind of incompetent.
The original HT series came out I think almost 10 years ago, the mk2 came out in 2019 and the mk3 in 2024. There is quite a bit of time between each update. It's nothing to do with competency. I know a lot of the guys that work at Blackstar and I know a few of the amp designers personally and they always look back at work they've done in the past and wonder how they can make it better. Most amp builders do this. Overtime peoples ideas and designs evolve and they learn new methods to make things even better. Blackstar aren't the only company that revise existing products. Fender have been reinventing the Telecaster and Stratocaster for 60 plus years.
@@LeighFugeGuitar Yes Fender has been reinventing Teles & Strats for 60+ years - but they still make original 50s spec guitars too.
Call me cynical, but these HT "improvements" look like a cash grab. I bought a brand-new HT-5 MKii last week for £279, the MKiii is £599 😳