Blackstar Ht-5 METAL! Demo Clip
- Thread starter Radius_Vector
- Start date
Radius_Vector
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No sound clips, but do have an elaborate write up from a guy who has experimented with preamp valve mods on the Ht-5. I'm diggin the Jan-Phillips 12AT7WC description.
http://freq20.com/forum/guitar-gear/blackstar-ht-5h-amp-head-review-and-preamp-tube-comparisons/
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gsonique
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Radius_Vector
New member
Yeah typo 
I'm new to amp-mods. What's your opinion of the JanP? Looks like you're not a big fan!
I'm new to amp-mods. What's your opinion of the JanP? Looks like you're not a big fan!
Ized
New member
I thought I'd chime in since I had the chance to do an A/B comparison with the Blackstar DistX, Dist and 7th. Pedals were played into a HT5 set clean. Here are my thoughts:
The DistX was certainly had the most filth and saturation of the bunch. If you'r looking for that, go for it. I did not like it cos the gain on tap was wayyy too much and it was virtually useless (the gain was like on 10 already at 8 o'clock! imagine that) and it dosent clean up like how a good tube amp should. I guess its also worth a mention that the DistX sounded rather fizzy and that pedal is all you need - no need extra od pedal in front for saturation.
Voicing out my sentiments to the owner of Woodworkz - He recommended I try the HT-Dist. So try it I did! I was like eh not bad....got quite alot of saturation but it still cleans up. Its not bad for higher gain stuff but I felt the 7th was tighter sounding and it had a more amp like sound and dynamic compared to the Dist - which sounded quite pedal-ish. Low gain on the 7th was also better sounding - less compressed and not so boxy compared to the Dist. The HT pedals overall were pretty good....its just that they lack that pick sensitivity and attack that the 7th possesses as well as the cleanup factor. Both pedals are pretty versatile in most aspects - although i'd pick the 7th if im playing a gig or recording cos the 7th is not as compressed and quieter. I dont need my 7th to do jazz although I can get quite a sweet low gain tone from it (check out my soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=976612) because I already have my NOC3 Pure Drive for that
So overall, if you want saturation and sustain and easy playablity....I'd recommend the HT pedals. They can get you what you want even at lower volumes due the inherent the fact that they are so saturated. If you want amp-like, big-ness, control and dynamics especially at louder volumes- go for the 7th. Speaking of which - the 7th has undergone a couple of revisions...the high end is alot smoother now and its tighter sounding with more mids...alot of people were fooled into thinking it was the amp creating the distortion when they heard it through the bassman 135 at the wakemeup booth. A real monster!
The DistX was certainly had the most filth and saturation of the bunch. If you'r looking for that, go for it. I did not like it cos the gain on tap was wayyy too much and it was virtually useless (the gain was like on 10 already at 8 o'clock! imagine that) and it dosent clean up like how a good tube amp should. I guess its also worth a mention that the DistX sounded rather fizzy and that pedal is all you need - no need extra od pedal in front for saturation.
Voicing out my sentiments to the owner of Woodworkz - He recommended I try the HT-Dist. So try it I did! I was like eh not bad....got quite alot of saturation but it still cleans up. Its not bad for higher gain stuff but I felt the 7th was tighter sounding and it had a more amp like sound and dynamic compared to the Dist - which sounded quite pedal-ish. Low gain on the 7th was also better sounding - less compressed and not so boxy compared to the Dist. The HT pedals overall were pretty good....its just that they lack that pick sensitivity and attack that the 7th possesses as well as the cleanup factor. Both pedals are pretty versatile in most aspects - although i'd pick the 7th if im playing a gig or recording cos the 7th is not as compressed and quieter. I dont need my 7th to do jazz although I can get quite a sweet low gain tone from it (check out my soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=976612) because I already have my NOC3 Pure Drive for that
So overall, if you want saturation and sustain and easy playablity....I'd recommend the HT pedals. They can get you what you want even at lower volumes due the inherent the fact that they are so saturated. If you want amp-like, big-ness, control and dynamics especially at louder volumes- go for the 7th. Speaking of which - the 7th has undergone a couple of revisions...the high end is alot smoother now and its tighter sounding with more mids...alot of people were fooled into thinking it was the amp creating the distortion when they heard it through the bassman 135 at the wakemeup booth. A real monster!
Radius_Vector
New member
There's some silicon working in there. I don't know the exact details, but yes.
Ized
New member
My guess is op-amps....just like the distortion in the HT Dual is also generated by opamps.
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gsonique
New member
Yeah typo
I'm new to amp-mods. What's your opinion of the JanP? Looks like you're not a big fan!
Huh ...are you on medication ???
I said "TRY IT" as in like its good ...so you must try kinda way ...
Well the HT5 has....
• Innovative 5 Watt valve amplifier ...oh rely wow!!
• 1xECC83 and 1x12BH7 valves
I remember this certain Firefly tube amp designed by Doug Hammond incooperating a 12BH7 output ....
• Unique push pull power amp design ... say what ??
• Speaker emulated output with 1x12 or 4x12 voicing
.... o_0
SO yes a 12AT7 will be nice to give that 'clean' boost since all the dirt is coming from the preamp !!
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gsonique
New member
Radius_Vector
New member
Huh ...are you on medication ???
I said "TRY IT" as in like its good ...so you must try kinda way ...
Well the HT5 has....
• Innovative 5 Watt valve amplifier ...oh rely wow!!
• 1xECC83 and 1x12BH7 valves
I remember this certain Firefly tube amp designed by Doug Hammond incooperating a 12BH7 output ....
• Unique push pull power amp design ... say what ??
• Speaker emulated output with 1x12 or 4x12 voicing
.... o_0
SO yes a 12AT7 will be nice to give that 'clean' boost since all the dirt is coming from the preamp !!
Actually, I AM on medication. F'ed up throat and headache.
The JanPhil certainly does look interesting. My clean channel on the BS isn't convincing enough at loud volumes. Breaks up too easy.
But I have no idea what the hell push-pull means. Looks like Pure Marketing stuff?
I roughly got the same thoughts and findings as you regarding the HT pedals (I'm using HT-Dual). However, for low to medium gain, I'm using Ethos Overdrive (TLE)...which is my only drive pedal for 2 years now...quite irreplacable. Likened to what you described about the 7th, for me it's the Ethos. But the HT-Dual is a different...er...monster. Though not as "sophisticated" sounding as my Ethos, but it's so much FUN to play with....especially at home when you're noodling around with your guitar. Yeah...the screaming sustain and saturation is crazy! When I heard its sound for the first time, I thought I just got to have it!....and I'm not into pedals at all.
Ized
New member
I roughly got the same thoughts and findings as you regarding the HT pedals (I'm using HT-Dual). However, for low to medium gain, I'm using Ethos Overdrive (TLE)...which is my only drive pedal for 2 years now...quite irreplacable. Likened to what you described about the 7th, for me it's the Ethos. But the HT-Dual is a different...er...monster. Though not as "sophisticated" sounding as my Ethos, but it's so much FUN to play with....especially at home when you're noodling around with your guitar. Yeah...the screaming sustain and saturation is crazy! When I heard its sound for the first time, I thought I just got to have it!....and I'm not into pedals at all.
Haha....my thoughts exactly....the Dual would be nice for noodling at lower volumes due to the huge amount of saturation present.
Whitestrat
New member
Not really marketing stuff. This refers to amp design. Push-Pull amps (usually Class A or AB) would be able to achieve better gain with less distortion at the end.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tube_sound#Push-pull_amplifiers
Push-pull schematics are used very commonly, even in variable power supplies (think year 2 Project Fabrication Project in Singapore Poly). I have no clue how it can be unique? Unless they're saying that sort of application they use normally does not utilise push-pull and their integration is unique?
PatheinRaindropMoe
New member
heh, its only unique when associated with guitaring and music in general. Coz dont we love reading those and think we have something special, thus spending money on it...
Maybe it has to do with them using 1 tube to achieve what is usually done with 2 tubes?
I have no idea.
Radius_Vector
New member
Interesting. Thanks for clearing that up.