[Kidfixer]

Sorry for another "which amp should I buy" thread, but I'm really conflicted.


I'm looking for a do-it-all (from Dimebag to Gilmour) low-wattage tube practice amp, and I dont mind having to invest in an OD pedal. I have narrowed it down to two amps;

Jet City JCA22H 20w head w/ 112 half stack cab - $549

Blackstar HT-5H 5w head w/ 110 half stack cab - $549


A lot of people on the Marshall forum seem to prefer the Blackstar (for obvious reasons). Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[crowhue]

Well jet city have a brilliant natural break up and sound chimey like a vox. they can cope with things as heavy as foo fighters but pedals are needed for anything heavier than that. this amp has a great sound for the money you pay for it.
The ht-5 is a completely different sound. the distortion is PERFECTION! no need for any distortion pedals although i use a proco rat2 fuzz pedal. the isf feature is really great too. the clean is ok but jet city wins on that. before you say anything about its wattage this amp is LOUD! can quite easily keep up with a fairly loud drummer and its very portable too.
now the big decision! taking everything into account my choice would be the blackstar. i play a wide variety of things ranging from blues to metal and one amp does this all...... the ht-5.
i hope this has helped you. its your call. if you do go for the ht-5 my music shop has 2 in stock. www.gtrmusic.co.uk be sure to check it out. there is the standard ht-5 and the ht-5 with reverb which sounds great!)

 

[secretagentman]

Greetings Kidfixer,

Secretagentman here. new to the forum. just wanted you to know a thing or two about my experience with Blackstar. Basically, they've been busting my b----
for 6 months. I bought an HT=1R studio/practice amp a little over a year ago. My first and last "hybrid". It died at less than 6 months. Under warranty, they don't fix 'em, they trash 'em and replace. It took two months to get the replacement. I used the time waiting to carry on some correspondence with Bruce Kier, chief engineer, Blackstar, by e-mail. I had taalked to the tech I THOUGHT was repairing my amp. It waqs he that told me of the replacement policy. Kier wouldn't say yea, or nay. He made a big deal of their "multi-point, end of line inspection process". Finally, I got the second amp. It came complkete with a NON-FUNCTIONAL reverb. I'm still waiting for my #300.00 amp, over 6 months total now. How the Hell does a multi point inspection miss a dead reverb ? A second talk with the tech(Kier won't e-mail me anymore) revealed that, in his opinion, Blackstar has taken off so fast that the speed of the production line is outrunning quality.
When I get the HT-1R back this time, I'll be getting my money back to put towards an all
tube combo. At least I can fix most of what can go wrong on an all tube circuit. The tech told me that the signal path of the HT-1R is like this : op-amp, op- amp, FET, tube(12ax7),
op-amp, op-amp, op-amp, op-amp, FET, tube(12ay7), OT, speaker. With ten gain stages(?) no onder it crapped. Plus it looks like the tubes are for show, only. Good Luck with whatever you choose. i know they all can produce the occasional lemon,but...sheeeee !
secretagentman

 

[secretagentman]

Kidfixer. secretagentman here. new to the forum. Been waiting over 6 months on my 2nd replacement of a 5month old HT-1R that died at 5 months. On warranty they often replace instead of fix. Took two months to get first replacement. It had NON-FUNCTIONAL reverb. In e-mailing Bruce Kier, chief engineer, Blackstar, all he could talk about was their multi-point end-of-line inspection. I guess one of the points that they doin't check is whether the reverb works or not. He has quit returning my e-mails since informing him about the reverb problem. However the tech told me on the phone that in his opinion, blackstar got hot so fast ,that the quality can't keep up with the assembly line. Now it's over 6 months waiting for my amp. If I didn't have a spare, i would have demanded my money back by now. As it is, I think that I will make a deal with it as a down payment on
an all-tube combo. I can repair all tube circuits and have often enough. No more hybrids for me yet. the tech gave me the signal path of the HT-1R for what it's worth : op-amp, op-amp, FET, tube(12ax7), op-amp, op-amp-, op-amp, FET, tube (12ay7), OT, Speaker.
My dealer, who is a friend, was shocked. he sold it to me as a tube amp. I knew it waqs a hybrid, but expected that the only s.s. was in the I.S.F. control and the digital reverb.
It's obviously much more s.s. than tube. Don't get me wrong. It had great tone and tons of volume for 1W. However reliability counts too. Cutting me off correspondence, cut them off. secretagentman

 

[secretagentman]

Kidfixer. secretragentman here. New to the forum. Guess i'm gonna pick on you first.
Just a word on Blackstar. take it for what it's worth. I bought an HT-1R about a year ago. It died at the 5 month mark. Blackstar reserves the right to replace or fix. The tech told me on the phone(after waiting 6 weeks) that it was trashed, I'd get a new one. A month later I did. The second amp had a NON-FUNCTIONAL reverb. I didn't notice until I got it home. I had contacted B ruce Kier, chief engineer, Blackstar Amplification by e-mail. He
went on and on about their "multi-point inspection, end -of-line". This before getting the bad reverb. How the Hell does a bad reverb get by any inspection, end-of-line.? He wouldn't return my e-mails concerning the reverb problem. The tech told me on a second call that "in his opinion, Blackstar got hot so fast that their quality can't keep up with the assembly line." he gave me the signal path on the HT-1R as ; op-amp, op-amp, op-amp, FET, preamp tube(12ax7), op-amp, op-amp, op-amp, FET, output tube(12Ay7),OT,speaker.
my dealer, who is a friend, sold the amp to me as "a tube amp". I knew it was a hybrid, but expected the s.s. to be confined to the digital reverb, and the I.S.F. control. Hell, the two tubes are just for show, by the signal path description. I'm gonna take the next replacement(if I ever get one) and put it down on an "all-tube" combo that I can fix myself should something go wrong. Hey, I know they all can come up with a lemon now and then, but I got two, and am waiting on what may be a third. Sheeeeee....!
Good luck with whatever you end up with. secretagentman.