Re: the Blackstar If you’re like me, and typically play through a load of pedals to get acid rock or post-punk-type tones, you’ll probably play on the clean channel ANYWAY, and get your drive tones from your pedals. It should also be noted that again, for my fellow tone-sculptors out there, this is the least-costly amp on the market that HAS an FX loop, for your time-based effects (delays, reverbs, and LFO-modulators like flangers, choruses, et al).
Thanks for your insight! To my ear, the Blackstar had a really nice clean tone. I just ordered one for noodling and to help keep the hours down on my Princeton. I’ll add that your jazzy chording and clean blues are really nice…maybe you should keep that up!!!
I’ve had the amp a month now and couldn’t be happier. It’s actually so good that I’m taking it and leaving the Princeton at home for a gig this week. Amazing clean tones!
Really great video - thank you. Totally agree with your points as well. I use modelling and plugins for almost everything I do, recording and playing live these days, but I've just bought the debut 50 and I love it. It's the most time I have spent playing for pleasure because it's so immediate and inspiring I think because I'm playing rather than endlessly tweaking. And it's become a great reference point to what a guitar amp sounds like, rather than a sound thats processed to sound like a recorded sound, if that makes sense? There's nowhere to hide when you strip away all the delays, dynamics processing etc - so for it to sound good, you have to play well or it'll slap you in the face with all your bad notes! I also find it less fatiguing and more immediate. Everyone should have a combo - it's like a digital reset switch!
Exactly! I have Amplitube Max and I like it for recording but for practicing nothing beats a nice combo. I have the Debut 50r. Killer amp, love the od channel! Did I mention the fx loop? The isf knob? The great reverb? The emulated line output?
happy to find you in the English version in my opinion this channel over time will be able to give greater satisfaction, for today video from an aesthetic point of view blackstar and marshall win hands down but the katana is certainly more versatile for domestic use ciao! 🎸
That Marshall’s drive channel sounded ridiculously good for 8” speakers. I am prejudiced against anything smaller than 10”; in fact, I start getting suspicious when there’s smaller than a 12” speaker, so this REALLY surprised me.
I just play at home, and have Boss Katana 50 MkI and 50 MkIi connected ABY via Radial Big Shot for wet/dry glory at home volumes and at cheap prices. It’s all I need for what I do and the Boss amps are reliable and great.
I think you made a good point about playing more melodically at low volumes. Since switching, 4 years ago, from a plugin-based setup to a clean amp and a big analogue pedal board, I’ve been inspired to play fingerstyle blues-rock (like Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) for the first time in 30 years of guitar playing. Along with this, I, too have been learning to incorporate more arpeggiated triads and arpeggiated chords in positions beyond the first-which has in turn made me a more versatile musician.
I was surprised by the Boss Katana (still not interested, but it wasn’t half bad). The other two, I know nothing about - but I wasn’t inspired by them here. I’m sticking with my Vox Pathfinder 15R: most tube-like transistor amp ever?
I had one of those in a 30 watt and never found myself liking it. Too loud for homeplay But it was 10 years ago. I've got the blackstar fly3 combo amp and it's really a great 2 cab 6w setup. It's in the Green edition for 99$ on Amazon. It's the best home amp I've ever had. I'm glad the 15w works well for you. That's awesome.
If you are just playing at home in your bedroom or basement then it doesn't matter. A tube amp with a good master volume works just fine but then so does something like a Helix. I have both and I play with both. I can't say one is better than the other. I mostly use the Helix now but I still enjoy the feeling of a tube amp. A tube amp at high volumes is still a wonderful experience but I can't do that very often so the Helix tends to give me that high-volume big stage sound than my tube amps at lower volume.
I agree with both you and I also wonder about the 5 watt setting. I don't think he used both power settings or even mentioned which one he was using. It's worth noting.
@@robbaskerville253 yes me too. Also, had a black star HT50 Mkii head with matching 2x12 cabinet and the cleans sounded terrible and it had 2xEL34 ok it and a 1AX7 preamp tube.
I have the Debut 50R, but I actually prefer the drive channel over the clean channel. But I use that channel rather differently from the way a lot of people use it. I turn the volume up pretty high (at least two o'clock), but I keep the gain way, way down--just enough that, when I dig in, I get just a tiny bit of "hair" on the sound. Then I use an overdrive pedal that can give me some extra warmth. That sounds better than turning up the gain. I also think that it sounds better than the clean channel, when used that way.
I'm wondering about the debut 50. If I'm correct the model in the United States has a switch to cut the 50 watt output to a 5 watt. Making it drive at lower volumes. In this video were you using the 50 watt setting or the 5 watt?
All Debut 50's can be reduced in power from 50 to 5 watts. & then of course there's a VOLUME control. So talking about upsetting the neighbours because it's too loud is just silly.
I have a Positive Grid Spark and looking for a new amp to play in my apartment. The Spark is so bassy and muddy sounding. Katana would have been the obvious choice but I don't think it sounds great either, the distortion sounds artificial and unrealistic, you know? I prefer the Blackstar here. Do you have any other recommendations?
@@TheFreeman4955 Yes the 40. I've found elevating the Spark really helps tame the bass on it. I've moved it off my table and put it on top of my bass amp and it sounds much better.
Returned my Blackstar Debut 50... Sounded great at home, but tried it twice with bands and it was horrible (very thin and weak sounding). My tube amp (Fender Pro Junior) worked much better. Pedals were used with both.
I ended up buying one and ended up returning it back to music store I'd bought it from and paired it up with a floor model they had sitting there.... Last one. Ended up leaving with both.... not bad for a stereo rig and less than $500.00 investment. So far I'm liking it but have yet to try it out live. Up coming Friday and Saturday will give it a go but still gonna have my backups along just in case.
‘Bestselling combo amp of recent years,’ I would say. Or, alternatively, ‘Bestselling combo amp of the last few years.’ Either way, your English is good. I understand you very well, and I found this video entertaining and informative.
Not 100% sure but from my limited experience 12" is to big for room playing and 8" too small with no low end, open back doesn't help at all, I believe that 10" is the more appropriate size, I haven't tried any 6,5" or 2x12 stacks. Two points, 1st practice/room players don't search for the same sound as band guitar players and 2nd for new players it might be better to buy a multi effect pedal, modelling amp or a pc with an audio interface, the downside having too many options is bad sometimes since you waste time discovering the "amps" and not playing guitarl
Great review - I really like the time and playing you gave with the clean tones. The Blackstar looks the coolest, best clean tones. The Marshall is good. The Katana the most versatile, but not inspiring and looks terrible!
I have add some salt for this video. I have previously few amp Peavey vypyr, Peavey bandit 112 red stripe, Katana 100 mk1, boss nextone Stage, currently vox vt20x, Blackstar studio 10 EL34. Everyone is inspired. General small speaker is rubbish and min is 10 for home but 12 more offten win. Most of you youtube people heard valve amp not the best for home also half stack not for home too. All this is bulshit. You gave to try yourself all stuff because everyone is diffrent and all this things is very subjective. I dream about valve amp and half stack and use old multi-effects Vox tonelab le for pushing valve in low bedroom volume. On this video you can hear articulation on guitar so if you Can hear strings is not loud. And recording by phone and don't sound tiny. Katana isn't bad choice if you start without pedal board don't need notfing else. Blackstar debut sound very nice clean and have fx loop so will be good pedal platform depending which way you want to go. Another qestion what you want to do? Just play not recording and just clean? Vox vt20x will be great for this even is unacceptable speaker size 8" OK below half stack Marshall on bedroom volume. ua-cam.com/video/mKjbWQPMe-M/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
the katana is the most bang for your buck small combo ever . . hundreds of boss effects on hand and cheap as chips . . cmon . . not even a contest here . . i have a 50 and it is the most versatile combo ever . . tell me im wrong .
The Katana is not a digital modeling amp, it’s a class A/B analog transistor amplifier with some digital effects. The 5 amp sounds are all analog, the power amp is class A/B analog. Don’t feel bad, most people think the katana is a modeling amp.
I made a bit of research and I couldn't find a proper answer, seems like it has a FET preamp buffer feeding a DSP, of course the power amp is analog, but if you have more official informations feel free to answer in this thread. Thanks!
What do you guys think? Can this setup be somehow refreshing or it's just surpassed?
Re: the Blackstar
If you’re like me, and typically play through a load of pedals to get acid rock or post-punk-type tones, you’ll probably play on the clean channel ANYWAY, and get your drive tones from your pedals. It should also be noted that again, for my fellow tone-sculptors out there, this is the least-costly amp on the market that HAS an FX loop, for your time-based effects (delays, reverbs, and LFO-modulators like flangers, choruses, et al).
Thanks for your insight!
To my ear, the Blackstar had a really nice clean tone. I just ordered one for noodling and to help keep the hours down on my Princeton.
I’ll add that your jazzy chording and clean blues are really nice…maybe you should keep that up!!!
Thanks man, deeply appreciated. Good choice with your blackstar :)
I’ve had the amp a month now and couldn’t be happier. It’s actually so good that I’m taking it and leaving the Princeton at home for a gig this week.
Amazing clean tones!
Thanks for making this I'm gonna go with the blackstar!
Really great video - thank you. Totally agree with your points as well. I use modelling and plugins for almost everything I do, recording and playing live these days, but I've just bought the debut 50 and I love it. It's the most time I have spent playing for pleasure because it's so immediate and inspiring I think because I'm playing rather than endlessly tweaking. And it's become a great reference point to what a guitar amp sounds like, rather than a sound thats processed to sound like a recorded sound, if that makes sense? There's nowhere to hide when you strip away all the delays, dynamics processing etc - so for it to sound good, you have to play well or it'll slap you in the face with all your bad notes! I also find it less fatiguing and more immediate. Everyone should have a combo - it's like a digital reset switch!
Exactly! I have Amplitube Max and I like it for recording but for practicing nothing beats a nice combo. I have the Debut 50r. Killer amp, love the od channel! Did I mention the fx loop? The isf knob? The great reverb? The emulated line output?
happy to find you in the English version in my opinion this channel over time will be able to give greater satisfaction, for today video from an aesthetic point of view blackstar and marshall win hands down but the katana is certainly more versatile for domestic use ciao! 🎸
We'll see Maurizio! Thanks a lot for being here too :)
That Marshall’s drive channel sounded ridiculously good for 8” speakers. I am prejudiced against anything smaller than 10”; in fact, I start getting suspicious when there’s smaller than a 12” speaker, so this REALLY surprised me.
"Best selling combo of the last years" is right :).
I just play at home, and have Boss Katana 50 MkI and 50 MkIi connected ABY via Radial Big Shot for wet/dry glory at home volumes and at cheap prices. It’s all I need for what I do and the Boss amps are reliable and great.
... And therefore I learned I should get an amp...
Although points are really valid in context
Thank you!
Thank you!
I think you made a good point about playing more melodically at low volumes. Since switching, 4 years ago, from a plugin-based setup to a clean amp and a big analogue pedal board, I’ve been inspired to play fingerstyle blues-rock (like Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits) for the first time in 30 years of guitar playing. Along with this, I, too have been learning to incorporate more arpeggiated triads and arpeggiated chords in positions beyond the first-which has in turn made me a more versatile musician.
For home practice I’m leaning to the Blackstar icore 4 series with twin stereo speakers, come 10,20 &40 watts.
I was surprised by the Boss Katana (still not interested, but it wasn’t half bad). The other two, I know nothing about - but I wasn’t inspired by them here.
I’m sticking with my Vox Pathfinder 15R: most tube-like transistor amp ever?
I had one of those in a 30 watt and never found myself liking it. Too loud for homeplay But it was 10 years ago. I've got the blackstar fly3 combo amp and it's really a great 2 cab 6w setup. It's in the Green edition for 99$ on Amazon. It's the best home amp I've ever had. I'm glad the 15w works well for you. That's awesome.
If you are just playing at home in your bedroom or basement then it doesn't matter. A tube amp with a good master volume works just fine but then so does something like a Helix. I have both and I play with both. I can't say one is better than the other. I mostly use the Helix now but I still enjoy the feeling of a tube amp. A tube amp at high volumes is still a wonderful experience but I can't do that very often so the Helix tends to give me that high-volume big stage sound than my tube amps at lower volume.
I am curious how woukd the blackstar sound with a distortion pedal or an overdrive on the clean channel?
I agree, this should be considered in a demo video like this. I definitely would be using my pedals with an amp like that.
I agree with both you and I also wonder about the 5 watt setting. I don't think he used both power settings or even mentioned which one he was using. It's worth noting.
The reviews I've read say it's ideal for this. I'll be buying one soon.
@@robbaskerville253 yes me too. Also, had a black star HT50 Mkii head with matching 2x12 cabinet and the cleans sounded terrible and it had 2xEL34 ok it and a 1AX7 preamp tube.
I have the Debut 50R, but I actually prefer the drive channel over the clean channel. But I use that channel rather differently from the way a lot of people use it. I turn the volume up pretty high (at least two o'clock), but I keep the gain way, way down--just enough that, when I dig in, I get just a tiny bit of "hair" on the sound. Then I use an overdrive pedal that can give me some extra warmth. That sounds better than turning up the gain. I also think that it sounds better than the clean channel, when used that way.
How about for live purpose.. like in worship. Will black star and katana perform good
I think they would, it depends on the size of the venue, but you mic' em up it should be more than fine
I'm wondering about the debut 50. If I'm correct the model in the United States has a switch to cut the 50 watt output to a 5 watt. Making it drive at lower volumes. In this video were you using the 50 watt setting or the 5 watt?
I can't remember, probably both settings, but it wasn't really tonally different to my taste
All Debut 50's can be reduced in power from 50 to 5 watts. & then of course there's a VOLUME control. So talking about upsetting the neighbours because it's too loud is just silly.
wich Plugin would you recommend, for a practice type of studio?
They are pretty much all great choices. Maybe consider the ones that have metronome and tuner too
In my opinion the room samples sounded way better than the sm57 samples, regardless the amp.
I have a Positive Grid Spark and looking for a new amp to play in my apartment. The Spark is so bassy and muddy sounding. Katana would have been the obvious choice but I don't think it sounds great either, the distortion sounds artificial and unrealistic, you know? I prefer the Blackstar here. Do you have any other recommendations?
Just curious do you have the Spark 40? I have one and I noticed if I tilted it back (bottom off table) it actually made a big difference.
@@TheFreeman4955 Yes the 40. I've found elevating the Spark really helps tame the bass on it. I've moved it off my table and put it on top of my bass amp and it sounds much better.
@@rupe82 I also have a boss GE 7 EQ pedal that really helps.
@@TheFreeman4955 Yes that's a good option and bringing it to ear level will help tremendously.
Returned my Blackstar Debut 50... Sounded great at home, but tried it twice with bands and it was horrible (very thin and weak sounding). My tube amp (Fender Pro Junior) worked much better. Pedals were used with both.
@@BryanClark-gk6ieBoth. It was loud enough, but just not cutting through and it sounded very thin. Blues band, and we were playing outside.
I ended up buying one and ended up returning it back to music store I'd bought it from and paired it up with a floor model they had sitting there.... Last one. Ended up leaving with both.... not bad for a stereo rig and less than $500.00 investment. So far I'm liking it but have yet to try it out live. Up coming Friday and Saturday will give it a go but still gonna have my backups along just in case.
‘Bestselling combo amp of recent years,’ I would say. Or, alternatively, ‘Bestselling combo amp of the last few years.’
Either way, your English is good. I understand you very well, and I found this video entertaining and informative.
Thanks! Really appreciate all your comments. Cheers!
Not 100% sure but from my limited experience 12" is to big for room playing and 8" too small with no low end, open back doesn't help at all, I believe that 10" is the more appropriate size, I haven't tried any 6,5" or 2x12 stacks. Two points, 1st practice/room players don't search for the same sound as band guitar players and 2nd for new players it might be better to buy a multi effect pedal, modelling amp or a pc with an audio interface, the downside having too many options is bad sometimes since you waste time discovering the "amps" and not playing guitarl
Great review - I really like the time and playing you gave with the clean tones. The Blackstar looks the coolest, best clean tones. The Marshall is good. The Katana the most versatile, but not inspiring and looks terrible!
Thanks man, appreciated
Lesson of the day… peavey bandit Is still king
I have add some salt for this video. I have previously few amp Peavey vypyr, Peavey bandit 112 red stripe, Katana 100 mk1, boss nextone Stage, currently vox vt20x, Blackstar studio 10 EL34. Everyone is inspired.
General small speaker is rubbish and min is 10 for home but 12 more offten win.
Most of you youtube people heard valve amp not the best for home also half stack not for home too. All this is bulshit. You gave to try yourself all stuff because everyone is diffrent and all this things is very subjective.
I dream about valve amp and half stack and use old multi-effects Vox tonelab le for pushing valve in low bedroom volume. On this video you can hear articulation on guitar so if you Can hear strings is not loud. And recording by phone and don't sound tiny. Katana isn't bad choice if you start without pedal board don't need notfing else. Blackstar debut sound very nice clean and have fx loop so will be good pedal platform depending which way you want to go. Another qestion what you want to do? Just play not recording and just clean? Vox vt20x will be great for this even is unacceptable speaker size 8"
OK below half stack Marshall on bedroom volume.
ua-cam.com/video/mKjbWQPMe-M/v-deo.htmlfeature=shared
blackstar debut 50r it has too much bass
Turn the bass knob down & the treble knob up on the EQ then genius.
You don't know how to setup an amplifier?
the katana is the most bang for your buck small combo ever . . hundreds of boss effects on hand and cheap as chips . . cmon . . not even a contest here . . i have a 50 and it is the most versatile combo ever . . tell me im wrong .
It's a great choice indeed
The Katana is not a digital modeling amp, it’s a class A/B analog transistor amplifier with some digital effects. The 5 amp sounds are all analog, the power amp is class A/B analog. Don’t feel bad, most people think the katana is a modeling amp.
I made a bit of research and I couldn't find a proper answer, seems like it has a FET preamp buffer feeding a DSP, of course the power amp is analog, but if you have more official informations feel free to answer in this thread. Thanks!