Anyone Gigging with Blackstar HT-5?

PermanentWaves

I used to Gig years ago (ie: 30 years ago!) and in those days I had a 40 watt Solid Stae Amp - Plenty for the rooms we played.

For years now I have been a bedroom player and my current amp is a Blackstar Ht-5 combo.

I'm playing again more seriously in a band and we rehearse in proper practice rooms.

My amp stands up pretty well against everyone else in the room. Admittedly the drums are electric but they are turned up pretty loud ( a loud as I remember acoustic drums).

I know that in a pub or hall full of people the noise gets swallowed up.

My question is this. Anyone here gigging ok with a HT-5?

I know that's not what they are designed for but I chatted with one of the guys on the Blackstar stand at a recent guitar show and all he uses is his Ht-5 plugged through the PA.

Just wanted to hear from other HT-5 players.

Cheers
Mike
 

monquixote

It will be fine if it's miked up into a PA. 

It aint going to fill a pub on it's own though.

Si_

5W isnt going to cut it IMHO.

You'll have to keep the stage volume really low just to hear yourself. You might have a chance with it being electric drums I guess. I had an HT-5 for a week and it was useless in a band situation, with everything on 10 I couldn't hear it clearly enough to be usefull on stage, sure with a mic and PA the audience may have heard it fine, but thats no good if you can't.

15-20w minimum I think.

stevenguitars

buy a used peavey classic 30 

then you'll be set

bluechargeboy

If you have electrickal drum kit and everything is going through the PA then you have the rare opportunity to have a low stage volume and enjoy a lifetime of non-ringing ears and the ability to communicate verbally with your band mates while you play. Mmmm, hearing.

p90fool

bluechargeboy;315774" said:

If you have electrickal drum kit and everything is going through the PA then you have the rare opportunity to have a low stage volume and enjoy a lifetime of non-ringing ears and the ability to communicate verbally with your band mates while you play. Mmmm, hearing.

This is true, but in my experience you still need a lot more than 5w just to be able to hear yourself properly over the general hubbub of people talking.
I was pushing a 20w valve head pretty hard last week just to cover the sound of one table of drunken screeching slappers. I am primarily a clean player though, so I need a little headroom.

To me, the problem with very small amps is that good monitoring is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity, and we all know how variable that can be.

bluechargeboy

p90fool said:

To me, the problem with very small amps is that good monitoring is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity, and we all know how variable that can be.

Well that's true. I was thinking monitored; I would normally expect monitoring as part of backline but now I think about it we have played through plenty of hokey-pokey PAs that look like part of Uncle Dave's Matsui Hifi, and sound like it.

Bod

bluechargeboy said:

If you have electrickal drum kit and everything is going through the PA then you have the rare opportunity to have a low stage volume and enjoy a lifetime of non-ringing ears and the ability to communicate verbally with your band mates while you play. Mmmm, hearing.

I play in a pub covers band and the drummer has an electronic kit and it's great.  I use an HT5 and it the volume knob barely makes it to 5.  It's plenty loud enough in that situation.

Danny1969

I use an HT5 with 2 different bands, done hundreds of gigs with it. It's miced up and sounds great 

I've no issues hearing it despite both bands having enthusiastic acoustic drummers .....the little things are quite loud

ecc83

The Five is remarkably loud into a 4x12xV30s (but that rather defeats the "lugging " object!)

Being FB, push-pull they actually put out about 10 dirty watts, 110dB SPL at a mtr, not quiet! But yes, has to be horses for courses else why would B's make a 200watter!

Don't forget the 5 has an emulated output (as does most of the range) for jacking out to a PA/mixer.

Dave.

Danny1969

I'm using mine with a 1 x 12 Celestion G60 superlead cab it's very efficient and there's room in the back to stash that mini mic stand and some beers

@ecc83 I don't think they did a great job on the emulated output Dave, I mean it works and I tried it but it's quite harsh so I still use a mic

ecc83

Danny1969 said:

I'm using mine with a 1 x 12 Celestion G60 superlead cab it's very efficient and there's room in the back to stash that mini mic stand and some beers

@ecc83 I don't think they did a great job on the emulated output Dave, I mean it works and I tried it but it's quite harsh so I still use a mic

Hmm? Amp's been around some 6 years and yours is the first critique of the EM out I have heard of.

Not sure if the response spec was changed from the MK1 (10") to the MK2 (12") but I could check.

If it really bothered anyone it is possible I suppose that a cap was stuffed wrongly or missed. If you dropped it off at B's they should be able to tell you.

For heads, MK2's have verb of course!

Dave.

Danny1969

ecc83 said:

Danny1969 said:

I'm using mine with a 1 x 12 Celestion G60 superlead cab it's very efficient and there's room in the back to stash that mini mic stand and some beers

@ecc83 I don't think they did a great job on the emulated output Dave, I mean it works and I tried it but it's quite harsh so I still use a mic

Hmm? Amp's been around some 6 years and yours is the first critique of the EM out I have heard of.

Not sure if the response spec was changed from the MK1 (10") to the MK2 (12") but I could check.

If it really bothered anyone it is possible I suppose that a cap was stuffed wrongly or missed. If you dropped it off at B's they should be able to tell you.

For heads, MK2's have verb of course!

Dave.

Ah it's no big deal it's no hassle to mic it anyway. I love the little head, I paid £150 for it and it's paid me back 20 times over. Incredible little amp for the money and the perfect amount of power for modern gigging

ecc83

Danny1969 said:

ecc83 said:

Danny1969 said:

I'm using mine with a 1 x 12 Celestion G60 superlead cab it's very efficient and there's room in the back to stash that mini mic stand and some beers

@ecc83 I don't think they did a great job on the emulated output Dave, I mean it works and I tried it but it's quite harsh so I still use a mic

Hmm? Amp's been around some 6 years and yours is the first critique of the EM out I have heard of.

Not sure if the response spec was changed from the MK1 (10") to the MK2 (12") but I could check.

If it really bothered anyone it is possible I suppose that a cap was stuffed wrongly or missed. If you dropped it off at B's they should be able to tell you.

For heads, MK2's have verb of course!

Dave.

Ah it's no big deal it's no hassle to mic it anyway. I love the little head, I paid £150 for it and it's paid me back 20 times over. Incredible little amp for the money and the perfect amount of power for modern gigging

Good to hear. If you would like to PM me I might have news to your advantage?

Dave.

PermanentWaves

Thanks everyone. I think I'll just give it a try and see how it goes.

I had thought of upgrading to the HT20 but as someone said above, a bigger amp sort of kills the "it's not a pain to lug around" argument!

ICBM

I played an HT-5R combo recently and I wouldn't have said it was loud enough to gig, for me for the sounds I use now, but try it - making sure you place it somewhere you can hear it properly and it will project well, ie not on the floor behind you at shin level, I would get it up to about waist height - and if it isn't then you need either a bigger amp or a more efficient cab.

monquixote

My top tip would be to get an amp  kickback stand because having it pointed at your head will make a huge difference.

The stock speakers in the HTs aren't that great so you might also be able to buy a high efficiency 2x12 cab for gigging and just take the little amp to practice.

PinstripePhil

PermanentWaves;21181" said:

I used to Gig years ago (ie: 30 years ago!) and in those days I had a 40 watt Solid Stae Amp - Plenty for the rooms we played.



For years now I have been a bedroom player and my current amp is a Blackstar Ht-5 combo.



I'm playing again more seriously in a band and we rehearse in proper practice rooms.



My amp stands up pretty well against everyone else in the room. Admittedly the drums are electric but they are turned up pretty loud ( a loud as I remember acoustic drums).



I know that in a pub or hall full of people the noise gets swallowed up.



My question is this. Anyone here gigging ok with a HT-5?



I know that's not what they are designed for but I chatted with one of the guys on the Blackstar stand at a recent guitar show and all he uses is his Ht-5 plugged through the PA.



Just wanted to hear from other HT-5 players.



Cheers

Mike

 

Mike,
Do the gig and see for yourself how it goes. Afterwards you will know if you can do a few more with it.
After maybe three gigs get a bigger amp. At least then you will know you want to gig again, that the band is stable and what is important to you in a live setting.
Cheers,
Phil

pmg

I tried once and and found it to be…different.  Suppose it will depend how good the on stage monitors are.  Try it.  

PermanentWaves

PinstripePhil said:

PermanentWaves;21181" said:

I used to Gig years ago (ie: 30 years ago!) and in those days I had a 40 watt Solid Stae Amp - Plenty for the rooms we played.



For years now I have been a bedroom player and my current amp is a Blackstar Ht-5 combo.



I'm playing again more seriously in a band and we rehearse in proper practice rooms.



My amp stands up pretty well against everyone else in the room. Admittedly the drums are electric but they are turned up pretty loud ( a loud as I remember acoustic drums).



I know that in a pub or hall full of people the noise gets swallowed up.



My question is this. Anyone here gigging ok with a HT-5?



I know that's not what they are designed for but I chatted with one of the guys on the Blackstar stand at a recent guitar show and all he uses is his Ht-5 plugged through the PA.



Just wanted to hear from other HT-5 players.



Cheers

Mike

 

Mike,
Do the gig and see for yourself how it goes. Afterwards you will know if you can do a few more with it.
After maybe three gigs get a bigger amp. At least then you will know you want to gig again, that the band is stable and what is important to you in a live setting.
Cheers,
Phil

PinstripePhil said:

PermanentWaves;21181" said:

I used to Gig years ago (ie: 30 years ago!) and in those days I had a 40 watt Solid Stae Amp - Plenty for the rooms we played.



For years now I have been a bedroom player and my current amp is a Blackstar Ht-5 combo.



I'm playing again more seriously in a band and we rehearse in proper practice rooms.



My amp stands up pretty well against everyone else in the room. Admittedly the drums are electric but they are turned up pretty loud ( a loud as I remember acoustic drums).



I know that in a pub or hall full of people the noise gets swallowed up.



My question is this. Anyone here gigging ok with a HT-5?



I know that's not what they are designed for but I chatted with one of the guys on the Blackstar stand at a recent guitar show and all he uses is his Ht-5 plugged through the PA.



Just wanted to hear from other HT-5 players.



Cheers

Mike

 

Mike,
Do the gig and see for yourself how it goes. Afterwards you will know if you can do a few more with it.
After maybe three gigs get a bigger amp. At least then you will know you want to gig again, that the band is stable and what is important to you in a live setting.
Cheers,
Phil

Thanks Phil. It's all slowly coming back to me. I used to gig as a teenager. Now I'm 51, so it's been a while. I also have to wear earplugs now and getting used to trying to hear through those is fun.

All part of the fun learning process

Vibetronic

I've got an HT5 and have used it for quite a few gigs at pubs/functions, with a covers band, and with my metal band. Does absolutely fine mic'd up. Stage volume obviously isn't much if things get loud, although I've found it cuts through ok, and if you get a good monitor mix you'll be good. The only problem I've had is that if you're using the dirty channel, there's no boost for lead, but I've just cut back the gain on the amp and used a distortion pedal to boost the level a bit (or had the sound guy turn my channel up a bit during solos).