New amp range coming from Blackstar?

RaymondLin

My Bogner Atma can be picked up with 1 finger.  The shell is all aluminium.  18W, loud enough.

monquixote

stonevibe said:

By the time you've put the amp in your car, what does weight matter? And if you put your amps in a flight case, then it is also pretty pointless making them lightweight.

Just put wheels on them and make your drummer carry it upstairs. Sorted.

I think a very high percentage of gigging musicians are now in their 60s, 70s and lugging amps up a flight of stairs (as is often required for venues) is a really big issue for them.

As others have said I think it's a boomer focussed product.

Grumpyrocker

stonevibe said:

Grumpyrocker said:

I don't use this feature, so fuck everyone else who might.

Guitar forums in a nutshell. 

Yeah, but I haven't heard any demos online that make them sound like a £1000 amp. They sound pretty generic in all the ones I've listened to this morning

I don't have any interest in buying one either. I think I'm actually done buying amps.

Famous last words. 

stonevibe

I think Blackstar have overthought this one. Yeah, loads of features. But the amp tones aren't really there. 

stonevibe

They sound a bit better in the Andertons demo.

I'd shoot the guys at GAK and PMT for their demos, as they sounded terrible

abw1989

It seems a little over priced to me, or maybe I'm just being tight...

Yes, it has the DI out and the power scaling, but it's still only a two channel amp with a shared EQ for £1000. Are we really expected to pay over the odds for an illuminated logo and lightness?

monquixote

abw1989 said:

It seems a little over priced to me, or maybe I'm just being tight...

Yes, it has the DI out and the power scaling, but it's still only a two channel amp with a shared EQ for £1000. Are we really expected to pay over the odds for an illuminated logo and lightness?

I think you have to set a new baseline for your expectation of prices. 

It's much easier for companies to set a new price when launching something new, but I think we can expect to see most amps jump in price over the next few months.

That being said it depends on if you see an amp with a switch mode power supply as an premium upgrade. 

digitalkettle

Fuengi said:

ecc83 said:

Hmm? The PMT blurb says "light weight", now the only way to make a 50W valve OP stage lighter is to use an SMPS instead of a power transformer.

I DID see some 'things' many years ago...

Dave.

That or helium filled cavities? 

Is that what the 'Lift' switch does?

stonevibe

Better demos

stonevibe

Where are they made? China? UK? 

RaymondLin

monquixote said:

abw1989 said:

It seems a little over priced to me, or maybe I'm just being tight...

Yes, it has the DI out and the power scaling, but it's still only a two channel amp with a shared EQ for £1000. Are we really expected to pay over the odds for an illuminated logo and lightness?

I think you have to set a new baseline for your expectation of prices. 

It's much easier for companies to set a new price when launching something new, but I think we can expect to see most amps jump in price over the next few months.

That being said it depends on if you see an amp with a switch mode power supply as an premium upgrade. 

I think that too is very true.  It is clear to me too they are also trying to move up into the next segment in the market too.  Blackstar to me has always been entry-level tube amp, with their HT5 and HT1.  The Artisan series gets good reviews but they are at that range where do I go all out to get boutique over £1k or just stick to cheap like a Marshall origin.  This also sits in that category. 

Another amp that is in this ballpark is the REVV G20 and D20 head.  They also have cab sm built in too and they sound pretty good.  Not 50w though that got to be said.

StefB

stonevibe said:

Where are they made? China? UK? 

It isn't mentioned on the back of the heads for some reason, but does say Made in China on the rear of the combos.

relic245

ICBM said:

Which there is nothing wrong with, *as long as they don't claim it's all valve*.

Agreed,  I am a blackstar user and will take a good look at this as my back hates me everytime I pick my Artisan up. 

I don't care what is in the circuit as long as it sounds good. 

In the video at about 41 minutes they talk about op amps so I'm guessing they won't make the all valve claim. 

Personally that never bothered me anyway. It's just marketing people doing their thing. 

Grumpyrocker

RaymondLin said:

Another amp that is in this ballpark is the REVV G20 and D20 head.  They also have cab sm built in too and they sound pretty good.

The styling does seem very REVV to me. Looks like that's the market this is aiming at. 

relic245

stonevibe said:

Just put wheels on them and make your drummer carry it upstairs. Sorted.

Doesn't work.  I bought a trolley to transport my amp. It's lifting it into and out of the car that has put my back out more than once. 

When I was in my 20's I would carry any amp up 3 flights of stairs and not be worried.  Approaching 60 it's a different story. 

stonevibe

relic245 said:

stonevibe said:

Just put wheels on them and make your drummer carry it upstairs. Sorted.

Doesn't work.  I bought a trolley to transport my amp. It's lifting it into and out of the car that has put my back out more than once. 

When I was in my 20's I would carry any amp up 3 flights of stairs and not be worried.  Approaching 60 it's a different story. 

Got to admit I did PMSL when my singer pulled a muscle in his arse lifting my '77 Marshall 2x12 combo out the boot of his car. I was crying with tears, as he screamed like a girl. 

relic245

stonevibe said:

Got to admit I did PMSL when my singer pulled a muscle in his arse lifting my '77 Marshall 2x12 combo out the boot of his car. I was crying with tears, as he screamed like a girl. 

Everyone needs friends like you

stonevibe

relic245 said:

stonevibe said:

Got to admit I did PMSL when my singer pulled a muscle in his arse lifting my '77 Marshall 2x12 combo out the boot of his car. I was crying with tears, as he screamed like a girl. 

Everyone needs friends like you

I'm a right c*nt when it comes to laughing inappropriately...

chrisj1602

I don’t think you can really decide if it sounds like a £1000 amp from a YouTube video.

TTBZ

I like the idea of a small/lightweight 50w head, but unfortunately it still sounds like a Blackstar.