Blackstar Amplification HT-Boost

Blackstar has made a huge splash on the amp world in recent years. They have made great sounding fantastically priced amps for the masses. The price is what is so amazing to me. The amp sounds so very good and to keep their prices for a multi-channel combo like this under $1000 is remarkable. Blackstar has effectively used a great design as well as superb marketing which has enabled them to produce a great quality and sounding amplifiers. Many touring and professional artists all over the globe are now turning towards Blackstar for their guitar amplifier needs. The have successfully taking a huge niche in the market over the last few years.

This little boost pedal takes what the circuit would do in your all tube valve amp and puts it into a small pint size foot distortion pedal. This little pedal cascades the gains stages much like a high gain amps would do and uses that idea in this pedal. What you get is a hot rodded pedal that goes great in front of an overdriven amp or even as a regular distortion pedal in front of a clean amp.

UTILIZATION


* Genuine valve design
* Operates at 300V HT
* Cascaded valve gain stages
* Hotrod your valve amp
* Silent switching operation

* All-valve tone control circuit
* Pedals or ‘hot’ valve amplifier outputs
* High integrity buffered bypass
* Power supply included



SOUND QUALITY

I have to say I am already fan of Blackstar amplification but now I am even a fan of their foot distortion pedals as well. I am not a distortion pedal guy. I generally like to get my tone and gain from the amps preamp combined with the power tube section of the amp. I love the combination of the two sections of the amp to get hot and grindy to give that great clean gain rock in roll tone. It cuts in the mix better and the tone and note separation is much more audible.

This little pedal gives yo enough boost if you wants to use it as a boost to drive an already overdriven amp into submission. This pedal used as an all out gain pedal is where it live though. The design and fell of it is remarkable.

OVERALL OPINION

At new these pedals come in right at around $179, which isn't a bad deal for a distortion pedal. This pedal has enough juice and gain in it to get a nice clean Fender amp cooking in the high gain department. I would recommend this pedal to anyone who need a good booster pedal or needs a big distortion box to drive his or her clean amp.

Blackstar Amplification's HT-Boost is a unique boost pedal for electric guitar and is best suited for use with tube guitar amps. The pedal is super high voltage at 300 V and has 1/4" connections for input and both a high and low output. It also comes with it's own power supply and contains a valve tube with two gain stages for a serious level of boosting capabilities. It's not a rackable unit as it's a stomp box.

UTILIZATION

Manipulating the Blackstar Amplification HT-Boost isn't going to be hard for users. The controls couldn't be more simple as it just has knobs for boost, bass, and treble. This is really the kind of pedal you put in the front of your chain and let it work it's magic. You do have a few controls here, but again, the pedal kind of just does it's thing. No manual should be needed...

SOUND QUALITY

What Blackstar Amplification HT-Boost does for your tone is simply incredible. I recently tried out this pedal along with my Fender Jazzmaster and '76 Fender Twin Reverb and this thing can really work wonders. You can definitely get some overdrive with it, but I think it's best as just an overall tone booster to add thickness to your sound. You can use it as a more traditional boost if you want, but I think once you hear the sound with it engaged that it's going to be hard to turn off!

OVERALL OPINION

The Blackstar Amplification HT-Boost is one of the single most powerful pedals that I've used to date in terms of changing your overall sound. It's not cheap, but if you're a tone-meister looking for a serious boost to your overall sound, this is going to help you out a great deal. It's definitely best used with tube amps, but I would imagine it would help to add a tube sound to a solid state amp as well, although I haven't tested this theory since I've only used it with my Twin. This pedal is an absolute beast and is one that every professional or semi-professional guitarist should check out.

Preamp / boost "tube", so a Sovtek 12AX7 on the pedal model (wide) I have. I put quotation marks on the word lamps, because it is mostly a good mass of transistors that work before them. It has two outputs with two different levels depending on whether aliumente:-a pedal, amp or transistors that sends the signal directly into a mixer-a tube amp. Everything is in jack, and despite the known fragility of lamps, it's tough.

UTILIZATION

It's simple, the advantage of this boost is that it can provide all the results expected a boost: clean, treble, warm or neutral ...

Thanks to a 2-band EQ: noon was the sound as it is, is attenuated below the band above it strengthens. In short, it has nothing to lose in the settings, and the boost dose is VERY wide, so not to blow up the station hp!

SOUND QUALITY

Different uses are very versatile, provided that properly adjusts eq.

OVERALL OPINION

I used it for three years, and I still use it occasionally to warm an amp transistors. The value for money is good, but is not within the reach of every budget.

One of the few things I can blame him is his size for a pedal that finally used rarely in a set, and following the guitar / effects / amp configuration, it may lack transparency and make the sound fat (which is not always bad).

I changed the boost in Fulltone, which is smaller, simpler and more transparent (and also more expensive).

This is classic boost that works with a 12AX7.
3 knobs: a boost, a treble and a bass.
This is strong both in room and on stage (the pedal must weigh at least 500grammes).
However attention to configs that you will put in place because the knobs can move when the pressure started.

Nice side power is supplied in the box with ... this is not the case everywhere.

UTILIZATION

The config is pretty simple. Personally I use in chaining directly out of my effects and / or multi-effects to pass over solo, especially on stage.
In this case 'Hat because it can take your sound to 15db more without spoiling it.

For use on stage, I recommend you do a balance from others to keep in mind the sound that comes in front. Also memorize the landmarks of the pots well as a kick unwelcome and you blow the house down and the balance!! Caution is sensitive.

SOUND QUALITY

The sounds vary by use and placement of your belongings.
Live can go up to the crunch with a big attack.

Perfect for rock and highlighting of important ways on stage.

However he slammed so hard that it is better to be away from the amp to the risk of the feedback and especially on small stages.

Used with a VOX ToneLab LE chain end directly into a Valvestate 80, it is amazing especially in high gain stage. No problems with any type of guitar (Gibson, Fender Strat and Tele).

OVERALL OPINION

Overall if I had to redo it is a choice that I do it again without hesitation.
The sound is clean and powerful and faithfully reproduces the ffects added before him.
The gear is top quality .. this is the Blackstar!
Good value for money and this effect is more adaptable to any style even if you feel that rock is more dommaine his expression, I use it in variety and dance and it is often the difference especially in large formations.

In short a great boost and certainly one of the best in its class from my point of view.