Blackheart Engineering BH5 Little Giant

This is a tube amp that has a lamp preamp (12AX7) and an amplification lamp (EL84). Both are DD on this amp to 250 euro new.
We have a hp 12 inch very good.'s Box has been criticized for its instability on some models seem to vibrate. No worries on my side.
Power of 5 watts or 3 switchable.
Otherwise the amp is simple, a single channel no master, no effects, no loop, it is a style that defends, especially at this price.

UTILIZATION

Configuration is very simple since it is a single channel.
The manual is useless except maybe the warnings on the use of a tube amp.
This gives a good sound right away, the clean is very shimmering, warm and natural (personally I replaced the lamp with a 12AX7 reissue Tungsol and I do not regret it!)
The sound will depend greatly on the quality of your guitar.
In addition it is relatively light and compact.

SOUNDS

Will it fit my style of music? The clean sound is very versatile, you can really tap into all styles keeping the same sound. It can make a whole can.
The crunch is also very nice, but the whole point of this amp is just a very natural clean that much cash pedals offered to him. So for me it is an apartment amp.
I play on a 60 Les Paul (custom shop) which is a very very good guitar and amp sounds beautifully. With this guitar and just the clean sound I can stay stuck for hours, it's very nice to hear.
It is crystalline and warm at the same time, a little vintage remaining fairly neutral.
This is a very good amp when you have a limited budget and want the sonic purity. A good base to start and chaining effects thereafter.

OVERALL OPINION

I have long but I had tried too quickly and then no distortion had led me to buy another amp then another etc. without ever being satisfied.
After acquiring my 60 I sold some gear so I retest the Blackheart see if I could turn the rest.
I took a good slap, I think the guitar is for something too, but in any case it has never sounded better than on this little Blackheart. Outperforms It not bad mid-range of brands because its clean and simple circuit, the sound is very pure and natural lights.
I love it, it is this simplicity that I love. Not the expensive side because it has nothing in it and it is more than enough to make a good sounding guitar. So I see my philosophy a little amp these days.
It is quite playable at very low volume <1, and it sounds as well, no need to push for sound. With a Boss ME 70 is pretty amazing.

I put 10/10 on all points except the sound because you can always find better especially at the crunch, but clean for me is very high, with a Tungsol.

known

UTILIZATION

known

SOUNDS

see overall opinion

OVERALL OPINION

Hi,

so I got the three head BH5 and BH1 and BH5 combo.
All three sold quickly.

THE combo is too noisy, vibrations from all sides and hp too "smooth" for my taste.
in terms of the head 1Watt, the answer would be: but where are the lights??
The BH5 is not bad but it crunch too fast for my taste, and never approach my taste sounds I'm looking tweed fender and marshall jcm 800.

find my last 5 watts is a Harley Benton combo (yes, really!) with full kit fender Alnicotmagnet. 2 or 3 shots and soldering iron for the first time in my life, I mean the lights vibrate in a 5W amp less than 150 €.

5 watts, and a pretty good hp 12'' Eminence tube: a 12AX7 and EL84 no name, replaced for me by EHX in preamp and Sovtek in amplification (qualitative change sensitive enough, a bit more finesse and shades ...). For the remaining features, refer to other opinion well detailed, but a significant detail: it's tough, weighing 18 kg, and it inspires confidence (internal and external assemblies clean, simple, effective).

UTILIZATION

Simple configuration, such as the manual, not really necessary to understand the use. The power outlet you plug goes into is, allowed to heat slowly, the sound comes gradually worse guitar you plug the knobs you turn, falls again very quickly ... The sound volume is straightforward, clean, simple, effective, rich enough: a good base amount without fuss ... Plug plug'n play ...

SOUNDS

I use it since its release, I tried or not owned a lot of amps before, but this is only my second quaffed. Specifications then: the "quality" (in my opinion that is what you want), bass (fed cans ...), simple, well accepting the pedals (well those that I used ...), not too big, cheap, usable volume acceptable for the neighborhood (roughly: butter, butter and money ...). Conclusion: cardboard almost full, the last point raises concerns because it sends the guy! I've never done in my cruncher (damage and it itches a little anyway) and have never been able to turn up the volume more than 4.
So for od and distortion is Vox Bulldog for my part, he accepted very well indeed. I play with humbuckers enough pêchus (Gibson, Seymour) and simple (Di Marzio), sounds are very nice and clean with pedals in front because no effects loop (od and distortion but wah, mods, delays, reverb). I use it in some semblance of a register which goes from blues, pop, rock and even more upset metôôôôlll: he can (even at low volume) of many shades and variations but still quite fatty and dense with its settings and 5/3w to switch.

OVERALL OPINION

A good amp, value for money rather very satisfactory, the first small quaffed budget time with hp worthy of the name (the boys then had only 6 or 8''). Downside: too powerful for a uniquely urban domestic use. But a really nice gear and almost any terrain. A remake? Perhaps more to the question for me 1W decibels or transo or a THR10 home yam or a box of peas (probably with regrets ...) GAS when you hold us ...