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Seller just talked me out of buying his HT-20.

4K views 32 replies 21 participants last post by  eleven59 
#1 ·
I was ready to make the drive to check out a Blackstar HT-20. Spoke to the seller on the phone and he asked if I like a lot of gain. I told him I basically like thrash and death metal. I mentioned Testament as an example of the sound I like.

He told me this wasn't my amp. I wouldn't be happy even with a boost.

Is this true? I had a 6505+ before and that obviously has plenty of gain and the tones I like, it was just too much for an 11x11 practice room. I've got a POD HD 500 so I'm ok for the most part - just looking to keep a nice low wattage tube amp on hand that covers metal fairly well.
 
#4 ·
Something about the gain in the HTs doesn't sit right with my ear. There's a lot of gain in the good way (Like a 5150) and a lot of gain that just sounds like it needs to be turned down, which is what I get from the Blackstar stuff. It's like the knob only has two settings - low gain and way too much gain.

Opinions, subjective, all that. :2c:
 
#12 ·
I definitely had more than enough on tap with my HT-5 for my needs at least, but aren't the HT-20s and up a totally different beast? I know the HT-5 and 1 are the HT pedal preamp, I thought the 20s+ were like a more regular tube amp, and in a whole different ballpark. I haven't heard a lot of opinions, but the couple I have heard have said the 20 has less gain and a more classic character than the 5.

I see no reason not to try it if it's not too long a drive, though.
 
#10 ·
The HT-5 definitely needs a boost to get out of rock territory and into metal, IMO. Gain is at 12 o'clock on mine, with the boost, and it sure is enough for metal. Sure, it doesn't have as much "oumph" and "thump" as a 6505 / 5150, but if you think it doesn't have "enough" gain, you're crazy. :lol:
 
#11 ·
I didn't like the type of sound the HT5 did much when I tried one. The cab may have had something to do with it (my Engl Standard cab makes some amps sound hilariously awesome, and some sound pretty mediocre), but I just found the voicing very odd. Definitely not something I enjoyed much anyway.
 
#16 ·
My vague, somewhat drunken recollection was that the HTs had a sort of loose, rock-y, Soldano-like lead sound. Not very tight, but would do sludgy hard rock pretty well, I bet.
 
#17 ·
Mine got tight enough to handle an 8 string with a boost :yesway: I tend to go for djentier tones, though. For lack of a better word. Not so sure about Testament tones, but I owned an HT-5R and a 5150 at the same time. I kept the gain on the HT-5 a little before noon and the 5150 normally sat around 3 (number three, not 3 o'clock).
 
#20 ·
Wasn't there somebody on this board who couldn't wait to get rid of their HT-20 because it couldn't handle "modern" metal even w/ a boost? Like when Blackstar went from the HT-5 to the 20w they changed the preamp or something.

I still have yet to play a HT-5, but most reviews say the first gen one is better than the HT-5R. I actually want to try a Jet City JCA22H more though :)
 
#21 ·
My HT-20 and HT-60 both have plenty of gain. More than I would ever need. I see what some people mean by it not having enough gain, but that's not quite the case. It's just the gain has a different feel and sound to it, it's a uniquely voiced amp. That being said, I think it freaking rocks. It's fat, open, plenty of gain, you name it.
 
#22 ·
Any thoughts on the Bugera 333XL for tight modern tones? I know it's not low watt, but I have an attenuator so maybe it will sound good at low volumes. I know there are quality concerns that come with that brand, I'm speaking mainly about how it sounds.
 
#28 ·
As long as you get one that was built after the first year or two of production, you'll be fine as far as reliability goes. I never used mine with an attenuator, so I can't speak to that. The thing sounded really good though.

Again though, in that price range, if you want low wattage high gain, look into the Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister.
 
#23 ·
I've been eyeballing the Ht-5 and Jet City JCA20H for a while now, but I'm not yet convicted they have enough gain or are really meant for metal. I'd love to try them out but they don't come through the used section at Guitar Center here very often, and they don't last long when there is one.
 
#25 ·
I've been eyeballing the Ht-5 and Jet City JCA20H for a while now, but I'm not yet convicted they have enough gain or are really meant for metal.
People. They never read / learn. :squint: :D



Yep, Ola makes everything sound good, BUT there's like a hundred more videos showing its metal capabilities on youtube.
 
#24 ·
The JCA22H should have more gain than the 20H, which is just a crunch channel. The 22H has a second gain channel modeled on the SLO lead channel.
 
#31 ·
As the owner of an HT40, I think I probably agree with the seller as well. I absolutely adore mine, and it does the kind of metal tone I love with a TS9 in front of it, but it sure as hell doesn't sound like a 6505/5150.

The tone tends to be a touch darker and less cutting than a Testament-style sound, although the ISF knob does get you a fair bit closer if you err towards the 'American' (i.e. Mesa) side of things. Awesome amps, but they aim to do a lot more than the 6505 does, which inevitably means they'll do some things better and some things (subjectively) worse.
 
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