Blackstar HT-5 Amp sounds muffled???

[Fang]

So after waiting months for the next shipment of Blackstar HT-5 amps to GC (which has been getting RAVE reviews all over), I finally got one. I have the HT-5 head and it's 1x10 extension cab. This is my first tube amp, and I plugged the cab in correctly (into the 1 x 16 ohm slot, that's what the manual said), let the amp warm up....and was immediately disappointed with the tone!

There's this inherent muffled quality I can't fully dial out, like somebody put a blanket over the amp. All the video demos show online show the amp having singing overdrive and "crystalline jangly cleans" (one reviewer said) on the clean channel. Yes, I've played around with the ISF features, tried all kinds of EQ settings, but it just doesn't sound right.

I've been playing through a AVT20 and even that sounds more "alive" than this amp. And yes, I have played through other tube amps before in shops and stuff, where I immediately could feel the different response and tone.

Sooooo....can you guys help me figure out what's wrong?

[EL-CeeDee]

Gratz on the amp.

HT-5's are great amps, excellent choice!

A small thing to check: are you using a good cable between head and cab? Is the impedance set right? Does your problem disappear when the amp is on for more than 30 minutes ?
Are you maybe running a very bright and high-endy souns on the AVT? This to ensure it's not just the character difference you are judging. Try to open up the volume a bit more if you are running it very quietly now.

To my ears, the HT-5 do not sound muffled. They do not have lots of earsplitting highs though. If in doubt, return to store.

[Fang]

Yes I'm sure it's not just because I have way bright settings on my old amp. I've tried messing with the EQ a bunch, lowering the bass and raising the treble etc. I don't even hear ENOUGH highs on my amp, let alone anything ear splitting. I have tried raising the volume to open up the amp, doesn't help much. And I am using the cables they provided me with the cab.

How do I set the impedance?

[smooth55]

That's dissappointing to hear as I was really looking hard at these amps as a possible grab and go/recording/practice amp to have around the house and then just getting a cab for larger gigs.
Let us know if you sort things out. Could also be that you need to break in the speaker a little or a tube or something.

[Vim Fuego]

I think there were certainly some issues with the ht-5
http://www.musicradar.com/forum/showthread.php?t=31000
But I believe they should be fixed now, perhaps yours is/was old stock?
Get in touch with Blackstar and check.
Jim

[indeedido]

I played on in GC and it sounded great. Maybe you need to crank it up a bit, what levels are you playing it at?

[Fang]

So I finally got to take this amp into GC today, and lucky enough, they had other Blackstar HT-5s in store. After A/Bing the same head and cab, it turns out I actually had some sort of faulty cab issue! The head itself was fine, but the cabs in store sounded much clearer than the one I had! It was really strange, my friend that came with me, the guy helping us, and myself could tell the obvious difference. No more muffled tone! And maaan, those cleans were SOO much better.

The bad news is, they said they could not replace just the cab itself (because I bought the head + cab together as a single unit), so I had to exchange it for a brand new head as well. Which, I wouldn't have minded, except these amps are AGAIN, backordered until THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST!!!!! =[

But hey, at least I know I wasn't crazy! Anybody have a similar faulty Blackstar amp experience? I had read somewhere that somebody could not dial this inherent bassy quality out of his blackstar, maybe he had the same cab issue...

[xklusivly4u]

When i tested HT5 in a music show, clean volume is too low even it reaches its max. I am not expecting very loud but decent volume in apartment level. Overdrive channel is nice though. Any way to increase the clean volume?

[GPDSales]

Hmmm, this must've been a first run problem, because we've had absolutely NO issues with any of our Blackstar amps. They all sound great and the Ht-5 does not fart out one bit. The clean channel is also very impressive and loud on ours, one of the first things I noticed about it, so if that was an issue a year ago it shouldn't be today. Would love to hear any other feedback/issues with any Blackstar amps, we work closely with them and are able to let them know of any issues quickly. By working together we can come up with a quick fix if there's any problems. Click on the link below or call me with any questions/comments.

Jared M.
GPDUSA
818-735-7944 or
866-631-4473 Toll Free

http://www.gpdusa.com/contactus.html

[Van Noord]

Originally Posted by Fang

So I finally got to take this amp into GC today, and lucky enough, they had other Blackstar HT-5s in store. After A/Bing the same head and cab, it turns out I actually had some sort of faulty cab issue! The head itself was fine, but the cabs in store sounded much clearer than the one I had! It was really strange, my friend that came with me, the guy helping us, and myself could tell the obvious difference. No more muffled tone! And maaan, those cleans were SOO much better.

The bad news is, they said they could not replace just the cab itself (because I bought the head + cab together as a single unit), so I had to exchange it for a brand new head as well. Which, I wouldn't have minded, except these amps are AGAIN, backordered until THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST!!!!! =[

But hey, at least I know I wasn't crazy! Anybody have a similar faulty Blackstar amp experience? I had read somewhere that somebody could not dial this inherent bassy quality out of his blackstar, maybe he had the same cab issue...

GC is absolutely ridiculous. You as a customer have to wait because of a manufacturer defect? Pathetic. I would have raised hell and threatened to return the whole unit an buy else where. There is no reason they couldn't have given you the floor model cab that worked and sent yours back as a defective floor model of theirs. This is customer service and ensuring customer loyalty.
I'm so glad we do not have GC's in Canada.

I realize this thread is old, but still.....