Blackstar HT-1 or Bugera V5

[lkpomn]

I need help choosing!
I like to play some bluesy classic rock with a nice, not too bright, clean tone.
Which one's distortion/overdrive gets the closest to that "Marshall Tone"?
Which one's more reliable?

On a side note, is the only difference between the Blackstar HT-1 and Blackstar HT-1R only the reverb, because fifty dollars is a lot to pay for some built-in reverb.

I'll be playing at a bedroom level.

Thanks in advance.

[rjwilson37]

Originally Posted by lkpomn

I need help choosing!
Which one's distortion/overdrive gets the closest to that "Marshall Tone"?
Which one's more reliable?

I'll be playing at a bedroom level.

Thanks in advance.

It ain't the Bugera, I can tell you that. I would do the HT-5C personally, but the HT-1 without reverb and HT-1R with reverb are not bad choices, but you are limiting yourself on some clean headroom with only a 1w amp. I had a Bugera V22 that had great clean, but horrible gain and it was not very reliable since it got a buzz/rattle to it after just a few months. Your going to get a lot closer to Marshall tone with Blackstar than Bugera.

[tzd]

Originally Posted by lkpomn

On a side note, is the only difference between the Blackstar HT-1 and Blackstar HT-1R only the reverb, because fifty dollars is a lot to pay for some built-in reverb.

Yes. The Reverb isn't that impressive (I have the HT-1R) but nevertheless it's nice to have. Watch eBay for a few weeks and you should be able to get a used but like-new HT-1R for less than the HT-1 retail price.

[bungle]

Very happy with my HT-1R, reverb option is worth it I believe...

[Dino Velvet]

+1 on finding a HT1R on ebay. There are always a few for sale at decent prices. I liked mine but it was a hair too bassy. Even at 1 watt it can still bring complaints from the neighbors at full volume.

[lkpomn]

Originally Posted by Dino Velvet

+1 on finding a HT1R on ebay. There are always a few for sale at decent prices. I liked mine but it was a hair too bassy. Even at 1 watt it can still bring complaints from the neighbors at full volume.

Should I buy a new one for the warranty, or is it not necessary?

[captain tightpants]

HT-1R any day of the week for a laundry list of reasons.

Yeah, go for the warranty if for no other reason than it's a piece of electronics. They can and do fail for no reason, even the best ones.

[tzd]

Even on eBay there are some manufacturer refurbished units with full warranty. Check out the listings and contact the seller to confirm before buying.

So far my experience with amps (and many other electronics) is that they either break within the first week, or last forever. If the price is good enough it might be worth the risk... all depends on your risk profile.

[rlammjr]

Had both. Sold both.
Too thin.
Go with a Class 5 with the low output feature!

[studio1087]

Blackstar.

I've taken some Behringer/Bugera products apart and the construction quality is frightening on the inside. I don't know how they survive the boat ride here or the car ride home.

[rjudo]

Blackstar. My own experience with the Bugera was not very positive. Sound was meh and quality double meh. The only thing that saved that amp from the trash was TWANG modding the hell out of it. Stock its rubbish.

[Drew224]

Bugera is evil. They just rip everyone else off very, very badly.

[TWANG]

I have a mildly modified VHT S6, with footswitch for gain boost, and dual power modes.

middle top



and I'll say this about 'low power mode' in any of the five watt. it's cathode bypass, or pentode/triode.
cuts to about 2.5 or 3 Watts.
To drive the amp into good crunch on low power, you're still pretty darn loud.
And the best way to get low volume overdrive/dist. will either be a 1W amp, or a pedal.

The low pwr overdrive is pretty nice for .. example.. jamming with your stereo.. at a pretty good volume.. you can layer your tones right in and they sound pretty good, too.

In this amp I changed a few values to open it up, etc., but mostly just chucked out the cheap caps for Mallory and Sozo, and dumped the metal oxide resistors from the front end for carbon film and metal film.
Then I stuck in a JJ preamp and a Russian 6V6.
much better!

the upper right is a bh5 combo, also modified.