Blackstar HT-1R MK III 1x8" Combo Tube Guitar Amplifier

Blackstar HTV 112 MK III Overview

Experience the next generation of affordable tube tones with the HT-1R MK III from Blackstar, a 1x8" 1W combo amplifier ideal for home practice and recording applications. Sporting one ECC83 and one ECC82 tube, along with two channels, two voicings per channel, and patented ISF control, you get generations of tube tone at your fingertips.

Separate preamp volume and gain control allow you to dial in the perfect amount of crunch or drive at any output level. The amp includes flexible connections, with the headphone and USB outputs supporting Blackstar's innovative CabRig speaker emulation. The USB-C port also offers 2x2 interface functionality, allowing you to enjoy a rare marriage of vintage tube tone and modern digital versatility.

HT MK III Series Ethos

When creating a series of amplifiers, the traditional approach would be to start with a preamp design, and then bolt this on to a range of power amplifiers of different power ratings. However, Blackstar acknowledges the interaction between preamp and power amp and the individual requirements that different amps need.

Therefore, although the preamps do share many similarities, each and every model has had the same individual care and attention during sonic testing, and any required tweaking of the circuitry has been applied to ensure each model performs to Blackstar's high tonal expectations.

Clean Channel

The MK III Clean channel is a very sophisticated circuit, albeit deceptively simple looking, that is extremely versatile for producing a range of classic clean and crunch tones. The two different voicings use both parts of an ECC83 (12AX7) tube exclusively for producing any compression or crunch.

Overdrive Channel

The HT MK III overdrive channels are next in an evolution from Series One, HT MK I through to HT Venue MK III. The topology shares the same basic building blocks in the gain structure and tonal shaping and includes the cascaded gain stages of an ECC83 double triode valve. However, each amp has had the overdrive tones specifically tweaked, tuned, and refined during hours of listening tests, to optimize the tone for that model.

An important aspect of the Overdrive channels is how well the tone cleans up when the guitar volume is backed off. In conventional valve-amp designs, the treble response of the overdriven sound is shaped by a series of cascaded first-order low-pass filters placed between each of the valve stages that are being overdriven, which often leads to a droopy filter response and a dull or lifeless backed-off tone. In the HT MK III Overdrive channels, the majority of the high-frequency shaping of the distortion is done using a second-order low-pass filter. This has the advantage of removing the unpleasant high-frequency fizz without attenuating the signal below the cutoff frequency.

Patented Infinite Shape Feature

The conventional three way guitar EQ network, or tone stack, is a key to the characteristic voice of traditional guitar amplifiers. Classic amplifier designs have their own versions of this network, which leads to their own tonal voicings.

The passive ISF control allows you to infinitely adjust the response of the tone control network between any of the traditional voicings in a way that has never before been possible, for everything from a classic American to vintage British tonal range. The ISF control is interactive, moves the whole tone stack at once, and is continuously variable.

Clean Voices

The Voice 1 setting (LED off) is based on a classic American clean sound, a mid '60s black-face Fender Twin Reverb. This sound is high headroom, bright and clean, with a solid low end.

The Voice 2 setting (LED on) is based on a much loved vintage Class-A British tone (Vox AC-30). The gain structure is reconfigured to put the EQ shaping after both valve stages, and the power amp is set to have no negative feedback. These and other carefully voiced parts of the circuit result in a warm tone with a chimey top end and a relaxed resonant bottom.

Overdrive Voices

Switching to Voice 2 (LED on) on the Overdrive channel adds more gain for the overdrive and reduces power-amp damping, giving you livelier highs and more resonant lows. Overall, this changes the character of the overdrive from a classic tone to a more contemporary, higher gain tone.

Digital Reverb

While a traditional and possibly old-fashioned spring reverb is often the choice for tube amps and can be great for Fender-style clean tones, Blackstar felt this wasn't the best choice for modern overdrive tones. So, they developed their own digital reverbs specifically voiced for both clean and OD tones.

These exclusive Blackstar designs respond well to both the dynamic nature of clean sounds and the more compressed, harmonic. rich textures of crunch and high-gain overdrive sounds. In addition, the Reverb Time can be adjusted for Clean and OD channels independently using Blackstar's Architect software. This level of choice and flexibility simply would not be possible with a mechanical spring reverb.

CabRig

CabRig is Blackstar's next-generation IR-based DSP speaker simulator, featuring innovative DSP software that reproduces the rich and dynamic characteristics of real-world guitar cabs:

• Boasting zero latency and lower CPU usage than other snapshot technologies, CabRig empowers you to sculpt their sound effortlessly
• The advanced algorithm lets you create new ways of blending mics and cabs without encountering phase issues
• Blackstar's Architect software provides access and in-depth control over every aspect of CabRig, granting a vast collection of gear that in the real world can only be found in professional recording environments
• Over 700 combinations of rooms, cabinets, and microphones allow you to be a sound engineer and get outstanding results every time, without any of the hassle
• You have full control over individual EQ and panning for these close mics, exactly as if they were channels on a recording console
• You also have the option to choose the room in which you want to place the cab, with complete control over the level of the room sound

Comprehensive I/O

• Stereo 3.5mm headphone output with improved driver amp for wider compatibility (compatible with CabRig)
• Stereo 3.5mm line input
• USB-C connector for 2x2 recording or Architect sofrware parameter editing (compatible with CabRig)
• Standard latching 2-way footswitch input for channel and voicing selection
• 4- to 16-ohm speaker output for connecting to an external cabinet

Tube Heaters

All HT MK III models have low-noise DC power supplies for the preamplifier tube heaters. This is a feature previously only found in very high-end tube amplifiers.

It eliminates any hum that would be induced from the more commonly seen 6.3 VAC heater power and allows high settings of gain to be used without high levels of 50/60 Hz noise and hum being audible.

Quality Construction

All PCBs used in the HT MK III amps are double-sided plated-through types. These provide increased mechanical strength. All tubes are specially tested and graded, removing as many tubes that don't meet Blackstar's standards during the selection process as possible.

All amps are specifically biased to ensure the perfect balance of tone, reliability, and tube longevity. The chassis is fabricated from 1.2 and 1.6mm coated steel plating and incorporates other mechanical design features for maximum absorption of physical shocks.

EAN: 845644008247