Five Watts of Scorching Tube Tone
The HT-5R has always been a top seller for Blackstar. At five watts, it’s the quintessential low-watt practice amp. And the MkII version ups the ante with revoiced channels and a plethora of player-friendly features borrowed from its higher-watt brethren. The HT-5R MkII’s upgraded clean channel epitomizes the modern boutique tone, while its drive channel serves up a muscular array of distorted textures. And thanks to Blackstar’s patented Infinite Shape Feature, you can dial in everything from inspiring British edge-of-breakup grit to tight and punchy American high gain. You also get an onboard reverb, speaker-emulated output, USB output, effects loop, and more. The HT-5R MkII is an excellent all-rounder for your practice space or studio — it delivers premium tube tone no matter what situation you use it in.
Revoiced channels for top-tier tone
When Blackstar hit the drawing board for their HT-5R MkII, not only did they reference their own amps’ popular tones, but they also wanted to match or beat the tones of electric guitar amplifiers costing up to five times more. Take it from the guitarists: They nailed it. The clean channel has a clarity and note definition that is rare on amps in the MkII’s price range — especially at five watts. Move over to the gain channel, and you’ll take note of how great the sound is throughout the whole range of overdrive. The original HT-5R was an incredibly popular amp. With the MkII, Blackstar beats it.