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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
 Posted - 11/29/2007 : 19:53:11
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Here's a link to my OTHER Blackheart thread:
http://www.bossarea.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3805
Check this 5W Class-A from Blackheart, a Crate subsidiary which is part of Loud Technologies (parent company of Mackie, Ampeg, etc) designed by famed amp-guru Pyotr Belov, of Gibson/Epiphone's hand-wired lines:
 
 
The Head:
� 5W Single-Ended, Class A
� 4, 8 and 16 ohm Speaker Outs
� Solid State Rectifier
� Volume with 3 Band EQ
� Pentode (5W)/Triode (3W) Switch
� DC Power to filaments for super quiet operation
� 15 ply (18mm) thick-void free Plywood Construction
� 1W resistors in signal path, 2W & 5W resistors in power supply
The Cab:
� 16 Ohm
� Handling 75W RMS
� 15 ply (18mm) thick, void-free Plywood Construction
� 12" Blackheart Model 1216B by Eminence Speaker has a British Voicing and is optimized for closed back cabinet
� 2 Parallel Speaker Jacks
The Combo:
� 5W Single-Ended, Class A amplifier
� 4, 8 and 16 ohm Speaker Outs
� Solid State Rectifier
� Volume with 3-Band EQ
� Pentode (5W)/Triode (3W) Switch
� 12" Blackheart Model 1216A Speaker by Eminence with American Voicing and optimized for open back cabinet
� DC Power to filaments for super quiet operation
� 15 ply (18mm) thick-void free Plywood Construction
� 1W resistors in signal path, 2W & 5W resistors in power supply
Sound samples:
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=777819
Here's a couple cool wallpapers:
http://www.blackhearteng.com/images/BH_reflection_1024x768.jpg
http://www.blackhearteng.com/images/Blackheart-Blue-1920.jpg
Blackheart Engineering http://www.blackhearteng.com
Buy at Musician's Friend http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=blackheart
I personally had a bad experience with a Crate amplifier but it was an el-cheapo with built-in effects. The DSP just hummed & wouldn't change effects at all. My son ended up with a Marshall. Anyway, from what I've seen, high-end Crate amps are probably excellent. At least the V-Series I was considering had a 5-year warranty. I haven't had any problems with my Crate bass amp. Considering an Epiphone Valve Junior is $150 for the combo or $250 for the half-stack & a Fender Champion 600 is $200, the Blackheart sports the following that the others don't have: 
� More Speaker Outs
� Full 3-Band EQ
� Standby Switch
� 5W/3W Switch
� Eminence Speaker
� Open modification support
� Mercury Magnetics Transformer upgrade
� MojoMusic hand-wired turret board (kit or assembled) & grill cloth upgrades
In any case, for $250 head+cab or combo, this little Class-A looks like a load of tone & its feature set rivals the bigger name brands available. Its a greater value to boot. Blackheart's blog states that new models are to be announced in January. I think I'll give them some of my money. They have some MP3s available which sound very good. Very cool amp & company. I'm not sure about the warranty but I can't wait to see what else they come up with.  |
Edited by - DeFrag on 01/13/2008 01:00:47 |
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Caliban
Bronze Member
United Kingdom
145 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 22:03:27
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That looks very cool indeed. Nice to see all these cute little Tube amps coming back into fashion (and at such a decent price, too!).
That'll be �300+ by the time it makes it to the UK though; and that'll put it in competition with the Orange Tiny Terror. And boy, do I want one of those.... |
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jack
Platinum Member
USA
1418 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 22:08:01
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| No place in the states seems to have them in stock yet, but I am very tempted to get one as well because the 3-5 watt switch is a nice feature... |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 22:28:43
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 That 16ohm cab will work for my amp 1x12's with 16ohm speakers are hard to find. |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 11/29/2007 22:32:28 |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 22:39:43
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quote:
Originally posted by pedals 4 pv
That 16ohm cab will work for my amp 1x12's with 16ohm speakers are hard to find.
Why are 16-ohm cabs (speakers) good to have? |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 23:20:11
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You must have the proper load on the output transformer, if you run a tube amp with no load it will run away and probably blow up. This is why you should never turn on a tube amp head without the speaker connected. My amp is designed for a 16 ohm load. It has a 16 ohm speaker in it and when you plug in the cab, the speaker extention jack switches the output transformer to the 8 ohm tap, so the two 16 ohm speakers are in parallel and have a total combined impedance of 8 ohms. I could put an 8 ohm speaker into my amp, without any internal mods, but I would need to put a blank 1/4 inch plug into the speaker extention jack to switch the tap to 8 ohms, and then I would not be able to use an extention cab. The matching cab that Peavey sells is 2x12 with two 8 ohm speakers in series for a total of 16 ohms, but 2x12 is more than I need, because I don't really need a 1x12 either. |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 23:28:39
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OT: My Mesa came with great pictorial explanations of the combinations which helped me understand. But I have a couple questions still if you would so indulge me:
1. I want to get a 2x12 cab for my 60W Roadster. If I plug in the additional cab, will a full wattage goto the internal 2x12's AND the 2x12's in the external cab?
I thought electrons were like water & to split them up it would be like feeding 30W to the onboard speakers in the combo & the other 30W to the external cab's speakers.
2. What does the addition of external cabs do for us then? Is all the power spread among all the speakers?
3. Will my output sound louder with a cab connected to my combo?
(Edit: error, 50W/100W not 60) |
Edited by - DeFrag on 11/30/2007 01:58:52 |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 11/29/2007 : 23:53:45
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Hi DeFrag, I'll try to answer your questions as best I can. The output power is shared by the cab, but two speakers are louder than one.(or in your case four are louder than two) Unless you have the volume turned full you don't have 60 watts output, but a lesser wattage value dependant on how loud you turn it up. A car engine doesn't deliver the full horsepower rating unless the throttle is wide open, same with an amp. So an extention cab is like having a trailer behind a car, you can haul twice as much , but the engine works harder, closer to its rated output. Your 60 watt amp has more than enough power to be distributed through four twelves, the extra load will make the amp work harder and in theory, distort more easily, but it will be about twice as loud with twice as many speakers. If the amp cannot run the speaker load without distorting then it is overloaded and you need a bigger amp. With an extention cab you can also separate the speakers to give a room a fuller sound, that's why I want one, but I want EVERYTHING |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 11/30/2007 02:09:10 |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 02:04:34
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So I'd like to have the 2x12 Roadster cab for my Mesa & the Blackheart head with its own 12" cab. The 5W Blackheart should A/B fine to the 2x12 Roadster cab right?
What if I got the Blackheart combo & fed its extra input into a 4x12? Would the little output drive 5 speakers as long as everything is matched?
In the end, I'd just like the Mesa 2x12 cab, the Blackheart head with its 1x12 cab, & just A/B the Blackheart head between its 1x12 & the Mesa 2x12.
Anyway, I won't buy the Blackheart until after the 1st of the year (can't anyway, everyone is out of 'em) to see what they come out with new. This weekend I may go ahead & grab the Mesa 2x12 though |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 02:12:07
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I was editing as you were replying, DeFrag.
If the amp cannot run the speaker load without distorting then it is overloaded and you need a bigger amp.
Just use the 16 ohms out jack to run the blackheart cab from the mesa.
You need a special a/b set up so you dont open circuit the amp during the switch over, here's one;
http://www.tonebone.com/tb-switchbone.htm |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 11/30/2007 02:53:03 |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 04:48:33
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That's true. The amp needs to provide enough power without clipping to drive the speakers. Otherwise, distortion might damage the speakers. Radial Engineering makes great stuff. Tks for your time pedals.  |
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pedals 4 pv
Platinum Member
Canada
1351 Posts |
Posted - 11/30/2007 : 05:05:43
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Sorry DeFrag, that's the wrong link it's this one;
http://www.tonebone.com/tb-headbone-vt.htm
It's not damage to the speaker so much as damage to the amp from a no-load condition. |
Edited by - pedals 4 pv on 11/30/2007 06:26:46 |
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Dr. Bob
Moderator
Australia
6593 Posts |
Posted - 12/01/2007 : 10:52:27
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Hey DeFrag
That Amp looks really good....
Regards Dr. Bob |
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FRANZONI
Double Platinum Member
Ireland
3543 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2007 : 22:27:10
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yep,......really nice amp inside and out......... |
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DeFrag
Moderator
USA
3409 Posts |
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jack
Platinum Member
USA
1418 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2007 : 04:47:10
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| I've read a couple of favorable reviews of these amps. One was on the Epiphone forum from a fanatical Valve Junior owner, and he gave it a good review. Another was on a Telecaster forum I visit frequently, but not more than Bossarea.com |
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Topic |
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Blackheart Tube Amp/Cab/Combo
