Flame retardant suit ready... Blackstar and Celestion 70/80 content

cvogue

cvogue

Yes, that's Oolong. :)
So I've had my Blackstar HT-40 for a few years now, I like it but have had issues. I read all the hate about the Celestion Seventy 80 speakers and the stock tubes so of course they had to go. It just didn't sound that good at first so I swapped out the speakers with a Creamback 65 watter in the amp and a Greenback in the extension cab.

I always liked Electro Harmonix preamp tubes so I put one in V1...

Still didn't sound good, I tried a couple at GC and they sounded a lot better so I'm wondering what's up. I got it from Musicians Friend... it had been a while since I got it so I took it to a very well respected local amp tech and he said it was biased WAY too cold. Said it sounded great now.

Well it was better but not great. I took out the EH tube and put in a Marshall stock Chinese tube, supposed to be pretty good. Naw... Sounded raspy and just not good (but better than before the bias). So I'm reading some more and from what people are saying about the Seventy 80 and the HT series of Blackstars is that lots of other speakers sound bad in them. Were they designed for the less expensive Seventy 80? I doubt it but it is a dark amp and the Seventy 80's have a good high end so...

I put the Seventy 80 back in the combo, left the Greenback in the extension cab, put the EH preamp tube back in and WOW it sounds a LOT better. I was very pleased. The Creamback just does not sound good in this amp. I think the biasing that the tech did helped a lot. Just wish it sounded this good a few years ago!

So moral of this (too long, sorry) story, don't believe the hype. Just because something isn't expensive and "blessed" by the cork sniffers doesn't mean it won't sound good in a certain application. Just trust your ears and play! beavis0

So yes I like the Seventy 80 now. Flame away! panic0:grin:
 
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I have been playing an HT-60 for a couple of years now, stock, and it is very nice. I have played through a JCM-800 and a JVM-205 before this. I feel like I have the best of both of those with a great hot-rodded 800 sound on the orange channel and a super clean clean channel, isf set to full British.

Glad yours is sounding better.

My only beef with mine is an occasional pop when my reverb is on. So I run it dry most of the time. When I first got it I heard a lot of bad things about the stock speakers, I find them good but haven't tried any others yet. I was partial to greenbacks in my 800.


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If you like it, then that's all that matters. Just in case, here's some help,
images
 
newbuilder said:
I have been playing an HT-60 for a couple of years now, stock, and it is very nice. I have played through a JCM-800 and a JVM-205 before this. I feel like I have the best of both of those with a great hot-rodded 800 sound on the orange channel and a super clean clean channel, isf set to full British.

Glad yours is sounding better.

My only beef with mine is an occasional pop when my reverb is on. So I run it dry most of the time. When I first got it I heard a lot of bad things about the stock speakers, I find them good but haven't tried any others yet. I was partial to greenbacks in my 800.


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Click to expand...

Hmm... I haven't had any problems with the reverb, it's digital so I don't get the 'brangggg" sound if I knock the amp when the reverb is on.

I like Greenbacks a lot and still have one in the extension cab like I said. I thought the Creamback would be similar enough (and higher power, don't want a 25 watt GB in a 40 watt combo if I don't use the extension cab!) But the 70/80 blends really nicely with the Greenback.
 
No idea what speakers are in his cab, but Bob Mould has been using Blackstar amps for a while now and he sounded great the last time I saw him.
 
I'll see your 70/80 in a Blackstar HT 40 and raise you a Rocket 50 in a Kustom tube 12a.

0827161438a.jpg


Sounds better than it should. It was just a fun project, no money spent on anything, just leftovers. Sometimes things just work.
 
Bob411 said:
I'll see your 70/80 in a Blackstar HT 40 and raise you a Rocket 50 in a Kustom tube 12a.

View attachment 29283

Sounds better than it should. It was just a fun project, no money spent on anything, just leftovers. Sometimes things just work.
Click to expand...

:thu: Yup, Rocket 50s get even more hate than 70/80s. What-ev-er!beavis0
 
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