Blackstar HT-1R MkII 1-Watt 1x8 inch Tube Combo Amp with Reverb
One watt, all valve, and enough gain range to make a small room feel like a big amp. The HT-1R MkII is Blackstar's low-wattage 1x8 inch combo, revoiced over the original HT-1R, with a clean channel that holds its note definition and an overdrive channel that stays musical across the whole sweep. Four operating modes sit behind a pair of Voice switches, so each channel has both a vintage and a modern setting.
- 1-watt all-valve 1x8 inch combo
- Two channels with footswitchable voices
- Four operating modes from two Voice switches, vintage and modern per channel
- Patented Infinite Shape Feature, tight American through to British character
- Revoiced reverb with more depth and detail than the previous generation
- USB audio output for recording direct
- Revoiced clean channel with clarity and note definition
- Overdrive channel that stays usable through the full gain range
The question with a 1-watt valve amp is always whether it is a toy. The HT-1R MkII is not. It is a full valve design in a 1x8 inch combo, built so that cranked-up tone is available in a room where a big head would be unusable.
Revoiced channels
When Blackstar redesigned the HT-1R, they referenced their own popular amps and then set out to match or beat amplifiers from well outside this one's class. The clean channel came out with a clarity and note definition that is rare on a 1-watt amp. The gain channel holds together across the whole range of overdrive, so backing the control off gives you a usable edge-of-breakup rather than a thin version of the top setting. The original HT-1R was an incredibly popular amp, and the MkII beats it.
ISF and voice switches
Blackstar's patented Infinite Shape Feature runs the tonal spread. Fully counterclockwise brings an American characteristic with a tight bottom end and an aggressive middle. Fully clockwise brings a British vibe. On top of that, a pair of Voice switches gives four operating modes in total, putting a vintage and a modern voicing under each channel, and the voices are footswitchable.
Reverb and recording
The reverb has been revoiced for more depth and detail than before. There is also a USB audio output, which is the feature that makes this amp easy to live with in a studio: no mic, no stand, no room noise, just a direct capture of the amp. For a practice space or a small studio it covers both jobs.