Blackstar Amped 1 user thread

PC_Dave · October 2022

monquixote said:

Faff said:

monquixote said:

We need a tiny decent sounding amp revolution like bass players got with Mark Bass.

DV Mark Micro amps

Had one.
It sounded like a very flat jazz amp.
I doubt most guitarists would consider gigging one.

Works for Eric Gales, Cory Wong to name but a couple...

Faff · October 2022

To my mind having to take extra kit to compensate for the shortcomings of this unit takes the shine of it.
The monitoring situation using Amped 1 is basically the same as using a real miked up cab. That's a shame.
All? other modellers with XLR cab outs have output level independent of main output. It a design flaw.

My main beef is that the Master Volume and Power settings are not saved to the preset so you cannot have it set manually to USA clean and the preset as UK Crunch. They need different Master Volume levels to balance so you can't just go fro one to the other in a live situation.

ICBM · October 2022

relic245 said:

I'd forgotten that I have a tiny 50w class D amp that I paid about £25 for and sounds way better than it should.

That's going to get fixed in the back of the bandit and then by using the bandit speaker I have a powered monitor.

Why not just plug into the Bandit's power amp?

Faff said:

To my mind having to take extra kit to compensate for the shortcomings of this unit takes the shine of it.
The monitoring situation using Amped 1 is basically the same as using a real miked up cab. That's a shame.
All? other modellers with XLR cab outs have output level independent of main output. It a design flaw.

My main beef is that the Master Volume and Power settings are not saved to the preset so you cannot have it set manually to USA clean and the preset as UK Crunch. They need different Master Volume levels to balance so you can't just go fro one to the other in a live situation.

Not having the MV setting saved is ridiculous, any channel-switching amp effectively gives you that - and in fact some allow you to preset the power output per channel as well, eg some Mesas.

It also presumably means that you can't use the preset as your normal sound and set the MV higher in manual as an adjustable solo boost.

relic245 · October 2022

ICBM said:
Why not just plug into the Bandit's power amp?

That was my first thought. Maybe I'm missing something but by power amp I'm assuming you mean FX return?

I Tried that but I then the bandit's volume controls don't seem to do anything so I'm back to square 1 adjusting the volume from the amped1.

Am I missing something obvious?

ICBM said:
Not having the MV setting saved is ridiculous, any channel-switching amp effectively gives you that - and in fact some allow you to preset the power output per channel as well, eg some Mesas.

It also presumably means that you can't use the preset as your normal sound and set the MV higher in manual as an adjustable solo boost.

What seems even more strange is that both the power level and master can be changed with MIDI so it's not an engineering reason.

I would assume that it can be changed with a firmware update later on if enough people raise it as an issue.

ICBM · October 2022

relic245 said:

That was my first thought. Maybe I'm missing something but by power amp I'm assuming you mean FX return?

I Tried that but I then the bandit's volume controls don't seem to do anything so I'm back to square 1 adjusting the volume from the amped1.

Yes, both the FX loop and the power amp input (depending on which series it is) are post-MV so the controls have no effect, other than the T-Dynamics, presence and damping controls on the Transtube ones.

If you want volume control, just plug into the front of the Bandit on the clean channel. It's not an especially coloured preamp.

relic245 said:

I would assume that it can be changed with a firmware update later on if enough people raise it as an issue.

I hope so, because both the DI and especially this are complete deal-breakers for live use, for me.

It reminds me a lot of the Boss Fender Deluxe Reverb pedal, which was a really nice-sounding thing but had such serious design mistakes with the switching and outputs that it wasn't practical to use live.

Faff · October 2022

@ICBM ;said:

It also presumably means that you can't use the preset as your normal sound and set the MV higher in manual as an adjustable solo boost.

Exactly!
It's down to a '1 channel amp' for live use. But a great sounding one at that!

@relic45 I have sent a few emails about this issue to BS with non committal replies back. Please send them an email too.

relic245 · October 2022

@Faff ;
I have done - about both issues. To be fair the preset thing is not an issue to me but do understand how limiting it is.

I'm going to just use it as pedal platform so don't need the presets at present. If I do later on then I have a midi pedal that I could use to effectively create several different patches.

I do think that is something that could be addressed with a software update - although to be fair I'm not an engineer on the project and may be talking horsesh*t

ecc83 · October 2022

Just like to say that the amp/pedal is reviewed in the current issue of sound on sound.

Good one but one thing they missed IMHO was to try the 100W output into a suitable cab to see how loud it was.

I think a lot of gigging musos might buy this as a backup amp as well as a home/studio recording tool? Be nice to be able to tell them if it can fill a town hall?

Dave.

relic245 · October 2022

I've not tried it at a gig yet but my experiments so far tell me that it's not lacking in volume. I think it would give my A30 a run for it's money,and you know how loud they are.

ecc83 · October 2022

relic245 said:

I've not tried it at a gig yet but my experiments so far tell me that it's not lacking in volume. I think it would give my A30 a run for it's money,and you know how loud they are.

Well OK Relic but this is kind of the point. At home you cannot get any real idea of how loud a 'loud' amp is and how it will live with a manic drummer in a big venue.

Sound on Sound have the where with all to test that including putting it up against a 50W valve jobby (not fair to compare with 100W of valves)

I know that Blackstar's solid state kit does compare very well with valves for SPL but an independent view would be good to have.

And yes! It bloody should see an AC30 off but I suspect the different, very high SPL character of the Vox would make comparison difficult? Plus after 2 minutes everyone would be goggle eyed!

Dave.

relic245 · October 2022

Artisan 30 not AC30 but take your point.

Faff · October 2022

I have tried my Amped 1 into a Marshall 412 in a fairly large rehearsal room with a loud band. I use the USA at 100W. It's loud. The usual 'Turn it Down' comments started when it was at 11 o'clock.

ecc83 · October 2022

relic245 said:

Artisan 30 not AC30 but take your point.

Oh! I DO beg your pardon Mr Relic Sir! I have never tried them side by side but I would guess an AC30 might just have the edge over the Artisan because Vox ran the absolute bollox off the EL84s! Plus, 'Blues' might be a tad more sensitive even than V30s? I am sure ICBM will know.

Dave.

relic245 · December 2022

First gig with it last night.

Very impressed.

Set up was:

Guitar
-> HX FX for all drives and effects
-> Amped 1 set on USA, gain low, 100w setting
-> speaker of a peavey bandit (80%) of volume
-> XLR out into pa for 20% of volume and to give spread.

To me, in the mix it sounded fantastic. It's not a high quality cab or speaker but still sounded ace.

In a blindfold test I don't think that I could have noticed any difference to when I used to play through a Blackstar Artisan.

What I noticed -

It sounds great at home and rehearsal but as I played it louder last night it was a different level again.

I can think of 3 possible reasons

- The amped 1 really does act like a valve amp and sounds better as you push it
- I'm pushing the speaker harder which creates a more pleasing tone
- Simply the volume gives a perceived better tone

No idea which it is but it doesn't matter.

What does matter is that I got a sound that made me grin and my dodgy back was so much happier with me.

ecc83 · December 2022

"Louder" makes everything better!

Dave.

Rkphilpot · July 2023

Hi all.
I've been looking at getting an Amped 1 as a pedal platform amp for jam nights, (into whatever can they supply) have the issues been fixed with any sort of firmware update?

Thanks

relic245 · July 2023

I haven't seen any firmware updates. But ti be fair I haven't plugged it into the PC for a while so would only know if they sent an email.

impmann · July 2023

Rkphilpot said:

Hi all.
I've been looking at getting an Amped 1 as a pedal platform amp for jam nights, (into whatever can they supply) have the issues been fixed with any sort of firmware update?

Thanks

What issues?

ecc83 · July 2023

impmann said:

Rkphilpot said:

Hi all.
I've been looking at getting an Amped 1 as a pedal platform amp for jam nights, (into whatever can they supply) have the issues been fixed with any sort of firmware update?

Thanks

What issues?

I wuz wondering that as well!

Dave.

relic245 · July 2023

impmann said:

Rkphilpot said:

Hi all.
I've been looking at getting an Amped 1 as a pedal platform amp for jam nights, (into whatever can they supply) have the issues been fixed with any sort of firmware update?

Thanks

What issues?

For me the biggest let down is in the midi implementation.

what I would love to do is set up patches using a midi pedal.

But there is no way to balance the volumes of 2 or more different sounds.

I’ve been in touch with Blackstar and had the response “I can understand how that would be a limitation”

I’m an ex software engineer so I then suggested a possible software fix (without knowing any specific of the unit architecture”

I had one further reply - the design team like my suggestion and will consider it in the next update. They also asked if I’m looking for work lol.

Also the patch button is effectively used as again you can’t balance the volume of 2 different sounds.

so for me there are a lot of great sounds I the unit but because of the design choices/flaws you can only use 1.

it’s a great clean pedal platform but could, and should, be so much more.

impmann · July 2023

relic245 said:

impmann said:

Rkphilpot said:

Hi all.
I've been looking at getting an Amped 1 as a pedal platform amp for jam nights, (into whatever can they supply) have the issues been fixed with any sort of firmware update?

Thanks

What issues?

For me the biggest let down is in the midi implementation.

what I would love to do is set up patches using a midi pedal.

But there is no way to balance the volumes of 2 or more different sounds.

I’ve been in touch with Blackstar and had the response “I can understand how that would be a limitation”

I’m an ex software engineer so I then suggested a possible software fix (without knowing any specific of the unit architecture”

I had one further reply - the design team like my suggestion and will consider it in the next update. They also asked if I’m looking for work lol.

Also the patch button is effectively used as again you can’t balance the volume of 2 different sounds.

so for me there are a lot of great sounds I the unit but because of the design choices/flaws you can only use 1.

it’s a great clean pedal platform but could, and should, be so much more.

Thanks - so not faults as such, just things you'd like it to do that it doesn't currently. I'm sure if those changes are possible, they will be considered if there is another update.

FWIW I tend to use a pedal platform as just that, a platform for other sounds to sit on - and use the pedals to create different sounds/patches (I use G2 to control my pedals so I can set up patches in that - but equally there are other options within the Boss equivalents or even Line6 Helix to do similar). If you want different sounds/gain structures etc perhaps Amped3 is more what you'd need.

relic245 · July 2023

No not faults, but to me some oversights in design.

I am using a hxfx with a midi pedal so I can create my patches that way

To my the British sounds in the amped 1 are better than I can get from using the drives in the hxfx into the american setting in the amped1, so it would be good to be able to use those.

I'm not knocking the sounds at all btw hey are superb.

I guess that is what you get for being an early adopter. Some teething troubles that hopefully get ironed out in future releases.

The amped3 had not been announced when I bought mine and I done really want to spend more to change at this point.

Faff · July 2023

I bought it on launch day and just like the gist of this thread thought the sounds were superb but they missed out with some weird design choices such as a lack of channel and master volume to balance the two channels. The lack of MIDI presets is also an odd omission which will be able to be updated down the line if they choose. However, if you want to use it as a single-channel amp it is superb. Plenty of power, a beautiful clean channel in particular. Ideal pedal platform.

I returned it and eventually got an Amped 3. Same beautiful clean channel and now with 3 'presets' which at least you can balance for live work. However, I am fickle and now selling the Amped 3 as I seek to downsize stuff - may get the Amped 1

See my ad in Amps£ or on ebay.

blacknblack · August 2023

Anyone got an opinion on whether this sounds ok in 1w mode for bedroom volumes? Cheers

impmann · August 2023

blacknblack said:

Anyone got an opinion on whether this sounds ok in 1w mode for bedroom volumes? Cheers

Yes. I think it sounds great. I run a pedalboard into an Amped1 into a single 12in speaker for home use and it sounds killer.

relic245 · August 2023

blacknblack said:

Anyone got an opinion on whether this sounds ok in 1w mode for bedroom volumes? Cheers

Agree with Impmann.

To be honest though I only hear a slight difference between 1w with the master higher and 100w with it lower.

It is different but to my ears, not very.

To me the 100w setting sounds a bit bigger somehow. I just leave it on that and turn it down.

The 1w setting is quite loud if you turn it all the way up....

blacknblack · August 2023

@impmann @relic245 thanks - good to know

Faff · August 2023

blacknblack said:

Anyone got an opinion on whether this sounds ok in 1w mode for bedroom volumes? Cheers

I think you'd be better off with an Amped 3 tbh... and I just happen to have one on sale in Amps£

danban · August 2023

ecc83 said:

"Louder" makes everything better!

Dave.

Could you relay this message to the guys in my band, They’re the “turn it down” kind of crowd and it’s the kind of negativity I could do without.

ecc83 · August 2023

danban said:

ecc83 said:

"Louder" makes everything better!

Dave.

Could you relay this message to the guys in my band, They’re the “turn it down” kind of crowd and it’s the kind of negativity I could do without.

Haha!! T firmly in C Dan! There is a general view that if you ask people to compare two sounds they will tend to prefer the louder one.

"Band volume" Has been a PITA ever since the invention of the guitar amplifier! For a relatively small outlay (you SEEN the price of a decent drum kit?!) a guitarist can be the loudest thing in creation. The singer cannot compete unless they spend a small fortune on a sophisticated PA system and even then most venues limit you by feedback.

Band balance starts with a clear, undistorted, ring free vocal presentation. The guitars must be balanced to compliment not COMPETE with that. Was that way when I was in a band in the 60s/70s. Bands STILL can't get it right!

Sermon over!

Dave.

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