Using effects with Blackstar HT1R

Discussion - HT-1 amplifiers
MorningStar
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:36 pm

Sat Jun 18, 2016 11:00 pm

Hello to all Blackstar family members.

I'm an amateur guitarist from Iran. I recently purchased a Blackstar HT-1R Combo and I couldn't be happier with it.

The only thing that is baffling me is that it doesn't have an effects loop. So basically does that mean that I can't use delay pedals with this amp? or any other sort of effects gear?

Thanks in advance for helping a noob here ;)

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thephantum
Posts: 1160
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:42 pm
Location: Virginia, United States

Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:13 am

You can use pedals in front of the amp, they will just sound different than they would in an effects loop. What that difference is will depend on the specific pedal.

MorningStar
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:36 pm

Sun Jun 19, 2016 12:46 am

thephantum wrote:You can use pedals in front of the amp, they will just sound different than they would in an effects loop. What that difference is will depend on the specific pedal.
Thank you for your reply. All these differences, do they compromise the tone or is it a matter of preference?

Adam-T
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri May 06, 2016 1:49 pm

Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:49 am

Pedals generally work and sound better in front of the amp - even multi FX like the VOX Stompbox and Line-6 Pod, because this is how they were designed to be used with the levels and impedances of guitar in and guitar amp`s guitar input out taken into consideration ...... it`s Rack gear FX such as Lexicon reverbs and complex rack multi FX stuff which are optimized for effects loop processing which is usually line level (Mixing desk / Hifi standard more than guitar levels)

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thephantum
Posts: 1160
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:42 pm
Location: Virginia, United States

Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:05 pm

It's all a matter of personal preference. A delay is a really good example: So let's assume a guitar, amp and delay pedal. In both examples, let's say you are using a medium length delay with a long decay, so that it repeats a number of times. Let's also assume that the amp is in OD.
  • In front of the amp, the pedal is going to add the delay to the clean sound of your guitar. The amps preamp is then going to take that, add OD and send it to the output stage.

    In the effects loop, the pedal is going to take the OD sound of the amps preamp, add the delay and send it to the output stage.

So in front, you are taking a repeating clean signal and adding OD...but in an effects loop you are taking a single OD signal and repeating it. Yes, the difference is subtle, but it is a difference.

Again, it'a all about personal preference. My own signal chain is as follows:
  • Guitar => Tuner = Wah => Diirt => Input =>
    Effects Send => Flange =>Delay => Volume => Effects Return
I prefer to run delay in the loop, but I have also gotten some really cool effects having it in front...so there are no rules.

It's the same with any other pedal types. For example, you can use a dirt box in front to load up/slam the preamp, or you can put it in the loop and load up the power amp...both configs will sound a little different. The order you connect your pedals makes a difference as well. Despite what some people will tell you, there are no "rules"...only suggestions. It really is about what sounds good to your ears. My suggestion is to grab whatever pedal (or pedals) you want, plug them in and fiddle with then until you find something you like. :mrgreen:

MorningStar
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 4:36 pm

Tue Jun 21, 2016 4:10 am

Thank you so so much guys. I now have a much better understanding regarding effects. I just randomly heard things like "If you put delay pedal in front of the amp with amps O.D, it will sound horrible."

Glad you cleared things up for me.

Adam-T
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri May 06, 2016 1:49 pm

Tue Jun 21, 2016 8:13 am

Yeah, some pedals simply don`t work in an FX loop because the levels and impedances are wrong - I tried a Vox pedal MultiFX in the HT5M Combos loop and it was awful because it was too low output for the line level needed for the return as well as being overdriven by the send, the switch on the amp didn`t help. My Alesis Quadraverb-II (a pro Rack multiFX from the 90s) works perfectly

Wild_Rose
Posts: 34
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:00 am
Location: Greece

Sun Sep 11, 2016 11:50 am

hey guys,

does anyone know which delay pedal works well with the HT1R?

Luckyrabbit2015
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Thu Oct 27, 2016 2:46 pm

Hi all,
being 70yrs young, I play a lot of 60,s stuff, not many effects pedals around then so its guitar plugged straight into my HT1R head and 12" Celestion speaker cab. Not stuck in a time warp though , I do have a mainly Behringer based pedal chain ( economy needs as a pensioner) consisting of in order, Chromatic Tuner, Compression Sustainer ( Boss ), Ultra Distortion, Preamp Booster, Digital Delay, Graphic Equalizer. The amp volume depreciates considerably when used with my HT1R, not surprising when you think about it, but just the preamp and the digital delay work just fine, the preamp giving my numerous guitars some real bite. I am not very technical clued up, so any comments and suggestions are welcome with regards to this setup, the HT1R has been modded with Watford Valves "Phil Kit" as the original valves failed quickly, highly recommend this mod, the amp is more than adequate for home use in terms of volume, the 12" Celestion being superb. Have also a 25/50w valve amp with a Mesa 4x12 cab, and the HT1R will drive this also. One other point is excessive feedback and background noise can be a real pain when using pedals with the HT1R, so playing clean is really the way in my experience. all in all an excellent little amp, all that's required really for rattling the widows at home.

fossil
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2016 2:52 pm

Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:44 pm

Over the last few months I've really enjoyed using the HT1 by simply connecting EO to mixer so I've bought a Boss chorus pedal and delay to open up new horizons.

Didn't read up enough though, so identical problem to the above, but I was thinking: can you make the following chain?:

guitar >> ht1 >> *reamp* di box >> chorus >> delay >> mixer

Haven't got a reamp yet, but they could be useful for other tricks anyway.

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