Blackstar HT Dual Pedal As Preamp Marshall 3203 Artist Head?

[Charvel1975]

I have an old Marshall artist 3203 solid state preamp 2 channel/30 watt EL34 tube power amp head just recently serviced. Idea I've had lately is maybe finding a 2 channel tube preamp pedal or rack mount and run to the Effect Return using just the power amp from the head. Was thinking of using the amp for smaller gigs where my Mesa Tremoverb head is too much. Our band plays modern metal in drop B

How would a Blackstar HT Dual 2 channel tube preamp pedal sound thru the clean channel or effects loop return, using the HT Dual as a tube preamp?

I found with mine that when I tried running my Maxon od808 to boost the overdrive channel, it didn't sound good at all My buddy has a Blackstar HT Dual he might be selling and he was saying the Blackstar HT-5 is based off it.

So essentially is the HT Dual a 2 channel tube preamp from the HT-5 head? I noticed it has a Clean channel with the push button for Crunch and then the Lead Channel.

Here is a couple videos he had posted a while back on YouTube of him running the HT Dual into his rackmount Marshall tube power amp.

 

[mmorse]

The Blackstar HT5 came after the pedal. The HT5 basically is a Dual mated to a 5 watt power section. I use the Dual going into the low input of my 82 JCM 800 2204. That way I have a usable clean, a crunch and a solo boost. Works great. Great Marshall type grind at decent levels. The Dual is a little more problematic when used with other amps but it seems to love older Marshall's. Not sure how it would work in your situation. Just have to try it. The pedal needs to go into a clean amp though. It's not a tube screamer type of thing.

 

[psche378]

I owned one for a short while I wouldn't call it a preamp it really didn't produce as much gain as the blackstar ht-20 I owned for a short while. Also im fairly positive that the 12ax7 in it doesn't get enough juice to actually work and produce the gain itself I believe its op amp clipping they put an led in there to make the tube light up bright. If you want an excellent tube preamp pedal I would suggest AMT pedals particularly the SS-20 model they are made in russia its the best I have used they are a little more pricey though and rare but quite good I found mine for $140 used at GC but they go up to $250-$300

 

[rupe]

I don't know anything about that pedal, but the 3203 makes a great power section for an outboard preamp. I ran an MP1 into mine back in the late 80's until I bought a dedicated power amp. The 3203 sounds pretty damn good on its own though...I still have the one that I bought new in '86.

 

[mmorse]

I owned one for a short while I wouldn't call it a preamp it really didn't produce as much gain as the blackstar ht-20 I owned for a short while. Also im fairly positive that the 12ax7 in it doesn't get enough juice to actually work and produce the gain itself I believe its op amp clipping they put an led in there to make the tube light up bright. If you want an excellent tube preamp pedal I would suggest AMT pedals particularly the SS-20 model they are made in russia its the best I have used they are a little more pricey though and rare but quite good I found mine for $140 used at GC but they go up to $250-$300

Well, let's see. It runs at 300v. That's plenty to drive an ax7. It has enough output voltage to drive an amp directly. It has volume, treble, middle and bass controls. Sounds like a preamp to me. The LED is not meant to fool you into thinking the light is coming from the 12ax7. It's meant to let you know the unit is on. I have 5 ax7s in my Egnater Renegade and 3 in my old Marshall JCM 800 and none of them glow at all no matter how hard the amps are pushed. Usually, a brightly glowing tube means it's close to self destruction.

 

[Charvel1975]

I don't know anything about that pedal, but the 3203 makes a great power section for an outboard preamp. I ran an MP1 into mine back in the late 80's until I bought a dedicated power amp. The 3203 sounds pretty damn good on its own though...I still have the one that I bought new in '86.

Speaking of the old ada mp-1's I heard parts are hard as hell to get for those now, is that true? I've heard some nice high gain clips on youtube of the mp-1

 

[Charvel1975]

I owned one for a short while I wouldn't call it a preamp it really didn't produce as much gain as the blackstar ht-20 I owned for a short while. Also im fairly positive that the 12ax7 in it doesn't get enough juice to actually work and produce the gain itself I believe its op amp clipping they put an led in there to make the tube light up bright. If you want an excellent tube preamp pedal I would suggest AMT pedals particularly the SS-20 model they are made in russia its the best I have used they are a little more pricey though and rare but quite good I found mine for $140 used at GC but they go up to $250-$300

Well, let's see. It runs at 300v. That's plenty to drive an ax7. It has enough output voltage to drive an amp directly. It has volume, treble, middle and bass controls. Sounds like a preamp to me. The LED is not meant to fool you into thinking the light is coming from the 12ax7. It's meant to let you know the unit is on. I have 5 ax7s in my Egnater Renegade and 3 in my old Marshall JCM 800 and none of them glow at all no matter how hard the amps are pushed. Usually, a brightly glowing tube means it's close to self destruction.

See I was under the impression that the blackstar ht dual peadal was an all tube 2 channel preamp with the Cab Simulated out and that was my buddy's video's I had posted. Granted he was using a Bad Monkey to boost the overdrive channel on the ht dual and I already have a maxon od808. I had posted another thread about the Bogner Ecstasy Red or Wampler Plextortion pedal(s) thru the front end of my Marshall Artist's clean channel too

 

[jsp]

Never tried the HT pedal, but I have slaved an Engl e530 into a 3203 with pretty good results.

 

[C1-ocaster]

I owned one for a short while I wouldn't call it a preamp it really didn't produce as much gain as the blackstar ht-20 I owned for a short while. Also im fairly positive that the 12ax7 in it doesn't get enough juice to actually work and produce the gain itself I believe its op amp clipping they put an led in there to make the tube light up bright. If you want an excellent tube preamp pedal I would suggest AMT pedals particularly the SS-20 model they are made in russia its the best I have used they are a little more pricey though and rare but quite good I found mine for $140 used at GC but they go up to $250-$300

The HT-Dual is pretty much a pre-amp.
It has a 12ax7 and a full eq section.
It has an AC power supply to feed the tube and circuits and the tube gets 300 volts, plenty of power to produce real tube gain.

I've read from users using this pedal straight into a mixing board through the speaker emulated output.
I had this pedal on order a while ago but they were back ordered. After nearly a month I decided to cancel the order.
But I should have kept it just to try it out. I'm still going to get one just to see/hear what it can do.

I'll look into the AMT you suggest as well.
Thanks.

 

[C1-ocaster]

From what I've read about the pedal, from Blackstar and users, it is a tube driven, 2 channel preamp, that can go straight to an amp or into a mixing board through a speaker emulated output.

I've played the Bogner Red and that people had excellent tones and good amount of clear high gain with great articulation.
I never got a chance to try out the HT dual so I can't compare it.

BTW, the Bogner Uberschall pedal didn't produce the quantity or quality of gain that the Red did, and I had them side by side.
It's possible there may have been something wrong with the Uber pedal, but it seemed to function properly.
The Red is also more versatile than the Uber.

 

[rupe]

I don't know anything about that pedal, but the 3203 makes a great power section for an outboard preamp. I ran an MP1 into mine back in the late 80's until I bought a dedicated power amp. The 3203 sounds pretty damn good on its own though...I still have the one that I bought new in '86.

Speaking of the old ada mp-1's I heard parts are hard as hell to get for those now, is that true? I've heard some nice high gain clips on youtube of the mp-1

Yeah that's true, but there are enough of them out there at a reasonable price that you can buy a few to farm parts from for your main unit if necessary.