Pricing and availability
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Store
Reviews
Price
Average Price: $434
Standard/Professional
$300
$701+
Price Tier
Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 2 merchants for "Blackstar HT-5R". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began May 1, 2026.
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Description
Unleash your musical prowess with the Blackstar HT-5R, a compact yet powerful combo guitar amplifier that's perfect for both bedroom jam sessions and recording studios. It offers a rich, dynamic range of tones from crisp cleans to roaring overdrives, making it a versatile choice for guitarists of all genres. The 5-watt tube power effortlessly delivers authentic British and American sounds, while the reverb control adds depth and dimension to your playing. Whether you're practicing at home or laying down tracks, the HT-5R ensures your guitar tone is nothing short of inspirational.
Key Features:
- 5-watt tube amplifier for authentic sound reproduction
- 1x12" speaker configuration for optimal sound projection
- Two footswitchable channels: Clean and Overdrive
- 3-band EQ for fine-tuning your tone
- Built-in reverb for added depth and ambiance
- Ideal for both practice and recording environments
Product specs
| Brand | Blackstar |
| Model | HT-5R Series HT-5R 5W 1x12 Guitar Combo with Reverb |
| Finish | Black |
| Year | 2010s |
| Categories | Guitar Combo Amps |
| Built-In Effects | Built-In Effects |
| Color Family | Black |
| Electronics | Tube |
| Number of Channels | 2 Channels |
| Number of Inputs | 1 Input |
| Output Power (Watts) | 5 |
| Power Tube Type | None |
| Reverb | Digital Reverb |
| Speaker Configuration | 1x12" |
FAQs
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What type of tubes does the Blackstar HT-5R use?
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The Blackstar HT-5R is a tube amplifier featuring a 12AX7 preamp tube and a 12BH7 power amp tube, providing rich tones and dynamic response ideal for various music styles.
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Is the Blackstar HT-5R suitable for home practice?
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Yes, with its 5-watt output, the Blackstar HT-5R is perfect for home practice, offering full tube tone at manageable volume levels without sacrificing sound quality.
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How does the ISF control on the Blackstar HT-5R affect the sound?
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The ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) control allows you to adjust the amp's EQ characteristics, seamlessly transitioning from a classic American sound to a more British tone, providing versatile sonic options.
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Does the Blackstar HT-5R have built-in reverb?
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Yes, the Blackstar HT-5R includes digital reverb, adding depth and ambiance to your sound, which can be adjusted to suit your preference.
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Can the Blackstar HT-5R handle live performances?
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While primarily designed for practice and recording, the Blackstar HT-5R can be used for small gigs, especially when mic'd up, thanks to its powerful and clear 5-watt tube output.
Videos
Rob Chapman
Blackstar HT - 5R Combo **WORLD EXCLUSIVE**
Blackstar HT - 5R Combo **WORLD EXCLUSIVE**
Rob Chapman
The Blackstar HT1 & HT5 Amps just got even better for 2019!
Andertons Music Co
HT-5R MkII | Little amp, big sound! | Blackstar
Blackstar Amplification
Blackstar HT-5RH MkII - Sound Demo (no talking)
Guitar Bonedo
Blackstar HT 5R blues tone
Bosse Ignell
Blackstar HT5R Sound Test - Neogeofanatic
NeoGeofanatic
Blackstar HT5R- High gain test
Azwar A Rusli
Reviews
PROS
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Versatile sound with headphone setup for silent play
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High gain capability makes distortion pedals redundant
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Wide range of tones suitable for rock/metal
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Built-in effects offer clarity over any pedal
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Features like ISF control for British/American amp voicing
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Suitable for both bedroom practice and small gigs
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Solid construction with smooth tube sound
CONS
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Stock tubes may sound thin and harsh; may need replacing
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Reverb not ideal for surf music lovers
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Lacks traditional drive, bass, mid, treble knobs for precise tone customization
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Heavy, making it less portable for some
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Control panel prone to dust, inputs hard to reach
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Blackstar HT-5R.
Features and functionality
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Users note that the amp remains mostly clean even at high volumes, relying on built-in solid-state overdrive for distortion.
Source -
The inclusion of a footswitch is appreciated, effectively using the amp's overdrive as a pedal alternative.
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The HT-5R MkII has a switch to reduce power to 0.5W, ideal for home use without sacrificing tone.
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The ISF knob allows tonal shifting from Tool/Godsmack to Iron Maiden, providing diverse sound options for hard rock and metal enthusiasts.
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The effects loop is praised for its utility, particularly when integrating delay pedals like the Carbon Copy or DD-3 for specific tonal effects.
Source
Comparisons
Use cases and applications
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The amp's versatility is highlighted for its capability to play quietly, loudly, and through headphones, accommodating various practice and performance settings.
Source -
Pairing with a 4x12 cabinet significantly increases volume, allowing the small amp to achieve floor-rattling sound levels suitable for non-gigging scenarios.
Source
Mods and upgrades
Setup and maintenance
Build quality
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Concerns about the amp's build include poor thermal management and non-serviceable components, leading to potential long-term reliability issues.
Source
Critic Reviews
4.5 out of 5
Based on 11 Reviews and 47 Ratings
721
Great option for tube tones at home volumes
Bought this one to replace my Bugera where the smaller speaker could result in slightly boxey tone at times. Was not disappointed as the 12 inch speaker gives a greater girth in the tone. I use it mainly on the clean channel with pedals to the front though the drive channel is usable if you want a simple rig. On the darker side tone wise like the Bugera but Complements my Hughes and Kettner which has a chimier voice for the dry channel in my rig. The ISF is a useful feature.
140
Best Digital Amp on the Market
Two of my friends have it. Yes it has lots of built in effects, but that's nothing really new with digital amps. What makes this one special is it's tone. Very clear tone at any channel, over any effect pedal. I used my Electro Harmonix Big Muff with my friend's Blackstar a couple of times instead of my Line 6. You would not believe the difference. Pretty good amp, also very curious to hear an analog delay over it's crunch channel.
One thing that may surprise you is that it doesn't have drive, bass, mid, treble knobs. How they got away with that is, they made two channels for each tone: clean warm-clean bright, crunch-super crunch (they probably messed around with drive and bass there), overdrive 1-overdrive 2 etc. So if you're that fruity guy who wants very precisely customised tone, that's one downside for you. The amp overall is pretty good.
144
Man, this is a tube amp =) But still might be the best for its price.
123
An amazing amp for the money, very versatile, would recommend!
This is a 2 channel (clean and dirty, very standard) 1x12 combo with a bloody massive sound and all the goodies a beginner or a professional needs, for example, an effects loop, an extension cab plug in and a footswitch (for the channels) input. The amp has a decent digital reverb which goes from subtle to surf, the ISF feature is great, it is basically a master tone control that changes the style of amp the combo is going to sound like, i prefer british (all the way to the right) but your mileage may vary. The reason why I give this amp 4 stars and not 5 is because it is bloody heavy, which i imagine isn't great for certain people, the inputs at the back, for the footswitch and power etc are really hard to reach, and the control panel gets very dusty, but other than that, the sound is a complete 5/5 and the head would probably be better, but the combo is still great!
41029
how heavy could a 5 watt SE amp be? I could probably play catch with my ac4hw combo if someone out there was fool enough to let me throw it to them.... its heavy compared to a champ, but its light as hell compared to every combo amp I've ever owned except maybe my old 50s Gibson titan... about even with a BF Princeton reverb with an upgrade speaker or a marshall 18 watt or studio15
123
Yeah, I meant, its heavy for its size, its a very small combo, so it surprised me, but it obviously has nothing on a marshall
97
The Perfect Budget Tube Amp
The world of budget tube amps is so crowded now that it can be hard to find a gem. Thankfully, Blackstar has their wonderful HT-5 to do the trick. It is among the most versatile tube amps in its price class, having boutiquey cleans, British crunch, and American blues tones all in the same package. Many amps can claim to do this sort of thing, but very few have the quality in their tone that the HT-5 has. It has a tone that can work well with all types of pickups in all types of guitars. I find it especially shines with single coils and low output humbuckers, as it doesn't color the tone more than necessary and allows the nuances of the player to shine through.
54
too good to be true Backstar quality
Great amp for bedroom practice and will hold its own for small gigs Solid construction - smooth tube sound and can get great crunch a low volume levels
176
awesome
recommended by my friend as a great amp and i got it and the valve power drives this beautifully.
My current amp
That’s my current amp. I’ve been using that since December 2018. And I really love it
Artist usage
Add artist
"Getting ready to track my guitars" - Rob Chapman.
Richard Fortus is shown using a Blackstar HT-5R combo guitar amplifier in a user-uploaded photo.
On smaller shows Reb is currently opting for Blackstar amplification (namely the HT-5). To augment this Reb has an ever changing array of pedals, but the mainstays seem to be a Crybaby wah, an old Digitech Whammy II, a Digitech delay and a Fulltone Fat Boost. If you're chasing that Reb tone, you should be fine with similar effects and a high gain Marshall style amp.
Kai Hansen uses the Blackstar HT-5R, as confirmed in an interview with GITARRE & BASS conducted by Lars Horstmann, where it is described as "a very good, flexible combo, with 1 × 12 ″ speaker, which can offer everything from punk to metal to reggae."
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Will Mills, known as Stotty, uses the Blackstar HT-5R combo amplifier, as seen in a post by avenueband_ on Instagram. This versatile amp, an upgrade from the popular Blackstar HT-5, features added reverb, a clean channel tone control, a 12-inch speaker, speaker-emulated output, and an MP3/Line-in socket, making it a favorite for practice and performance.
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Blackstar HT-5R, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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