Blackstar HT-1RH MKII

HT MkII: The Blackstar Spirit in an Ultra-Home-Friendly Format

The HT-1RH MkII head follows Blackstar's approach: offering a modern, musical sound that's easy to use, with a true "valve" feel. This MkII version retains the DNA of the HT series while adding features much better suited to today's needs (recording, silent practice, ambiance via reverb), all in a compact format. It's an ideal head for building a serious small rig, to pair with a guitar cabinet of your choice, without ending up with unmanageable volume in an apartment.

Who and in What Contexts to Use the HT-1RH MkII?

With its 1 Watt, this head primarily targets guitarists who want to regain valve amp sensations at home, during rehearsals at controlled volume, or in a home studio. It suits both demanding beginners (who want inspiring tone from the first notes) and experienced musicians looking for a backup amp to compose, record, work on rhythmic placement and dynamics. Style-wise, it covers pop, blues, rock, and hard rock very well, while offering enough gain reserve for heavier genres when the "High Gain" voicing is selected.

Two Channels, Four Personalities, and Connectivity Designed for Modern Practice

The HT-1RH MkII offers 2 channels (clean and overdrive), each with 2 voicings to vary tone without complicating the ergonomics. On clean, you have a choice between an "American" approach (clarity, solid bass, tight grain) and a class A "British" approach (rounder lows, dynamic response, and a slight bite that can edge into overdrive when pushed). On overdrive, the "Classic" voicing aims for a rich and natural British saturation, from near-clean to crunchy, while the "High Gain" voicing adds attack in the highs with tight lows, for precise riffs and sharper leads. To complete the package, Blackstar integrates a new reverb that provides a sense of space very useful for solo playing or recording. The head is also equipped for silent practice and home studio use thanks to a headphone output with cabinet emulation, an MP3/Line input for playing along with backing tracks, and a USB audio output for easier recording.

Expressive Valve Tone: From Crystalline Clean to Dense Distortion

As a valve amp head, the HT-1RH MkII stands out with a lively response: pick attack, right-hand pressure, and guitar volume truly influence the sound. The "American" clean voicing favors a crystalline clean with a stable bass foundation, ideal for open chords and precise arpeggios. The "British" clean voicing highlights a more organic dynamic and expressive mids, with the possibility to "break up" the amp when pushed. In distortion, the amp offers a comfortable gain reserve while avoiding harsh highs: the "Classic" voicing delivers rich and natural crunch and overdrive, and the "High Gain" provides a more modern, tighter distortion, perfect for clear palm mutes and solos that cut through the mix. The whole remains very usable at low volume, allowing you to work on tone and nuances without relying on stage-level volume.

Technical specifications

Effects	Reverb	Number of channels	2
Category	Guitar amp head	EQ	Tone
Technology	Tubes	Headphone output	Yes
Amp tubes	12AU7 rectifier	Color	Black
Pre-amp tubes	12AX7	Finishing	Black tolex
Category	Amplifier	Power output	1 W

Power	1 Watt	Preamp valve	12AX7
Finish	boutique	Power valve	12AU7