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Here are the actual facts:
"There has been a lively discussion in some forums about whether or not the Blackstar HT-5 is a hybrid amp since it has op-amps (solid state components) in the signal chain.
First of all, in my experience, a hybrid amp is one with a solid state preamp that provides some clipping with a tube power section. Many Peavey amps were made like this including the 160W, ear splitting, Marshall squashing Peavey Mace and the Peavey Heritage VTX series. Those amps had some great tone and were extremely loud. Certainly, too loud for most musicians but we loved them and the Marshall stacks in our bedrooms anyway when I was a kid. (Our neighbors and parents didn't though, but that was part of the fun.)
So, is the Blackstar a hybrid? I say it isn't in the "traditional" sense. Yes, the Blackstar does have some solid state components (op-amps) in the signal path. However, the solid state components DO NOT PROVIDE ANY CLIPPING. All signal clipping done by the Blackstar HT5 is done in the tube section and most of that is done in the preamp tube section.
I contacted Blackstar and corresponded with an engineer and he assured me that all clipping of the signal in the Blackstar HT-5 is only done in the tube section of the amp. So, while op-amps do amplify the signal to an extent, the clipping and most of the amplification is done through the tube section. So, while some SS components are in the signal path the amp doesn't do any clipping through it. That is a strong point, IMO. The Blackstar doesn't have a SS gain type of tone. It sounds like what it is: a tube amp with a tube preamp clipping the signal.
I'll bet many people have solid state components in their signal chain while using the Rebel, Mesa's, Marshalls, etc. As soon as you connect a compressor, a clean boost, a chorus, an EQ, or just about any pedal made today, you have solid state components in the signal path. If you use an OD pedal, you have solid state components (diodes or transistors, etc.) clipping the signal that's being amplified by your "all tube" amp.
Either way, the Blackstar doesn't clip the signal in the solid state components. All clipping is done by the tubes (mainly the preamp tube).
I corresponded with a Blackstar engineer about the circuitry inside the amp. One thing I was told, and he was very stubborn about it, was how clipping is done in the amp. Here is a quote from one of the emails about it.
"The HT-5 preamplifier is based on the HT-Dual pedal. As is the case in the
HT-Dual, we use solid-state circuits to provide "pre-gain" before the ECC83
valve. The diodes are part of this "pre-gain circuit" and are used to limit
the signal level being driven into the valve and hence maintain the correct
operating conditions for the valve in this application.
Most importantly, the valve is the last amplification (and clipping) device
in the signal chain and the overall gain structure is designed such that the
compression and harmonics you hear are generated solely from the valve
itself." |
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发表于 2010-4-16 16:09:28
