Three smallish amps tested

[deeaa*]

I haven't been out to town and music stores for what feels like aeons, but yesterday I spent a good hour in one of the local stores, just playing a few amps and seeing how they perform.

I played an Ibanez TSA-15H, the Tubescreamer tube amp thru its own cab;
A Blackstar HT-5 which I've been wanting to test for a long while;
A Laboga Caiman head and cab.

Starting with the Ibanez, I was VERY disappointed with it. I am actually even inclined to think there may have been something wrong with the amp, it sounded that bad. The basic sound I got from it was very much the same as any ValveJr. or other small tube amps; it sounded a bit tubey, but rather boxy and small and nothing particular; an acceptable breakup but nothing fancy. And then the Screamer side on, and...well, best described as it was 'superimposed' over the actual amp sound. Almost felt like there was two sounds, a clean and a driven one mixed, and it gave a very odd feeling to playing. You know, instead of overdriving the amp tone it just added an other dimension to it that was *parallel* to the original, but all in all just a buzzy tubescreamer sound. Now, I'm not a real fan of TS type drive anyway, but at best they do a great job of pushing an amp over the edge and give a nice crunch, but here it was really not working well at all. Really, I do suspect there was something wrong with it indeed, will have to test another specimen one of these days. Will continue in reply.

Here's a clip of the amp I find rather close to how it sounds:

[deeaa*]

Then the HT-5. Started playing with great expectations and, well, it sounded ten times better than the Ibanez right off the bat.

This time the sound was more cohesive and warmer and bigger, and the basic sound of the amp works well. Need not wonder why these are very popular, it is hard to make the amp sound bad really, it's a nice performer all round. Here's, I think, a pretty good vid of how it sounds (not mine).



The drive section provides more drive than I'd ever need, but the basic sound of the drive is nice, especially works fine in leads. A bit on the modern side it is a little buzzy to my tastes, with plenty of higher distortion harmonies, not really an oldskool rock sound at all, but a more screaming, saturated lead sound. Still, the amp retains clarity quite well, and overall I was rather pleased with it. It'd make a good first amp or a nice bedroom player I'm sure. Still, I'd prefer a Tech-21 30 or such, for a bit more rock type drive and variety of tones, unless quite saturated driven/distorted tube tone is just what you want, as that it does well.

Then I went on to the Caiman, which I've played before and liked, and this time too I loved it. Being a bigger amp it naturally sounded way bigger than either, and I guess the price tag shows as well in that it simply was in an entirely different class already as the Blackstar. If I liked the Blackstar, it seemed now like a toy compared to how the Caiman sounded. It's hard to describe, but it just gives a completely seamless variety of sounds from clean to driven without clear transitions; it's super easy to get a crunchy thick semi-clean sound or a screaming lead sound, and there is _no_ saturation buzz/distortion buzz at all, the sound is just very cohesive and 'one package' where you don't detect any applied drive or such, but the entire sound becomes driven more and more as you up the gain.

I would really want one of these puppies...the only amp I've tested that sounds somewhat the same as my Ceriatone, and this can do it at low volume as well. Well no wonder as it also uses EL84's. I'd urge anyone to try one out for sure!

Can't really find any good clips of the amp at all except some metal clip; here's the combo version - I played a head with a 4x10" sized 2x12" (I think it was).

[deeaa*]

Gotta say, the Laboga is the first amp since the Ceriatone I could VERY seriously consider changing to. Not because it much sounds better but because it sounds at least about as good it's smaller and more portable but still pack similar punch, and I could do away with at least a few pedals with that puppy. I can't believe there's no demos of the thing on youtube!

Well I would also love a JMV marshall, but I'd also like to keep the ceriatone if I ever get that.

[otaypanky***]

I had/have a few EL84 amps and like them a lot

[SuperSwede]

I think that the TSA15H must have been a faulty unit, I´ve been interested in this amph for a while now and this clip makes me even more keen on getting one!

[deeaa*]

At 4:06 it sounds pretty much like it did in the store to me...I don't like that sound at all, no way...that's what I call 'Knäckebröd' sound, dry and fizzy :-) I guess if one digs a dry fuzz kinda vintage lo-fi sound, it could work real well, but to me it's just way too dry and lacks any depth. I hear more depth to sound playing D/I :-) at 5:50 or so it's sounding much better already, but I still don't like the way the drive is like a backdrop layer to the sound, not really part of the sound itself. Hard to describe.

[Eric***]

Very interesting stuff, Dee. Thanks for the reviews -- I have a deal pending myself for a new amp, so I'm curious what that ends up sounding like.

[FrankenFretter***]

I'm really digging my HT-5. I appreciate the flexibility of the amph, and the clean headroom. I've never tried a Laboga Caiman, and at that price point I'm glad I haven't. I don't want to fall in love with an expensive amph. If you do end up getting one, make sure to post some clips, Dee! Thanks for the reviews!

[deeaa*]

Yep I also dug the HT-5 quite a lot, considering the *slight* price difference to the caiman it really fares very very well indeed. Lots of amp for the money for sure.

I don't think I can justify getting the Caiman however...unless I could sell the cab I have for crazy money - could happen, it's got rather rare 1976 greenbacks in it that work perfectly - someone might pay good money for it some day. In that case, I'd be tempted to switch to the Caiman. But, as it is, I'd have to shell out a lot of money towards the change, at least 300 or so I'm guessing, and end up with no better sounds after all. But you never know...if we end up gigging much more I would be much more interested in changing, the 4x12" is indeed not fun to carry around...

[Tig***]

The newest version is the Blackstar HT-5R. R is for reverb, and they added tone control to the clean channel, plus stereo out for PA's and mixing boards. Also, the combo and external cabinet now come with a 12" speaker.

[NWBasser]

The newest version is the Blackstar HT-5R. R is for reverb, and they added tone control to the clean channel, plus stereo out for PA's and mixing boards. Also, the combo and external cabinet now come with a 12" speaker.

Oh my, that's a heap of temptation right there!