Blackstar HT-DistX REVIEW (With samples)

**BassIsFun17** · #1 08-18-2009, 08:45 PM

Hey everyone!

To start off, I have been sort of trading fuzz/distortion pedals around to see what everything else sounds like. I owned an Electronix Messdrive Hybrid + for about a year. About a month ago i traded that way for a fulltone bassdrive in hopes to get the ISIS distortion sound. While it did that pretty well....i just couldnt get any other sounds that i liked out of it.

I then sold the fulltone and used that money to buy something else. first i found an MXR blowtorch used and Guitar Center. I ended up returning that because that sound of fuzz was way way way to gated for my taste. I exchanged it for a Way Huge Swollen Pickle. That has a pretty nice muff-y fuzz sound. but its way to many knobs for my simple head haha. I exchanged that for my winner. The Blackstar HT-DistX High Gain distortion.

This thing in my opinion sounds killer. It holds low end very well to my ears. and has a pretty wide range of gain settings. Though this does not go very subtle. even with gain low its still pretty mild gain. if you're looking some sort of subtle grit this may not be what you want. I am getting my friend to build me a B-Blender...which i used to run with a russian big muff and that sounded amazing. So once i have the blend pedal i will get to see how this sound with some extra clean signal coming through. I think it sounds great with out it....but i can only imagine it will sound amazing with a blend.

I made a sound sample for all to hear.
here is my setup:
SX jazz > DistX > Fender rumble > direct out of rumble into Alesis iO26 interface > logic pro 9

I also have a mic setup for me to speak into and talk about the settings i use.

here you go!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RBNLN4WY

Pros: great low end retention, heavy distortion/fuzz tones
Cons: with volume/gain set high you will get some noise sometimes squeals. i will be getting a noise reducer

Overall: i am very happy with this pedal and it will most likely never leave my board. which right now only consists of this pedal hahaha. i had to sell all of my old pedals because i was too broke to justify owning them.

hope this review helps!

Crystalman85 · #2 08-18-2009, 10:07 PM

Awesome sound samples you got there. that pedal has a nice heavy sound.

**BassIsFun17** · #3 08-18-2009, 10:09 PM

Thanks! i think it suits my bands music well.

feel free to check us out aswell. i was using the messdrive for all my fuzz needs in these recordings.
myspace.com/sanusvalde

**BassIsFun17** · #4 08-18-2009, 11:23 PM

can anyone recommend a good noise gate to get rid of the squeal that comes sometimes...if your not playing the pedal while its on?

Higgins666 · #5 08-18-2009, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

can anyone recommend a good noise gate to get rid of the squeal that comes sometimes...if your not playing the pedal while its on?

I would say an ISP Decimator, or some variation of it would do a good job, although Boss & Rocktron also make a couple of pretty good noise gates/supresors, although I'm going rackmounted with mine.

**BassIsFun17** · #6 08-19-2009, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Higgins666

I would say an ISP Decimator, or some variation of it would do a good job, although Boss & Rocktron also make a couple of pretty good noise gates/supresors, although I'm going rackmounted with mine.

thanks. if i got a ISP decimator pedal....would i place it right before my amp in the signal?

bovine mind · #7 08-19-2009, 02:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

thanks. if i got a ISP decimator pedal....would i place it right before my amp in the signal?

If you are using it to tame feedback and squeal when not playing / in between notes, i'd put it before your distortion. i use mine in this way with a depth charge fuzz. nice clip by the way. i was hoping for a more raspy / crunchy distortion, but this sounds great as a fuzz.

4StringsEnough · #8 08-19-2009, 07:46 AM

Also try the Rocktron Hush pedal which works very well.

DonnyDanger · #9 08-20-2009, 03:37 AM

I love the tone on the lower gain settings you do at the end.
To bad we don't get to hear a riff in that setting

**BassIsFun17** · #10 08-20-2009, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonnyDanger

I love the tone on the lower gain settings you do at the end.
To bad we don't get to hear a riff in that setting

i could try to get some recorded.

DonnyDanger · #11 08-20-2009, 08:48 AM

That would be to kind!

**BassIsFun17** · #12 08-20-2009, 05:15 PM

ill try to get them recorded this weekend. ill just have to see when my brother wants to help me out.

DonnyDanger · #13 08-21-2009, 09:26 AM

I'm waiting with impatience! this might just be the pedal i've been looking for

PauliePower · #14 01-27-2010, 05:56 AM

Apologies for the resurrection, but I am going to buy this pedal right now based on the Hysteria sound alone. Thanks for the sound clips!

**BassIsFun17** · #15 01-27-2010, 08:08 AM

glad i could help.
i also sounds great through a blend set halfway so its 50/50 clean/dirty.
sorry i slacked off on the clips. i just never got around to it.

Ferengo · #16 01-27-2010, 08:33 AM

I have the Blackstar Drive pedal so this has convinced me to try in on the Bass rather than going for a dedicated bass drive pedal. The hysteria sound you get out of the distortion pedal is awesome I just hope the drive pedal can do something similar.

crapusername · #17 01-27-2010, 08:40 AM

^^^

interested to hear how you get on Ferengo

PauliePower · #18 01-27-2010, 11:08 AM

As threatened earlier, I've been out and got one. My local indie guitar shop is a Blackstar dealer, and handily he had one in.

It is definately as awesome as BassIsFun17's clips make out. I've also found that with a bit of amp tweaking, I've managed to nail Muse's "Time Is Running Out" synth bass sound. Sound clips on request.

HeroSammich · #19 01-27-2010, 12:34 PM

I've got the HT-Dual on my board, which allows for some more mellow crunch in addition to the more face-melty goodness of the higher gain settings. There is definitely a noticeable noise jump when you get into high gain territory, but I also have an IPS Decimator, which does an excellent job bringing me back to dead silence when no notes are sounding. I actually put the ISP after the Blackstar, to get rid of the amp-like hum, which has been working just fine so far, but I'm no expert, and I'm not sure if it's more advisable to put noise reduction before or after.

The other big upside to the pedal, if you've got the inclination, is that it sounds just as awesome for guitar. My Les Paul > HT-Dual > Fender DeVille setup sounds absolutely huge and amazingl. You can't hardly find bad settings.

Ferengo · #20 01-27-2010, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crapusername

^^^

interested to hear how you get on Ferengo

No probs, will let you know. Won't get a chance to try it out until the weekend though