The Combo Club

[GwenOnBass]

Always looked askance at "bright" and "deep" and "contour" switches ....

 

[GonePlaid]

Always looked askance at "bright" and "deep" and "contour" switches ....

Yeah. Enhancements offa your regular settings kinda to EQ to the room(?). 'Presence' -instead of 'bright'- on the old piggyback 7ender Bassmans.

 

[GonePlaid]

Outdoor beach gig today-3 to 7. 73*, light breeze. Shorts and Aloha shirts for the band. Rumble 200c for me. I was gonna take the R112 extension but we're playing toward the restaurant/bar so I won't need it. Less to schlep.

 

[GwenOnBass]

Anything but summer weather here today ....

My understanding is respective of the label on the switch, the net effect is a midrange notch.

 

[GonePlaid]

Anything but summer weather here today ....

My understanding is respective of the label on the switch, the net effect is a midrange notch.

Yeah, pretty much. To me the 'contour' button is useless. Then again, I don't slap and pop-or whatever it's called.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Blackstar Unity u250 Review



There is so much to talk about with this amp that I don't even know where to start, so I'll just dive in.



Signal Chain: Peavey Millennium 5 (passive) → Blackstar Unity u250 (Voice – Classic, Gain – 12:00, Drive – 9:00, Low – 12:30, Mid – 1:00, Mid Frequency – 9:00, High – 12:00, Compression – 9:00, Master – 12:00)



Band and music: 3-piece playing classic rock and blues (mainly)



Fit, finish, and form factor:

This is a lovely looking amp; I really like the grille cloth and the simple star logo. I can't find the smallest flaw in the construction. I guess it's due to a well-placed handle, but this amp feels lighter than the published 42lbs (19.2 kg). I'm a squishy 6'0” and 170 lbs and I had no trouble with a one-hand carry.



Features:

I'm just going to list these from left to right on the top of the amp first then the back panel.



Top: -10dB input pad, Voice Select (Classic, Modern, Flat), Drive Channel (OD, Distortion, Fuzz), 3-Band EQ with parametric Mids, Effect (Off, Chorus. Octave), Response (Linear, 6L6, 6550), Compression



Rear: Footswitch, MP3 Line In, USB Line Out, Headphones, Line Out Level, E.M. Out/D.I., XLR Line Out, Ground Lift, Effects Sends, Effects Return, Chorus Level, Octave Blend, Cabinet Link



The 2-button foot switch, which is included, toggles the Drive channel on or off to your weapon of choice with button A and the selected effect on or off with button B.



Sound:

The head portion of this amp is pretty unique; it's definitely unlike anything I've used before. There are a plethora of tonal options. Flat voicing with Linear response sounds like a good SS head (Markbass LMII comes to mind) while the Classic voicing with either the 6L6 or 6550 response sounds at least as “tubey” as my Ampeg V4B or Peavey VB-2.



The variety of tonal options come through very clearly at low volume and through headphones. In a band setting, I have really only tried 4 options (knobs as above, plus: 6L6 without compression (with and without OD), and 6550 with compression (with and without OD)) and all sounded great in their own way. Of course, these specific sounds were why I bought the amp; everything else is gravy to me. In a 3-hour session I had no real desire to branch out … just kept playing with a big grin on my face



Low end: It's not the absolute deepest box I've used before; that honor goes to the Genz-Benz Uber 212. However, it shares the thunderous low end presence of one of my other favorite cabs: the venerable Aguilar DB115.



Mids: lots of character. The parametric mids allow you to dial in or out plenty of grunt, growl or honk



Highs: Unsurprisingly, given the lack of a tweeter, it lacks the high end sparkle of some other amps.



Overall impression:

I'm in love. Plenty of volume to keep up with a loud drummer. In the tube emulation modes, this amp has a bounce and grunt to its sound that makes my pants tight, but it can also do crisp and clean. I'm not much of a knob twiddler so I haven't yet explored the full range of the EQ section. It is worth noting that the Voicing switch alters the frequency response of the EQ section. See post #2701 in this thread for details.



I've paid quite a bit more, on the used market no less, for separates that couldn't cop the variety of high-quality tones that the u250 delivers. I am simply blown away by this very capable combo and I was able to get an open box unit for less than $500.



Hope you enjoyed my review. Pics are in post #2658 of this thread.
Oh, and feel free to ask any questions I didn't address.

Great review, PSP! The question still remains though...do you really like it? I'm gonna say yes, but let us know how it holds up under practices and gigs. I definitely like the Blackstar philosophy of tube emulation and interesting choices thereof. For you, it sounds like a winner and I wish you nothing but great playing with it.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Interesting - seems to be the same sort of idea as the Vintage/Contour/Bright switches on the Fender Rumble series.

Jakob, long time no hear. Nice to see you 'round these parts. So how goes it in Oslo?

 

[iagtrplyr]

Anything but summer weather here today ....

My understanding is respective of the label on the switch, the net effect is a midrange notch.

It's too late to force my brain cells into action, and you may be right in that it's all midrange-enhanced voodoo, but I thought there were a few things all going on when the Vintage button is pushed in. Compression along with a bump in the low mids, perhaps? G'Dog, where are ya? I believe either you or Plaid are our Rumble experts. Help me out here, boys!

 

[iagtrplyr]

Yeah, pretty much. To me the 'contour' button is useless. Then again, I don't slap and pop-or whatever it's called.

I agree with you on this one, GP. Contour is only good by yourself, low volume, and you hate midrange. Anything else and you might as well turn off the amp and go watch TV because you're not gonna hear yourself. I'm not a "bright" guy normally (yeah, have fun with that one if you must, but it can be an effective button, especially with the non-tweetered combos like my 100. The Vintage setting is fun where you can open up the amp a bit.

 

[iagtrplyr]

Outdoor beach gig today-3 to 7. 73*, light breeze. Shorts and Aloha shirts for the band. Rumble 200c for me. I was gonna take the R112 extension but we're playing toward the restaurant/bar so I won't need it. Less to schlep.

Ladies and gentlemen of the Midwest, we will be offering three nerf ball throws at Gone Plaid for a dollar this week for reminding us that we cannot wear Aloha shirts and shorts, even in the house right now 'cuz it's too darn COLD! Look for an ad in the Combo Club's newspaper, The Combo Caller, for exact place and time of the event. I am voting for the newly-renovated gym that now offers various-sized finger exercisers for that guy or gal who needs more fretting strength. I love the Combo club!

 

[PSPookie]

Great review, PSP! The question still remains though...do you really like it? I'm gonna say yes, but let us know how it holds up under practices and gigs. I definitely like the Blackstar philosophy of tube emulation and interesting choices thereof. For you, it sounds like a winner and I wish you nothing but great playing with it.

Thank you. I'm in love with this amp, as is my band. Can't wait to try out more of the features; I already have plans to make use of the USB out for some long-distance collaboration with an old friend!

TBH, for me, the u250 is a really big, high quality, headphone amp 6 days of the week. On that 7th day, however, I get to shake the nails from the rafters with monstrous tone

And Entropy likes it too:

 

[JakobT]

Jakob, long time no hear. Nice to see you 'round these parts. So how goes it in Oslo?

Thanks - we've had some miserable winter weather here these past few weeks, but a good excuse to keep indoors and practice. And spend some time here on TB, of course.

 

[GonePlaid]

Ladies and gentlemen of the Midwest, we will be offering three nerf ball throws at Gone Plaid for a dollar this week for reminding us that we cannot wear Aloha shirts and shorts, even in the house right now 'cuz it's too darn COLD! Look for an ad in the Combo Club's newspaper, The Combo Caller, for exact place and time of the event. I am voting for the newly-renovated gym that now offers various-sized finger exercisers for that guy or gal who needs more fretting strength. I love the Combo club!

My weather comments are not meant to rub it in. Come July, I'll be hibernating in the a/c 'til November.

 

[G-Dog]

It's too late to force my brain cells into action, and you may be right in that it's all midrange-enhanced voodoo, but I thought there were a few things all going on when the Vintage button is pushed in. Compression along with a bump in the low mids, perhaps? G'Dog, where are ya? I believe either you or Plaid are our Rumble experts. Help me out here, boys!

My 'splanation of the Rumble buttons are pretty simplified.

Bright - Treble boost
Contour - Scooped
Vintage - Thumpy​

Fortunately, the manual is more detailed:

 

[GonePlaid]

My 'splanation of the Rumble buttons are pretty simplified.

Bright - Treble boost
Contour - Scooped
Vintage - Thumpy​

Fortunately, the manual is more detailed:

View attachment 3318603​

Yeah, that's what I said......sort of.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

My weather comments are not meant to rub it in. Come July, I'll be hibernating in the a/c 'til November.

Yes, I guess we hibernate at different times and for different reasons. It has been a frigid winter in Canada for sure. I live in one of its largest northern cities. Lately the temperature, converting for my American friends, has been around minus 40 and lower. When Summer comes, though, we will have long days (until 11pm) and hopefully warm weather. Our summer last year sacked, and there are rumours winter could last until June.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yes, I guess we hibernate at different times and for different reasons. It has been a frigid winter in Canada for sure. I live in one of its largest northern cities. Lately the temperature, converting for my American friends, has been around minus 40 and lower. When Summer comes, though, we will have long days (until 11pm) and hopefully warm weather. Our summer last year sacked, and there are rumours winter could last until June.

My 'bitter half' is from Milwaukee. She says they have 2 seasons, winter and Fourth of July.

 

[Doctor Intrepid]

My 'bitter half' is from Milwaukee. She says they have 2 seasons, winter and Fourth of July.

In Canada the two seasons are winter and construction!

 

[ghostinthemach]

I thought there were a few things all going on when the Vintage button is pushed in

My experience with ‘vintage buttons’ is limited to a few occasions, but my ears said high cut/low cut or just the opposite of what a ‘slap tone’ button would do (mids cut).

 

[iagtrplyr]

My weather comments are not meant to rub it in. Come July, I'll be hibernating in the a/c 'til November.

Oh, I know they weren’t, GP, but you can’t not a poor sap from Ioway have a little fun as he’s sitting here with another 6-10 inches of the white stuff to fall tonight. Throw me a bone, Plaid!