Blackstar’s new 1x12” combo, the TV-10A, aims to put Fender tweed tube amp flavors into an amp that, although powered by tubes, still delivers plenty of modern features.
An in-built digital reverb and a cabinet-emulated output stand chief among those modern facets, with the British amp builder looking to craft a ‘best of both worlds’ combo amp.
Featuring a 12AX7 preamp and 6L6 tube power section, as well as an ECC83 tube, Blackstar says the TV-10A “pays homage to classic American amplifiers” by delivering a “dynamic playing experience.”
Tonally, the amp is said to “effortlessly transition between glassy clean tones and crunchy overdrives.” The addition of a Drive button, which can be engaged via a footswitch or a mini-switch on the amp itself, gives the TV10-A a second, hotter, and crunchier voice.
It's quite possibly the simplest amp that Blackstar has created in some time, with controls for Gain, Tone, Reverb, and Master only. Instead of extra dials, switches, and gizmos, Blackstar has focused on nailing the American voicing of its tones and reverb, even if it has made some distinctly un-Fender-like choices.
Traditional Fenders have typically employed a Jensen speaker, but Blackstar has gone for a 12” Celestion instead. Its reverb, we’re assured, has “faithfully captured the tone of the best valve amplifier reverb tanks” and is said to have a longer decay.
The Class A amplifier looks like a recently unearthed relic thanks to its cream Tolex covering, basketweave grille, and leather handle. But a host of accouterments designed for the modern, gigging musician ensures its vintage-modern equilibrium.
Its effects loop gives players the choice between +4dBV and -10dBV settings, and the speaker-emulated out – a feature typically found on Blackstars – makes it an ideal recording companion.
As is to be expected, although not always a given, a headphone jack allows for silent practice.
All those features combine to make the Blackstar TV-10A, at $649, a reasonably affordable option for small gigs, practice, and recording.
It’s also a pleasure to see a traditionalist tube amp in an increasingly digital market, augmenting other recent releases like the company's Polar 2 audio interface, and the fourth generation of its best-selling ID:Core practice amps.
It will be interesting to see how the amp compares to Laney's latest creation. Its new series of Lionheart Foundry solid-state combos, the fellow British tone-mongers believe, can rival tube amps, and with its basic 1x12” model coming in at $429, it could be an interesting shootout.
The Blackstar TV-10A is available today and costs $649.
Visit Blackstar to learn more.
