Blackstar HT Stage 100 Head MkIII

HT Venue series mkIII - Our multi-award winning valve line raises the benchmark again

Boutique cleans and modern overdrives
HT Venue is renowned for combining class-leading boutique cleans with modern high gain overdrives without compromise. The Clean channel, though simple in appearance, offers vast versatility in producing classic clean and crunch tones. Both Voices utilise an ECC83 / 12AX7 valve exclusively for producing any valve compression or crunch. The Overdrive channels have evolved from the original Series One range. The topology shares the same basic building blocks in the gain structure and tonal shaping and includes the cascaded gain stages of an ECC83 / 12AX7 double triode valve.

Two distinct Voices on each channel
Each Voice is far more than a minor tweak to the sound. With HT Venue mkIII, each Voice switch introduces comprehensive circuit alterations in both preamp and power amp to recreate authentic reference tones without compromise. This includes EQ voicing, tone stack position in the circuit, the gain, and power amp damping. Achieve diverse tonal options with the flick of a single switch!

CabRig DSP speaker simulator technology
CabRig, our class-leading DSP speaker simulator comes as standard, offering hundreds of different cabinet, mic, and room settings. Save your favourites to three presets for easy access directly from the amplifier. Switch into standby for ‘silent’ recording or silent stage use. The USB-C port lets you send 4 channels (clean/dry, preamp out, stereo emulated out) to your DAW, ensuring the easiest way to capture authentic valve tone in recordings.

What’s in a Venue?
Until HT Venue, guitarists had to choose between an amp that delivered great clean tones, or great overdrives. Our mission for HT Venue was to use what we learned when designing the Artisan handwired boutique amps and the modern high gain Series One and combine the best clean and overdrives into a single valve amp; a valve amp that would give players classic reference tones in one unit - without compromise.
Incorporating everything we’ve learned since the original in 2010, the new MK III refines the tones, the components and even the look. To match the way you play today we’ve brought modern recording and connectivity to a traditional valve amp, including CabRig, our class-leading DSP speaker simulator software, plus a suite of connectivity options: USB-C, XLR D.I. and of course 1/4” jack.

New CabRig simulator technology
CabRig is our advanced DSP speaker simulator, delivering mic’d up guitar cab sounds with unparalleled detail. With zero latency and superior flexibility over IR snapshots, CabRig perfectly simulates cabinets and rooms. Dive into its software for exceptional tones via USB/XLR or headphones.

Pro features
Blackstar’s patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) control shifts the response of the three control tone stack between, a US type response at one end, and at the other, a UK type response. Importantly, in between the two extremes lie an infinite number of alternative tone choices that would be otherwise unavailable. MkIII also has an all-new reverb voiced for guitar tones. Switch between ‘Dark’ room and ‘Light’ plate settings and deep-edit other parameters via our free Architect software. Ideal for modern musicians, the mkIII has all the connectivity you need, effects loop, USB-C audio for professional recording and an XLR D.I. for live performances.

What does HT mean?
HT stands for High Tension and refers to the high voltages used in valve circuits like HT Venue mkIII. The HT name goes back to the very beginning of Blackstar and our first products - the HT valve pedals.

Footswitch flexibility
All models are footswitchable, offering a broad range of on-stage valve tones, with boosts on every channel. The included 2-way footswitch toggle between clean and overdrive channels and their two voices.
For comprehensive control, the optional FS-14 5-way footcontroller gives you access to all channels, voices, a global volume boost and reverb on/off.

Pro conectivity
With more musicians recording at home, HT venue mkIII is perfect for the way we play today with USB audio connectivity for pro-recording and an XLR D.I. for professional live use.

Blackstar's patended ISF (Inifinite Shape Feature
This control will take your sound from a more US style tone stack, through to the UK and anywhere in between. Use this to fine tune your sound and set your own tonal signature.

2 distinct voices per channel
Voice switches on other amps are usually subtle variations on the existing sound, that shift a tone control or add a slight boost. On HT venue mkIII, each voice switch makes radical and extensive circuit changes in both the preamp and the power amp, includin the EQ voicing, the tone stack position in the circuit, the gain and the power amp damping to provide unique flexibility in tonal options - all at the press of a single switch.

Power reduction down to 10%
Blackstar's reliable and transparent attenuation switches the power down to 10% of the amp's rated power.
Our power reduction is achieved not by load resistors, which affect the tone in an undesirable way due to changing the output transformers / speaker reactance, but by controlling the internal working voltages of the power stage, both HT (high voltage) and bias. This limits power output without affecting the tone shaping of the output stage and feedback loop, so your basic tone remains the same, with power amp overdrive occurring at much lower volume levels, giving the feel of a small valve amp verging on meltdown.

HT Stage 100H mkIII
The flagship HT Stage 100 mkIII guitar amp head uses a quartet of selected EL34 power valves to deliver 100W of British dynamics with 3 channels offering 6 voices for amazing tonal versatility. The ’boutique’ style clean channel has two modes - ‘British Class A’ and ‘dynamic US’. Each of the two ISF equipped overdrive channels accesses a further two modes. From the studio to the stage the HT Stage 100 MK III is the ultimate amp delivering ground-breaking cleans, rich full overdrives and offering maximum control and flexibility. Can you be without one?

Key details:

• Innovative 100 Watt valve head
• 2 x ECC83 and 4 x EL34 valves
• Three footswitchable channels
• Six footswitchable voices
• Boutique clean channel with expanded tone controls
• Two high gain overdrive channels
• Patented Infinite Shape Feature (ISF)
• Power Reduction down to 10 percent of full Wattage
• Presence, Resonance, Master Volume
• Digital Reverb with Dark/Light switch
• Speaker Emulated output with 1×12/4×12 voicing
• Effects loop with effects level switch
• USB for recording
• Footcontroller included
• Compact size for ultimate portability
• Cool boutique styling