Hello and welcome to this week's article!
Today we're going to review a very interesting digital combo, which is an evolution of the smaller ID Core range (which are up to 40w, while these 2 larger ones are 100 and 150w) and which have as main difference the fact that instead of having small full range speakers, these ones have 2x10 guitar speakers: the Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 100!
The choice of full range speakers or 10 inches speakers may set somebody off, since the standard for guitar is a 12 inches one, but this is a compromise solution to fit 2 speakers in a smaller, lightweight package (which is almost as small as the size of a regular 1x12 combo) and allowing the player to take full advantage of the "Super Wide Stereo" technology, which lets us playback an mp3 (via Aux) and practice along with it listening in stereo, while most of the practice combo amps, having just 1 speaker, lets you playback only in mono.
This speaker choice targets the amp towards practicing musicians which play more at home along with mp3s than for live musicians, since live there is usually more need of a 12 inch speaker to have all the low end thump, which is less strong in a 10 inch one, but at the same time with 100w there is enough power to stay on top of a live drumkit, also for rehearsals.
Besides the speaker, the amp offers 6 voicing controls, which range from clean to the most extreme hi-gain, a looper up to 30 seconds, 12 effects, a software suite for in-depth editing, usb recording, speaker emulated out and so on, making the ID:Core a Swiss army knife for the practicing musician, and the 100 and 150w versions have enough power to play live with no problems, all in a convenient 12.5kg package.
How does it sound? It sounds quite well! Blackstar Amps, especially for high gain, are some of the best sounding practicing amps, with musical mids and the proprietary ISF, Infinite shape feature, which is a knob that lets you pass from a US type of gain to a British one and everything in between.
The cleans are good and the distortions sounds almost "produced"; in this the amp the tone in general is less raw and "in your face" than a Boss Katana, but it sounds brighter (maybe also because of the speaker choice) and very pleasant, it just has a different grain and you'll have to compare them to find which one is more suited for you.
Thumbs up!
- 100W (SUPER WIDE STEREO 2x50W)
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