Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 3 3-Channel Floorboard Amp (100 Watts)

You only need a guitar and an Amped 3 for killer sound to-go! This amp pedal pumps out a punishing 100 watts via three channels that go from clean to scream.

Overview

AMPED 3 is a professional 100-Watt multi-channel guitar amp in a compact pedal. Designed to be the ultimate portable, all-in-one 100W amplifier, AMPED 3 features no compromises in tone, with 6 amp voices across three channels and 3 power amp responses. Power reduction down to 1W and USB-C connectivity means it's suited for the studio or the stage.

Check out this Blackstar Dept. 10 AMPED 3 demo:

- Modes:
The AMPED 3 has two modes: 'Patch' mode and 'Manual' mode. By default, the AMPED 3 will be in Patch mode. The mode can be changed by holding the Boost footswitch for 2 seconds. The default start-up mode can be configured using Blackstar's Architect software.

In Patch mode, the Channel LEDs will be white, orange and red for Clean, Crunch and Overdrive respectively. In Manual mode, all Channel LEDs will be white and the Recall Indicator in the top left of the front panel will stay illuminated.

Patch mode allows a patch to be saved to each Channel and instantly recalled by stomping on the appropriate Channel footswitch. Patches can be saved by holding down the footswitch of the active Channel until the Recall and Channel LEDs flash. All front panel controls, except for Master and Power, will be saved in a patch.

Active patches can be edited, but control settings (except toggle switches) must be recalled before they can be altered. When the saved setting for a control is reached, the Recall Indicator will flash and the control can then be adjusted.
In Manual mode, what you see… read more is what you get. The sound of the amplifier is affected by the physical position of the controls at all times.

- Clean Channel:
- Clean Warm:
The gain structure and sonics of this voice have been inspired by classic American amplifiers of the mid '60s (Fender 'black-face'). It is very clean and bright but with a solid low-end and controlled mids. Also, on this voice the power valve responses are set to be tight and relatively clean and linear across the frequency range. This is one of the most popular choices for a 'pedal platform' as it provides a solid clean foundation to apply effects to.
- Clean Bright:
The Clean Bright voice emulates a 'classic' valve/tube preamp topology based on a much loved British 'class A' amplifier of the early '60s (Vox AC-30 Top Boost). This is a low to medium gain preamp that can be used clean, warm or mildly overdriven. This voice also features a hybrid MIDDLE control; below halfway the MIDDLE control will interact with the BASS and TREBLE controls, as per a typical tone stack, but above halfway the MIDDLE control will transition into an active mid boost. Again, this is a very popular choice for a 'pedal platform' as well as for a great, responsive crunch tone.

- Crunch Channel:
- Crunch:
The Crunch voice makes use of the foundations of the Clean Bright voice, pushing the preamp harder with a +10dB clean boost, to take it from 'chimey' to 'creamy' and beyond. With a more involved 'tone cut', the strident top-end introduced by increased preamp saturation is gently smoothed whilst still preserving the 'glassy' character.
- Super Crunch:
This voice is based on Blackstar's award-winning cascaded valve/tube overdrive circuits and a traditional 'British style passive tone stack' (EQ) featured on the 6L6 models of the St. James heads and combos. The voicing features 'modern' preamp gain structure, perfect for big chords and crunchy rhythm playing with clear note separation.

- Overdrive Channel:
- OD1:
The OD1 voice is a higher gain variation of the Super Crunch voice. Where the Super Crunch voice is open and crisp, the OD1 voice is focussed and smooth and where Super Crunch is perfect for big chords and crunchy rhythm playing, OD1 is ideal for soaring leads and thick solos.
- OD2:
The OD2 voice has been entirely re-imagined for AMPED 3. Based on the 'Holy Grail' of metal amplifiers known for block lettering and an immense sound (Peavey and EVH 5150s), this voice features a characteristically crushing 'chug', crystal clear articulation and a refined 'fizz'. OD2 was crafted for intense, down-tuned riffs and intricate leads.

- ISF:
A cornerstone in many Blackstar amplifiers, including AMPED 3, is the patented Infinite Shape Feature, or ISF control. This technology is exclusive to Blackstar Amplification and is the result of many months of in-depth technical research.

WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm - www.p65Warnings.ca.gov.

Specs

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
Base Item: Shipping Weight: 6.5 lbs; Shipping Dimensions: 15 x 9 x 7 in; Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): AMPED3

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 631-390-8737
Email: enquiries@blackstaramps.com
Web: https://blackstaramps.com/support/

Reviews

(1 ratings)

Submitted July 16, 2023 by a customer from yahoo.com

"Great sounding and packed with features."

Overall:

(see rating details)

Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.

This is being compared to my Randall Rd 20. The Randall is hooked up to a Rivera RockRec, then is fed IRs. I compared both with no pedals of any kind. Also compared them with the stock Blackstar IRs and being fed both the same IRs. As for the amount of gain, they're both similar (to me anyway). The Randall sounds much more 'dark'. I dialed in a similar eq with the Blackstar (as close as I could get it), and it seemed to be livelier and a bit tighter. As for features, the Blackstar obviously has more, which I won't get into (it's all in the product description). I really love the clean channel. That combined with certain black star IRs, I can get a really good, classy, smooth jazz tone. A touch of reverb is a nice touch. The crunch channel is great for blues. The overdrive channel with the pre-boost can easily get into modern metal. If I want even more, I can switch on an overdrive pedal for a little extra gain. Though, it's not really needed.I love the Tube response feature. I personally prefer EL34 for overdrive, and EL84 for clean.I can't comment on the Power features, as I record silently. I've recorded with both the USB method, and the XLR method. The USB is very useful if you want to change up the IRs later with the unprocessed signal. There is latency, so I would recommend hooking your headphones up to the actual unit, and not through your audio interface. Reaper (which I use) automatically adjusts for the latency, so the recorded result is fine. The other thing I love… read more is the size and portability of it. It's only the size of a few pedals, sits on my desk, and I even brought it on vacation. Overall, I'm starting to enjoy it more than the Randall. However, everyone's tastes will be different. The only thing I wish it had was a way to load in your own IRs to the actual unit. It's not a deal breaker, since you can just add them later to the recording. I didn't comment on everything. These are the things that just jumped out at me.

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