How the Response Switch Affects Your Tone

One of the key features of the Blackstar Amped 2 is the Response switch in the Power Amp section of the unit. This allows you to select between three power amp tube types. Each one of these three tube types are associated with one of the major guitar amp brands and each offers their own unit tone and response to your overall guitar signal.

There are 3 main types to choose from:

• EL34 – Best known for their use in 60s and 70s British amps, popular in the rock and classic rock worlds.
• 6L6 – Best known for being more American sounding. Scooped mids, pronounced lows and highs and perfect for sparkling cleans and high gain riffs.
• EL84 – Best known for their use in British combo amps that are known for their jangly cleans and more aggressive midrange overdriven tones when cranked.

Using the response switch you can change the overall feel and characteristics of your Amped 2.

All the tones in the video are coming from the Amped 2.

EL84

When using the EL84 setting you get an overdriven tone that is useful for cutting thorough the mix. The overall tone is slightly boxy and feels more compressed than other tube types, but It has a really strong midrange focus that is useful for cutting through a dense mix on stage.

Pairing this with a single coil guitar is a great way to emulate a famous user of these tubes, Queen guitarist Brian May.

EL34

If you like 60s and 70s British blues and rock tones, the EL34 setting will be perfect. This shares the same mid-forward British rock vibe of the EL84 but sounds smoother overall. This has less poke in the midrange, and is more balanced from low to high.

This pairs great with humbuckers for those classic British blues invasion tones and single coils for that Jimi Hendrix style sound.

6L6

The 6L6 response is more American sounding. Inside this setting you get a tighter low end and a brighter high end. The mid range in this setting are scooped more than the other settings. This makes it great for everything from John Mayer style cleans through to high gain metal riffs.

The EL84 and EL34 tube types have a lot more natural compression and sag when pushed, the 6L6 tube does not compress or sag as much. This gives you a tone that is tighter and more focused.

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About the Author

This article on how the response switch affects your tone was written by Leigh Fuge. Leigh is a professional guitarist and content creator and also works alongside musicteacher.com to create guitar focused, educational and entertainment content.

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