Blackstar: ID Core (Part 1)

Last weekend, I was invited to check out Blackstar's ID Core amps which are largely digital in nature. This would put off many tone purists because there is this current belief that digital existence in any tone-related implements are largely make-belief; the digital signals emulate good tones, they are not the source of good tones per se. However, such a misplaced belief is currently challenged by LINE6, Fractal & Kemper among others. These names are the standard bearers in today's digital technology. They keep the tone, well, tone-centered & are not bent on digitally re-manufacturing tone for commercial elation.

With the ID Core range, Blackstar has entered (or proven, rather) the digital domain under practical beliefs. The ID Core amps don't offer anything that's not done by the other leading names before. In fact, these amps were conceived to preserve the Blacstar identity & they did well under such a consideration.

The features in all 3 ID Core amps are identical (as seen in the pic above). The player gets to voice his/her tone according to the VOICE modules so there isn't a clean or driven channel per se; it's a single amp with many voicings. There is a 'live' set of controls manipulating GAIN, VOLUME & EQ, followed by the EFFECTS section where one gets to play with modulation, delay & reverb as tone enhancements. Unseen is the amp's internal tuner easily activated by pressing the TAP & Manual buttons simultaneously. Additional features will be covered in a subsequent appraisal. The highlight of these amps are indeed their stereo capacity. If you sit up close with any one model & have the volume up to at least the half-way mark, you'd hear it in full glory. Each amp is actually equipped with an addition smaller-sized speaker to get the fun going & you'd appreciate this having the reverb or delay effects in use. I'm leaving you with some purchase considerations especially if you are a digital heretic (like yours truly) but these amps are on introductory offer & the prices are too good to ignore (especially when one's loaded with some year-end windfall):

• ID Core Stereo 10: $99
• ID Core Stereo 20: $129
• ID Core Stereo 40: $169

The big names in digital technology need not cringe in fear of the ID Cores but those brands offering budget digital amps need to re-think their standards. Let me put it bluntly- Roland's CUBE, Vox's Valvetronix & Fender's Mustang amps will be shadow considerations if the practical buyer simply stops to re-consider his/her options leveraging on tone quality & value-for-money. Happy shopping, everyone :-) 

Blackstar ID Core amps are available at Davis GMC.