BLACKSTAR Unity Elite U700H Amp and U410C Cab

The Unity amp and cab range from Blackstar has got people talking. Mike Brooks finds out if it’s a contender...

BLACKSTAR AMPLIFICATION

www.blackstaramps.com

The new Unity range from Blackstar has been much discussed over the past few months—and looking at this rig, from the outset it’s clear why. The lightweight amp comes in a durable carry bag along with an FS-13 footswitch: The FS-12 version, with added features, is also available at an added cost. The unit can be rackmounted if you wish—again, a rack adaptor is available for a fee—and boasts an impressive 700 watts output. In its armoury is a tube-emulation Response control and three types of drive and chorus, plus octave and compression options. We’re only scraping the surface here—read on for the full low-down.

Build Quality

The U700 Elite weighs in at 9.3 lbs and its dark, brushed-steel chassis features a fan on one side, and venting on the other for reliable airflow across the circuitry. The front control panel is fully-featured: The input jack socket and -10 dB pad switch are followed by Gain, Drive, Low, Mid, Mid-Frequency, and High controls, along with three-way selection switches for voicing (Classic, Modern, and Flat) and drive (Overdrive, Distortion, and Fuzz) options.