Marshall vs Blackstar Amps: Which are the Best?

Marshall and Blackstar are well known for making high quality amplifiers, but who makes the best models? In this article, I’ll be comparing the signature tones of Marshall and Blackstar and the features and specifications of pretty much every model in each range to help decide which is the best option for you.

The Quick Answer

Marshall amps sound more crunchy and have a more vintage-style saturated tone compared to Blackstar amps which produce a more modern and darker sound. Both Blackstar and Marshall produce a wide range amplifiers to suit different budgets, however Marshall has a larger range of high-end valve amps.

Comparing the Tones

Both Blackstar and Marshall produce valve and solid state amplifiers. Although the tones of each amp depend on the exact model and type (valve/ tube or solid state), I wanted to try and pin down what the signature tone of each brand is.

• Marshall amps sound crunchy and gritty and can produced a very saturated sound. The mid-range is very pronounced, giving them a punchy sound.
• Blackstar amps sound heavy and favour bass and treble frequencies, instead of the mid-range, giving them a more scooped and warmer tone.

Clean Tones

• Blackstar amps sound warmer than Marshall amps when played clean.

Distorted Tones

• Marshall amps sound crunchier than Blackstar amps which sound darker and heavier.

Marshall amps are often associated with crunchy, classic rock tones whilst Blackstar amps are more associated with heavy metal due to their darker tones. However, both Blackstar and Marshall amps can be used for a wide variety of music styles.

Of course, it’s hard to talk about the difference in tone between these two brands without actually hearing it. So here is a video comparing the tone of the Marshall DSL and Blackstar HT.

Blackstar ID Core VS Marshall CODE vs Marshall MG Series

If you’re in the market for a solid state amp, then Marshall and Blackstar are great options to go for. The Blackstar ID Core, Marshall CODE and Marshall MG Series have various options for beginner guitarists, and players looking to gig.

The Blackstar ID Core is the best option for beginners looking for a range of built-in effects, as the Core ID range starts at a lower price than the Marshall CODE and has more effects than the Marshall MG Series. The Marshall CODE is the most expensive, but has more modes and the most built-in effects.

Here is a quick comparison of the Blackstar ID Core, Marshall CODE, Marshall MG and Marshall MG GFX series.

Feature	Blackstar ID Core	Marshall CODE	Marshall MG	Marshall MG GFX
Combo Sizes	10W, 20W, 40W, 100W	25W, 50W, 100W	10W, 15W	15W, 30W, 50W
Modes	6	15	2	4
Effects	12	24	1 (only on MG15)	6
Price Range	$130-$380	$270-$450	$100-$150	$180-$420

Models/ Channels

• The Blackstar ID Core range has 6 channels: clean warm, clean bright, crunch 1, crunch 2, overdrive 1 and overdrive 2.
• The Marshall CODE range has 14 built-in models for electric guitar: 4 clean, 5 crunch, 4 overdrive, natural, and one for acoustic guitar.
• The Marshall MG GFX has 4 modes: clean, crunch, overdrive 1 and overdrive 2.
• The Marshall MG Series has 2 channels: clean and overdrive.

Effects

• The Blackstar ID Core range has 12 built-in effects: phaser, chorus/ flanger, envelope, tremolo, 4 delay effects and 4 reverb effects.
• The Marshall Code has 24 built-in effects including reverb, delay and modulation effects.
• The Marshall MG GFX has 6 built-in effects: reverb, delay, flanger , octaver, tremolo and phaser.
• The Marshall MG10 has very limited EQ controls and no built-in effects. The MG15 has a reverb effect, and more EQ controls.

Blackstar HT vs Marshall DSL

The Blackstar HT series and Marshall DSL series are good options for players looking for a mid-range valve amplifiers that they can either use for practice at home, or gigging, depending on the size.

Here is a quick table comparing the Blackstar HT series and Marshall DSL series.

Feature	Blackstar HT	Marshall DSL
Controls	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF reverb	2 channels, 3 band EQ, gain, presence, resonance, reverb
Price Range	$280-$1000	$350-$950
Combo Wattage	1W, 5W, 20W, 40W, 60W	1W, 5W, 20W, 40W
Head Wattage	1W, 5W, 20W, 50W, 100W	1W, 20W, 100W

The Blackstar HT series sounds more modern distorted tone compared to the Marshall DSL which has a crunchier classic rock tone. Both amps come in a variety of sizes ranging from 1W to 100W and has a 3-band EQ and reverb control. The Blackstar HT also has an ISF control which switches the tone from British to American by adjusting the EQ.

The Marshall DSL20HR and Blackstar HT20 are two of the most compared valve amps in this price bracket. Here is a video comparing the clean, crunch and distorted tones on each amplifier.

Comparing the Ranges

As well as just looking at some popular amps in more detail, I also wanted to take a look at the full ranges produced by both brands. I have created the following tables to compare the main features of pretty much every currently available Marshall and Blackstar amp on the market. The prices are all based on Guitar Center at the time of writing this article.

Guitar Center are always the first place I look at when I’m interested in a new amp because have a huge range of amplifiers for sale and always have some excellent deals on. Here’s a link to take you directly to Guitar Center’s amp range so you can see all the offers available at the moment. 

The tables are split into three categories of amp type, and are ordered from the lowest to highest price in each category, so you can see what options are available to you based on your budget.

• Solid state combo amps: $100-$680
• Valve combo amps: $500-$2600
• Head units: $400-$2850

Solid State Combo Amps

Amplifier	Wattage	Price	Settings
Marshall MG10G	10W	$100	2 channels, gain, contour
Marshall MG15	15W	$120	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ
Blackstar ID: CORE 10	10W	$130	6 voices, gain, single EQ, reverb, delay, 4 modulation effects
Marshall MG15DFX	15W	$180	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger
Blackstar ID: CORE 20	20W	$180	6 voices, gain, single EQ, reverb, delay, 4 modulation effects
Blackstar ID: CORE 40	40W	$200	6 channels, gain, single EQ, reverb, delay, 4 modulation effects
Marshall MG30GFX	30W	$240	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger, octave
Marshall CODE 50W	50W	$320	14 pre-amp models, gain, 3 band EQ, 24 effects
Blackstar ID: CORE 100	100W	$380	6 voices, gain, single EQ, reverb, delay, looper, octaver, 4 modulation effects
Marshall MG50GFX	50W	$420	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, chorus, phaser, delay, flanger, octave
Blackstar Silverline Standard	20W	$430	6 voices, gain, 2 band EQ, ISF reverb, delay, 4 modulation effects
Marshall CODE100W	100W	$450	14 pre-amp models, gain, 3 band EQ, 24 effects
Blackstar Silverline Deluxe	100W	$680	6 voices, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, delay, resonance, presence, 4 modulation effects

Key Points:

• Marshall amps start at a lower price than Blackstar amps
• Blackstar produce the cheapest 100W solid state combo amp

Valve Combo Amps

Amplifier	Wattage	Price	Settings
Blackstar HT-5RH	5W	$500	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF reverb
Marshall Origin20C	20W	$550	Gain, 3 band EQ, boost, tilt, presence
Marshall DSL5CR	5W	$550	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb
Blackstar Studio 10 6L6	10W	$600	Gain, tone, reverb
Blackstar Studio 10 EL34	10W	$600	Gain, tone, reverb
Marshall DSL20CR	20W	$650	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance
Blackstar HT-20R	20W	$680	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb
Marshall Origin50C	50W	$700	Gain, 3 band EQ, boost, tilt, presence
Marshall DSL40CR	40W	$800	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance
Blackstar HT Club 40	40W	$800	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb
Blackstar HT Venue Series Club 40	40W	$800	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb
Blackstar HT Venue Series Stage	60W	$1000	2 channels, 2 voice switches, Gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb, presence
Blackstar CV30	30W	$1000	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb
Blackstar Artist 30	30W	$1150	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF reverb
Marshall Mini Silver Jubilee	20W	$1600	Gain, 3 band EQ
Blackstar Artisan 30	30W	$1670	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, voice
Marshall Studio Classic 20W	20W	$1700	3 band EQ, presence
Marshall Studio Vintage 20W	20W	$1700	Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb
Marshall JMV215C	50W	$2600	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance

Key Points:

• Blackstar have the highest wattage valve combo amp (60W)
• Blackstar produce the cheapest valve combo amp

Head Units

Amplifier	Wattage	Type	Price	Settings
Marshall CODE 100W	100W	Solid State	$400	14 pre-amp models, gain, 3 band EQ, 24 effects
Marshall Origin20H	20W	Tube	$450	Gain, 3 band EQ, tilt, boost, presence
Blackstar HT-5RH	5W	Tube	$480	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb
Blackstar Silverline Deluxe	100W	Solid State	$530	6 voices, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, delay, resonance, presence, 4 modulation effects
Marshall Origin50H	50W	Tube	$550	Gain, 3 band EQ, tilt, boost, presence
Marshall DSL20HR	20W	Tube	$550	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb
Blackstar HT20RH	20W	Tube	$600	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb
Blackstar HT Venue Series Club 50	50W	Tube	$780	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, ISF reverb
Marshall DSL100HR	120W	Tube	$950	2 channels, gain, 3 band EQ, reverb, presence, resonance
Blackstar HT Venue Series Stage 100	100W	Tube	$1000	2 channels, 2 voice switches, Gain, 3 band EQ, ISF, reverb, presence, resonance
Marshall Studio Classic	20W	Tube	$1400	Presence, 3 band EQ
Marshall Mini Silver Jubilee	20W	Tube	$1400	Gain, presence, 3 band EQ
Marshall Vintage Studio	20W	Tube	$1500	Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb
Marshall Studio Classic	20W	Tube	$1500	Presence, 3 band EQ
Marshall JMV205H	50W	Tube	$2000	2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb
Marshall JMV210H	100W	Tube	$2200	2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb
Marshall JMT45	45W	Tube	$2600	Presence, 3 band EQ, high treb
Marshall JMV410H	100W	Tube	$2850	2 channels, 3 band EQ, resonance, presence, reverb

Key Points:

• Marshall produce the cheapest head unit
• Marshall have the highest wattage tube (120W) option

In the market for a new amplifier? Check out my complete amplifier buyer’s guide to help narrow down your selection and find the perfect amp for you.

Here are some more articles you might find useful:

• Marshall vs Boss Amps
• Marshall vs Orange Amps
• Blackstar vs Boss Amps
• Blackstar vs Orange Amps