TEST: Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit Combo

It remains an eternal point of contention for all live guitarists, which is friendly but still comparatively tight. We are talking about the eternal competition between combo amps or head cabinet combination and yes, there is also the Kemper in-ear silent stage variant, but in this test we will stick to the comparison of "real" amplifiers, which, as will become clear in the course of the test, also includes plenty of "silent stage" attributes. After H&K could celebrate excellent successes with the top Black Spirit 200, it was actually only a matter of time until the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 combo should see the light of day. This happened recently, here is the test.

The construction of the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo

As already mentioned, the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo is very much based on its head predecessor, strictly speaking, the amplifier part is identical. This brings a great many advantages and one tiny disadvantage. To get an overview of the Head variant, you can read the AMAZONA review here (https://www.amazona.de/test-hughes-kettner-black-spirit-200-gitarrenverstaerker/). The special features of the Black Spirit are briefly summarized here.

The outstanding feature of the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 is the so-called Bionic Tone Generator, whose task is to form the "missing link" between tube and transistor amplifiers, so to speak. As is well known, the top league of amplifiers is made up exclusively of all-tube amplifiers, primarily for sonic reasons. The interaction of the individual components with each other creates a unique combination of compression and dynamics in the top devices of the genre, which could not be elicited from a transistor amplifier until now. H&K have made a very nice video about this, where the exact operation of this component is explained, see here https://youtu.be/A99D9ex_ces.

It would be so nice if the same sound quality of a tube amplifier could be generated from a solid state device, because unfortunately solid state amplifiers have almost only disadvantages compared to a solid state device, except for their sound. The tubes are wearing parts, the end tubes must also be calibrated, they are sensitive during transport, in heated condition you may not move the amp at all, otherwise it blows away the tubes directly, the amplifiers are many times heavier and last but not least, due to the only manufactured components, many times more expensive. For the ecologically minded guitarists among us, there is the additional problem that the majority of the supplied energy is converted into heat, similar to an internal combustion engine - almost 70%.

H&K have now set themselves the task of adopting the sonic advantages of an all-tube amplifier as far as possible, while still incorporating as many features of a modern amplifier as possible, such as Bluetooth connectivity, headphone operation or high-quality speaker emulation.

Head or Combo?

The Head version of the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo could convince me at the time on a broad basis, especially if you belong to the category of "working musician", where, in addition to a very good sound, especially points such as transportability in weight and dimensions, flexibility in terms of sound and sound pickup and preferably also a worldwide use in terms of mains voltage. All of these points were already fulfilled by the top version and therefore do not need to be recited again in this test. The decisive question is rather, how far does the combo differ sonically from the head and should one give preference to a combo over a head in certain situations?

Briefly again a breath history lesson. The splitting of amplifier and speaker into the top/cabinet combination had purely pragmatic reasons in its time. What is nowadays the main problem in stage use, the volume, was also a problem 50 years ago, but diametrically. There were still no powerful P.A. components, which meant that all concerts, even the very big ones, had to be sounded by guitar and bass to a large extent from the stage.

While today all guitarists have the problem that their amps are too loud, the combos of his time with 10 - 20 watts all had the problem that they were much too quiet for large stages. To accommodate ever larger amplifiers and more and more speakers in a cabinet brought at some point the problem that the amplifiers became so heavy that they could hardly be transported. Rumor has it that Pete Townsend's (The Who) roadies refused to transport the 8x12" cabinets built especially for him, so Jim Marshall cut the cabinet in half and made two 4x12" cabinets. The Fullstack was born.

With today's P.A. and monitor systems, the fullstack has completely lost its physical raison d'être, if only the combination didn't sound so fantastic. In addition, you can freely combine cabinets and heads and thus has an additional powerful tool in terms of sound diversity at hand, which is not the case with a combo. In addition, a head / cabinet combination usually works with a different compression, moves more air and has a sonically different interaction with the artist.

Jo and now to the vexed topic of transport and handiness, where the combo really comes up trumps. It is simply much more space-saving and handy to play with a combo. The components are coordinated, the cabling is in place and anyone who has ever set up his 4x12 cabinet in a small club, standing 2 meters in front of the box, not hearing a sound from what he is playing and in turn the first row in the audience covers their ears because of the high volume, knows the problems of the classic halfstack solution.

Another advantage is the flexibility of the application possibilities of a combo, since you get the top part factually as also here with H&K on top. If you find that your room needs more than just a 12-incher, you can either unplug the internal speaker and use an external cabinet, or you can use the speaker as well. The Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo has 2 speaker outputs for this, one of the few differences to the top version. So there are many reasons which speak for a combo, which brings us back to the actual topic. Let's take a look at whether you can really determine a winner between the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo and its top brother.

The Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo in detail

Since the amplifier part of the two variants is identical and can be read in the above-mentioned review, let's focus on the differences in the form of housing and speakers. First of all, the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 combo features a Celestion G12H-75 Creamback, a speaker that is rarely found in combos, not least because of its comparatively high power handling. So why a 75 watt speaker? Strictly speaking, the speaker cannot be powerful enough when connected to the Black Spirit 200, because the number 200 stands for the maximum power of the amplifier in watts. Should you drive the amplifier in this power setting and not limit it to 20 or 2 watts as possible, you should be very sensitive with the master control. Of course, the experienced musician hears the famous "Pappzerre" of a loudspeaker, which is close to the Exitus, immediately out, but it is nevertheless a little sensitivity.

Of course, one could have installed a speaker with a higher load, Celestion, for example, among other manufacturers, also carries Neodymium variations with 250 watts in its program, but the sound changes accordingly, of course. That being said, no one, really NO ONE wants to experience 200 watts of guitar volume on a regular stage. The 75 watt Creamback is therefore a successful compromise and, despite its ceramic magnets, displays a comparatively high vintage character.

The second big point in the sound department is the cabinet of the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo. According to H&K, the speaker was packed into a so-called Thiele-Small enclosure, in which the ventilating speaker cabinet achieves maximum performance at low frequencies. To get closer to a closed cabinet in terms of bass response and compression of the cabinet's inner air column, the combo was closed at the rear and thus radiates only to the front. Many vintage combos achieve their typical sound by "losing" half of their radiated energy to the rear due to their open rear cabinet. This is not the case with the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo.

The Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo in practice

Compared to an all-tube combo, the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo is downright lightweight, but you do have to really grab it, especially due to the weight of the speakers at a total weight of 14.9 kg. Of course, you can control the amp by hand, but this proves to be quite cumbersome and you can't use the 128 memory locations. Clearly more effective here are the matching foot switches from H&K, or the very successful iPad app, which has finally appeared after what feels like 2 years. Controlled via Bluetooth, you can place your amp anywhere in the room or on stage and control it remotely.

If you activate the amplifier, you have to attest the Creamback a very good and above all appropriate sound behavior already at the first notes. The basic sound is voluminous, the tuning with the cabinets works excellently. In addition, the speaker manages to produce a balanced and powerful sound at very low room volumes as well as at higher volumes. In order to experience the extremely extensive tonal possibilities, I ask to study again the above-mentioned test report of the Head, a renewed enumeration of the features would go beyond the scope of this test and also primarily consist of repetitions.

Conclusion

With the Hughes&Kettner Black Spirit 200 Combo, the Saarland company has a top class product on the market. The combination of sound, portability, and flexibility eclipses anything I've come across in the combo category for a working musician. It is hard to imagine that there is currently a combo on the market that would be better suited for a cover band, for example. And don't you dare come up with another one with Kemper.

Absolute buy recommendation!

Additional informations:

Hughes & Kettner is a well-known German company that designs and manufactures high-quality guitar amplifiers and effects pedals. Founded in 1984 by Hans Stamer and Lothar Stamer, Hughes & Kettner has become a leading brand in the music industry, renowned for its innovative products, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional sound quality.

The company is headquartered in St. Wendel, Germany, where all its products are designed and manufactured. The founders' passion for music and technology has been the driving force behind the company's success, and their commitment to quality has been evident in every product they've created.

Hughes & Kettner has a long history of innovation, and the company has been at the forefront of technology in the music industry. In 1991, the company introduced its first fully programmable guitar amplifier, the TriAmp, which allowed guitarists to switch between different amp channels and effects at the touch of a button. This technology has since been refined and is now a standard feature in most of the company's products.

In 1995, Hughes & Kettner introduced the ZenTera, the first amp to use digital signal processing technology. This revolutionary amp allowed guitarists to create a virtually unlimited range of sounds, making it a favorite among guitarists looking for versatility and flexibility.
Over the years, Hughes & Kettner has continued to innovate and develop new products. In 2006, the company introduced the Switchblade, the world's first fully programmable tube amp. This amp combined the warmth and richness of a tube amp with the versatility and flexibility of digital technology, making it a favorite among guitarists.

In 2010, Hughes & Kettner introduced the TubeMeister, a series of small, lightweight tube amps that delivered the same high-quality sound as larger, heavier amps. The TubeMeister series quickly became a favorite among guitarists who wanted a portable, high-quality amp for gigs and rehearsals.

In addition to its amps, Hughes & Kettner also produces a range of effects pedals, including distortion, delay, and modulation pedals. These pedals are designed to work seamlessly with the company's amps, allowing guitarists to create a wide range of sounds and effects.
Today, Hughes & Kettner products are used by some of the world's top guitarists, including Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Paul Gilbert. The company's commitment to quality and innovation has made it a favorite among musicians who demand the best from their equipment.

In conclusion, Hughes & Kettner is a leading manufacturer of high-quality guitar amplifiers and effects pedals. The company's commitment to innovation and quality has been evident in every product it has created, and its amps and pedals are used by some of the world's top guitarists. Whether you're a professional musician or a hobbyist, Hughes & Kettner has a product that will meet your needs and exceed your expectations.