BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO (01) PDF Document

The diagram of the BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO shows the following parts:

1. Folding Guitar Input

2. SpeedDial

3. Illuminated Display

4. Light Beam

5. Patch Control Button

6. Gain Control Button

7. EQ Control Button

8. FX Control Button

9. Volume Control Button

10. USB-C Connection

11. 3.5mm Headphone Out / Line Out

12. Bluetooth Audio Button

13. Power Switch and Indicator LED

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with dry cloth.

7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

10. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

11. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

12. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, or does not operate normally.

Danger! High internal operating voltages.

Do not open the equipment case. There are no user serviceable parts in this equipment.

Clean only with a dry cloth.

If moved from a cold to a warm environment, allow the unit to reach room temperature before switching it on to prevent condensation.

Unauthorised modification of this equipment is expressly forbidden.

Never push objects of any kind into ventilation slots.

Do not expose this apparatus to rain, liquids or moisture of any type.

Avoid placing vessels filled with liquid on top of or near the apparatus.

Do not place this product on an unstable trolley, stand or table.

Do not cover or block ventilation slots or openings.

This product should not be placed near a source of heat.

Only use a power adapter that is compatible with the mains voltage supply in your area.

Power supply cords should be handled carefully and replaced if damaged.

Never break off the earth (ground) pin on an attached power supply adapter.

The power supply cord should be unplugged when the unit is unused for long periods.

High volume levels can cause permanent hearing damage.

According to OSHA, any exposure in excess of the below permissible limits could result in some hearing loss.

The box for the BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO contains:

BEAM SOLO

USB-C to USB-C cable with USB-A adapter

Quick Start Guide

VIP Access card for product registration

To restore the default factory patches and settings on your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO, hold down the PATCH and VOLUME buttons on the front panel while powering on the product.

Keep holding the PATCH and VOLUME buttons until the Light Beam display ‘counts down’ to zero and then fills to maximum. If either button is released before the process is complete, the operation will be cancelled. This process will overwrite any user-saved patches and settings.

Firmware updates for the BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO are usually initiated via the Blackstar BEAM mobile app. When the amplifier is connected to a version of the app containing newer firmware, a message will prompt you to update. During the update, the front panel labels will cycle and progress will be shown in the app.

IMPORTANT: Disconnect headphones before starting. Do not power off the amplifier, close the app, or power off your mobile device during the update. If the update fails, power the amplifier off and on, then retry. To manually enter Firmware Update mode, hold down the GAIN and FX Control Buttons while powering on your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO.

Connecting to the BEAM app does not require manual Bluetooth pairing. Simply follow these steps:

1. Power on your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO.

2. Launch the BEAM app on your mobile device.

3. Tap ‘CONNECT DEVICE’ to start scanning.

4. Tap on your ‘BEAM SOLO BLE’ when it appears.

The first time you connect, your mobile device may ask for permission to pair, to which you should select ‘Pair’/’OK’.

Do not manually pair your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO to your mobile device via its Bluetooth pairing menu for app use, as this can cause connection issues.

To connect a Bluetooth device to your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO for audio streaming for the first time, you must pair them.

1. Press the Bluetooth Audio button (12) on the back of your BEAM SOLO once. The indicator will start to flash.

2. Go to the Bluetooth settings of your mobile device.

3. Tap the device named ‘BEAM SOLO Audio’ to pair.

You only need to do this for the first-time connection. To reconnect a previously paired device, simply press the Bluetooth Audio button once. To disconnect, press and hold the Bluetooth Audio button for five seconds until the indicator turns off.

If you are experiencing issues with the Bluetooth connection to the BEAM app or for audio streaming, you can unpair and restart the process.

1. Power off your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO and quit the BEAM app.

2. Go to the Bluetooth settings of your mobile device.

3. Find any entries in the Bluetooth devices list named ‘BEAM SOLO Audio’ or ‘BEAM SOLO BLE’.

4. Follow your mobile device manufacturer’s process to ‘Forget This Device’ for each of the BEAM SOLO entries.

5. Restart the connection and pairing processes as described for first-time setup.

1. Folding Guitar Input: Fold out the ¼” jack and plug it directly into your guitar’s output.

2. SpeedDial: Turn to adjust parameters of your sound. Use the Control Buttons (5-9) to select which parameter it adjusts.

3. Illuminated Display: Indicates which parameter is currently being adjusted by the SpeedDial.

4. Light Beam: Provides visual feedback for the control being adjusted by the SpeedDial. It is context-sensitive. To save battery, it will dim after 10 seconds of inactivity and turn off after another 10 seconds. Touch any Control Button or turn the SpeedDial to wake it.

The Control Buttons on the front of your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO select which parameter the SpeedDial will adjust.

5. Patch: Select one of the 5 stored patches. Hold down the Patch button for 1 second to save changes to the current patch.

6. Gain: Adjusts the amount of preamp gain. For electric guitar amps, this controls overdrive/distortion. For bass and acoustic amps, it affects preamp compression. This setting is saved with a patch.

7. EQ: The effect depends on the selected amp. For Blackstar amp models with ISF, it adjusts the ISF position from American (counter clockwise) to British (clockwise). For other amps, it acts as a traditional Tone control (darker to brighter).

8. FX / Tap Tempo: Adjusts the intensity of all active effects using the XpressFX feature. It also acts as a Tap Tempo control; repeatedly press the button to set the tempo for time-based effects when their SYNC parameter is ON. This setting is saved with a patch.

9. Volume: Adjusts the overall headphone output volume. Hold the Volume button for 1 second to engage the built-in Tuner. This setting is not saved with a patch.

To engage the tuner, hold down the Volume button for 1 second. The Light Beam (4) will display how in-tune the note is. A central position (under EQ) indicates the note is in tune, left of centre is flat, and right of centre is sharp. By default, your guitar signal is muted in Tuner Mode, which can be changed in the BEAM app. Press any of the Control Buttons to exit Tuner Mode.

The USB-C connection on your BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO allows it to function as a professional quality audio interface for recording. Simply connect the included USB-C cable to your computer. The BEAM SOLO supports both 44.1kHz and 48kHz audio sample rates.

USB Outputs to External Device:

1: Guitar output L – fully effected left channel guitar output

2: Guitar output R – fully effected right channel guitar output

3: Guitar DI – clean, unprocessed guitar signal which can be used with external plugins

4: Headset mic DI – clean, unprocessed headset mic signal

USB Inputs from External Device:

1: Guitar output L – to headphones left

2: Guitar output R – to headphones Right

For best performance with a Windows PC, the Blackstar USB Audio Driver is required. MacOS, iOS and Android devices do not require this driver.

Side Connections:

10. USB-C Connection: Used for charging the internal battery and for connecting to a computer to use as a USB audio interface.

11. 3.5mm Headphone Out / Line Out: Connect headphones here. This is also a high-quality signal suitable for connecting to external speakers or mixers. You can also connect a TRRS headset (headphones with an inline microphone) to capture vocals and guitar simultaneously.

Rear Controls:

12. Bluetooth Audio Button: Used to pair and connect to an external Bluetooth device for audio streaming.

13. Power Switch and Indicator LED: Slide to turn the BEAM SOLO on and off.

Battery: The internal Lithium-ion battery lasts approximately 5+ hours on a full charge, depending on usage. It can be charged from flat to full in approximately 2 hours. The current battery level is shown within the BEAM app. When the battery level reaches 0%, the Illuminated Display and Light Beam will flash 6 times before powering off.

Power Saving: The BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO has a Power Saving mode that is active by default. It will automatically power off after 20 minutes of inactivity. To wake the amplifier after a Power Save shutdown, slide the Power Switch to OFF, then back to ON. Power Saving mode can be disabled using the BEAM app.

The indicator LED on the BLACKSTAR BEAM SOLO provides information on its current state:

Weight (g): 62.5

Dimensions (mm): 80 x 48 x 31