Blackstar Sonnet 120 - 120-watt 1x 8" Combo Amp - Black Reviews

I'd been looking for an acoustic amp for a long time; one that would sound like my guitar but louder. The go to of the Fishman amps just didn't work for me - the sound just didn't sound like my guitar and they are expensive, and their phantom power for mics is 24v, not 48v, so if you're using a condenser mic that needs 48v, look elsewhere.

I looked elsewhere and stumbled on the Blackstar sonnet series. Having watched some of the YouTube videos of Jon Gomm explaining how he worked with Blackstar to make the amp sound the way it did & the role of the high pass filter in the sound of the amp, I was sold - without ever hearing it in person. I wasn't disappointed!

I bought the 120 as I liked the features it had & the price wasn't that much more than the 60. The sound it makes is substantial! The cabinet is solid, but not too heavy. The precise adjustments to the sound are great to tailor the amp to the room space.

I'm so pleased I bought this over the Fishman. I got so much more for my $ and it sounds so much better!

My wife and I bought this amp from Sweetwater to play worship music at home or at local coffee shops. I believe this to be the best value in its segment. I run a Gibson J15 and a Shure SM58 through it. The feedback reduction knob on each channel allows us to place the amp anywhere relative to our location with zero risk of feedback. It is pretty amazing, actually. The reverb options are natural sounding and allow us to apply different levels to the mic or guitar. The Bluetooth options is what really sold us. It allows us to play backing tracks or pads (I know...I know...pads?).
The vocal reproduction is flawless. I am not 100% happy with the tones from Gibson's LR Baggs Element system. I may start looking for an acoustic preamp pedal. It's not terrible. It may be due to the budget Baggs system rather than the amp itself. Even with that, it is the best amp I could find in this price point. It's several hundred less than comparable amps from Roland and others.
In summation, I would certainly buy this Sonnet 120 again. It does its job and does it quite well.

Blackstar nocked this one out of the park. This acoustic amp is crazy good everything I wanted in an acoustic amp and a whole lot more.

A Well Thought Out design amp. Balanced tone with subwoofer frequencies in a compact design and a very reasonable price! Phantom power is 48V also, not 24V. Will use it at small cafe venues! A keeper!

I have actually owned every Fishman acoustic amp from the Loud Box Mini, the Artist and the Performer over the last 2+ years trying to find a sound that I like. This little Sonnet 120 sounds better than any of them and the vocal sound is the best I've heard from a small combo amp. I also love the built-in tilt and/or the option of using a stand. If you are in the market for an acoustic combo amp...DO NOT overlook trying this Blackstar Sonnet 120 amp. It is a hidden gem. Also, the current sale price at Sweetwater is unbeatable. The team at Sweetwater steered me right.

I'm fully pleased. After decades of lugging about Acoustasonic amps from the 2000 era, I'd finally had it with the bulk and weight. The Fender sound was just fine indoors or out but between reverbs quitting and injuries that made me use a cart, I was ready for a trimmed down and honestly more powerful amp. This Blackstar gives me all the modern features I didn't have, lighter weight and honestly a more authentically acoustic tone. I can't believe how tight the 8" speaker sounds. It cleanly projects more volume than I was expecting. Just love it. Pots, switches, handle, cover are all at par or above anything out there I saw. I highly recommend the amp. Oh, and it sounds as good soft as it does cranked!

The Sonnet is the most natural sounding guitar amp I have ever used.

I ordered this amp last month through Sweetwater so it was a great value compared to anything else in that 120watt combo arena. I'd been considering some of their products (smaller/mini/practice amps) since my Tech guy showed me some a couple years ago. This amp works/does what I've wanted it to do w/any acoustic guitar so far. Very bass heavy in the flat pot/s positions(middle setting is zero/flat). The reverb options(4 total) are similar but different enough for subtle or more intense reverb. The time pot tuned half or further accentuates the difference in character of the reverb. I prefer chamber for rhythm guitar as it sounds natural. This of course (reverb/time pots) are for both channels so when I have a dynamic mic for singing it will be doing the same/style. I adjust some of the low end down for vocals because the amp is so bass heavy. The pots along with the phase/shape buttons provide enough options to adjust whatever sound/clarity you are seeking. I push in the shape button on vocals and it made things less muffled/more clear. I'm not overly impressed with the reverb on its own when using it for singing but with all the send and return jacks I simply run my mic into my small Roland VT-3 transformer(mixer; because the reverb on it is miles ahead of what this amp is able to do reverbwise)and from there I send a line out into my vocal channel on the amp. I can also send a line out to my USB interface for studio recording or for other effects/pedals. At 399$ this is worth it and I plan on using it for smaller music shows but it does also have a direct injection and individual XLR's out to use it for a big venue that has their own sound system. The phase button on my 2nd channel sticks a little but works. I've not been able to get a usable condenser mic to connect to this amp without extreme feedback/distortion even when playing around with pot/button strings….this is likely do to the small square dimension of my studio space and close proximity of things. Definitely, this combo amp is great for a singer/songwriter or a duet and I like that it can be used as a stage monitor if you are sending the signal out into a complex/big mixer for a big venue/show. I don't like having to carry extra/bulky monitors/stands along with everything else to do a live set so this takes care of that problem.

My old JBL Line Array system started buzzing and crackling and I needed a replacement for small gigs. This amp had great reviews so I ordered it. It sounds great and does the job.
The only con is that the reverbs for vocal don't sound all that good. But I use the reverb built into my TC Helicon Play Acoustic. I wish it came with the stand adapter and the foot switch which you have to order separately.
Andrew and Sweetwater always come through for me!

The good: Great sound and a lot of tonal controls to carve out your own sound. Particularly impressed when using one as a vocal channel. Very rich vocal sound with lots of sparkle. Vocal reproduction is not muffled or boxy. Reverb choices are very good. Triple DI outputs, but they are all low Z. The wet/dry pre & post DI out are nice, but I never want a dry signal in my circumstance

The not so good, or room for improvement: This amp is rated at 120 watts and while it is loud, it is not 120 watts loud. It is loud enough for a small club but again not at the wattage / sound level as expected. The Triple DI outputs are good, but I would have added a standard phone jack as this is sometimes the only option people have (as in my case, I had to buy an adapter). I also would have appreciated the speaker stand adapter and foot switch included in the purchase price. This is not a low budget amp. The biggest disadvantage to this amp is that it is too bassy. Hard to believe in this size amp. There are bass roll off controls,and you will definitely need them as you find your tonal sweet spot. Very happy with the purchase. Sweetwater's customer service, order processing and shipping was flawless and very expedient