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Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 - 200-watt Head

200W, 4-channel Analog Guitar Amplifier, with Spirit Tone Generator, Emulated DI Output, and Bluetooth
20 Write review Item ID: BlackSpiritH
$989.00

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Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 - 200-watt Head
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Experience Extreme Sonic Versatility

Experience the vibrancy of real tube tone with more sonic versatility than ever, with the Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 amp head. This amp was created to deliver all of the iconic guitar tones of the last 60 years, thanks to the Black Spirit 200's Spirit Tone Generator. Its circuit allows the amp head to switch components and circuit layouts on the fly, to re-create the tone, feel, and response of the most famous amplifiers ever created. And with more connectivity and setup options than practically any other amplifier available, the Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 is ideal for any player looking for all the tones.

Related Videos: Black Spirit 200 - 200-watt Head

Amplifier emulation without digital modeling?

It’s true, the Black Spirit 200 amp head can re-create practically any iconic amplifier without ever digitizing your signal. It’s called the Spirit Tone Generator, and it actually re-creates famous amp topologies by switching around analog components. Tubes get all the glory, but every component in a tube amplifier plays a huge role in the final sound, and the Black Spirit 200's Spirit Tone Generator switches in whichever components are necessary to achieve the sound of classic amps.

Four independent channels can save and recall up to 128 presets

The four channels on the Black Spirit 200 — Clean, Crunch, Lead, and Ultra — offer a sonic range from classic cleans to modern high-gain metal. Every knob setting on the Black Spirit 200 can be saved to one of 128 preset locations for instant recall — you can even save your favorite tone settings to the Black Spirit iPad app for further tweaking. And each channel has its own boost switch, and each has its own sonic character.

Built-in sag control

Many players love to buy amplifiers for the way that they sag and compress when you hit them hard with your guitar signal. The Black Spirit 200 is one of the first amplifiers we've seen at Sweetwater to offer a built-in sag control to fine-tune this crucial aspect of your amp's response. The Black Spirit 200 faithfully re-creates the feel and sound of a real tube amp recovering from a big drop in voltage, and you're in control over how it responds.

Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Amp Head Features:

  • 200-watt, 4-channel guitar amplifier
  • Spirit Tone Generator re-creates 60-years' worth of iconic amp tones
  • The first amplifier with a sag control for fine-tuning tube-like compression
  • Clean, Crunch, Lead, and Ultra channels cover the range from squeaky clean to modern high-gain metal
  • Epic tone at any volume level and with any speaker cabinet, from the bedroom to the arena
  • Built-in Bluetooth connectivity for iPad App and audio streaming
  • Built-in Red Box AE+ DI output for realistic cabinet tone (8 models) direct to a mixing board or audio interface
  • Amp settings can be saved to 128 preset locations for instant recall
  • Speaker output can be switched between guitar speaker mode for a traditional cab, and FRFR mode for a Full Range Flat Response cab
  • Runs reliably on power anywhere from 100V to 240V without affecting the tone
  • Optional FSM-432 MKIII MIDI board is available for comprehensive amp control and preset recall (sold separately)
  • Adjust your headroom and sonic impact with switchable 200-watt, 20-watt, and 2-watt power modes
  • Built-in reverb, delay, and modulation effects

Additional Media

Guitar Amp Buying Guide
15 Best Guitar Amps for Metal
5 High-Gain Amps Your Neighbors Will Love
Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Guitar Amplifier Review
The Ultimate Desktop Guitar Practice Rig

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Tech Specs

  • Type: Solid State signal path, Digital switching/control
  • Number of Channels: 4
  • Total Power: 200W (2W, 20W settings)
  • Reverb: Digital Reverb
  • Effects: Delay, Modulation
  • EQ: 3-band EQ, Presence
  • Amp Modeling: Spirit Tone Generator, DI out Cabinet Emulation
  • Inputs: 1 x 1/4" (instrument), 1 x 1/8" (aux)
  • Outputs: 1 x 1/4" (8/16 ohms), 1 x XLR (Redbox AE+ DI out)
  • Headphones: 1 x 1/4" (headphones/line)
  • Effects Loop: Yes
  • MIDI I/O: 7-pin In, 5-pin Out/Thru
  • Bluetooth: Yes (streaming, remote control)
  • Footswitch I/O: 1 x 7-pin MIDI (FSM-432 pedalboard)
  • Footswitch Included: No
  • Power Source: Standard IEC AC cable
  • Height: 6.1"
  • Width: 16.1"
  • Depth: 5.9"
  • Weight: 7.9 lbs.
  • Manufacturer Part Number: SPIRIT200

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Customer Reviews

4.4 out of 5

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Incredible Amplifier

I had some hands-on time with this amp at Winter NAMM 2019 and decided that I needed one shortly after. The Black Spirit 200 sound like and reacts like a tube amp...and I have a wealth of those at my disposal. I have been on a solid state journey for the past few years, buying products like the Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700, Matrix GT1600FX and Matrix VB800 and they were all sold or returned. I don't know what the Tone Generator is, but whatever it's doing fools me every time I plug into it. This amp is incredibly versatile, small and light enough to fly with and takes pedals like I would expect. The RedBox sims are okay but I don't use those (not a fan of IR's). If you want reliability, compatibility (with products like Helix) and great tone, look to the Black Spirit 200. You won't be disappointed.
by Jaime from MI on
Music background: Seasoned Musician

Wow, love it

I'm impressed, its small, powerful, light weight, looks great and the best part- awsome sound quality, this thing sounds great…. Running it clean through a four 10 cabinet, the built in effects are very good, and offer lots of tone options, To me it sounds better than my tubed Fender Twin Reverb… I really like this amp and glad I made this my choice, I run it at its 5 W setting and its plenty of power and volume for my home studio… Well worth checking out if your in the market for a solid state amp, also no tubes to wear out or to replace, and the sound doesn't suffer because its solid state either
by Roger from Las Vegas on
Music background: Been playing for about 60 years, yep I’m old now, not a master musician, but sure enjoy playing as a hobbiest, and still taking lessons even today

Blown away so far!

After hours and hours of YouTube and Google research, I pulled the trigger on the Black Spirit 200 head. I hooked it up to a Marshall 4x10 cab but it was late at night so I plugged in headphones. Within minutes I was easily dialing in sick tones on all 4 channels! The ipad app was nice for viewing parameters and saving, checking out presets, etc. I like how this amp has just a few built-in effects. There are not a million different effects/menus to scroll through. Never liked modelers.

I am primarily a hard rock player so I thought I would mostly be hanging out on the "lead" channel. Couldn't have been more wrong - all 4 channels are awesome and inspiring! The clean is chimey and beautiful. The crunch sounds fantastic and can get nasty (in a good way) the more you crank the gain/add boost. Lead channel is awesome especially for 80s hair metal kind of stuff, hard rock etc. The ultra channel had me going back to playing those old Metallica riffs, plenty of fun. Here is (one) of the kickers for me: the next day I was able to actually play out of the cabinet (even kept it at 2 watt setting) and.....IT SOUNDED EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE TONES I ENJOYED THROUGH THE HEADPHONES! Plus I was able crank up that resonance knob and get that nice thump/air flow from cab. Just ordered the gig bag for the head and the fsm mkIV footswitch...and a new pedal board because this head takes pedals well too! Will use a small pedal board into the front of the amp with a few items like: morley wah, tuner, digitech drop, 1 or 2 extra gain stage/booster od's, a chorus, and that's about it. The amp has its own nice sounding reverb, delay, and built-in noise gate. Now I can go to a smaller board and back to a 2-cable set up. It does have an fx loop if you want to do the 4-cable setup for your own delays/reverbs etc.

When you play through gear that sounds (and feels) great, it is really inspiring. This is just the upgrade I needed. Time to get the band back together, haha.

A huge thank you to my sales rep Adam Szmurlo for his quick follow-up and expertise!!! Hope this review helps others.
by John from NY on

Great amp, Big sound.

Great lightweight amp. It isn't an exact match for the tone of an actual tube amp but very close. The effects are great quality. Something that really surprised me about this amp is the Redbox DI with cab sim. I didn't expect to use it and bought a very popular brand cab sim. To my surprise some Redbox settings sounded more natural and full while running through a full range passive speaker from the full range speaker setting on the amp. (Full range,Which is what any house system actually uses. I set it up so I can actually hear the same sound and tweak what an audience hears through a PA system) One speaker cab sim setting did not fit all my presets and sound interest, but selecting through the different options I found what works the best for each and with a little EQ tweaking. BAM. Better sound through a 12" full range speaker with appropriate settings than through one of the most popular cab sims out today. Wasn't really expecting that! No more lugging around big heavy amps and cabs. With the options given on this amp, it delivers a BIG sound, although it's lightweight. Even when used along with a single 12" full range 33 lbs. speaker of good quality
by Valley D from VA, USA on
Music background: 30+ years performing, recording, jammin.

Blown Away

I have chased guitars tones seems like my whole life.This little amp just blew me away..I received it just in time to take it to the gig I had that same evening.Played some traditional , old school country and I was completely satisfied with the way this amp performed, exceeding every expectation. The sagging control gave me the bite I was after, but still had the sweetness I need for that Telecaster twang.
by KENNETH HERPIN from KAPLAN, LA on
Music background: played guitar since 1960
See also: Amp Heads, Hughes & Kettner, Hughes & Kettner Guitar Amp Heads
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