T
he big brother of Blackstar’s
game-changing Fly 3 mini-amp, the
Super Fly is aiming to bring some
of that Fly magic to buskers, street
performers and open-mic’ers. Roughly
double the size of its forebears, the Super
Fly also sports twice as many three-inch
stereo speakers and, at 12 watts, four times
the output power.
While many modern digital amps are
too complex for their own good, the Fly’s
brilliance was its simplicity and stellar
tones that belied the tiny form factor.
While the larger Super Fly is simple and
straightforward, there’s obviously more
going on here.So we get two separate instrument inputs- a standard jack for electric and acoustic
guitar, and an XLR combo input for mics
and line-level instruments – each with their
own volume, two-band EQ and control
for the digital reverb, while the guitar side
adds a switchable overdrive channel and a
gain knob. There are also 3.5mm line-in and
Bluetooth options for playing over backing
tracks – something solo performers are
increasingly making use of.
In front of the control panel, there’s a
recessed hand grip for one-handed carrying,
while the bottom of the cab sports a small
kickstand. Power comes courtesy of eight
AA batteries, or you can fork out for the
optional PSU-2 power supply to keep
you plugged in at home. If it’s optional
extras you want, then the Super Fly offers
everything from the Super Fly ACT
powered extension cab and a padded
carry case, to a portable battery pack
and a top-hat PA stand adaptor.IN USE
This is the first Blackstar amp in recent
memory without the company’s ISF mid-
shaping control, but upon plugging in an
electro-acoustic, we’re glad of the two-band
EQ. With the tone controls both at 12
o’clock, the bass is a little unbalanced and
we instantly reach for the treble to even
it out. It’s the same story when plugging
in a Les Paul on electric mode – this thing
certainly isn’t lacking low-end punch.
With the EQ tweaked, things are much
smoother and it’s apparent that the
Super Fly shares the same space-filling
characteristics as its forebear, even at low
volumes. Turning up the wick, things
remain clear and articulate almost untilBLACKSTAR
SUPER FLY
WORDS JOSH GARDNERBlackstar hits the streets with a beefed-up version of its revolutionary
mini amp designed for the busking crowd...REVIEWS116