The Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $407.02. Close alternatives include the BluGuitar Amp1 and the Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Floor. It pairs well with the Carl Martin Hot Drive'n Boost MK3 and the JHS MoonShine Overdrive.
Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2
Blackstar · amplifier
The Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 is a 100-watt amplifier and multi-effects pedal built around three distinct amp voicings, USA, UK, and Classic, each paired with multiple selectable power-amp response settings for an authentic, tube-amp-like feel rather than a single fixed voice. It delivers high-headroom clean tones, touch-sensitive crunch, and huge, singing lead tones, with onboard effects including responsive overdrive, lush warm chorus, smooth reverb, brilliant fuzz drive, and multiple delay options. Building on the Amped 1's digital modeling approach shared with Blackstar's Silverline amps, it aims to be indistinguishable from a real tube amp in feel and response. It suits players wanting a genuinely versatile, amp-in-a-pedal solution for direct recording, headphone practice, or driving a cab, spanning American, British, and classic amp character in one floor unit.
What stands out
“It is , but for the touring player who needs a dependable silent practice and backup-DI tool it performs consistently”
— from the reviews
“Used for professional touring and recording where a full amp rig is impractical but tone quality cannot be compromised”
— from the community notes
“Players value the AMPED 2 for combining high-headroom clean tone and rich drive character in a pedalboard-format 100-watt amplifier”
— from the community notes
“It delivers high-headroom clean tones, touch-sensitive crunch, and huge, singing lead tones, with onboard effects including responsive overdrive, lush warm chorus, smooth reverb, brilliant fuzz drive, and multiple delay options”
— from the listing
“The analog preamp stages provide a degree of touch responsiveness that purely digital alternatives lack”
— from the reviews
- practice
- touring
- clean
- drive
- touch
- high headroom
- headphone
Good for
- Live
- Silent Recording
- Silent Stage
- Studio
- Practice
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Electronic
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Country
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2
Carl Martin Hot Drive'n Boost MK3
Carl Martin
17% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → high gain)
Carl Martin Hot Drive'n Boost MK3 leans this high headroom tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Goes in front of the amp
JHS MoonShine Overdrive
JHS Pedals
16% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)
The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — JHS MoonShine Overdrive leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in
Goes in front of the amp
Electro-Harmonix Glove
Electro-Harmonix
16% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → fuzzy)
The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — Electro-Harmonix Glove leans it toward fuzzy to fill it in
Goes in front of the amp
W-LM Compression Fracture
W-LM
11% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (high headroom → compressed)
What W-LM Compression Fracture brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter
EarthQuaker Devices
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter after Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 in the signal chain, clear of Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2's own gain stage
Goes in front of the amp
TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo
TC Electronic
6% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo in Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2's effects loop, clear of Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
MXR Analog Delay
MXR
6% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
MXR Analog Delay's warm voice goes in Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2's own transparent character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Friedman Small Box Overdrive
Friedman
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Friedman Small Box Overdrive's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 delivers it
Alternatives
BluGuitar Amp1
Bluguitar
57% similarityShared character: solid state, practice, recording
Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Floor
Hughes & Kettner
46% similarityShared character: onboard effects, crunch, response
Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700
Seymour Duncan
40% similarityShared character: solid state, full, stage
See all alternatives to the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2?+
The closest matches in character are the BluGuitar Amp1, the Hughes & Kettner Black Spirit 200 Floor, the Seymour Duncan PowerStage 700.
What pairs well with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Carl Martin Hot Drive'n Boost MK3, JHS MoonShine Overdrive, Electro-Harmonix Glove — Carl Martin Hot Drive'n Boost MK3 leans this high headroom tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Blackstar Dept. 10 Amped 2 cost?+
Around $407.02 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).