The Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head is a Supro amplifier. Close alternatives include the Supro 1695TH Black Magick 25W Head and the Supro 1697RH Galaxy 2-Channel 50W Head. It pairs well with the Friedman BE-OD and the Catalinbread Katzenkonig.
Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head
Supro · amplifier
The Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head takes the Black Magick circuit, modelled on Jimmy Page's 1959 Supro combo, and adds analog spring reverb, two-band EQ and a master volume for greater flexibility. It remains a 25-watt all-tube Class A design on 6973 output tubes, giving the characteristic Supro midrange grind and strong touch dynamics, and Supro rate the Black Magick as the highest-gain amp in their line. The master volume is the practical addition, letting the preamp be driven while keeping stage level under control, something the plain Black Magick cannot do. It suits blues, classic rock and garage players who want the Page-associated Supro voice with reverb and volume control built in.
What stands out
“the supro 1696rth black magick reverb 25w head takes the black magick circuit”
— from the listing
“The 6973 output tubes remain the reason it has a distinct midrange character”
— from the community notes
“Used for blues and classic rock, with the guitar volume still doing much of the gain shaping”
— from the community notes
“Most praised for combining the Page-era grind with practical controls”
— from the community notes
“classic rock and garage players who want the page-associated supro voice with reverb and volume control built in”
— from the listing
- reverb
- spring reverb
- midrange
- classic rock
- grind
- garage
- touch
- dynamic
Good for
- Live
- Studio
- Worship
Genres the Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Garage Rock
- Indie
- Rock
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 Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head
Friedman BE-OD
Friedman
21% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → high gain)
Into Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head, Friedman BE-OD is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Goes in front of the amp
Catalinbread Katzenkonig
Catalinbread
13% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Catalinbread Katzenkonig in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Goes in front of the amp
Zvex Fuzz Probe
Zvex
13% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (mid-forward → fuzzy)
Put Zvex Fuzz Probe in front and the mid-forward tone leans further toward fuzzy
Goes in front of the amp
W-LM Compression Fracture
W-LM
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)
What W-LM Compression Fracture brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
Cordovox TR-8
Cordovox
7% matchCordovox TR-8's spring voice goes after Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head in the signal chain — it's not there to compete with Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head's own spring character
Goes in front of the amp
Meris LVX Delay
Meris
5% matchRun Meris LVX Delay in Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head's effects loop, clear of Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star V3
Old Blood Noise Endeavors
5% matchKeep Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star V3 in Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head's effects loop, clear of Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Death By Audio Supersonic Fu
Death By Audio
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Into Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head, Death By Audio Supersonic Fu is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end
Alternatives
Supro 1695TH Black Magick 25W Head
Supro
59% similarityShared character: design, raw, grit
Supro 1697RH Galaxy 2-Channel 50W Head
Supro
53% similarityShared character: reverb, raw, grit
Supro 1932RH Royale 50W Head
Supro
52% similarityShared character: reverb, raw, grit
Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier
Mesa Boogie
49% similarityShared character: raw, stage
Fender Twin Reverb Head
amplifier
47% similarityShared character: reverb, gain
Hiwatt T20/10
Hiwatt
47% similarityShared character: reverb, touch
Amplified Nation Trem-Drive Deluxe Head
Amplified Nation
46% similarityShared character: reverb, tremolo, gain
Carr Mercury V
Carr
45% similarityShared character: reverb, classic rock, stage
1976 Marshall 1959 Super Lead
Marshall
45% similarityShared character: raw, touch, gain
Orange Rockerverb MKIII 100-Watt Tube Guitar Amp Head
Orange
45% similarityShared character: reverb, classic rock, stage
Matchless Clubman 35
amplifier
45% similarityShared character: classic rock, stage
Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head
amplifier
44% similarityShared character: reverb, touch, classic rock
See all alternatives to the Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head?+
The closest matches in character are the Supro 1695TH Black Magick 25W Head, the Supro 1697RH Galaxy 2-Channel 50W Head, the Supro 1932RH Royale 50W Head.
What pairs well with the Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Friedman BE-OD, Catalinbread Katzenkonig, Zvex Fuzz Probe — Into Supro 1696RTH Black Magick Reverb 25W Head, Friedman BE-OD is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end.