Blackstar BEAM SOLO Owner's Manual

the sound in your head

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing the Blackstar BEAM SOLO guitar headphone amplifier. This product is the result of extensive research and development by Blackstar's world-class design team, aiming to provide guitarists with the ultimate tool for self-expression. The BEAM SOLO redefines the headphone amplifier experience, offering professional-level tones in a compact and intuitive design, perfect for electric guitar, bass, and acoustic guitar.

This manual will help you get the most out of your new Blackstar product. For details on the full Blackstar product lineup, please visit www.blackstaramps.com.

Thank you!

The Blackstar Team

Important Safety Precautions

Please read the following safety precautions carefully before use and keep them for future reference.

Warning: Disregarding these instructions may lead to death or serious injury, or property damage.

Electrical Voltage: Only use the specified voltage (AC100V). Using other voltages can cause fire or electric shock.
Temperature: The unit can become hot during operation and for 30 minutes after power off. Avoid touching hot surfaces like vacuum tubes or heatsinks. Do not insert hands into openings.
Power Cord: Do not bend, place heavy objects on, or damage the power cord. This can lead to fire or electric shock. Unplug when not in use for extended periods.
Volume: Playing at excessively high volumes, with or without headphones, can cause permanent hearing loss. Consult a doctor if you experience hearing loss or tinnitus.
Disassembly/Modification: Do not disassemble or modify the unit. Internal components are not user-serviceable. Contact your dealer for repairs.
Liquids/Foreign Objects: Do not allow liquids or foreign objects (coins, pins, etc.) to enter the unit. If this occurs, immediately turn off the power, unplug the cord, and contact your dealer.
Lightning: Unplug the unit during thunderstorms to prevent damage from power surges.
Openings/Fans: Do not block ventilation openings or fans with curtains or other objects. Ensure proper airflow to prevent overheating and fire. Keep fans clear of strings, wires, or other objects.
Usage Environment: Avoid use or storage in extremely high temperatures, near water or high humidity, dusty environments, or areas with strong vibrations. Do not use outdoors in the rain.

Device Overview

The BEAM SOLO is a compact and intuitive guitar headphone amplifier.

Front Panel Controls:

1. Foldable Guitar Input: 1/4-inch jack for connecting your guitar. Plug-and-play functionality.
2. Speed Dial: Adjusts various sound parameters. Use control buttons (5-9) to select which parameter the Speed Dial controls.
3. Illumination Display: Shows the currently adjusted parameter.
4. Light-Beam Display: Provides visual feedback for the Speed Dial adjustments. It dims after 10 seconds of inactivity and turns off after another 10 seconds. Tap any control button or turn the Speed Dial to reactivate.
5. Patch Button: Selects one of five saved patches. Press and hold for 1 second to save the current patch. Unlimited patches can be saved via the BEAM app.
6. Gain Control: Adjusts the preamp gain. For guitar amps, this controls overdrive/distortion. Lower settings provide a cleaner tone, while higher settings increase overdrive. For bass and acoustic amps, it affects compression.
7. EQ Control: Adjusts the tone. Features Blackstar's Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) which allows switching between American (tight lows, aggressive mids) and British (woody, less aggressive) tonal characteristics.
8. FX / Tap Tempo Button: Controls the intensity of effects. The FX button also serves as a tap tempo for time-based effects (e.g., modulation, delay) when SYNC is enabled.
9. Volume Control: Adjusts the overall headphone output volume. Press and hold for 1 second to activate the built-in tuner.

Side Connections:

10. USB-C Port: For charging the internal battery and for use as a USB audio interface.
11. 3.5mm Headphone Output / Line Output: Connect headphones or external speakers/mixers. Features unique headphone damping control via the BEAM app.

Rear Controls:

12. Bluetooth Audio Button: For pairing and connecting Bluetooth audio devices for streaming.
13. Power Switch and Indicator LED: Slides to turn the unit on/off. The LED indicates power status and other functions.

Key Features

Premium amp modeling and studio-grade effects integrated into a powerful, portable solution.
Immersive CabRig™ IR speaker simulation with "In the Room™" technology for realistic sound.
Intuitive hardware controls with SpeedDial and Light-Beam display for quick adjustments.
XpressFX for simultaneous adjustment of multiple effect parameters.
BEAM mobile app (iOS/Android) for deep editing, custom patch creation, community sharing, artist patches, backing tracks, and video lessons.
TRRS 3.5mm jack enables simultaneous guitar and microphone recording for live streaming or practice.
USB-C audio interface functionality for recording directly to a computer or mobile device.
Built-in rechargeable battery provides approximately 5 hours of playtime.

Getting Started

Connecting to the BEAM App

1. Power on the BEAM SOLO. 2. Launch the BEAM app on your mobile device. 3. Tap "Connect Device" (or similar) in the app to start searching for the amp. 4. Select "BEAM SOLO BLE" when it appears. 5. If prompted, grant pairing permission ("Pairing" / "OK").

Alternatively, access the menu via the toolbar icon (=) and tap "+ Connect device" to connect.

Bluetooth Audio Streaming Pairing

For first-time audio streaming connection:

Press the Bluetooth Audio Button (12) on the rear of the BEAM SOLO once to make it flash.
Open your mobile device's Bluetooth settings.
Select "BEAM SOLO Audio" from the list of devices and tap to pair.

For re-connecting previously paired devices, simply press the Bluetooth Audio Button (12) once. The indicator will flash blue briefly and then remain solid blue.

To disconnect from a paired audio device, press and hold the Bluetooth Audio Button (12) for 5 seconds until the indicator turns off.

Operation and Functions

1. Foldable Guitar Input

Unfold the unit and connect your guitar's output to the 1/4-inch jack. It's plug-and-play, requiring no setup.

2. Speed Dial

Rotate to adjust various sound parameters. Use control buttons (5-9) to select which parameter the Speed Dial modifies.

3. Illumination Display

Visually indicates the parameter currently being adjusted by the Speed Dial (2).

4. Light-Beam Display

Provides visual feedback for the Speed Dial adjustments. It dims after 10 seconds of inactivity and turns off after another 10 seconds. Tap any control button or turn the Speed Dial to reactivate.

Control Buttons (5-9)

These buttons select the parameter controlled by the Speed Dial (2). When a button is pressed, its corresponding indicator on the display (3) lights up.

5. Patch

Select one of the five onboard presets. Press and hold the Patch button for 1 second to save the current settings to the selected patch. The BEAM app allows saving an unlimited number of patches.

6. Gain

Adjusts the preamp gain. For guitar amps, this controls the amount of overdrive or distortion. Lower settings yield a cleaner tone, while turning clockwise increases overdrive. For bass and acoustic amps, it influences the amount of preamp compression.

7. EQ

The effect of this control depends on the selected amp model. With Blackstar's Infinite Shape Feature (ISF), you can switch between American (tight lows, aggressive mids) and British (woody, less aggressive) tonal characteristics. For other amp models, it functions as a traditional tone control, offering darker/warmer tones counter-clockwise and brighter/sharper tones clockwise.

8. FX / Tap Tempo

The XpressFX feature allows instant adjustment of effect intensity, controlling multiple parameters simultaneously for intuitive sound shaping. The FX button also serves as a tap tempo for time-based effects (e.g., modulation, delay) when SYNC is enabled.

9. Volume

Adjusts the overall headphone output volume. Pressing and holding the Volume button for 1 second activates the built-in tuner. The Light-Beam (4) shows the current note, with the center position indicating the closest pitch. Left of center means flat (too low), and right means sharp (too high). The BEAM app offers a full tuner display. Guitar signal is muted by default in tuner mode, but this can be changed in the app. Pressing any control button exits tuner mode.

Connections

10. USB-C Connection

The USB-C port serves multiple functions. Connect a standard 5V USB power source (e.g., USB AC adapter, sold separately, or a powered USB device) to charge the internal battery. Charging can occur while the unit is in use.

Audio Interface

The BEAM SOLO functions as a high-quality recording audio interface. Simply connect the included USB-C cable to your computer. For iOS devices (Lightning connection), a Made-for-iPhone (MFi) certified Lightning-USB adapter is required. The BEAM SOLO supports 44.1kHz and 48kHz sampling rates.

External Device USB Output:
1: Guitar Output L – Effect-processed left channel guitar output
2: Guitar Output R – Effect-processed right channel guitar output
3: Guitar DI – Clean, unprocessed guitar signal (for external plugins)
4: Headset Mic DI – Clean, unprocessed headset microphone signal

External Device USB Input:
1: Guitar Output L – For headphone left channel
2: Guitar Output R – For headphone right channel

Important: For optimal performance with Windows PCs as a USB audio interface, download the dedicated Blackstar USB audio driver from portal.blackstaramps.com after registering your BEAM SOLO. This driver is not required for macOS, iOS, or Android devices.

11. 3.5mm Headphone Output / Line Output

Connect your headphones here. This output can also be used to connect to external speakers or mixers for studio use. The BEAM SOLO features a unique headphone damping control, accessible via the BEAM app, to fine-tune the headphone output for a more authentic amp feel.

Headset Connection

A TRRS headset (headphones with an inline microphone) can be connected here, allowing simultaneous recording of vocals and guitar. This is ideal for live streaming or capturing musical ideas on the go. The BEAM app offers a USB Loopback mode for live streaming, mixing the playback and guitar input signals for output. The headset mic input can be controlled for volume and reverb level within the BEAM app.

Rear Controls

12. Bluetooth Audio Button

Used for pairing and connecting external Bluetooth audio devices for streaming. Refer to the "Bluetooth Connection" section for details. This button is not required for connecting to the BEAM app.

13. Power Switch and Indicator LED

Slide the switch to turn the BEAM SOLO on or off. The unit features an auto-power-off (eco-mode) function that activates after 20 minutes of inactivity to conserve battery. To restart after eco-mode shutdown, slide the power switch off and then on again. Eco-mode can be disabled via the BEAM app.

Battery and Indicator LED

Battery

The built-in lithium-ion battery provides approximately 5 hours of playtime on a full charge, depending on usage. Charging takes about 2 hours from empty to full. The current battery level is displayed in the BEAM app. When the battery reaches 0%, the illumination display and light-beam will flash rapidly 6 times before the unit powers off, indicating it needs charging.

Indicator LED

This LED provides an at-a-glance status of the BEAM SOLO:

LED Color	LED State	Function
Red	Solid	Battery Charging
Blue	Solid	Bluetooth Audio Connected
Blue	Fast Flash	Bluetooth Pairing / Reconnecting Mode
Blue	Slow Flash	Bluetooth Searching Mode

BEAM Mobile App

The Blackstar BEAM app is available for free on compatible iOS and Android devices. Download the app to access detailed control over tones, effects pedals, amps, cabinets, and microphones. Join the vibrant online community to share your custom patches, access exclusive artist patches, and hone your skills with video lessons. Enjoy jamming along to stimulating backing tracks and drum loops.

Download the app here: https://www.blackstaramps.com/download-beam-app/

Bluetooth Connectivity

Connecting to Devices

The BEAM SOLO connects wirelessly to your mobile device for app control and audio streaming. For app connection, simply power on the BEAM SOLO and open the BEAM app; it will connect automatically. For audio streaming, use the dedicated Bluetooth pairing process described above.

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues with Bluetooth connection or audio streaming, try the following:

Turn off the BEAM SOLO and close the BEAM app.
On your mobile device, go to Bluetooth settings and remove/forget all devices named "BEAM SOLO Audio" and "BEAM SOLO BLE".
Power on the BEAM SOLO and attempt to reconnect following the pairing instructions.

Factory Reset and Firmware Update

Factory Reset

To restore the amp to its default factory settings, press and hold both the PATCH button and the VOLUME button simultaneously while powering on the unit. The light-beam display will count down to zero, indicating the reset is complete. Note: This action will overwrite any user-saved patches or settings.

Firmware Update

Firmware updates are typically initiated via the BEAM mobile app. When an update is available, you will be prompted within the app. Updates can also be performed via USB connection using Blackstar's update software. Ensure headphones are disconnected before starting an update. Do not turn off the amp, close the app, or power off your mobile device during the update process, as this may cause failure and unpredictable behavior. If an issue occurs, power cycle the unit and try again. A manual firmware update mode can be accessed by pressing and holding the GAIN and FX buttons simultaneously upon power-on.

Technical Specifications

Model: BEAM SOLO
Weight: 62.5 g
Dimensions: 80 x 48 x 31 mm

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