What is it?
Very few artists can combine guitar-slinging bravado and searing blues chops more authentically than Tyler Bryant.
As a young guitarist forging a kickass path in a crowded field for bluesy rock ’n’ roll, Bryant has proven he’s head and shoulders above many of his six-string peers. So much so that Supro has bestowed him with a signature amplifier christened the Supro Black Magick Reverb TB, which, in a nutshell, is a high-power version of Supro’s flagship Black Magick Reverb 1x12 combo.
Bryant has been smitten with the tone of Supro’s 25-watt Black Magick Reverb combo amps, having taken them out on tour, but he eventually concluded that he needed “bigger bass response, more headroom and increased output power.”
Enter the 35-watt Black Magick Reverb TB, which soundly addresses each issue.
Usability and sounds
Supro customarily exhibits a classy look for its amps, and the BMR TB combo firmly embraces that aesthetic. Adorned in a Black Scandia tolex with cream stripe siding and black piping, silver-speckled and black grille cloth and a heavy-duty, vinyl “dog-bone” handle, the amp looks vintage cool from top to bottom.
Below the top control panel, the BMR TB presents a hardwearing aluminum chassis outfitted with a chunky, custom-made Supro output transformer and a tidy arrangement of components and tubes. Instead of the unusual 6973 tubes employed by the flagship BMR, the BMR TB arrives with a matched pair of Sovtek 5881/6L6WGC power tubes to deliver a more powerful 35 watts of Class A power.
The BMR TB shares the same topology as the original combo with independent Volume 1 and 2 controls, a shared two-band EQ (Bass & Treble), tube-driven spring reverb and tremolo, Master Volume and channel input jacks (In 1+2 and In 2).
Channel 1 (In 1+2) highlights a new “bright cap” modification that adds a noticeably smooth top-end sparkle to Volume 1 and the ability to blend in Volume 2 or not.
Conversely, Channel 2 (In 2) retains the original Black Magick preamp circuit controlled solely by Volume 2. The amp’s voice comes courtesy of a custom Supro BD12 – a high-power, oversized ceramic speaker made by Celestion.
Players like myself who have played the OG Black Magick Reverb combo have quietly wished it had more oomph. So it’s a relief that Bryant offered this useful feedback, ultimately leading to his signature amp that sounds bigger and better.
Is it louder and fuller? Yes and yes. A minor criticism of mine has been that Supro combos tend to sound boxy and here, the BMR TB pushes the right amount of air to fill a room with clarity and definition and can handily compete with a stick-heavy drummer.
The “bright cap” modification on Channel 1’s volume is the real star of the show when tapped from the “1+2” input, adding top-end brilliance when blended with Volume 2’s volume, which simulates the “jumped channel” effect of a 4-input Marshall with a firm crunch.
You’ll find, like me, that the BMR TB is a muscular-sounding combo – whether you opt for dialing in punchy cleans or thickened overdrive as you crank the volumes to their limits.
The bias-modulated tube tremolo sounds hypnotic and gorgeous, and its speed range is double the rate of the original BMR
The BD12 speaker solidly articulates its mid-heavy voice; however, I found running the BMR TB through other cabinet and speaker choices a more rewarding tonal experience, thanks to its 16-ohm, 8-ohm and 4-ohm output options.
Also, I wish the control panel orientation faces you rather than appearing upside down as you stand above it, but this is a minor quibble.
The onboard 3-spring tube-driven reverb is quite good but does have a lingering decay even at moderate levels. Despite that, the bias-modulated tube tremolo sounds hypnotic and gorgeous, and its speed range is double the rate of the original BMR.
Verdict
The Black Magick Reverb TB is one of Supro’s finest combo offerings thus far; with increased headroom and output power, a more usable tonal range with its “bright cap” modification that adds sparkle to its mid-focused voice and tube-saturated drive with tinging warmth.
Guitar World verdict: As a pedal platform, the amp becomes even more capable and versatile, but I’m sure many players will just want to open it up by cranking its dual volumes toward overdriven glory.
Specs
Launch price: $1,699
Type: Tube combo
Origin: China
Output: 35 Watts RMS
Speaker: 1x 12" Supro BD12
Channels: Two
Controls: Volume 1, Volume 2, Treble, Bass, Reverb, Speed, Depth, Master
Connectivity: 2x 1/4" inputs, 1x 16-ohm, 2x 8-ohm, 2x 4-ohm speaker outputs, TRS Double Footswitch input
Footswitch: SF2 Supro Dual Footswitch (Sold Separately)
Weight: 49lbs / 22.2kg
Dimensions (WxHxD): 520 x 476 x 222 mm
Contact: Supro
