The Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost is a boost pedal with a real valve inside, running at the kind of voltage a tube amplifier uses rather than the low "starved plate" voltages of many tube pedals. Blackstar calls it "the ultimate high voltage valve boost pedal" and describes it as "like adding two extra hot valve stages to your amp", combining a Class A gain stage with a passive James-Baxandall EQ1. It launched on 12 October 2021 alongside the Dual Drive and Dual Distortion as the smallest and simplest member of the Dept. 10 series, priced at $2192.
The idea behind the pedal is straightforward: a clean-ish push into the front of an amplifier, with the harmonic character of a genuine triode stage doing the pushing. Delicious Audio described the circuit as "a high voltage boost circuit that, when plugged in your pedal chain, is like adding two extra hot valve stages to your amp"3.
A valve boost running at high voltage
What separates the Dept. 10 Boost from most tube pedals is the voltage the valve actually sees. Guitar World's reviews editor noted that "all three Dept. 10 pedals use a full-voltage dual-triode valve with internal circuitry running to over 250VDC"4. Gearnews, covering the launch, reported the pedals run at more than 200V internally7. The two figures differ slightly, but they agree on the essential point: this is a valve working at amplifier-like voltage, not a token tube glowing at 12 volts.
The tube itself is an ECC83, the European designation for the 12AX7, the dual-triode found in the preamp sections of countless amplifiers1. The same tube sits at the core of the Dual Drive and Dual Distortion8.
The pedal also carries a built-in buffer and line drive1. Gearnews noted this "should be great for longer signal chains"7, where cable capacitance would otherwise soften the top end before the signal reaches the amp. If you want the broader picture on that kind of circuit, see buffer pedals.
The controls
The front panel keeps things to three knobs and a footswitch: Boost, Low, High, and a bypass switch42.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Boost | Sets the amount of level push, from a slight signal enhancer up to amp-pushing drive9 |
| Low | Cut or boost of bass frequencies, all-valve tone section9 |
| High | Cut or boost of treble frequencies, all-valve tone section9 |
| Bypass footswitch | Engages and bypasses the pedal2 |
The Low and High controls use a two-way passive James-Baxandall EQ, the tone-stack topology familiar from hi-fi and amplifier design3. Guitar World found the circuitry "provides an organically gradual sweep", meaning the knobs respond smoothly across their travel rather than jumping at one point4. Pedal of the Day described the Boost control's range as running "from a slight signal enhancer to really down-and-dirty, but not too overdriven, amp-pushing gusto"9, which positions it as a boost that can lean into light drive rather than a pure clean volume lift.
Power and connections
The pedal runs from an ordinary 9V external power supply, with Blackstar supplying one in the box15. The catch is the current: Guitar World specifies it is "powered by a 9V PSU that runs at 500MA"4, and the same 500mA at 9V requirement applies across the Dept. 10 range. MusicRadar's review of the series lists the power supply as a 9-volt unit with a minimum 500mA rating, included5.
The 500mA draw rules out most daisy chains and many low-current isolated outputs. Check that a single 9V output on your pedalboard supply can deliver at least 500mA before planning to run the Dept. 10 Boost from it.
Connections are the basics: input, output and the power inlet4. There is no battery option; the valve circuit's appetite for current makes one impractical.
The Dept. 10 series
The Boost belongs to a three-pedal range launched on 12 October 202110711. Guitar.com reported the series "has three members: Boost, Dual Drive and Dual Distortion", and noted the pedals were being touted as "the world's most advanced valve pedals"10.
- Dept. 10 Boost: the smallest and simplest of the three, a high-voltage valve boost with two-band EQ53
- Dept. 10 Dual Drive: a valve dual overdrive pedal, also ECC83-based108
- Dept. 10 Dual Distortion: the high-gain member of the range5
What reviewers said
Guitar World's review listed "adds tube-like warmth to your sound" among the pedal's pluses4. Pedal of the Day, reviewing it as the first of three days of Dept. 10 coverage, praised the range of the Boost control and the all-valve tone section9. Guitar.com's combined review of the three Dept. 10 pedals recorded the basic facts of the Boost: a valve boost pedal, made in China, measuring 108 x 74 x 68mm6.
Videos
Sonic Drive Studio
SRGuitar
Pedal of the Day
Questions
Does the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost have a real tube inside?
Yes. The Dept. 10 Boost is built around a real ECC83 dual-triode valve, the same tube type used in countless guitar amplifiers. Blackstar runs it at high internal voltage, with circuitry reaching over 250VDC, rather than the starved-plate low voltages found in some tube pedals.
What tube does the Dept. 10 Boost use?
It uses an ECC83, the European designation for the 12AX7 dual-triode. Blackstar lists the pedal as ECC83 powered, and the same tube sits at the core of the other pedals in the Dept. 10 series, the Dual Drive and Dual Distortion.
Does the Dept. 10 Boost have a buffer?
Yes. Blackstar fits a built-in buffer and line drive, which press coverage noted should be useful for longer signal chains where cable capacitance would otherwise dull the top end of the guitar signal.
What are the other pedals in the Blackstar Dept. 10 series?
The Dept. 10 series launched in October 2021 with three pedals: the Boost, the Dual Drive and the Dual Distortion. The Boost is the smallest and simplest of the three, while the Dual Drive and Dual Distortion add more gain stages and DSP speaker simulation.
Can I power the Dept. 10 Boost from a pedalboard power supply?
Yes, as long as the supply can deliver 500mA at 9V on a single output. The pedal runs from a 9V external supply, and Blackstar includes one in the box. Many smaller isolated outputs top out below 500mA, so check your supply's rating per output.
Sources (11)
- Dept. 10 Boost, Blackstar, 2022-10-20
- Blackstar debuts the Dept. 10 Boost, Drive and Distortion, dubbed "the most advanced valve pedals in the world", Guitar World, 2021-10-12
- Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost, Delicious Audio, 2022-02-21
- Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost review, Guitar World, 2022-02-07
- Blackstar Dept. 10 Dual Drive and Dual Distortion review, MusicRadar, 2022-06-10
- The Big Review: Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost, Dual Drive & Dual Distortion, Guitar.com, 2021-11-18
- Blackstar Dept 10: A new valve-based pedal range, gearnews.com, 2021-10-12
- Blackstar Amplification Dept. 10 Dual Drive, Pedal of the Day, 2021-10-24
- Blackstar Amplification Dept. 10 Boost, Pedal of the Day, 2021-10-23
- Blackstar’s Dept. 10 pedals match the natural feel of valve amps with DSP speaker simulation, Guitar.com, 2021-10-12
- Blackstar Amplification Dept. 10 Dual Distortion, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2021-10-25
