Blackstar Amplification has launched the Beam Mini, super-compact take-anywhere guitar amp that blew minds at NAMM 2026 with its state-of-the-art “component-level” digital modelling, AI stem separation tech, and access to more than 200,000 community-created Neural Amp Models via Tone3000.
If the prospect of having all those sounds at the touch of a button sounds inspiring, just imagine how the Beam Mini's onboard Moises AI stem separation technology could spice up your practice sessions. We'll have to wait for a software update in August before the stem separation is available on the Beam Mini, but it is a tantalising prospect.
“Want to play along with a classic track? Remove the guitar and step into the player’s shoes, or isolate a part to study every detail of the performance,” says Blackstar. “This works for all instruments, giving musicians a completely new way to practise, learn, and play along with their favourite music.”
Article continues belowWith all this 21st-century functionality, access to user-created tones and AI tools for enhancing practice sessions, Blackstar is heating up a market that already has some very clever digital desktop amps, such as the JBL Bandbox range, which offers similar AI stem isolation, and the Positive Grid Spark Go, which similarly offers a huge bank of user-created tones sourced from its ToneCloud community
But AI and the NAM captures are just the headline features. There is a lot going on under the Beam Mini’s impossibly tiny IP66 dust and weatherproof cabinet, a lot of sounds.
It ships with 12 electric guitar amps, six modelled on classic Blackstar amps, with six Ampton models of classic guitar amps – and Blackstar promises authentic tube amp tone thanks to the “component-level” modelling tech that engineered them. We’ve also got a trio of bass amps, two acoustic guitar amps, an acoustic simulator – and what would a Blackstar amp be without the patented ISF feature for dialling in that Transatlantic voice? There are 35 “studio-grade” guitar effects.
Under the hood there are two full-range drivers and a pair of passive bass radiators. Blackstar says its Super Wide Stereo tech gives you “immersive, room-filling tone” that belies the Beam Mini’s size.
Beam Mini is also equipped with Blackstar’s CabRig technology, so you have all those IR-based speaker cabinet and mic placement options to work with. With a USB-C connection, you can also use it as a guitar audio interface for recording.
And you can even use a headset mic for tracking vocals and content creation. It ships with Ableton Live Lite.
This is one of these practice amps you can take to the park, the beach, the office, wherever, and you’ll get up to 18 hours of playtime from a full charge. You can stream audio via Bluetooth. You can increase the intensity of numerous effects at once via the SpeedDial.
The SpeedDial dominates a control panel that has just the essential buttons for Patch, FX, Gain, EQ and Volume. Simply press the button then turn the over-sized SpeedDial to adjust the parameter.
Deeper edits and patch creation executed within the Beam app. It is via the app you can access artist-created patches and share your own.
The expandability of the Beam Mini is something that is unique to the digital era. Be warned: your tone options just got bewildering. In practice, players have access to the 200,000 open-source Neural Amp Models that Tone3000 users have created and shared in its online library.
You can access presets created by Blackstar artists such as Gus G, Doug Aldrich and Will Sergeant.
And it has the essentials, too. Hold down the volume button and you have a guitar tuner. You can store up to give patches on the Beam Mini. Swap ‘em out via the app.
The Blackstar Beam Mini is available now, priced £169/$229, but remember: the Moises AI stem separation tech will be available via a software update on August 2026. For more details, head over to Blackstar Amplification.
