• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Jule Amp M700

nostatic

nostatic

Jun 18, 2004
13,870
16,971
central coast
nostatic.com
Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: FEA Labs
#1
Cross-posted from the Monique thread - figured these deserve their own thread. The M700 is Jule's take on a class D power amp. Instead of the usual ICE module (often pushed beyond it's original spec), the M700 uses a Hypex module and the amp is conservatively rated at 700W into 4 ohms. I have been running a Monique/Minnie combo for a couple years and love the "tubey" feel of the rig. Jule was involved in designing Minnie, though James Demeter did the builds. I love love love Monique and actually Jule and I talked about a new power amp at NAMM last year, when I picked up two power amp prototypes to test (one class D, the other low-power tube).

Anywho, flash forward to today. The M700 has been out on four gigs, and two bass player friends have come over and done some A/B testing comparing the M700 with Minnie.

j700-1.jpg


m700-1.jpg

m700-2.jpg


17dec14.jpg


20dec14-1.jpg

-----
So my bass player buddy Harry came over 25dec and we ended up doing some quick A/B test between the power amps. He was playing one of my Smiths, and commented about how the last time he came up he thought there was a lot of "tube sag" in the feel. Today he said it felt quicker. The difference? Last time was Minnie, this time M700. So I broke out Minnie and we went back and forth. Definite difference in sound. Minnie was a bit darker - less highs, more mids. There also was a bit of sag. The M700 by contrast was very quick feeling, and more neutral in tone. The Smith sounded more open and extended with the M700.

Stuebig likely will come over this weekend so more thoughts to follow. But I'm liking the M700 so far. I've gotten over the form factor change, and actually like how the stack looks. The Gator 15x15 bag holds the amp just fine with some space to spare. The 12x12 does *not* fit.

jule-stack.jpg


Some follow-up testing with Steubig in the house 28dec. We went back and forth using Monique as the front end, H1203 and TC112 cabs (both by themselves and in combination), and swapping the Minnie and M700. Bottom line is that they sound different - and fairly significant depending on how picky you are. At the risk of tonal descriptions:

M700 - more extended highs, more open sounding. Maybe a bit "quicker", and enable harmonics to speak effortlessly.

Minnie - more lower mid push, less open highs, more compressed

I think if I were playing a rock gig, Minnie might get the nod as it is a tad thicker and a bit more punch. The M700 is a bit more "hi fi" to my ear. Form factor depends on what you like. Minnie certainly is smaller (both are about the same weight). I think I'm likely going to run the M700 and probably sell Minnie and just find something cheap as a backup amp. Steuart will likely chime in with his thoughts.
jule-test1.jpg
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Laklandfan, BassOnTheSide, irbass and 7 others
#3
It looks bigger than I thought it was; which is fine.
It's still not big.
From your descriptions, I presume I'd like the 700 better; and I think a clean, more open power amp is probably a great fit for the tube preamp; letting it's characteristics pass right on thru.

Cool stuff. Exciting.
This, and the wrecking ball deal. Cool cool cool.
 
  • Like
Reactions: juledude, Jule Potter and Fat240
#7
Pound rescue - half Russian Blue. He's awesome.

I think Minnie is rolled off a bit on both ends. From what I can tell the M700 is flat in both directions. I'll gig it tomorrow night in a loud situation but from the gigs already along with at home I don't think it will break a sweat. One advantage to using a module at below its spec.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jule Potter and Jim Nazium
#11
My first impressions follow along the same lines. The sound seems more "open" or "flatter" in both directions. "Faster" is also a great way to describe her. Kinda reminds me of a Stewart amp with how fast and defined it is, especially down low. I thought the notes were jumping outta my fingers when I was playing the Minnie, but after an A/B test there is a hugely noticeable difference. Nuances are being more clearly reproduced through the M700. The Minnie defiantly seems to be rolling off both lows and highs, making it seem a little darker. I have also noticed a large difference in the way my pedals sound. I recently picked up a new Nimbus with the new bass and high control. With the Minnie I felt like the difference was nominal when I tweeked the high setting. The M700 makes the control super usable now. I was able to get some really "shimmery" tones.

I was not crazy about the form factor, or the front input. After 2 hours with it I could not care less. It could smell and look like a turd on my amp as long as it sounds like it does.

Lastly.....Noise. I did a dry test A/Bing the two amps. Basically o just plugged everything in and turned everything all the way up. No signal, just the bass plugged in like in between songs. The Minnie was noticeably noisier. I know that the fans are simular or the same but I feel like the Minnie's fan is also noticeably louder. All in all I feel like the M700 is just way less noisy. The M700 also seems more powerful. Maybe that is just the flat response making it feel so much bigger, but I feel like this thing is going to melt my face off.

I did notice that with Monique all the way up I was not able to get the M700 to even flash the yellow indicator on the front. I was playing a passive Smith so I will have to try the active Dingwall later.....
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jule Potter
#13
tombowlus said:
It is my understanding that Jule and James designed the Minnie 800D with some intentional high frequency roll-off, to further that "vintage vibe." I presume that the M700 does not roll off the highs?
Click to expand...

Hi Tom,

From the test results in your magazine, I don't recall there being any indication of the frequency response being rolled off at either end of the spectrum, or did I miss something?
 
#18
tombowlus said:
It is my understanding that Jule and James designed the Minnie 800D with some intentional high frequency roll-off, to further that "vintage vibe." I presume that the M700 does not roll off the highs?
Click to expand...
Nay. No roll-off for the M700. Not on the bottom or on the top.

As the Monique community has grown, I have learned a lot. I now understand that players are greatly more capable than I will ever be at managing their sound, including both the very bottom and the upper end. I see my job increasingly as providing a wide and accurate representation of everything that comes off the fingers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Admiral Akbar, WG Plum, irbass and 5 others

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back