Jule Amps Monique Part 2.

[chadds]

Done. The new package for Monique is now called the "Tardis."

The TARDIS[nb 1][1] (/ˈtɑːdɪs/ (Time and Relative Dimension in Space)[nb 2] is a time machine and spacecraft in the British science fiction television programme Doctor Who and its associated spin-offs.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/TARDIS1.jpg

The Doctor's is blue. .
Yep a police call box.

 

[nostatic]

While that is somewhat true, I think they can at least give you some insight if they're recorded well. You can hear things like compression or lack thereof, frequency response up and down the neck, things like that.

True, but there are so many variables that figure into things that I often won't even listen to these types of comparisons. To me one of the main draws of a good tube amp is how it responds to playing dynamics and that just doesn't translate. It is the classic case of giving two players a rig and they'd sound very different even though a single knob wasn't moved.

I get why people do it, and I've certainly tossed tracks up as an example of what a piece of gear sounds like. But even the best controlled test only tells part of the story. And feel can never translate into a recorded track, at least as a tangible thing that I can hear.

Bottom line is that Monique is one of the few products that has surpassed the hype, at least in my hands/setup. I played an impromptu gig last night, and had to travel light, so I took a QSC K8 and my bass. That powered cab actually sounds surprisingly good for its size/weight but it didn't feel anything like my now regular rig of Monique/Puma/Baer.

wrt sound, I have been spending the past few days cutting together promo tracks for booking gigs. With the new lineup I've only got a few shows to pull from, most with Monique. I *love* the sound I'm getting. Normally I'll either leave a gig thinking, "I wish I had a little more x or a little less y" for my tone, and am on the hunt for how I can tweak things. That has stopped. Maybe it'll pick back up in a few weeks or months, but I've never been as satisfied with my tone as I am now. Technique and choice of notes...still a work in progress, as always. But I'm not looking at changing anything in my signal chain at the moment and that is really rare. In part, it is because Monique just lets all the quality other stuff shine and makes it fun to flip the switch.

 

[5StringPocket]

I see a number of satisfied Monique users that have come from other systems. As much as I've tried to work with and like solid state preamps I keep coming back to tubes. I really like my Streamliner 900 with my two Baer ML-112s but would like a 2nd amp which cops and maybe even improves on this vibe, perhaps with a bit more flexibility in the sounds on tap. The new De-Monique looks very interesting in the 2U rack format with a built-in Demeter 800 watt amp.
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I suppose the class D is compact and runs cool enough to be packed in that chassis. If that Demeter amp can match the wump of that STM900 the De-Monique looks very enticing. Does this sound like a good match and do the Monique controls enable good adjustment for different rooms? Thx...

 

[tombowlus]

I see a number of satisfied Monique users that have come from other systems. As much as I've tried to work with and like solid state preamps I keep coming back to tubes. I really like my Streamliner 900 with my two Baer ML-112s but would like a 2nd amp which cops and maybe even improves on this vibe, perhaps with a bit more flexibility in the sounds on tap. The new De-Monique looks very interesting in the 2U rack format with a built-in Demeter 800 watt amp.
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I suppose the class D is compact and runs cool enough to be packed in that chassis. If that Demeter amp can match the wump of that STM900 the De-Monique looks very enticing. Does this sound like a good match and do the Monique controls enable good adjustment for different rooms? Thx...

I think that you would be very happy with a De-Monique and your Baers. IME/IMHO, there is more than adequate EQ adjustment to cover a variety of styles/rooms/preferences.

 

[DirtPoorRobins]

Done. The new package for Monique is now called the "Tardis."

HAHA awesome!

 

[vpermana]

would like to go green using monique at home.
(no question is stupid question, right )
1. What rig combination using monique that can only use relatively low wattage at home?
2. What would be the smallest cab size but still showcase monique quality?
Thanks

 

[husky123]

Hey guys,

Anyone running their Monique with a Crest CA6? I have one local for a good price I may check out. Not trying to start a huge debate but being new to the pre/power game am I missing something going with a Class D GK power section over a big lead sled like that?

 

[Fat240]

Barid6869 is runing one I believe.

 

[SactoBass]

Hey guys,

Anyone running their Monique with a Crest CA6? I have one local for a good price I may check out. Not trying to start a huge debate but being new to the pre/power game am I missing something going with a Class D GK power section over a big lead sled like that?

Husky: I run my Monique into a Crest CA9. It is massive sounding! Since I have not ever used a Class D amp, I don't have any useful info to offer for a comparison.

 

[nostatic]

would like to go green using monique at home.
(no question is stupid question, right )
1. What rig combination using monique that can only use relatively low wattage at home?
2. What would be the smallest cab size but still showcase monique quality?
Thanks

1. Any small head with an effects loop can work fine. I prefer bypassing the preamp section of the amp.

2. Anything articulate. There are 1-10 cabs that would work but at low volume you're going to miss some of the low bloom that Monique has to offer.

Really depends on your budget.

 

[juledude]

would like to go green using monique at home.
(no question is stupid question, right )
1. What rig combination using monique that can only use relatively low wattage at home?
2. What would be the smallest cab size but still showcase monique quality?
Thanks

As to the small wattage, I have a 15 watt dual 6V6 amp that I love to hear Monique through. Of course it would never cut it out-and-about. The cab is a rather ugly 400 watt thing that is on long term lone from a player who could no longer keep it in his bathroom. (Real life is like this. )

My point is that a clean small tube amp does sound pretty darned good with Monique in front.

 

[Fat240]

Try running Monique thru a 12 6l6 power section of a 400+. Amazing, not qutie a green solution but still amazing

 

[juledude]

It was good, but I only wish he hadn't recorded one sample and then sent it into each DI. Big difference between the real thing and a sample being recorded by a lower-fi device. I really didn't think it showcased the differences well enough, to be honest. There are some differences for the better with REDDI and Monique in his recordings, but judging from my own experiences, not enough to be truly representative.

We all appreciate the work of Josh and Blyss. I am grateful to both of them. I had no input at all as to how the samples were made. These samples get a massive amount of hits on the website. Last month most of them were listened to over 400 times.

New ones would be good because of how long ago these were done.

I think everyone agrees samples are valuable to us, even given their limitations. It gives folks a place to start. In my experience, even an opportunity to play these products in a storefront can have its limitations. The only real way to know for sure is to play the gear yourself for some time. That is why the opinions given here are so important to us all.

Do you Jimmy, or does anyone else out there have ideas, or the capability of putting together good A/B samples that would help?

Even in the best, fairest, most honest situations, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages for specific pieces of gear. This is because each piece of gear is designed to excel in some areas and not others - and these areas can not possibly overlap 100%.

For me, the raw sample cuts given to us all by Pedro in Portugal and Sam in Belgium go a long way to helping understand what Monique does. And of course there is Zach on Leno. I am deeply grateful for this great work, but they are not A/B tests.

 

[Baird6869]

Try running Monique thru a 12 6l6 power section of a 400+. Amazing, not qutie a green solution but still amazing

I have run Monique thru my Mesa D180 (400 predecessor) and it sounded great. I would still be using it if it wasn't a 4 rack space 60lb pig.

But.... Monique also sounds great thru my $359 Crest power amp.

Maybe I am nuts, but I likely couldn't tell the difference in tone between a cheap SS and a high end tube power amp. Power being equal between SS and tube, isn't the poweramp just driving the pre?

 

[Baird6869]

Barid6869 is runing one I believe.

The power amp I am running with Monique is the Crest ProLite 2.0. 2000w @ 4ohms bridged and only weighs 11lbs.

$359-ish at most online retailers and in the few months I have owned it, it has performed and sounded great.

It also has an acceptable input sensitivity (right at 1.0, i believe) to run properly with Monique.

 

[JimmyM]

Do you Jimmy, or does anyone else out there have ideas, or the capability of putting together good A/B samples that would help?

Even in the best, fairest, most honest situations, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages for specific pieces of gear. This is because each piece of gear is designed to excel in some areas and not others - and these areas can not possibly overlap 100%.

For me, the raw sample cuts given to us all by Pedro in Portugal and Sam in Belgium go a long way to helping understand what Monique does. And of course there is Zach on Leno. I am deeply grateful for this great work, but they are not A/B tests.

Yeah, no doubt, and I certainly don't want to denigrate what Josh and Blyss did. I thought it was good and there were some cool differences in the gear, but I just thought that playing a loop through them doesn't really give you as true a representation as opposed to actually hearing a bass being directly recorded. While the audiophiles only accept AB tests done done with the exact same recording, we ain't audiophiles We need to hear how the bass reacts with nothing in between it and the recording device except the particular DI or preamp being used. Whatever was used to record the loop will put its own sonic imprint on the track.

 

[LME]

I’m on my way to order a De-Monique. I’m thinking of using my Eden D210XST. Have any of you tried that combination.

Thanks,
Lars-Magnus

 

[5StringPocket]

Hey Billy,

That is a good idea. I have wanted to do this from moment I saw the first Rack Mount Monique. I run into the reality that it is difficult to have the build process changed by another trip to the machine shop. There are also some serious negative issues for some of my International customers due to CE regulations regarding openings in electronic equipment.

But. . .

Right now I am waiting for the first run of a new set of Monique Chassis that will help us "see the tubes." These are essentially non-ear rack mount chassis made to sit on top of cabinets instead of in a rack.

Again, these are American made to our specifications. This time by Par-Metal in New Jersey.

These new (I don't know what to call them) chassis have a lot of venting in the top and the bottom panels. It will be impossible to miss the tube glow. They will also be lighter, since they are made of Black Anodized Aluminum instead of heavy steel. They will have the same large rubber feet that come on the Dove Cage and the Bamboo Moniques. Chassis dimensions 17" wide x 3.5" tall, x 12" deep

I also like this idea of a non-ear rack mount chassis made to sit on top of cabinets. 17" wide x 3.5" tall, x 12" deep is a great profile for easy moving and stacking. Is there a protective case planned and would it be possible to get in on the introductory pricing of a De-Monique Rack Mount assembled into one of these?
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[nostatic]

So last night's gig was the first time running the DI through FOH. I've played this club many times and never been happy with FOH, so in the past we've just mic'd vox, sax and kick. Last night the sound guy asked for a feed and I figured "why not." XLR out of Monique to the house. Best sound ever at this club over probably close to two dozen gigs.

Is there nothing she can't do? Well, Monique hasn't made me an espresso yet...

 

[juledude]

I also like this idea of a non-ear rack mount chassis made to sit on top of cabinets. 17" wide x 3.5" tall, x 12" deep is a great profile for easy moving and stacking. Is there a protective case planned and would it be possible to get in on the introductory pricing of a De-Monique Rack Mount assembled into one of these?
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I'm excited to get my hands on these new Tardis (tabletop) Moniques. Won't be long now.

Yes. The same internal L Bracket that houses the tubes and such fits the Tardis as it does the Rack Mount. With added top vents, the Tardis will run even cooler than the Rack Mount.

Yes. The same De-Monique can be built into the Tardis. The pricing will be the same, at least for now.

It is important to know that this first batch of De-Moniques, no matter which enclosure, is going to take more time to deliver than any of us likes. Spoke to James Demeter moments ago and he confirmed that upon receipt of his first chassis batch build he found that the holes were mirrored backwards. Unusable. They have been re-ordered.