Jule Amps Monique part 4

[BurningSkies]

If people want it, its cool. If you're looking for tube power section saturation and overdrive, then I'd think you'd want something south of 300w or else you'll be so screaming loud by the time you get your level of breakup. I like the Monique the way she is, she's got 'curves' and can shake them but never becomes that sloppy drunk fat girl on the dance floor who loses control.

 

[Quackhead]

...she's got 'curves' and can shake them but never becomes that sloppy drunk fat girl on the dance floor who loses control.

The best bass tone description I've seen in a very long time.

 

[Tomservo-Crow]

+1

not only funny, but made total sense to me.

 

[KJung]

Now that I have the DeMonique pretty well dialed in, I thought I would try to match my TH350 (identical to my TH500, just less power) to the tone profile of the Monique. I came very, very close with these settings. You can see how airy and bright and open the Monique is (notice the significant treble cut on the Monique matched by 'flat' treble on the Aguilar, etc.).

Just FYI, since the Monique would probably appeal to many Aguilar players and this has come up in the thread.

Interestingly, I'm finding the impact of the Sensitivity control very, very subtle. Big change from 'off to 9 o'clock', and then very slight 'warming' as you turn it up. I don't notice a ton of difference from noon to all the way on at this point.

Anyway, just FYI. No way to dial in that super fat low mid presence of the TH with the Monique (so far as I've found to this point, you can see the pretty hefty mid cut on the TH around 400hz-500hz of so), but you can get pretty close to the Monique tone with the TH to my ears (at least as I have the Monique dialed in at this point).

 

[Quackhead]

So Ken I'm thinking the CN series would play nicely with Monique? Sure you wouldn't get the bloomy low end of the HD series, but it sounds like the low mid push of the CN would balance the voicing of Monique nicely.

 

[chadds]

She's so amazing I only want her qualities pristinely amplified.
Monique responds so dynamically to touch I want that showcased.

 

[KJung]

So Ken I'm thinking the CN series would play nicely with Monique? Sure you wouldn't get the bloomy low end of the HD series, but it sounds like the low mid push of the CN would balance the voicing of Monique nicely.

I'm liking it quite a bit for sure. It is quite a bright head though, and I would guess the match-up with the HD212 would be quite good (the HD is a bit more relaxed up top and a bit 'rounder' down low). The EQ is somewhat limited on the Monique, and it seems like cab matching will be key with this head. I need to get it out on the gig. It is beautifully articulate and very 'airy and open sounding' (i.e., lots of deep bass, significant upper mids and treble, not much low mid push to my ear). It really does remind me of a B15 fliptop with more deep low end and of course, MASSIVELY more volume. It is surprisingly present up top to me.

It does that 'pure tube thing' pretty wonderfully. I originally purchased an NV115 for this head, and just didn't dig that (turned it before I even got the Monique... just new it would not work for me, as cool as it sounded in absolute terms). After playing with the Monique for a while, I feel even more comfortable at letting the NV115 go. The CN212 should work great. Of course, others will totally dig the brighter, tighter NV115 vibe with this head for sure. Different strokes.

Quite frankly, I am even MORE impressed with my beloved Aguilar TH's at this point, given the size and cost. Pretty darn close to my ear (at least for the tone I go for), but not nearly the kick of the Minnie power section (although I never run out of headroom with the TH500 and the very high sensitivity CN212/4ohms.

All good stuff!

 

[chadds]

Now that I have the DeMonique pretty well dialed in, I thought I would try to match my TH350 (identical to my TH500, just less power) to the tone profile of the Monique. I came very, very close with these settings. You can see how airy and bright and open the Monique is (notice the significant treble cut on the Monique matched by 'flat' treble on the Aguilar, etc.).

Just FYI, since the Monique would probably appeal to many Aguilar players and this has come up in the thread.

Interestingly, I'm finding the impact of the Sensitivity control very, very subtle. Big change from 'off to 9 o'clock', and then very slight 'warming' as you turn it up. I don't notice a ton of difference from noon to all the way on at this point.

Anyway, just FYI. No way to dial in that super fat low mid presence of the TH with the Monique (so far as I've found to this point, you can see the pretty hefty mid cut on the TH around 400hz-500hz of so), but you can get pretty close to the Monique tone with the TH to my ears (at least as I have the Monique dialed in at this point).

The Sensitivity Control plays at least two rolls for me. One could generally set tone desired yet its underlying affect is to dial in how much push back or punch like response it has to string touch.

Grossly, you can go from clean to raunch depending on how lightly you touch the strings while maintaining an almost equal volume clean to raunch. I say grossly because there are infinite variations making Monique a musical instrument.

 

[KJung]

The Sensitivity Control plays at least two rolls for me. One could generally set tone desired yet its underlying affect is to dial in how much push back or punch like response it has to string touch.

Grossly, you can go from clean to raunch depending on how lightly you touch the strings while maintaining an almost equal volume clean to raunch. I say grossly because there are infinite variations making Monique a musical instrument.

+1 I do sense that slightly more 'give' to the feel as you crank it. VERY subtle though to my ear and fingers. Almost no impact on 'tone' whatsoever to my ear between 10 o'clock and full on.... big push in low end from off to 9 o'clock though. It will slightly break up just a touch easier when digging in past 3 o'clock for me, but again, very subtle. I can get it to overdrive just a smidge engaging the 4db push boost and cranking it, but it isn't a particularly pleasant break-up to my ear... I don't think that is what this preamp is about.

To me, the treble and mid controls are where the tonal variation is pretty much, with the sensitivity control being a subtle 'feel' sort of knob, which is pretty cool.

 

[chadds]

Your paneling bears a striking resemblance to Tom's......

If I ever see that unique Rainbow Plush from Tom's in your pics, "Lucy, Ju Hahh Son Splainin' To Doo."

 

[Quackhead]

Thanks Ken, I am convinced I am going to pick up a Monique at this point. It's just a matter of when. My financial house needs rebuilding after being unemployed for so long.

I've never really warmed to tube heads in general, but there have been exceptions - the Mesa 400 / 400+ is one. In my opinion one of the best heads for rock 'n' roll ever made. I know the Monique is a totally different animal, but in general I like a big focused low end with a nice upper mid and treble response. It sounds like Monique will do it for me.

I'm liking it quite a bit for sure. It is quite a bright head though, and I would guess the match-up with the HD212 would be quite good (the HD is a bit more relaxed up top and a bit 'rounder' down low). The EQ is somewhat limited on the Monique, and it seems like cab matching will be key with this head. I need to get it out on the gig. It is beautifully articulate and very 'airy and open sounding' (i.e., lots of deep bass, significant upper mids and treble, not much low mid push to my ear). It really does remind me of a B15 fliptop with more deep low end and of course, MASSIVELY more volume. It is surprisingly present up top to me.

It does that 'pure tube thing' pretty wonderfully. I originally purchased an NV115 for this head, and just didn't dig that (turned it before I even got the Monique... just new it would not work for me, as cool as it sounded in absolute terms). After playing with the Monique for a while, I feel even more comfortable at letting the NV115 go. The CN212 should work great. Of course, others will totally dig the brighter, tighter NV115 vibe with this head for sure. Different strokes.

Quite frankly, I am even MORE impressed with my beloved Aguilar TH's at this point, given the size and cost. Pretty darn close to my ear (at least for the tone I go for), but not nearly the kick of the Minnie power section (although I never run out of headroom with the TH500 and the very high sensitivity CN212/4ohms.

All good stuff!

 

[KJung]

Your paneling bears a striking resemblance to Tom's......

If I ever see that unique Rainbow Plush from Tom's in your pics, "Lucy, Ju Hahh Son Splainin' To Doo."

We live in a 1929 Dutch Colonial house in the downtown area of Sheboygan, WI. We redid the entire house on the main two floors, but just didn't have the heart (nor real need) to mess with the basement, which is classic 40's sort of cheese (scalloped trim on the pine, and even a working stainless steel grill mounted in the wall)! There is even a penciled note from the carpenter dated January, 1948 (which is most likely when the basement was finished) stating that it was 10 below zero outside!

Nice cozy space for practice, and the room sounds wonderfully warm with that old wood and thick carpet!

 

[BurningSkies]

I find the sensitivity control has more 'voice' if you use the extra front end gain when you 'pull' the knob. There's a big difference to me between 10 and 3. I've run with my sensitivity pulled most of the time, but I also don't have a push/pull main out. Tonight I'll reconfigure and run it with it pushed in and see how it differs.

 

[tombowlus]

Your paneling bears a striking resemblance to Tom's......

If I ever see that unique Rainbow Plush from Tom's in your pics, "Lucy, Ju Hahh Son Splainin' To Doo."

Ha!

 

[tombowlus]

I find the sensitivity control has more 'voice' if you use the extra front end gain when you 'pull' the knob. There's a big difference to me between 10 and 3. I've run with my sensitivity pulled most of the time, but I also don't have a push/pull main out. Tonight I'll reconfigure and run it with it pushed in and see how it differs.

+1 I also notice that it has a more audible impact on passive basses, which makes sense.

 

[BurningSkies]

+1 I also notice that it has a more audible impact on passive basses, which makes sense.

Also, while there isn't a direct linearity, I find that adjusting the sweep I use 10-2 DOES effect the volume in a noticeable way so that I do have to change my DI level as well as my main out levels to maintain the mix with my band. That control is a combination of impedance change and gain (?) to the V1, so it is sort of elastic, and more so with more level in.

 

[nostatic]

There may be some variance due to technique. Fwiw I find the sensitivity control changes my tone and feel all the way through the sweep, with more edge as I crank it. But I tend to pluck up rather than across so my notes have a different attack and bloom than other guys.

I do find that I like my Foderas both passive and active with Monique. With other amps I don't really care for the passive tone. wrt the TH, that lower mid content is the one thing I didn't like about the amp. I could never really get things as articulate as I wanted. The other thing was that I found the front end didn't have much headroom. I had to use the input pad, and that seemed to suck some tone out. But I've got some hot basses (RA and the YYD) so as always, ymmv.

I agree that Monique feels more like a proper tube amp than anything else I've played (beyond a real tube amp). As for why I want to hear a 40W tube power section - well, why not? I do a fair number of gigs that aren't particularly loud. I don't want power tube grind necessarily, but there is something magic when a tube starts to saturate, especially in the higher registers. I'm thinking that comping with my E-C 5'er would sound pretty damn sick.

 

[pjhandlin]

+1 I do sense that slightly more 'give' to the feel as you crank it. VERY subtle though to my ear and fingers. Almost no impact on 'tone' whatsoever to my ear between 10 o'clock and full on.... big push in low end from off to 9 o'clock though. It will slightly break up just a touch easier when digging in past 3 o'clock for me, but again, very subtle. I can get it to overdrive just a smidge engaging the 4db push boost and cranking it, but it isn't a particularly pleasant break-up to my ear... I don't think that is what this preamp is about.

To me, the treble and mid controls are where the tonal variation is pretty much, with the sensitivity control being a subtle 'feel' sort of knob, which is pretty cool.

.....Interestingly, I'm finding the impact of the Sensitivity control very, very subtle. Big change from 'off to 9 o'clock', and then very slight 'warming' as you turn it up. I don't notice a ton of difference from noon to all the way on at this point.

Anyway, just FYI. No way to dial in that super fat low mid presence of the TH with the Monique (so far as I've found to this point, you can see the pretty hefty mid cut on the TH around 400hz-500hz of so), but you can get pretty close to the Monique tone with the TH to my ears (at least as I have the Monique dialed in at this point).

I find the sensitivity control has more 'voice' if you use the extra front end gain when you 'pull' the knob. There's a big difference to me between 10 and 3. I've run with my sensitivity pulled most of the time, but I also don't have a push/pull main out. Tonight I'll reconfigure and run it with it pushed in and see how it differs.

+1 to BurningSkies.

I run the sensitivity knob pulled most of the time. Even when you keep the the dial all the way off the added gain through the rest of the preamp tube stages appears to make a quite noticeable difference to me.

Ken, give that sensitivity a pull and then dial it some more.. I'll bet you hear and feel a more noticeable effect. I sure do, and I like it!

 

[KJung]

+1 to BurningSkies.

I run the sensitivity knob pulled most of the time. Even when you keep the the dial all the way off the added gain through the rest of the preamp tube stages appears to make a quite noticeable difference to me.

Ken, give that sensitivity a pull and then dial it some more.. I'll bet you hear and feel a more noticeable effect. I sure do, and I like it!

Really having fun with it. Yes, I have that knob pulled out now (that really didn't sound right, but you know what I mean) and it not surprisingly results in a bit more 'feel and give' variation. Tonally, still pretty similar at most settings. Interesting, because my passive Nordy P's is one of the hotter output instruments (passive or active) that I've owned. That's why I didn't immediately consider the 4db boost.

Anyway, it is sounding good so far!

 

[KJung]

Also, while there isn't a direct linearity, I find that adjusting the sweep I use 10-2 DOES effect the volume in a noticeable way so that I do have to change my DI level as well as my main out levels to maintain the mix with my band. That control is a combination of impedance change and gain (?) to the V1, so it is sort of elastic, and more so with more level in.

I'm sitting down here messing with it as a type! All kinds of non-linear stuff going on with that control (that you mentioned to me when I was getting up to speed prior to placing an order. Virtually no volume increase between 9 o'clock and full with the knob pushed in, but with the knob pulled out, you get a noticeable overall volume bump (of course), but then an additional volume bump from around 10 o'clock through 2 o'clock that is not there otherwise.

Also, in the spirit of the 'non-linear' interactions, the entire tonality changes a bit at every setting. In other words, having the sensitivity cranked with the knob pushed in does not sound the same as the boost engaged and the sensitivity turned down. The boost kind of changes the nature of the control throughout its travel. I guess this makes a bit of sense with all the tubes in there, etc.

Pretty cool.