Jule Amps Monique

[BurningSkies]

Anyhoo... My preamp ships on monday. That is all.

 

[JimmyM]

Man, this Monique gets around like a hooker at a political convention!

 

[zuma]

Anyhoo... My preamp ships on monday. That is all.

Me too!

 

[shwashwa]

more pictures please

 

[juledude]

You certainly are not.

As I prepared instructions to fix the mis-wiring it became apparent (talking with customers) that I might be jumping the gun. Two customers in the suspect 5 have contacted me and said they do not have any level issues.

Because of that question, I am going to receive the first unit in the shop before I publish a fix.

Scheduled to be here Wednesday 6,20.

That way I won't further abuse my customers by having them look for something that isn't there.

Yep. Jule called me this evening to discuss. Mine is already being shipped back to him, so rather than send a 'replacement' I've just asked for him to fix/send the unit back, saving him, I hope a bunch of hassle. Monique will be well traveled by the time I get to use it on stage.

It also makes me feel like I'm not nuts and stuff...I was worried it would get back to Jule and he'd say 'what, there's nothing wrong here!?!'...you know, like when you bring the car in for a noise and the mechanic can't make it happen.

 

[chadds]

I was at the illustrious Pete Cage's to tube roll some 6SL7s. He said bring your rig. So I did.

While I was testing he says, "oh thats got a little more browning toast going for it". He admitted it was a BS phrase he uses like, "it needs more purple".

RCA clear airy transparent sweet.
Sylvania airy but muddy gritty just in low mids.
GE ok and if you didn't try anything else it would be great.
JAN Phillips Suhweet and clear and airy.
The JAN Phillips and the RCA came home.
None were microphonic in the first position.

Tube rolling is a slippery slope. It can get subtle and subjective.
The Jule Monique sounds outstanding with it's stock complement.
In fact it's stock tubes were better than the ones I did not choose.
Slippery slope.

 

[BurningSkies]

You certainly are not.

As I prepared instructions to fix the mis-wiring it became apparent (talking with customers) that I might be jumping the gun. Two customers in the suspect 5 have contacted me and said they do not have any level issues.

Because of that question, I am going to receive the first unit in the shop before I publish a fix.

Scheduled to be here Wednesday 6,20.

That way I won't further abuse my customers by having them look for something that isn't there.

Thanks Jule! I know I'm interested to find out the deal. I've had the FedEx Tracking on this unit up on my computer all week. Its good to know that not all the units originally thought to be a problem were. I hope you're not losing sleep over things...I know you've spent a lot of time working through this. Life's too short. Let me ask you this...I know you said that you originally suspected 5 units, and now a couple of those have said they have no problems. Have the other remaining owners said they're experiencing this, or have the just not said anything and maybe its just the one I had?

 

[metron]

So far mine is at the expected level of "shipping soon" so i dont have any issues to report. Just so everyone knows.

 

[juledude]

I don't expect to hear from every customer, but I admit I would like to. Puts the finish on the work. No, I haven't heard from everyone. The batch I suspected mis-wired were built as a unit. Others were built at a different time.

You would be surprised at how many different combinations are out there. I continue to be. Some folks only use Line Out. Some only use XLR into a mic cable on stage. Some folks change gear a lot. I expect Monique to work with it all.

I appreciate your support very much. Thank you.

Thanks Jule! I know I'm interested to find out the deal. I've had the FedEx Tracking on this unit up on my computer all week. Its good to know that not all the units originally thought to be a problem were. I hope you're not losing sleep over things...I know you've spent a lot of time working through this. Life's too short. Let me ask you this...I know you said that you originally suspected 5 units, and now a couple of those have said they have no problems. Have the other remaining owners said they're experiencing this, or have the just not said anything and maybe its just the one I had?

 

[BurningSkies]

Thanks Jule.

I think we talked about it, but I'll pretty much be using the Line Out to feed my amplifier, which for me is probably 90+ percent of the time. The DI will be just that, a DI for live sound reinforcement and then for studio work as needed. I play in many setting where my amp is both stage and front end sound, and have a rig that reflects that. I run DI to board for recording, which we do frequently for our own purposes (our rehearsal room is set up for 16 track digital for ease of recording rehearsal and demos anytime we want), although I do bring stuff to the 'big boy' studio when its time to lay down real recordings.

I don't expect to hear from every customer, but I admit I would like to. Puts the finish on the work. No, I haven't heard from everyone. The batch I suspected mis-wired were built as a unit. Others were built at a different time.

You would be surprised at how many different combinations are out there. I continue to be. Some folks only use Line Out. Some only use XLR into a mic cable on stage. Some folks change gear a lot. I expect Monique to work with it all.

I appreciate your support very much. Thank you.

 

[juledude]

Late Sunday (Fathers Day) it all became clear.

The probable mis-wiring of a Rack Mount Monique sent out in the first shipment has led to greater understanding of my customers requirements and significant improvement to Monique.

Here's the deal. . . Now (as of Sunday evening) Monique can drive power amps directly. These are the power amps with a single XLR input jack. Now Monique can drive A/D converters directly. So, Mr. Skies, your 90% requirement can now be met, and your studio requirement is of course still there.

She could not meet your power amp requirement until now.

For over two years Monique has been making music, recordings and performances (Jay Leno among them) around the world without the ability to drive these power amps. Past success doesn't really matter - not good enough.

Nothing changed in the pre-amplifier section of Monique. Nothing changed in the Baxandall EQ of Monique. The changes are in the output driver section only. These changes need to be done here in Santa Cruz.

Another XLR jack will be added to the back of Monique next to the existing Line Out 1/4" jack. It will be an un-balanced XLR single ended Line Out signal. This is the one that will drive power amps.

The existing Balanced Out XLR is still going to be a microphone level output. No change.

I am in great debt to my wonderful, incredibly patient customers, and my engineer friend Si Moorehead (who left his family on Fathers Day to help out).

I am proud to be a part of this bunch.

Thanks Jule.

I think we talked about it, but I'll pretty much be using the Line Out to feed my amplifier, which for me is probably 90+ percent of the time. The DI will be just that, a DI for live sound reinforcement and then for studio work as needed. I play in many setting where my amp is both stage and front end sound, and have a rig that reflects that. I run DI to board for recording, which we do frequently for our own purposes (our rehearsal room is set up for 16 track digital for ease of recording rehearsal and demos anytime we want), although I do bring stuff to the 'big boy' studio when its time to lay down real recordings.

 

[BurningSkies]

Late Sunday (Fathers Day) it all became clear.

The probable mis-wiring of a Rack Mount Monique sent out in the first shipment has led to greater understanding of my customers requirements and significant improvement to Monique.

Here's the deal. . . Now (as of Sunday evening) Monique can drive power amps directly. These are the power amps with a single XLR input jack. Now Monique can drive A/D converters directly. So, Mr. Skies, your 90% requirement can now be met, and your studio requirement is of course still there.

She could not meet your power amp requirement until now.

For over two years Monique has been making music, recordings and performances (Jay Leno among them) around the world without the ability to drive these power amps. Past success doesn't really matter - not good enough.

Nothing changed in the pre-amplifier section of Monique. Nothing changed in the Baxandall EQ of Monique. The changes are in the output driver section only. These changes need to be done here in Santa Cruz.

Another XLR jack will be added to the back of Monique next to the existing Line Out 1/4" jack. It will be an un-balanced XLR single ended Line Out signal. This is the one that will drive power amps.

The existing Balanced Out XLR is still going to be a microphone level output. No change.

I am in great debt to my wonderful, incredibly patient customers, and my engineer friend Si Moorehead (who left his family on Fathers Day to help out).

I am proud to be a part of this bunch.

Wow, thanks for the update Jule! I honestly didn't expect to set off a major design change in the Monique...But I do think you'll find that a lot of guys who are used to having pre/power amp setups will be much happier with the ability to drive their amps appropriately, as well as other users being able to drive 'integrated' bass amps still. I hope I haven't made things too hard on the campus of the Jule Amps Corporate World Headquarters.

I thank you for going above and beyond for me (and us). Its a pleasure to be part of the greater development of this unit, which apparently is growing a personality and individuality of its own, rather than just being a 'black box' version of the original Monique design.

 

[bongomania]

Ooh! That's excellent news, on more than one front. First, I have the same expectations as Burning Skies, and have been vocally critical of preamps that don't meet that need. Second, I love that your response to his input was to take it seriously and consider the possibility, rather than doing what a LOT of other designers do: saying "too bad, this is what I make, and if you don't like it then tough." Third, you actually made it happen!

Big golf clap of appreciation from me. And though I don't have the money to order one right now, I will have to make it happen sometime in the near future.

 

[BurningSkies]

Ooh! That's excellent news, on more than one front. First, I have the same expectations as Burning Skies, and have been vocally critical of preamps that don't meet that need. Second, I love that your response to his input was to take it seriously and consider the possibility, rather than doing what a LOT of other designers do: saying "too bad, this is what I make, and if you don't like it then tough." Third, you actually made it happen!

Big golf clap of appreciation from me. And though I don't have the money to order one right now, I will have to make it happen sometime in the near future.

I agree, Bongo... At least one person I discussed my original low level (which at the time I thought normal for the unit), suggested that I just return it and get a refund. Which is really just what I didn't want to hear.

I'm really surprised and somewhat honored that Jule didn't discount what I was saying. I know from talking with at least one other dedicated Monique user that Jule really is on board to make the Monique the best it can be. And I also know that he's not an electronics crank like many guys who build, create or work on amps CAN be.

Moving from a unit that was intended to go in front of a bass amp, and into a unit that's an integrated rack piece, the expectations of the user ARE different. To the same extent that many of those preamp pedals out there in the world aren't intended to drive power amps either, but to push amplifier front-ends.

 

[Fretless5verfan]

Late Sunday (Fathers Day) it all became clear.

The probable mis-wiring of a Rack Mount Monique sent out in the first shipment has led to greater understanding of my customers requirements and significant improvement to Monique.

Here's the deal. . . Now (as of Sunday evening) Monique can drive power amps directly. These are the power amps with a single XLR input jack. Now Monique can drive A/D converters directly. So, Mr. Skies, your 90% requirement can now be met, and your studio requirement is of course still there.

She could not meet your power amp requirement until now.

For over two years Monique has been making music, recordings and performances (Jay Leno among them) around the world without the ability to drive these power amps. Past success doesn't really matter - not good enough.

Nothing changed in the pre-amplifier section of Monique. Nothing changed in the Baxandall EQ of Monique. The changes are in the output driver section only. These changes need to be done here in Santa Cruz.

Another XLR jack will be added to the back of Monique next to the existing Line Out 1/4" jack. It will be an un-balanced XLR single ended Line Out signal. This is the one that will drive power amps.

The existing Balanced Out XLR is still going to be a microphone level output. No change.

I am in great debt to my wonderful, incredibly patient customers, and my engineer friend Si Moorehead (who left his family on Fathers Day to help out).

I am proud to be a part of this bunch.

Killer

 

[chadds]

Yayyyyyy!!!!

 

[AmazingMumford]

Coming from an Internet-based service company that regularly revises its software for all customers (a big undertaking), I can truly appreciate the effort and commitment to customer service behind a hardware upgrade. Thanks, Jule!

Three outputs--XLR balanced direct out for recording, 1/4" unbalanced for use in front of a bass amp, and XLR unbalanced with higher voltage for driving a power amp--is something I haven't seen before. Oh, the utility!

And to think I'll be in Santa Cruz on July 2 without Monique, who didn't make the trip with me....

 

[BurningSkies]

I'm looking forward to my Monique showing up at the Jule Amps Test Kitchen Facility on Wednesday (I believe mine is the one Jule mentioned above, showing up on 6/20), and I look forward to it being a test bed for whatever changes he's going to roll out. Maybe he'll sign it or write a couple curses to me on the inside.

 

[chadds]

Thank you, Jule!!!

"Jule Amps Corporate World Headquarters"!!!

LOL!!!

 

[BurningSkies]

A quick bump as my lil' Monique has apparently (re)met her maker a few moments ago according to FedEx.

Anyone of the second wave get theirs yet?!?