New Quilter bass amp!

[shwashwa]

I haven't tried that combination yet, but I'll give it a whirl!

you have this combo? im sending you a pm....

 

[Brad Johnson]

While I also like the filters and saw them as a selling point with the BB800 in their uniqueness and efficacy, Quilter listened to feedback from users in making that decision, so regardless of preference, they made the change based on feedback that (the most vocal of) their customers provided. Saying a "step backward" is purely a subjective assessment based on personal preference and should probably be prefaced as so, otherwise its not really a fair and accurate portrayal of the company's efforts and development, based on user feedback they've received.

Ultimately, I would have liked to have seen a 4 band EQ, AND the filters, but whatever.

Sorry but it's not purely subjective... unless you don't see the original two controls as something new for a bass head, returning to traditional controls is not a step forward or a lateral move. Which direction is left... backwards. Or up or down?


It's moving towards the status quo. From an obviously advanced place. I really can't say I get your perspective. It's like the new Corvette coming out with drum brakes and lap belts. That's not progress.

 

[tombowlus]

you have this combo? im sending you a pm....

I currently have one of each of the Quilter cabs in my possession.

 

[RBASS930]

The Bass Dock cabs should have come with their own right angle speaker cables included. Mine did.
Why did you have to dime the 100hz?

Had my first gig with the 802 and the two BassDock cabs (1x12, 1x10). Note, if you get the BassDock 1x10, you will need some right angle speaker cables (which I did not have) if you want to "dock" the BB800/802 in the back. I probably could have just put the BD112 on top of the BD110, but I had room to set the head next to the cabs, so that's what I did (and I normally like the "smaller" cab on top).

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As you can see, this was an outdoor gig, and I had generous PA support. The Quilter rig did a great job of providing stage volume without overwhelming my bandmates/singer. I did run the 100Hz control turned way up (almost dimed), but it sounded great, and the cabs handled it just fine.

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[J.Wolf]

I really don't get your perspective.

I dont think I can clarify it any further by reiterating it again.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I agree.

Just curious... did Quilter listen to users who love the controls?

 

[J.Wolf]

Sorry but it's not purely subjective... unless you don't see the original two controls as something new for a bass head, returning to traditional controls is not a step forward or a lateral move. Which direction is left... backwards. Or up or down?


It's moving towards the status quo. From an obviously advanced place. I really can't say I get your perspective. It's like the new Corvette coming out with drum brakes and lap belts. That's not progress.

If you make a product and the user feedback indicates that customers want something particularly different, and you release a new product that speaks to the desires of your customers, I dont really see how thats a step backwards, unless you're weighing the "step" based on your own particular desires, as opposed to what your market is telling you. Like I said, I get that you (and I) think the filters are really cool and unique and a selling point for the BB800. Obviously, the majority of people who provided feedback to Quilter felt otherwise. Thats all I'm saying.

 

[tombowlus]

The Bass Dock cabs should have come with their own right angle speaker cables included. Mine did.
Why did you have to dime the 100hz?

The cabs they sent me did not come with cables. Regarding the EQ, that's just what sounded best, though I would note that we were outside, so no room reinforcement.

 

[J.Wolf]

Should they have produced a BB802 A for people who wanted a 4 band EQ, and a BB802 B for people who wanted to keep the filters? That'd be a weird move. Clearly they received more feedback in favor of the EQ, otherwise they'd be pretty dumb to specifically elicit feedback and run with it in the opposite direction.

 

[J.Wolf]

This is a silly waste of clickety clack. I think both of our points have been made. No ill will Brad whatsoever, I respect you as a smart, experienced, insightful person and valuable contributor to TB's dialog.

 

[Brad Johnson]

If you make a product and the user feedback indicates that customers want something particularly different, and you release a new product that speaks to the desires of your customers, I dont really see how thats a step backwards, unless you're weighing the "step" based on your own particular desires, as opposed to what your market is telling you. Like I said, I get that you (and I) think the filters are really cool and unique and a selling point for the BB800. Obviously, the majority of people who provided feedback to Quilter felt otherwise. Thats all I'm saying.

Did the majority feel otherwise? You say obviously, based on what?

I'm not weighing the step based on personal desires, in fact I laid out exactly what it's based on... the difference between the two heads. So unless you think (not feel) that the 802 is not a more traditional EQ layout like I do... what does feelings have to do with this?

If this is not a replacement, rather a second option, the majority of these conversations would be moot. Who cares what another model does if the current model is ongoing? Pick your poison. But most companies don't make incremental changes and keep both versions.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Should they have produced a BB802 A for people who wanted a 4 band EQ, and a BB802 B for people who wanted to keep the filters? That'd be a weird move. Clearly they received more feedback in favor of the EQ, otherwise they'd be pretty dumb to specifically elicit feedback and run with it in the opposite direction.

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And by your logic the majority of the feedback was lose the XLR out.

 

[Low Class]

A quote from someone I know who talked to Quilter at NAMM:

"I've talked to Quilter at NAMM, and they said within 6 months, they should have a new version of the BB800 that incorporates a lot of new features that people wished the first one had, but with the same power module as the first one."

 

[Brad Johnson]

This is a silly waste of clickety clack. I think both of our points have been made. No ill will Brad whatsoever, I respect you as a smart, experienced, insightful person and valuable contributor to TB's dialog.

I look at it as two views being articulated. Of course I respect you, always have.

And it's feedback for the brand, for better or worse. At this point I have no idea what they do with it. I tried to imagine the large feedback that asked for an industry standard item to be removed. Because...?

 

[el murdoque]

I've never owned a BB, but have a warm spot in my heart for the old model because of its simplicity.
If I was to choose between the 800 and the 802, I'd take the 800 in a heartbeat.
Here's why:
I have absolutely no use whatsoever for an XLR input into my amp. My amp does my bass, nothing else.
I can understand that people might want an input for playing along to music that comes from a different source.
That source will usually connect via 1/8" TRS. I can make that connection with what I have at home, but that would require the use of two adapters. One from XLR to 1/4" TRS and then another one from 1/4" to 1/8".
Of course, there are 1/8" to XLR cables, but I only own one of these to connect my Neumann KH120A speakers to my PC and that one is 1/8" to 2x XLR. I'm well equipped with all sorts of cables and adapters otherwise.
So this seems a bit unnecessary in my limited view. I'd rather have used a 1/8" plug or went all the way and added bluetooth for that, so the iPhone users can connect their phones.
Enlighten me if there is another use for an additional input into a bass amp. Because another thing I don't really get is why the headphone jack is gone. To me, an amp that has all the bells and whistles for home practice needs to be able to do three things.
1. Sound good at relatively low volume levels
2. Offer the possibility to play with headphones
3. Accept my MP3 player so I can play along
So why is there an input in an atypical configuration and no phone out?

OTOH there's the issue with the DI output. I'd have to use an adapter here to go from TRS to XLR.
To me, this looks like that amp needs three adapters to do what other amps do with a 1/8" aux in and an XLR out.
People in this thread complain about it not having a DI out despite the unit having one, that's just not XLR, but 1/4" TRS.
The stages I get on have an XLR cable lying around for me to connect. FOH people are not that much into bass amps. For most of those I work with, 1/4" equals unbalanced and XLR equals balanced. I've had that discussion more than once with a unit that lacks the XLR, but provides TRS balanced out. I've even brought a DI on occasion to skip that.

So, in the untrained eye of an outsider, Quilter seems to have made the following changes:
-Adding a second Speakon output. The old unit had Speakon and 1/4" outs and was able to connect to multiple speakers without a daisychain already, now it can fit two Speakon cables. Not an issue for me. My cabs each have two ports that accept either Speakon or 1/4" so any configuration with any speaker cable works anyway.
-Replacing the XLR out with 1/4" TRS. Big issue, see above.
-Replacing the XLR in with a multi use plug that accepts all cables except those I'd want to use.
-Ditching the unique EQ section for a conventional 4 band EQ. Well, this just made the amp more common.
-Addition of an FX loop. I don't see why a minimalistic amp design has to feature one of those.
I've rarely had a use for that loop on a bass amp anyway - and when I did, It was to add reverb after I created Overdrive by clipping the preamp. As far as I know, the BB is not meant to do that at all, but rather a clean amp. So what use has that loop?

 

[J.Wolf]

Yeah, who knows. I agree, I doubt they received overwhelming feedback to drop the XLR out.

I just know that they did get a lot of feedback toward moving to a traditional EQ. Whether that was a good decision for any number of reasons is a different question.

So, I'll just put my wishlist out there for the "BB800(V2)": 4 band eq, dual filters, XLR output, XLR input, a partridge in a pear tree

 

[J.Wolf]

why have I never understood the need for 2 speaker jacks on a single channel amp? is daisy chaining 2 cabs together off one input not the exact same thing that the amp "sees" as individual lines from the amp to the speakers. Ditch one speakon, add the 'XLR out' back in, DONE

 

[tombowlus]

why have I never understood the need for 2 speaker jacks on a single channel amp? is daisy chaining 2 cabs together off one input not the exact same thing that the amp "sees" as individual lines from the amp to the speakers. Ditch one speakon, add the 'XLR out' back in, DONE

Well, if the cabs only have one jack...

 

[J.Wolf]

Well, if the cabs only have one jack...

I suppose so. I dont think I've ever owned a cab with one jack, but I know they're out there.

 

[tombowlus]

I suppose so. I dont think I've ever owned a cab with one jack, but I know they're out there.

All the Quilter cabs have only one jack.