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Quilter Bass Block v803
- Thread starter gtirard
- Start date
Mine showed up yesterday, I like it a lot.
I mostly play double bass so I'm hoping this provides a nicer electric bass tone and a good clean power amp sound for my acoustic friendly preamp- so far so good. The Quilter would be replacing my Acoustic Image Clarus SL.
Bad:
•Why, for the love of god, are the speakons upside down????
•This amp is overpowered for my needs. I'm currently using a GR AT110 at 4ohms, would be easier at 8ohms. With a 4ohm cab it will be a little tough to take advantage of the qtube dirt at a volume I can use.
•The v803 is quite a bit noisier than my Clarus. Some of that is fan noise, and I was playing at apartment volumes, but there's also extra high frequency buzz. Anyone else experience this? Not a dealbreaker, but a little surprising. Doesn't change with ground lift settings.
Good:
•I tried a BB800 a while ago and the V803 is much better to my ears. I really like the 3 preamp options, especially the warm setting.
•The EQ is good, much better than the AI Clarus. Actually one of the main reasons I feel unhappy with the Clarus- I find the EQ points pretty unhelpful.
•Front panel layout is great, from switches to knobs to jacks to power switch. I especially like the angled panel for easier adjustments in tight quarters.
•The amp actually sounds quite good with double bass as long as the gain / limiter is low.
Warm setting:
I think this is the real winner about this amp. I read earlier in this thread about someone feeling the bb800 and 802 felt too smooth, I kinda hear that with the modern setting. Strangely I think the warm setting has more highs / articulation with my p-bass and double bass.
I mostly play double bass so I'm hoping this provides a nicer electric bass tone and a good clean power amp sound for my acoustic friendly preamp- so far so good. The Quilter would be replacing my Acoustic Image Clarus SL.
Bad:
•Why, for the love of god, are the speakons upside down????
•This amp is overpowered for my needs. I'm currently using a GR AT110 at 4ohms, would be easier at 8ohms. With a 4ohm cab it will be a little tough to take advantage of the qtube dirt at a volume I can use.
•The v803 is quite a bit noisier than my Clarus. Some of that is fan noise, and I was playing at apartment volumes, but there's also extra high frequency buzz. Anyone else experience this? Not a dealbreaker, but a little surprising. Doesn't change with ground lift settings.
Good:
•I tried a BB800 a while ago and the V803 is much better to my ears. I really like the 3 preamp options, especially the warm setting.
•The EQ is good, much better than the AI Clarus. Actually one of the main reasons I feel unhappy with the Clarus- I find the EQ points pretty unhelpful.
•Front panel layout is great, from switches to knobs to jacks to power switch. I especially like the angled panel for easier adjustments in tight quarters.
•The amp actually sounds quite good with double bass as long as the gain / limiter is low.
Warm setting:
I think this is the real winner about this amp. I read earlier in this thread about someone feeling the bb800 and 802 felt too smooth, I kinda hear that with the modern setting. Strangely I think the warm setting has more highs / articulation with my p-bass and double bass.
Got a couple hours so far with the V803 at home. I really like the look of the amp and the controls feel "right" when turning knobs and flipping switches. I plugged straight into the amp and (as suggested in the manual) put my tuner in the effects loop. The flat input and modern setting with all EQ at noon indeed sounds like my BB800. My question today was whether I can find settings that make my Aguilar THDI redundant.
To cut to the chase…jury's still out. But I like the different voices and really like how the scoop input sounds. I think what I hear is how the limiter interacts with the warm voice engaged and the scoop input. The lows are solid and highs bite a little with a bump to the treble EQ. I'm hoping to get a band rehearsal in this weekend for more testing and experiments.
To cut to the chase…jury's still out. But I like the different voices and really like how the scoop input sounds. I think what I hear is how the limiter interacts with the warm voice engaged and the scoop input. The lows are solid and highs bite a little with a bump to the treble EQ. I'm hoping to get a band rehearsal in this weekend for more testing and experiments.
Got mine yesterday, I have an amp that I love )Fuchs FBS 700) but really wanted to try out the v803 to see if it would give me a bit more versatility. I did an A/B test today - I have two of the same cabinets and an ABY pedal, so it was easy to do a thorough comparison. Very impressed with the v803 - very clean when set flat, but takes eq tweaks very well. The Voice switch differences are subtle but definitely usable.
After an hour os so of use, I've decided that the Fuchs is the keeper. If I didnt already have the Fuchs, the 803 would stay, but I don't need both. I thought that I'd put a feeler on this thread before putting the Quilter up on the classifieds. I purchased the v803 at the BF price with a Quilter bag, I'm willing to pass it along to someone at that price and I'll eat shipping ($630 including the bag). Only out of the box for an hour to do my side-by-side. PM me if you are interested.
After an hour os so of use, I've decided that the Fuchs is the keeper. If I didnt already have the Fuchs, the 803 would stay, but I don't need both. I thought that I'd put a feeler on this thread before putting the Quilter up on the classifieds. I purchased the v803 at the BF price with a Quilter bag, I'm willing to pass it along to someone at that price and I'll eat shipping ($630 including the bag). Only out of the box for an hour to do my side-by-side. PM me if you are interested.
I think the P-bass is a common reference, therefore understandable why you often see one in demo videos.
Just for the record, the basses I've used thru my 803 now include:
P-basses (Road Worn and '62)
Lakland Skyline Darryl Jones 4 (Jazz clone)
MTD 6-string
Stingray V
Bluesman Vintage El Dorado V (Jazz)
It sounds equally great with all of them.
Different cabs too: Mesa Subway 212, EA VL-110 (x2), EA VL-210 - all good.
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Thats great, thanks! Unfortunately delivery has been delayed until Monday so I won't get to try it at band practice this weekend. Looking forward to running through it.
Having second thoughts, worked with this amp again and its really pretty special. So am going to put the
Fuchs up on the block, if it doesnt sell I have another week to send the Quilter back and keep the Fuchs. Either would meet my needs, but the Quilter is a bit more versatile and I love the small form factor!
Mine came in today. Initial thoughts are very positive. Love the warm setting with the scoop input as many here have said. I dig the Qtube setting too with the gain about halfway. I'll have a short band practice tonight to give it a try in the mix.
No, I have a pair of RevSound 112s - I actually preferred the 12s to the 15, at least when using just one. Great combo with the 803
Only tired it for a bit and it seems fine, had a finger injury on my right hand so not playing much atm. I used to have an 800 and liked it alot with DB, but basically used it like a power amp with preamp in front.
Oddly my headphone jack doesn't work. Anyone else have this problem or am I doing something wrong? I'm using a basic pair of Samson SR850 32 ohm.
Edit: nevermind. It appears the headphone only works if you unplug the speakon cable from the back of the amp. That wasn't clear from the owner's manual or maybe I just missed that.
Edit: nevermind. It appears the headphone only works if you unplug the speakon cable from the back of the amp. That wasn't clear from the owner's manual or maybe I just missed that.
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- Apr 3, 2003
- 35,518
- 19,954
- Disclosures
- Editor-in-Chief, Bass Gear Magazine
Presumably, some folks prefer a scooped tone/sound, and it's an easy and fast way to accomplish that. Personally, I also prefer the flat input, but different strokes for different folks, I guess.
My understanding is the scoop input converts the EQ into something closer to Fender tonestack. I haven't had an opportunity to hear it in a loud mix yet. I may prefer the flat input at gig volume.
I still wonder why is it a second input, and not a switch though.
Is there any kind of technical reason, or is it a sort of strange "smart reasoning" on Pat Quilter's side, like for example "we have to offer two inputs anyway, and we want to offer a new 'scooped' profile, so let's make 2 in 1".
There are a lot of small other details like this in the amp that are very well thought out, like the ability to use the FX return for as an aux input, so it could be an attempt at being smart regarding the scooped input, but I still think it would be more practicle to use a simple switch.
It always annoys me not to understand the designer's intend…
Anybody knows or guesses why they did it that way?
It's funny because I really dislike the Fender tonestack (at least in all the Rumble amps I've played), but I like the 803's scooped input, even at high volume. I don't think it sounds like a Fender. I think it sounds more like a SVT (especially with the Qtube setting).
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I also getting a low volume but still audible buzz through my tweeter in my cab in both the warm and qtube settings, but not when switched to the modern setting. It might be enough to make me send the back. Anyone have this problem?
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