Quilter Bass Block v803

[MrVentures]

I've been eyeing the BassBlocks for a while as a small, powerful, great-sounding power amp to use with my pedalboard preamps.

I'm very interested in the "warm" and "qtube" options on the new 803, but I'm wondering where they fall in the signal path. I'd exclusively be using this amp via the FX return, so if they're part of the preamp section then there's little drawing me to the 803 over the 802.

I read the manual and by the descriptions therein it sounds like they would logically be a part of the power section, but I can't find any mention of their placement nor a block diagram or description of the signal flow to confirm.

I may send Quilter an email to find out unless anyone here (@tombowlus ?) knows.

+1. Let us know if you hear from Quilter about this, please!

Any double-duty players out that there that have experience using this amp line for both electric bass and electric guitar (via a preamp pedal or two)? Maybe @OkayistBassist has an opinion if a QSC CP or K powered speaker would be better for this?

 

[Michael Vee]

Definitely some weird design decisions. I don't think this one is for me but cool to see another bass amp hit the market.

I see people alluding to it not being built in the USA, where is it built?

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/quilter-bass-block-v803.1660858/#post-28701267

 

[gtirard]

Title of this video: "Is the Quilter V803 THE BEST BASS AMP?!"
Title of the Bass The World the World video: "IS THIS THE PERFECT BASS AMP? | Quilter Bass Block V803"

@tombowlus if you do your own video and/or write a review, I suggest you call it:

"Quilter V803 - is this the ultimate bass amp?" or "Quilter V803: bass amp made perfect?"

 

[lermgalieu]

I don't need an amp and I don't have money but Quilter finally ticked all the boxes for me....

 

[Verticos]

Got an super swift reply from Quilter customer support:

Like our guitar amps, putting a preamp into the FX Return will ultimately bypass the preamp of the Bass Block, so you won't get any coloration of the voicings when doing this.

What a bummer. The manual really makes it sound like they're part of the power amp section. From the manual, emphasis mine:

MODERN
This setting duplicates the performance of the Bass Block 802, Our
exclusive dual limiter prevents lower strings from bottoming out, even
on high BASS settings, without choking or gagging the upper strings.
Dynamic range is optimized, with a feeling of “grunt” or “effort” replacing
the usual breakup at peak power. The power amp is “tight” with a high
damping factor that keeps the speakers under control. Power delivery
depends on speaker impedance, with up to 450W into 8 ohms and over
800W into 4 ohms.

WARM
This position retains the dual limiter system for “bottomless” bass
performance, but changes the amplifier impedance to “loosen up” the
sound of most speakers, producing a warm “old-school” bass response
normally associated with vintage tube amps. The rated power varies from
450 to 500W into either 8 or 4 ohm load, but due to the added voltage
swing into resonant frequencies, the overall volume level sounds as big
as the MODERN setting.

QTUBE
This position uses the same amplifier character as WARM, but replaces
the limiter system with a tube-like clipping circuit, providing a smooth
transition from clean to breakup, similar to classic tube amps. Power at
breakup ranges from 450W to 500 W into 8 and 4 ohm loads.

Maybe it's that there are components controlled by the Voice switch in both the pre and power sections. Still, that's a shame for my hopeful usecase. Maybe I phrased my question poorly and they got too stuck on "of course an external preamp into the FX return bypasses the onboard pre, dummy". Oh well, staircase wit.

In any case, if the amp is flat enough with all the controls at noon, I could still run my pre into the normal input.

 

[gtirard]

I've been eyeing the BassBlocks for a while as a small, powerful, great-sounding power amp to use with my pedalboard preamps.

I'm very interested in the "warm" and "qtube" options on the new 803, but I'm wondering where they fall in the signal path. I'd exclusively be using this amp via the FX return, so if they're part of the preamp section then there's little drawing me to the 803 over the 802.

I read the manual and by the descriptions therein it sounds like they would logically be a part of the power section, but I can't find any mention of their placement nor a block diagram or description of the signal flow to confirm.

I may send Quilter an email to find out unless anyone here (@tombowlus ?) knows.

Got an super swift reply from Quilter customer support:

What a bummer. The manual really makes it sound like they're part of the power amp section...

I'm not sure I understand your problem: if you want an uncolored platform, you can enter into the Line in of the 800, or the FX return of the 802 or v803, and you get a neutral power amp.

If you want tube amp emulation, you can enter in the regular input of the 803.

It seems that a lot of players consider that it's a sacriledge to plug a pedalboard or an external preamp into the instrument input of a Quilter, but there's no issue. I'm doing this with my BB800, it works fine. And I know I'm not the only one.

If you fear that the accumulation of several EQ stages would deteriorate the tone, simply leave the EQ knobs of the Quilter at noon, it won't color the sound, but you will benefit from the Quilter's preamp - the Quilter's gain stage has a nice limiter, very musical (you don't hear it with the gain knob set low, and it starts to give the nice feel of tube compression when you increase the gain passed twelve). With the 803, you would get this + tube grit with the "warm" and "Qtube" voices.

 

[Verticos]

I'm not sure I understand your problem: if you want an uncolored platform, you can enter into the Line in of the 800, or the FX return of the 802 or v803, and you get a neutral power amp.

If you want tube amp emulation, you can enter in the regular input of the 803.

It seems that a lot of players consider that it's a sacriledge to plug a pedalboard or an external preamp into the instrument input of a Quilter, but there's no issue. I'm doing this with my BB800, it works fine. And I know I'm not the only one.

If you fear that the accumulation of several EQ stages would deteriorate the tone, simply leave the EQ knobs of the Quilter at noon, it won't color the sound, but you will benefit from the Quilter's preamp - the Quilter's gain stage has a nice limiter, very musical (you don't hear it with the gain knob set low, and it starts to give the nice feel of tube compression when you increase the gain passed twelve). With the 803, you would get this + tube grit with the "warm" and "Qtube" voices.

I think you're probably right that going into the normal input on the BassBlock would work just fine for me.

My reason for trepidation is this: there are some amps (Fender Rumble series jumps to mind) that have a pretty pronounced EQ curve even when set with all the knobs at noon. Without diagrams published by Quilter or careful measurements done by someone in the community, to me this is a black box that I can't peer into. I tend to avoid plugging my preamp into other onboard preamps because of this unknown factor. But I'm sure that there are a lot of amps where noon on all the controls is genuinely flat, and maybe the Quilters are some of them!

 

[Michael Vee]

Can I have two instruments plugged into the two inputs? Because having one instrument plugged into my pedal board going into the Flat channel, while another bass plugs straight into a Fender tone stack, is kind of the perfect setup for me.

From the user manual: "The two inputs are not designed to support two instruments at the same time. The Flat input disconnects the Scoop input. However, a second instrument could be connected to Scoop, and become active when unplugging Flat."

 

[Michael Vee]

I'm not sure I understand your problem: if you want an uncolored platform, you can enter into the Line in of the 800, or the FX return of the 802 or v803, and you get a neutral power amp.

If you want tube amp emulation, you can enter in the regular input of the 803.

It seems that a lot of players consider that it's a sacriledge to plug a pedalboard or an external preamp into the instrument input of a Quilter, but there's no issue. I'm doing this with my BB800, it works fine. And I know I'm not the only one.

If you fear that the accumulation of several EQ stages would deteriorate the tone, simply leave the EQ knobs of the Quilter at noon, it won't color the sound, but you will benefit from the Quilter's preamp - the Quilter's gain stage has a nice limiter, very musical (you don't hear it with the gain knob set low, and it starts to give the nice feel of tube compression when you increase the gain passed twelve). With the 803, you would get this + tube grit with the "warm" and "Qtube" voices.

Well answered, gtirard.

Some of the questions here seem to be from people who might not have seen the official BB800 Club thread. Gtirard has been a part of that thread since way back.

Beginning of Club thread *** Last page of Club thread

Speculative discussion about v803 started there earlier this year. We actually had a picture of the prototype pretty early on.

 

[Michael Vee]

For some of the questions, just read the manual here.

One question that’s not answered is what the “auto” setting for the XLR does.

It really isn't answered! Did Quilter assume that it's intuitive? Makes you wonder if it's a hum auto-sense of some kind. If so, is that really necessary? Sounds like another email question for Mr. Q is in order. I bet he's getting quite a few right now.

edit- email is away. I'll post Pat's reply. I also asked him about whether a carry bag is included. I don't think the BB802 included one, so v803 may not have one either. Particularly at the price point, and considering the v803 is made in China. SQUEEZE.

 

[mikeynets]

It really isn't answered! Did Quilter assume that it's intuitive? Makes you wonder if it's a hum auto-sense of some kind. If so, is that really necessary? Sounds like another email question for Mr. Q is in order. I bet he's getting quite a few right now.

edit- email is away. I'll post Pat's reply. I also asked him about whether a carry bag is included. I don't think the BB802 included one, so v803 may not have one either.

In the video shared by @gtirard in post #43 — the reviewer/presenter says that auto xlr refers to the ground lift i.e. when you put it in auto mode, the amp detects whether or not a ground lift is needed. I don't understand how that would work, but there's a lot I don't understand : )

 

[gtirard]

I think you're probably right that going into the normal input on the BassBlock would work just fine for me.

My reason for trepidation is this: there are some amps (Fender Rumble series jumps to mind) that have a pretty pronounced EQ curve even when set with all the knobs at noon. Without diagrams published by Quilter or careful measurements done by someone in the community, to me this is a black box that I can't peer into. I tend to avoid plugging my preamp into other onboard preamps because of this unknown factor. But I'm sure that there are a lot of amps where noon on all the controls is genuinely flat, and maybe the Quilters are some of them!

Yes. Trust the users. I know the Rumble, but noon on the Quilter sound flat. Period.

 

[kesslari]

I haven't played through it, but color me impressed!

 

[JohnnyBottom]

So having the the 802 what does it buy me ...really?
A variable mid, nice, but Id probably set around 1k anyway, then 1 less EQ control. A real XLR which I would love, the voicing?
I bet the Warm would fit my playing with a pick in a good way, but not thrilled with the power cut, but maybe not a problem.
Im not jumping in just yet...

 

[Jazzdogg]

Looks nice at a surprisingly low price.

Is it rated to handle a 2.67 Ohm load?

Wish it had a built-in variable HPF.

 

[KPJ]

Mine arrives tomorrow and I hope to test it out. I'm hosting an open mic Thursday and maybe this week some other bass players will show up so I can hear it when someone else is playing. I love my 802 but it seems like this gives me some other options that I've been trying to obtain by using outboard pedals.

 

[pisces_bass]

If the warm and qtube modes are convincing… and I have no reason to doubt Quilter…I can see myself going back to just a tuner between me and the amp.

 

[Hamrlik]

The BB800 was probably the cleanest/hardest hitting little amp I've ever played through. When I stopped gigging for a while I sold it. I'm back in the game now and will definitely be picking one of these up. They also came in at about $300-500 less than I thought they would.

 

[lomo]

I think you're probably right that going into the normal input on the BassBlock would work just fine for me.

My reason for trepidation is this: there are some amps (Fender Rumble series jumps to mind) that have a pretty pronounced EQ curve even when set with all the knobs at noon. Without diagrams published by Quilter or careful measurements done by someone in the community, to me this is a black box that I can't peer into. I tend to avoid plugging my preamp into other onboard preamps because of this unknown factor. But I'm sure that there are a lot of amps where noon on all the controls is genuinely flat, and maybe the Quilters are some of them!

Why not just plug into its FX return & bypass its preamp completely=ample power + DI at a great price per watt with a built in full-featured backup. There's not enough here for me to want the 803 over my 802, which serves me perfectly well, but if I were in the market for a new head, this would be the lead dawg. I ended up with 2 802s because of a recent trade, so I am selfishly a bit bummed that if I want to sell one of those its value has prolly dropped a bit, but whatevs.

 

[Pernick]

If the warm and qtube modes are convincing… and I have no reason to doubt Quilter…I can see myself going back to just a tuner between me and the amp.

Yeah, I've been waffling between a new amp and studio monitors as a bedroom player, and have had my eye on a Quilter. I built a pedal board and run headphones through an audio interface now, and feels like that might be a bit redundant if I get an 803. This and waiting for a speakon connection Quilter cabinet is the only thing stopping me from pulling the trigger.