Well, the clock ran out n my option to return the V803 so it's staying. I couldn't decide between it and the BB800. It came down to what the V803 does differently for me. And, it does those different things better than the other amps that I have….
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Quilter Bass Block v803
- Thread starter gtirard
- Start date
As problems go, this is not a very bad one.
As problems go, this is not a very bad one.
I really wanted it to be a clear cut decision but I promise you that I'm not mad about the outcome. I wanted to prefer one over the other but I really like both amps. Ideally I would have possibly used the funds from selling the BB800 or returning the V803 to try another amp that I'm curious about. I may still eventually try that other amo but not at the expense of either Quilter….
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The Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 Bass. Totally different than the V803….
It really does! I had an offer on a used one a few days ago for $499 . I almost jumped on it but the fact that I hadn't decided what I was going to do with the V803 probably had an impact on why I didn't….
I have an 803 (used) coming in this week...it will go head-to-head with my EBS Reidmar. I'm ditching my BBE BMax rig for cheap. Figure some local kid on a budget can use it.
Re: SD PowerStage. I'm not sensing the same enthusiasm as when the new Quilter offerings hit the market.
Riis
Re: SD PowerStage. I'm not sensing the same enthusiasm as when the new Quilter offerings hit the market.
Riis
Same. I think Quilter already built a solid reputation with bassists with their previous heads. As far as I know, this is Seymour Duncan's first bass head. You gotta start somewhere, but I know a lot of people, myself included, are a little skeptical of 1st model year cars — maybe that carries over to bass heads too?
Played a show yesterday with my 803 and as the sound guy was taking a DI he said "cool, Quilter. Don't see a lot of those, but they always sound good." Then as he swept his arm across the stage indicating all the mains and subs he added "Of course we have a lot of experience with Quilter with QSC."
I remember seeing one a couple decades ago...one....can't recall the model. Is the 803's XLR mic or line level?
Riis
I encountered an SD bass head maybe 20 years ago, backlined. It was something like 350 watts, probably hybrid, nothing too memorable except that I too was surprised to see it. I do recall that it seemed like it was about 3 rack spaces and I wondered why …All I got.
Instrument.
From the manual (my emphasis added):
The XLR Line Out on the back is pre-Master, and therefore the level isregulated only by the Gain control on the amp and guitar. To set consolelevel, turn Master well down, dial in your intended preamp settings, and havethe sound operator adjust their input gain for a good level. The amp Mastermay then be adjusted on stage as desired without changing the peak levelsto the console. Signal level is approximately -6dB, and will contain all thepreamp's tone and breakup (if used).
It's a XLR Line Out with cab sim and ground switch. It is post-EQ and pre-master, not selectable (I say pre-master because on the 800 the Line Out was affected by the master volume)
I too don't really care for the SD PowerStage, but I'd love to try the new GR Bass Groove 800 - Like the Quilter and the SD it can be super clean or have a strong character, but it's an hybrid amp (with preamp tubes). But it doesn't seem to be very successful for the moment, I can't find any review several months after the launch.
I think there are much too many great bass amps already available today and the market is too small for new products like the SD PowerStage or the GR Bass Groove 800.
Post EQ changes things. I better grab that manual and check again. I don't want my EQ going to the front.
I agree and I'm not sure why that is. It's still an amp that I'm curious about though. I don't need it but I really didn't need the V803 either!
Yeah, I don't understand why they insist on not providing a pre-post switch like almost all others do?
Personally I don't mind, because if the sound guy prefers a pre signal, I know he's going to lend me a DI box (bass into DI, Di out to board and DI through to the Quilter), and when I want a DI out from my amp I also want to get the EQ as well - with the cab sim I see the XLR out almost like a miced cab.
But I know a lot of people prefer to have the choice, and the pre-post switch is now almost an industry standard, so why the hell do they insist on being original on that topic, I don't understand…
I'm curious about the Groove also but it's about twice the cost of the Quilter & SD heads.
Well, in Europe the Quilter and the SD both cost 700€, and the Groove 809 costs 1.085€. It's not the double, and it's an hybrid amp.
It is significantly less expensive than the Genzler Kinetix 800, Mesa Subway TT800 or WD800 (at least in Europe).
Anyway, I'm curious but I've got too many great amps to justify anything, so…
My curiousity is more like "if I had to start from the scratch and buy a bass amp today…"
Here, the Quilter & SD would cost slightly under $600€ and that's a no haggle price for a new unit. I'm positive that I can get one for less than that. I can most likely find a decent deal on the Groove also.
My current amp stable is probably the best overall group that I've ever owned and neither of them is very exotic or extravagant. Just a group of solid amps that were relatively cost effective for me to acquire and I feel comfortable with each of them.
Depending on the vibe that is needed I may opt to choose one of them over another. At times in the past I've had some individual gear pieces that were upper level but there was a significant drop off between those and the next options. Not really the case with my current lineup….
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