Quilter Bass Block v803

[UntitledProject]

From the monthly jam I hosted last night. Super happy after its maiden voyage. I used the warm voicing on flat for most of the night and warm on scooped for one set. I was told to bring my "tiny amp" so I used the Trace 2x8. Sounded awesome. The scoop was very evident and there was an SVT type slam, even through the 2x8. There were two other players and I got to hear it in the crowd. The guitarist in the band also plays bass so he played my 73 Jazz and because he likes a more Jaco type tone I set the voicing to modern and boosted treble and high mids and cut back the bass to 10 o'clock. Very pronounced tone and it realy stood out in the trio that he was playing with. The other player had an active 5 string and I left it on the warm voicing. I'll be mounting it in one of my BD12s, but it really pairs nicely with the 2x8. Everyone should have at least one of those cabs, lol.
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I have two of those 2x8's and that is exactly the pairing I was most interested in. Thanks for the info!

 

[eaglemachine]

I gotta get one of these!

 

[ad9000]

The real breaking news here is that Pat shaved off his beard (looks like the long hair and ponytail are gone too). He looks like a different person - I wouldn't have recognized him.

Seriously though, I appreciate all the reports here. The 802 has been my main amp for a couple of years - I love it under most circumstances and it's never broken a sweat even on the loudest gigs, but with the 803, the additional voicings, the XLR out and the lower price are all very appealing. It's great of Quilter to offer the amp at $699 when they could have easily gone upward and still sold a ton of them. I'm sold!

 

[jzucker]

not sure I like the idea of 100hz bass or 2k treble control. Seems like 40-50hz and 4k treble would be better center points....

 

[Auer]

Shame no longer made in the US.

Good deal for those who don’t care

 

[agedhorse]

not sure I like the idea of 100hz bass or 2k treble control. Seems like 40-50hz and 4k treble would be better center points....

Depends on how these frequencies are defined… are they the +/-3, 6, 12dB or at the transition to the shelf? Each of these will result in a very different number.

 

[gwangi]

Shame no longer made in the US.

Good deal for those who don’t care

I totally understand your feeling on this, don't get me wrong but my concern is if the components are top notch and not disposable junk!!!!

 

[Snibborwocky]

but it really pairs nicely with the 2x8. Everyone should have at least one of those cabs, lol.

Good to know about the 2x8 pairing. I was floating around the idea of pairing one with a Phil Jones Compact 4 4x5 and adding a second cab if ever needed.

 

[AlexMG]

To those of you with the V803 in hand...

Does the warm setting sound like a B15...? If so, great or not so much?

Thanks!

 

[miccesario]

I totally understand your feeling on this, don't get me wrong but my concern is if the components are top notch and not disposable junk!!!!

First 4 pics with the red coated copper are of an 802, the last 2 are 803.
All I can tell is that there are definitely some differences in the brand of some components between the two. It’s not the exact same thing with more additions, just built somewhere else. However, that may be better, worse or not mean a thing. Will test them back to back on Wednesday with a 8x10.

 

[Michael Vee]

Good to know about the 2x8 pairing. I was floating around the idea of pairing one with a Phil Jones Compact 4 4x5 and adding a second cab if ever needed.

Thinking about that setup also. I have a friend here in east Tenn that is a major Phil Jones fan and has been trying to get me to try the 4x5.

 

[HMZ]

So I received my V803 yesterday and I was lucky enough to get the badge and certificate for the first 100 amps. The code was for a free bag! First off I bought this amp with out trying it first. I read and watched videos about it and it seemed like an amp that would work for me. I expected to like and use the modern setting but to my surprise I’m in love with the warm and Qtube setting. The Qtube setting sounds full and warm with a little grit. I was playing my P bass through it and I couldn’t put it down! I did try my Jazz bass as well but it didn’t sound anywhere as cool as my P bass. I got cut short in my exploring of the amp by my wife but I’d like to try the Jazz bass on the modern setting. I was also just using one 12” 8 ohm cab. I’d like to add the other one and see how the amp sounds at 4 ohms. My neighbors are going to love me today!

 

[Zbysek]

So I received my V803 yesterday and I was lucky enough to get the badge and certificate for the first 100 amps.

Congrats!

 

[gtirard]

So I received my V803 yesterday and I was lucky enough to get the badge and certificate for the first 100 amps. The code was for a free bag but you do have to pay for shipping but still an amazing deal! First off I bought this amp with out trying it first. I read and watched videos about it and it seemed like an amp that would work for me. I expected to like and use the modern setting but to my surprise I’m in love with the warm and Qtube setting. The Qtube setting sounds full and warm with a little grit. I was playing my P bass through it and I couldn’t put it down! I did try my Jazz bass as well but it didn’t sound anywhere as cool as my P bass. I got cut short in my exploring of the amp by my wife but I’d like to try the Jazz bass on the modern setting. I was also just using one 12” 8 ohm cab. I’d like to add the other one and see how the amp sounds at 4 ohms. My neighbors are going to love me today!

I'm slightly dissapointed by the cheapo reward + cheapo attitude that you have to pay for shipping, but it was a fun little marketing trick anyway, we can't complain. After all I was probably one of the very first buyers of the 1600$ Jad Freer Sisma, and I didn't even get a sticker.

Buy the way, I think Quilter should offer the bag as a paying option with the 803.

EDIT: Looking at their web page, I love the tagline “Feel the tone”. It's funny because it's a bit of a cliché / Marketing BS, but at the same time, it's totally relevant to the Bass Block - it would already have been a great slogan for the BB800, and I'm sure it's even better for the 803.

 

[HMZ]

I'm slightly dissapointed by the cheapo reward + cheapo attitude that you have to pay for shipping, but it was a fun little marketing trick anyway, we can't complain. After all I was probably one of the very first buyers of the 1600$ Jad Freer Sisma, and I didn't even get a sticker.

Buy the way, I think Quilter should offer the bag as a paying option with the 803.

I fixed my original post. I did not express my feelings accurately about the free bag. I’m very grateful for it!

 

[gtirard]

I don’t think I have a “ cheapo attitude” as you say. Sorry if you took it that way but I’m grateful that was able to get the bag and only had to pay shipping! I feel very fortunate.

Yes, you are right. I was just stupid to expect more, after a member has said it would be a cab…

 

[Krikcet]

I received my 803 yesterday (first 100 club), and I've only paired it with my Acoustic Image Doubleshot, but I'll be putting it through two Ampeg SVT112-AVs later this week. It's my first Quilter product, but my guitarist has raved about them for years. I'm impressed with the flexibility and power this little guy has.

I mainly play an Ampeg V4-B, so it's a big leap from what I'm used to. After I run it at rehearsal, I'll try to share a more fully-fleshed opinion.

 

[henryjurstin13]

Yes, you are right. I was just stupid to expect more, after a member has said it would be a cab…

I hope this isn't referencing my post... I said "in my mind" it was gonna be a free cab. Sorry if I caused any grief....

 

[mikeynets]

Ordered and received an 803. I haven't had a ton of playing time on it yet, and none in a band context, but so far I'm really pleased and impressed with the variety of tones available via the 3 voicings, the EQ and the flat/scoop inputs. I have an Interbass and that's sort of been my gold standard for tone and the 803 takes that and ups it and adds in even more variety.

I have a P bass with LaBella LTFs that to my ear sounds good through almost anything. I also have a Gibson LP Jr short scale with tape wounds that is a little harder to find the right tones with — to the point that I've considered selling it. Through the 803, I'm finding some great sounds with that bass and it'll probably stick around a little longer now.

Looking forward to band rehearsals soon so I can crank it up a bit and see how it works in the band setting. A bit disappointed about the squishy language around 2.67 ohm stability and while I don't really need it, but I would've liked the option to run my 1x10 with my 2x10 just to see. Otherwise, this amp has ticked nearly every other box for me.

Sadly, I didn't get a badge, but I did get a first 100 certificate.

 

[gtirard]

Ordered and received an 803. I haven't had a ton of playing time on it yet, and none in a band context, but so far I'm really pleased and impressed with the variety of tones available via the 3 voicings, the EQ and the flat/scoop inputs. I have an Interbass and that's sort of been my gold standard for tone and the 803 takes that and ups it and adds in even more variety.

I have a P bass with LaBella LTFs that to my ear sounds good through almost anything. I also have a Gibson LP Jr short scale with tape wounds that is a little harder to find the right tones with — to the point that I've considered selling it. Through the 803, I'm finding some great sounds with that bass and it'll probably stick around a little longer now.

Looking forward to band rehearsals soon so I can crank it up a bit and see how it works in the band setting. A bit disappointed about the squishy language around 2.67 ohm stability and while I don't really need it, but I would've liked the option to run my 1x10 with my 2x10 just to see. Otherwise, this amp has ticked nearly every other box for me.

Sadly, I didn't get a badge, but I did get a first 100 certificate.

Nice feedback.

My 2 cents about the ohm issue: if I had a 4 ohm 2x10 and a 8 ohm 1x10, I would use them @ 2.67 ohm

• For me the purpose of trying that is not be play louder (I'm already loud enough with a 8 ohm cab), but I expect a better tone & dispersion. So I don't think I would ever need to push the amp to the point where it would struggle @ 2.67 ohm.
• Even if you come to the point where the BB803 struggles, you won't break it: first you would see the red led blink, then after a while if you ignore that signal, the amp would go in protection mode, but it wouldn't be damaged.