Quilter Bass Block

[svtb15]

I want to try one of these. But I wish they would get teh DI Post / PRE resolved one day, That is a deal breaker for me.

Cool little box..

 

[Jeff Bonny]

I want to try one of these. But I wish they would get teh DI Post / PRE resolved one day, That is a deal breaker for me.

Cool little box..

Agreed. Some people feel the EQ to achieve a good sound from their cab on stage always represents what will sound good going to FOH. I'm not one of those people.

 

[Mushroo]

To be fair: The Quilter BB800 doesn't claim to have a DI (so there is no false advertising), and players who rely on a DI for their live sound typically already have their DI of choice in their gig bag or on their pedalboard (or they just plug the house-provided DI between their bass and amp).

That said, I absolutely agree that a "pre/post" switch would make for a great feature on the hypothetical future Bass Block 2.0.

 

[svtb15]

What is difficult for me is the fact that any stage changes also affect FOH. Deal Breaker for me.
Then I'd have to use an external DI. Defeats the "simple small and lightweight" (pop in gig bag and go) ease of setup and transport on a subway gig.
That being said. I really HOPE they have a v2.0 that addresses this. Because by adding a PRE POST button for teh DI can make them sell more.

I was just talking on the phone with an Online Bass reviewer last night RE: this and another amp with the same issue. NO, he wasn't TOM B.

From experience and working with other amp companies over the decades in RnD etc. .. Needed changes most likely won't HAPPEN if people dont bring it up. That's why i bring it up. Because I WANT to own one of these. But NOT YET.

Yeah i know.. Im mean.. .LOL

Agreed. Some people feel the EQ to achieve a good sound from their cab on stage always represents what will sound good going to FOH. I'm not one of those people.

 

[hennessybass]

I really think quilter was going for a "system" more than a stand alone amp -- quilter amps and cabs that can be scaled from small to as big as you could possibly want. My feeling is that lead to several design choices. We have confirmation from quilter that the 1/4" outs were part of a design choice to make things work with their cabs, although we know that many players want speakon out to use with their non-Quilter cabs. When you think of it in those terms, and that so much of Quilters stuff (on the guitar side of the house) is geared for "pedal platforms", including the slave out rather than a DI out would make sense, assuming that bass players are also using pedal boards, with DI/pre amps on them.

I would guess maybe they did not anticipate the BB becoming such a popular stand alone amp. Also, I've been in some "high end" preamp threads lately, and a LOT of dudes are picking the quilter as their power amp of choice.

All total speculation on my part, of course. A rep from quilter was on here a while back, and got a lot of feedback from the community about what features they would like to see. The DI and speakons seemed to be on everyones list.

 

[svtb15]

IMHO..
The amp is GREAT from what i have heard. But don't leave it half baked. Finish the thing..

With the advent of mini minis like the 200 watt tiny GK that has a pre post.. I guess Quilter will learn in time what bass players {{{{ "NEED" }}}} for live gigs. PRE EQ DI out is 100% essential for many of us but even more so for some that use DRASTIC EQ.. Especially with the portable PA systems every band has these days that actually sound really good and just Boom and Click!

Personally I LIKE the DUAL Speakon + 1/4" connectors that are used by some makers, so you can use either speakon or 1/4". I UNDERSTAND why many won't use them because of the Nature side of Class D amp output.
But since Quilter uses their own homegrown Class D unit in their amps they may NOT have the same issues that others brands have using Off the Shelf Class D modules , when or if that model shorts to chassis . I Don't know.

I have similar issues with my Mesa Walkabout Combo.. It has a Good DI. But the DI OUT is after EVERYTHING. Even the Master! So one little change messes with FOH.
Its not the FOH job to babysit the bass boy. ha..

My MESA WA DI sounds good But i;ve had a few FOH guys FORCE me to use a DI and not run the WA DI due to me adding more mids or lowering or raising volumes on my master in even slight miniscule amounts. . It messes with the house.
So hopefully Q Product development will really consider a v 2.0 for future users.

I NEVER would have chipped in here if I didn't chat with my bud about this last night.. /

I really think quilter was going for a "system" more than a stand alone amp -- quilter amps and cabs that can be scaled from small to as big as you could possibly want. My feeling is that lead to several design choices. We have confirmation from quilter that the 1/4" outs were part of a design choice to make things work with their cabs, although we know that many players want speakon out to use with their non-Quilter cabs. When you think of it in those terms, and that so much of Quilters stuff (on the guitar side of the house) is geared for "pedal platforms", including the slave out rather than a DI out would make sense, assuming that bass players are also using pedal boards, with DI/pre amps on them.

I would guess maybe they did not anticipate the BB becoming such a popular stand alone amp. Also, I've been in some "high end" preamp threads lately, and a LOT of dudes are picking the quilter as their power amp of choice.

All total speculation on my part, of course. A rep from quilter was on here a while back, and got a lot of feedback from the community about what features they would like to see. The DI and speakons seemed to be on everyones list.

 

[been_effected]

IMHO..
The amp is GREAT from what i have heard. But don't leave it half baked. Finish the thing..

With the advent of mini minis like the 200 watt tiny GK that has a pre post.. I guess Quilter will learn in time what bass players {{{{ "NEED" }}}} for live gigs. PRE EQ DI out is 100% essential for many of us but even more so for some that use DRASTIC EQ.. Especially with the portable PA systems every band has these days that actually sound really good and just Boom and Click!

Personally I LIKE the DUAL Speakon + 1/4" connectors that are used by some makers, so you can use either speakon or 1/4". I UNDERSTAND why many won't use them because of the Nature side of Class D amp output.
But since Quilter uses their own homegrown Class D unit in their amps they may NOT have the same issues that others brands have using Off the Shelf Class D modules , when or if that model shorts to chassis . I Don't know.

I have similar issues with my Mesa Walkabout Combo.. It has a Good DI. But the DI OUT is after EVERYTHING. Even the Master! So one little change messes with FOH.
Its not the FOH job to babysit the bass boy. ha..

My MESA WA DI sounds good But i;ve had a few FOH guys FORCE me to use a DI and not run the WA DI due to me adding more mids or lowering or raising volumes on my master in even slight miniscule amounts. . It messes with the house.
So hopefully Q Product development will really consider a v 2.0 for future users.

I NEVER would have chipped in here if I didn't chat with my bud about this last night.. /

I know this isn't really a solution, but I got around this issue quite easily by looking at a Noble preamp.

Now FOH will get the same signal from my board, night in, night out, and I can do whatever I like on stage.

 

[svtb15]

I know. I have a REDDI DI.. But it all defeats the solution of a grab and GO lightweight Class D amp.

I guess I'm just beating a dead horse .

I know this isn't really a solution, but I got around this issue quite easily by looking at a Noble preamp.

Now FOH will get the same signal from my board, night in, night out, and I can do whatever I like on stage.

 

[been_effected]

I know. I have a REDDI DI.. But it all defeats the solution of a grab and GO lightweight Class D amp.

I guess I'm just beating a dead horse .

? I don't follow. Though I guess as a grab and go, my needs are different.

I'll always have a pedalboard with me, even if it's a tiny one. That means the Noble is always with me, so my grab and go rig is pedalboard/Quilter. FOH gets the same signal from the Noble, and I can use any cab I'm supplied without issue. And the Noble is significantly smaller and more portable/usable than the REDDI.

I'm not having a go at you or anything, far from it. Just different needs and use cases I guess.

 

[svtb15]

Absolutely. Different needs for different deeds..

? I don't follow. Though I guess as a grab and go, my needs are different.

I'll always have a pedalboard with me, even if it's a tiny one. That means the Noble is always with me, so my grab and go rig is pedalboard/Quilter. FOH gets the same signal from the Noble, and I can use any cab I'm supplied without issue. And the Noble is significantly smaller and more portable/usable than the REDDI.

I'm not having a go at you or anything, far from it. Just different needs and use cases I guess.

 

[Lowendtech]

My take on this is that the BB8 is part of a modular system. It’s my stage sound.
I have:
Me and my hands
My bass
Pedal board which includes a DSM OCSD into:
My P-15 tube DI which sends all of the above to FOH. And this works fantastically.
This same signal is also sent to the front of the BB8, with the amp (set flat) to my AK cabs is for great stage tone.

The BB8 (as it is) is not my “one ring to rule them all” unit. It’s a component in a system to achieve a goal.
If I were to want a single unit to achieve simplicity, I’d bring my D800+ (And a great option it is). But more often than not, I do the former. It flat out works for me.

Having said that, I can see what @svtb15 is asking for. More functionality for players like himself for grab and go simplicity. Totally fair comments. No doubt, something like this is in the works as we type.
For myself, I’m pretty happy. ‘Cause it sounds so darn good right now.

 

[Zbysek]

I'm not one of those people.

Me neither.

 

[Coot]

I had one BB800. Great transparency.My J sounded like a J should with no bake-in. The only reason I don't still have it and have a Mesa Subway D800 + is a continual mechanical buzz from the amp. Not from the J( I have a Ric as well ) not 60 cycle or area interference. This was a mech. noise from the workings inside. I had a replacement..Same thing.. i took it back and tried two others in store through various cabs.. same thing. If you can deal with an ongoing buzz( not a hum) it's a fantastic head.. I couldn't ..(unfortunately)..It was one of the best sounding heads I ever used..good price too .

 

[TrevorOfDoom]

I'll be the guy that brings this up:

Who adjusts their sound on stage after soundcheck?!
That's what screws with FOH, not the pre/post DI send.
Of course, I may just not be one of those players.
And I may have played with too many guitarists that spend all night bumping up their volume in bits and bobs.
Once it's set for soundcheck and FOH, I don't touch it.
Ever.

 

[azwipe]

I had one BB800. Great transparency.My J sounded like a J should with no bake-in. The only reason I don't still have it and have a Mesa Subway D800 + is a continual mechanical buzz from the amp. Not from the J( I have a Ric as well ) not 60 cycle or area interference. This was a mech. noise from the workings inside. I had a replacement..Same thing.. i took it back and tried two others in store through various cabs.. same thing. If you can deal with an ongoing buzz( not a hum) it's a fantastic head.. I couldn't ..(unfortunately)..It was one of the best sounding heads I ever used..good price too .

So you're saying the noise emanates from the head itself, but is not amplified through the speakers? Do I understand that right? And have others experienced this?

 

[Mushroo]

The BB800 does have an always-on fan, which I can faintly hear in a quiet room.

The Quilter guitar heads are fanless and are an interesting option for bassists who need a completely silent amp for intimate "unplugged" style music.

 

[triode6L6a]

I had one BB800. Great transparency.My J sounded like a J should with no bake-in. The only reason I don't still have it and have a Mesa Subway D800 + is a continual mechanical buzz from the amp. Not from the J( I have a Ric as well ) not 60 cycle or area interference. This was a mech. noise from the workings inside. I had a replacement..Same thing.. i took it back and tried two others in store through various cabs.. same thing. If you can deal with an ongoing buzz( not a hum) it's a fantastic head.. I couldn't ..(unfortunately)..It was one of the best sounding heads I ever used..good price too .

There were a few of those with the buzz when the amp first came out, I had one and returned it.

I'm really surprised that you found so many together that had the same issue. Must have been a bad batch. I can tell you that those of us using this amp are NOT putting up with a constant buzz.

I did have an opportunity to try the BB800 side by side with the Subway 800+ for a week, and I really liked both amps. Absolutely loved all the connectivity options available with the Subway 800+, and the sound shaping features are second to none, however, I did end up keeping the BB800, in part because I found the sloping front panel and white chicken head knobs easier to see and adjust on a dark stage.

We are certainly fortunate to have so many great amps to choose from these days.

 

[Jeff Bonny]

The buzz was a momentary glitch that's been corrected. There is some fan noise that might annoy you in a dead quiet room. However on a gig or even playing at low practice volume it's a non-issue. Having had heat problems with other amps I kinda like hearing that the fan is functioning.

 

[svtb15]

I adjust my sound after soundcheck!
MOSTLY mild EQ changes. As the room sounds different when it full.
I will MOST likely LOWER my stage volume at gig time.. Not Much. But it happens.
Less so on an arena type gig.

I'll be the guy that brings this up:

Who adjusts their sound on stage after soundcheck?!
That's what screws with FOH, not the pre/post DI send.
Of course, I may just not be one of those players.
And I may have played with too many guitarists that spend all night bumping up their volume in bits and bobs.
Once it's set for soundcheck and FOH, I don't touch it.
Ever.

 

[Lowendtech]

I adjust my sound after soundcheck!
MOSTLY mild EQ changes. As the room sounds different when it full.
I will MOST likely LOWER my stage volume at gig time.. Not Much. But it happens.
Less so on an arena type gig.

I hear you. Sometimes it’s necessary. Last Friday, my rig was carrying the house (not in the FOH) so not too much of an issue if I wanted to make an adjustment. IE: we throw “Timebomb” by Rancid to get the nutters going and I play that hard with a solid driving pick, very different from my finger tone. So have to tame the BB8 by a click so I don’t drown the rest of the band. Also as the bar filled up, I made a couple of subtle but stronger adjustments to account for all the bodies sucking up the noise.