Quilter Bass Block

[monkeyfinger]

Anyone else here ever play a Ovnifx Smoothie compressor? It just dawned on me that the Quilter voicing reminds me of that compressor. It’s fairly transparent and accurate, but there’s a slight “rounding off” or smoothing of the top end, which takes off some of the sheen/edge that I like in my tone. It makes things a little “polite” sounding for my industrial/metal/punk tendencies. However, it has a very nice, thick clean tone which probably works quite well in many settings. Has anyone else used both of these fine pieces of gear and noticed the similarities?

I wouldn't dig that sound either. I have a smoothie. I like it for what it does, but it is not what I need for my current situation. Right now I need more aggressive attack. I am using a Cali76 CB for that. I works well with my IEM system. I may have to stick with my DG 900 when not running the bass direct.

 

[monsterthompson]

I wouldn't dig that sound either. I have a smoothie. I like it for what it does, but it is not what I need for my current situation. Right now I need more aggressive attack. I am using a Cali76 CB for that. I works well with my IEM system. I may have to stick with my DG 900 when not running the bass direct.

It’s been a little while since I had my Smoothie, which I flipped after I got a Duncan Bass comp. I just thought, today, that it was similar based on my memory. That’s why I asked if others had experience and thought something similar.

 

[monsterthompson]

I just tried this setting and it can get downright thin and sharp with the right gain/master settings.

BB800 never ceases to amaze. I'm just waiting for it to make dinner.

Well, I’ll need to try that, then

 

[svtb15]

I have the Duncan and i LOVE IT. .I went thru many others before. .What i like about the duncan is the BLEND control.. If you want HUGE squish, the Duncan is NOT the one for you..... But if you want smooth control and NY compression style or otherwise called Parallel Compression , the Duncan does that well..
When i was in the NYC studio scene, engineer Bob Rosa would always parallel compress the basses. He is the one that taught me about NYC or Parallel compression back in the 80s..
.Way better than just going thru a comp . It retains dynamics while fattening.

It’s been a little while since I had my Smoothie, which I flipped after I got a Duncan Bass comp. I just thought, today, that it was similar based on my memory. That’s why I asked if others had experience and thought something similar.

 

[monkeyfinger]

It’s been a little while since I had my Smoothie, which I flipped after I got a Duncan Bass comp. I just thought, today, that it was similar based on my memory. That’s why I asked if others had experience and thought something similar.

I should have been clearer in my first post. I agree that the smoothie has a soft knee.

 

[sonofshel]

I have to chime in about my love for the Duncan compressor also. Almost got rid of it when I decided to give it another chance at the end of my pedalboard. Wanted a Smoothie for the longest time and never could get one when Cyrus had some but his review of the Duncan made me want to try one. My BB800 is so perfect for my blues and rock gigs and pretty much any style I’ve needed it for. Paired with my AudioKinesis H1203, it’s been so amazing and now it’s waiting to be complete with the C1203 I have on order. Happy New Year to all of you out there. 2017 was a great year bass wise and I do believe 2018 will only be greater! Cheers!!!

 

[Rocksolid]

Another user of the Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Comp here. Great little unit!

 

[SickAura]

I've read through this entire thread along with most of the 'Club' thread. Simple, hefty and hard hitting is what I am looking for so I think a Quilter might be in my very near future!

I thought I saw some sound clips posted but can't seem to find them now. Can someone post a link?

 

[Lowendtech]

I've read through this entire thread along with most of the 'Club' thread. Simple, hefty and hard hitting is what I am looking for so I think a Quilter might be in my very near future!

I thought I saw some sound clips posted but can't seem to find them now. Can someone post a link?

So far, I’m pretty happy with it. I’m currently in the middle of revamping my cab setup (transitional phase) so pretty stoked to try it with my (soon) new cab(s).

 

[jakka1]

I'm In!! Took advantage of a 15% off musicians friend coupon. Had I just waited another day, I could gotten 18% off from another site. Ah well... Still stoked to get a brand new one for a little over $500 (since I was prepared to pay that for a used one). Just unboxed this afternoon, so I haven't got much time with it yet but was very happy with the tones right away without much effort. Initial plan is for it to be a backup, but I can see it becoming much more. Tonight I will get to give it a go (full band) with my Barefaced 210 that stays where my band practices. That should be quite a mighty mini stack. Can't wait!!

 

[Lowendtech]

I'm In!! Took advantage of a 15% off musicians friend coupon. Had I just waited another day, I could gotten 18% off from another site. Ah well... Still stoked to get a brand new one for a little over $500 (since I was prepared to pay that for a used one). Just unboxed this afternoon, so I haven't got much time with it yet but was very happy with the tones right away without much effort. Initial plan is for it to be a backup, but I can see it becoming much more. Tonight I will get to give it a go (full band) with my Barefaced 210 that stays where my band practices. That should be quite a mighty mini stack. Can't wait!!View attachment 2861948

I’ve had pretty good results with my new to me BB8/Two10 so far. Still some research to do tho’

 

[Jefenator]

The full $599 is still a great deal IMHO - 15% or 18% off makes it just irresistible!

 

[Lowendtech]

• Can someone photoshop a BB800 on one of these for a laugh please.
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[McFarlin]

Update.
Did some A/B testing today, between the Quilter and the DG 900 head. I plugged in various Dunwich distortion and fuzz boxes (DA120, ODB, VT, Wizard, HM2), and most of my basses, but primarily the Spector Euro 5 and Ric 4003 (jeez, my collection expanded last year).

I bought both amps, planning to keep the one I liked best. I’m pretty attached to my basses and pedals, so the amp interplay is a big factor. After today’s test, the Quilter might be getting flipped. It’s not a bad amp by any measure, but it just isn’t the best fit for my style and gear.

The Quilter clean tone is thick and lovely, but lacks a bit of top end sheen that I like in other amps. The DG has that sheen, but isn’t quite as thick and doesn’t compress as nicely (not counting the Microtubes engine, just the dry amp). However, a little EQ on the DG can get me close enough to what I like in the Quilter, but the Quilter doesn’t quite mimic the DG. I think I just like a slightly more solid-state sounding amp, in most cases.

This sound difference particularly shows itself when using distortion, fuzz, or overdrive. The DG stays pretty aggressive sounding, with a sharper attack. The Quilter sounds like there’s a layer of politeness over it. It isn’t like a when a piece of gear makes it sound like there’s a blanket over your speaker, but it might be more like a doily. There are some pedals and settings where the DG gets overly harsh, while the Quilter stays more musical. However, more often than not, I found the DG feeling like a more comfortable fit.

If I wasn’t so attached to this certain snap/attack/sheen quality, I’m sure the Quilter would be a nice workhorse amp, particularly if I was just looking to plug my bass straight into a conveniently-sized (and nicely priced) amp, and go. What I’m attached to, sonically, may very well by barely noticeable by an audience, but I mostly play for my own enjoyment. If I wasn’t able to A/B the two, I’d probably still notice the difference, but being able to play each one side by side helped me hear and feel what I thought I was hearing and feeling.

As small as the Quilter is, it isn’t enough of a size and weight savings over the DG to make that a consideration. Particularly when you take into consideration the Microtubes engine and EQ section. Both will do 2 Ohms, though the Quilter is a bit cautionary with their rating. Both have fans, and post-Master DI Out. I’ve already stayed my position on the detentes All things considered, its not a no-contest type of choice, but it’s looking like I’ve found what works better for me.

Have you spent any time comparing the Demeter and Quilter?

 

[monsterthompson]

Have you spent any time comparing the Demeter and Quilter?

Yes. The Quilter kills it for portability and price. Otherwise, there isn’t really much of a comparison, for my ears, in terms of which one I’d take if I could only have one. The Quilter’s gain control, allowing for varying degrees of compression/limiting and thickness of tone is handy. However, the native tone of the Demeter is more open and natural, with more sheen to the top end. The Demeter EQ covers quite a bit of ground, making it easier to make more specific tone adjustments. I haven’t played the Quilter with a band, yet. However, expect them to be comparably loud.

 

[McFarlin]

Yes. The Quilter kills it for portability and price. Otherwise, there isn’t really much of a comparison, for my ears, in terms of which one I’d take if I could only have one. The Quilter’s gain control, allowing for varying degrees of compression/limiting and thickness of tone is handy. However, the native tone of the Demeter is more open and natural, with more sheen to the top end. The Demeter EQ covers quite a bit of ground, making it easier to make more specific tone adjustments. I haven’t played the Quilter with a band, yet. However, expect them to be comparably loud.

Thanks for the response.

The Demeter I recently unloaded only stuck around for about a year. It fit my idea of clear and warm. It felt very quick and responsive, and the low frequency output seemed consistent and well-defined. What I didn't like was the brightness and upper-mid content. Plus, the low end and low mids seemed weak at any setting when compared to my Ashdown ABM 500 (but it seemed like the Demeter had better low freq. pitch definition). I usually dialed-back the middle and high knobs quite a bit and boosted the 60Hz bass to about 2:00 (either in normal or dark mode), which seemed to work against the strengths of the preamp.
Your comments and some others in this thread make me think the Quilter might be worth exploring. I'm still looking for smaller piece that works for me like the Ashdown. The Mesa D800 got close.

 

[monsterthompson]

Thanks for the response.

The Demeter I recently unloaded only stuck around for about a year. It fit my idea of clear and warm. It felt very quick and responsive, and the low frequency output seemed consistent and well-defined. What I didn't like was the brightness and upper-mid content. Plus, the low end and low mids seemed weak at any setting when compared to my Ashdown ABM 500. I usually dialed-back the middle and high knobs quite a bit and boosted the 60Hz bass to about 2:00 (either in normal or dark mode), which seemed to work against the strengths of the preamp.
Your comments and some others in this thread make me think the Quilter might be worth exploring. I'm still looking for smaller piece that works for me like the Ashdown. The Mesa D800 got close.

The Quilter is small enough and in demand enough that it is an easy flip if you find it used. Or, new ones can be had from shops with decent return policies, where it won't cost a bunch to return.

Not sure how the Ashdown sounds, so I can't speak to that. As I said earlier in the thread, I kind of aim for a brighter, almost solid state sound. I loved my Mesa Buster, which is often accused of being a solid state sounding tube amp. I don't think the eq settings you noted "work against" the Demeter's pre, but I don't have your gear and ears If you're looking for a deeper sounding head, and you roll back the highs on the Demeter in the dark setting, then the Quilter could be of interest for you. I've mentioned the difficulty I've had getting satisfying brightness, for my ears. I haven't found the need to turn the bass up on the Quilter. When I do, it gets plenty deep with lots of room left to go on the dial. I believe both amps use a 500 Hz midrange point. Overall, I think you might like the Quilter.

 

[peteratquilter]

Pat, care to comment on any of this?

View attachment 2859769

Pat is a little tied up right now but would you guys all be willing to pay about the same price for just a slightly smaller enclosure with a lot less features? The Bass Block already has a line in. Removing the preamp doesn't really save much money. With our MOQs, totally new chassis design, and the cost of adding it to our UL folder we would need to sell a few hundred of them to make any money. It's definitely something we could do, but we'd need to be convinced the demand was high enough.

 

[shwashwa]

Pat is a little tied up right now but would you guys all be willing to pay about the same price for just a slightly smaller enclosure with a lot less features? The Bass Block already has a line in. Removing the preamp doesn't really save much money. With our MOQs, totally new chassis design, and the cost of adding it to our UL folder we would need to sell a few hundred of them to make any money. It's definitely something we could do, but we'd need to be convinced the demand was high enough.

i love mine just exactly the way it is...

 

[kasbrey]

I believe both amps use a 500 Hz midrange point.

On page 27 of this thread there is a correspondence from Pat quoting the contour control being a 12db cut at 300hz (anticlockwise) and a deep cut at 200hz when clockwise.