Demeter Minnie 800D Power Amp

[Ant]

holy crap these things are tiny! i need to get one.

if i could squeeze one into the front pocket on a MONO M80 then, with my pedalboard in the tick i could carry a whole rig, sans cab on my back.

just one question, does anyone know if these have a switching power supply like some of these micro heads have? so you can use the same units in USA or over here?

cant see any buttons like it on the rear, but i could save a LOT of money if i could get one from abroad.

[molan]

I know someone who's just gone down exactly this route

There is a switching power supply option I think but it adds to the cost.

Buying direct from James Demeter should generally work out within a few pounds of the UK price. He adds a local handling charge for overseas orders, shipping can be $100 and duties (with handling charges) add another 25%.

Current exchange rate is very good but need to check the actual cost of buying $ plus associated local bank charges as well

It's really quite frightening how much all the charges add to international purchases - I've bought a fair few things over and never cease to be amazed at how much the final cost is when they finally reach my house!

[LukeFRC]

its one of those things where it is a super cool bit of gear - but I do wonder what our EU equivalent would be.

[molan]

Checked with James Demeter and the Power supply isn't a switching circuit - they have to be re-wired for European use.

[Al Krow]

Fyi - there's also a really good thread on this amp started by walbassist on14 Feb. He's bought one and seems to be completely in love with it!

Edited July 17, 2014 by Al Krow

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1405585825' post='2503206']
Fyi - there's also a really good thread on this amp started by Wallbassist on14 Feb. He's bought one and seems to be completely in love with it!
[/quote]I think his is a pre and power....

[franzbassist]

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1405588975' post='2503256']
I think his is a pre and power....
[/quote]

It is, and I am

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r6Gu56bWvI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r6Gu56bWvI[/url]

Edited July 17, 2014 by walbassist

[danweb22]

me too :-)

[molan]

Current £ to $ rate means the next ones coming into the UK should be a bit cheaper

Just ordered 1 from James but it may already be spoken for!

[Ant]

think ill save over the next couple months and get one, then i can move on my ampeg pf800

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1405641848' post='2504039']
think ill save over the next couple months and get one, then i can move on my ampeg pf800
[/quote]

Could you just use the power section of a micro amp?

[molan]

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1405675066' post='2504177']


Could you just use the power section of a micro amp?
[/quote]

You definitely can but it may not sound as good.

A few months back we ran a series of tests over a 2 day period with two very well known pro players. We set up a few different dedicated pre-amps and also used the pre-amp sections of a couple of decent spec integrated heads.

For power amps we had heavyweight dedicated rack units, one class D rack and a power stages from the two integrated heads (one of which was a typical class D 500w model).

The Demeter held its own up against the heavy transformer units and outclassed the two class D options.

It had a lot more heft and definition than the class D amps and was a bit faster and cleaner than the heavyweights.

The big heavy transformer amps were nice but both were big money (a lot more than the Demeter).

It was the first time we'd really run AB tests on power amps and it was great to hear one of the pro guys really going for it, at considerable volume, to put the Demeter though its paces

The final decision was that we all really, really liked it but we felt that in a lot of everyday situations the difference might not really be heard by an audience. However, if we could afford it we unanimously said we'd buy one

Using an integrated head's power stage could be a lot cheaper though - plus you've got the backup option of using the head's pre-amp too.

It's definitely a tough call!

[Platypus]

Interesting post, Barrie
Be interesting too, to do a similar shoot out between the Demeter and the Jule power amp when that becomes available.

[molan]

[quote name='Platypus' timestamp='1405704174' post='2504529']
Interesting post, Barrie
Be interesting too, to do a similar shoot out between the Demeter and the Jule power amp when that becomes available.
[/quote]

We spent about a day just testing the power amps - it was really quite fun

We did use both Demeter and Jule pre-amps for the test.

At the moment it looks like Jule's new power stage is for integrated heads only. We have a Jule with an internal Demeter amp so probably won't order a Jule powered amp until the Demeter one has sold.

It'll be really interesting to see if we can hear a difference between them. I was super sceptical about even being able to hear anything between the Minnie and a Tone Hammer power stage but it was quite clearly audible (helps that we had an amazing player, with a much better ear than I, to work with too!).

[Ant]

i could use the power amp section from my ampeg pf800, but im pretty sure the demeter power amp would fit in the pocket of a mono m80 case, which means i could have pretty much my entire rig on my bag sans cab

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='Ant' timestamp='1405706984' post='2504610']
i could use the power amp section from my ampeg pf800, but im pretty sure the demeter power amp would fit in the pocket of a mono m80 case, which means i could have pretty much my entire rig on my bag sans cab
[/quote]

I don't know the pocket size of the mono bag but I have the Protec contego and I can fit my Genz Bnz Shuttle 9.0 along with power chord, speakon cable and 2 jacks leads in the main pocket.

By and by I'd say the Demeter is a lot of muller for a power amp you want to fit in your gig bag, you could probably get the Genz do under 400 now days and it's only 4 inches bigger down one side.

[JTUK]

I love that these old studio mainstays are now getting airtime.... and I applaud them still being relatively small
factories ..despite a high profile and 'budget' and made in the U.S in the same factories of yore.

Tell me that is still true and will hopefully remain so, Barrie...please.

[No lust in Jazz]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1405704826' post='2504546']
I was super sceptical about even being able to hear anything between the Minnie and a Tone Hammer power stage but it was quite clearly audible (helps that we had an amazing player, with a much better ear than I, to work with too!).
[/quote]

I own a Demter Minnie 800D - I've done the same A/B thing through a LM3 power stage. Ok there is a difference (perhaps A/B Power vs Class D), but its a difference that I wouldn't worry about, TBH it could be a difference that you actually prefer, but by the time you've played with a little more effort 'cos its live' or had to accomodate a guitarist, drummer and keyboards, EQ'ed you tone, changed between plectrum and or fingers the differences will be lost.

I use mine with a Pre amp - but I'd have the Demeter VTBP-M-800D (with DI) in a heartbeat

Edited July 22, 2014 by No lust in Jazz

[Prime_BASS]

I wonder how much difference there really will be once a passive tone stack is in front of it compared to the same tone stack in front of any of the class D power sections of the micro heads.

[Ant]

[quote name='Prime_BASS' timestamp='1406013860' post='2507402']
I don't know the pocket size of the mono bag but I have the Protec contego and I can fit my Genz Bnz Shuttle 9.0 along with power chord, speakon cable and 2 jacks leads in the main pocket.

By and by I'd say the Demeter is a lot of muller for a power amp you want to fit in your gig bag, you could probably get the Genz do under 400 now days and it's only 4 inches bigger down one side.
[/quote]

good point, this is definitely something for me to consider