NEW D CLASS BASS AMP BUT WHAT?- QUILTER? MESA? etc??

[BassManGraham]

Thinking of a birthday present of a new head. Have been using mainly Genz Benz Shuttlemax, or GK MB500, very happily over last ten years or so, backed up by Markbass 121P or Phil Jones D400 for smaller gigs, rehearsal/home practice etc.

I use Vanderkley, Barefaced Super 12T cab, or Phil Jones C8 cabs, all of which I am very happy with.  Clean, transparent, uncoloured.

My main parameters are lightweight Class D,  700W plus, (operating down to 2 ohms would be nice but not essential)

I use mainly clean sounds for a wide range of pop, rock, funk music.

Was thinking about the Quilter 800 Bass (which seem great VFM), possibly a Mesa Boogie subway 800+. (which go to 2 ohms) or maybe Aguilar 700.

Ideally like to hear them, other than YouTube demos, but hard to find any i republic of Ireland.

Welcome comments and thoughts from owners of Quilters and Mesas. Any thing else I should be considering?

[three]

I've been using - and I've been very impressed with - a Bergantino B Amp.  Very/increasingly flexible, around 800w, will go down to 2 and 2.7ohms.  Fully parametric eq, studio quality DI, VR compression, cab profiles (if you use Bergs but good with others), very nicely designed and great build, presets/memory function, very punchy and very loud (if you need that).  Light too at around 6.5lbs.  Not the cheapest option but an extremely impressive amp in all respects (IMO)

Edited May 15, 2018 by three

[BassManGraham]

13 minutes ago, three said:

I've been using - and I've been very impressed with - a Bergantino B Amp.  Very/increasingly flexible, around 800w, will go down to 2 and 2.7ohms.  Fully parametric eq, studio quality DI, VR compression, cab profiles (if you use Bergs but good with others), very nicely designed and great build, presets/memory function, very punchy and very loud (if you need that).  Light too at around 6.5lbs.  Not the cheapest option but an extremely impressive amp in all respects (IMO)

Many thanks, I'll look into that. Cheers

[Osiris]

The mighty Genzler Magellan 800 ought to meet your needs (although it only goes down to 2.67 ohms, which I believe is suitable for three 8 ohm cabs, or maybe one 4 ohm and one 8 ohm together). Very clean sounding with a huge weight and size to the tone, and a very simple pre-amp that can does everything from vintage mid-rich warmth to scooped mid tones. More of my thoughts and experience with it here - 

 

[Al Krow]

+1 ^^ The GM is probably the best value quality D class (in terms of new price comparison). 

A fair bit more spendy, but there is a lot of love for Mesa D800+ as well, it has to be said. @mcnachwill be along in a minute, no doubt, to confirm how good they are.

I also use a VK cab. Excellent piece of kit. Mine's paired with a DG M900, which IMHO has one of the best clean EQs around, a pretty decent built in drive, and a 2 ohm selector, which you mentioned as being important for you. 

@Osiris has done a comparison of all three amps which he A/B'd a while back. 

If money is no object, check out the Trickfish Bullhead 1K. 

Edited May 15, 2018 by Al Krow

[Bigwan]

The quilter will do 2 ohms Graham...

http://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/products/bassblock-amplifiers/bass-block-800

[BassManGraham]

23 minutes ago, Bigwan said:

The quilter will do 2 ohms Graham...

http://www.quilterlabs.com/index.php/products/bassblock-amplifiers/bass-block-800

Ah thanks Ian, how you keeping?

You may have swayed me. A  great amp for under €500! Want the possibility of using two 4 ohm cabs  for clarity rather and headroom than volume.

Edited May 15, 2018 by BassManGraham

[BassManGraham]

1 hour ago, Osiris said:

The mighty Genzler Magellan 800 ought to meet your needs (although it only goes down to 2.67 ohms, which I believe is suitable for three 8 ohm cabs, or maybe one 4 ohm and one 8 ohm together). Very clean sounding with a huge weight and size to the tone, and a very simple pre-amp that can does everything from vintage mid-rich warmth to scooped mid tones. More of my thoughts and experience with it here - 

 

Many thanks that's a very helpful and well written review.

[Bigwan]

1 hour ago, BassManGraham said:

Ah thanks Ian, how you keeping?

You may have swayed me. A  great amp for under €500! Want the possibility of using two 4 ohm cabs  for clarity rather and headroom than volume.

All good sir! The quilter would be my choice if I was in the market at the minute.

[Opticaleye]

The Quilter is a great amp. Whereas most  class D's are ICE modules with different preamps attached, the Quilter has a modified QSC K series power section that has been uprated for bass. The minimalist pre is actually very varied tonally and very high quality. Pushing the pre past 2 o'clock results in tube-y sag (but no distortion to speak of). The pre can also be configured as a variable slope HPF at 100hz and has a LPF too if you like to use it that way.

I sometimes use my Lehle RMI Classic pre before the Quilter pre or sometimes direct into the power amp section in using a 1/4" jack to XLR lead. Serious punch regardless of the options.

[Osiris]

I've also had the pleasure to have a play through @Opticaleye's Quilter bass block and can confirm that it is indeed a great amp and surprisingly versatile given its ostensibly simple tone stack. 

[BassManGraham]

1 hour ago, Opticaleye said:

The Quilter is a great amp. Whereas most  class D's are ICE modules with different preamps attached, the Quilter has a modified QSC K series power section that has been uprated for bass. The minimalist pre is actually very varied tonally and very high quality. Pushing the pre past 2 o'clock results in tube-y sag (but no distortion to speak of). The pre can also be configured as a variable slope HPF at 100hz and has a LPF too if you like to use it that way.

I sometimes use my Lehle RMI Classic pre before the Quilter pre or sometimes direct into the power amp section in using a 1/4" jack to XLR lead. Serious punch regardless of the options.

Thanks QSC power amps have a great reputation. I have always loved all Jeff Genzlers amps, but at well unde 500 quid the quilter has to be worth a try. I have often bought amps with all the features,  bells and whistles etc, but never use them so I think simplicity is my aim this time around.

Edited May 15, 2018 by BassManGraham

[fretmeister]

Not an obvious choice perhaps - but I get a great funk Marcus sound out of the Darkglass M900.

Even when I use the drive on it I only add the tiniest bit for a bit of top end grit.

It's a lot more versatile than expected - there are Jazz demos on youtube. And it will go to 2ohms.

[BassManGraham]

34 minutes ago, Osiris said:

I've also had the pleasure to have a play through @Opticaleye's Quilter bass block and can confirm that it is indeed a great amp and surprisingly versatile given its ostensibly simple tone stack. 

Many thanks for your advice. Much appreciated.

[Dan Dare]

Try a few. The only way to avoid disappointment.

[machinehead]

The Quilter BB800 is a simple and basic, but very effective gigging amp.

And at a great price - and getting cheaper it seems since Thomann are selling them.  All good.

I love mine.

Frank.

[Bigwan]

The Darkglass is a great amp if you like a bit of drive. I do and had it on the VMT channel all the time. BUT I thought without drive it sounded a little flat and lacking in top end, but I was playing it through a tweeterless Barefaced cab so that's hardly the best way of judging it!

[BassManGraham]

Yeah I always prefer clean and on the rare occasion I need extra drive or grit, I have a Sansamp and an MXR 80 DI which can deliver far more drive than I would ever use. 

Ideally I would like to try head to head comparisons, but it would cost less to get the Quilter than the logistics of getting back to UK and finding enough stockists.

Just need to persuade the good lady it is an appropriate birthday present, no more jumpers please!

[lowregisterhead]

I've also had to face the 2 ohm conundrum, as I have two EBS 210 4 ohm cabs that I love, but I wanted something small and light on top. I ended up with an EICH T-1000 ( https://www.eich-amps.com/t-1000 ) which is clean, uncoloured, flexible and hugely powerful if you need it, but small and very light. Rackmountable too. Not the cheapest, but I've been very impressed with it.

Bass Direct have them. http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Eich_t_1000_amplifier.html Definitely worth a look.

[BassManGraham]

1 hour ago, lowregisterhead said:

I've also had to face the 2 ohm conundrum, as I have two EBS 210 4 ohm cabs that I love, but I wanted something small and light on top. I ended up with an EICH T-1000 ( https://www.eich-amps.com/t-1000 ) which is clean, uncoloured, flexible and hugely powerful if you need it, but small and very light. Rackmountable too. Not the cheapest, but I've been very impressed with it.

Bass Direct have them. http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/bass_guitar_specialists/Eich_t_1000_amplifier.html Definitely worth a look.

I do like the sound of EICH amps, but a bit confused as specs show 500W into 2 ohms per Speakon output (unbridged) whereas whatever cab configuration I want to use would amount to total 2 ohms i.e. 4 ohms per Speak on output.

 

 

 wondering if that would reduce the 500W quoted?   

[Musicman20]

Wow the Quilter really is cheap now! If I was in the market I'd go for one of those.

[Al Krow]

 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Al Krow

[fretmeister]

IS the Quilter fan cooled?

[stevie]

Don't forget to check out the Ashdown RM500 and RM800. I compared the former with an old but respected Trace Elliot head at a recent bass bash, and it was in no way inferior. It has a well considered feature set too.

[Lozz196]

34 minutes ago, stevie said:

Don't forget to check out the Ashdown RM500 and RM800. I compared the former with an old but respected Trace Elliot head at a recent bass bash, and it was in no way inferior. It has a well considered feature set too.

+1. I`ve had many Class D amps and the RMs are the closest I`ve found to that big weighty sound you get from a big weighty bass amp.