Here’s an ideal opportunity to thank this man for inventing one of the most amazing pieces gear, the Quilter Superblock amps. I bought one last week, and was blown away at how great it sounds. Thank you, Pat, for adding another source of fun.
Ive been a fan of Quileter amps for years. I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Quilter at the 2019 NAMM show, I really enjoyed speaking to Mr Quileter, his designs are next level, a true genius, and gentleman. Thanks Pat!
Another total Quilter convert here. I mostly use the Aviator Cub these days, but have the 101 Reverb and the 202 Overdrive. Great amps. I'm an old guy, diehard tube amp lover, but these do the trick. Additionally, everytime I email Quilter to ask a question, Pat answers personally. Try that with the big guys. Love these amps...and they're light in weight. Finally, solid state has arrived.
Pat cured my amplifier Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Once I got my Micro Pro amps. Gen 1 and Mach 2, I have completely forgotten amp shopping. It's been years since I've shopped for amps.
I've never tried one but I like their approach. Most of the solid state amps you have to be a brain surgeon. I'm an old dude I don't need much. Something simple that sounds good. I don't need my phone to operate my amplifier. I don't think my flip phone would work anyway.
@@electricj5 In theory there shouldn't be a reason why an analogue solid state circuit can't sound like a tube circuit if it's designed properly. That's why he's using FETs. FETs and tubes are voltage devices, transistors are current devices. You have to be a special kind of mad scientist to figure out how to make solid state emulate the technical limitations of tubes, but it is possible. However it's not just the tubes. In a tube amp every component, from pickup to speaker, is reacting with whatever it is connected to. Transistors don't change their behaviour much based on load ect, and they don't need output transformers. They also don't have inadequate power supplies usually. Tubes are very flawed technology, and the classic amps were very badly designed, if ones criteria is accurate sound. They were a beautiful mistake.
I have a JCM800 2 x 12 50W combo. I used to run a hard distortion pedal through the effect return jack to bypass the preamp section. It was heavy as plutonium.
Thank you Pat and Peter! And greetings from France and the Gino Matteo band! The Bass Block 800 has been wonderfully reliable. I truly learn something new every day when Pat talks about stuff. Thanks again! Mike Burnham, bassist for Gino Matteo
This is the most informative explanation of SS vs tube. I believed undoubtedly my whole life that "tube watts" were louder, even though that makes 0 sense. This is clearly because I do not know science like this guy. I am now dying to buy a Quilter.
That “power-amp sag” (low end thump) sound can be recreated with a compressor in the FX loop. Using a EQ and Compressor in the FX loop is the secret to getting tube/valve character from a solid-state amplifier.
Fantastic. I've learned a lot just from this one video! Thanks for sharing this. I'm curious about why the limiter is placed before the preamp. I would have thought having the limiter after the preamp would contribute to a more authentic-feeling tube-like sag, by not affecting the additional harmonic content generated by the preamp. Or maybe a little bit of both - some limiting before the preamp and some after?
Thx! I have the 101 Reverb and actually doing some reamping today. We got a couple of Phaez Amps, a couple Friedmans, and I'm going to try out the Quilter 101. Thx for the testing and info, going to come in handy😎👍
@@profd65 I almost certainly shouldn't have made any allusions, albeit unwittingly, to doom metal - just an extremely good metal tone to put the Randalls to shame would suffice :)
@@MercutioUK2006 That would tough: Randall made a good solid state amp for metal. I betcha a Quilter + a ZVEX "Box of Metal" + a Marshall 4x12 (or another good rock cabinet; the speakers and cab are the most important thing) would sound pretty mean.
@@profd65 Correct. But for myself, I'm a primary clean, Fender tone user. So as this video was kind of comparing the classic JCM 800 characteristics to a quilter amp, I was wondering how a classic Fender clean amp would compare to the quilter amps. And seeing as how I have not played through a Quilter and am currently looking for a mini amp head, that comparison would be very useful to myself. I'd hate to buy an amp only to find out that it is an amp primarily used for gain and NOT clean tones.
He did say it early about reactance which would be greater with speakers than a dummy load. the output valves of a tube amp are fighting the inductance/reactance of the valve output transformer and also the inductance of the speaker cab so the speakers push back which makes the transformer push back and this is what gives the feel of a valve amp.
Pat should also look into why HIWATT have almost hifi quality with the same EL34 valve then goto the KT88 99 etc amps and also the same valves are used in real hifi amps.
Super impressed with this company! As a working musician I don’t have the time or money to fuss with valves they don’t sound that much better and the whole variability thing really annoys me sounds good one day not the next
Can I ask you a question! Im running my amp heads into an attenuator/load box direct into my DAW with Cab Sims and my 2 tube heads are working great. Im able to crank the master to a nice high level to get that nice Power Amp breakup. But the strange thing is, when I use the same setup with my Orange Solid State head, the signal works and sounds as it should at very low volumes, but as soon as you start to turn it up to any decent volume it just wants to squeal and sing. Any ideas as to why that could be? I dont believe anything is particularly wrong with the amp because I just tested it as a normal amp/cab setup, it just seems to be when Im recording direct into my DAW through the THD Hotplate
@@QuilterLabs101 Right, good idea. I can use all the same cables with my other amps and it works fine, so it's still kind of a mystery lol. But I appriciate the feedback.
Sadly this amp is made in China. Pro Block 200s were made in USA but it appears Quilter wasn't able to keep the business going by continuing to make things in USA.
Great music is made in the USA and elsewhere. Great amps are made in USA and elsewhere. Quality is NOT exclusive to the USA - just look at your cars. I have recently bought on ebay (for £150) a pristine Laney cub 12r, designed in the UK and built in China. It is seriously well built valve amplifier, and with the second hand epiphone Les paul cherry sunburst (also from eBay for £170), my 10-y-old has fantastic equipment at an affordable price. USA build can be good, but price will exclude much of the rest of the world, and where would the next generation of Peter Green, Danny Kirsten, Jeff Beck, Paul Kossoff come from to entertain you?
True, lots of countries can make great items. However, you'd have to be playing dumb to not see the benefits of supporting US workers when you live in the US. Sadly, many US workers will not pay a premium to support living wages for other US workers.
4:00 so a cool bias is better to get an EARLY distortion? I always thought the opposite...so waht about a GOOD distortion tone instead? hot bias to get a better tone but later?? I'm very confused.
Is this same tech in the micro block 45? I’ve been using it as my main live amp for the last couple years and am very happy with it. I own several great tube amps, but you seem to have really nailed how an amp should feel in a solid star version. The truth (for me) MB45 is way easier to carry. Solid state or not the MB45 is a great piece of gear. If a v2 is coming I’ll buy that too 😀
It is not exactly the same. Much of the mojo is similar but the added wattage of the 200 watt engine enables things that can't be done as easily as low power. That said, the 45 does have a V2. The InterBlock 45.
@@johnmarshall3903 how can you say it sounds like shit when the speaker it's running through is in a padded chamber that's muffled to hell and back, and being put on RUclips, which has a shit ton of compression. it's a demonstration of the waveform and what happens on the scope. no amount of biasing that Marshall will make it sound good in this particular instance.
The only thing i need to know is if your 200w seems as loud as a 50w tube head or a 30w, i need to wait, I want a Quilter 4 channelthat can handle, 4 inputs giutar,bass,keys,mics and drive a cab per @ 500watts
nice! i've got a 200, and i love it! much lighter than my johnson combo, and i usually don't even need to bring a cab to the gig! with a couple pedals, sounds fantastic going into a GK 4x12
Skip to the end of the video if you aint got time for this. He is able to get high volume without the clipping on the oscilliscope. I got to check this guy out more and this video out more. I think he's got something. ...or at least may have something.
The "right" preamp pedal in front (ie: Friedman BE-OD or Bogner La Grange, etc) and your best 1x12 or 2x12 and I can't think of a more manageable, reliable high quality tone rig.... I'm a tube amp guy but I'd rather keep my favorites safe at home and pack around a light, great sounding amp that is more reliable. Some venues have questionable power supply, especially outdoor events and as much as I'd like to use expensive old tube amps, it's not worth the risk.
Here’s an ideal opportunity to thank this man for inventing one of the most amazing pieces gear, the Quilter Superblock amps. I bought one last week, and was blown away at how great it sounds. Thank you, Pat, for adding another source of fun.
Pat Quilter is the best kind of mad scientist.
Ive been a fan of Quileter amps for years. I had the pleasure of meeting Pat Quilter at the 2019 NAMM show, I really enjoyed speaking to Mr Quileter, his designs are next level, a true genius, and gentleman. Thanks Pat!
Back to the Future!
Another total Quilter convert here. I mostly use the Aviator Cub these days, but have the 101 Reverb and the 202 Overdrive. Great amps. I'm an old guy, diehard tube amp lover, but these do the trick. Additionally, everytime I email Quilter to ask a question, Pat answers personally. Try that with the big guys. Love these amps...and they're light in weight. Finally, solid state has arrived.
21 lb quilter is a lot lighter than even a deluxe reverb. lol
Pat cured my amplifier Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Once I got my Micro Pro amps. Gen 1 and Mach 2, I have completely forgotten amp shopping. It's been years since I've shopped for amps.
Has to be one of the coolest videos ever...and now I know what "presence" is!
I really enjoyed this demonstration. Looking forward to seeing more of these
Pat should do dummy loads on every amplifier and explain the technicalities on what’s going on. I’d definitely watch that.
It's nice to see my old boss from back in the day on Placentia Ave.
Fascinating. Thanks for doing this demo, Pat, and Peter!
Glad to see somebody working hard on my life's dream of searching and finding the best solid-state amp.
Quilter make awesome solid-state amps, and that’s coming from a dedicated tube amp guy.
I've never tried one but I like their approach. Most of the solid state amps you have to be a brain surgeon. I'm an old dude I don't need much. Something simple that sounds good. I don't need my phone to operate my amplifier. I don't think my flip phone would work anyway.
@@electricj5 In theory there shouldn't be a reason why an analogue solid state circuit can't sound like a tube circuit if it's designed properly. That's why he's using FETs. FETs and tubes are voltage devices, transistors are current devices. You have to be a special kind of mad scientist to figure out how to make solid state emulate the technical limitations of tubes, but it is possible. However it's not just the tubes. In a tube amp every component, from pickup to speaker, is reacting with whatever it is connected to. Transistors don't change their behaviour much based on load ect, and they don't need output transformers. They also don't have inadequate power supplies usually. Tubes are very flawed technology, and the classic amps were very badly designed, if ones criteria is accurate sound. They were a beautiful mistake.
@@Patrick-857 the lab amps are really good
@@silverpairaducks Ty Tabors amp of choice on King's X's album Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. Such a unique and absolutely unobtainable guitar tone.
I'd shelved my 101 for a good few months. Pulled it off the gear shelf the other day and plugged it into a Marshall cab. I forgot how great it sounds!
I want, more than anything, to have Pat Quilter collaborate with Mike Matthews from Electro-Harmonix. Those wizards would turn out real magic.
I have a JCM800 2 x 12 50W combo. I used to run a hard distortion pedal through the effect return jack to bypass the preamp section. It was heavy as plutonium.
Most helpful and enlightening video I’ve seen in ages! Well done 👍🏻
Thank you Pat and Peter! And greetings from France and the Gino Matteo band! The Bass Block 800 has been wonderfully reliable. I truly learn something new every day when Pat talks about stuff. Thanks again!
Mike Burnham, bassist for Gino Matteo
it bears repeating, more videos like this, please. I love my overdrive 200. 👍👍👍
Genius!! I'm getting this, thank you Quilter.
This is the most informative explanation of SS vs tube. I believed undoubtedly my whole life that "tube watts" were louder, even though that makes 0 sense. This is clearly because I do not know science like this guy. I am now dying to buy a Quilter.
im a bonafide quilterhead. been using the 101 for the longest time after many amps. have the frontliner cab as well. much love!
That “power-amp sag” (low end thump) sound can be recreated with a compressor in the FX loop. Using a EQ and Compressor in the FX loop is the secret to getting tube/valve character from a solid-state amplifier.
Good to see explained from s technical standpoint and compared. Much respect.
Fantastic. I've learned a lot just from this one video! Thanks for sharing this. I'm curious about why the limiter is placed before the preamp. I would have thought having the limiter after the preamp would contribute to a more authentic-feeling tube-like sag, by not affecting the additional harmonic content generated by the preamp. Or maybe a little bit of both - some limiting before the preamp and some after?
Wooooooooooooaw, this is so interesting ! Especially the difference with dummy load and real speaker. Electronics is such a magical world ! :D
Great company, great products. If Quilter ever makes a stereo Superblock (hint, hint) I’ll flip my lid
Kind of painful to listen to with the guitar out of tune... But the video was very interesting, and the Quilter amp looks amazing.
Someone did their homework.. and Pat got his milk and cookies. Great Job Pat, taking it to the extreme.
I have an Overdrive 200 and I love it. Lately I've been thinking of getting the 202 just to have two of them and the extra tone options.
Just ordered my TB 202, so stoked
Combine the technical knowledge to analyze how something vintage works and then re create it with more current technology? Pure brilliance.
Thx! I have the 101 Reverb and actually doing some reamping today. We got a couple of Phaez Amps, a couple Friedmans, and I'm going to try out the Quilter 101. Thx for the testing and info, going to come in handy😎👍
Loved this demonstration. I'm always looking at tube amps, but now I'm gonna check out the Quilter!
I look forward to the next evolution of amps with the Flux Capacitor.... ☺️
with 1.21 gigawatts pure power!!
Doc passed away... aint going to happen.
Where would you set the gain knob on the quilter 202 for a clean sound no dirt at all without losing considerable volume and power.
Dear Quilter, please release an unabashed, fire-breathing, demonic analog Tone Block 666.
Love,
Many Guitarists.
I concur. I would buy one in a heart beat. My overdrive 200 (amazing amp) does the job very well until Quilter unleashes the fury.
Maiden please
Those already exist: they're called Sunn Beta Leads. Unfortunately they haven't been made for awhile (but a clone is made).
@@profd65
I almost certainly shouldn't have made any allusions, albeit unwittingly, to doom metal - just an extremely good metal tone to put the Randalls to shame would suffice :)
@@MercutioUK2006
That would tough: Randall made a good solid state amp for metal. I betcha a Quilter + a ZVEX "Box of Metal" + a Marshall 4x12 (or another good rock cabinet; the speakers and cab are the most important thing) would sound pretty mean.
Huh,huh he said bacon sizzle! This is great!
This is really interesting! Please do more such videos with other classic American and Brit amps. Mahalos!
Ho Hawaiian!!! I just saw this video today and was wondering about the samething!!
Why? This wasn't an amp "shootout." He was just showing that Quilter amps have some of the qualities of tube amps.
@@profd65 Correct. But for myself, I'm a primary clean, Fender tone user. So as this video was kind of comparing the classic JCM 800 characteristics to a quilter amp, I was wondering how a classic Fender clean amp would compare to the quilter amps. And seeing as how I have not played through a Quilter and am currently looking for a mini amp head, that comparison would be very useful to myself. I'd hate to buy an amp only to find out that it is an amp primarily used for gain and NOT clean tones.
These are fasicinating, would love to see the dummy load through a Mach 2 as well! Perhaps a Fender or Vox style amp as well!
He did say it early about reactance which would be greater with speakers than a dummy load. the output valves of a tube amp are fighting the inductance/reactance of the valve output transformer and also the inductance of the speaker cab so the speakers push back which makes the transformer push back and this is what gives the feel of a valve amp.
Pat should also look into why HIWATT have almost hifi quality with the same EL34 valve then goto the KT88 99 etc amps and also the same valves are used in real hifi amps.
You know your things. I should try your amps!
Thanks for this... Love my Quilters!!
Gandalf of guitar amps !
Excellent information, and explanations. Thank you.
Super impressed with this company!
As a working musician I don’t have the time or money to fuss with valves they don’t sound that much better and the whole variability thing really annoys me sounds good one day not the next
This is a great video! Very cool information! Love my Quilter amps!
Can I ask you a question! Im running my amp heads into an attenuator/load box direct into my DAW with Cab Sims and my 2 tube heads are working great. Im able to crank the master to a nice high level to get that nice Power Amp breakup. But the strange thing is, when I use the same setup with my Orange Solid State head, the signal works and sounds as it should at very low volumes, but as soon as you start to turn it up to any decent volume it just wants to squeal and sing. Any ideas as to why that could be? I dont believe anything is particularly wrong with the amp because I just tested it as a normal amp/cab setup, it just seems to be when Im recording direct into my DAW through the THD Hotplate
Well, it is hard to say for sure (we don't actually make Orange amps) but microphonic sounds are usually due to bad or un-shielded cables or jacks.
@@QuilterLabs101 Right, good idea. I can use all the same cables with my other amps and it works fine, so it's still kind of a mystery lol. But I appriciate the feedback.
TB202 might be the greatest amp ever made because it's the only amp where I stopped wanting any other amp once I got it.
Great video. I love the examples on the oscilloscope.
Does the Steelaire have the same character as the Tone Block 202? I mean, does it distort in the same way?
This. Is. AWESOME.
I've been jonesing for a quality American-made solid state, and lo, my prayers have been answered!
Sadly this amp is made in China. Pro Block 200s were made in USA but it appears Quilter wasn't able to keep the business going by continuing to make things in USA.
Great music is made in the USA and elsewhere. Great amps are made in USA and elsewhere. Quality is NOT exclusive to the USA - just look at your cars. I have recently bought on ebay (for £150) a pristine Laney cub 12r, designed in the UK and built in China. It is seriously well built valve amplifier, and with the second hand epiphone Les paul cherry sunburst (also from eBay for £170), my 10-y-old has fantastic equipment at an affordable price. USA build can be good, but price will exclude much of the rest of the world, and where would the next generation of Peter Green, Danny Kirsten, Jeff Beck, Paul Kossoff come from to entertain you?
Apologies. Obviously should read Danny Kirwan. Humbled and shamed to have mis-spelt the name of such a musical genius
Predictive *#@?#@* texting
True, lots of countries can make great items. However, you'd have to be playing dumb to not see the benefits of supporting US workers when you live in the US.
Sadly, many US workers will not pay a premium to support living wages for other US workers.
While a boosted JCM800 is still the gold standard for high gain tone, the lower gain settings are really underrated.
I enjoyed but did not understand why and how the waves looked different when going to the dummy load vs the real speaker.
I have a tone block. Best amp for the money hands down
I can see how that sort of master volume would be useful to get the amp to behave like its loud when it is at any volume
what happen to your qsc? quilter sound products? are you still with qsc company. im a proud user of qsc.
Excellent video.
I'm a believer!
Thanks for showing this. Just more info that helps me let go of the tubes.
4:00 so a cool bias is better to get an EARLY distortion? I always thought the opposite...so waht about a GOOD distortion tone instead? hot bias to get a better tone but later?? I'm very confused.
Great video, more like this would be good, thanks!
da boss,,, da engineer,,,, logical music man
You should have titled this video "Adventures With Tone Santa".
Careful. He sees you when you're sleepin'
Nice Kiesel by the way
Why no high cut on the 202?
Is this same tech in the micro block 45? I’ve been using it as my main live amp for the last couple years and am very happy with it. I own several great tube amps, but you seem to have really nailed how an amp should feel in a solid star version. The truth (for me) MB45 is way easier to carry. Solid state or not the MB45 is a great piece of gear. If a v2 is coming I’ll buy that too 😀
It is not exactly the same. Much of the mojo is similar but the added wattage of the 200 watt engine enables things that can't be done as easily as low power. That said, the 45 does have a V2. The InterBlock 45.
@@daddaladda thanks for the info!
Does anyone ever tune their guitar before doing a tech video ? lol. Thanks for the video
:-)
Bravo! More!
Really interesting
Quilter 😎👍🏻
This is amazing!
Does the little 45 watt pedal size ss amp also do the Marshall thing going into a real speaker?
Iove this man
Is that foot switchable between clean crunch and lead and does it have an effects loop?
Cool! I want an inter block 45!
A brilliant human
buying a 202 asap!!!!
"bacon sizzle" = Crossover Distortion!
Exactly, why don't you bias that Marshall properly, It's cold as ice and sounds like shit!
@@johnmarshall3903 how can you say it sounds like shit when the speaker it's running through is in a padded chamber that's muffled to hell and back, and being put on RUclips, which has a shit ton of compression. it's a demonstration of the waveform and what happens on the scope. no amount of biasing that Marshall will make it sound good in this particular instance.
thank for thats cool
The only thing i need to know is if your 200w seems as loud as a 50w tube head or a 30w, i need to wait, I want a Quilter 4 channelthat can handle, 4 inputs giutar,bass,keys,mics and drive a cab per @ 500watts
WATTAGE ATTENUATION ?
Would love to get some lab time with an amp guru!
Genius!
I have blast with my micro block.
nice! i've got a 200, and i love it! much lighter than my johnson combo, and i usually don't even need to bring a cab to the gig! with a couple pedals, sounds fantastic going into a GK 4x12
make that my HK 4x12 oops
Audio wizardry
wow...sometimes do see bs, but I think tis guy really knows his stuff
Skip to the end of the video if you aint got time for this. He is able to get high volume without the clipping on the oscilliscope. I got to check this guy out more and this video out more. I think he's got something. ...or at least may have something.
The "right" preamp pedal in front (ie: Friedman BE-OD or Bogner La Grange, etc) and your best 1x12 or 2x12 and I can't think of a more manageable, reliable high quality tone rig.... I'm a tube amp guy but I'd rather keep my favorites safe at home and pack around a light, great sounding amp that is more reliable. Some venues have questionable power supply, especially outdoor events and as much as I'd like to use expensive old tube amps, it's not worth the risk.
Wow!
Interesting
Love that "bacon fat" sound!
I’d like to see the waveform for 8:23-8:25 mark :--------)
Awesome!
Maybe stupid question.... what is that meter with the three waveforms?
It's an oscilloscope, which measures the frequencies of the electrical output of the amp, which becomes sound when they reach the speaker.
That would be an oscilloscope.
👍🇺🇸🇬🇧
Cool
" That 'bacon fat sizzle'."
put a supro drive pedal /quilter thru yer scope and see what that looks like. the pedal has a transformer that saturates like a supro amp.
Geeeeeekkkkssss
Awesome guy
Awesome
sweet, no hernias.