DetroitBlues Posted March 3, 2017 Posted March 3, 2017 Just ordered a Quilter MicroPro Mach II 8" combo. I spoke to Pat Quilter about the amp and he suggested this model for a great grab and go amp that can also work as a PA/Acoustic Guitar amp, the MicroPro Mach II was the way to go. While he did not intend for the MicroPro Mach II as an acoustic amp, the 8" speaker configuration should work well. There are several sizes of this amp, 8", 10", 12" HD, and a head version. I chose the 8" because of its tiny footprint and capabilities. 14.5" x 17.5" x 9.75" and weighing in at 19lbs and its a 100w amp! The amp uses a Celestion TF0818 speaker. Some of the specs: Powerful: 100 watts per channel. 200 watts total when using channel 1 and 2. Toneful: Patented next generation analog technology. Portable: Take it on board the plane and put in the overhead bin. Reliable: Stop fussing with 70 year old unreliable technology and play more! Ultra-Light: This is the lightest of our combo amps. About as heavy as your guitar in its case. Modular: Combine this with our matching extension speaker, or use your own for outdoor or extremely loud gigs. Flexible: Works with nearly any impedance, or even with the speaker unplugged. Consistent: Our power supply auto-adapts regardless of the voltage the wall is dishing out. Your tone never suffers, even from "nightclub voltage." I chose this over the Tone Block and the Aviator series as the features in both amps are already included in the MicroPro Mach II. The Full Q mode is the Aviator tone circuit, but what is nice is the Tweed (Fender Champ), Brownface (Deluxe), Surf (6L6), Lead (Marshall), Not to mention built in Tremolo and Reverb to go with its effects loop. I am rather excited to try this amp. It wasn't exactly on my list of things I had to get, but I thought it was interesting to try out and see if it really is all that.
tulk1 Posted March 3, 2017 Posted March 3, 2017 It works as a PA because the 8" speaker isn't a dedicated "guitar" speaker. It's a small PA speaker - full range. It works really well for my Mando, Fiddle and Banjo and it gives them a very natural, flat speaker to work thru. BTW, I'm gigging the Aviator 8. I went with that over the other models because I didn't want all the other voicings. CH 1 is voiced flatter for instruments and vocals, etc. CH 2 is straight up guitar. Nice how Pat worked all that out. I do think from time to time that I'd have been better off with the Avi12. But I have the conversion head kit and sometimes just run it thru my JCM900 212 cab. Sounds HUGE!!! Expect some tweaking time when you get your amp. I wasn't convinced on days 1 - 5. By day 6 I was there and a Fan Boy.
DetroitBlues Posted March 3, 2017 Author Posted March 3, 2017 It works as a PA because the 8" speaker isn't a dedicated "guitar" speaker. It's a small PA speaker - full range. It works really well for my Mando, Fiddle and Banjo and it gives them a very natural, flat speaker to work thru. BTW, I'm gigging the Aviator 8. I went with that over the other models because I didn't want all the other voicings. CH 1 is voiced flatter for instruments and vocals, etc. CH 2 is straight up guitar. Nice how Pat worked all that out. I do think from time to time that I'd have been better off with the Avi12. But I have the conversion head kit and sometimes just run it thru my JCM900 212 cab. Sounds HUGE!!! Expect some tweaking time when you get your amp. I wasn't convinced on days 1 - 5. By day 6 I was there and a Fan Boy. I've thought about the 1x12 extension cab to go with it because I wasn't certain about the tone from an 8" speaker, than again Thundersteel brought a Swart combo that was absolutely killer and it was no bigger than a tweed champ. There is a conversion kit too?
tulk1 Posted March 3, 2017 Posted March 3, 2017 Don't know if there's a conversion kit for the Mach. But the Aviator has a head kit, so you can take the amp out of the combo (both Avi8 and Avi12) and use it as just a head. I found the 8" speaker took a bit of getting used to. It will and does sound different. So if you're used to 12s, you'll notice a difference. The thing is, it's loud enough. Sometimes I'm not sure it's full enough. Hence the 212 x-cab. Tomorrow I'm not going to hook up the cab, just use the amp and the 8" combo. See if the band notices.
bolero Posted March 4, 2017 Posted March 4, 2017 neat! I am pretty sure the power @the the place we rehearse is crappy...sounds like my power tube plate voltage is starved that voltage adaptor bit is a great idea
DetroitBlues Posted March 9, 2017 Author Posted March 9, 2017 I finally brought her home last night and plugged her in. Loud as hell. Not terribly impressive with the 8" internal speaker using an Electric, but with an Acoustic... Great stuff Now, I plug the amp into a 2x12 cabinet using my electrics.... Holy $hit Batman! It has the sounds. Marshall, Tweed Fender, Blackface Fender.... Wow! Reverb and Tremolo are awesome. The tweak-ability is unbelievable! I'm glad I made the plunge and spent what I did on the amp. But how many 100 watt amps can you buy that are made in the USA for under $1,000?
ElNumero Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 I finally brought her home last night and plugged her in. Loud as hell. Not terribly impressive with the 8" internal speaker using an Electric, but with an Acoustic... Great stuff Now, I plug the amp into a 2x12 cabinet using my electrics.... Holy $hit Batman! It has the sounds. Marshall, Tweed Fender, Blackface Fender.... Wow! Reverb and Tremolo are awesome. The tweak-ability is unbelievable! I'm glad I made the plunge and spent what I did on the amp. But how many 100 watt amps can you buy that are made in the USA for under $1,000? That little b**th has 100w? Are you sure you didn't mean 10w?
LK155 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Very nice amp, DB. Every time I power up my little Quilter 101, I wonder how such a tiny box can sound so BIG. Enjoy.
DetroitBlues Posted March 9, 2017 Author Posted March 9, 2017 That little b**th has 100w? Are you sure you didn't mean 10w? 100w per channel. Total 200W
DetroitBlues Posted March 9, 2017 Author Posted March 9, 2017 DB, did you opt for one of the pedals as well? Not a control pedal for the amp. Maybe next year I buy the multifunction pedal and 1x12 extension cabinet.
tulk1 Posted March 9, 2017 Posted March 9, 2017 Not a control pedal for the amp. Maybe next year I buy the multifunction pedal and 1x12 extension cabinet. Josh, you're a smart feller. Make your own. I know you know how to do water slides. Buy a 4 hole box, make up your own design, wire that bad boy up yourself. Directions for doing so are on the Quilter site. I made a channel switcher/ reverb switch for my Avi8.
DetroitBlues Posted March 10, 2017 Author Posted March 10, 2017 I do have lots of Cat5e cable and an Ethernet crimp tool...
ElNumero Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 100w per channel. Total 200W So since it is a solid state amp with 100 watts that would be roughly the equivalent power of a 30 watt tube amp
tulk1 Posted March 10, 2017 Posted March 10, 2017 So since it is a solid state amp with 100 watts that would be roughly the equivalent power of a 30 watt tube amp Not on a Quilter. I'd put my Avi8 up against any tube amp, watt for watt. Seriously. And I've been a less than fan of SS amps until this one. Pat Quilter is on to something. Hook up an extension and the watts, at least on my Aviator, jump to 200w. All usable. Seriously, these are not the SS amps of our yoots.
ElNumero Posted March 11, 2017 Posted March 11, 2017 Not on a Quilter. I'd put my Avi8 up against any tube amp, watt for watt. Seriously. And I've been a less than fan of SS amps until this one. Pat Quilter is on to something. Hook up an extension and the watts, at least on my Aviator, jump to 200w. All usable. Seriously, these are not the SS amps of our yoots. Are you getting paid to say all of this? (just kidding of course)
pressure Posted March 11, 2017 Posted March 11, 2017 The solid state amp of my youth (1969) was a Kustom K200 (100 watts) with 2 speaker columns each loaded with 3 15" Altec Lansing speakers. Your experience may vary but mine was loud, loud, loud! Good times.
RhoadsScholar Posted April 25, 2017 Posted April 25, 2017 Good going Detroit Blues. I looked at that amp and ended up with the ProBlock 200 (I am intrigued by their 2 x 8 speaker cabinet which is way overpriced). In the mean time though, it is a backup to my classic tube stuff and am still getting familar with dialing in a great sound with pedals. I use to use a Crate PowerBlock and I sold it when it was working but it always felt cheap (not so with the quilter stuff). Post some live videos when you get a chance in a live setting. I am curious.... take care
t0aj15 Posted April 25, 2017 Posted April 25, 2017 I looked at that amp and ended up with the ProBlock 200 (I am intrigued by their 2 x 8 speaker cabinet which is way overpriced). In the mean time though, it is a backup to my classic tube stuff and am still getting familar with dialing in a great sound with pedals. I use to use a Crate PowerBlock and I sold it when it was working but it always felt cheap (not so with the quilter stuff). Post some live videos when you get a chance in a live setting. I am curious.... take care I also use the Pro Block 200 but strictly as a poweramp with an Ethos preamp and an FX8 for efx. Haven't even turned the tube stuff for several months.
DetroitBlues Posted May 5, 2017 Author Posted May 5, 2017 Good going Detroit Blues. I looked at that amp and ended up with the ProBlock 200 (I am intrigued by their 2 x 8 speaker cabinet which is way overpriced). In the mean time though, it is a backup to my classic tube stuff and am still getting familar with dialing in a great sound with pedals. I use to use a Crate PowerBlock and I sold it when it was working but it always felt cheap (not so with the quilter stuff). Post some live videos when you get a chance in a live setting. I am curious.... take care I'm a basement dwelling hack guitarist these days. Probably won't have a chance to test it live until PSP.... ProBlock is a loud amp. I like what I'm hearing out of this tiny MicroPro. I came close to buying the same rig you have, but I agree that the 2x8 cabinet is too expensive for what it is.
gpuma Posted May 8, 2017 Posted May 8, 2017 I thought you did not like any amp above the 20-30W range. What made you change your mind?
DetroitBlues Posted May 9, 2017 Author Posted May 9, 2017 I thought you did not like any amp above the 20-30W range. What made you change your mind? It can be quiet as a church mouse and still have some grit or it can keep up with a full band unlike many tube amps that must be turned up to get that nice juicy tone...
DetroitBlues Posted June 23, 2017 Author Posted June 23, 2017 Breaking News.... Vince Lewis just posted on FB... He loves his new Quilter
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