Quilter Interblock 45

  • This new tiny Quilter "all-in-one" tool sounds promising! I love the idea of a such a small pedal platform amp.


    Here is a video. And I added some important information about function of the "FR / CAB" switch.


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    Peter at Quilter vor 2 Wochen
    "Peter from Quilter here, you actually use the CAB mode when playing through a cab and/or you want cabinet simulation through the direct out. It's sort of the default. FR Bypasses it so you can go to an FRFR cab and use outside cab sim. But for a traditional cab you want CAB mode. Cheers"


    Peter at Quilter vor 2 Wochen
    Hey David, I see the confusion, that could have been worded better. We tried to keep it simple but it didn't serve us well there so here's some more info.... CAB mode turns on cabinet simulation for the headphone/line out and sets up the speaker out to pair with a traditional cabinet. So use it when you're using a traditional cabinet or if you want us to make it sound like you are, whether you're going through an FRFR passive cab, headphones, or line out. FR mode defeats that and makes both the speaker out and headphone/line out totally flat. That might sound like what you want when using a traditional cab, but it's not. The InterBlock doesn't have the full package of tricks in our larger amps to make them tube-like, but it has a few of its own to make it sound awesome and be even smaller. One of those tricks effects how the speaker interacts with the amps. Our larger amp have the same low damping factor relationship with the speaker that a tube amp has. The InterBlock, and the MicroBlock for that matter, have the traditional high damping factor relationship with the speaker that every other solid state amp has. People compensate for that in different ways to make things feel right. Most use digital filters these days. In the past they would leave it feeling stiff and lifeless which is a big part of why most solid state amps feel and sound like garbage. We use a few analog circuits to bridge the gap in the InterBlock and MicroBlock. Those are activated on the speaker out when in CAB mode. Feel free to play through one and try it in FR mode through a tradtional cab. I suspect you'll quickly switch back to CAB mode :) You would use FR mode if you had something like a Helix with built in cabinet simulation and you just needed a clean power up to power your passive FRFR cab. Long winded, but I hope that helps!

  • I’ve read this twice, watched multiple videos, red the website and pdf, and still don’t understand what this does!

    Same. Is he saying he recommends to use their cab sim when you're playing through a regular cabinet?

    Disclaimer: When I post demo clips for profiles, there will be some minimal post-processing, unless stated otherwise. I normally double-track hard L/R, and add to the main buss a small amount of EQ and a limiter/comp set pretty light as well. Sometimes I get test profiles in advance of release, though 90% of my clips will be from packs I have purchased.

  • Same. Is he saying he recommends to use their cab sim when you're playing through a regular cabinet?

    Yes... but "CAB Mode" does NOT mean cab sim, it means you're running INTO a cab.


    The "CAB mode" setting "turns on cabinet simulation for the headphone/line out" and it activates a "few analog circuits" for the speaker outs to simulate a tube power section. Zero cabinet simulation on the speaker outs. You would use this mode with your pedalboard.


    The "FR mode" sets up the amp clean straight thru when you're ALREADY running amp/cab simulation (e,g. Kemper/AxeFX/Helix) and just need clean power to an FRFR cabinet. I suppose you could use this mode with your pedalboard if you had something like a Mooer Radar between the two.

  • Would be interesting to know, if the "cab mode" on the speaker out only improves the "feel" compared to any simple ss poweramp, or if the sound itself is affected to a greater extent?

  • You have to use cab mode when using with a traditional cab. That's because it will sound tiny pushing a large cab. So they have some sort of trick that makes the whole thing sound bigger.


    If you are running into a PA or monitors or FRFR, use the other mode.


    A lot of guys use this on TGP as a kind of pedal platform.

    If you use only pedals and preamps into the interblock the "cab mode" seems the way to go. But as soon as you have profiles or a modelling amp patch that includes power amp information (but cab sim deactivated), this recommandation is not so clear anymore.


    With cab sim ON - FR mode to FRFR. But modeller with cab OFF, but with power amp activated to trad. cab AND Interblock cab mode ON is kind of "done twice", or not?!

  • Yes, that's what you need to do, i.e. if running to a traditional cab, irrespective of whether you have the cab section of your modeller turned on or not, you want to set the Quilter to cab mode.


    Like the man said: "The InterBlock doesn't have the full package of tricks in our larger amps to make them tube-like, but it has a few of its own to make it sound awesome and be even smaller."


    Of course, this is just based on my reading of what he said. Perhaps you would want cab mode off on the Quilter if the cab section of whatever you are using is on.


    That said, perhaps it would make more sense to have the cab sim after the line out of the Quilter rather than before the speaker output. That may affect the tone negatively.


    Ibot39 You seem to be really keen to find a solution to push a cab with your Kemper. Why don't you try something like an EHX 44 Magnum?


    https://www.ehx.com/products/44-magnum


    Nothing special to do, just plug your main output to it, then send that signal to your cabinet. It's tiny too, just the size of a stomp box.

  • nightlight I am keen on trying everything possible:P Plus, I LOVE my pedal collection and platform amps (tube and transistor). So the Quilter Interblock is interesting in more than one way for me.


    I already pushed my cabs with the Kemper (last year) with some different power amps. The EHX 44 Magnum (I tried 2 of them) has a big noise / grounding problem by construction. I don't like solutions with build in fan. The Koch Atr (also with fan) sounded good, but not neutral at all. The Harley Benton GP-400 I had borrowed was o.k.


    The Interblock would give 2 options:

    - Common solid state flat (shouldn't sound much different than the one in the powered Kemper?!)

    - cab mode (better speaker interaction)


    If that cab mode is needed / useful with the "Kemper to trad. cab" thing - I don't know yet?


  • Well, as far as cab mode, it is a mystery to me. Will have to wait till it is released, the product isn't even on their website.

  • Short feedback. Pat Quilter is a nice guy. He responded back to my questions 2 times and very fast. So I bought the Interblock 45 to give it a try.


    The good things:

    - Small and lightweight

    - Unexpensive

    - Very good power adapter - no hum or noise from this one


    Not so good:

    Sound is a matter of taste. For me, the "Quilter hype" is not justified (with this unit). Compared to the latest solid state amps of Boss, Roland, Orange I see no advantage here - in none of its functions. When you just want to use the power amp feature to make a modeller louder, you just can use something like the Hotone Loudster instead (cheaper, louder).


    For all other applications (for me) the sound is just not there. If anyone says the sound of the IB 45 on vintage mode tends toward a Fender blackface and gets close to a good tube amp ... well, I have to say: No way! 8) I wanted to like this thing really, but there is not much "tube-like" going on. Even compared to "vintage generation" solid state amps the clean and edge of break-up tone is rather dissappointing. H&K did this much better with Attax or Edition lineup before decades! And comparing with more recent amps or circuits like Orange CR120, Orange Bax Bangeetar, MXR EVH 5150 pedal, Boss Katana... the Quilter appears like a (bad) relic from the past. And as soon as we get into crunch category it is not a matter of taste anymore, it just sounds awful.


    Compared to the IB 45 the similarly small Diago Little Smasher sounds like the Holy Grail :/ The provided Cab Emulation of the IB is o.k. - but again no Quilter magic here. An A/DA GCS3 analogue solution or a Palmer PDI 03 JB plays in another league!


    As a pedal platform amp it is usable live, I think. But nowhere near a Fender Landau Hot Rod Deville or something. I can't imagine someone wants to use this to preserve his guitar tone in a recording situation.


    It does takes distortion pedals well. But using boosts doesn't work like you expect - again my Attax 80 or Marshall Master Reverb 30 or a very cheap tube amp like a Vox AC4 TV do a better job.


    I tested with different cabs, speakers and guitars: I didn't like it in any constellation, so I am glad I can return it.

  • I see a lot of apples vs. oranges comparisons here: Orange CR120, MXR EVH 5150 pedal, Boss Katana, Attax 80, Marshall Reverb 30, Vox AC4 TV, even a Fender HR Deville ML!!


    The only comparison that makes sense is the one with the Diago Little Smasher......... And maybe with the Bax Bangeetar.

  • I see a lot of apples vs. oranges comparisons here: Orange CR120, MXR EVH 5150 pedal, Boss Katana, Attax 80, Marshall Reverb 30, Vox AC4 TV, even a Fender HR Deville ML!!


    The only comparison that makes sense is the one with the Diago Little Smasher......... And maybe with the Bax Bangeetar.

    Yes and no ? Doesn't Quilter want to replace my apples with oranges?


    I brought up the comparisons because there is kind of a Quilter hype and when you read or watch reviews you almost always get statements (and therefore the impression):

    1. The Quilter attempt of solid state amps is superior, because Pat Quilter simple is a genius

    2. Quilter units sound like a good tube amp and can replace them (with the advantage of less size and weight)


    I wanted to believe that. But it is simply not true.


    They sell the IB 45 as a small and practically pedal platform amp, that makes your heavy tube amps redundant. So of course I compared it to amps I know, like the Fender ML Deville and a cheap little amp to not be unfair.


    Because the IB 45 to my ears does not sound a tiny bit like a tube amp, does not like boosts or drive pedals that push over the edge of break-up and does sound really awful with more gain on its own... well I compared the solid state cleans and crunch to some ss classics - which sounded as good or better in the end! I thought I share my experience.


    I mentioned the newer generation transistor / solid state amps, because they show what is possible soundwise. I know that some are bigger units, but it's the same technology, isn't it?


    And I wanted to be friendly here. I forgot to say it is made in china, the paint of the enclosure had flaws, the knobs are veeery wobbly, the jacks feel cheap... and I said it to my wife a lot shorter: "As an amp it feels very stiff and you can hear it - it sounds like bad shit from the 80s. For every other feature there are better solutions on the market as well. Very disappointing - I send it back."