# NAD...Quilter 101



## blueshores_guy (Apr 8, 2007)

My amp needs are pretty simple: home noodling and recording. No gigging required. But I do want the cleanest sound I can get.

First heard a Quilter at my instructor's place and was blown away.
The one I bought is the 101 Mini Head.
Very, very impressive little beast. Driving a VOX 2x12 it sounds HUGE!
Lots and lots of good clean power. Lows like I haven't heard for a long time. 
Using the 2W setting on the master will rattle walls and make you back off the guitar volume.
Sounds amazing with single coils. Sounds even better with humbuckers. 
Unconventional tone controls and I need some more time to figure them out.
So far my favourite 'voice' is SURF (think BF Fender). Believe it or not, it sounds better than my BF Vibrolux Reverb.

Minimal controls:



So small (8" wide, 3" high, 6" deep) I have it mounted on my equipment rack at eye level. No more leaning over to make amp control adjustments.



Tiny box, big tone. I like it.


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## Steven Boddington (Mar 7, 2016)

Recent Quilter convert here too. Aviator 1/12. Great bluesy growl and louder than Poseidon!


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## Tone Chaser (Mar 2, 2014)

I got to hear a Quilter Aviator for a week while I was on a cruise ship, a few weeks ago. I was surprised that a tiny amp with an 8" speaker sounded that good.

I am not sure that it is something that would ever totally replace my hoard of tube amps, but it does reaffirm my acceptance of a good solid state amp.

I think that I would like to get myself a Quilter Steelaire 15" combo sometime in the future. They also have a good assortment of quality, light weight cabs.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Moratto made a 1/2 watt amp called the Half Watt Rock that converted me. Also the traynor quarter horse did the same. Technology has come a long way.


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## Steve Adams (Dec 31, 2009)

I love the steelaire. I am thinking that with a ethos OD pedal, I would have the exact tone and feel I am after. 

I am planning on getting on the ethos order form again. Need one, maybe even through my mustang in blackface twin I should get close! But the quilter would be a great platform for this preamp and pedals.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

What is the 0 watt setting like? I live in an apartment. My Champ X2 works well, but at low volumes I have an EQ pedal to fill out the low end and low mids which tend to thin out low volumes. I use it through a 1x10 Rajin Cajun closed back Saxon cab I've noticed that Tapestry music sells it for $431 Cdn. I generally like clean and tweed settings with vintage sounding OD pedals. For effects, again vintage style, chorus, reverb and delay - not too much.


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## blueshores_guy (Apr 8, 2007)

Well, as you might suspect, the zero watt setting is very quiet.
Extremely quiet.
Dead quiet, you might say. 
About the same result as leaving the power switch OFF. 
If you're concerned about violating your apartment sound restrictions, the 101 has a headphone jack. However, when used, it doesn't cut off the speaker output, so you need to be able to get at the back panel and disconnect the speaker. Not terribly convenient.
Having said that, the 101 doesn't seem to lose much of its 'robustness' when turned down, it's just robust at a lower volume.
I use a Carbon Copy delay pedal in front of the Quilter, and that warms up the sound very nicely. I've also tried it with just a reverb pedal in front, and that's acceptable too. By itself, it's a trifle sterile sounding. 
The 101 Mini Head dealer list price is indeed $431 CAD. You will find the same price at all Canadian dealers. That was set some time last year using an outdated exchange rate of 1.44 (USD list is $299). Like most things, though, that's open to negotiation.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

I do believe you when you say it out-tones your Vibrolux! SS got a lot of hate when I was starting out on the guitar, but I think since digital modeling took off it's become acceptable and even fashionable to rock a good SS. Now modelers are the favorite dog to kick in the gear world.

The Quilter Tone Block has intrigued me for a while. Mount it on a pedalboard with a couple of those Sansamp character preamps and I bet it'd be a monster little option.


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