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I'm looking for a ss head to use with my RE 12 cabinet. I play small venues but often am subjected to a drummer. I live in an isolated town in eastern Oregon so I don't get to demo stuff.
I have been looking at the Quilter 101R and the DV Mark Micro, both of which are available online used for $200. Playing out I use a Boss GT-1 for a little compression and or reverb. I don't really need two channels.
Seems folks either rave about the Quilters or can't wait to get rid of them, and I understand the reverb on the DV Mark is unpleasant. These days I am mostly playing an Eastman El Rey which has a darker sound that I like.
I had a Little Jazz, which sounded good but I had to send it in for warranty repair once, and then it went up in flames just after the warranty expired, not the greatest experience.
Is the 50 watts these heads are rated for enough to get through a moderate drummer?
Is there anything else I should be looking at? Most of the threads about these two amps are kinda old. But so am I.
Thank you!
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01-31-2026 03:09 PM
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I tried the 101R with my RE 12 and my Toob Metro BG+, and it wasn't loud enough. I have replaced that with a DV Mark Raw Dawg EG250, which sounds great and is plenty loud through either cab. The reverb is OK, at least when used subtly as I do. I have not tried the Micro; there are two Raw Dawgs, one 60W and the other 250W.
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A little reverb on the LJ sounds fine to me. If you turn it too high it sounds like some other effect.
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All 60W and 250W DV Marks share the same clean channel, respectively. The 60W versions are loud for the stated output. I understand that the Raw Dawgs have a less chorusy reverb than the earlier versions. The Quilter 101R is squeaky-clean and has a fine reverb but is far too bright IMHO, while the DV Marks are on the dark side. Fender vs. Polytone in a way. My two go-to amps are Quilter SuperBlock US, which is loud enough next to a hard-hitting drummer, especially in combination with a 10"-12" cab, and TC Electronic BAM200, despite the lack of on-board reverb.
If I were you, I'd look at Quilter TB 202 despite the higher price. There's also a Milkman 100 currently for sale here on the Forum. Raezer's Edge Luna 200R is another option, although more of a one-trick pony.
SS amps need no maintenance but are tricky to repair; Quilter and Henriksen stand out in terms of customer service. The future of DV Mark is a question mark. 27 discontinued amps, only 5 active, and no introductions lately. Looks like it's fading out. The sister operation, Markbass, is thriving by comparison. I have no idea who takes care of those in the US. I've never had a problem with any of the SS amps I've been using, except the very first one, a Burns Orbital Stage One bought in 1966.
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Quilters are pretty great IMHO. I think you do have to be patient with them. They are more versatile than some but that comes at a cost of being patient and fiddling around with the eq and amp mods to find what you really like. For my taste Ive been able to find reasonably transparent tones that are more acoustic as well as more saturated voicings.
If you buy used you are likely stuck but if there is a return policy the good thing about these mini amps is they are not heavy to ship.
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Milkman 100 and Milkman Benson Amp.
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One on sale from Stringswinger here
Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
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Yep. I have used mine with my Raezer's Edge Stealth 12 ER and it sounds great and is loud enough to do a gig with a loud drummer. Originally Posted by medblues
To the OP: DM me and grab mine before someone else here does. It will cost more than the two you are looking at, but you get what you pay for in life.
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Any of the current class D heads will sound great through your RE. You don’t say what kind of music or guitar you play, and you don’t specify any requirements (eg reverb, effects loop, DI out, etc). So it’s hard to recommend a specific amp for you. You do say that you’re looking in the sub-$200 range, which leaves out the Milkman, most Quilters, Elf, and higher powered DVMarks.
The only new amps generally available in your price range are the TC Electronic BAM200 and BQ500 and the Warwick Gnome (all bass amps with no reverb). Both of the TCs sound great for jazz, take pedals well, and are reasonably reliable. I have no gigging experience with the Gnome, but it’s well reviewed. My BAM has been trouble free, as is reported for most of them. It’s clean, a bit dark with EQ flat, and reminds me more of a Polytone than the other class D heads I’ve had or heard. But there seem to be more reports of failure than there are for Quilters, which are close to bulletproof.
The Quilter 101R is a nice amp, but I personally don’t like its tone as much as the 202s. I’ve only played through one a few times in stores, but it always seemed slightly strident. When cutting the high EQ, it got boxy. I also didn’t think it had enough clean power and headroom. The 202s are worlds ahead in tone, flexibility, and power. But even the SuperBlocks are over $200 used, and the 202s are twice that.
I’ve gigged through my RE 10 with a Quilter SuperBlock US, a Trace Elliot Elf, a DVM EG250, a Quilter OD202, and a TC BAM200 (the last 3 of which I still have and will probably keep for the foreseeable future, along with a Quilter ToneBlock 202). The SBUS is a fine amp, if a bit bright like the 101 (which you can tame almost completely with a capacitor across the effects loop input, BTW).
So the only heads that seem to meet all of your requirements are the BAM200 and the basic Gnome. If you need reverb, the SuperBlocks are a good choice, although I found the SBUS to be a little short on power on louder gigs or in big, crowded rooms. I’d avoid a used DV Mark, for reasons others echo - reliability, parts & service availability, and questionable future support from the manufacturer. My EG250:has been perfect for about 4 years, and I had no trouble from a Little Jazz I bought new and used for a few years - but there are a lot of reports like yours of terminal failures. The Jazz 12 in the backline at a club in which I used to be the house band leader was perfect for 6 or 7 years before dying about 2 years ago. It’s been repaired twice since, but has finally expired.
The BAM has a lot of power and sounds great, both for jazz with an archtop and for blues / fusion / pop with a solid body and pedals. The BQ500 should be equally great but with an extra few dab of power and headroom. B&H has them in stock now. That’s my recommendation based on what you’ve told us so far. If you extend your budget, you encompass the Elf, a Milkman, a Quilter 202, etc. The Elf is no louder than the BAM, and it’s a bit compressed as volume goes up. The Milkman 100 and Quilter 202s are wonderful for your use IMO, as is the DVM EG250. But they’re all well over $200.
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Thanks all for your recommendations- just a little more info on what I do- I mostly play straight ahead jazz and jazz-blues. My budget isn't limited to $200, I could do more for the right amp. I do like on-board reverb and would appreciate a decent balanced line out, but that's not a requirement. Mostly I play an Eastman El Rey out; I'd like to be playing my Shaefer 16" archtop but need to replace the pickup with one that has adjustable pole pieces. I was using a 35 watt tube head with my RE 12 cab but it just didn't have quite enough power.
Thanks again!
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JazDad - a 35W tube head didn't have enough power?!
That "should" be enough to knock a wall down! Maybe you would like a second cab rather than another amp? Others can explain the "physics" of this, but what you have should be quite loud!
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Yeah, man, my reaction too. A 35W tube amp is usually a loud beast. I was able to be plenty loud with an 18W tube amp and an RE 12 to have no trouble being heard with a drummer (although the drummer in question was a listening and responsive drummer, not a basher. There is a cure for the latter kind- which is to get a new drummer).
My tube amp is a Fender tweed Deluxe (5E3) clone with a Cannabis Rex 12" speaker. This is plenty loud with the volume knob on 2.5-3 for any gig I've ever been on; usually the guitar volume knob is rolled well down. I also used this amp in a head cab for a couple of years with the RE 12. The CR is a more efficient speaker and louder than the RE, but it's an open-back cab which makes it a non-direct comparison even though the amp is the same one.
For portability and small stage footprint, I almost always use the Raw Dawg and Toob setup. Sounds great, plenty loud. The 5E3 has been out of the house once in over a year and is probably feeling neglected. My last gig had a really small amount of space, a triangle in the corner of the room with bass, drums and vocals. As a result I used a TC Combo Deluxe '65 pedal into the PA and was very happy with the sound and feel. I don't use any effects other than reverb.
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My main axe is also an El Rey! It’s a 7, and it’s absolutely the best playing / sounding / feeling guitar I’ve ever encountered. I think it’s also beautiful, but I’ve learned that many disagree with this. They’re wrong Originally Posted by JazzDaddyD
I’m in the surprised group over your need for more volume than a 35W tube amp will give you. I used a Vox Night Train 15W tube head with my RE10 for years and never ran out of decibels. It was fine on most gigs in class A triode mode making 5 W. It makes me wonder if the speaker in your RE is 16 Ohms, or if there’s some electrical problem with amp or speaker.
Nevertheless, a BAM or BQ500 will give you great sound and an honest 100W @ 8 Ohms. Either one is as loud as a Vibrolux with a nice warm sound. If you want to have reverb and a balanced out and be sure you’ll have power for every gig, a Quilter TB202 will almost certainly keep you entertained for life.
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Yeah, I'm a little incredulous your 35w tube amp was giving you enough juice. But, just throw an 8 Ohms 12" EVM12L speaker in your cab -- 101dB/w/m efficiency. I had a Mesa Blue Angel (15w/22w/38w progressive linkage) I put the EVM12L into. It could keep up with two drummers. -Phil Originally Posted by JazzDaddyD
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The OP looked, and thanked, for advice on mini SS heads, so portability obviously factors in. Swapping in a 19 lbs/8,6 kg speaker to make his tube amp louder probably isn't the solution he's looking for. There's around 100 dB, 12" Neo speakers from Jensen and Celestion weighing under 2 kg/4,5 lbs., if there's an issue with his cab's performance. The tube amp is a more likely suspect.
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Well, was written about 1/3rd in jest. But...your driver candidates don't sound remotely like a magnificent EVM12L, a few pounds extra be damned. What's an extra 15 lbs? I ask that as a 71 year old. Originally Posted by Gitterbug
I don't know what speaker is in his cab, but a lot of the standard candidates are only ~94dB efficient. Picking up ~+7dB in efficiency can make that 35w amp deliver apparent SPL yield closing in on what 200W amps would deliver via his current speaker, not to mention tube headroom. So, a little more weight vs. giving up tube tone if somehow 35W isn't enough? Player's choice.
Phil
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Regarding mini-heads ...
A man with a shrunken head walks into a bar, carrying a shoulder bag and followed by a seemingly endless flock of ducks. The bartender approaches, curiosity clearly showing on his face and ask "what'll you have". "Double scotch, neat, and keep 'em coming". He then produces from the bag a miniature piano and piano bench, and what appears to be foot-tall human being wearing a tuxedo, who proceeds to sit on the piano bench and begin playing "Fur Elise". The bartender says "I have to ask ..."
Tell me if you've heard this one ...
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Quilter TB202 used! You will be happy and plenty loud.
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I have heard it with both a genie and a mermaid. At least the little head part and the pianist part. Not the ducks. Perhaps you should post the entire joke? Originally Posted by John A.
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Be careful what you wish for … Originally Posted by Stringswinger
The man replies to the bartender:
“I was walking through the park when I saw this brass object half buried in the dirt. It had something etched into it that I couldn’t quite read, so I rubbed it, and a genie popped out. He thanked me for freeing him from the lamp he was imprisoned in and said he would grant me three wishes.”
“Amazing!” exclaimed the bartender, “but how did you wind up with all this?”
“I wished for a little head, a 10-inch penis, and a million bucks, but it turns out the genie was a bit hard of hearing.”Last edited by John A.; 02-02-2026 at 03:40 PM.
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Thanks- I think I will concentrate on finding a used 202 per your suggestion. I did find a used Pro Block for a good price- it seems to be about the same as the tone block (200 watts, reverb) but with the eq functions of a 101. Tempted-
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To all following this thread, I have withdrawn my Milkman ad as I have a local buyer.
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Another recommendation for Tone Block 202! Flexible and powerful unit. It is 200W apparatus but I played it for years thru Jensen Blackbird 100 speaker. I play never so loud that the 100W would be needed, so if You play in moderate volumes, even a 50W speaker might go nicely with it. Originally Posted by JazzDaddyD
Good luck for finding a used one, here in EU they are rare birds.
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If you find the Quilter too bright, read up about the "capacitor trick." When I had the 101R, that worked really well at moderating the brightness and making it sound very good indeed for jazz.
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The 202s are a totally different breed from the smaller Quilter heads. I have both a Tone Block 202 and an OD202 - there's no harshness or brightness at all. I've had a SBUS and 2 Microblocks, all of which were inherently brighter by far than the 202s. Through an RE 10 or 12, the 202s are truly fantastic jazz amps. Originally Posted by Cunamara
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