Help on using Quilter Superblock as a preamp

[Pivrich]

I'm intrigued by Little Jay's use of the Quilter SuperBlock as a preamp for a Henriksen amp. I have an older version Henriksen amp that has 1/4" input jacks, not Neutrik, so I need to convert the XLR output of the Superblock to a 1/4" input jack on the Henriksen.

The line out on the Quilter is balanced, so am I correct that I need an impedance matching transformer (XLR to 1/4") that boosts the impedance to match the high impedance input on the Henriksen?

Thanks for the assist.

[sgosnell]

All you need is a cable with a 1/4" plug on one end, and an XLR connector on the other. The common and ground pins in the XLR connector are connected together. A coaxial instrument cable seems best for noise cancellation. I've been playing with this lately, just for grins, and this setup works fine. There is more than enough signal level, and I have to cut the volume way back on either the SBUS or the amp, or both. For convenience, I tend to use the volume control on the SBUS, and I usually run it at 25% or less. It's always a balancing act between volume and gain, especially when there are controls for both on two devices. Lots of ways to change the sound, but I'm basically lazy and so far just leaving the controls of the amp used for power where they were and tweaking on the SBUS.

[Christian Miller]

It’s funny because I sometimes use the Quilter as a power amp through the fx return haha. Sounds great with my old Boss GT1


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[Pivrich]

Thanks for the clarification, we're off to Guitar Center (wish me luck!).

[sgosnell]

Actually, the easiest way is to just use a standard instrument cable from the SBUS FX send to the amp. The SBUS volume control has no effect, but the preamp section works as usual. The only downside is that you have to use the power amp volume control, but that's a quibble.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The line out on the Quilter is balanced, so am I correct that I need an impedance matching transformer (XLR to 1/4") that boosts the impedance to match the high impedance input on the Henriksen?

No. First, a balanced output can be any impedance - one has nothing to do with the other. What sgosnell is correctly telling you is how to connect a balanced source from an XLR jack to an unbalanced input.

The SB line out is both balanced and low impedance. A low impedance source can drive a high impedance input with no problem, as long as the level is appropriate. Voltage is what drives an amplifier’s input. A high impedance source cannot drive a low impedance input because it can’t put out the higher current needed to sustain the necessary signal voltage through the low impedance. It’s Ohm’s law in action: voltage = current X resistance. Maintaining the necessary voltage into a lower impedance takes more current.

Fixed line level is far too high for an instrument or mic input, so there has to be a gain control on the source signal output to keep it low enough. The master gain on the SB controls line out, so you’re OK - just start with it off and slowly increase it until you get the volume you need.

[Tal_175]

It’s funny because I sometimes use the Quilter as a power amp through the fx return haha. Sounds great with my old Boss GT1

I use my Quilter micropro mach 2 also as a power amp for my line 6 express. It sounds great. The Princeton modelling in line 6 sounds better than any of the built-in preamp modelling that comes with the Quilter combo.

[Gitterbug]

If you use the fx out, no reverb.