Acoustic Image Clarus 2R vs. Quilter 101 Reverb

**SkipBurz** · 12-25-2019, 10:05 PM

For clean solid state, I've been using a Quilter 101 Reverb paired with a Raezer's Edge Stealth for a couple of years. However, a friend left his Acoustic Image Clarus 2R Series II at my house since the summer. I play it often (into the Stealth) and really like it. Besides the advantage of some extra "bells and whistles," though, I don't hear a huge tonal difference between it and the Quilter (with my ES-175 and 335). I know there's much love out there for the AI Clarus, but has anyone else played these two amps head to head. I could buy the AI for a few hundred bucks if I want it, but I'm on the fence.

Thanks!

**sgosnell** · 12-26-2019, 12:35 AM

This is strictly a subjective personal opinion, so take it for what it's worth. I've owned both the Quilter original 101 and the 101 reverb. I don't have a Series II, but I do have a Series I Clarus. I hear a definite difference between the Quilter and the Clarus, and I quickly sold the Quilter. I didn't like the sound at all, but many do. It comes down to personal preference. If you like what you have, and don't hear any difference, then the Clarus may not be worth the money to you.

**Skip Ellis** · 12-26-2019, 01:25 PM

I've had both - AI was OK but think the Quilter sounds better. Had a couple Quilter 101s and sent them back but the 101R works well for me. So good that I'm thinking of selling my Evans RE200.

**Longways to Go** · 12-26-2019, 03:51 PM

My vote is for Acoustic Image. I'm not sure if mine is II or III but it sounds great.
Does the one you are looking at have multiple reverb options + delay?
I only ask because mine does and I have found the delay to be even better than the reverb -- which surprised me.

**SkipBurz** · 12-26-2019, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by Longways to Go

My vote is for Acoustic Image. I'm not sure if mine is II or III but it sounds great.
Does the one you are looking at have multiple reverb options + delay?
I only ask because mine does and I have found the delay to be even better than the reverb -- which surprised me.

The AI I'm borrowing does not have delay, just reverb. It's the AI Clarus 2R Series II. Thanks.

**Cunamara** · 12-30-2019, 11:40 PM

One of the tricks I use with the Clarus 2r (mine is a Series III, I think) is to turn the master volume to about 2:00 and use the channel gain to control the volume. Warms and fattens up the tone nicely.

**sgosnell** · 12-31-2019, 11:39 AM

Or the opposite - turn the gain to 2:00 or so, and the master volume as desired. The result is pretty similar to my ears. I also get a very warm sound by going direct into the effects return, bypassing the preamp entirely. That needs a buffer of some sort in the chain, but any pedal should do the job if it's on. A reverb pedal works, even with the gain all the way down. I do it using my wireless system, which gives an always on buffered signal. If you don't like the sound, an EQ pedal will let you shape the tone even more than the Clarus preamp allows, but for me flat is perfect.

**JazzNote** · 12-31-2019, 01:07 PM

I don't know the Quilter, but find the bass filter of the Clarus to be of very distinct advantage to any other amp i played so far. Apart from the generally favorable sound which i like a lot, this feature allows adjusting the bass/mid response suitable for almost every room, no matter how problematic it is soundwise.

**deacon Mark** · 01-01-2020, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Cunamara

One of the tricks I use with the Clarus 2r (mine is a Series III, I think) is to turn the master volume to about 2:00 and use the channel gain to control the volume. Warms and fattens up the tone nicely.

Tim I tried this on my Clarus R2 like yours and it works. It does seem to fatten the tone up. The Clarus really does a nice job with all the archtops. What I like about it is that each different guitar gets it own sound. While I do like a Fender Twin for sound it tends to make each guitar sound more similar. Plus I would never lug a Twin around. I had no idea about doing this on the Clarus.

**Spook410** · 01-02-2020, 04:40 PM

Thought these were very different sorts of amps though suppose I could be confused. The Quilter is not supposed to be flat sounding. It's supposed to sound like a Fender amp. Clarus is supposed to be a tool for amplifying acoustic instruments and should be pretty flat. Not sure it's what I would choose for an electric guitar without a pedal in front of it to get a guitar amp sound.

**sgosnell** · 01-02-2020, 07:14 PM

Yes, the main similarity is that they're both small heads. They sound very different.

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-12-2023, 11:52 AM

Hey Skip,

Thanks for you review .I found it to be helpful. I'm in the process of buying a used Acoustic Image Clarus 2R. I own a Quilter 101 but here's the issue I've run into. I play a Guild x-175 (Manhattan) with single coil pick-ups and an Eastman 905 CE with a Kirk Armstrong Single PU which I believe is a single coil PU as well.

Here's my dilemma. Unless I turn the Gain up past 3 I don't get sufficient volume out of the amp for playing out in public. Around the house it is plenty sufficient. Since I like the cleanest sound possible when I raise the gain past 3 1/2 the sound has more edge than I prefer. This is with the Master at 50 watts. It's not the head but the marriage between the PU's and the amp because if I play using my Ibanez 335 with Hum bucking PU's I get all the volume I need with a gain of 3 and the Master set lower. For that reason I'm considering going with either the Acoustic Image Clarus or a Quilter 202 both in the same price range.

Any advice, thoughts etc. Lastly, I don't know much about the Clarus 2R. My understanding is that you can run two separate speaker configurations through it. One for mic and one for instrument. Is this your understanding. I have go online and see if I can find a manual for the Clarus, I know it takes netrix cables which I'm unfamiliar with as well. What ever you can offer I would appreciate it.

Coming to you from N. Carolina. Ed

**sgosnell** · 09-13-2023, 09:34 AM

This is an old thread, but I'll try to answer anyway. If Skip is still around and wants to comment, he's more than free to do so.

The Clarus has two speaker outputs, and you can use either or both. But if you use both, you can't switch between them, they're wired in parallel with no switching. Both are hot all the time.

Neutrik is a brand, and provides all sorts of connectors, including 1/4". What the Clarus uses are SpeakOn connectors, IMO much better than the 1/4" plug/jack combo used for instrument connections, and by many amp manufacturers. They can't short out when the plug is inserted or removed, and provide a very strong connection. I prefer having SpeakOn connections on both amps and cabinets, but many makers provide only 1/4" jacks in cabinets, and in amp heads. I've made up cables using every available combination, for use with different heads and cabinets. You can buy dedicated speaker cable, but I generally just use standard power cable, because it's easily available anywhere. The ground cable can just be cut off short and unused. SpeakOn connectors use a screw attachment, so no soldering is needed. Solder might be needed for a 1/4" plug, depending on the plug. I use Neutrik plugs for almost everything, whether SpeakOn or 1/4", because they're very high quality, and I prefer them over Switchcraft by a large margin.

I tried the Quilter 101 long ago, and sold it quickly, because I couldn't get a sound out of it that I liked, no matter how I twisted the knobs, and I did a lot of knob-twisting before I got rid of it. The Clarus is designed to sound the same from low to max volume, with no distortion. You cannot make it distort, at least I can't. That's why some people don't like it, AFAIK. Quilter is aimed more at rock players than jazz, and for that distortion is essential.

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-13-2023, 03:06 PM

This was so nice of you to reply at length. I found the information very helpful since I'm new to this Neutrik connection set up. Never heard of it til now. Anyway looks like you won me over. I have two speaker cabinets with JBL's in them. Both of course have the conventional inputs. I read online that it is possible ( I guess anything is possible) to change them over to a neutrik style set up. I don't know if it worth the effort. Seems a lot simpler to use the Neutrik on the output and use a standard 1/4' on the other end of the cable. I'm dabbling with making my cables right now. Your suggestions are very helpful. My message to Skip as you might have noticed had more to do with the fact that I can't get the power I need without turning up the gain on the 101 which is why I'm considering changing over either to a 202 or replace it with a Acoustic Image (used) Skip seemed to indicate that there wasn't much difference between the two but you feel otherwise. I'm OK with the sound of 101 although I've never played an Acoustic Image set up. I'm a clean freak when it comes to sound! Sounds like you are as well. Anyway the Clarus that I'm looking at comes with a Raezors Edge with 2 eights. Would you or anyone you know be interested in this cabinet since I already have two with the vintage JBL's . Any other thoughts you're willing to share I would appreciate it. Thanks again. Ed

**pcjazz** · 09-13-2023, 07:55 PM

Neutrik is a brand, they make all sorts of connectors. What you want is a speaker cable (or two of them) with a SpeakOn connector at one end (goes to AI head) and a 1/4” on the other (goes to speaker cabinet). And give that RE Twin 8 cabinet a good listen before deciding you don’t want it — they are pretty special and match brilliantly with the AI.

**sgosnell** · 09-13-2023, 08:34 PM

I've converted some of my cabinets that came with 1/4" jacks to SpeakOn. I prefer that connector, but I still have one, newly acquired, that still has a 1/4" jack. I have two heads with SpeakOn outputs and one with 1/4". Thus I still have to maintain cables with both connections. All the cables I make use Neutrik connectors, including the 1/4" plugs, both speaker and instrument cables. Neutrik makes quality products.

I'm not interested in another cabinet, since I just bought a Toob Metro BG+, and already have a RE Stealth 10 ER. That one doesn't get a lot of use these days. As pcjazz said, try the Twin8 for awhile before you ditch it. Those are very good cabinets. I once had a one-off RE 6/8, with one 8" and one 6" speaker, and foolishly sold it. Smaller speakers can be great.

Speaking of which, I've discovered that the Toob Metro BG+ with the 6" speaker isn't bright at all. The Quilter Superblock is what made it sound bright. I pulled out my AI Clarus today and played it through the Metro, and I had to turn up both the treble and the bright controls to get a sound I liked, it was much too dark when flat. The difference between amps can be dramatic, and it really was in this case. I've been running the Quilter with the treble just barely above 9 o'clock, and had to put the Clarus at near 3 o'clock to get the same sound. That little speaker cabinet is really good.

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-14-2023, 09:30 AM

Thanks for the update on the Twin 8. I'll give it a try before letting it go. i was planning on doing that anyway however I already have a custom cabinet with a 12" Vintage JBL which I had restored (lot of effort and money) and another cabinet with (2) 10" JBL's. Hard to find and can be expensive but are worth if in good condition. I owned a Toby amp in the late 60's with a HD 12" JBL. Best amp I ever owned. Definitely a Jazz amp which is why they went out of business after a small production run. They were out of Fort Worth. Toby Guinn just passed away about 7 years ago. I picked up (2) 12" Alnico magnet speakers out of one their cabinets recently that were trashed and am considering having them restored. There's a place in Ca. that does it to original specs with a kit. I can't keep everything for a number of reasons so I'll have to make some decisions once the Raezers Edge arrives. Should I decide to convert my current cab's with the speak on connections perhaps you can offer some suggestions on how best to proceed. I appreciate having feedback from such a knowledgeable aficionado as yourself. You make me feel that it's not a sin to own more than one cabinet which puts me at ease. Thanks again for the info.
P

**Cunamara** · 09-15-2023, 04:11 PM

I have a Clarus 2r Series III which I have used with a Raezer's Edge 12" cab for maybe 15 years. I like it a lot with that cabinet, not so much with the Redstone 8 inch cab that I have. I have a pre-master volume Fender Pro Reverb with two JBL 12" speakers- too heavy at nearly 80 pounds and the speakers are IMHO too bright and a bit hard-sounding. I have a friend with a Twin Reverb that I use at his house, which has two Weber or Utah speakers in it and sounds much better for this kind of music. Overall, I don't think that JBL speakers are the optimal driver for jazz. YMMV of course.

I am working around to also recommending checking out the RE cab; there is something about having two speakers in one box that is good.

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-15-2023, 11:10 PM

Thanks Cunamara for your insightful reply and comments. It's good to get a well rounded perspective. Would you clarify the anagram IMHO or is that a brand?
i always liked the JBL speakers; in fact spent quite a few dollars on the ones I have especially a 12" I had reconed and remagnetized. They are indeed heavy so I get what you mean there. I bought a cabinet from a friend who owns an amp business. I needed a cabinet for 2 10"JBL's ( already heavy) Since he was selling it to me at cost he required 50% down so he could order it. What I got however was a oversized solid wood cabinet sized for 2 12". I couldn't send it back under the circumstances and although an excellent cabinet it is no heavy. I'm up in the air about JBL. I like the crisp sound but am wondering if the Weber speakers are a better fit for the style I play? Your comments got me thinking about whether they are the best choice for jazz. I don't like the Polytone sound however which I know is unusual. For me it's too round or flat? I guess it all comes down to personal taste. Still experimenting. I'm waiting for the Clarus R2 to come in. I'll let you know what I think vs. the Quilter101 I currently have. Explain YMMV please!

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-15-2023, 11:14 PM

Thanks . Very helpful. Ed

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-15-2023, 11:16 PM

When you say a pedal, you are referring to an EQ pedal I presume. Ed

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-15-2023, 11:19 PM

I'll try that as well. Thanks

**nikoskr62** · 09-28-2023, 07:18 AM

not 100% similar to this post but related with the RE Stealth10' cabinet that I'm using along with my Clarus 2R series ii, let me ask the following:
what about replacement speaker in that cabinet ? RE has put the Eminence Beta 10' speaker in it, a bass speaker actually, so the high end is totally smoothen if not dissapeared ...
I'm thinking to replace it with an Eminence Legend 1058 which has good references, to bring back some sparkle.
What's your opinion ?
Any suggestions ?

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-28-2023, 08:02 AM

Good to hear from you. Not too familiar with the Stealth Cabinets. I'll have to research that...I own a Port City Cabinet designed for 2 (12) .Extremely well built cabinet constructed of Birch but quite heavy ( 43#). I would have preferred one smaller since I houses two 10" vintage JBL's. which are also heavy. I like the
crispness and sparkle out of my speakers which I only seem to be able to find in the JBL's at least as it pertains to playing through my particular guitar which is a 1962 Guild Manhattan with a single coil pu. I'm sure other speakers work well with most other set ups. You can find used JBL's online but they often need to be re-coned and re-magnetized. ( Quite expensive as well) I have good connections on who can get this done. As far as I know there are only two in the US both in Ca.
I just picked up a Clarus SR which I am going to try out today. Heretofore I have been using a Quilter 101 whose sound I like but can't get enough power out of it with the gain set below 4. I will post my review on the difference between the two amps shortly, based on the comparison. I think it could prove helpful to other jazz players like myself who are looking for the cleanest sound with some penetration. I may also want to try it through a Razors Edge cabinet at some point to see which seems to perform best. I'll title my replies going forward as : Chasing the Sound by EM

**Ed Monkiewicz** · 09-28-2023, 08:07 AM

I just got my Clarus SR in yesterday and will be testing it out against my Quilter 101. I appreciate your comments on having to turn up the tone settings on the Clarus since I don't prefer a totally flat sound but like some brightness in my sound so I'll see how it goes. I'll post a follow up on this shortly and let everyone know what I experienced.