Tom Bowlus’
CAB
LAB
The silver, T-5052 anodized aluminum alloy grille is held on by four screws. The grille is bent in a slight curve, and with the additional pressure, those four screws seem to be more than adequate to prevent any rattles. The cabs are covered in tolex, with chrome corners. There are four rubber feet on the bottom of the enclosure, and these feet are slightly larger than those used on the Bassliner cabs. Both the Bassliner and BassDock cabs employ a single rubber-like strap handle located on the top of the enclosure. Though they look extremely similar, the handles on the Bassliner cabs feel slightly softer than those on the BD10 and BD12.
Quilter worked directly with Eminence to develop these proprietary ferrite-based 10” and 12” drivers. They feature stamped steel baskets, 2.5” copper voice coils, and 58 oz. magnets. Both the 10” and 12” drivers are held in place by eight bolts secured into threaded inserts (my preferred method). The leads are secured to the driver via Faston connectors
All of the Quilter Labs bass enclosures feature the Eminence BGH25-8 high frequency driver. The BGH25-8 is rated for 25 watts, and features a die cast ABS horn with 60 degree dispersion. It is specifically optimized for bass guitar applications, and sports a 1” voice coil and a 10 oz. ferrite magnet. This driver is secured using four wood screws, and the leads are attached via Faston connectors.
The panels and the front baffle are made from 5/8” 7-ply plywood, and all cabs definitely feel sturdy. Both of BassDock cabs have rear-facing slot ports. The internal wiring is medium gauge, and reasonably neat. There is no acoustic batting or other sound-absorbing material inside the enclosures. The back panel features a single ¼” speaker jack. I do wish that they had added a second jack, to facilitate “daisy chaining” multiple cabs, and I am a bit surprised that they did not opt for Speakon™ connections, which have become nearly ubiquitous, especially in cabs with a 400-watt power rating.
[Pat Quilter note: “As noted elsewhere, the bulky Speakon cables don’t fit in the BlockDock compartment.”]
Fig. 1 Quilter BassDock 10 Impedance curve
Fig. 2 Quilter BassDock 12 Impedance curve
Fig. 3 Quilter BassDock 10 On and off-axis(15, 30, 45) frequency responses
Fig. 4 Quilter BassDock 12 On and off-axis(15, 30, 45) frequency responses
Quilter Labs
BassDock 10
ENCLOSURE
| Configuration: | 1x10 |
| Listed Impedance: | 8 Ohms |
| Rated Power Handling: | 400 watts |
| Inputs/Outputs: | One ¼” jack |
| Dimensions: | 17” W x 12.5” H x 15” D |
| Weight: | 30.9 lbs |
| Ports: | Rear slot port |
| Covering: | Tolex |
| Baffle Board: | 5/8” 7-ply plywood |
| Cabinet: | 5/8” 7-ply plywood |
| Grille: | T-5052 anodized aluminum alloy |
| Handles: | One (top-mounted strap handle) |
| Feet: | Four, rubber (on bottom) |
| Casters: | N/A |
| Corners: | Chrome |
| Driver Mounting: | Eight bolts into threaded inserts |
DRIVERS/CROSSOVER
| Woofers: | Eminence® proprietary 10” driver |
| Cone Material: | Treated paper |
| Voice Coil: | 2.5" diameter (copper), Kapton former |
| Magnets: | 58 oz. Ferrite |
| Mid/High Driver: | Eminence® BGH25-8 |
| Mid/High Driver Adjustment: | N/A |
| Protection: | N/A |
| Speaker Connections: | Faston (woofer and high frequency driver) |
| Crossover: | 1st-order, 6 dB/octave, centered at 800Hz |
[Pat Quilter note: “As noted on the Bassliner spec sheet, the tweeter doesn’t really kick in until about 3-4kHz, and I consider the (very gradual) crossover to be about 2.5kHz.”]
MEASUREMENTS
| Average Sensitivity (200Hz-900Hz): | 98.98 dBSPL (1 watt @ 1 meter) |
GENERAL
| Company: | Quilter Labs www.quilterlabs.com |
| County of origin: | China |
| Year of Origin: | 2019 |
| Warranty: | 3-year limited |
| List Price: | $650.00 |
| Street Price: | $499.00 |
| Test Unit Options: | None |
| Accessories: | Slip cover, integrated amp dock, ¼” speaker cable (all included) |
| Price as Tested: | $499.00 |
| Available colors: | Black/Silver |
| Available Options: | None |
| Acquired from: | Quilter Labs |
| Dates: | August 2019 to December 2019 |
| Locales: | Ohio |
| Test Gear (in-hand review): | Genzler BA12-3, Mesa/Boogie Subway 2x10, Trace Elliot ELF 1x10, Genzler MG-800, Mesa/Boogie D-800, Phil Jones Bass BP-800, Alpher Instruments P/J, Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, Skjold Zia 5, Vigier Excess 5, F Bass 40th Anniversary Bass |
TEST RESULTS
1-5 (unacceptable to impeccable)
In-hand
| Features: | 3.5 |
| Tonal Flexibility: | 3.5 |
| Ease of Use: | 4 |
| Aesthetics: | 4.5 |
| Tone: | 4 |
| Value: | 4 |
In-hand Score 3.92average
On-bench Score 4.14average
On-bench
| Portability: | 4.5 |
| Road Worthiness: | 4.5 |
| Components: | 4 |
| Hardware: | 4 |
| Cabinet Construction: | 4 |
| Wiring: | 4 |
| Cover/Finish: | 4 |
Quilter Labs
BassDock 12
ENCLOSURE
| Configuration: | 1x12 |
| Listed Impedance: | 8 Ohms |
| Rated Power Handling: | 400 watts |
| Inputs/Outputs: | One ¼” jack |
| Dimensions: | 17” W x 19” H x 15” D |
| Weight: | 37.0 lbs |
| Ports: | Rear slot port |
| Covering: | Tolex |
| Baffle Board: | 5/8” 7-ply plywood |
| Cabinet: | 5/8” 7-ply plywood |
| Grille: | T-5052 anodized aluminum alloy |
| Handles: | One (top-mounted strap handle) |
| Feet: | Four, rubber (on bottom) |
| Casters: | N/A |
| Corners: | Chrome |
| Driver Mounting: | Eight bolts into threaded inserts |
DRIVERS/CROSSOVER
| Woofers: | Eminence® proprietary 12” driver |
| Cone Material: | Treated paper |
| Voice Coil: | 2.5" diameter (copper), Kapton former |
| Magnets: | 58 oz. Ferrite |
| Mid/High Driver: | Eminence® BGH25-8 |
| Mid/High Driver Adjustment: | N/A |
| Protection: | N/A |
| Speaker Connections: | Faston (woofer and high frequency driver) |
| Crossover: | 1st-order, 6 dB/octave, centered at 800Hz |
MEASUREMENTS
| Average Sensitivity (200Hz-900Hz): | 101.59 dBSPL (1 watt @ 1 meter) |
GENERAL
| Company: | Quilter Labs www.quilterlabs.com |
| County of origin: | China |
| Year of Origin: | 2019 |
| Warranty: | 3-year limited |
| List Price: | $700.00 |
| Street Price: | $549.00 |
| Test Unit Options: | None |
| Accessories: | Slip cover, integrated amp dock, ¼” speaker cable (all included) |
| Price as Tested: | $549.00 |
| Available colors: | Black/Silver |
| Available Options: | None |
| Acquired from: | Quilter Labs |
| Dates: | August 2019 to December 2019 |
| Locales: | Ohio |
| Test Gear (in-hand review): | Genzler BA12-3, Mesa/Boogie Subway 2x10, Trace Elliot ELF 1x10, Genzler MG-800, Mesa/Boogie D-800, Phil Jones Bass BP-800, Alpher Instruments P/J, Fender Duff McKagan Deluxe Precision Bass, Skjold Zia 5, Vigier Excess 5, F Bass 40th Anniversary Bass |
TEST RESULTS
1-5 (unacceptable to impeccable)
In-hand
| Features: | 3.5 |
| Tonal Flexibility: | 3.5 |
| Ease of Use: | 4 |
| Aesthetics: | 4.5 |
| Tone: | 4 |
| Value: | 4 |
In-hand Score 3.92average
On-bench Score 4.07average
On-bench
| Portability: | 4 |
| Road Worthiness: | 4.5 |
| Components: | 4 |
| Hardware: | 4 |
| Cabinet Construction: | 4 |
| Wiring: | 4 |
| Cover/Finish: | 4 |
