Eden WT400 Bass Amplifier - The Return of a Classic

WT400 - The Return of a Classic

More than a decade ago, Eden introduced the WT400, otherwise known as the Traveler Plus. Today it remains extremely popular on the used market. So, in May of this year, we produced a limited run of 25 units (from original parts) to commemorate our Thirtieth Anniversary.

The WT400 was originally produced as an artist-only upgrade of the original Traveler, the WT300. It was so popular that we introduced the design to the public later that year. Now, due to popular demand, we've released a Limited Edition 30th Anniversary run of twenty-five units.

Eden WT400 Bass Amplifier

These are the last WT400s we'll ever build, so they're bound to become collector's items. (All remaining original parts will be set aside for potential future repairs.) To help insure their collector status, David hand-signed and numbered each unit. IN addition, they come with a signed Certificate of Authenticity confirming the serial number of each unit - proof positive your unit is among the last we'll ever build.

In essence, the WT400 is half of a WT800. It features the same control set as its big brother, except for those needed for dual amplifier operation (Bi-amp, Bridge, etc.):

Hand-tested 7025 tube for added warmth
Input Gain with -12dB Pad
Switchable automatic compression
Eden's proprietary Enhance control
5-band semi-parametric EQ
FX loop
DI output with level control and Ground lift
Tuner and Headphone outputs
Stereo Aux Inputs

One of the great things about the WT400 - like all Eden amps - is that you can get a great tone without a lot of knob tweaking. Just set the Input Gain using the Set Level light, and turn up the Master Volume. Then, dial in a touch of Enhance (the so-called Magic Knob) if desired. Abbra Cadabra: instant tone. Our proprietary Enhance tone shaping circuit boost the extreme lows, upper midrange and highs while at the same time cutting the low midrange. Just a few clicks and you're on your way to the Garden. (of Eden. Go ahead; take a minute…we'll wait.)

"But I like to twiddle knobs," you say. No problem. We give you more knobs to play with. And they actually do something when you twiddle them. Many have imitated our 5-band semi-parametric tone section, but none have ever equaled it in terms of versatility and musicality. You see, David's a genius with this stuff, and so is our captive rocket scientist. (NOTE: Do not send a rescue team. He's not really a captive, OK?)

Of course, you get your basic Bass and Treble controls. But wait! You also get three semi-parametric control sets, each with Level and Frequency knobs. With these controls, you can focus in on any frequency in the tonal spectrum to boost or cut to your heart's content. And if your heart isn't content with +/-15dB of boost or cut, you really should have your hearing checked.

While it's true that most of our users only need to dial in a little Enhance to get their sound, they also tell us that it's a Really Neat Thing to be able to make minor adjustments in certain areas, either to vary the tone of their instrument slightly or to compensate for room acoustics. For more on shaping tone, see our article "Getting the Perfect Sound from Your Eden Rig."

Now, turn the amp around and look at the back of it. See all those little holes? That's where you hook everything else up. Speaker outputs feature a pair of ¼" jacks and a Speakon connector. We highly recommend you use the Speakon, as it is more efficient for transferring high power. You'll also find the FX loop, a dedicated Tuner out and the coolest D.I. Output in the industry. Featuring Ground Lift and Level control, our D.I. is so quiet and musical that many of our top endorsers pass over those expensive Direct boxes in the studio and use the amp's D.I. instead. We even put Stereo AUX Inputs back there in case you've got something you'd like to bring into the signal chain. Now, that's versatility.

"What about reliability?" you ask. And we're so glad you did. Take a look at the "Why Eden" page. There you'll find pictures of an amp that was the sole survivor of a home-studio fire. The fire literally melted the knobs to the faceplate. Yet the owner continued to use the amp for months before finally sending it in to be cleaned up. You'll also see on vintage WT600 (like the WT800, but with a touch less power) that was dropped off a semi and then run over by same. Sure, a few knobs were broken, but the thing still worked perfectly! Now, that's Eden Tough.

NOTE: We are exceedingly generous with warranty repair. Still, we're not going to cover fires and semis. Just so you know. . .

Who needs a WT400? Just about everyone, we think. In fact, if you listen to our Special Projects Coordinator, you should have one of these as a back-up even if you already have an Eden amplifier. (Lane's a freak for spares. He's got spares for his spares. He seldom needs them, but he's never had to jack into the PA if something goes wrong, either.) It's a great amp for rehearsals and small-medium sized gigs. In fact, several of our endorsers still use the WT400 as their main touring amp.

The following is a re-print (with minor edits for spelling and punctuation) of a post to our forum by endorser Dennis Michaels. After decades of refusing to even consider "a prissy boutique amp" and using the standard, classic amps of yesteryear, Dennis finally auditioned an Eden rig. And there was no looking back. He now is one of our most ardent supporters, and extremely active on our forum. Here's what Dennis had to say after running his WT400 into a newly-acquired D212XLT cabinet:

I was in my music room yesterday and, while cleaning up, I found the speaker cable for my 400 (1/4 inch to speakon). I haven't seen it since my WT1000 arrived and I rewired everything. I took it to my Sunday gig and when I set up I thought to myself, "Self, I am going to try running the 212 with the WT400".

Well, I am happy I did. What a sound and the volume was unbelievable!

I used my Smith's (I know, what else would I play) with the eq dis-engaged. The 400 was set flat except for a 1 click bump on the lowest semi-para. band with the frequency set a 11 O'clock. The gain was at about 1 O'clock to barely kiss the compressor. I ended the night with 400's master at about 11 O'clock.

This rig went off like a cannon. There is no secret about my love for the WT400 and let me tell you, it is an even bigger favorite now. The warmth of the 400 is the bomb in my book. Deep solid and clear with enough power to get a trio gig done right. With minimal eq it handles the gig in true Eden style with real Eden tone. I never did hit the clip light (which I have on this gig in the past running the 210XST/112XLT combo). I know why the 400 is my favorite head. Compact, powerful and tone for days.

The WT400 coupled with the 212XLT 4 ohm is a totaly perfect bass rig. It is a "no fuss, no muss" setup that will thrill anyone seeking a perfect rig without drama. Plug the 400 in the wall, cable to speaker, bass to 400, and turn it on and play. This rig is perfection with out any drama. The tone produced was fat, deep and rich producing a tight yet soft/pillowy low end with a solid mid range punch.

The WT400/D212XLT4 rig is a perfect stand alone rig for anyone looking to own a killer sounding rig without spending an arm and a leg. I know that the 400 is at the bottom (power wise) of the Eden food chain. How many other company's have their 400 watter at the top of their line? Those who own one keep them... wouldn't you like to be one of them?

Not that my opinion really matters in the big scheme of things but, if you are new to Eden or looking for another head cabinet combination, the WT400 (while they are available again) and a 212XLT 4 ohm are (in my opinion) a perfect match regardless of your playing style. For those of you playing with F.O.H. support it is perfect. For those of you responsible for carrying the room yourself take a serious look at this setup.

It touched my soul and a lot of people's intestines.

[NOTE: Want to hear what a WT400 sounds like? Go to Dennis' MySpace page and check out the home videos and MP3s he did. Remember, the sound is straight off the camera's internal mic on the videos! For the MP3s, Dennis took the Headphone Output straight into the computer. No massaging on anything. We're talking a basic laptop with basic software - ed.]

Here's another testimonial. Gary Jones is one of our newest endorsers. He's a guitarist, fretless bassist, songwriter, producer and engineer with two and half decades of experience. For much of 2006, he's been working with our Special Projects Coordinator Lane Baldwin in Deeper Blues, gigging and preparing for a new CD. After his first experience tracking bass parts using a WT400 direct to the board, here's what Jonesy had to say:

Let's get straight to the point: these are the best-sounding bass tracks I've ever recorded. Period. And I'm not the only to say it. Every musician who's come to Elecrtic Jonesyland and heard the new tracks agrees. They are flat-out bad to the bone.

Now, it's not like all my previous work sucked. Previous tracks were fine; they sounded great to me, and to my clients. It's not like I was losing work. But just running through the WT400 changed things drmatically. Fuller bottom, more presence, more subtlety. And more of the bass player's own nuances and technique. In fact, if there's any down side at all, it's that flubs can no longer hide! With this baby, you hear everything easily. So, yeah, "we need to go back and fix your run up to the first bridge." Know what I mean?

I should have known this would happen. The first time I played with Lane, his rig blew me away. [That was a WT1205 and D610XLT - ed.] It was the most aggressive, take-no-prisoners tone I'd ever heard, and yet, it sat in the mix extremely well, never getting in anything's way. No matter where we played, or how loud we were, that rig just killed. Every bass player and half the guitarists that heard us commented on that rig and that tone. Why it took me so long to hook up the WT400 for recording is beyond me. Now that I have, though, I'll use it for every bass track I record. And that goes for Rock, Blues, R&B, Metal, Techno, World Beat, Instrumental . . . everything I do. Eden rules!

Oh! It sure doesn't hurt that I do all of my near-field monitoring with Eden's new EM5 monitors. I'm just sayin'!

If you're looking for an amplifier with gobs of tone in a compact size, audition a WT400 today. Remember, these are the last WT400s we'll ever build. No more. Ever. Get down to your dealer today and get yourself a piece of history.