| Review of Eden WT-550 Amplifier by Jeff Carlson |
Jeff, a bassist from Lake Forest, IL, is a regular member of our on-line forum. After reading many of his posts about his experience with the WT550 and D112XLT cabinets, we asked him to gather his thoughts into a review. Our thanks to Jeff for agreeing to do so.
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Eden's WT-550 mono amplifier has been my faithful companion since 2004 for outdoor shows, clubs with large and small stages, and a church with challenging acoustics. At one gig I may need deep, tight driving bass, followed by expressive fretless work, or a tonal blend with piano and vocals. After playing through many brands since 1970, the Eden WT-550 is the most professional and versatile piece of musical equipment I have owned.
My Eden rig let's me create the music that I hear - anywhere. While I give credit to the deep and smooth sound of my D112XLT cabinets, or the 210XST that I demo'd, I'll pay extra tribute to the WT-550 head. What impresses me most is the ability to quickly adjust the WT-550's EQ "voicing" for each room, and hearing the bass respond to my hands during the performance. The Enhance control is very valuable for shaping how the bass sounds in challenging spaces, or in loud vs. low volume gigs. The parametric EQ controls are so well designed that I often leave them in the flat position, or at most will boost or cut one click in a certain frequency band where the room (or instrument) has a resonance. Yet there is still a wide range available for experimentation. |
| In thirty years of playing bass, the WT-550 feels like the first amplifier I have been able to use effectively. Great tools allow the player to adapt. I can count on crafting a great sound even in DI situations such as band practice through the PA where I leave the cabinets at home. The WT-550 post-EQ DI is quiet and adjustable, inviting the player to integrate with the PA mixer (lower stage volume can be a good thing). In the studio, the DI facilitates a high signal/noise level for recording and a clean, musical foldback through headphones. The Tuner Out has an alternate use: delivering a post-tube pre-EQ signal when needed.
What are the WT-550's core features? Portability means I can use it everywhere. Flexibility defines the fabulous tone distributed to an array of 8ohm, 4ohm, or 2 ohm cabinets. And Visibility of the gold Eden badge and faceplate signify a bassist who is serious about sounding great in any venue. Jeff Carlson |
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