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BGRA: Eden wt-400
| Manufacturer |
Eden |
Model |
wt-400 |
| Reviewer |
John Evans |
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| Experience |
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Item owned |
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| Review Date |
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Price paid |
$910.00 (incl. tax, new) |
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Dimensions | 12"W X 3.5"T X 12"D |
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Wattage | 400 RMS @ 4 Ohms, about 250 @ 8 ohms |
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Speaker(s) | N/A |
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Effects | Compressor |
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Controls | Gain, EQ as listed above (semi-parametric has frequency and level control for each band), master volume, compressore defeat; Rear panel has DI level control |
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Weight | 12 pounds |
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First, you should know my experience so you can judge my comments. I
have had this for only one month, and have played two gigs with it.
It replaces a Hartke 3500 I had for about four or five years (see the
second 3500 reveiw for my observations of that amp). I use a custom
fretless (Koa body, bolt-on maple neck w/ebony board, Duncan 1/4 pound
P/J & Basslines active EQ) and either a 1978 Music Man Stingray or a
Fender Vintage Series '62 P. Bass. Currently in a R&B/Funk/Blues gig
with a 7 peice band.
I've been looking for a new amp for about two years, and have tried
(on gigs, the only place it counts!) various Trace Elliots, Peavey,
GK, Mesa/Boogie and Fender amps (couldn't find an SWR dealer that
would let me take one to a gig). I plugged my fretless into this amp,
hit one note and heard what I was seeking for the last five years.
This thing really is the best change I've made in my sound since
switching to round-wound strings!!!!!!
I generally run it flat except for a setting the Enhance at about 9:0
to 10:00 O'Clock. The enhance curcuit boost the lows and highs while
cutting some mids. It isn't the same as drawing a smiley face with a
graphic EQ though. I find it hard to describe the action of this
knob, but it's all the EQ I need most of the time.
The sound man loved the DI output (after I turned down enough to allow
him to put me in the mix!!), and ran my signal flat. This DI is post
EQ, so he was getting the sound of my amp. I drive a Hartke 410 (and
sometimes a 210 as well), and the combination is lovely. Local
musicians (including the Trace-Elliot, Fender, and Boogie dealer)
raved about my sound. Comments ranged from "fullest I have ever
heard" to "loud without being raspy", to "even better than *****'s
Boogie 400!". These were from drummers and guitar players before they
knew I had a new amp. Best testimony came from my own guitar player
who said he could really hear what I sounded like for the first time
in a year.
I use the amp for a recording session as well, and the engineer used
just a tiny bit of the DI mixed with the mic'd cabinet (Hartke 210XL).
Great punch, and it almost sounds like Duck Dunn's bottom mixed with a
touch of Jeff Berlin's mid/high sound.
I have not been able to find anything better, and few amps as good.
The bottom line of this review is that it sounds better than the
Boogie 400 and M-3000, better than four differet Traces, and better
than the new Peavey Kilo Bass. It's simple to operate, has a huge
range of EQ options, but sound so good by itself that you most likely
won't have to worry about using them. Yes, it's a lot of money, but
it solves the problems better than anything cheaper, plus it only
weighs 12 pounds!
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| construction |
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| clarity |
| (99%) |
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| value |
| (87%) |
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| overall |
| (95%) |
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