Eden WT550,Aguilar AG500,GB shuttle 6

[DGbass70]

I own the Eden but i would like to try the other 2.
This is not a flame thread on the companies mentioned plz.
I just need a comparison between the 3.Any input is cool with me.I like the Eden but would like to hear about the other options.Including the Shuttle 9.
Thanks for the info...

[Son of Bovril]

all great heads, none is better than the others IMO, they just have different voicings for different tastes

[KJung]

Originally Posted by DGbass70

I own the Eden but i would like to try the other 2.
This is not a flame thread on the companies mentioned plz.
I just need a comparison between the 3.Any input is cool with me.I like the Eden but would to hear about the other options.
Thanks for the info...

IMO here:

Eden... warm, bright, a bit wooly in the mids... classic tone, lots of character... clean overall but with, for many, significant midrange 'distortion' that results in a warm, punchy tone with lots of character. WT550 can run safely at 2ohms, which some find useful. Classic head. Tube does very little. It is a kind of strange execution of a tube pre, where the tube does not impact the voltage. You won't get the classic 'tube complexity' when cranking the gain with this amp. No problem, but much more 'solid state' than 'hybrid sounding' to me.

Genz Shuttle 6... thinner down low than the other two, less volume per published watt (the Eden405 EASILY keeps up with the higher rated 6), bright up top, similar upper midrange distortion as the Eden (lots of interaction between those brands). I prefer the Shuttle 9... similar to the 6 (and similarly over-rated power wise), but PLENTY loud with more even low end... nice head. You can hear the tube in the pre when you crank the input gain, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on what you want.

Aguilar AG500SC.... quite frankly, one of my least favorite heads (of course, you might totally dig it). Loose/tubey down low, strange EQ voicing in the mids.. again, 'loose versus punchy', very little 'space between the notes'... more gooey and tubey versus tight and punchy. This of course, makes sense, since that company is very 'tube oriented' (or at least was in the past). Honestly rated power, and if you like a more tubey chewy tone, it is pretty nice. With the right cab (like the Bergantino HS series... i.e., tightly voiced and lower mid present) it sounds very nice to me... a bit old school, fat and warm. With the wrong cab, it can be a flubby mess to my ear.

Total IMO and IME there. Assuming you don't need 2ohm operation, it would be the Shuttle 9 by a mile for me compared to the other two.

[KJung]

One more point... all three of these heads are available through Musician's Friend, which has a great 'try and return no questions asked policy'. Very little risk to order the one you think you might like the best, and then swap for one of the others if it doesn't work out. You will only be out a bit of shipping.

[Gort]

Personally, I opted for the Shuttle 9 over the 6.

[4Mal]

After the Eden, I expect you would be seriously disappointed in the GB.

[jasonbraatz]

Originally Posted by KJung

Aguilar AG500SC.... quite frankly, one of my least favorite heads (of course, you might totally dig it). Loose/tubey down low, strange EQ voicing in the mids.. again, 'loose versus punchy', very little 'space between the notes'... more gooey and tubey versus tight and punchy.

I couldn't disagree more, but that's IMO/IME as well.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

I couldn't disagree more, but that's IMO/IME as well.

+1 BIG IMO from me on that one.. I know many totally dig this head, and it is a quality piece of gear. Just not close to my personal tone goal at all of quick, tight and even.

[Gort]

Originally Posted by 4Mal

After the Eden, I expect you would be seriously disappointed in the GB.

I ditched my Eden for the Shuttle 9.

[jokerjkny]

not a fan of the shuttle 6.0. EQ doesnt seem to get that full thick filling lower end that the other two heads can accomplish with ease. rather hollow and empty. heard the shuttle 9.0 is a whole other story, tho.

the eden is actually a great head. the EQ section is the most robust of the three. and the tubey eden grind is a terrific sound. i dig its nice subtle onboard compressor, too. also, while a touch heavier feeling in carry, the smaller square shape sits nicely on any cab and fits most bags i've owned. and who doesnt love gold faceplates?

the aguilar is my fav, tho. beautifully voiced EQ section that seems to work very well w/ a wide range of cabs i've owned from my flatter than usual epifani's and acme cabs, to my more finnicky sadowsky cabs. and tho a much simpler EQ section, that lends itself to getting sounds w/ ease.

unless you already own aguilar cabs, that without saying are just PERFECT w/ the ag500, i'd hold onto the eden head.

[FMartin]

Originally Posted by DGbass70

I own the Eden but i would like to try the other 2.
This is not a flame thread on the companies mentioned plz.
I just need a comparison between the 3.Any input is cool with me.I like the Eden but would to hear about the other options.
Thanks for the info...

I don't want to be disrespectful with anybody here (we are all trying to help), so please don't take this in a negative way, but let me recommend you this: don't ask for opinions on amps you haven't tried. They (the opinions) would probably build a prejudice against or in favor of a particular head which could otherwise be just the right one for you, for your playing and your bass/basses. I'm telling you this, based on my own experience.

Those three are a) great amps, and b) not rare heads at all in the States, so it shouldn't be difficult to take yourself and your favorite bass to some music shops, and try them for yourself. You may be surprised if you let your ears lead your choices!

Let us know how did the head-hunt go!

Best luck,

F.M.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by FMartin

I don't want to be disrespectful with anybody here (we are all trying to help), so please don't take this in a negative way, but let me recommend you this: don't ask for opinions on amps you haven't tried. They (the opinions) would probably build a prejudice against or in favor of a particular head which could otherwise be just the right one for you, for your playing and your bass/basses. I'm telling you this, based on my own experience.

Those three are a) great amps, and b) not rare heads at all in the States, so it shouldn't be difficult to take yourself and your favorite bass to some music shops, and try them for yourself. You may be surprised if you let your ears lead your choices!

Let us know how did the head-hunt go!

Best luck,

F.M.

+1 However,even in the US, it is rare for there to be even one shop in all but the largest cities that would carry all these brands, much less have them in stock. Only a few 'bricks and mortar' high end bass stores left.

TB is good though for general tone descriptions (I agree, I like this and I don't like that is mostly unintersting), and more 'hard and fact' info, such as the Shuttle 9 actually being closer in performance to the other two heads than the 6 he was originally considering. Published 'marketing specs' on wattage, etc., is less than useless.

The good news is, per my previous post, you can order the one that seems to be the best fit for Musician's Friend, and return if you don't dig it.

I did not realize the OP had a WT550 already. I don't think either of the heads (even the Shuttle 9) would significanlty outperform what he has now.

[FMartin]

Originally Posted by KJung

The good news is, per my previous post, you can order the one that seems to be the best fit for Musician's Friend, and return if you don't dig it.

I did not realize the OP had a WT550 already. I don't think either of the heads (even the Shuttle 9) would significanlty outperform what he has now.

I had no idea about Musician's Friend return policy. I live at the other end of the world :s But it's just great to have that option!

I agree about the WT550, although the Ag is a great head too, and I have used it with acoustic and electric upright basses (I haven't used it with an electric bass yet, but I bet it would do a great job).

I can't say a word about GB, never played through one (never actually seen one myself, in fact!) but GB is in the same range with the other two, right? So most likely is a matter of personal preference, not a sound quality issue.

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by Gort

I ditched my Eden for the Shuttle 9.

You ditched an Eden WT for a GB 9 ? wow ... I've never played with the Shuttle 9. Maybe it's dramatically different from the 6. I really like the basic tonality of the WT. The Shuttle 6.0 seems sterile to me in comparison.

That said, these days I carry my GK micro as a monitor amp way more often than my WT-800...

[KJung]

Originally Posted by FMartin

I had no idea about Musician's Friend return policy. I live at the other end of the world :s But it's just great to have that option!

I agree about the WT550, although the Ag is a great head too, and I have used it with acoustic and electric upright basses (I haven't used it with an electric bass yet, but I bet it would do a great job).

I can't say a word about GB, never played through one (never actually seen one myself, in fact!) but GB is in the same range with the other two, right? So most likely is a matter of personal preference, not a sound quality issue.

+1... just not that particular GB head he mentioned IMO... but rather the Shuttle 9. No big deal. Quality stuff, as you say.


Guys who aren't in the US always kind of think that all of us can go downtown and play all this stuff. I literally have not been able to try one piece of gear (well, almost none) I've purchased over the last 10 years prior to purchase, and I live in a relatively major city and travel a lot.

There are a few big stores in Seattle, Orlando (I think) and a few other places (Atlanta I believe). Way back in the day, we would literally go to New York once a year or so to check out all the cool stuff on 'music row'.. but now even that is a shadow of what it once was.

That Musician's Friend policy has made things a bit easier though... they carry all but the most boutique of brands, and the service and return policy are great.

[FMartin]

I understand. I got stucked with a States image of the late 90s, when I came back home from California. Wasn't hard at all (back then, I mean) to find just about any amp.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by FMartin

I understand. I got stucked with a States image of the late 90s, when I came back home from California. Wasn't hard at all (back then, I mean) to find just about any amp.

It really has changed. I was in St. Louis at that time, and we had three or four stores that carried almost everything at the time... all are gone.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by jasonbraatz

I couldn't disagree more, but that's IMO/IME as well.

Yeah, I wouldn't characterize the AG500 as "woolly." The DB750 is woolly. My AG500 is in a 112 combo, and I run a GS112NT with it. It's warm, for sure, but there are crisp highs in there if I need them. It's very rich in the low mids and still robust at the bottom. It still retains that SS hi-fi cleanliness to my ear. Of the three, I'd order them Eden, Aggie, GB in terms of what I like.

As you all know, I am a man who knows what I like. The amps I choose are the amps for the man who knows ... what I like.

[vin*tone]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

...I'd order them Eden, Aggie, GB in terms of what I like....

Me too.

I really wanted to like the AG500 with my DB112 cabs but they're not good friends (IMO). There was a certain mid prominence I couldn't tame with the limited EQ - which is weird bc I didn't find that with other heads like the Shuttle 6 or Eden WT550.

What cabs are you playing through?

If I was to buy any of those heads for my playing and cabs it would be the WT550 hands down.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by vin*tone

Me too.

I really wanted to like the AG500 with my DB112 cabs but they're not good friends (IMO). There was a certain mid prominence I couldn't tame with the limited EQ - which is weird bc I didn't find that with other heads like the Shuttle 6 or Eden WT550.

What cabs are you playing through?

If I was to buy any of those heads for my playing and cabs it would be the WT550 hands down.

I think your problem was with the DB cabs. They are very mid-centric. I don't like them at all. I prefer GS cabs. Right now, I've got a Berg AE212 and Eden D-210XST in my practice room. I've been playing my Glockenklang rig at gigs lately over size issues (Heart-Rock + Quattro). When I have room to haul them, I've been using my DB750 with a GS410 under it. Next gig, I'm going to take a chance and take just the AE212 and the WTX-500.

I've always liked the Eden tone stack, even though my WTX-500 isn't quite the same. My favorite is my '96 WT-300, the classic Eden amp. It's just a little underpowered for outdoor gigs, though.