Eden WTDI Preamp, a short review

[St_G]

The best way I can think to explain my thoughts on this little pedal preamp/DI is to go through the signal chain/knobs one at a time.

Gain- It's just an input trim. Does what it should, whether that's simply adjusting for the output of different basses or as a way to provide a little more control over when/how the compressor kicks in.

Compressor- One knob, all variables change together. Never gets super squished, even all the way up. More of a utility than an overt effect. I'm okay with that, because unless you've got a much steadier right hand than me, we ALL sound better with some comp. Surprisingly, this is actually the most subtle of all the controls.

Bass EQ- They claim 15db of cut or boost and I believe them. Small changes make a huge difference. Very, very easy to fart out.

Bass boost switch- Ugh. It's like a single button that simulates not knowing how to set your Bass EQ knob. Whether DI'd into a recording interface or running before an amp, I haven't found a use for this.

Mid EQ- Low-mid by default, high mids with the "mid shift" button engaged. I like a barky bass, so this is probably the most useful knob for my ears.

Treble EQ- Seems voiced a bit higher than I find useful. Lots of hiss, if you're stupid about it. One of my basses tends to be a bright, and this can tame it, but honestly, so does the Tone knob on the bass itself. In fact, the Tone knob does it a bit better.

Enhance- Incredibly heavy handed. Can make even the thumpiest old-school bass into something approximating modern hi-fi. For the most part, it seems like a control designed to give you a sound you'll love playing solo and that will get completely lost in a mix. Really not a sound I'm interested in.

Master- Output level. Duh.

Verdict: Not for me. I really wanted to like this thing. I fully expected to. But every time I'd dial in a sound that I dug -- usually using very mild settings -- I'd hit the bypass switch to compare it with the uneffected signal and realize I liked THAT sound better. It feels like a box best used to completely change the sound of a bass you hate, rather than to enhance the sound of one you love.

[jnewmark]

I take it you were using this pedal in conjunction with a bass head ? If so, before the amp, or in the effects loop ? It just may depend on how you have the bass head's eq set. Hard to make a bass head sound " neutral ", unless you go right into the return input. Alot of players using this pedal straight into a power amp with good results.

[St_G]

Used it in front of an amp (no fx loop) and also as a DI into a recording interface.

I know others have liked it. That's part of why I expected to. But, like I said, I don't think it's for me. I'm gonna be returning it.

[Mykk]

I really like my WTDI. I use it in the effects loop parallel with my Mesa M-2000 with a 50% blend. Really beefs up the tone.

[sleepy_monkey]

I think I am going to get one just to use as a DI to run into my powered speakers without toting around a preamp, power amp etc.....

Any issues doing this? Basically it would be my preamp I suppose since I don't need a full rig right now.

[tubatrooper]

I use mine with my IP310. It simplifies things a lot. Quick load in/out.

No complaints so far!

[modulusman]

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

I think I am going to get one just to use as a DI to run into my powered speakers without toting around a preamp, power amp etc.....

Any issues doing this? Basically it would be my preamp I suppose since I don't need a full rig right now.

I have tried that in my livingroom running into a JBL PRX512m. It worked fine.

[1954bassman]

I sold mine, and I am a Eden lover. I prefered the Sansamp Tech 21 VT bass.

[1954bassman]

Oh, and I use mine as a DI to FOH with no amp.

[Bassmann1968]

I use it make a sh.t back line like... sound good

[RadioactiveGuy4]

I have been running mine into my efx loop bypassing the amps pre amp and I have been getting some great sounds out of it. I agree about the Bass boost button, it has no value. If Eden asked me what i would do to this pedal to make it better I would have to say lose the bass boost and give me a low and high mid knobs. That being said I love my WTDI and plan on playing out with it here next month.

[::::BASSIST::::]

I tried the WTDI and also did not care for it too much. I now have the Aguilar Tone Hammer pedal and it is a 1000% better. Sweepable mids, excellent tone and can drive virtually any power amp.

[craig.p]

The trick to the bass boost button is to enable it but then cut back some bass with the bass knob. What this does is give you 1) a nice mild hump at the very bottom of the BG range, and 2) a cut below that so the sound doesn't turn into subsonic mud. Makes the bass heavy but fast+punchy at the same time

[Matthijs]

I always wondered why they would make a seperate Eden pre-amp without the best feature by far of the Eden wt amps: the semi parametric three band mid section.

I'm set in my ways as a long time Eden user, but that enhance knob : I call it the "get lost in the mix knob".

[craig.p]

> that enhance knob: I call it the "get lost in the mix knob".

It's the gank killer knob. But yeah, it has to be used sparingly. When I use mine, I just barely rotate it, I mean just a few degrees, just enough to suck out the mid glare. The WTDI's controls do so much, the temptation's always there to use all or most of what they do. Personally I would've cut the effective range of every knob on the thing by 50%. But they seem to be selling ok the way things are, so what the hell do I know, lol.........

[MuthaFunk]

Originally Posted by craig.p

> that enhance knob: I call it the "get lost in the mix knob".

It's the gank killer knob. But yeah, it has to be used sparingly. When I use mine, I just barely rotate it, I mean just a few degrees, just enough to suck out the mid glare. The WTDI's controls do so much, the temptation's always there to use all or most of what they do. Personally I would've cut the effective range of every knob on the thing by 50%. But they seem to be selling ok the way things are, so what the hell do I know, lol.........

I found the extra range comes in handy for fixing a really bad backline amp. You have to be careful in that use because your D.I. may be too extreme for the P.A. then...

[nick98338]

When I got mine, I was mostly looking for a small, useful DI and a compressor for sustain. I think the WTDI does those two things quite well. I did not need a lot of eq options. I still don't. My P-bass does not need a lot of eq tweaks. After several months of use, I've not moved the eq knobs much, at all. The gain knob moves between 9:00 and 11:00. The enhance knob has never moved from zero. The master pretty much stays at around 2:00. Have used it to three different FOH systems, and four different amp/cab combos. Still sounds fine. Small, light, low cost.

[Bassmann1968]

For those who get lost, that's what the Enhance does:

[MarTONEbass]

How would one hook up this pedal to bypass the preamp of an amplifier?

[Bassmann1968]

Bass >> WTDI In >> WTDI out >> FX return of the amp