TC Elec. vs EDEN (purchase q)

ciubz · #1 10-23-2011, 02:10 AM

Hi, i'm in a dilemma.
Have a Ashdown mag300 head and 410t cab and really feel the need to upgrade i want a more modern sound with all the harmonics and stuff. I'm looking to spend around 1k for a new rig.

My search has narrowed to:
1.T.C electronic bh500 head and bc410 cab
2.used EDEN wt550 (mia) head and a brand new Line6 410 cab.

My concerns are;
1.the TC bc 410 cab is 4ohm, so i cant add another cab later.
2.the line 6 cab is a heavy sucker and i got some back problems
3.every one plays tc elec. and it gets gr8 reviews but it doesn't have a real tube, it has some tube emulation and in my book all that's emulated sounds flat and dull

Any advice?

TeeAre · #2 10-23-2011, 02:15 AM

Have you tried both (or can you)? For some reason I love playing out of Eden. Just a weird feeling of preference that's hard to describe. Maybe you'd feel that way over one or the other.

Sorry if this post is WAY too obvious.

Gearhead17 · #3 10-23-2011, 02:45 AM

[quote=ciubz;11654248]Hi, i'm in a dilemma.
Have a Ashdown mag300 head and 410t cab and really feel the need to upgrade i want a more modern sound with all the harmonics and stuff""

The "modern bass tone" varies from person to person and getting great harmonics/clarity out of a bass starts with the strings, your playing style, level of technique, and what you think sounds good.

What kind of strings are on your bass right now?

One Drop · #4 10-23-2011, 02:55 AM

The WT-550 is stable and works fine at 2ohms.

Why are you limited to that cab? There are plenty of great lightweight options that would work swimmingly with that head.

ciubz · #5 10-23-2011, 02:55 AM

that's the biggest problem, i can't test neither of these amps in real life. I rely only on youtube demos and internet reviews.
I have an old SWR baby blue (pre fender) head, it's hybrid with parametric eq and enhancer just like the eden head. If eden is close as sound character to my SWR than i'm settled. Hybrid amps are my favourite so far.

Ok let's say i'm taking the eden path. I can't afford the xlt cab, the nemesis cabs seem overpriced to me. All i'm left with is Line6, GK, ashdown abm, and the cheaper fender rumble and marshall 410, that's all we have for around 500 and less.
-GK cabs sound modern and harsh, not my thing
-Ashdown is too vintage to my ears (have the mag 410t).
-Line 6 410 cab has eminence speakers and the design resembles the new nemesis designs (front ported phase inverter)
-Fender rumble 410, also has front ported phase inverter like the nemesis cab but i'm not sure about the speakers, although i have read a lot of good opinions about this and older fender cabs, someone even stated that it has the sound character of an eden xlt cab.
-Marshall...the make good guitar stuff...not sure about bass

**Faderoktopus** · #6 10-23-2011, 03:06 AM

IMO, if you can actually find a WT550 head for the same price as a BH500 then you should go for it. The BH500 is a very good amp for the money, but then again it is a pretty cheap amp. Better is subjective, of course, but I feel that the Eden gives you more actual power and a lot more clarity, and a real tube.

I recently made the transition from an Ashdown ABM500 to a used WT800 for reasons similar to yours, and it worked out exactly as I hoped. I had been toying around with the BH500 and liked it fine, but it didn't feel nearly as powerful or as hifi as the Eden.

Martin

ciubz · #7 10-23-2011, 03:13 AM

[quote=Gearhead17;11654274]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciubz

Hi, i'm in a dilemma.
Have a Ashdown mag300 head and 410t cab and really feel the need to upgrade i want a more modern sound with all the harmonics and stuff""

The "modern bass tone" varies from person to person and getting great harmonics/clarity out of a bass starts with the strings, your playing style, level of technique, and what you think sounds good.

What kind of strings are on your bass right now?

I have 5 basses and the string preferences are different for each one of them. My CS relic 62 ri JB likes steels, My 73 p-bass like flats. My roscoe beck V like heavy gauge strings.My moded ibanez btb 1005e pretige likes elixirs. My t-40 wears whatever i give it

) Playing style and level of technique:. I'm successfully emulate the playing styles of Ben Kenney, Paul turner, Dirk lance, Flea, Pino Palladino, the dude from alien ant farm, older funk players from the 70's. D.N.S. & The Winona Ryders - Blow Up Da Bloc! (Studio Rehearsal 2) - YouTube that's me with my 62' cs relic havin fun with a little hip-hop/funk stuff we have came up with this year

cnltb · #8 10-23-2011, 03:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciubz

Hi, i'm in a dilemma.
Have a Ashdown mag300 head and 410t cab and really feel the need to upgrade i want a more modern sound with all the harmonics and stuff. I'm looking to spend around 1k for a new rig.

My search has narrowed to:
1.T.C electronic bh500 head and bc410 cab
2.used EDEN wt550 (mia) head and a brand new Line6 410 cab.

My concerns are;
1.the TC bc 410 cab is 4ohm, so i cant add another cab later.
2.the line 6 cab is a heavy sucker and i got some back problems
3.every one plays tc elec. and it gets gr8 reviews but it doesn't have a real tube, it has some tube emulation and in my book all that's emulated sounds flat and dull

Any advice?

I REALLY dislike Eden so if it is between tc and eden i'd sure go with tc.

**Faderoktopus** · #9 10-23-2011, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnltb

I REALLY dislike Eden so if it is between tc and eden i'd sure go with tc.

Really? How come?

It seems to me that their products are solid, and the 'Eden' sound is undeniably unique in a way that appeals to many. I have heard something about Eden being an 'evil' corporation, but useless terms such as evil usually causes me to ignore whatever follows.

What do you dislike about them?

Martin

cnltb · #10 10-23-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faderoktopus

Really? How come?

It seems to me that their products are solid, and the 'Eden' sound is undeniably unique in a way that appeals to many. I have heard something about Eden being an 'evil' corporation, but useless terms such as evil usually causes me to ignore whatever follows.

What do you dislike about them?

Martin

I don't like that "Eden sound" and prefer amps to sound more neutral.
Their layout too is not to my liking, neither is the way they look.
I do agree on your opinion on all that "evil" thing.

LowEndMan2112 · #11 10-23-2011, 10:01 AM

If you like the hybrid stuff, and aren't too wild about tube emulated tones, I'd go with the 550. As far as cabs go, I'd be looking here for the multiple Eden options you can find, such as this D210T or D210XLT. D210T is 200 + shipping, while the XLT is 300 + shipping!

will33 · #12 10-23-2011, 10:07 AM

The older eden WT's seem pretty good from what I've heard of them from other guys who actually use them. There's enough eq you can sort of "un-voice" them if you want. I think a lot of the problems occured when they started outsourcing them and customer service is said to be crap. If it's an older USA model you're looking at, I'd at least give it an honest listen. Don't even get me started on TC.

**Faderoktopus** · #13 10-23-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnltb

I don't like that "Eden sound" and prefer amps to sound more neutral.
Their layout too is not to my liking, neither is the way they look.
I do agree on your opinion on all that "evil" thing.

That's fair enough, to each his own.

Martin

Blue · #14 10-23-2011, 10:51 AM

What little I know about the Eden sound is a big scoop. Maybe I'm wrong (I've never owned one) but when I hear one, that's my impression. It tends to fill the stage - almost like you have two instruments going - but it seems kinda restrictive, as in same tone all night.

I could be completely wrong - but that's my impression.

will33 · #15 10-23-2011, 10:54 AM

A lot of the scoop comes from the enhance knob which should be labelled "suck" instead of enhance. It's a one knob adjustment that gives you scooped bedroom tone that just doesn't work in a mix.

willsellout · #16 10-23-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue

What little I know about the Eden sound is a big scoop. Maybe I'm wrong (I've never owned one) but when I hear one, that's my impression. It tends to fill the stage - almost like you have two instruments going - but it seems kinda restrictive, as in same tone all night.

I could be completely wrong - but that's my impression.

Quote:

Originally Posted by will33

A lot of the scoop comes from the enhance knob which should be labelled "suck" instead of enhance. It's a one knob adjustment that gives you scooped bedroom tone that just doesn't work in a mix.

The Eden sound is most definitely not scooped. It's a fairly mid forward sound right out of the box with a glassy and sweet top end. The enhance knob should be kept off or at a minimum most of the time.

As far as your dilemma, I am biased, as I am selling my Eden WT550 and my D210XLT, but I'll try and be as open as possible

Eden or TC - Eden hands down. I just like the tone that Eden provides and their amps are classic designs that have been tested again and again. TC is great stuff and I've had the chance to play just about all of their heads and I think they have plenty of options and good tone, just not as good as Eden

From the gear you listed to the folks you are interested in sounding like , I'd say the Eden is where you should be looking. I have similar tastes and that is why I play Eden.

The Eden will sound great through just about any cabinet, but if you wait and scour the classifieds or craigslist you can find Eden cabs for cheap. It's possible to get a WT550 and a 410XLT for under a grand, it might just take a little longer. Worst case scenario, you get the head and play through your current cab until something pops up used, and then you snatch it up.

If you have any specific questions, let me know. I've been playing Eden for a long time

Wyattsgroove · #17 10-23-2011, 11:27 AM

^^^^^^^
What he said!
I just saw a pair of new 112xlt's on CL for 400 bucks.
Used Nemy cabs are a good alternate to Eden cabs and they are rated at 103db.

GrowlerBox · #18 10-23-2011, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ciubz

1.the TC bc 410 cab is 4ohm, so i cant add another cab later.

Just because it hasn't been raised: the BC410 is 4 ohms, but you can add another down the line, as the BH500 is OK down to 2 ohms. TCE even recommends using two of the BC410s with that head in the cab's manual.

Probably doesn't make your choice any easier, though ....