| review: Eden WTX-260
Hello, everybody. I’ve tried out the new Eden WTX-260 and thought I’d share my thoughts. In the mix for compare/contrast purposes was the Markbass Little Mark II head. Both heads were going into an EA CXL-112L cab.
As stated in my Phil Jones v. Markbass review a few weeks back, my bass is a Chinese-factory plywood creation of unknown but recent vintage and my pick-up is a Revolution Solo. Currently, I'm playing in two mostly-acoustic drummer-less groups but getting involved in a group with a drummer is very likely in the future.
Talkbass-regular Jeff Moote was with me and I hope he'll add his input as well.
The first thing about the Eden is obviously the weight – this thing is tinier and lighter than the LMII.
My one concern off the start is that the tone knobs on the Eden are of the push/pull variety – they do one thing when pushed in, a different thing when they’re pulled out. I’m sure they’re reliable, but more moving parts to me means more that can go wrong.
Once we got the Eden and the EA connected, I realized I would need to be using my pre-amp (ART Tube MP). Both volume controls on the Eden were up around 2 o’clock before a reasonably loud sound came out of the amp.
Looking through the manual, Jeff’s opinion was that the targeted frequencies (usually engaged by pulling a tone knob out) would be better suited for electric bass, rather than upright.
I agree with Jeff. Most settings on the amp left my bass sounding either boomy or boxy, both times because of a lack in mid-range definition. The mid-shift function switches the tone centre from 550hz to 2.2KHz; neither of those frequencies didn’t really help my bass sound and adjusting them didn’t get the sound to a more ‘natural’ tone.
Following the manual for recommended ‘optimal’ sound, we left the tone controls at their flat setting and turned the Enhance control (which Eden kept referring to as it’s ‘Magic Knob’. Whoever in the Eden Marketing Dept. came up with that name should be fired.) up to around 9 or 10 o’clock.
This was the best sound we got out of the Eden. The sound was not as natural as I got out the Phil Jones Flight Case but it is workable. I also thought that this sound came close to the sound of LMII when it was set flat and the VLE and VPF knobs set to zero. Boosting the VPF did give my bass a better sound then the Eden’s ‘optimal’ sound.
Adjusting the tweeter on the back of the EA cab didn’t dramatically alter the sound one way or another.
Comparing it the LMII, the LMII is obviously more powerful (rated at 500W as opposed to the Eden’s 260W) and I didn’t need my pre-amp to get a strong enough signal in. Tone-wise, it was the LMII by a hair.
I think I will end up go with the Eden. Why?
My street price for the Eden is $50 less than the LMII. Also, I have $100 in store credit at the place that sells the Eden and I “know” a guy there so I think I’ll get a little bit more off the price. Also, getting my hands on an LMII would mean a trip to Club Bass; not a bad thing, but it’s an hour+ each way.
Volume-wise, I think if I’m at a loud gig, I’ll either need to get my hands on a 2nd cab or make sure there’s a p.a.
It’s a drag I will need to lug my pre-amp around with me. My next gear purchase will probably be a pre-amp that has some kind of tone control or a para eq, hopefully to get bit more out of the Eden. Anybody tried Radial’s PZ-PRE?
I’ve also had to reassess my dream of a cartless one-trip wonder. The Eden cab comes in at 44lbs. and it’s a bit much for me to one-arm it. Yes, joining a gym should be a priority…
If anybody from Eden is listening, I’d say you’re really close to making a good amp for upright bassists – just have a better input so I don’t a pre-amp and make the mid-shift control a bit more upright-friendly.
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