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Aguilar Tone Hammer vs Eden WTDI?

Aguilar Tone Hammer vs Eden WTDI

  • Aguilar Tone Hammer

    Votes: 103 70.5%

  • Eden WTDI

    Votes: 43 29.5%
  • Total voters
    146
NuttnButDaBlues

NuttnButDaBlues

Guest
Dec 4, 2012
4
2
Providence, Rhode Island
#1
I'm thinking of adding an outboard preamp to my rig. From the reviews I've seen on Youtube, both sound like they would do the job nicely. The Eden has price going for it, but I'm leaning towards the Tone Hammer due to the sweepable midrange.
Does anyone have some pros and cons about these units that they'd like to share? I'm playing blues mainly, so overdrive isn't important to me.
 
#2
I compared both, WTDI sounded artificial and plastic, was pumping the sound and was unnatural... on the other side there was nice price.
Aggie TH sounded wery natural (even too much neutral as a preamp) but it is a little too big for my taste. Also I don't like AGS circuit.

Personally, I would recommend you EWS tri-logic or if you don't mind the mid pot you should get Sadowsky DI

Those are my subjective perceptions and not everyone will agree with them ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: ThatLowEnd
#3
I tried both,liked both-but went for the Tonehammer. The sweepable mids was the main difference for me personally.Honestly I cant understand why more companies dont offer that,but thats just me. I thought both sounded great,but still gave the nod to the Tonhammer in tone as well. My only complaint with the TH is the size-I think its pretty big for what it is,and Im not a fan of the AGS and never use it.It seems to kick in a bit hard even on lower settings and I think there are better options if you are looking for an overdriven sound. Plus I dont like the fact that there is such a boost in signal when kicking it in-mine stays off. But if for pure tone and EQ flexibility -the TH works for me.
 
#7
Gougedeye said:
I recently started using the Tone Hammer, after trying several others, including MXR M80, Line 6, Hartke and The Eden. I think either would work fine for you, but the Aggie just seemed to work better with my setup.
Click to expand...

Yeah my story too.I went through a bunch of em and landed on the TH,but there are several I havent had a chance to try yet.I actually just picked up a Sans Amp Paradriver used-always wanted to try one.I have to say I like it more than I was expecting and its seems more versatile than the TH.Im still learning the Paradriver but so far I like the overall tone of the TH more-but not by much.
 
#8
My buddy got his Eden DI to use in his studio. I brought over my bass to record one day; I couldn't find a usable tone from the box. It would distort too easily and the mids were almost always so scoped the tone sounded horrible. I had to dim the volume knobs on my passive bass just to get the distortion to stop which caused highs to fall off and clarity to suffer so the whole experience was a bunch of knob twisting that never got a usable tone and wasted studio time doing so. To be honest, I am not sure that he has been successful ever at getting a usable tone in the studio with it. After my experience there; I wouldn't even think of buying one nor risk taking one to a live gig.

I would highly recommend the Tone Hammer on spot before even trying it due to my experience with the lack of good gain structure and EQ ability of the Eden box. Aguilar stuff has always been top notch, but Eden has me scratching my head with the WTDI.

suvdecropp said:
I compared both, WTDI sounded artificial and plastic, was pumping the sound and was unnatural...
Click to expand...

I concur. There was nothing subtle about the pumping. And yes. It sounded off entirely, plastic and artificial is a good way to describe the suck of the WTDI.
 
#9
I haven't tried the Eden but at this point I'm a die hard fan of the Tone Hammer DI. It's not great shakes for recording and I never use the AGS circuit (like others it just kicks in too hard and the jump in volume renders it useless), but for dialing in a warm, sweet, articulate tone with my Jazz, it's the one pedal I do not leave home without.
 
#10
Never used the Eden but love my TH. I use the AGS but only when I'm playing a song that it either going to have huge volume/grit jump or just going rock out the whole time. I mostly use it with AGS off though. I love the thickness it adds when I'm trying to get a really thumpy tone. The overall fatness it adds when slapping is pure awesome too. I used to play in a prog rock band with heavy layered keyboards and crunchy guitar. Having so much control over the mids really helped me dial into the mix no matter the venue or what crazy effects they were throwing at me.
 
#13
With a flexible active EQ you don't have to deal with 'scoop' - which is most certainly a function of the 'enhance' knob.

They're very different boxes, the Eden being more of an Amplifier front end than the Tone Hammer, which is their internal instrument preamp housed in a stompbox with some added goodies (DI and AGS)

It really isn't a fair comparison but a great question.

I don't mean anything personally to anyone that hasn't been able to work those simple controls, but it doesn't take much work to back off the input to 8 or 9 o'clock and adjust the compressor to soften the peaks if it's still clipping. I white knuckled the clipping until I got the hang of this pedal which took leaving the room and returning all the EQ to centre, and backing everything else completely off. The more input gain in this unit, the more the compressor can work and I never add more than a touch of enhance - when I hear it engages at all is where I leave it. no more.

My passive jazz likes my WTDI set with the input gain at 10 o'clock. YMMV.

I sort of think that anybody that posts a poll like this might be a troll for WTDI backlash, watching in delight as everybody that just doesn't get it writhes in agony and despair.



joelb79 said:
My buddy got his Eden DI to use in his studio. I brought over my bass to record one day; I couldn't find a usable tone from the box. It would distort too easily and the mids were almost always so scoped the tone sounded horrible. I had to dim the volume knobs on my passive bass just to get the distortion to stop which caused highs to fall off and clarity to suffer so the whole experience was a bunch of knob twisting that never got a usable tone and wasted studio time doing so. To be honest, I am not sure that he has been successful ever at getting a usable tone in the studio with it. After my experience there; I wouldn't even think of buying one nor risk taking one to a live gig.

I would highly recommend the Tone Hammer on spot before even trying it due to my experience with the lack of good gain structure and EQ ability of the Eden box. Aguilar stuff has always been top notch, but Eden has me scratching my head with the WTDI.



I concur. There was nothing subtle about the pumping. And yes. It sounded off entirely, plastic and artificial is a good way to describe the suck of the WTDI.
Click to expand...
 
#14
The 3Leaf Enabler

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My Meatsmoke Preamp should be here soon and there is no doubt it will become my favorite. I owned a Eden WTDI nice preamp quality build and geat price but it didn't have enough character for me I also owned an Eden head and got rid of it for the same reason .I would not recommend the Tone Hammer for Blues or Jazz in my opinion it's a Rock box and I agree the AGS circuit is the weakest link in this pedal.

I have and love the following:

1. Sadowsky Outboard Preamp - This thing is incredible has a beautiful warm tone makes all of my basses sound great has a D/I and tuner out just love this pedal.
2. Aguilar Tone Hammer - this pedal has that grungy goodness I love this dog has bite! It also has a D/I.
3. Tronographic Rusty Box - this is one of my always on pedals everything you run thru it sounds good it's what I call a great foundation pedal for you to build your sound on.
4. F Bass Big F Boost - this is a boost only preamp I really love it's an 18v pedal that has plenty of warm overhead goodness not a common pedal but well worth it.
5. Fodera Preamp - what can I say it brings Mike Pope magic to a pedal it's another 18v tone monster.
6. Tube Works Blue Tube Enhancer - this is a vintage pedal you can find on eBay this pedal is the warmest pedal I've ever heard. I put a vintage Amperex Bugle Boy tube in it and it does everything from warm enhancement to almost tube breakup just love it.
7. Fuzzrocious BDPG - I can't really explain this pedal what it does to my tone is just magic and I think everyone who has one will agree it is another pedal that is always on I mean always it's the first pedal I turn on and it is a great buffer not necessarily thought of as a preamp but has preamp qualities .
 

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