NAD Eden Wt550 with Rack Ears Second Amp in a Week

[Thumpin6string]

Just bought the second new to me used amp today. It is a pretty clean Eden Traveler WT550 with rack ears (will be selling the rack ears if anyone is interested). I got it from Musicians Friend/Guitar Center used gear for just under $300. Just over a week ago I got a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.2 for just over $300. It was also from MF/GC. They currently have some pretty decent used amps listed for fairly cheap prices. Looking forward to comparing the 2 amps side by side with my Epifani cabs. I've always been a big Eden World Tour fan and preferred the WT550 over the WT300 and WT400. Should be fun!

 

[lomo]

IMHO the WT 405 and 550 are 2 of the best sounding heads ever. Although weight/bulk has diminished, power increased & features improved on today's heads, none actually sounds better to my ears than the top shelf units of 20+ years ago. Older GK and SWR heads also sound fantastic........as older players leave the game and the economy slumps, there are bargains aplenty out there.

 

[Sid the Kid]

The Eden sound is great, a bit scooped perhaps but always seemed to work perfectly. Can’t go wrong with a Shuttle either especially considering the Agedhorse restoration program! If the Eden develops any issues it could become a decoration.

Good hauls! I’d gig the Shuttle and use the Eden in the house. The World Tour brand from Zzounds has an inexpensive bag is a perfect fit for the Eden if you want to travel.

 

[Thumpin6string]

IMHO the WT 405 and 550 are 2 of the best sounding heads ever. Although weight/bulk has diminished, power increased & features improved on today's heads, none actually sounds better to my ears than the top shelf units of 20+ years ago. Older GK and SWR heads also sound fantastic........as older players leave the game and the economy slumps, there are bargains aplenty out there.

The Eden sound is great, a bit scooped perhaps but always seemed to work perfectly. Can’t go wrong with a Shuttle either especially considering the Agedhorse restoration program! If the Eden develops any issues it could become a decoration.

Good hauls! I’d gig the Shuttle and use the Eden in the house. The World Tour brand from Zzounds has an inexpensive bag is a perfect fit for the Eden if you want to travel.

I have had the WT300, a WT400 and a WT550 in the past and agree the 550 sounded superior to my ears. Maybe a little more aggressive than the 300 and 400. I never tried the 405 but had a WTX500 class D head. Didn't sound like an Eden to me. It was sold ASAP. I bought the Shuttle on a whim. I've had a Shuttle 9.0 and a Shuttlemax 12.0 before. They fell a little flat to me. I bought the 6.2 to see if the improvements sounded better than the .0 version. It does, but still not sure if it scratches my itch. The only other Genz Benz head that sounded great to me was a NeoPack. It was very Edenish IMHO. I don't know why, but the class D heads all seem to sound dull to me. I've tried several different brand class D heads and they just sound less lively to me. I also own an A.M.P. BH420 that also sounds similar to an Eden. Whatever I decide, I can't lose on either purchase. Also, Sid the Kid, I have had several World Tour bags in the past and they are excellent bags. I buy direct from their website. Their cheap prices include free shipping.

 

[Sid the Kid]

I don't know why, but the class D heads all seem to sound dull to me. I've tried several different brand class D heads and they just sound less lively to me.

I share this sentiment. I’ve settled into a GK 700RBii after going through most of the big name class D’s. They certainly don’t sound bad but if you know what you’re missing it’s hard to embrace the newer technology.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I share this sentiment. I’ve settled into a GK 700RBii after going through most of the big name class D’s. They certainly don’t sound bad but if you know what you’re missing it’s hard to embrace the newer technology.

They are plenty loud but just lack something. Even the Streamliner and Genzler MG800 I used to own just didn't do it for me. Maybe the Mesa class D heads would be better? I've never had one of those.

 

[Thumpin6string]

I'll know for sure when the Eden gets here, but it looks like the Shuttle may go. Just like every other class D head I've tried, it just sounds dull. I thought it might be my bass or my strings but put new batteries in and changed the strings to a new set of Ken Smiths and it was better, but still a bit lifeless. I would guess at high volume it wouldn't be noticed but I never have to play that loud. Now impatiently waiting for the Eden.

 

[RGerhart]

If you still are interested in selling the rack ears, I'm interested. I have a WT-400 that I'd like to rack, and I believe the 400 and 550 are the same size, correct?

 

[Thumpin6string]

If you still are interested in selling the rack ears, I'm interested. I have a WT-400 that I'd like to rack, and I believe the 400 and 550 are the same size, correct?

Yes, they fit the WT300, WT400 and the WT550. Supposedly the amp will be here tomorrow. I can pull them and take a couple of pics if you PM me. We can discuss price in PM.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Yes!!! Like visiting an old friend!

 

[agedhorse]

I'll know for sure when the Eden gets here, but it looks like the Shuttle may go. Just like every other class D head I've tried, it just sounds dull. I thought it might be my bass or my strings but put new batteries in and changed the strings to a new set of Ken Smiths and it was better, but still a bit lifeless. I would guess at high volume it wouldn't be noticed but I never have to play that loud. Now impatiently waiting for the Eden.

May be that you don't care for the voicings of the newer amps and simply prefer that voicing?

The Shuttle 6.0 and the NeoPak 3.5 are virtually identical in performance and when we did listening tests prior to releasing the Shuttle 6.0, no player could identify which was class D and which was class AB. That's when we recognized that the time had come, and the NeoPak's retirement was near.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Of the dozen or so class D heads I've owned, they all fell flat to me. When I had my NeoPak 3.5, it sounded almost Identical to my WT300 I had, just a little more punchy. Every other non-lass D head I've had were fine other than specific preamp voicing. I still have an old A.M.P BH420 that also sounds great to me (pretty much the same power amp as the Eden). The class D amps are like a CD versus an LP IMHO.

 

[agedhorse]

Enjoy the old stuff, fortunately there’s a ton of it, and it’s pretty cheap to acquire.

 

[cfortner]

I would be interested in double blinded tests, I assume, the differences of the actual class D amps to the old bricks would be to neglect.

But: In the moment I have an Eden WT800C and an Eden Navigator with a Red Rock 4.5 (2x600W 4 ohm) in my rehearsal room and I will test them against my class D (Mesa WD800 and pimped GK 800RB with an Icepower 700AS1). Two 115 FMC enclosures with Faital Pro 15, Spector Euro 5.

Not double blinded, but interesting to hear. And different voicings.

I could go from my bass into the Empress and then direct into effect return to compare the power stages.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Not a blind test, but I side by side tested the Eden WT550 and the Shuttle 6.2. They have similar power output, but no matter how much EQing I did on the Shuttle, it just lacked the "bounce", for lack of a better term, of the Eden. The Shuttle is a great amp as well as some of the other class D heads I've tried. They just lack that "bounce". I will say that the Streamliner 900 I had did get close. I'm assuming the multi tube preamp was part of that.

 

[agedhorse]

Not a blind test, but I side by side tested the Eden WT550 and the Shuttle 6.2. They have similar power output, but no matter how much EQing I did on the Shuttle, it just lacked the "bounce", for lack of a better term, of the Eden. The Shuttle is a great amp as well as some of the other class D heads I've tried. They just lack that "bounce". I will say that the Streamliner 900 I had did get close. I'm assuming the multi tube preamp was part of that.

It's not just eq though, this is where many of the misconceptions come from. There are other voicing things that involve multiple nested topology filters that can't be duplicated by eq alone. The WD and BD and the voicing control on the D series are examples of this. The Streamliner 900 also had multiple voicing elements going on, but there are also players who do not like that and prefer something with a less "complex" tone/voicing like the Shuttles.

 

[AudioTaper]

Very nice!
I picked up another WT400 recently, cheap because it was non-functional. I'm going to tear into it soon and get it going, I'll probably get a shoulder bag for it and keep it as a quick practice amp.
I still have my other WT400, a GK 700RB-II, and a Mesa TT-800.

 

[Thumpin6string]

Very nice!
I picked up another WT400 recently, cheap because it was non-functional. I'm going to tear into it soon and get it going, I'll probably get a shoulder bag for it and keep it as a quick practice amp.
I still have my other WT400, a GK 700RB-II, and a Mesa TT-800.

Nice. I'm liking my 550 with my Epifani UL210 but looking forward to trying it with my UL112 with the 210. They are great amps. Too bad they are gone like SWR and Genz Benz.

 

[huff]

Very nice!
I picked up another WT400 recently, cheap because it was non-functional. I'm going to tear into it soon and get it going, I'll probably get a shoulder bag for it and keep it as a quick practice amp.
I still have my other WT400, a GK 700RB-II, and a Mesa TT-800.

I hope you post about repairing, will be useful for people to know

We need an Eden Amp Preservation Society.

Here people are encouraged to just use them until they die, throw them in the garbage and buy a new amp! instead of doing maintenance

 

[agedhorse]

Nice. I'm liking my 550 with my Epifani UL210 but looking forward to trying it with my UL112 with the 210. They are great amps. Too bad they are gone like SWR and Genz Benz.

Not quite gone like Genz Benz, since factory service is still available...