I just added a swr ix10 to my wm10- the second speaker does fill out the sound a lot, and it's $350 all together- as others have said it depends on the sound you are after.....
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Double Bass SWR
- Thread starter Nick Ioannucci
- Start date
Great thread. I have been thinking abou the SWR Baby Baby Blue, but I'll add the Cali Blonde to the list too. I am using an Eden WT400 and an Eden 112XLT right now and I am not thrilled with the tone I am getting and really don't dig carrying a head and cab. I would like a nice little combo. Most of my URB gigs do not have drummers so volume is not an issue.
Nick,
I'm a long time SWR user. My upright rig is, and has been for many years, an SWR Bass 350 head plus a Goliath Jr. 2x10. To me, this was a cheaper, more portable option than the Red Head Combo.
A buddy of mine at GC tells me SWR is revamping their whole line -- so they're blowing out the current series cheap. You can get a WM 12 combo for like $300! The X series heads are nice...350X, 550X etc. Don't know if I'd use the octave FX though...
Plus, to answer your question about 2x10 cabs...absolutely love mine. Is it overkill for certain gigs? Yes. Is it heavy? Yes, it's almost 60 pounds. However, there are plenty of jobs where I grumble about the load in...but am happier than snot when the room fills up with people and the bass seems to get lost in the mix. It's nice to have ample headroom and power in case you need it...IMHO.
I'm a long time SWR user. My upright rig is, and has been for many years, an SWR Bass 350 head plus a Goliath Jr. 2x10. To me, this was a cheaper, more portable option than the Red Head Combo.
A buddy of mine at GC tells me SWR is revamping their whole line -- so they're blowing out the current series cheap. You can get a WM 12 combo for like $300! The X series heads are nice...350X, 550X etc. Don't know if I'd use the octave FX though...
Plus, to answer your question about 2x10 cabs...absolutely love mine. Is it overkill for certain gigs? Yes. Is it heavy? Yes, it's almost 60 pounds. However, there are plenty of jobs where I grumble about the load in...but am happier than snot when the room fills up with people and the bass seems to get lost in the mix. It's nice to have ample headroom and power in case you need it...IMHO.
I've used the Goliath Jr. cab a few times on loan from a friend and agree that they are really great cabs. Both doublebass and electric. I used it as an extension cab on my GK MB once and it really helped the output and sound.
I have to wonder what the 4x10 version sounds like.
I have to wonder what the 4x10 version sounds like.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
SWR amps work fine for DB, depending on the pickup and your sound goals. I had a K&K setup with the mic, preamp, and pickup for a while and couldn't stand it. Too harsh, and the mic was a pain to dial in most of the time. I have used the Realist (without a preamp) for close to 2 years now and have never been happier. I've heard from other folks that the pickup/amp combo can make or break the effectiveness of either discrete part of the equation, and I believe it. A buddy of mine uses an AI combo with a Fishman setup and it sounds phenomenal, and I've heard the same with the K&K setup. I've heard not so good results with those pickups and an SWR or similar amp. The Realist seems to be a good match for "EB oriented" amps for some reason. YMMV, of course.
I have a 1999 model WM 12 and have the 1x10 extension cab I use on larger gigs, and I also have a 2005 (post-Fender of course) WM12 I bought as a backup. I swear by SWR for upright. I've tried AI amps and others, and hated the way they sounded. If you smooth out the midrange, cut the horn, and tune the amp to the room, it sounds the way I want. I guess it's subjective, but SWR can really cut it for upright, provided it works for your particular goals.
I have a 1999 model WM 12 and have the 1x10 extension cab I use on larger gigs, and I also have a 2005 (post-Fender of course) WM12 I bought as a backup. I swear by SWR for upright. I've tried AI amps and others, and hated the way they sounded. If you smooth out the midrange, cut the horn, and tune the amp to the room, it sounds the way I want. I guess it's subjective, but SWR can really cut it for upright, provided it works for your particular goals.
I have several SWR amps (SM-400, Bass 350, WM12) and have used them all successfully for EUB and a bit of URB.
This week, I saw the Musician's Friend had dropped the clearance price on the WM10 to $199 + $10 shipping. I'd been wanting a smaller practice amp that could be used for small acoustic stuff and this is a very nice choice for the money.
I tried it with EUB, URB, electric bass and acoustic-electric bass when it arrived yesterday. It does fine for each, natural and full sounding beyond what I expected. Nicely defined sound, with more focus than the WM12, if not as big and deep sounding.
The manual claims it has a high impedance input that's suited for acoustic pickups. I'd agree, and turning the tweeter off makes my Underwood pickup sound a bit more natural.
One good improvement over the original version I tried a few years ago is that all except the speaker jack are sealed off from the cab so that here is no need for the rubber plugs that used to keep all the jacks from whistling.
This week, I saw the Musician's Friend had dropped the clearance price on the WM10 to $199 + $10 shipping. I'd been wanting a smaller practice amp that could be used for small acoustic stuff and this is a very nice choice for the money.
I tried it with EUB, URB, electric bass and acoustic-electric bass when it arrived yesterday. It does fine for each, natural and full sounding beyond what I expected. Nicely defined sound, with more focus than the WM12, if not as big and deep sounding.
The manual claims it has a high impedance input that's suited for acoustic pickups. I'd agree, and turning the tweeter off makes my Underwood pickup sound a bit more natural.
One good improvement over the original version I tried a few years ago is that all except the speaker jack are sealed off from the cab so that here is no need for the rubber plugs that used to keep all the jacks from whistling.
A question for anyone who's listening: I'm interested in the Cali Blonde, but I'm wondering about the output. I've been using a GK150 combo for years, and mostly it's been fine, but of course there are the times when it's cranked too loud, and sounds like ****. In the opinion of those who are in a position to know, will I have the same problem with the Cali-Blonde? It hasn't escaped my notice that this amp is designed for all acoustic instruments, so will it have a tendancy to break up at higher volumes with URB? I'm also considering one of the 2x10 SVR combos. I've sold the GK since I'm very soon moving back to the States (yay!)
, so I'll be looking for one amp (low funds) to cover as many situations as possible.
Oh yeah: I have a realist pick up, and I play mostly jazz.
, so I'll be looking for one amp (low funds) to cover as many situations as possible.Oh yeah: I have a realist pick up, and I play mostly jazz.
the one time i tried the cali blonde i t was breaking up like crazy on the low notes... that's why i only tried it once. not sure if it's still that way or not.
dex68 said:A question for anyone who's listening: I'm interested in the Cali Blonde, but I'm wondering about the output. I've been using a GK150 combo for years, and mostly it's been fine, but of course there are the times when it's cranked too loud, and sounds like ****. In the opinion of those who are in a position to know, will I have the same problem with the Cali-Blonde? It hasn't escaped my notice that this amp is designed for all acoustic instruments, so will it have a tendancy to break up at higher volumes with URB? I'm also considering one of the 2x10 SVR combos. I've sold the GK since I'm very soon moving back to the States (yay!)
Oh yeah: I have a realist pick up, and I play mostly jazz.
I've done well with the WM12...never breaking up...it'll hit the limiter first.
Quite a few years ago, I tried a WM10 in a music shop and it broke up a lot, but I suspect that a guy in the shop had been banging on a 5 string and messed up the speaker.
The new WM10 I just got is respectable in volume and tone for small jazz or acoustic gigs...louder than I'd expected!
Quite a few years ago, I tried a WM10 in a music shop and it broke up a lot, but I suspect that a guy in the shop had been banging on a 5 string and messed up the speaker.
The new WM10 I just got is respectable in volume and tone for small jazz or acoustic gigs...louder than I'd expected!
I've used a 210 on a big band gig and one of the trombone players actually asked me if I was using an amp or was my bass just loud; a fine compliment, at least I thought it was. It had plenty of punch to cut through the band and still sounded "woody", IMO.
I'm a long time SWR user. My upright rig is, and has been for many years, an SWR Bass 350 head plus a Goliath Jr. 2x10.
I had SWR Goliath Jr.2x10 (350W), did not like his "bassreflex sound" , recently sold it. Now I have AMPEG PB210 (400W) with no bassreflex.More portable,lighter, more "directional" sound, VERY nice lows.
I had SWR Goliath Jr.2x10 (350W), did not like his "bassreflex sound" , recently sold it. Now I have AMPEG PB210 (400W) with no bassreflex.More portable,lighter, more "directional" sound, VERY nice lows.
what's "bass reflex" sound? i use the 2X10 because the day that i tried speakers about 10 years ago it's the only one that didnt break up when cranking the low E. so i figured it would have a long life, and so far after years and hundreds of gigs, it's still my main speaker, but i'm wondering if it's "tuned" for electric bass? i'm not sure if that was all the rage 10 years ago. it probably was. the "flat response" thing seems to be a newer fad. i'm thinking of comparing it side by side with a PA speaker to see if it's "tuned". do folks have success with PA speakers for bass?
carved czech said:
dex68 said:
I bought mine new in '98, and have played some insanely loud gigs with it. I have never heard the slightest hint of it starting to break up.
Thanks Jim. I guess I'll just have to try it out, along with a few other models. In the end, it seems that you really don't get to know whether you like an amp or not till you've used it on several gigs, and then it's yours anyway. But this is a very informative thread; much obliged.
About the WM12 breaking up, I found the same problem on the low notes at first.
A little messing around, and I realized it was not the speaker farting out or anything, it was the big low fundamentals causing the SWR's internal preamp to clip. Backing off the gain and tweaking my external preamp ended the problem. Still plenty of lows in the tone. Enuf volume too for my bossa quintet populated with rock-n-rollers trying to play jazz.
Low frequencies carry a lot of energy in air, it makes sense to me that the same in signal form can break up the gain stage in your amp.
Rig: Hopelessly Battered Kay>BP100>Rane AP13>WM12
A little messing around, and I realized it was not the speaker farting out or anything, it was the big low fundamentals causing the SWR's internal preamp to clip. Backing off the gain and tweaking my external preamp ended the problem. Still plenty of lows in the tone. Enuf volume too for my bossa quintet populated with rock-n-rollers trying to play jazz.
Low frequencies carry a lot of energy in air, it makes sense to me that the same in signal form can break up the gain stage in your amp.
Rig: Hopelessly Battered Kay>BP100>Rane AP13>WM12
I have to admit I don't like SWR stuff. I had a redhead combo for years, and I kept trying to like it. It was extremely well made and well designed, but I just could never get rid of some kind of really irritating quallity in the midrange, a kind of styrofoam sound. The enhance knob just seemed to scoop mids, and no amount of monkeying with the mid knobs could get it to sound good. I also had a WK 10, which was great in terms of weight to sound ratio and portability, but once again it had that irritating sound and also it whistled--the little rubber plugs were always getting lost and at high volumes the thing would whistle as air was forced out through the jack holes.
It may just be a matter of taste--lots of players love SWR gear. It just never sounded right to me
It may just be a matter of taste--lots of players love SWR gear. It just never sounded right to me
I've been using a Baby Blue combo for years, and it is my choice amp for my big bass with a realist pickup and gut strings. They have brought out a combo with 1x12 rather than 2x8 which I have, but I think the amps the same. Never do much with the Eq, just boost or cut the bass for the room.
I also use a WM300 with Trace Elliot 2x10 for my 5string Musicman, which works well.
The combo is quite heavy, so the advice to check out Mark bass amps is good, I tried one and they sound good and are really light, even the cabs.
I also use a WM300 with Trace Elliot 2x10 for my 5string Musicman, which works well.
The combo is quite heavy, so the advice to check out Mark bass amps is good, I tried one and they sound good and are really light, even the cabs.
