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why don't YOU like SWR?

W

warswr

Oct 21, 2006
24
0
#1
I've played just about every single cab/head combination I can muster over the past 3 years in my search for the perfect tone for my Warwick Fretless. I gave Ampeg an outstanding year of my service but eventually left the brand unsatisfied with my tone. I went through GK, Eden, Peavy, and numerous other brands; still seeking tonal tranquility. I have since landed myself with an SWR SM-500 head and an Ashdown 4x10. The rig set a completely new standard for my tone and sense I'm still blown away by the heads tone (with an extra little boost from a nice Tung-Sol 12AX7).

I was suprised when I joined to see that SWR didn't have a great rep, and among such a prestigious community of bassists, I'd really like to know what turns you off from SWR. (Im specifically talking about heads, because i can understand why some people don't like the cabs) Is it the $/Watt ratio? (their heads run pretty expensive for not as much power) or what? I'd really like to know just for the sake of knowing!

Thank you
 
#2
warswr said:
I've played just about every single cab/head combination I can muster over the past 3 years in my search for the perfect tone for my Warwick Fretless. I gave Ampeg an outstanding year of my service but eventually left the brand unsatisfied with my tone. I went through GK, Eden, Peavy, and numerous other brands; still seeking tonal tranquility. I have since landed myself with an SWR SM-500 head and an Ashdown 4x10. The rig set a completely new standard for my tone and sense I'm still blown away by the heads tone (with an extra little boost from a nice Tung-Sol 12AX7).

I was suprised when I joined to see that SWR didn't have a great rep, and among such a prestigious community of bassists, I'd really like to know what turns you off from SWR. (Im specifically talking about heads, because i can understand why some people don't like the cabs) Is it the $/Watt ratio? (their heads run pretty expensive for not as much power) or what? I'd really like to know just for the sake of knowing!

Thank you
Click to expand...
Underpowered. Scooped sounding.
 
#3
Sterile-sounding, underpowered. I had a Bass 350, then 750 into a Goliath Sr 6x10; I was always turning everything up, & stll missing something. They look nice. :hmm:

Edit: BTW, if it works for you, right on & more power to you. But that ^^^ is why I don't care for the SWR sound.
 
#5
played through a Grand Prix ages ago and really dug it. Never found a head from them that sounded the same (or close).

Dug the tone a friend had with an IOD. Too bad I rarely got to hear him play through it because it was always being repaired.

Dug the BabyBlue extension cab... but the one I dug had drivers by BagEnd and the new one they had at the store had Celestians and it wasn't the same... so I bought some BagEnds.
 
#6
bassteban said:
Sterile-sounding, underpowered. I had a Bass 350, then 750 into a Goliath Sr 6x10; I was always turning everything up, & stll missing something. They look nice. :hmm:

Edit: BTW, if it works for you, right on & more power to you. But that ^^^ is why I don't care for the SWR sound.
Click to expand...

I love the hi-fi tone. hate the power ratings though. IMO Their amps are way too quiet.
 
#7
For me, the presence and crispness of the treble on SWR gear is actually pretty good. Where SWR loses me is the low end. It doesn't have any warmth or fatness to me at all, which is what I think leads to many calling them sterile sounding. However, if you've found something you like, I wouldn't let the opinions here sway you too much.
 
#11
I have gone the IP route because Wow! Among the others Ampeg/GK/Eden/Ashdown/Aguilar it's personal preference. They each have something to like or hate. One bassists warm in Eden is anothers muddy lack of clarity. I've recorded three CDs and gigged with SWR since it's inception and I have to say it's great. I liked their front ported sound better than there rear earlier designs but their earlier designs had more distinct character. I found that the heads sound best played flat with powerful basses. Fenders through SWR never did it for me and sounded weak and underpowered. You have to work that preamp. Of all the amps out there I've seen the biggest misunderstandings about the proper use of the pre and master. I've also seen improper matching of cabs with heads. For example a friend of mine hooked a SVT cab to one side of and SM-400 obtained 160 watts and then thought it was underpowered. He did not know about bridging for the full 400 watts. Their chassis get hot wicking heat away as a design feature and folks think it's a flaw. Bassists don't turn the tweeter down to a reasonable level then complain that the cabs are to bright. A guy with Acoustic and AMP in his resume actually makes an amp for bassists that 15 or more years ago was really embraced. Fender buys the company and unlike when CBS bought Fender and it's pre-CBS stuff was good now the old SWR gear is swept up in rumors of bad quality etc. Hell, Mr. Schroeder is getting nailed on another thread because some think EM distributing his gear is going to lower the quality.
Maybe we have a chance here on TB to change how things are done. Maybe here we can think before we pre judge some gear. Maybe in honesty we can expect great quality and hold our manufacturers to it. But declaring that Ampeg is *&^% because it's now assembled offshore is ignorant. If you don't like companies moving off shore then vote for someone else. Maybe we won't post 3,000 posts about some new gear, sell all our old gear buy the new then become disillusioned and flame it. Some one said a few days ago here that the real warriors in the middle of this country are playing the SWR/Ampeg/Eden gear steadily gigging.
Anyway Jimmy Haslip is touring this year with SWR. Rocco Prestia likes it. Those two guys are from hugely different genres. I've learned to play what I want to get my sound. I realized that I had played everything and the best sound I had heard up to that time (see my profile gear list) was an SM-400 with a Goliath Jr. No longer did I long for those Sunn/Ampeg/Acoustic/Fender/Marshall days.
As I said before I have discovered the joys of EA and Berg IPs. This is the combination of my tastes changing and the development of new technology. I love my SWR Baby Blue II. Though it's not loud IMHO it's one of the best bass amps ever made. It's sitting right next to me.
 
#12
I had an SM500 and hated it over time. It was sterile and difficult for me to get a decent tone - especially as you changed rooms or dynamics. I tried to warm it up by replacing that really cheap preamp tube it comes with and that helped A LITTLE. I could eek a decent slap tone out of it, but most of my playing is fingerstyle, so I was completely underwhelmed. I tried out half a dozen heads when I decided to ditch the SWR - I liked nearly all of them better by a pretty good stretch. My Thunderfunk eats the SWR I had for breakfast, lunch AND dinner.
 
#13
Very sterile sounding. Just did not have a tone character that I liked. Heads, cabs and the Workingmans15 that I owned for a short time. Just not my cup of tea.

Can't say much for reliability since I only owned the WM15 for a month and never owned a a head/cab.

I won't say they are bad though. Just not for me. If you like what you hear than it's the right rig for you.
 
#14
cheezewiz said:
Underpowered. Scooped sounding.
Click to expand...

+1 But....

I am a long-time SWR 350 user. I got a lot of good sound and reliable use out of that head. I won't sell it, ever. :hiding:
Scooped sound IS somewhat of a problem--but mainly with passive basses. The $/watt issue is real. Also, Fender is a factor, and times change, as do standards, tastes, and corporate quality policies ($$$). Don't forget that SWR arose before cheap and reasonably good quality power amps stamped "Made in China" were such a big force in our market. These have pushed prices for all amps down, IMHO. N.B., I just bought a used CA6.

About my SWR 350:
I confess I often tweaked and tweaked to get my sound, and then finally added a compressor/preamp pedal that got me much closer to where I wanted to go. It made my passive bass "go active" and I then maximized my volume with compression and speaker acreage (4x10 and 1x15, see sig. below).

However, I eventually realized that power was a big TONE issue, and went rackmount with a variety of preamps (3 so far). I'm still searching, but am getting way closer. That is cool. :cool:

Yet, I learned long ago that what is COOL is not what matters most of all to me, (although it does matter somewhat, depending on my budget). :ninja:

What does matter is the music: "If it sounds good, it is good". :D :D :D
 
#16
thanks for the opinion so far. It sounds like to me it makes a big difference on what kinda bass your using. I have to admit, my Fender P doesn't sing as well as it could through the SM500, nor does my Spector. I guess the warwick and the SM really click well together. I guess it goes to show what amp is best for one person may be the worst for another.
 
#17
started out with the working mans combo, just wouldn't cut through, couldn't compete with my guitar player Marshalls.
so i up graded got the 750 Pro series chrome dealy....same thing.:hmm: alway disappointed never seemed to have enough of something, never enough :mad: :help:
went and traded all my SWR junk in for GK. now i am happy.
 
#18
I love my Red Faced SWR Bass 350. I have used and abused the crap out of it for years with absolutely no problems, and I purchased it used!!!

I always hear this scooped comment and think to myself turn down the enhance knob dude.:) I don't know about the other models but mine is far from scooped. You do have to turn up the bass a little and crack the pre a little more but once you do it sounds great.

Other amps may have a nicer rack but mine sure knows how to cook a nice hot meal.:ninja:
 

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