Eden Electronics WTX-500 Amplifier Head and EX110 Speaker Cabinet Review

When I was starting out as a bass player I didn’t dream about the ideal amp. Of course, I fantasized about bass guitars but I can’t remember being excited by a great combo or a bulky stack. For me, amplifiers were only useful tools: you had to plug into one to get a sound. And the most important thing was to have enough output volume, regardless of the sound quality. But the years and the road have taught me that in order to increase my skills as a musician I had to improve the most essential sense to make music: my hearing.

I realized very quickly that the price of the best sounding systems was not something I could afford. Among the most respected (and most expensive) were the David Eden amps. In those times, when the most powerful amp heads weighted about 40 lbs, they were too bulky to be rackable, and produced a very typical sound color, this American company introduced something similar to a UFO: the WT 300, better known as the “Traveler.”

15 years later, I’m pleased to review the WTX-5, the descendant of the original Traveler, and the RX110, a compact speaker cabinet.

Affordable High-End

Before founding his own company and specializing in PA systems, David Eden used to repair household electrical appliances. You might think he enjoys playing bass in his spare time but he is more interested in brass instruments! In fact, he plays tuba, trumpet and sax in several amateur bands. But he also spends a lot of time standing in front of a console, mixing bands whose bass players are his friends. Back in those days (mid 70’s), amp manufacturers were not very kind to bass players. There were only a few stacks available that, technically speaking, didn’t change a lot compared to previous decades. In short, musicians looking for a new sound color, i.e. different from the typical 60’s sound, were out of luck.

While listening to a friend play a Randall amp that produced the most awful sound he had ever heard before, David decided to help his friend out by building a new speaker cabinet. Then, with a good idea in mind about what should be a good bass amp, he started manufacturing his products in small quantity. He founded Eden Electronics in 1976 and manufactured his first line of stereo amp heads, as well as several speaker cabinets (2×12″), in 1978. But it was a risky bet: except for Alembic, very few manufacturers dealt with such concepts. As a consequence, there was a market segment to be conquered but nobody could guarantee the success of such a counter-trend.

But with the support of many professional musicians, the pioneer carried on in the same direction. The demands of bass players are simple, but also quite opposite to those of guitar players: a bass player wants an amp that faithfully amplifies his instrument and playing while adding warmth to the sound. Eden works to satisfy this demands by manufacturing custom stacks for professional musicians based on simple but innovative ideas and specifications taken from the military. High-quality components guarantee reliability, increased performance and modular design, making service and upgrades easier. The design of the speakers aim for a flat reproduction over a wide frequency range, a high power rating and a short response time for perfect transient reproduction. The goal of the designer is simple: reproducing the natural sound of a bass guitar depends on the attack much more than on resonance.

Eden amps distinguishes itself from other brands by producing a faithful and dynamic response. In this matter, Eden was among the first manufacturers to bet on 4×10″ speaker cabinets, which are now well established and offered by all brands. Within a few years, the company became one of the leaders in the high-end market segment. To reach the lower market segment, the manufacturer created Nemesis but its sales didn’t quite meet the expectations. In 2002, the company was taken over by US Music Corporation, which allowed David to continue leading the brand. But in 2011 the founder, always faithful to the philosophy that made him successful, decided to create a new company (DNA: David Nordschow Amplification) and go back to elite products.

Now let’s take a closer look…

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Conclusion

Personally, I’m quite excited by what I heard during this review. I find the amp reacts very well, is easy to use and very versatile. With its great dynamic response, the WTX-500 head can seduce any player. The 10″ speaker does a good job considering its dimensions: it withstands the B-string of my bass, doesn’t produce uncontrolled sub-lows and reproduces very nicely the frequencies I want to hear. However, I guess this single speaker won’t be enough to play in a large venue. But for a club gig with a small band, the EX110 is both affordable and valuable. And I guess this stack will be of interest for double-bass players. In any case, I recommend them to give it a try considering the difficulties they already have transporting their instrument. To all bass player who want a bigger system for larger venues, I recommend the use of an additional speaker.

Or to choose another product within Eden’s wide speaker range. With a manufacturer committed to bass players for almost 35 years, you can be sure you’ll find the appropriate solution!

Advantages:

• Component quality (potentiometers, connections, housing)
• Eden sound guarantee
• Transportability
• Size/output power ratio
• Marc Upson (many thanks)

Drawbacks:

• Finish
• No semi-parametric filters
• Speaker and amp fan a bit too noisy (the amp is not that quiet and the speaker hisses a bit)

To read the full detailed review with sound samples see:  Eden Electronics WTX-500 & EX110