Eden WT-500

I have a 1996 WT500 that has the same compliment of features as several of the WT line: Front panel = Gain, Enhance, Bass, 3 band parametric, Treble, Balance, Master volume, Bridge mono switch, input pad switch. It has a built-in compressor that is either on or off...no adjustment here. Rear panel = effects send/return, tuner out (no mute function), 1/4 and binding post speaker output jacks, and an XLR DI out with output control. It is a two channel amp with 250w per side at 4 ohms, 175w (roughly) at 8 ohms. Bridge mono produces 500w at 8 ohms only. Tube preamp and solid state power section. Anodized aluminum faceplate scratches easily but otherwise the housing is robust. Lacking a dedicated preamp output and Speakon output jacks. (I have since created my own preamp out L and R XLR jack and it works great). Plenty of power for small club gigs. But I think the 250w per side might be a bit of s-t-r-e-t-c-h. As others have indicated, it will begin to clip if you try to drive at high volumes. But since I added preamp outputs and have been running through a Crown PB2 for larger, outdoor venues, it has been great. My two biggest issues: Eden says the headphone out jack can be used as a slave/preamp out...yeah, good luck with that. Waaay to noisy. And a piss-poor design in my opinion. And, the DI is very HOT. I have mine set to "1" and it's all that is needed for our live shows. I think it could be "de-tuned" a bit, so to speak. But overall, the WT500 has some great features and a control set that allows for a variety of sweet tones.

I play a Tobias Growler/Bartolini system, Spector NS4 with active EMGs, and a 1982 G&L fretless with original passive electronics and single coil pickup. I play styles ranging from hard rock to funk; slap/pop to country; a little bit of jazz thrown in for good measure. All over the board in terms of styles. But regardless, the sound is fantastic. A single 12ax7 provides the warmth that helps define the Eden sweet sound. The eq controls are VERY dynamic; a little goes a long way. If you are a heavy knob tweaker, you will need to re-think your approach. But a little dialing in of the parametric and you are in there. Great low end, smooth mids and plenty of non-harsh highs. Used through a variety of 4x10s and 4x10 combination, it has always given me a great sound that cuts through the mix. Love the sound. Enough said.

Bought it used in 2007 off Ebay and haven't really had breakdown type of problem. The toroid transformer was noisy, so I rotated and shifted it within the case, and replaced the non-shielded preamp to power amp wires with shielded ones and the noise all but went away. Though I've only had it for two years, it has not let me down so far. Supposedly never let the original owner down either. Use it wo backup for local club gigs, but always carry a backup for larger, or outdoor events.

Never had to contact them for repair but I requested the schematics so I could create my own dedicated preamp out jacks and they sent pdfs that day. Very responsive. Good customer support in my opinion. For anyone wanting more info on the preamp out jacks I created, email me at chris@rikoventures.com.

Been playing for 30+ years and own Eden, Mesa, Trace Elliot, GK, Hartke, Fender, and Crown gear. If it were stolen, I would seek out another WT500, 600, or 800...but old school, US made. Have had bad luck (subsequently) with new Chinese produced Eden crap. My WT500 has that fantastic Eden tone I was looking for. And since I've been able to add preamp out jacks and run an outboard Crown PB2, I have plenty of headroom, and a tight, punchy sound. For more info on the self-made preamp out jacks, just ping me at chris@rikoventures.com.

250w per channel or 500w in bridge mode. 3 band EQ, compressor, all the conectivity you are likely to need out back. Typical pro level features, just about everything you could possible need.

No tuner mute, this has become popular now but this amp is 10 years old now. It gets a 9 but for its age, this is more like a 10.

Using a stock 72 Jazz, Geddy Lee Jazz, Musicman Stingray, Tokai Hard Puncher & custom 5 string with 35" scale length. This amp has a very warm character, it is possible to get a sharp edged agressive sound but you need to tweak it a bit for that. Slap is great, finger style is great, just about everything is great. Don't boost the bass it will get far too boomy.

If there is a better sounding amps out there but I haven't tried it yet. I play mostly rock, funk & acoustic music. I have owned/used, Gallien Krueger 700RB, Trace Elliot (various), Hartke 3500HA, Ampeg (various), Masa Boogie & a custom built valve amplifier. This amp gives me the best compination of sounds in one box.

Make sure you have the amp matched with the correct ohmage for speaker cabinets. I have used this amp with several different cabinets and you only get the full potential when you use decent speakers.

This amp has a warm & bass heavy character. If you boost bass you will almost certainly shake everything in the room and loose note definition.

With EBS 410H & Custom 115H cabinets, (both 4 ohm), I get an excellent full bass sound. Very happy indeed!

No major problems. The only thing I have needed to repair in 10 years is a worn volume pot. I bought this amp secondhand from a guy on Ebay, it was in as new condition and hasn't missed a beat since

I changed the pre-amp valve for a decent quality ??20 unit, this improved the sound a bit.

I am in the UK but there is an official repair guy over here. The volume pot was a bit expensive but the work comes fully guaranteed and Eden get paperwork on each and every repair.

Great amp that has been discontinued now, I guess most people must have been happy to pay the extra for the 800w model. My amp;lifier has the factory upgrade to 300w per side so there isn't much difference in headroom.

If this amp was stolen I would have a good look around at what is on the marker now. Things like EBS & Markbass could be worh a try. I herd that Eden have been taken over now so I would be a bit concerned thast the new stuff wasn't as good as my amp.

Get a good pair of cabinets and you will be happy with the sound you get. I also have a decent 210H 8 ohm cabinet for practice and I find that this helps. I just run the amp in bridged mode and dont turn it up much.

input gain, Enhancer, compressor, para eq, input & output jacks, headphone jack, dual amp or 500 watts into 8Ohms in bridge mode.
The 500watts are plenty. I play mostly Jazz, Funk 'n stuff in small clubs, restaurants and parties.
It pretty much has all things an amp needs.

I use Conklin, MTD and Lakland basses. I am looking for a warmp but very snappy sound. I think the Eden delivers that.
This amp is noisy at low volumes. Leaks noise even if vol is at zero. The amp can not be driven hard to 10. At about 5 (gain and master) the power amp starts to clip. Had that checked out at a pro shop. I was told that's just the way they work. The EQ has a lot to do with it. If one of the EQs is up, let's say too much bass, then the overall volume increases quiet a bit and the master needs to come down, otherwise it starts to distort.
The Eden is somewhat of a person, a little baby, it's kinda peculiar, it sounds great flat and over dramatizes when the EQs are pushed too hard. It likes to stay clean, dirt gets inside and it starts to get upset.

fairly reliable. Had it almost 10 years. It's a bit noisy, and just recently had all the contacts cleaned professionally. Apparently this amp is sensitive to dirt, dust, whatever. The jacks and pots started to interrupt the signal. The pots started to make crackling sounds when turned. Again, a local pro cleaned that all out for $90. Sounds good as new.
I have been very gentle with this amp because it's such a baby. I had a GK and that thing was way less sensitive to rough behavior. I would never dare to treat this amp harsh. It looks and feels fragile. With the wimpish behavior it also sounds sensitive. I gave it a good treatment. It's been good to me.

I contacted them with emails asking questions. Always got an answer. Satisfied here. But they were recently bought up by another company. so I am curious to see what that will be like.

Been playing for 10 years. Had several amps (GK, Hartke, Carvin). This is a warm sounding amp. Great for all styles. Very warm and Snappy. Great for slapping and warm enough for jazz.
But it's a bit sensitive. I wished it was sturdier. What's up with that flickering power light? Can't we get a solid light? Is this the third world?
It does not give me a sturdy enough impression. Like the gold aluminium front. I really like the way the amp protect itself. There is a clip protection with light at several stages (gain, compressor and master output). That is really a smart thing.
Would I buy it again? Dunno. 10 years ago the amp selection was much thinner then now. These days you got such a large selection, it's incredible. So I would probably try something newer, something sturdier, and quiter. But this amp is very warm. I really dig that.

I have 2 Eden Highwayman WT500 amps, a 1994 and 1998. I won't relist all the features here.It is loaded with features but I do wish it had variable control for the compressor/limiter, as I find the factory setting a little squashed..I use an EBS Multicomp and disengage the Eden's.

I use Modulus and Fender basses.There is no doubt that the WT500 is a great versatile sounding amp. I've owned the 1994 since it was new so I've used it at all types of venues and conditions. If your bass has faults or isn't a good sounding instrument to begin with, the Eden is unforgiving. It will however make a great bass show all of it's own sound and nuances, exactly what you want a amplifier to do. The tone controls are very powerful so a little goes a long way. I do find the WT500 do be a little noisy. The Eden distributor adjusted the position of the transformer and re routed some of the wiring harness and dramatically quiet downed the noise. Even though these are rated @ 250 per side they are not that loud and will distort at higher volume settings...not nice distortion either. The Eden is actually a really clean amp at reasonable/normal volume levels..to get a grittier sound I use an overdrive pedal. The Eden is great for blues, rock and especially funk. I use Eden 210 and Mesa Boogie EV 15 cabs.Also I use a NOS RCA 12AX7 in one of my heads...much warmer than the stock Eden tubes.

I had my 1994 crap out on me once the DC converter switchy? blew. I've had to change preamp tubes a few times (normal). I carry both amps with me all the time, as you never know what's going to happen when electricity is involved. I have an extra fan in my rack that sucks out air...highly recommended as the WT500 fans are rather loud and noisy and are easily triggered when on their own. You definately need to mount these in a rack, these would have never survived with out one...no way, the metal scratches very easily and the knobs are fragile. You do have to baby these amps, you can't throw them around like an old solidstate Peavey!

The original Canadian distributor was very helpful and serviced and solved the noise problems under warranty.

I've played 30+ years. Have used Traynor, Ampeg, Sunn, Peavey, found the Eden to be the most versatile. I've played thru other players rigs Galien Kruger, Hartke, SWR, all good but I prefer the Eden for my basses/sound. I do find the Edens a bit noisy. I don't like the internal compressor/limiter. If these where improved I rate them higher. Again as with all professional bass gear these are pricey. If I where to change amps I would probably go with a separate pre and power amps next time.

250w per channel @ 4 ohm or 500w bridged into 8 ohm. Single channel, complex EQ system, built in compressor & valve pre-amp. This amp has all the connections you could possibly want without a built in cross-over.
Don't be fooled by the figure 250+250w a side figures, this amp isn't all that powerfull. I actually use the WT500 with a stand alone (Mackie) power amp. Having said that, our band does play some large venues with vocal only PA. I stick one cab out front to fill the room.

I use various basses, some good & some not so good, the sound out of the amplifier is always good, giving a deep & warm character to the tone.

I have never been so stumped by an amp in achieving a good live sound.

The amp has a very deep bass character and I think this is the heart of the problem. It sounds great in the bed room or shop but when you take those settings to the gig, the bass sounds muddy in the mix.

I found myself frantically boosting mids & treble just to cut thro.

Following years of constant tweaking, I have found the following settings to work for me so. I hope they help.

Pre-amp just bellow 12 o'clock is a good copramise for the compressor kicking in. Bass flat & Treble @ 2 o'clock with the following EQ settings:
Lo @ approx. 200 Hz
Mid @ approx. 1.5KHz
Hi @ approx. 1.1KHz
You will still only need 2-3 clicks of EQ boost but it certainly helps me cut it in a live situation.

Just about the best sounding amplifier I have ever come across. I have owned ans used - Hartke, Roland, Calsbro, Ampeg, Gallien Krueger, Marshall, Euphonic Audio & Trace Elliot.

My bass of choice these days is an early 70s Fender Jazz but I also use a Musicman Stingray from time to time.

No problems with the amplifier but it has caused me a few problems with my other gear. Due to the lack of raw power I have blown a couple of decent speakers (EBS112 & EA210NL). Apparently this is quite common with under powered amplifiers. The speaker limiter lights are a good indicator of this but I found out a bit too late.

I now use the WT500 as a pre-amplifier into a 1400w power amplifer and everything is fine.

NA

I have been playing bass in groups for over 20 years now. Now I use the WT500 as a pre-amplifier with a bigger powerful amplifier, I find the sound to be second to none. I usually drive a EBS410H & 115H cabinets but have a couple of other cabs if required (never needed so far).

The down side of taking 2 substantial amplifiers to a gig, my rack unit weighs as much as a 410 cabinet. I carry my own gear & this is a big problem so I will probably replace the Eden with a pre-amp at some time.

The sound of the amplifier on it's still excellent but you need to be sure that the it is enough for your needs. It wasn't for mine.

I wouldn't replace this amp if it was lost or stolen, just as well because Eden have discontinued it now. I would buy a pre-amp now, probably something like the Avalon U5.

Wt 500 bought off ebay for an amazing $475. I believe its a 1998 model. 250 watts per channel. Compressor effects loop tuner out, all the good stuff. I was worried about power as Eden makes more powerful amps, but I've found I have plenty to spare. I run a boogie powerhouse 2x10 and a 1x15 and it complements the amp nicely.

All I can say is wow. Exactly what I've always thought a bass should sound like. I play a 5 string Stingray and I couldn't be more pleased with the sound. The eq's are so sensitive its almost ridiculous. I set everything flat with a little treble rolled off and its perfect every night. If you are an Ampeg "I need a little distortion in my sound" person then don't bother with this amp. Crystal clean punchy tone. I never understood why players would want anything else. I play in a cover band playing many different styles and it suits all of them.

I've only had it a month so the jury is still out on reliability.

The amp didn't come with rack ears so I called Eden and they sold me a set and I received them in about 4 days.

My journey has ended with Eden. Tried GK, Hartke, SWR, and Ampeg and nothing comes close.

My WT-500 was made in 1998, and I picked it up two years later used on Ebay. It's survived years of abuse, and still sounds amazing. I have a few bones with it, as listed below, but overall it's a wonderful piece of machinery.

As far as features go, this amp is action-packed. The front EQ allows for nearly any sound you'd imagine, and the back has so many wonderful options (with the notable exception of Speakons). Also, this is a one-channel, no footswitch amp. If you like various options like that, this might not be your amp.

One warning first - when you get one, SET EVERYTHING FLAT. Just as Ampegs are designed to be pushed to the 10's on everything and Mesas are designed to never, ever be pushed to 10, Eden's are in their own world with the controls. I hated it when I first got it, but once I learned how to work the EQ, I can't play a show without it. Sound guys LOVE the directs too.

This amp sounds best run near flat, I've found, and that was a massive change from my happy-face eq I used for years with my SWR. I came from using an SWR SM-500 with a 36-band equalizer in the effects loop (same Eden D410 cab the whole time) to using just the Eden WT-500 run almost flat, with a little dip in low-mids and a the treble at about 40%. Just remember with this thing, each little click of the EQ goes a LOOOOONG way, so be gentle. I've found for the most part you can adujust to almost any gig just by using the Enhance knob.

This is hard to judge, because I got it used off Ebay, but it was great when I got it. However, after a year or so, it devloped the habit of overheating after about 30 minutes of being driven hard. However, before condemning the amp, it must also be said that it was pushing only the left side into a 4 ohm cab and handling the extreme lows of a Warwick LX 5-string's B string, so that's tough for any amp. The direct outs never shut off, and after having a tech look at it, it hasn't had the problem since. I've heard that Edens can be hit or miss in reliablity, but this one's solid now.

Never dealt with them directly.

All in all, it's a great head, and unless you're a distorion freak, this amp can do anything. While I've never liked the looks (never been a fan of gold, to be honest), I've always loved the sound. I honestly can't tell you how often other bands' members come up to me and ask what I'm using, then turn around and tell their bassists to grab the same gear. It's worth every penny.

eq is perfect, effects loops are very convenient, compressor is only a protection but I don't use since I have one externelly which have more controls, stereo power amp is great feature too.the only drawback is the noise of the power amp section wich is little annoying in studio with accoustic session, the distributor try to solve it by turning the power trans. but no results. The other problem is the wind noise of the fan wich is really loud when you just finish a song.

I use this amp with one 210 xlt and one 212 xlt. I sold a svt for this, very musical, eq is great, when I play on something else I am lost, for studio I carry it as a preamp with a d.i. amp a headphone amp.

no breakdown in 5 years.

the canadian dist. did is best

great gear.

I bought my WT-500 in 1995 and it has lasted on the same preamp tube until 2003. Incredible! It is the most versatile amplifier I have ever used. Before it I had a GK400 and Hartke cabinet. I match my WT-500 to an Eden 4x10 (with dual ports) and I can get dub/reggae sounds on up to raunchy rock grind. The EQ section is so powerful and well set that I actually almost never have to boost or cut any frequencies unless I have a really bad room. The amp has more power than I have ever used, but that gives me the option to turn it up if I need to. I use this amp on jazz/r&b/funk gigs mostly now but it's ready for anything. I have even amplified my stand up bass with it. The amp is stereo and the bridge function is handy to drive the 8ohm cabinet I own from SWR. I usually bypass the compressor function because it's effect isn't nearly as noticeable as my dbx160.

I use a Ken Smith Burner 4-string bass mostly but also a Cort Artisan 5-string. It handles the 5 string as if to say, "hey, is that all you've got?" I can shake a small to medium sized venue with ease. There is absolutely no distortion with this amp when used with the Eden cabinet and I would describe the sound as totally "uncolored". if you like a "Tube Drenched" or "overdriven" sound, this is not the amp for you. Great for hi-fi, true to the bass sound. My only gripe with the electronics is the direct out XLR jack has an annoying hiss that makes it unusable in the studio and barely usable for a live gig (going through the PA). But the 1/4" out can be sent either pre or post eq giving you those two options to compensate. Brilliant thinking!

This amp has never let me down. My last gig (after 7 years of straight use, 100+ days per year) the amp crapped out on me, but I think it's because I have never changed the preamp tube. The fan is so whisper quiet and the vents so amazingly functional, I opened up the amp to find hardly any dust on the inside after smoky, dusty Arizona bar gigs for 7 years. Incredible.

Eden's service is exemplary and they went out of their way, even though I was the second owner of the amp, to help me the one time I had to send the amp in for service. Can't remember what the problem was...Authorized service centers are easy to find on their website. I head they were just sold to a larger company so I don't know if that will affect their product line in the future.

I have been playing for 18 years. I owned a GK 400 head before this one. The Eden is all I will ever need. If it were stolen I would just buy another one because it pays for itself in reliability and performance. Top notch. I hate that the colored "line markers" on top of all the eq/volume knobs fall off and I had to reglue them, but this is the only real sticking point with this amp. I bought it from a bass player friend (Ted from Arizona, passed away in a car accident) and having it is a special gift from him. I was so young when I bought it that I didn't realize what a bargain I was getting for so fine a piece of electronic equipment. Thanks Ted!

This is a great amp for all styles. Great tones and durable. Had it since 95' and no problems. I thought 500 was not enough for a 410XLT but it compliments it nicely. A great all in one head. The effects loop works great and a line out which does the job. I also like the tuner in. Very Convenient.

There is enough tone controls in this amp to pretty much capture the sound you want. Bass/ Treble, semi parametric and a enhancer dial.
It was a design with the help of Demeter. I also have a demeter and I can understand the workmanship that was put into it.

Very reliable. Again I have not had any problems since 95' when i bought it.... Knock on wood

Never needed to call.

A very good and reliable amp. A great choice.