SWR Sound Musical Instrument Amplifier Bass Player User Manual

S O U N D RO O M  
S W R  
D A N E L E C T R O  
D R S T R I N G S  
T E C H 2 1  
F U T U R E S O N I C S  
SW R Redhead  
B Y J O N AT H A N H E R R E R A  
SWR REDHEAD  
List $2,349  
Street $1,650  
Pros Punchy, loud, and articulate combo with  
excellent connectivity and stage-to-studio  
versatility  
I T S E ASY TO F O R G ET N OW, WH AT WI T H driver cabinets—began with the Redhead. It  
the recent glut of high-tech bass amps and quickly became the hip amp to have, and  
cabinets, but when SWR released the origi- while subsequent years found other manu-  
nal Redhead in 1988, it signaled a transition facturers entering the increasingly compet-  
between eras. In a sense, much of what char- itive category and diminishing the Redhead’s  
acterizes contemporary high-end bass combo dominance, the Redhead is still one of a  
designs—high fidelity preamps with pre c i s e handful of seminal amp designs.  
Cons A bit heavy by contemporary standards;  
slick sound not for everyone  
Bottom Line A classic gets refurbished, with  
stellar results.  
CO N TAC T  
(480) 596-9690  
signal shaping, gig-worthy power, and multi-  
To bring the Redhead in line with the  
SOUNDROOM POLICY  
We test pro ducts in real-world environme nt s, evalua t i ng them with re g a rd to price and the ma nu fa c t u rer’s de s ign int e nt . Advertising does not influence our product  
coverage. We invite manufacturers to fact-check product reviews prior to publication, and we print dissenting opinions when applicable. Street prices are approximate.  
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T E C H S P ECS  
different input impedances as well, with the and a snappy top. What it isn’t: buttery, thick,  
Input impedance ACTIVE, 130k; PASSIVE, 1MΩ  
Tone controls BASS: ±15dB @ 70Hz  
(shelving), w/TURBO engaged: ±15dB @  
30Hz; MID RANGE: ±15dB @ 200Hz–800Hz  
(semi-parametric); TREBLE: ±15dB @ 2kHz  
(shelving), w/TRANSPARENCY engaged:  
±15dB @ 4kHz  
PASSIVE jack’s 1Mrating perfect for realizing syrupy, gooey—the colorful characteristics that  
a passive bass’s full frequency potential.  
may or may not be your thing. The new driv-  
The Redhead was always a studio favorite, ers are superb, holding tight under extreme B-  
and the newest model enhances this quality string attacks and dispersing in a pleasantly  
further with the addition of a smooth-sound- elegant room-filling soundstage. The Redhead’s  
ing compressor and transformer-coupled, sharp and authoritative attack, coupled with  
o n b o a rd tube DI (see sidebar). I appreciate the its crisp high end, make it a particularly killin’  
Redhead’s DI layout, putting the controls on slap amp. The cool compressor, inherited from  
the front panel but leaving the XLR jack on the SWRs flagship SM1500(and the soon-to-arrive  
rear. The DI’s parameters are particularly robust, Marcus Miller preamp), enhances this facet of  
with LINE or DIRECT signal-flow options (LINE the Redhead’s personality, adding evenness and  
incorporates the preamp and EQ, DIRECT is presence without offensive coloration. The DI  
tapped off the input stage), a GROUND LIFT, a perf o rme d well in a computer-recording envi-  
DI-specific mute (a killer feature thats sadly ronment, adding a bit of burnished color lack-  
lacking on many amps—ever try to tune at a ing in the live signal, due largely to the  
gig when your bass is still in the house mains?), h a rmonic characteristics of its tube and trans-  
and a PAD for ensuring proper gain staging with former components.  
DI output Tube-driven, transformer-coupled  
balanced XLR with MUTE, LINE/DIRECT, and  
PAD controls  
Power amp topology Class AB  
Power output 400 watts into internal  
cabinet; 600 watts with 4extension  
Cabinet type 2x10 + horn  
Speaker manufacturer Custom-designed  
Eminence drivers with Foster horn  
Weight 80 lbs  
a variety of recording and sound-reinforcement  
equipment.  
The new Redhead is more of what its  
always been: a high-quality, pristine-sound-  
Made in U.S.A. (some parts manufactured  
in Mexico)  
The new Redhead is louder than its pred- ing, pro-level amp for those who prefer clar-  
ecessor. A lot louder. On its own, its hard to ity and crackle to mud and crunch. In  
imagine a gig that it wouldn’t comfortably hang upgrading the power, speakers, and feature  
with (plus, anything bigger and there’ll be PA set, SWR successfully took the combo into the  
reinforcement). Its tone is distinctively SWR: 21st century, and so the Redhead is back in  
rapid attack, a sense of overall dynamic con- contention as a titillating bass-gear pin-up,  
Warranty Five years  
trol, an uncolored (and uncluttered) midrange, w o rth the price of admission.  
BP  
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