Bass Player Owner Manual

52
B A S S P L A Y E R | M A Y 2 0 0 8
d i ff e rent input impedances as well, with the
PASSIVE
jack’s 1M
Ω
rating perfect for realizing
a passive bass’s full frequency potential.
The Redhead was always a studio favorite,
and the newest model enhances this quality
further with the addition of a smooth-sound-
ing compressor and transform e r- c o u p l e d ,
o n b o a rd tube DI (see sidebar). I appreciate the
R e d h e a d ’s DI layout, putting the controls on
the front panel but leaving the
XLR
jack on the
re a r. The DI’s parameters are particularly ro b u s t ,
with
LINE
or
DIRECT
signal-flow options (
LINE
incorporates the preamp and EQ,
D I R E C T
i s
tapped off the input stage), a
G R O U N D L I F T
, a
DI-specific mute (a killer feature that’s sadly
lacking on many amps—ever try to tune at a
gig when your bass is still in the house mains?),
and a
PA D
for ensuring proper gain staging with
a variety of re c o rding and sound-re i n f o rc e m e n t
equipment.
The new Redhead is louder than its pred-
ecessor. A lot louder. On its own, it’s hard to
imagine a gig that it wouldn’t comfortably hang
with (plus, anything bigger and there’ll be PA
reinforcement). Its tone is distinctively SWR:
rapid attack, a sense of overall dynamic con-
t r ol, an uncolored (and uncluttered) midrange,
and a snappy top. What it isn’t: buttery, thick,
s y r u p y, gooey—the colorful characteristics that
may or may not be your thing. The new driv-
ers are superb, holding tight under extreme B-
string attacks and dispersing in a pleasantly
elegant room-filling soundstage. The Redhead’s
sharp and authoritative attack, coupled with
its crisp high end, make it a particularly killin’
slap amp. The cool compre s s o r, inherited fro m
S W R ’s flagship SM1500 (and the soon-to-arr i v e
Marcus Miller preamp), enhances this facet of
the Redhead’s personality, adding evenness and
p r esence without offensive coloration. The DI
p e r f o rme d well in a computer- r e c o r ding envi-
ronment, adding a bit of burnished color lack-
ing in the live signal, due largely to the
h a rmonic characteristics of its tube and trans-
former components.
The new Redhead is more of what it’s
always been: a high-quality, pristine-sound-
ing, pro-level amp for those who prefer clar-
ity and crackle to mud and crunch. In
upgrading the power, speakers, and feature
set, SWR successfully took the combo into the
21st century, and so the Redhead is back in
contention as a titillating bass-gear pin-up,
w o rth the price of admission.
BP
T E C H S P ECS
Input impedance ACTIVE, 130k
Ω
; PASSIVE, 1M
Ω
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
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 4
Ω
extension
Cabinet type 2x10 + horn
Speaker manufacturer Custom-designed
Eminence drivers with Foster horn
Weight 80 lbs
Made in U.S.A. (some parts manufactured
in Mexico)
Warranty Five years