S O U N D RO O M
S W R
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D A N E L E C T R O
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D R S T R I N G S
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T E C H 2 1
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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, 130kΩ; 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 1MΩ rating 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 SWR’s 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 that’s 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 4Ω extension
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 it’s
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, it’s 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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