SWR ST-220

I grabbed this little mofo off the shelf at my music store for $300 CAD. It was a toss up between this and the Gallien Krueger they had up there.

I grabbed it cause I need a bass amp, I am a music freak and I enjoy jamming alot... I have keyboards, drums, mics, a PA, guitar amps and now a bass amp. I mainly play guitrar and sing... but it's nice for people who want to jam to not have to haul their gear over all the time.

The EQ section is amazing. hands-down the best equalizer EVER on any amp, guitar or bass. I like the sound and the aural exciter knob is very nice for slapping.

The way the rack screw holes are placed!!! It is a 2u rack head, but the way the holes are means you have to put it in 3 spaces! Which is fine for ventilation and all that, but sticking this in a big rack makes it look all funny. They should left the holes where they belong.

Also I dont like how SWR's website doesn't have a copy of this manual to download... they just have a little blurb about it on their site.

Hardcore heavy duty! the amp I got was used (they were discontinued in 1998) and was obviously not in a rack.... but it still feels and looks solid.

Quality unit with good looks and awesome eq... the eq is wicked!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

This receiver consists of a lamp and a prampli amplifier output transistor.
Power 220W
4-band adjustable via paramtriques + Bass + treble + sensitivity of the limiter.
two speaker outputs, a DI, effects loop ...

UTILIZATION

Operation is super simple, effective rglages. The all black facade is a bit sad but still readable even in concert.
The manual all in English but enough Retailer casi unnecessary given the simplicity of use

SOUNDS

SWR is really super versatile! I love the warm grain of the lamp, the stroke of the four bands can really ca paramtriques sounds DIFFERENT trs.
I used a Hohner 5 string, rope so bad my fate trs good "malgrquot; the 220 watts and especially for bass with a David Gage cell and a microphone and it sounds great round.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 years, never any problem, not a single knob that harden or crack, not a single micro breath ... It's really a pleasure to make the record!
Scne on it goes, but for me who do reggae and bass, I would say that I lack a little power but I tickle ..
It is a bass amp of high quality for a reasonable price.

Pramp a 12AX7 tube, Floor power transistor. The power is not important trs is easily reached the limits with a single speaker (goliath jr 2X10p for me) but with a deuxime pregnant (I have a basic 2 way, with a 15p), the acoustic performance is better on the one hand, on the other impdence the fall and then the power increases (SWR prconise not go below 2 ohms, then calculate correctly). so that I can play everywhere: little place I take a single speaker, bigger and need more sound, I take both. And when it is transplanted in sound, there is plenty to do an effective lower back!
The DI is very well: You can send live or APRS pramp corrections, has a ground lift and level adjustable (the sound engineer asked me General for down!) indpendant is the master, so that on scne, you can correct your level, nothing changes for the soundman. Effects loop, output jack "preamp out" jack "in power" and also 2 outputs high and low, we choose the cut between the knob with the "crossover" in faade (for bi-amp: we can route one to the Tagus internal power, and the other to an external power Tage) Complete this level!
Rglages: the aural enhancer is used to vary the nature of the stamp. The 4 paramtriques allow many things. I have 3 that I pre-rgl the frquences, I adjust the level depending on the room, and one that I use to search and if necessary turn the note which makes the feedback on my bass.
I put 9 because of lack of power with a single speaker, otherwise perfect. A dtail (and it may be that food has the power) it passes! If I pull a string bass by holding it firmly, move the HP! can be a danger to the membranes if it is not filtered.

UTILIZATION

Easy to use if you understand what an EQ parameter. In dpart, making a + that I bought a goliath junior plutt the redhead, it's because for almost the same thing, there are 4 paramtriques instead of one. After this point anything is possible, particularly to adjust according to the raction of the room.

SOUNDS

It suits me perfectly. I use it with my electric bass (5 string and 4 string fretless Warmoth Fender) and my bass. It lacks a bit of grve, what is catching the knob of the same name, which covers a broader scope than the parameter.
Dj dish is good, and correcting is better.

OVERALL OPINION

13 years of loyal service! Has a single component chang (I forget what) which cost me 100 francs. What I like: even if the power does not seem important trs, 1 m from the amplifier to scne has rings, but also 4 or 5, despite the drummer, the percussionist etc ... and yet its not putting the rev box, 1 m, it looks like it's the same away, and it is not aggressive. One day, I had to play on a passed scne or more groups. For a transition from a half hour, I was too lazy to get my amp, I used a Hughes & Kettner w 80 that was on scne. A 1 m, the silent strong and aggressive, 4 m, I get along more! I am searching all the SWR, and miracle! Clear all silent, not aggressive and got everywhere.
The report quality price n'tait trs not good when I bought it. I chose the quality too bad for the price. Now we can talk about the ratio of investment / lasts: an amp that has kept 13 years and is ready to keep it as it will work? If I bought another: either a SWR with the same pramp (SM 400 and SM 500) is an Eden, a very similar, with perhaps be a little more grves.

Low-amplifier with transistors prampli lamp (1 x 12AX7)
-The power is 220W and 140W under 4ohms into 8 ohms, the manufacturer does not signal down impdence speakers at 2 ohms.
Model-type "Rack-mount" black color with blue dcorations .. registrations are in white on black background, so easy to read (for dark INTERESTED). It is lightweight. The fact that "rack-mount" it requires special care for transportation if you do not place an indoor "road case" to the prvenir scratches.
This amplifier-possde all major CHARACTERISTICS desirable for a bass amp "mono": between Hi and Low Gain, Led saturation of the amplifier and prampli, EQ Bass + paramtrique and Treble, Effects loop, use the amp only, or prampli only use a crossover Intgr with control of the amp, direct-box output with potentiomtre aural enhancer etc. ...

UTILIZATION

Trs-simple to use, as long as we know how an EQ parameter. It is INTERESTED to read the instructions in order to know the possibilities of this amp and be able to make the most .. (Frquences adjustment, use the pramp alone, the amp alone, possibility of bi-amplification, with or without crossover etc. ....)
-The sound is of good quality and trs is still natural.
-The manual (English only) is clear and trs well done, but is now only partially now on the website of SWR, although one finds the principal.

SOUNDS

-The power of 220W into 4 ohms is a fair bit if you play with a drummer "who does a lot of noise" in rptition ... and do not be that small rooms because it quickly reaches the maximum power of the amplifier, but the sound is constant as long as one has not reached saturation levels (the LED on continuously) ...
-The sound is clear and Dfine, but the use of a prampli lamp gives it a little heat (round) ... The more you use the speakers large Diameter, plus the sound is "fat". I love the sound of this amplifier. The entire speaker to use with this amplifier possde of 10 "(25 cm) and 15" (38 cm) has a impdance of 4 ohms and 300W power handling suprieur. I use it with Fender Precision Bass 4 strings.

OVERALL OPINION

-I bought it new in 1998 (the year of the end of production) for $ 899.00 CDN (approx 650 Euros) the only interview that I gave her a good cleaning in 2005 and a new lamp (when to be) .. there was corrosion on one of between guarding the closed circuit which caused continuous background noise ... cleaning everything rgl.
-The only thing I have against this amp is just a little power ... In my personal situation, to overcome this problem, I bought his offspring: the SM-500. I use them every time another two bi-amp crossover Sevanti me of ST-220 (SM-500 does possde Unfortunately this option). In 1998, a transistor amplifier 220W silent still a good deal, in 2005, a 220W transistor amp is too small to play with a group of more than 5 ....( musicians who do a lot of noise) ... .... so this amp does batch in 1998, the SM-400 SM-400S and SM-500 succds him with more power ... SM-500 but sells for $ 1500.00 CDN (1075 Euros) in Canada in 2005. For the era, I think I made a good choice .. and I confirm when I bought my SM-500 ... No other transistor amp I've tried never made me regret my SWR.