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Swiff Audio WT09a Wireless System Review

A review dedicated to Bass Players Disclaimer: This wireless equipment was kindly provided by Swiff Audio for the purpose of this review. However, this does not influence our opinions or the content of our reviews. We strive to provide honest, unbiased, and accurate assessments to ensure that our readers receive truthful and helpful information. For a long time, wireless systems and bass players didn’t really get along. Guitar players could usually tolerate the compromises — a bit of softened top end, a touch of compression, slightly rounded transients. But bass is less forgiving. The moment a system starts shaving off low-end authority or messing with attack definition, it becomes obvious immediately. Your instrument feels smaller, less responsive, and disconnected from your hands. That’s why budget wireless systems have historically been a hard sell for bass players. The Swiff Audio WT09a, however, is part of a newer generation that’s trying to change that conversation. First impressions & packaging Before you even plug it in, the WT09a already feels different from most budget wireless systems. Swiff has clearly paid attention to the user experience here. The system arrives in a solid magnetic hard case, which immediately elevates the perception of the product. It’s a small thing, but for gigging musicians it matters more than it should. Wireless systems are exactly the kind of gear that usually ends up rattling around in gig bags, tangled with patch cables, adapters, and spare strings. Having a dedicated, secure, magnetic case makes it feel like a proper piece of professional gear rather than an afterthought. The units themselves also feel well put together. There’s a simplicity to the design that works in its favour. Nothing feels overly fragile or toy-like, and the large green LED indicator is a genuinely useful touch once you’re on stage. In low-light environments, it’s immediately visible — no squinting, no guessing. You know instantly whether you’re connected and powered. That usability detail becomes more valuable the more you play live. Check the price on Amazon –> Why bass players are harder to convince Bass is one of the most revealing instruments when it comes to signal chain compromises. Most of the instrument’s fundamental energy sits in the low-frequency range — roughly from 40 Hz upward on a standard four-string, and even lower on five-strings. But the character of the sound isn’t just in the lows. The definition lives much higher, in the upper mids and transient range. That balance is what makes wireless systems tricky. If a system struggles, it usually shows up in one of three ways: And bass players notice all three immediately. Frequency response and tone On paper, the WT09a covers the full 20 Hz–20 kHz range, and in practice it does a respectable job of preserving the full bandwidth of the instrument. The important part isn’t just whether the lows are technically present — it’s whether they still feel authoritative. With the WT09a, the low end remains surprisingly intact. A low E still has weight, and a low B doesn’t collapse or thin out in any obvious way. Where things get more interesting is in the midrange and upper mids. This is where bass tone actually “speaks” in a mix. The growl of fingerstyle, the bark of a pick attack, and the snap of slap technique all live in this zone. The WT09a doesn’t destroy that information, but it does slightly smooth it. The edges are a little less sharp compared to a high-quality cable. The result is a sound that is very slightly rounded, but still musical and usable. In a full band mix, that subtle smoothing can actually work in your favour. It tends to sit bass in the pocket a little more gently, without pushing harsh frequencies forward. Latency and playing feel Latency is where many budget wireless systems fall apart for bass players. Even small delays can affect groove perception, especially for players who rely heavily on physical timing and tactile response. The WT09a feels immediate. Swiff claims sub-4 ms latency, and while real-world perception is more important than spec sheets, the practical experience is that the system responds fast enough to disappear under your fingers. Fingerstyle feels locked in. Ghost notes remain tight. Slap playing retains its rhythmic punch without feeling detached from the instrument. Once you’ve played for a few minutes, you stop thinking about latency entirely — which is exactly what you want. Passive vs active basses This is where the WT09a shows a bit of character. With passive basses, the system feels at its best. Fender-style instruments, vintage pickups, and moderate-output signals all translate very naturally. The tone stays full, responsive, and predictable. Active basses are a little more variable. Hot onboard preamps or aggressive EQ boosts can push the input harder, and in some cases this introduces a slightly compressed or constrained feel. It’s not dramatic, but it is noticeable if you’re used to a very open signal path. In practical terms, passive bass players will likely have a smoother experience overall, while active bass players should test it with their specific instrument and gain settings. Real-world gig performance This is not a touring-grade wireless system, and it doesn’t pretend to be. But within its category, it performs confidently. For rehearsals, club gigs, church services, pub stages, wedding bands, and small-to-mid venue work, it holds up well. Setup is quick, connection is stable under normal conditions, and the compact form factor makes it easy to integrate into a pedalboard-based rig. Like all 2.4 GHz systems, it can still be affected by crowded wireless environments, but that’s a limitation of the format itself rather than something unique to this unit. Battery life is solid enough for typical gigs, though not exceptional for extended multi-set situations. The bigger picture: why this matters for bass players What’s interesting about the WT09a isn’t that it revolutionises wireless technology. It doesn’t. What it represents is something more practical — the point where affordable wireless systems finally become usable for bass without feeling like

May 25, 2026 No Comments

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Jad Freer LUCE DI Review

Studio Light in a Pedalboard World Jad Freer Audio didn’t appear out of nowhere. The brand first really came into the spotlight through the Capo DI, a unit that quickly gained traction in the bass community and was pushed into wider visibility by bass players like Tim Lefebvre, Sean Hurley or Chris Chaney. The Capo became known as a kind of “all-in-one modern bass front end”: a highly flexible preamp/DI with serious tone-shaping power, blending clean headroom, drive, EQ, and studio-ready output into a single, carefully designed box. For many players, it represented a new standard in what a pedalboard-friendly studio front end could do—deep, versatile, and unapologetically high-end in both sound and engineering. Disclaimer: This pedal was kindly provided by Jad Freer Audio for the purpose of this review. However, this does not influence our opinions or the content of our reviews. We strive to provide honest, unbiased, and accurate assessments to ensure that our readers receive truthful and helpful information. The LUCE is the latest release from Jad Freer Audio, but it takes a very different philosophical approach. Unlike the Capo, the LUCE is not trying to be an all-in-one solution. It doesn’t offer EQ sections, drive circuits, or complex routing options. Instead, it focuses on one specific job—and does it exceptionally well. You could think of it less as a multi-tool and more as a precision studio instrument: minimal in concept, but deeply refined in execution. And that distinction is important, because everything about the LUCE is built around restraint. It doesn’t try to reshape your sound—it tries to elevate what’s already there. “Luce — light in Italian — is a studio-quality, transformer-based tube DI (Direct Injection) box: a unity gain (1:1) tube preamplifier and active summing unit.” First of all, let’s clear out what all these things actually mean—because this one sentence pretty much tells you everything about what the LUCE is trying to be, even if the terminology isn’t immediately obvious. What is a transformer-based tube DI? Let’s break that into two parts: DI box and transformer + tube. A DI (Direct Injection) box is what lets you send your bass signal straight to a mixing console or audio interface. Instead of relying on a mic’d amp, you’re giving the sound engineer a clean, controlled version of your tone. Now, not all DIs are created equal. The transformer part A transformer is an old-school piece of analog circuitry used in classic studio gear. In practice, for bass players, it does a few subtle but important things: It’s one of those things you don’t hear as an effect—you feel it as authority in your tone. The tube part The LUCE uses a real vacuum tube (not a digital emulation), which introduces: Importantly, this isn’t distortion—it’s the kind of enhancement you associate with high-end studio recordings. Put together, “transformer-based tube DI” basically means:A DI that makes your bass sound like it’s already been through expensive studio gear. Understanding the LUCE’s Unity Gain Design One of the most misunderstood — yet most important — aspects of the Jad Freer Audio LUCE is the fact that it operates at unity gain. On paper, that can sound almost counterintuitive. Most players see the word “preamp” and immediately assume it is there to add volume, push the front of an amp harder, or dramatically reshape the sound. The LUCE approaches the idea differently. Rather than boosting or coloring the signal aggressively, the LUCE is designed to preserve the natural level of your bass while improving the quality and feel of the signal itself. That distinction is important because the pedal is less about imposing a new identity onto your tone and more about refining what is already there. In practice, the effect feels subtle at first, but very noticeable once you spend time with it. Notes become clearer and more dimensional. The low end stays controlled, but feels richer and more connected. Dynamics respond more naturally under the fingers, and there is a sense of consistency across the instrument that can make the entire rig feel more polished without sounding processed. That is ultimately what the LUCE does so well. It does not try to overwhelm your core tone with heavy EQ curves or exaggerated coloration. Instead, it enhances the integrity of the signal in a way that feels organic and musical. If your bass already sounds good, the LUCE tends to make it sound more complete rather than fundamentally different. The Role of the Tube Preamplifier The tube stage is a major part of why the pedal feels the way it does. At its core, a preamplifier is simply the first stage your signal encounters before reaching the rest of the chain — whether that is an amplifier, recording interface, or front-of-house console. In the LUCE, that stage is driven by a tube circuit, and that choice has a very real impact on the playing experience. Unlike many sterile or ultra-clinical solid-state designs, the tube reacts dynamically to touch and articulation. When you dig in harder, the response softens slightly in a pleasing way, creating a subtle compression effect that feels natural rather than obvious. Harmonics become more present, but never harsh, and the attack develops a smoother, more musical character. For bass players, that translates into an instrument that feels more alive beneath the hands. Notes carry a little more depth and dimension, while remaining articulate and controlled. Fingerstyle passages gain warmth and detail, while pick playing retains aggression without becoming brittle. The difference is not necessarily dramatic in the way a distortion pedal or EQ sweep would be. Instead, it is the kind of enhancement that changes the overall feel of the instrument and encourages you to play differently. The signal stops feeling flat or purely functional and starts responding with a sense of movement and elasticity that many players associate with high-end studio gear or vintage tube amplifiers. What is an active summing unit? This is the most technical-sounding part, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. Active summing

May 19, 2026 No Comments

Reviews

Hotone Ampero II Stomp Review

Compact size, serious routing power, and one of the most underrated bass rigs on the market. Disclaimer: This pedal was kindly provided by Hotone for the purpose of this review. However, this does not influence our opinions or the content of our reviews. We strive to provide honest, unbiased, and accurate assessments to ensure that our readers receive truthful and helpful information. There’s a very specific type of bass player the Hotone Ampero II Stomp immediately makes sense for: the player who is tired of hauling a heavy pedalboard and amp to every rehearsal, the player who wants a reliable direct solution without sacrificing feel, or the player who needs modern routing flexibility without spending flagship-modeler money. After spending serious time with the Ampero II Stomp from a bass perspective, it genuinely feels like Hotone has built one of the strongest value-for-money compact modelers currently available. Most reviews approach this unit from a guitar-first perspective, which honestly misses where the Ampero II Stomp becomes most interesting. For bass players, especially those using modern signal chains, parallel processing, IRs, and direct-to-FOH rigs, the platform offers far more than its size or price initially suggests. First Impressions The first thing that stands out is the size. The Ampero II Stomp is compact enough to fit on almost any pedalboard, but unlike many small-format modelers, it doesn’t feel compromised. The aluminum chassis feels solid, the touchscreen is responsive, and the layout feels intentionally designed for live musicians rather than simply shrinking down a larger desktop interface. That matters more than people sometimes realize. A lot of compact modelers sound excellent in demos but become frustrating during actual rehearsals or gigs because of tiny screens, awkward menu structures, or routing systems that slow everything down. The Ampero II Stomp avoids most of those issues. Within a short amount of time, editing patches starts feeling natural instead of technical, which is one of the reasons this unit works surprisingly well for bass players. Core Features The Ampero II Stomp is built around Hotone’s CDCM HD and F.I.R.E. modeling platform, running on a tri-core DSP architecture with ESS Sabre converters. In practical use, that translates into solid dynamic response, low noise operation, convincing amp feel, and cabinet simulations that sound far more polished than earlier generations of budget modelers. Hotone includes 87 amp models, 68 cabinet models, over 100 pedal models, and more than 400 effects overall. The unit supports up to 12 simultaneous effect slots alongside stereo operation, parallel and serial routing, third-party IR loading, USB audio functionality, MIDI support, a stereo effects loop, and 300 onboard presets. On paper, that already makes it competitive in the compact-modeler category, but for bass players specifically, the routing flexibility is where the unit becomes genuinely compelling. The Bass Experience The obvious question is whether the Ampero II Stomp actually works well for bass. The answer is yes, although perhaps not in the exact way some players expect. If you are looking for an ecosystem with dozens of dedicated bass amp models, ultra-deep parameter editing, and an enormous community-built preset library, the Ampero II Stomp does not fully compete with other similar ecosystems. The bass-specific content is smaller, and some of the stock presets clearly lean more toward guitar applications. However, what Hotone has built is a platform flexible enough to create excellent bass tones if you understand how modern bass rigs function. Once you stop thinking about the unit as a preset machine and start approaching it as a routing and processing platform, the Ampero II Stomp becomes significantly more impressive. Parallel Routing Is the Real Story For bass players, the real strength of the Ampero II Stomp is the routing architecture. Most experienced bass players eventually discover that distortion and heavy processing sound dramatically better when the low end remains intact. Parallel routing solves that problem, and the Ampero II Stomp makes those setups unusually easy to build. You can split clean and distorted paths, run compressed clean lows underneath aggressive drive tones, blend multiple amp models together, integrate external pedals through the effects loop, or build wet/dry ambient rigs while preserving low-frequency punch. These are the kinds of workflows that traditionally require expensive switching systems or large pedalboards, yet the Ampero II Stomp handles them internally with surprisingly little friction. What makes the experience particularly strong is the touchscreen interface. Routing feels visual and immediate instead of technical. Dragging effects around the chain, splitting paths, and adjusting blends becomes intuitive very quickly, and that ease of use gives the unit a major advantage over some menu-heavy competitors. Amp Models for Bass The bass amp selection itself is not enormous, but the core sounds are absolutely usable. The Ampeg-style models are the obvious starting point and deliver the familiar low-mid authority most players expect. Cleaner amp models also work especially well once paired with quality third-party bass IRs. That last point is important because while the stock cabinet simulations are decent, the Ampero II Stomp improves noticeably with external IRs. Once you load good bass cabinet IRs, the overall realism, depth, and mix placement improve dramatically, particularly through studio monitors or in-ear systems. The platform supports third-party IRs with up to 2048 sampling points, which helps bass cabinets retain more low-frequency realism and detail than older-generation loaders. At that point, the Ampero II Stomp starts sounding significantly more expensive than it actually is. Check Price on Amazon –> The Effects The effects section is where the experience becomes slightly more mixed, although still largely positive from a bass perspective. The compressors are solid and completely giggable, even if they do not quite reach the feel or refinement of premium standalone units. EQ options are flexible and especially valuable for direct rigs, where precise control over low mids and high-end presence becomes critical. The modulation and ambient effects are surprisingly strong. Chorus, delays, reverbs, and synth-adjacent textures work extremely well for modern bass applications, especially for worship, progressive, or cinematic styles. The Cloud reverb in particular

May 16, 2026 No Comments

News

Eastwood Releases Microtonal Doubleneck

Is this the Weirdest Bass/Guitar Hybrid I’ve Seen This Year? There are plenty of strange instruments floating around the internet these days, but every once in a while something comes along that genuinely stops musicians in their tracks. Eastwood Guitars’ new Microtonal Doubleneck 4/6 Electric Guitar/Bass is one of those instruments. If you’ve spent any time on YouTube, Instagram, or musician forums over the last few months, chances are you’ve already seen the band Angine de Poitrine. The Quebec experimental duo exploded online after a now-viral KEXP performance that introduced a much wider audience to their bizarre mix of math rock, Zeuhl, avant-garde prog, absurdist stage design, and microtonal harmony. The visual presentation certainly helped. Giant papier-mâché masks. Matching polka-dot outfits. Completely deadpan stage presence. But honestly? The thing most musicians couldn’t stop talking about was the instrument. At the center of the band’s sound is a custom-built doubleneck featuring both a bass neck and a guitar neck, each outfitted with microtonal frets that allow for quarter-tone intervals and harmonic textures you simply cannot achieve on a standard instrument. The sound is disorienting at first, but also strangely addictive. Now Eastwood Guitars has decided to bring that concept into production. Not Quite a Signature Model One of the more interesting parts of this story is that Eastwood’s instrument is not technically an official signature model. According to the company, the original custom instrument used by Angine de Poitrine was built by Quebec luthier Raphaël Le Breton. After the band suddenly went viral, there was understandable interest in creating a production version of the instrument. However, Eastwood says the musicians themselves were not interested in simply recreating the exact custom build as a commercial signature instrument. Instead, the company revisited an older concept discussion they had apparently had years earlier with Khn de Poitrine regarding a white microtonal version of Eastwood’s existing 4/6 doubleneck platform. That distinction matters. Rather than presenting this as a direct copy of the band’s instrument, Eastwood is positioning it more as a realization of an earlier collaborative idea that now happens to align perfectly with the current explosion of interest in microtonal music. And honestly, that probably makes more sense creatively. The original custom instrument feels deeply tied to the identity of the band itself. Trying to duplicate it exactly would likely have felt a little too safe — or worse, a little too corporate. So What Exactly Is This Thing? From a technical perspective, the instrument is pretty fascinating. The upper neck is a six-string microtonal guitar neck, while the lower neck is a four-string microtonal bass neck. Both use modified fret spacing designed to accommodate quarter-tone playing. If you’ve never experimented with microtonality before, the easiest way to think about it is this: traditional Western instruments divide an octave into twelve equal notes. Microtonal systems introduce additional notes between those pitches. The result is a very different harmonic language. Notes bend against each other differently. Chords feel unstable in unusual ways. Melodies suddenly take on an almost vocal quality because of the extra tonal movement available between standard semitones. For progressive musicians, experimental composers, and players who enjoy alternative tuning systems, it opens up an entirely different creative world. Construction-wise, Eastwood appears to have stayed fairly practical here. The body is alder, while both bolt-on necks are maple with rosewood fingerboards. Hardware is standard chrome/nickel Gotoh-style equipment, which should help keep maintenance relatively straightforward despite the instrument’s unconventional layout. Electronics are also more sensible than you might expect. The guitar section includes three Eastwood single-coil pickups paired with a three-way selector switch, along with dedicated tone and volume controls. Separate outputs allow the bass and guitar sides to run independently into different amps or signal chains. That last detail is especially important. Players experimenting with this type of instrument are almost certainly going to want independent processing paths for the bass and guitar sections. Running the bass through octave effects, synth processing, or heavy compression while keeping the guitar side more atmospheric could produce some genuinely wild soundscapes. Surprisingly Affordable — At Least Relatively Speaking Custom instruments like this are usually financially terrifying. A fully custom-built microtonal doubleneck from an independent luthier could easily climb into boutique pricing territory very quickly, especially once custom fretwork and specialized setup work enter the picture. That’s why the projected price here is honestly one of the biggest surprises. Eastwood is currently listing the instrument at around $1,299 USD through its Guitstarter platform. That is obviously not inexpensive, but in the context of boutique experimental instruments, it’s actually fairly accessible. For comparison, many high-end extended-range basses, custom multiscale instruments, or boutique microtonal builds can easily cost double or triple that amount. Whether the average player will actually commit to learning microtonal phrasing is another question entirely. But for adventurous musicians, soundtrack composers, progressive players, and experimental bassists, this suddenly becomes a realistic option instead of a distant fantasy. Why Microtonal Instruments Suddenly Matter Again What’s particularly interesting about this release is that it arrives during a moment when microtonal music is slowly moving from niche curiosity into mainstream awareness. For decades, microtonality mostly existed on the fringes of experimental composition, jazz fusion, avant-garde classical music, and various regional musical traditions around the world. But over the last several years, artists like King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard helped expose younger rock audiences to alternative tuning systems in a much more approachable way. Angine de Poitrine pushed things even further. Their music doesn’t simply use microtonality as an occasional texture. It feels completely built around it. The dissonance, instability, and strange melodic movement are fundamental to the emotional impact of the music itself. That’s part of why their performances generated such strong reactions online. Even people who didn’t fully understand what they were hearing immediately recognized that it sounded different. Final Thoughts I genuinely don’t know how many of these Eastwood will ultimately sell. Microtonal instruments are still extremely niche, and doubleneck instruments have always occupied a fairly

May 13, 2026 No Comments

News

IK Multimedia Unveils TONEX ONE+

Wireless Control and MIDI Expand the Power of Its Compact Amp Modeler May 7, 2026 — IK Multimedia has officially announced the TONEX ONE+, an evolution of its ultra-compact TONEX ONE pedal that brings wireless mobile control and full MIDI integration into a streamlined, gig-ready format. Designed for players who want maximum tonal flexibility without adding complexity to their rigs, TONEX ONE+ introduces a major workflow upgrade: complete wireless editing via the new TONEX Control app (iOS and Android). This eliminates the need for a computer, allowing musicians to tweak, load, and manage tones directly from their mobile devices—whether on stage, in the studio, or on the go. At its core, TONEX ONE+ continues to leverage IK’s AI Machine Modeling™ technology, delivering highly realistic amp, cabinet, and stompbox tones with the dynamic response players expect from real gear. The pedal integrates seamlessly into the broader TONEX ecosystem, giving users access to an ever-growing library of sounds and tools. Wireless Freedom Meets Deep Control The addition of the TONEX Control app marks a significant step forward in usability. Players can now access ToneNET, browse thousands of Tone Models, and make adjustments in real time—all without interrupting their playing flow. This mobile-first approach streamlines tone management and keeps the focus where it belongs: on performance. Full MIDI Integration for Modern Rigs TONEX ONE+ also adds comprehensive MIDI support via both TRS and USB connections. This opens the door to deeper integration with pedalboards and switching systems, enabling users to: Advanced users can even run dual-pedal setups for stereo or dual-amp configurations, expanding tonal possibilities while maintaining a compact footprint. Expanded Tone Library and Included Software Out of the box, TONEX ONE+ comes loaded with the new Signature+ Collection, a premium set of 100 Tone Models (20 preloaded), covering everything from pristine clean tones to high-gain leads. These models are built using TONEX V2 AI Machine Modeling™ and are based on a curated selection of iconic amps and pedals. Also included: Studio-Grade Processing in a Compact Form Despite its small size, TONEX ONE+ packs a full suite of studio-quality effects and tools, including: It also features USB connectivity for recording and preset management, making it equally at home in studio and live environments. Small Format, Big Flexibility Maintaining the same compact design as its predecessor, TONEX ONE+ is built to fit any setup—from travel rigs to fully integrated pedalboards. It can be used as a standalone solution or combined with additional units to create powerful multi-amp or stereo rigs without sacrificing portability. Pricing and Availability TONEX ONE+ is available starting May 7, 2026, through IK Multimedia’s online store and authorized dealers worldwide for $/€249.99. The package includes the Signature+ Collection (valued at $/€99.99), TONEX SE, and AmpliTube 5 SE. More IK Multimedia gear you might enjoy: – IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal – Amp Modeler + Interface – IK Multimedia Tonex One – Compact Amp Modeler + Interface – IK Multimedia Axe I/O One – Portable Interface – IK Multimedia Axe I/O – Feature Rich Interface

May 7, 2026 No Comments

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