Walrus Audio Badwater: Bass Pre-Amp D.I.

The Badwater is a bass tone magnification device sonically highlighting what makes bass so crucial to music. The all-in-one bass pre-amp and DI features optical compression, overdrive, and a four-band EQ section. Enhance your bass rig’s capabilities and dial in everything from warm cleans, gritty chords, punchy drive, or bright and crisp slap sounds.

Sustain

The Badwater features an internal optical compressor. It’s first in the signal path and is always on, though its strength is adjustable. Use the Sustain knob to add compression for long sustained notes and chords while smoothing out your transients. At a minimum, you will have a minimal effect, but as you increase the knob, you will hear more extended notes and squashed transients.

Drive Control

Give your sound some teeth by adding a subtle breakup or a tastefully driven distortion. Use the Voice toggle to select one of three options for how much low and high-frequency content is allowed into the drive section, then use the Blend knob to blend between your fully clean and fully distorted signal. Blend your clean and driven signal to taste for increased note clarity as the clean and dirty channels run parallel. The drive control also features a separate Level knob to boost or cut the drive signal.

Shaping and EQ.

Cover just about any musical genre needs with the extensive EQ options from the Badwater. Dial in your base tone with boost/cut low, mid, and high frequencies, then zero in on your perfect tone by sweeping between 500 Hz to 2.4k Hz with the Low Mid Frequency knob (LMF) or 3.5k Hz to 7.5k Hz on the High Mid Frequency knobs (HMF).

XLR Out

Badwater features both 1/4 inch and XLR out options, so you’re always ready with a usable bass rig. Use the XLR to connect directly to the front-of-house or use the 1/4 inch out to run to and amp. Both outputs can be run simultaneously for direct and live amp stage monitoring. The Badwater Does not accept power from phantom power. Phantom power will be blocked out and not damage the Badwater, but it is best to avoid turning on phantom power when the unit is connected.

Badwater Overview

• Versatile and powerful tone sculpting tool for bassists of all styles.

• Optical comp for smooth, added sustain.

• Blend-able drive control with three different voicing options.

• Boost/Cut EQ section. +/- 12dB on low and high controls and +/- 10dB on Mid, LMF, and HMF controls.

• Sweep 500 Hz to 2.4k Hz through the Low Mid & LMF controls and 3.5k Hz to 7.5k Hz on High Mid & HMF controls.

• Ground lift to isolate the GND pin on XLR to help reduce hum if present. 

• 1/4in instrument signal & XLR line-level output options.

• Outputs run simultaneously for direct and on-stage connections.