NAMM 2022: Walrus Audio drops the Badwater bass preamp and DI

Walrus Audio Badwater
(Image credit: Walrus Audio)

NAMM 2022: Walrus Audio has unveiled the Badwater, a dedicated bass preamp and DI pedal that brings the Oklahoma co’s oh-so-desirable stompboxes to bass players’ pedalboards.

Described as a “bass tone magnification device”, the Badwater escorts your sound through a number of tone-embiggening sections.

First up is an optical compressor with a lone Sustain knob, leading to a three-voice overdrive section, which packs that all-important Blend control to dial in your clean signal.

Lastly, you get a four-band EQ section with adjustable high- and low-midrange frequencies and +/-10dB of boost/cut, plus +/-12dB on the High and Low controls.

This being a DI, 1/4-inch and XLR outputs are onboard, complete with ground lift, and both outputs can be run simultaneously.

Add in footswitches for Drive and Bypass, and it’s a well-stocked feature set, although the Badwater will face stiff competition from established bass preamp brands such as Aguilar and Darkglass.

But do said rivals have a powder-coated matte black aluminum enclosure with white, muted green, and teal ink? We think not. It helps that the pedal sounds pretty tight in the dual bass-off video above, too.

The Badwater is available now for $299 – head over to Walrus Audio for more info.

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Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.