Warwick Amps DS 500 - Double Stage Bass Amp Head 500 Watt

The Warwick DS 500 Double Stage Bass Amp Head is a compact, 500 watt powerhouse designed to give your bass a clear, punchy and flexible voice in any setting. With dual channels, a musical 4 band EQ, built in compressor and modern connectivity including Bluetooth, USB and cab emulation, it is equally at home in the studio, rehearsal room and on stage.

Built around a solid state, Class D power section, the DS 500 delivers up to 500 watts at 4 ohms while remaining lightweight and portable. Its intuitive front panel layout puts gain, EQ, compression and level for both channels right at your fingertips, while the rear panel offers a full range of professional connections for live, recording and practice use.

Whether you want a clean, hi fi foundation, a more driven rock voice, or two contrasting sounds you can switch between, the dual channel architecture makes it easy to dial in and recall your tones. Add in the built in tuner, headphone output, aux in and cab emulator, and you have a complete bass rig that can cover everything from silent practice to full scale gigs without extra boxes.

Dual Channel Double Stage Design

The DS 500 features a genuine dual channel layout with stacked controls for gain, EQ and volume, plus a dedicated channel selector switch and LED indication. This lets you set up two completely different sounds, such as a tight, clean tone and a more aggressive, mid forward voice, and switch between them instantly. It is ideal for players who move between fingerstyle, pick and slap, or who need separate tones for different songs in a set.

Powerful 4 Band EQ with Mid Presets

A flexible 4 band EQ with selectable low mid and high mid frequencies gives you precise control over your sound. The frequency selector switches on the front panel allow you to choose the most musical mid points for your bass and cabinet, making it easy to cut muddiness, add punch or bring out articulation. This level of control helps your bass sit perfectly in any mix, from tight studio sessions to loud live stages.

Built In Compressor and Tuner

The onboard compressor offers stacked controls for amount and level, along with a dedicated compressor switch and LED indication. This allows you to tame peaks, add sustain and even out your dynamics without needing an external pedal. A front panel tuner switch and tuner indication make quick, accurate tuning simple, so you can keep your rig streamlined and stay in tune between songs.

Modern Connectivity and Cab Emulation

With Bluetooth and USB connectivity, aux in, headphone output and a balanced XLR DI with pre/post EQ and ground lift, the DS 500 is ready for modern workflows. The cab emulator selector on the rear panel offers three emulated cabinet modes plus an off position, giving you consistent, speaker like tone direct to front of house, recording interfaces or headphones. Bi amp capable line out and an FX loop with separate send/return level controls round out a highly versatile connection suite.

• Dual Channel Double Stage Architecture - Two fully controllable channels with stacked gain, EQ and volume controls let you create and switch between contrasting tones with a single amp head, perfect for versatile players and varied set lists.
• 500 Watt Class D Power - A solid state, Class D power section delivers up to 500 watts at 4 ohms or 300 watts at 8 ohms, providing ample headroom and punch while keeping weight and heat to a minimum.
• Comprehensive Tone Shaping and Compression - A 4 band EQ with selectable low and high mid frequencies, plus an onboard compressor with amount and level controls, gives you studio style control over your dynamics and frequency balance directly from the front panel.
• Studio Ready Connectivity with Cab Emulator - Bluetooth and USB, aux in, headphone out, FX loop, balanced DI with pre/post and ground lift, bi amp capable line out and a multi mode cab emulator make the DS 500 ready for practice, recording and live performance without additional outboard gear.

General

• Product: Warwick DS 500 Double Stage Bass Amp Head
• Amplifier Type: Solid state bass amplifier head
• Power Output: 500 W at 4 ohms / 300 W at 8 ohms
• Amplifier Class: Class D
• Channels: Dual channel double stage design

Front Panel Controls and Features

• Stacked 2 channel controls for Gain, Bass, Lo Mid, Hi Mid, Treble, Volume
• 2 channel frequency selector switches for Lo Mid and Hi Mid
• Channel selector switch with LED channel indication
• Compressor controls for Amount / Level (stacked)
• Compressor on/off switch with LED indication
• Bluetooth switch
• Tuner switch with tuner indication
• LED clip indication
• Mute switch
• Headphone output: 3.5 mm stereo
• 2 x input jacks: 6.35 mm mono

Rear Panel Connections

• Power on/off switch
• Aux in: 3.5 mm stereo
• FX loop send and return jacks: 6.35 mm mono, with separate level controls
• Balanced XLR DI output with pre/post EQ switch and ground lift switch
• Cab emulator selector switch: Off plus 3 modes
• 2 x speaker twist speaker jacks
• Line out jack: 6.35 mm mono with fullrange/bi amp switch
• USB B port
• Footswitch jack for channel and compressor
• Mains connection: IEC socket
• Voltage select switch: 120 / 240 VAC

Power

• Input Voltage: 120 to 240 VAC, 50 to 60 Hz
• Power Consumption: 100 W
• Version: 230 V EU version
• Included: Power cord with EU plug
• Warning: The device can only be used in countries with 120 to 230 V mains voltage. Other mains voltages can damage the device.

Physical

• Dimensions: 250 x 270 x 74 mm
• Weight: 3.47 kg