Hartke LH500 Bass Amplifier Head (500 Watts)

zZounds Gear Experts Say...

Get serious bass with the Hartke LH500. With a 12AX7 tube preamp and solid-state output, the Hartke LH500 head strikes the ideal balance of tone and power.

Overview

The Hartke LH500, like its big brother, has a classic 12AX7 Class-A tube front-end design with a solid-state output. Developed with the HyDrive cabs in mind, the LH500 also has more than enough power and tone control to drive any cabinet on the market. The Hartke LH500 provides you with Treble and Bass Shelving to give its warm tone a little edge - or use the bright and limiter switches to further sculpt your sound. The Hartke LH500's intuitive front panel also makes adjustments on the fly a breeze.

The LH500 packs a big punch in a portable, roadworthy package. A two-rackspace metal frame chassis, steel faceplate and handles allow for easy, safe transport from gig to gig. With the needs of modern bass players largely centered around volume and versatility, the Hartke LH500 is an ideal solution that gives you plenty of options to create the exact sound you're looking for.

Specs

- 500 watts at 4 Ohms
- 350 watts at 8 Ohms
- Classic 12AX7 High Voltage Class-A tube preamp circuit
- Bass and Treble Shelving, plus mid-peak EQ controls
- Selectable brite switch for added high frequency response
- Selectable limiter switch with LED indicator
- Front panel XLR balanced direct output
- Rear panel 1/4-inch effects loop
- 1/4-inch output connectors
- Two-rackspace metal chassis with steel faceplate and handles

Dimensions and Weight in Packaging

Base Item

Shipping Weight: 27.5 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 21 x 18 x 8 in
Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): HALH500

Documents and Manuals

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 516-870-7200
Web: http://www.samsontech.com/contact/

User Manual

Reviews

(30 ratings)

Submitted December 26, 2012 by Chris Marcoux in Florence, ON

"Great Head! Great Price! "

Overall:

(see rating details)

Verified Purchaser zZounds has verified that this reviewer purchased this specific product from us.

I love this head! Hartke has blown me away. I have never owned one before and I wish I had of tried them out years ago! The sound is amazing. You can dial in a great sound without messing around with an eq and shape features. It has a good sound to start and then just has Bass Mid and treble boosters. Simple and effective, the way all great bass equipment is.

Sound

Sounds excellent right out of the box. With only Bass, Mid and Treble booster you can dial in a great tone in minutes. The lows are very full and prominent and the mids and highs are very clear and crisp. I play in a hard rock band and can cut through the mix no problem with this. After I got this I heard for the first time from my guitar players with Marshall half stacks "Damn man can you turn down just a bit" Best thing a bass player can ever hear LOL!

Features

Not many features, Just a "Brite" Switch that I don't use, sounds ok but mainly for soloing I think. A limiter that works pretty well and has a direct out which is nice. The only thing I don't like is that it doesn't have SpeakON connections but I can live with that.

Ease of Use

Very easy to use, Plug in and dial in.

Quality

Very well built. The metal frame is super durable and all parts seem to be very good quality.

Value

This amp is more than worth the money. I would compare it to some units which sell for up to $1200 .

Manufacturer Support

Never had to use it.

The Wow Factor

It's just a wicked amp. Built well, looks nice and sounds great!