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Sound:
I rarely rate products as "10," because there is always room for improvement, as with all things in life. With that said, this is a STRONG "9." This no longer own this cab (there wasn't an option for "I used to own it"), and only sold it because I needed to take a break from music to reevaluate my life and circumstances.
This thing is the real deal. LOADS of low end, punchy mids, slicing highs... Very versitile cabinet that works well with many styles of music. I especially liked playing slap through this cab! Cab itself doesn't seem to add too much color to your tone; the only coloration that I experienced was a little bit of added brightness from the aluminum cones. For me, this was a good thing -- it allowed my tone to cut through the live mix better at gigs and rehearsals. If your guitarist has a stack that everyone knows is turned up too loud, but no one really says anything about it, push about 400 watts through this... That will shut him up. :)
This cab is great for recording too. The attack that Hartke is designed for hits hard without being harsh. The punchiness of the mids come through well in recordings without being honky or muddy, allowing your tone to showcase within the mix, but without standing out too much. The word: CLARITY!! NOTE: These woofers hit differently from paper cones, so play it yourself to see if you like the response.
Feature:
Hartke aluminum cone woofers... Don't be fooled by the Behringer aluminum cones. I know people that have owned those. The Behringer sounds good when you first get it, but the cones are no good, and blow very quickly from regular use. Save your money for ANYTHING Hartke before you buy the imitator... The Transporter line by Hartke is a great way to have a great rig without spending a lot of money if you can't afford this cab. The reason that I give this cab an "7" is because I wish that it handled more power.
Ease of Use:
Plug in the speaker wire from the head and play. It can't get much simpler than that!
Quality:
I was very satisfied with my 4.5 when I had it. The thing is built like a tank, and the woofers are a good quality.
Value:
This cab is an excellent value because you get a pro-grade cab at a middle-grade price. Whether you get one of these, or stack two of them and bi-amp, you get great tone time and time again. If you bi-amp, I would recommend pairing this with either the 115XL or 215XL. I had the 215B XL (discontinued now), and ran full range through both cabs. That... ...was... ...AWESOME!!! If I played this cab without knowing the price, and assuming that I had never played Hartke before, I would probably pay more than the price that zZounds is selling it for.
Manufacturer Support:
I never had need to contact Hartke for support, but I know a guy that owned the 410XL, and he needed a replacement woofer. He had no problems.
The Wow Factor:
I want to get this cab again, but I will probably go with something smaller due to the transportation that is available to me. I've played through the 2.5, and it is a really good cab too! Again, I wish it handled more power... As far as I can see, that is the ONLY downside to Hartke aluminum cones. However, for the wattage they hold, they are LOUD!! The cabs are designed to project the sound well, and the speakers have a high output. I'll either get the 2.5 or the 410XL when it is time to buy a new live rig again.
Overall:
Overall, I like this cab a lot!! Solid construction, deep lows, crisp highs, punchy mids. This is what a bass cab is supposed to be, right?!?! ALWAYS PLAY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT!! You may find that its not for you, or you may fall in love with it. I was skeptical years ago when I bought mine, but after playing it, went with this over Eden because of the better price and clear, defined tone, and volume output of this cab as compared to wattage. To each their own.
Bearing in mind that I'm a studio guy, and clarity in tone and attack are paramount from my perspective in recording bass lines, this cab delivers the goods, and I have not been in a recording environment where the engineer did not love miking Hartke cabs. So, for what its worth to you... ...there it is.
There are no mistakes in the universe.
4 of 4 people
(100%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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Sound:
I have used Hartke cabinets for over 10 years. Excellent clarity on stage! Very directional sound, unlike other cabinets which tend to sound fuzzy on stage. The 4.5XL covers all frequencies: bottom, mids, and highs!!!!
Ease of Use:
The new style side handles are easier on the hands while loading/unloading. I screwed on 4 caster wheels on the bottom for easy transportation.
Quality:
"Made in China" construction. Beware of loose speaker screws. Hartke uses metal screws instead of wood screws to secure it's speakers for unknown reasons, I assume they got a discount on metal screws. You will need to check all speaker screws!!!
Manufacturer Support:
Hartke support does in fact respond to customers. But they could NOT defend their cheap metal screws that support their speakers!
The Wow Factor:
Aluminum drivers look great on a dark stage. It speaks rock-n-roll!!!
Overall:
Overall great clarity on stage. Just beware of loose speaker screws!
13 of 14 people
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Sound:
This product is everything that's great about Hartke! I've been a Hartke fan for a solid decade and owned this cab since 2000 and just recently traded up to an 8x10 because I wanted a 4ohm load on my amp and got tired of stacking cabs.
The combination of the 4 10" aluminum cones and the 5" driver is amazing if you want deepest deeps without losing your bright tone on the high end. If I had to have only ONE cabinet (and I still had the energy after gigs that I had in my 20's) I buy this cab all over again. But it's not for the "girly man". I weigh 200 lbs. and this cab weighs half as much! And at 1:30 a.m. breakdown time, you'll swear it weighs 300!
Feature:
If it came with casters, it would still be in my arsenal! I'd rather roll my 8x10 and slide it into my car, than lift this beast several nights a week...especially at the end of the night!
Quality:
This cab is rock solid, carefree and durable. In 10 years, not one single problem and I beat it up!
Value:
...worth the price... you really do get what you pay for.
Manufacturer Support:
Never once had to call Hartke.
Overall:
replaced for an 8x10 with more power and wheels. I now have only a 4 ohm load on my amp for more head room, no stacking of cabs and only a minor increase in weight mitigated by the wheels.
Sound:
This is an excellent product. It sounds great. Probabally more suited for jazz, but works well for metal. And the 5" is helpful for distortion. The "HA 350" is about the best match Amplifier-wise.
Feature:
n/a
Quality:
It is built well, and is definately road worthy.
Value:
It is a little more expensive, but worth it.
Manufacturer Support:
N/A
The Wow Factor:
It was made with though. Well done.
Overall:
It's sound is the best part, it's weight is the worst, but nothing a few caster wheels can't take care of.
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
I am a part time DJ and this box rocks!
I love the tone of the aluminum cones! The bass is very clear and smooth, yet has plenty of punch as well! Yes very directional too,
Up close you're thinking humm,, bass is lacking somewhat,,but step back about 20 ft and wow! It's amazingly clear well ballenced too!
I use a Peavey cs 1000 to power 2 -18 inch speakers and 4 -15 inch to go with it,This box can be heard over all that too!,,This box adds that clear low to mid bass that I was looking for! I unhooked everything and left only this box running,,and it still amazes me! Full range! I think it's bass is close to the 18's but tighter! and clearer!
Feature:
The features are ok too..I'm thinking of casters as well! lol.. 87 lbs is a bit on the heavy side,,hehe..but about the weight of a single 18 box I suppose..Nice grill though!
Ease of Use:
Great for Highs and lows as well...Tweak the mixer,,and you can make it rock!
Quality:
Almost as good as my home-made boxes,,I use 3/4 in plywood on the ones I build,,and this box has some,,but not sure how much,,
anything with plywood is great! Stay away from mdf board,,because of swelling,,
Value:
Price is worth it!
Manufacturer Support:
Havent delt with Hartke so,, cant comment,,,
The Wow Factor:
I looks awesome!
Overall:
May buy another ,,cause 2 is always better than 1.
Sound:
The sound is AWESOME! the lows are pretty good, you might want to buy a 15 or something to give it an EXTRA deep feel but the lows are overall alright but the highs are AMAZING! the clarity of the highs is so awesome no farting or distorion and i have cranked up to 3 on my hartke model 2000 series head and it made my Televison screen go on the fritz.
Feature:
Not very many features. i do like the parallel connection that you can have and the handles are great but the cab could use some casters.
Ease of Use:
VERY VERY sipmle to use plug in your bass and GO!
Quality:
This cab can take a fairly good beating the carpet is durable and the grill is STRONG!
Value:
I bought this used but the person who i got mine from used it twice. I only paid $170 for mine but that was because this guy was a friend and he hooked me up. but it is worth the full retail price,
Manufacturer Support:
VERY GOOD customer service I mean larry hartke gives away his phone nu,ber in magazines you can call him your self i have and hes a nice guy he sent me some free strings which are awesome!
The Wow Factor:
Very sexy the alloy is amazing
Overall:
I love this cab i am really glad i bought this instead of getting my car fixed!
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