zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
Good sound for such a small amp. It even handles my 5 string. I bought the Behringer BX1200, and this amp kicks its ass. Dont let the 35 watt powerplant fool you. I would have never been able to use all 120W of the Behringer, and who needs the two channels anyway. I was able to get a whole range of tones from this unit! The limiter is great at adding compression, and the 10" driver carrys all notes without use of a horn. Loud enough for a good practice session, also small clubs and venues.
Feature:
Features...Its has them all! Only amp of its size to have a BALANCED XLR out. I also bought the LA 10 from SWR...good little amp but it couldnt handle the low B, also the SWR doesnt have an XLR OUT. It has a 3 BAND EQ but with the BRIGHT feature it almost seems to have 4bands. The LIMITER is a compression effect and works really well to give punch and to keep the sound really tight. EFFECTS LOOP, works great, and it boasts an RCA STEREO input on front so you can hookup a CD player and play along, or drum machine even. We wvwn used it for practice with a low- end microphone for vocals.....it worked in a pinch! HEADPHONE JACK for stealth practicing. Another feature maybe overlooked.....The SPEAKER OUT is a 1/4 jack and you can unplug the internal speaker and power another cabinet if you like! Most amps of this type are "hard wired" and its unable to fathom the idea, but I powered a 15" and was able to use amp at a high level (8) with no clipping or sappage of power when use of Low B. Also Hartke thought of PORTING OUT the back so if you want to you can Mic the port to catch extra low lows!
Quality:
Hartke are absolutely great quality amps, ive owned one before. Cabinet is built tough, no rattles! Chrome corners. Rubber feet that it stands on when in upright position have super burley washers so I dont see those breaking anytime soon. Steel grill cover to protect that Super Heavy Duty 10" aluminum Driver, which FYI has the burliest magnet on it ie... explains a bit of the 30 lbs of weight. Like a Tank!
Value:
Well worth the price I paid! Best amp of this size and price, maybe bee even better than most 60W 12" driver combos ive played through and looked at. There is alot of amps that run around $200, but grab the extra $20 or $30 from Grandma and get this one!
Manufacturer Support:
Dealt with them before with my old amp. Graet service, friendly and quick! But I highly doubt you will need it untill after years and years of use and abuse. The old amp I had was 10 yrs old before i needed to get it worked on. Was only out of comission for 3 days!
The Wow Factor:
I thought it was just a practical addition to my collection, being its size and portability. But this amp surprised me I even took it to a small gig over my SWR 210C and it worked! Its kickback monitor style allows me to hear it and gives me decent stage presence and gives flexabilty via the Balanced XLR out.
Overall:
Keep this one for along time, and really recommend this as a first amp for a beginner because of its features and it will be around with you for along time! Great for studio musicians as well.
16 of 17 people
(94.12%) found this review helpful. Did you?
Sound:
Best sound I've found in small amps. Nothing like it. Excellent punch and crunch sound. It seems a little overworked when it comes to deep lows, other tnan that it is perfect sound for size and price.
Feature:
All outputs are easy to use and set up when in need of more demanding gigs. Aluminum cone and and equalizer work wonderfully specially when using bright button. Slapping gone easy. Clearest brightest sound. Even on outdoors works great.
Ease of Use:
Loudness is a limitation due to its size, nevertheless it's a dummies amplifier manual even gives you suggestion on how to program knobs on equalizer (exactly what I needed as an intermediate bass player, specially to practice with at home).
Quality:
Some of the buttons fell with use... easy to solve just glue 'em an keep playing. Well structured and resistant.
Value:
Best there is for the price and size it has.
Manufacturer Support:
I live outside U.S. so customer support is out of the question, but I've never needed it.
The Wow Factor:
HARTKE! It's just love at first sight.
Overall:
Had it for over a year. Need to change it... Want to change it for another Hartke (perhaps A100 or kickback 12?). You just can't compete with an amp designed for bass and bass only! Its aluminum cone, its sound, and price is dificult to beat.
1 of 1 people
(100%) found this review helpful. Did you?
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
Sound:
I've wondered for a long time how these little jobs sound outside of a music store.
Finally, I got to play through one side by side with a very similarly spec'd combo in several different rooms. This amp had the misfortune of being A-B'd alongside an Ampeg BA110. In a large gymnasium with lousy acoustics, it sounded acceptable - loud, cutting-through, "responsive". When I switched to a smaller, more focused room, I realized it was about as smooth as barbed wire, no matter how I adjusted the eq. With any technique, it lacked a sense of fundamental; was muddy, and indistinct. By contrast, the Ampeg made every string, every note, every nuance stand out. The Hartke seemed to have a greater dynamic range, but at the expense of smoothness. An irritating sound after 1/2 an hour.
Feature:
Nice features that I wished my Ampeg had, like speaker out, and limiter control. I liked the heavy speaker grille, more secure than the Ampeg's cloth.
Ease of Use:
Since I couldn't get a satisfying sound from it, I gotta say it's not easy. The controls did what they are supposed to do (although the limiter didn't do much of anything - the input level felt the same whether it was on 3 or on 8). The Ampeg's one-button contour switch turns a tubby sounding thin combo into a whomping floor shaker, again, by comparison. The Hartke's eq couldn't salvage the presence that was lacking.
Quality:
No blemishes. The knobs work smoothly, and the grille looks strong. Everything else felt cheap and iffy. Again, by comparison with the Ampeg, everything, right down to the port in the back, seemed poorly thought out and executed. The metal corners (thin) look like ornaments rather than protection. I've had my Ampeg roll backwards off of a stack and come up dancing. The Hartke feels like the cabinet would split open.
Value:
There's lots better out there, and not too hard to find. Spend the extra $$$. Seriously.
I found this combo to be so irritating that I'd never want to use it. I'd be out shopping for something else within a week. What's the sense in that?
Manufacturer Support:
Couldn't say. Luckily, I only borrowed this amp to check it out. Judging from my experience with it for a couple of hours, I'd never have to find out about the customer support.
The Wow Factor:
Well, it's gotta last longer than a Fender Rumble. Actually, this Hartke looks very nice - at a distance. When checked out up close, its cheapness would be embarassing. I don't want it.
Glad I got the Ampeg. Very glad. Way sexier.
Overall:
If you can get one really cheap, go for it. Otherwise, spend yer extra nickels on something that you'll WANT to play. All these boxes are hyped, including the Ampeg. Trust your ears and run any amp through an honest, objective listen. I learned alot.
3 of 11 people
(27.27%) found this review helpful. Did you?
Thank you. Your vote has been counted. Could you briefly tell us why the review was or was not helpful?
Questions? Our gear experts can help!
800-zZounds(800-996-8637)
Mention Reference
Number
L2T4VJ7 When You Call.
Toll Free En Español: 800-460-7976 m-f 1AM to
1AM EST
Follow zZounds on:
Customize Search Results for Your Location
A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.
A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.
enlarge