Hartke Model 2500 200 Watt Bass Head Reviews

4.5/5.0 based on 2 customer reviews

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Customer Reviews

Ronald Lewis
from Mullins South Carolina
June 24, 2010Music Background:
Musician, Producer, Recording Engineer

It Rocks

Bought this amp in Febuary 2010 when i received the amp it was in perfect condition hooked it up to my swr 410 Goliath,man this was a perfect combination the sound is what ive been looking for for a long time, it is easy to get the sound you want which is about anything this amp has great bottom, this amp is used mostly in Church this 2500 fits the bill, but I will be getting the 5500 soon this summer for stage use

Ted Gilley
from Vermont
June 1, 2010Music Background:
Weekend player

Hartke 2500

The Hartke 2500 bass head puts out 180 watts to my 12-inch Schroeder lightweight (8 ohm) speaker cab. Adding another 8-ohm speaker would increase wattage to 250 watts. As it is, the head is more than powerful enough for the speaker, which is rated at 300-400 watts.

I wanted to step up from my 48-lib. lower-wattage combo amp, and I wanted components I could carry more easily. With the Hartke head and Schroeder speaker, I have two pieces that weigh less than 25 lbs. each--and a huge increase in power, volume, and most important for the kinds of gigs I do, quality of sound.

The tube-emulation pre-amp has a great, fat sound; the solid-state pre-amp is more modern, and one can combine them effectively. The EQ sliders are efficient but the 'contour' control, which offers a high or low 'cut' is in my opinion superfluous as it functions as a somewhat redundant equalization tool. Compression control is another plus, and very effective at higher volume, with hard playing.

The amp functions quietly, is powerful, weighs about 23 lbs. and features a ground lift switch, a fan, and active or passive inputs. (I have only used the passive input.) All controls and knobs are solid, workmanship seems to be first rate. Comes with an instruction book that should be read cover to cover (if you value your speakers).

For the money, I don't think you can go wrong. It's good quality for the money--this amp will easily power a 2x10 or larger cab. I was in touch with the Hartke company twice with questions and received an answer promptly both times.