Hartke kickback 15 broken cab

bassplayer#dan · #1 01-13-2013, 09:19 AM

Hi all,

Long time from my last visit here. I kindly ask for your help ;-)

I have a problem with my Hartke kickback 15. I love this combo, I know it´s now the best in market but it´s easy to use, have a quite good tone for the money, and it´s built like a tank so you can gig with it.

BUT, after all, it seems it´s broken. The head it´s ok, I have tried unpluging the head-cab cable and it works fine with earphones or with other cabs. The broken part must be the cab. When I turn the volume up to 4 or 5 it begins to crunch, like a natural distortion. I can´t play this way, the sound is crappy.

This combo has head that delivers up to 120 watts to max 8 ohms, and the built-in cab is a 150 watts 6 ohm.

I would like to know if anybody has been through any similar problem with this or other similar combo. Any idea of how to do? Any way to try to solve it? I could buy another cab, but I don´t think it worths it, maybe it´s just time to buy another combo. Any help will be really appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

LowEZ · #2 01-13-2013, 09:26 AM

Sounds like the speaker is blown.

T-Bird · #3 01-13-2013, 11:39 AM

Hi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowEZ

Sounds like the speaker is blown.

+1

The replacement is only about 110€ AFAIK, so no biggie.
Assuming obviously that the amp section really works.

I'd probably look for an "upgrade" to put in there though.
The Eminence Basslite C2515 for example would cut most of the weight and even though You'd have to redesign the porting, the over-all performance should increase even in a small box like that.

Regards
Sam

RickenBoogie · #4 01-13-2013, 01:01 PM

Yup, sounds like you've blown the spkr. Just because an amp and spkr are built together, doesn't mean the spkr can handle anything the amp is capable of. I suspect you may have been pushing the low eq, which is very hard on spkrs. Replace the broken spkr, and watch your eq carefully. It's best to NOT crank the lows.

B-string · #5 01-13-2013, 01:24 PM

I replace the tires on my vehicle when they go bad. No need to give up on the whole unit?

Bmorefoozler · #6 01-13-2013, 01:28 PM

Post interior dimensions of the cab, and explain any porting(tube diameter and length, or shelf opening and depth). With that info maybe a nice person could recommend a good driver for you. Price range too.

Or PM Larry Hartke for an original replacement.

Razman · #7 01-13-2013, 02:41 PM

There might be a remote chance that the wires soldered on the back of the speaker need a touch-up. Such was the case with our KickBack 12; got no output but the voice coil tested fine. Heating up the solder for the leads going to the VC did the trick.

From what you describe this may not be the case, but who knows. Hope you get it fixed...

Eric

bassplayer#dan · #8 01-14-2013, 02:59 PM

Thanks everyone for your replies, thery are really helpul ;-)

I will take it to the store so they can give it a look, if the fix it´s not so expensive I will do it, better than buying a new one.

I´m really careful with my amps, never crank them and play at a fairly low volumen with quite plain EQ. But you know, this is a second hand amp and **** happens hehe. It seems it was sold already blown but I didnt notice while I was testing it. My fault.

I will let you know about the news! Thanks again!

JimmyM · #9 01-14-2013, 03:42 PM

Inexpensive combos usually have speakers that handle only a little more than what the head can put out clean. Otherwise they'd weigh 5 or 6 lbs more and cost way more as well, not to mention throwing the cab off balance (kind of important in tilt-backs). I'd get a Hartke replacement myself.