LH1000 Set Up... Am I Missing Something???

4Banger4 · #1 04-12-2011, 06:13 PM

So I hooked my new out of the box LH1000 up for the first time today. I have a vx410 and vx1508, both 8ohm. I have hooked the 410 up to the bridge port and ran another cable from the extension on the 410 to the input of the 1508. Long story short, I had to have volume, bass, treble and mid up to 8 before I could hear it over my drummer... I guess I was expecting to not have to put it over 3 - 5 at the most. Is there something I'm doing wrong or anyone have any incite?? I also tried running each cab individually in dual parallel mode with the bridge switch disengaged.

Played with my Fender Geddy Lee in the passive input.

Let me know if there is more info I need to supply and thanks in advance.

Looking forward to learning LOTS from this site.

JimmyM · #2 04-12-2011, 06:42 PM

the lh500 and 1000 have what's known as the "fender tone stack," and long story short, flat is bass and treble on 2 and mids on 10. the mids are how you hear yourself in a mix, but when everything is at 8, you're giving yourself a big mid scoop, which results in disappearing from the mix. so i'd dial in something closer to the 2-10-2 setting, and you should be able to hear yourself better.

4Banger4 · #3 04-12-2011, 07:10 PM

So if I use the 2-10-2 I shouldn't have to have the volume at 8??

glenb73 · #4 04-12-2011, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Banger4

So if I use the 2-10-2 I shouldn't have to have the volume at 8??

Something's wrong, I have the LH500 with only 1 cab (4ohm) and I have the volume at 5 , with my EQ at 4-10-2 and I can hear it loud and clear over the whole band (they even ask me to turn down the volume).

JimmyM · #5 04-12-2011, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glenb73

Something's wrong, I have the LH500 with only 1 cab (4ohm) and I have the volume at 5 , with my EQ at 4-10-2 and I can hear it loud and clear over the whole band (they even ask me to turn down the volume).

well i'd try that eq first. however, i have heard of some of these new hartkes having a tube problem. it's easily fixed with a new tube, but i'd try the new eq first and see what you think. with that much low end you're diverting a lot of wattage to reproducing it that you could be using in the freqs that enable you to hear it.

and if that fails, call larry. he really stands behind his products.

BillyIVbass · #6 04-12-2011, 07:42 PM

I use an LH1000 head into 1 HX410 in bridge mode and have never needed to go past 3.5 to knock down walls. I think I run my EQ 3 10 3 with a P-bass.

You could try replacing the tube, the stock tube is pretty much a placeholder. I have had good luck with the Groove Tube 12AX7R Gold (Silver I'm sure is good too). The tube is easy to get to. Take the top panel off and the tube socket is right up front by the knobs.

AMJBASS · #7 04-12-2011, 09:12 PM

The tube shouldn't have anything to do with the volume(unless you replaced it with a low gain tube like a 12AU7 or 12AT7). You should be crushing with that amp. My LH500 at about 9-10 o'clock is enough to play in a reasonably loud country band with a 4 ohm cab. Not sure what is up.

Kael · #8 04-12-2011, 09:14 PM

Try it with one cab. Perhaps your cabs are out of phase? Definitely start with the EQ set at the 2-10-2 setting.

gjbassist · #9 04-12-2011, 09:18 PM

If you have to turn the volume to 8 on a 1000 watt head then there is a problem somewhere! Contact Hartke. Larry Hartke has given his personal cell phone number out on Hartke threads in the past. I'm sure if there is a problem he will take care of you.

JB696 · #10 04-12-2011, 10:26 PM

+1 on post #8. Classic "cabs out of phase" symptoms. Check the cab wiring with a speaker cable and a nine volt battery. Hold the "-" terminal against the grounded shank and click the "+" terminal on the tip of the jack. The speaker cone should move out.

4Banger4 · #11 04-13-2011, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB696

+1 on post #8. Classic "cabs out of phase" symptoms. Check the cab wiring with a speaker cable and a nine volt battery. Hold the "-" terminal against the grounded shank and click the "+" terminal on the tip of the jack. The speaker cone should move out.

Sorry, don't know if I'm breaking any forum etiquette here post to another thread but this is what you're talking about correct??

Cabs out of phase

Is it really as easy as switching the wires?? If so, why wouldn't they all come wired the same way, especially with them being the same brand/series (Hartke VX)

Thanks again for all you're input.

Whitbass · #12 04-13-2011, 06:51 AM

Typically, you should have some serious volume at 3-4, and decent volume at 2 when we're talking bridge mode. If your input signal is ok, and you are in the passive input, and don't have some other cable or signal issue, something may be up with the head. I run bass and treble somewhere between 3-5 and mids between 8 and 10. In bridge mode with standard speakon no issues with volume at 8 or 4 ohms.
Also, I believe with this amp, the speakon wires standard 1+1-, unlike some pa amps that require the different wired connector.

4Banger4 · #13 04-13-2011, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whitbass

Also, I believe with this amp, the speakon wires standard 1+1-, unlike some pa amps that require the different wired connector.

I am using an adapter as my cabs don't have speakon inputs, could this be an issue?

This is the adapter I'm using.
Neutrik NA4LJX Adapter Speakon to 14 Female | Sam Ash Music 1-800-4-SAMASH

NoGraveConcern · #14 04-13-2011, 07:19 AM

That adapter looks fine. 1+ & 1- is right and if it were wired wrong you would get no sound at all.

If you are in bridge mode and using the speakon output you should be getting crazy loud by 6-7 on the volume knob of the LH1000.

4Banger4 · #15 04-13-2011, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoGraveConcern

That adapter looks fine. 1+ & 1- is right and if it were wired wrong you would get no sound at all.

If you are in bridge mode and using the speakon output you should be getting crazy loud by 6-7 on the volume knob of the LH1000.

That's kinda what I thought. I know my speaker cables are solid... Guess I'll go back and test polarity of the speakers and change my settings to 2-3, 8-10, 2-3 and go from there. Thanks for all the help!!

4Banger4 · #16 04-13-2011, 08:30 AM

Sorry, One more question... I was looking on the Hartke site at the manuals for my two cabs... this might mean nothing but again, I don't know... The 410 says tuned rear port and the 1508 says 2 front tuned ports... could this be causing an issue??

NoGraveConcern · #17 04-13-2011, 08:58 AM

No, doesn't matter. Check the phase w/ a battery and check the cabs individually with the amp.

4Banger4 · #18 04-13-2011, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NoGraveConcern

No, doesn't matter. Check the phase w/ a battery and check the cabs individually with the amp.

Gotcha! Thanks again NGC.

MattyH · #19 04-13-2011, 09:09 AM

Hook your cabs up parallel. Turn the bridge off, and run each cab out of it's own jack, in A and B on the head. Then, turn your balance to 12 o'clock.

NoGraveConcern · #20 04-13-2011, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattyH

Hook your cabs up parallel. Turn the bridge off, and run each cab out of it's own jack, in A and B on the head. Then, turn your balance to 12 o'clock.

Dual parallel will only be about 40% of the power output of bridge mode.