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HARTKE 112B (NOT the HD112)

alanolynn

alanolynn

Aug 19, 2012
389
552
41
NNY
#1
So, I bit the bullet and ordered this cute little cab this week, and just picked it up yesterday. Sadly, the amp and rest of my gear are at the practice space.

First impressions:

-33lbs isn't exactly light, but its a welcome change from the 410h
-only (1) handle on the side isn't really a seller, especially since its cheap plastic and feels like it could pop if you're not careful
-Nice tolex covering, but inexpensive cab corners (more plastic)
-Heavy duty grill, so at least the speaker isn't in danger of being kicked in.

Anyway, I bought the cab for the small footprint, and the efficiency. Not the broadest frequency response range, but what would you expect? Its a single 12 in a relatively small package. That being said, the fact that its a 4ohm cab was a big seller. Being able to get all the power offered from my BXR300R is nice.

Well, you know the drill. I'll report more after abusing it for a bit. Practice is next week, so I'll "see you next Tuesday" ;)
IMG_20180721_080514_01.jpg
 
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#2
OKAY

So back to the dank, nasty, basement for some rehearsal with the guys (1 drummer, 1 guitar/vocal)

I didn't even bother to A/B the cabs until the end of the practice, but my first impressions weren't great. It was very thin, but I suppose that's to be expected with a single twelve. I had it sitting on top of the 410h, so maybe is wasn't coupling well with the floor.

It is GREAT for that old 70's p-bass tone, but not much for modern unless you pair it with a second cab (I suppose)

Power rating is 300 watts, but that poor little fella was having a hard time keeping up. Possibly just a break-in period? The speaker was really moving, and got a little farty if I pushed the mids past 12.

I took my time and tweaked as I went, and got a pretty good sound. My verdict is that this little guy sounds best when not pushed. If you're just walking along, and letting it do its thing on its own, it sounds great. If you put a slap or get a little aggressive, it'll break up pretty quick.

I know what you're thinking, the dummy is just overdriving the cab with his high powered amp. Maybe-so. I plugged back into the 410h (300W at 8ohm) and it handled it all with ease, but louder of course, since there are more speakers. Thing is, that's an 8ohm cab, so its not getting the full power like the 112 is.

…..pretty sure I just figured it out while typing.... More power, smaller cab. Maybe an 8ohm cab would be the way to go. Shame they only come in a 4ohm unless you spring for the HX112.

Anyone know if its a single our dual voice coil speaker? Maybe it can be rewired?

Well that was long winded and pointless. Let the comments/criticisms fly!!!
 
#3
can't find any info on what's different between the hd112 and the 112b. is it literally only that there's no tweeter, no ohm switch, and no speakon connector? if so I wonder if it would be a good second cab to stack with my hd112 so I could save a bit of cash
 
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#4
As long as you're down with a 2ohm load, unless you have a series Y cable. Sure you could keep the hd at 8ohm, but is it still REALLY safe? ….*opening up can of worms in 3...2...1...*

That aside, I know that the driver itself isn't the same for both. But I doubt its that far off. More experimenting tonight.
 
#6
Update: the cab has been performing very well in our three piece group. Its a mild volume band (bass, g****r, drums) so its not too demanding. Got an outdoor gig this afternoon. I'm sure I'll have to push it a bit, but I doubt I'll have any real issues.

Still waiting for my BQ500 to get here. I think I have another month or so left. Gaht-dah-gassssssss
 
#7
I bought the tweeter version of the cab and experienced the same thing. I A/B'd it against my Avatar SB-112 and it just couldn't keep up without making noise. I like the tone and was hoping I could couple it with the Avatar with say, a 450 - 500 watt amp but I felt it just wouldn't handle rock gigs. To be fair, the Avatar new is like an extra 160 bucks (NEO version) but it's a gig worthy cab, even by itself.
 
#8
So yeah, I confirmed all suspicions yesterday...not even any drums at the outdoor gig and it couldn't keep up. Still a great at home cab, just not enough air moving to make your presence known.

Hope this helps.
 
#10
Yeah, it has a small port in the front, and its meant as a stand-alone cab due to the 4 ohm setup.

All in all, its an amazing cab for practice with the band, but not so much for any basic bar stuff. It just doesn't quite have enough to do the job without running out of air. That's not to say that you can't use it if you're in a much quieter group.

I'm pretty sure I'll still keep it though. Its pretty handy for what it is. Especially for the price. I guess the search continues....as far as on the cheap goes, what's everyone's opinion on Peavey's latest 212 cab?
 
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#11
I got one of these Hartke 112b 300watt 4 ohm cabs from Zzounds for $199 a few weeks ago, which I thought was a steal because everyone else has them for $299. Then saw it on Walmart.com today for $174 with free shipping! I called Zzounds today and they price matched, giving me the difference back. I use it with a 250 watt TC Electronic bq250 and sounds amazing. Extremely impressed.
 
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#12
veach2009 said:
I got one of these Hartke 112b 300watt 4 ohm cabs from Zzounds for $199 a few weeks ago, which I thought was a steal because everyone else has them for $299. Then saw it on Walmart.com today for $174 with free shipping! I called Zzounds today and they price matched, giving me the difference back. I use it with a 250 watt TC Electronic bq250 and sounds amazing. Extremely impressed.
Click to expand...
I have been looking online to build a mini rig of doom. I have the 112b and bq250 waiting in online shopping carts. :) I was thinking that this would be an inexpensive yet efficient rig. The 4 ohm cab should get all 250 watts out of the head.

Do you think this setup would do well for a Classic Rock/80's/90's Trio in these scenarios:
  • Small venues with low volume.
  • Large venues with FOH support.
 
#13
tonybassman said:
I have been looking online to build a mini rig of doom. I have the 112b and bq250 waiting in online shopping carts. :) I was thinking that this would be an inexpensive yet efficient rig. The 4 ohm cab should get all 250 watts out of the head.

Do you think this setup would do well for a Classic Rock/80's/90's Trio in these scenarios:
  • Small venues with low volume.
  • Large venues with FOH support.
Click to expand...

The 112b can prove slightly inefficient at times. The lack of cone makes the wattage near impossible to translate into audible db's. Its a GREAT sounding rig, don't get me wrong, but even with my BQ500, it was pretty tough to keep up, and that was with an acoustic based three piece group. FOH would be a have to be a staple with this setup IMHO. of course, YMMV.

~alanolynn
 
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#16
alanolynn said:
So, I bit the bullet and ordered this cute little cab this week, and just picked it up yesterday. Sadly, the amp and rest of my gear are at the practice space.

First impressions:

-33lbs isn't exactly light, but its a welcome change from the 410h
-only (1) handle on the side isn't really a seller, especially since its cheap plastic and feels like it could pop if you're not careful
-Nice tolex covering, but inexpensive cab corners (more plastic)
-Heavy duty grill, so at least the speaker isn't in danger of being kicked in.

Anyway, I bought the cab for the small footprint, and the efficiency. Not the broadest frequency response range, but what would you expect? Its a single 12 in a relatively small package. That being said, the fact that its a 4ohm cab was a big seller. Being able to get all the power offered from my BXR300R is nice.

Well, you know the drill. I'll report more after abusing it for a bit. Practice is next week, so I'll "see you next Tuesday" ;)View attachment 3088644
Click to expand...
You will like that cab .. I have two of the Hydrive 112's and I'm hard on them when I play.. I running a Mesa WD800 into them and they are workhorses. My cab weighs 30lbs.. I don't know why the difference in weight..
 
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#18
symbolic_acts said:
can't find any info on what's different between the hd112 and the 112b. is it literally only that there's no tweeter, no ohm switch, and no speakon connector? if so I wonder if it would be a good second cab to stack with my hd112 so I could save a bit of cash
Click to expand...
From Hartke’s site:
112b-
  • Description: 1 x 12" bass cabinet
  • Power Handling: 300W RMS
  • Impedance: 4Ω
  • Driver: 12" HyDrive paper/aluminum hybrid cone
  • Frequency Response: 70Hz–5kHz (-3dB)
  • -10dB LF Response: 35Hz
  • Inputs: 1 x 1/4"
  • Cabinet Type: Ported
  • Cabinet Construction: Solid plywood, extensive bracing, dado joinery, textured vinyl covering
  • Grille: Black perforated steel
  • Additional: 1 x inset handle, 8 x protective corners
  • Weight: 33lb (15kg)
  • Dimensions: 17" x 19.75" x 15.25" (432mm x 248mm x 387mm)
Regular 112-
  • 12" HyDrive paper/aluminum hybrid cone driver
  • Neodymium magnet
  • 300 watts power handling
  • Selectable impedance for 4 and 8Ω operation
  • 1" titanium compression driver
  • High frequency attenuation switch (On/-6dB/Off)
  • Parallel Twist & Lock and 1/4" inputs
  • 41Hz–17kHz frequency response
  • Solid plywood cabinet construction
  • Ported cabinet design
  • Silver perforated steel grille
  • Inset carry handle
And HD112-
  • Description: 1 x 12" bass cabinet
  • Power Handling: 300W RMS
  • Impedance: 4Ω or 8Ω
  • LF Driver: 12" HyDrive paper/aluminum hybrid cone
  • HF Driver: 1"
  • HF Level Control: 3-position switch (-6dB, Off, On)
  • Frequency Response: 35Hz–17kHz (-3dB)
  • -10dB LF Response: 25Hz
  • Inputs: 2 x Twist & Lock, 2 x 1/4" (wired in parallel)
  • Cabinet Type: Vented
  • Cabinet Construction: Solid plywood, extensive bracing, dado joinery, textured vinyl covering
  • Grille: Black perforated steel
  • Additional: 1 x inset steel handle, 8 x steel corners
  • Weight: 34lb (15.4kg)
  • Dimensions: 16" (406mm) x 19" (483mm) x 15" (381mm)


It’s that frequency response that is the killer. 70Hz at -3dB!!!
 
#19
eastcoasteddie said:
From Hartke’s site:
112b-
[...]
  • Frequency Response: 70Hz–5kHz (-3dB)
  • -10dB LF Response: 35Hz
[...]
  • Dimensions: 17" x 19.75" x 15.25" (432mm x 248mm x 387mm)
Regular 112-
[...]
  • 41Hz–17kHz frequency response
[...]

And HD112-
[...]
  • Frequency Response: 35Hz–17kHz (-3dB)
  • -10dB LF Response: 25Hz
[...]
  • Dimensions: 16" (406mm) x 19" (483mm) x 15" (381mm)


It’s that frequency response that is the killer. 70Hz at -3dB!!!
Click to expand...

It surely seems to have a low end tailored toward the punchy side. It's actually the largest of the three (one of its metric dimensions provided is a mistake, it should read 502mm instead of 248); the regular HyDrive 112 has the same size as the HyDrive HD112 i.e. 16" (406mm) x 19" (483mm) x 15" (381mm) according to the manual, but the latter is just as reticent as the product page features tab regarding its unqualified 41Hz–17kHz frequency response; the HyDrive HD112 has its impressive response spelt loud and clear, but its size is not huge either.

All the above points to neither of the models being high-sensitivity - in fact possibly pretty low in one or two cases.
 

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