• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Hartke TX600 amp failure.. why?

#21
I suspect it was simply a latent defect that didn't show up during their burn-in and QA process. Most electronics still experience a bathtub curve type of failure rate in my experience, with some infant mortality failures and then long reliable lives followed by an exponential rise in failures when they begin to reach the end of their design service life (hours/thermal cycles/etc.).

If I were Hartke I would offer you a new unit and conduct an engineering investigation on yours to isolate the primary failure point/mode and figure out how to address that in the production process. Repair or replacement would have me equally comfortable. If you have a preference though, you should let them know.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ak56 and Aqualung60
#22
Sorry to hear of your woes with the amp. I have had only two issues with mine so far. One was a bad instrument cable which led to a similar noise experience to yours. The other being a dead battery in a preamp which lead to no sound other than some random noise that was loud enough to amplified through and ABG. It's been getting a steady 4 hours every other day for 6 to 8 weeks now no problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbase
#29
Justice Graves said:
Sorry to hear of your woes with the amp. I have had only two issues with mine so far. One was a bad instrument cable which led to a similar noise experience to yours. The other being a dead battery in a preamp which lead to no sound other than some random noise that was loud enough to amplified through and ABG. It's been getting a steady 4 hours every other day for 6 to 8 weeks now no problem.
Click to expand...
I changed tge battery in my bass b4 i used the new anp. I used the basscwith b no problems theu the pa with no problems.
 
#30
You never clarified-- you say you're not sure if they're going to replace it, or...?
Did you send it to the Manufacturer or to the Music Store? If you returned it you should have the right to ask for either a refund, credit on another amp, or store credit. Sorry to tell you this but from what I've read here on TB the TX600's have not done well -- seem to be a high defective equipment/failure rate.

If you actually returned it to the store, get your money back. Might want to consider another new fine Class D amp that is being offered nowadays. There are quite a few in the price range like Peavey, Gallien Krueger, etc.

If you had it sent into Hartke, good luck on getting it back anytime soon. They don't seem to have much of a sense of customer time (not just Hartke, most manufacture repair centers). If you can get it back before the 30 days is up, get it back to the store. Call Hartke, and make sure they don't "soft shoe" you and give you some "parts on order" bull crap--they might stall you off. This isn't just Hartke, they all do it.

Good luck.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbase
#31
alaskaleftybass said:
You never clarified-- you say you're not sure if they're going to replace it, or...?
Did you send it to the Manufacturer or to the Music Store? If you returned it you should have the right to ask for either a refund, credit on another amp, or store credit. Sorry to tell you this but from what I've read here on TB the TX600's have not done well -- seem to be a high defective equipment/failure rate.

If you actually returned it to the store, get your money back. Might want to consider another new fine Class D amp that is being offered nowadays. There are quite a few in the price range like Peavey, Gallien Krueger, etc.

If you had it sent into Hartke, good luck on getting it back anytime soon. They don't seem to have much of a sense of customer time (not just Hartke, most manufacture repair centers). If you can get it back before the 30 days is up, get it back to the store. Call Hartke, and make sure they don't "soft shoe" you and give you some "parts on order" bull crap--they might stall you off. This isn't just Hartke, they all do it.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
This seems to be the complete opposite of almost every Hartke customer service experience I've seen reported here. Larry Hartke himself has popped in more than a few times with advice or to lend a helping hand in issue resolution.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aqualung60 and alaskaleftybass
#32
Gluvhand said:
This seems to be the complete opposite of almost every Hartke customer service experience I've seen reported here. Larry Hartke himself has popped in more than a few times with advice or to lend a helping hand in issue resolution.
Click to expand...

I hope that's the case. But recently read a couple lost in the shop stories and on this particular model it's been reported with issues.
I have the greatest respect for Hartke, but like every other business, it's not hard to fall between the cracks. No slam intended.
 
#33
alaskaleftybass said:
I hope that's the case. But recently read a couple lost in the shop stories and on this particular model it's been reported with issues.
I have the greatest respect for Hartke, but like every other business, it's not hard to fall between the cracks. No slam intended.
Click to expand...
Can't say I've seen much about failures on here. This is the first one I've seen. Not unusual to see an amp that probably sells in high numbers have a handful of clams, either. Larry's a great guy and has crazy great CS. I don't know what's going on with this particular amp, but he told me 6 years ago that they were working on a micro but didn't want to put one out unless he was convinced that the design was stable. So I wouldn't worry too much about it if I were the OP. I may endorse Ampeg, but Larry has nothing but total respect from me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The Chuck, wave rider, tfer and 3 others
#36
alaskaleftybass said:
You never clarified-- you say you're not sure if they're going to replace it, or...?
Did you send it to the Manufacturer or to the Music Store? If you returned it you should have the right to ask for either a refund, credit on another amp, or store credit. Sorry to tell you this but from what I've read here on TB the TX600's have not done well -- seem to be a high defective equipment/failure rate.

If you actually returned it to the store, get your money back. Might want to consider another new fine Class D amp that is being offered nowadays. There are quite a few in the price range like Peavey, Gallien Krueger, etc.

If you had it sent into Hartke, good luck on getting it back anytime soon. They don't seem to have much of a sense of customer time (not just Hartke, most manufacture repair centers). If you can get it back before the 30 days is up, get it back to the store. Call Hartke, and make sure they don't "soft shoe" you and give you some "parts on order" bull crap--they might stall you off. This isn't just Hartke, they all do it.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

I'm in tight with the local music store as they know I prefer to buy 'local" to help them out. I've bought all my gear from them since they opened years ago I could have bought it online as with most musical stuff but this way I have a live person to deal with. They took the amp and sent it back to their distributor. The amp is only a month old. They will get back to me. I'm in no hurry, but I didnt tell them that.
 
#37
davidjbass said:
I bought one of these amps from American Musical Supply brand new. Got it set up and found that the amp had very low output. I had the Master almost up to 9 and still could not believe how low the output was. I tried it with different cabs and cables. Still the same deal. It got sent back to AMS pronto! I was not pleased.
Click to expand...

That was my problem also. It didnt seem to put out as much as my LH500. That's why I thought I had a wiring problem with the speakers. that doesn't seem to be the case now. Of course if they put in on the bench it will probably work just fine. I dont trust it anymore.
 
#38
Gluvhand said:
This seems to be the complete opposite of almost every Hartke customer service experience I've seen reported here. Larry Hartke himself has popped in more than a few times with advice or to lend a helping hand in issue resolution.
Click to expand...

I concur. I actually talked to Larry on the phone once and got a replacement fan for my old 3500 head fo' nuttin. Seriously he just sent me one for free. I know that's just a cheap fan, but the experience was A+.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ratzass714

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back