I think loudness will be served by starting with shape set all the way off and bass and treble set low (9 o'clock). I'm curious to know if that helps.
Otto
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Hartke TX600 - review
- Thread starter Thedaivisch
- Start date
I think loudness will be served by starting with shape set all the way off and bass and treble set low (9 o'clock). I'm curious to know if that helps.
Otto
Hi guys, same experience as most regarding the TX600 here. Here's what Larry told me in an email about these:
"Yes set the gain as high as you can without the lightsaround the knob flashing red (that indicates an overload on the preamp). Then use the master. The master volume taper is not linear so it will get loud slowly and then increase in volume quicker the farther you turn it up. It will start hitting hard around 1:00 or 2:00 O'clock that's normal for that type of control."
I found plugging my Sadowsky into the Passive input, with gain quite high and volume at 3 o'clock, it could hang at a decent gig volume with two 12 inch Hydrives. Other than that, I'm quite happy with it so far. What are you guys transporting them in, in terms of gig bags?
"Yes set the gain as high as you can without the lightsaround the knob flashing red (that indicates an overload on the preamp). Then use the master. The master volume taper is not linear so it will get loud slowly and then increase in volume quicker the farther you turn it up. It will start hitting hard around 1:00 or 2:00 O'clock that's normal for that type of control."
I found plugging my Sadowsky into the Passive input, with gain quite high and volume at 3 o'clock, it could hang at a decent gig volume with two 12 inch Hydrives. Other than that, I'm quite happy with it so far. What are you guys transporting them in, in terms of gig bags?
Yeah. I've also come around and decided to keep it now. You probably just have to accept that this is just not the loudest of amps, but it is good as a nice sounding portable option.
For carrying options, I have so far had it more or less unprotected in my back pack. Not the best, obviously. Would also be interested in suggestions for gig bags or something...
I usually go to "Custom Amp Covers" and get covers made for my gear. Looking around for something to transport it safely, I accidentally found my old 2004 Toshiba laptop case in the closet which I never threw out. The case fits the amp like a glove plus all the cables. larry should put his name on the case and sell it an accessory.
I tried the TX600 at practice and I'm not totally on board with it. I had to play with the controls to dial it in but it seemed boomy and loud at times but then sounded absent with the bass tone.. Heard to explain but I'm not totally ga ga over this amp yet. I had the compressor off, the gain all the way up, the bass at 1 O'clock, the shape and frequency at 12 O'clock, the treble at 12 O'clock and the Master at 2 O'clock. When I went to 3, it really started to kick and I didn't want to blow the speakers. The cones were pushing lots of air but at times you couldn't really hear it. It was like it didn't have any balls. I guess I'm missing that big ass output transformer thats in my LH500. I didn't like the tone with one cab but with two it was passable. I have a gig in Nov where I only need one cab. It will be a different room then my practice studio so we will see.
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At 600w at 4 ohm and 450w at 8 ohm it should be strong but maybe the damping factor and speed is not designed well to give you that Quick, tight response of a big transformer, large capacitors and transitors of an analog classic AB amp
Hi Everyone,
My name is Jesse Nissenbaum, I am a Product Specialist and Video Editor over at Hartke. We understand there have been some questions regarding volume settings on the new TX 600 and hopefully this tutorial will be helpful.
Please feel free to write me directly if you ever have any questions on Hartke (or Samson) products: [email protected]
I will be sure to check back here from time and help with any questions you guys have!
My name is Jesse Nissenbaum, I am a Product Specialist and Video Editor over at Hartke. We understand there have been some questions regarding volume settings on the new TX 600 and hopefully this tutorial will be helpful.
Please feel free to write me directly if you ever have any questions on Hartke (or Samson) products: [email protected]
I will be sure to check back here from time and help with any questions you guys have!
dbase; That LH500 is a gem... My old LH500 survived 2 (two!) drops from head height onto pavement as well as many hot/humid outdoor gigs running a pair of 410XLs cranked up - best workhorse amp I've even owned and if I got back into a loud band again would be the first thing I buy. Now it lives with some kid playing metal and still going after 10 years... good luck on the upcoming gig!
Just a thought with respect to Lack Of Volume....How about if you plugged directly into the effects return bypassing the preamp. This should give a true representation of "Full Power". At that point, if the head can't hang with even the loudest of drummers, then it's under-powered IMO.
On the TX600 the shape pot can only scoop mid frequencies not boost them,,The more you turn it clockwise the larger the scoop (valley gets).. When both the shape and frequency pot are at noon, you are scooping mids at ~ 500Hz.. A pretty critical frequency for audible bass instrument to my ears.. I know that sometimes people want to take out 800Hz (high mids) from the bass sound to prevent it sounding honking especially for slap...
THe old ampeg 8x10 sealed cabs do not go low but sound fat as they have their resonance pretty high at ~120Hz. They do not spend much energy trying to give you fundamentals from 40-75Hz and hence why a 300W slightly clipping tube amp will kill everything in audible loudness through that kind of cab.. The modern ported 6x10 ampeg cab is a very different cab as it goes a lot deeper.. The really old ampeg 8x10 cabs with a low power rating (~350W rating) is not suitable for 5 string bass or a detuned bass in my opnion..
First I think Dbase should turn the shape button to zero and see whether the rise of frequency at 500Hz will make the bass come back into the mix.. Listening to his complaints he should definately not scoop the low mids (200-250Hz) as they give some fatness to the sound.. And maybe lower the bass pot to 11.30.
My bassplayer has a very nice neutral sounding cab.. No honky forward mids to my ears.. He has a tonehammer 500 aguilar.. Nice amp,, but the bass pot to my ears is set low at 40Hz.. That's more air than sound to my ears.. On a stage boosting that 40Hz bass just created rumble and noise.. The Hartke has its bass pot centered at 80Hz.. That should be more on stage usable to my ears..
THe old ampeg 8x10 sealed cabs do not go low but sound fat as they have their resonance pretty high at ~120Hz. They do not spend much energy trying to give you fundamentals from 40-75Hz and hence why a 300W slightly clipping tube amp will kill everything in audible loudness through that kind of cab.. The modern ported 6x10 ampeg cab is a very different cab as it goes a lot deeper.. The really old ampeg 8x10 cabs with a low power rating (~350W rating) is not suitable for 5 string bass or a detuned bass in my opnion..
First I think Dbase should turn the shape button to zero and see whether the rise of frequency at 500Hz will make the bass come back into the mix.. Listening to his complaints he should definately not scoop the low mids (200-250Hz) as they give some fatness to the sound.. And maybe lower the bass pot to 11.30.
My bassplayer has a very nice neutral sounding cab.. No honky forward mids to my ears.. He has a tonehammer 500 aguilar.. Nice amp,, but the bass pot to my ears is set low at 40Hz.. That's more air than sound to my ears.. On a stage boosting that 40Hz bass just created rumble and noise.. The Hartke has its bass pot centered at 80Hz.. That should be more on stage usable to my ears..
No way. You need a lot more cabs and watts to compete in such a context.
Have you read the review? It's all about the lack of volume.
1x12 won't be sufficient in a metal context especially with 2 guitar players.
If you have limited funds, get a good old 4x10 with a Hartke 3500, these never fail the metal bassist.
Have you read the review? It's all about the lack of volume.
1x12 won't be sufficient in a metal context especially with 2 guitar players.
If you have limited funds, get a good old 4x10 with a Hartke 3500, these never fail the metal bassist.
I've just recently bought a TX600 from a large local music shop and it should be ready to collect tomorrow. I took my bass into the shop last week Friday to check it out and I set the amp master control on full and then brought up the gain till it sounded ok. I find I get the cleanest sound from solid state amps that way. Anyway it was plugged into an aguillar 4x10 cab which in the shop sounded fine to me. the mid controls will take a bit of getting used to as I don't generally use a scooped sound for bass. I go for a more full range sound. But as it's gonna be my lightweight backup head I'm hoping it will be ok. I should have a gig this Thursday to try out on and hope it works well as I don't really want to carry a big heavy bass head as a backup. Has anyone found a suitable carry case for it?
The gain on the TX600 is not linear. You've got to crank it, then the amp responds with power.
That said, a 112 cabinet won't stand a chance in that environment.
Some amps have a learning curve. The preamp on my Aguilar TH500 was quite mystifying to me until I learned how it worked. Now I have no trouble getting great, fat tones out of it. With two Aguilar SL112 cabs it's all I need for any gig I do. I suspect that is also the case with the Hartke.
