• 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 Vs Ashdown Vs Gallien-Kruger

B

b-ace!

Jul 15, 2004
74
0
#1
Hi everyone, nice to meet you all, this is my first post. heres my problem, im looking to buy a new amp setup and i can't decide between hartke, ashdown or gallien-kruger. the choice is between;

hartke-the HA 3000 head with 410xl or VX410 cab
ashdown-MAG 300H head with 4x10 cab
gallien-kruger- a setup similar to those above (300W head with 4x10 cab)

I don't know too much about amps, but i have tried the harkte and the ashdown setup but can't decide. i have also been told to check out the gallien-kruger stuff. i play in a hardcore band using a pick (and using other peoples stuff at the moment) and am in the process of starting up an instrumental band with a drummer which will be more finger style and strumming but quite technical so being able to get a good tone (for hearing each note) is important.


If anyone has any advice to give me, please do as I'd love to get some to decide which amp would be best for me.

thanks for reading! :)
 
#3
One thing you should keep in mind about your amp search is that you geta cab that can handle what the amp puts out. In other words if you have a head that has a minimum impendance of 4 ohms be sure you have a cab that is 4 ohms or 8 ohms and be sure it can handle the power that is distributed to it.
 
#6
But then again i've read that the b2r is the quitest 300 watts you'll ever see. I wouldnt mind a GK rig musicianfriend had one GK full stack a while ago it consisted of 2 410 sbx cabs and a 1001 rb-II for i think 1500$
 
#8
xb100 said:
One thing you should keep in mind about your amp search is that you geta cab that can handle what the amp puts out. In other words if you have a head that has a minimum impendance of 4 ohms be sure you have a cab that is 4 ohms or 8 ohms and be sure it can handle the power that is distributed to it.
Click to expand...


Ok.So say if you have a amp that puts out 400 W. at 4 ohms,
and you have a cab that is 8 ohms and 400 W. handling,will the 400 watts still go through???
 
#9
metalbass101 said:
Ok.So say if you have a amp that puts out 400 W. at 4 ohms,
and you have a cab that is 8 ohms and 400 W. handling,will the 400 watts still go through???
Click to expand...


Yes that will work fine except the power of the amp will be cut in half insted of 400 watts into 4 ohms it will be like 200 or so into 8 ohms. I dont know the reasoning behind the theroy of ohms i just know how power is distributed im sure other guys here can explain it better than i can. But yea the man philosphy behind ohms is the less you have the more power. Heres another way you can look at it ohms are resistence so the more you have the less amount of power they are going to produce or let be powered. But yes indeed if you get a 8 ohm cab that handles 400 watts and a 4 ohm head tha handles 400 watts it would be fine it just wont be the full potential of the amp. You would need another 8 ohm cab to get 4 ohms. 2 16 ohm cabs =8 ohms, 2 8 ohm cabs =4 ohms and 2 4 ohm cabs=2 ohms.
 
#12
really the only thing that i dont like about ashdown is that their mag 300 head only has one speaker input. So you can only hook up one cab. And all of the mag cabs are...8 ohms so you'd only be useing the mag 300 to half its potential. Other than that their stuff is awesome little pricey for my tastes but still good.
 
#13
xb100 said:
really the only thing that i dont like about ashdown is that their mag 300 head only has one speaker input. So you can only hook up one cab. And all of the mag cabs are...8 ohms so you'd only be useing the mag 300 to half its potential. Other than that their stuff is awesome little pricey for my tastes but still good.
Click to expand...

couldnt you not run a speaker cable out from one cab into another? that would give you full power. two 8 ohm, make 4. youd be ok doing that.
 
#17
yea i like that about the mag stuff... one speakon and 2 jacks, pretty flexible and i think it shows confidence by ashdown you can use this gear with bigger cabs.

all the mag cabs have 2 jacks and one speakon inputs also!

I play punk rock and use the MAG setup I like it but I don't think it's a classic punk or hardcore sound. personally i wouldn't change it. I played that hartke setup, i hated the alu cones but still i prefered the smoother sound of the ashdown, i think for a classic hardcore thwak the hartke would be pretty good... on this one you'll definatly have to buy with your ears!
 
#19
i ayed through a hartke 7000 head and a 410 xl cab a few weeks ago, i thought it sounded nice it had a certain punch to it i like. I think if you're into slap bass or playing with a pick that a hartke set up would give you lots of highs and mids. But if you're ore of a rock bassist id suggest maybe gk. But i did like the tone i got from the hartke stuff.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back