• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Opinions on the Hartke HyDrive 112

I'm thinking of getting into the 112 market and today I tested Hartke's 112. Not too impressed with the sound.

How does it compare with the 112's from Epifani, Bergantino, or other "boutique" 112's? I didn't A/B them today and I'm hoping it's like comparing apples to oranges, or maybe my next rig won't be two 112 boxes.

(BTW...this is my first post here! Yeah!!!)
 
I don't think you should judge all 1 x 12's by the Hartke. There are a lot of different tones out there in that configuration. Personally, I love my new Baer ML112. The Traynor TC112 I thought was going to the other end of the scale of what I think of as the Hartke sound, although I haven't heard their 112.
 
(BTW...this is my first post here! Yeah!!!)

In that case, welcome to the hood... :cool:

I'm thinking of getting into the 112 market and today I tested Hartke's 112. Not too impressed with the sound.

I bought a slightly used one myself, last year. I wasn't impressed either - although it's entirely possible that I bought a lemon. I flipped it at the earliest opportunity. :rolleyes:

How does it compare with the 112's from Epifani, Bergantino, or other "boutique" 112's? I didn't A/B them today and I'm hoping it's like comparing apples to oranges, or maybe my next rig won't be two 112 boxes.

It doesn't compare. The boutique makes you just mentioned beat a budget cab like Hartke in every possible way. At least regarding pure performance. Go ahead and check out some Bergs and some Epifanis yourself. It's a completely different experience.

BTW, I'm a BIG fan of the 1x12 format. Need a low-powered, compact rig for personal practice and/or recording? Get (1) 1x12 with a low-powered micro-amp, such as a GK MB200 or Eden WTX 260. Done.

Need a compact, scalable mini-stack for performing in small/midsized clubs and similar venues? Get (2) 1x12s and a good mid-powered head (there are so many to choose) @ about 400-800 watts RMS @ 4 ohms, and you're set.

Need a functional big rig for large indoor performance venues or outdoor gigs? A vertical stack of up to (4) 1x12s is an awesome thing - though a pair of their 2x12 equivalents is nearly as nice. Pair up with a high-powered head that operates @ 2 ohms (such as a Carvin B2000 or a Genz Benz GBE 1200 - or an equivalent power amp + rackmount preamp), and rock the house! :bassist:

If you haven't done so already, you really should research some of the incredibly cool new "Super 12" cabs that have come onto the market during the past three years or so - including Acme, AudioKinesis, Baer, and fEarful - as well as check out the latest and greatest of the more traditional boutique 1x12 offerings from Bergantino, Epifani, Euphonic Audio, Mesa, and others.

Truly you've chosen the best possible time to delve into the world of 1x12 bass cabs... :cool:

MM
 
  • Like
Reactions: robert_stuart
Thanks for the informative post, MysticMichael. I've been following the raves on what a 12" is now capable of. I was just afraid that the HyDrive was representative of that trend.

Are the "Super 12" cabs in a class by themselves, or can a Bergantino 112 hang with a Baer, for example, when it comes to output?
 
Thanks for the informative post, MysticMichael. I've been following the raves on what a 12" is now capable of. I was just afraid that the HyDrive was representative of that trend.

Are the "Super 12" cabs in a class by themselves, or can a Bergantino 112 hang with a Baer, for example, when it comes to output?

When it comes to pure volume output and low end clarity and extension, I don't think any stock boxes will compare to the super 12s. I have owned a lot of 12s (Mesa -both PH and Scout , EA, Epi, GK, Eden, Schroeder, GB -both Neox and the older Shuttle, ( although not Bergs or Aggies, which many rave about) as well as Audiokinesis Thunderchild and LDS 12/6. The latter 2 handily outperform all the other "regular cabs".....it's not even close. My LDS 12/6 was deeper, clearer and almost as loud as 2 of the others I owned. I have not heard the Baer or Barfeaced super 12s.
 
Are the "Super 12" cabs in a class by themselves, or can a Bergantino 112 hang with a Baer, for example, when it comes to output?

Ultimately, that's going to boil down to a head-to-head comparison of one specific make & model to another, of course. In very general terms, I'd guess that most, if not all, will be quite similar in pure output - if what you mean by that is simple volume/SPL - but not necessarily in terms of full-range tone at comparable output.

Perhaps the main thing that separates Acme, AudioKinesis, Baer, Barefaced & fEarful from the rest - apart from the direct-to-customer business model - is the presence of the relatively new Eminence Kappalite 3012LF high-excursion Neo woofer - or an OEM variant thereof - that makes available to each of those cabs exceptionally deep low end in a very compact package - something that, until recently, was very, very hard to provide. That, along with the superior engineering, well-engineered crossovers, and overall extra attention to detail, makes them something special.

The very best of the traditional boutique cabs (Bergantino, Epifani, Euphonic Audio, Mesa & others, as I've mentioned) are certainly competitive, however, based largely on the high quality of their own proprietary drivers & components, and expert workmanship. Main difference in tone, again very broadly speaking, will probably boil down to the more conventional voicing (relatively less deep low end) as determined by the more conventional woofer + tweeter orientation.

Do some searches on "Baer", "fEarful", "Acme", "Barefaced" and "ThunderChild" to start. Get a sense of what some of the other players think... :hmm:

MM

P.S. Please take the above comments with a few grains of salt. In this case, I'm prepared to defer to lomo's experience. He's played a lot more of these cabs than I have.
 
Ultimately, that's going to boil down to a head-to-head comparison of one specific make & model to another, of course. In very general terms, I'd guess that most, if not all, will be quite similar in pure output - if what you mean by that is simple volume/SPL - but not necessarily in terms of full-range tone at comparable output.

Perhaps the main thing that separates Acme, AudioKinesis, Baer, Barefaced & fEarful from the rest - apart from the direct-to-customer business model - is the presence of the relatively new Eminence Kappalite 3012LF high-excursion Neo woofer - or an OEM variant thereof - that makes available to each of those cabs exceptionally deep low end in a very compact package - something that, until recently, was very, very hard to provide. That, along with the superior engineering, well-engineered crossovers, and overall extra attention to detail, makes them something special.

The very best of the traditional boutique cabs (Bergantino, Epifani, Euphonic Audio, Mesa & others, as I've mentioned) are certainly competitive, however, based largely on the high quality of their own proprietary drivers & components, and expert workmanship. Main difference in tone, again very broadly speaking, will probably boil down to the more conventional voicing (relatively less deep low end) as determined by the more conventional woofer + tweeter orientation.

Do some searches on "Baer", "fEarful", "Acme", "Barefaced" and "ThunderChild" to start. Get a sense of what some of the other players think... :hmm:

MM

P.S. Please take the above comments with a few grains of salt. In this case, I'm prepared to defer to lomo's experience. He's played a lot more of these cabs than I have.

I've done a bit of reading on this topic, but I'm still a bit confused. I understand how extreme excursion is what makes the "super 12" so awesome, but are you saying that a Bergantino (or other good quality boutique 12) will basically have the same raw output? Meaning that it will sound as loud, but maybe lack the clarity (or fidelity) of a Thunderchild, for example?

At bottom, the thing I'm trying to figure out is whether one of these options is far and away more bang for the buck.
 
I've done a bit of reading on this topic, but I'm still a bit confused. I understand how extreme excursion is what makes the "super 12" so awesome, but are you saying that a Bergantino (or other good quality boutique 12) will basically have the same raw output? Meaning that it will sound as loud, but maybe lack the clarity (or fidelity) of a Thunderchild, for example?

It's more than the traditional cab just lacking the clarity or fidelity of the Super 12 - although that may be part of it... :hmm:

I'm saying that, whether or not the specific traditional boutique cab seems comparable to a given Super 12 cab in raw SPL alone (some might, most will not), that's only the quantitative side of the story. There's the qualitative dimension as well.

Generally, the Super 12 cab is likely to: 1) go louder without breakup & distortion, 2) retain a more solid, uncompressed low end at high volume, and 3) offer a smoother, more balanced, more full-range frequency response - from deep lows, through the complete midrange, and well into the highs (depending on which particular Super 12 you have in mind) - without any of the noticeable "holes" in the sound to which experienced bassists have so often become accustomed (typically the "hole" in the upper midrange, between the top range of the woofer and the bottom range of the tweeter).

In other words, simple loudness (quantity) alone doesn't tell the whole story. The Super 12 cabs generally have a superior hi-fi quality as well (depending somewhat on individual voicing) - although it might take your ear some time to adjust to the more neutral voicing.

It's not easy to generalize beyond this. Each of the new Super 12s cab builders has his own particular design & performance philosophy - just as each of the more established boutique builders does.

MM
 
I've never played through a HyDrive 112, but I did own a HyDrive 410. I currently own two Berg AE410s as my primary cabinets. Speaking just pure tonally, I do prefer the Bergs. They have a darker timbre, which I've always preferred. With that said, the sound quality between the Hartke and Bergs is not light years in difference. They both have a pretty modern, quick sound; although the Hartke was less colored to my ears. I really liked the HyDrive. The only reason I don't own it anymore is because it didn't deal well with my tube amps (even at low volumes, tube amps would make the speakers exert much more than a comparable solid-state amp, and I'd easily clip the speakers on the low B...strange).

If you have the opportunity to test drive a number of cabs, then take 'em all for a test drive and decide which cabinet is best for you.
 
Boy I'm glad you posted this thread. I'm on the verge of pulling the trigger on a set of Hartke Hydrive 1x12's to go with my LH500 amp. I never played thru them but I like their weight 30lbs., and hope I get a deeper tone then the 4 10's I have now.
You spoke of super 1x12 cabs? which ones would those be?
 
There's at least 4-5 designs have silly great, hi-fi performance, deep lows, clear mids and highs that are on a completely different level. The prices are also higher :)

You can check out;

fEARful 12/6
Fearless 112 (my personal favorite)
AudioKinesis TC112
Baer

There are others as well...those are the top of the heap, IMO :)