Right now I have a Carvin RL810T that I'm pushing with a Nemesis NA-650, and it sounds good but I'm lookin for an upgrade. I play metal in the c# standard range, and I don't really get the good thump or growl I've heard when playing out of other cabinets and I found it only goes down to 60Hz. I saw the Megoliath goes to 37Hz and has alot of great reviews, and it doesn't hurt my favorite bassist, Alex Webster, plays it too. I also found the Hartke HX810 has alot of outstanding reviews and it goes to 25Hz, but I have some speculations on what conditions to have it at to get that frequency. I just know I've narrowed it down to a toss up between these 2 cabs and was wondering if any one has any opinions on the 2 cabs to help me make a decision.
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SWR Megoliath Vs Hartke HX810
- Thread starter MetalViking13
- Start date
I'd say you're better off with the SWR. Just a better quality cab in general IMO. I think Alex websters tone on Evisceration Plauge is his best tone yet.
Those [blissfully optimistic] ratings should not be used to judge cabs since they are not at all standardized. Regardless of these cabs actual ability to reproduce subsonic frequencies, "thump" and "growl" don't happen at 37 or 25 Hz.
to spend that dough you should try first , I don't like the hydrivesound but that is a matter of taste, I would go with the swr 
only problem is I live in the Houston area and no one around here sells Hartke and one of the few places that I know of that carry swr only has a working ma 4x10 and a golight 4x10 so I'm kinda screwed on the trying it out first thing or I would of by now lol.
+1 do not base your decisions on the frequency ratings of the cabs... Like the guys have said, your bass tone does not come from those really low/deep frequency ranges, plus, that measurement is not a cut-off, it is a roll-off so you do still get the frequencies below there, they just aren't as loud.
Either the SWR or the Hartke will do the job just fine but the Hartke is probably slightly brighter due to the speaker material, while the SWR is quite neutral sounding
Either the SWR or the Hartke will do the job just fine but the Hartke is probably slightly brighter due to the speaker material, while the SWR is quite neutral sounding
- Aug 13, 2000
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SWR wouldn't seem like the "A" choice for that kind of mondo-low tuned music...
Aren't all the metal kids more or less sworn to use Ampeg???
Aren't all the metal kids more or less sworn to use Ampeg???
not at all. Ampeg IMO is overpriced and one can get as good tone if not better from other cabs, like mark bass,(at the music shops around here they have both cabs so I can try those out
) & I'm not tryin to base my decision on the just the frequency response, but it is a decision factor since I play in low tuning I want some thing that can reproduce the proper tone with out any problems.The Hartke does get my attention cuz of the fact it has the aluminum cone in it too so it helps get those high notes out too, which I need since unlike some metal bassists around here I don't just ride the top 2 strings.
- Aug 13, 2000
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Yes Ampeg all the way for Metal!
But since he is into the clarity and tone of the SWRs, and already digs Webster... well.. cant say no to Megoliath. I also like that, brighter,deeper, somewhat scooped sound of the SWR.
Webster used a lot of Ampegs before. I find that SWR compliments the attack and highs of the Modulus basses, that might be one reason he switched to SWR.
I like my Ampeg 810, but would happily use any Megoliath or Hartke Hydrive if it were the case.
Webster switched to Spector a couple of years before he started playing SWR. But those spectors do have a lot of attack.
SWR is high-definition sound. Hartke is, as someone eloquently put it on a bass site, is yesterday's peavey. meaning hartke is now bottom of the barrel amp. peavey has improved tremendously b/c of the help of ex-trace elliott engineers that defected from the gibson era that DESTROYED the quality and intergrity of Trace Elliott. overall, consider whether your desired tone is suitable for high definition. Meaning, SWR does not give that huge wall of bass because it minimizes harmonic distortion. want the wall of sound? don't buy hartke. don't want the wall of sound? don't buy hartke. want something that sounds like generic tin-foil, buy hartke.
I've played through 'em both. I think the Hartke would be easier to move around. Tone-wise, well I play pop rock, but the SWR was harder for me to dial in a sound I was in love with, harsh highs. The Hartke flat sounded really alive and punchy.
i actually just ordered got the swr. Also waiting on the Crown xti4000 power amp that I got with it too. I use the Line6 X3Live as a preamp. Ive had Trace, Hartke,and ampeg cabs before. but there is just something about swr cabs that kills me. I love the unmistakeable punch. I cant wait to plug my new toys in.
I owned the SWR Megoliath for around 3-4 years, and while I always thought it was a WONDERFUL cabinet, I grew to dislike the sound of the horn. I use a pick most of the time because I prefer that sound for rock, but that doesn't transfer too well even if the horn is turned all the way down. Who knows, you may enjoy it! Definitely buy used if you can, because those cabs are super expensive. You won't be disappointed either way, though. Just my 0.02.
I'd go with the Hartke cab myself, but I'm a big fan of the clean Hi-Fi sound.
Feh..
Feh..
That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard and I hope you at least tried a Hartke setup before you decided to blast them like that. At this point I've tried nearly all of the Hartke HyDrive line and I can tell you they sound as good as amps and cabs that cost two times as much. They are crisp and clear on the top end, powerful in the lows and punchy in the mids. They've all blown me away and if a 4-ohm version of the HX410 existed I'd be sticking with them. The LH500 and LH1000 make great partners to the cabs as well and provide a very balanced tone.
Even if you were referring to the old Hartke stuff I don't know about they're heards but I've used the 4.5XL and they're similar 115 and 118 cabinets and they sound awesome too! I'm not a guy that loves loads of top end either and they worked great!
