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Totally disillusioned with hartke hy-drive

silvermaneZ

silvermaneZ

Oct 10, 2000
555
12
52
Houston, TX
#1
Ok, so last week we had a show at a rather large club (+500 folks) and I took my new HyDrive 210 combo with me. I needed alot of stage volume, so when I turned the master up past 5 it started distorting like crazy. Not the sound I was looking for at all. I turned off the EQ section and the drive section to try and calm it down, and it was still distorting. Turned off all the pedals except for the chorus and turned my bass volume down to about half. Still was distorting. I had to play the show with the amp so low as to not distort that I had to have my bass through the monitor just to hear it.

I am so frustrated that I am seriously thinking about re-purchasing the SWR rig of doom that I sold about a year ago. At least I could hear myself with out the sound distorting.

Any one else have trouble with not enough headroom? I had the input signal almost as low as I could and it still did not fix it. :crying::mad:
 
#2
You sure everything is working as it should? Then again, a 210 combo for 500+ folks with high stage volume needed sounds like you might be asking a bit much for 2 10's to deliver. If you need alot of stage volume, get an extension cab to go under it. I don't have any first hand experience with the new HyDrive stuff, so I'm not even sure what they're capable of. My church has a GK 400RB 210 combo, and I never use it because I pretty much have to max it out to get what I'm looking for. Strictly IME, of course!
 
#3
I would tend to agree with alembic5 - there aren't a lot of 2x10's (or any?) out there that can handle a club with 500+ people without the help of a PA.

For reference - I have an SWR 350X 350 watt amp. I used to run it through a 4 ohm Avatar 2x12 and it just couldn't cut it in a band siutation. Eventually I sold the Avatar and ended up with two 8 ohm SWR cabinets - a Goliath III 4x10 and an older WM 2x10T. The volume I can achieve with the six 10's pumping is WAY more than I could even get with the single 2x12. In fact, it's hard to believe it's even the same amp.

Playing a large room with only two 10" speakers is a lot to ask. The laws of physics come into play at some point - you can only pump so much power into two tens. But you can pump less power into 6 or 8 tens and get a lot more volume.
 
#4
I also agree - expecting a loud stage volume (presumably to compete with a loud band) in a room that size is expecting too much from a 210 combo. My Markbass 210 combo is fine for smaller or quieter gigs on its own, but with my main band I have PA support for the majority of our gigs.
 
#6
There may be something to that review and there probably are better 210 rigs out there but you simply didn't bring enough rig for the gig. There is no 210, no matter how expensive or "boutique" that can play to 500 people. If you didn't have PA support you needed a full stack and some decent power.
 
#7
Set up your rig in a sterile environment (living room, rehearsal space, etc.) and see if you can duplicate the anomaly. Use the culprit bass and another if handy.

I use a Hartke 3500 stack and still sometimes get lost in the stage wash. I can see where a 2 X 10 combo might do the same. I find the Hartke EQ to be a bit finicky (I've got the 10 band) and what sounds good soloed quickly disappears when the whole band kicks in. You know how people describe the EQ settings as "smiley face" or "frowny face"? Mine can best be described as "seagull in flight, banking starboard (treble)". Think about it.

Riis
 
#11
I have all hartke cabs the aluminum ones I have 2 2/10 cabs and 1 4/10 cab.I usually always buy used gear(better deals) I love my Hartke cabs but I broke down and bought a new Hartke power head.I never really warmed up to that head I dont know why. It just seemed weak and not great sounding.I ditched the head I kept the cabs though and cant say enough good about them,I now use a G-K head and also an Ampeg head and then I have a Fender combo amp with a 15 spkr for blues oldies and church Maybe you should try a Hartke before you buy it to make sure it suits your needs,I have not heard anything bad about them but I am not hearing anything good either and am considering a new one
 
#13
I would agree, your rig is too small.

I havent played the amp in question but I did own an Eden Metro. By it self it sounded like a dream, when cranked with a loud rock badn even using an extension cab with the pushing maximum output it wouldnt keep up. I sold it and got a Mammoth Rig (Mesa Bass 400+, Mesa Powerhouse 4x10, Mesa Powerhouse 2x15, and a QSC RMX2450 pushing the 2x15 Cab. I woult turn her on and folks would look at me funny as stuff would start falling off the walls. :D

All that being said I would rule out checking my Bass and bypassing all pedals to make sure you didnt have other problems going on too.
 
#14
I'm going to chuck in my agreement here. A 2x10, loud and big room tend to be mutually exclusive. I gig with the Acme B2 - but I always use two. That fills every room I have ever played. One would be sufficient for a rehearsal or a small room but nothing more that that. Get yourself another 2x10 to go with your combo.

Paul
 
#15
Thanks for all the input, but I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. We had TONS of PA support, so the bass in the FOH sounded fine coming out of the DI on the combo. My beef was that with my rigs in the past I have not had any bass in the monitors because I had plenty of stage volume. With this combo even though i was less than ten feet in front of it, in order to hear myself I had to turn it to the point where it was distorting. That was my beef. I totally agree that a 210 without PA support would be inadaquite (sp?) for that situation.

BTW, we do not run the monitors hot at all. Just enough for vocals, kick drum and a little lead guitar on my side of the stage.

Robert
 
#16
It may not be the amp for you but I'd try a couple things like eq'ing in more mids, less bass. That may not be your idea of stellar tone but will help you hear yourself. And/or try sitting it on it's side of that works so the speakers are vertical, it'll will disperse the sound better and be a little closer to your ears instead of hitting you in the shins. Could maybe try kicking it back in front of you pointed back like your vocal monitor as it's not needed for FOH anyway. If you still can't get what you want out of it, it may indeed be time for a different amp or an extension cab.
 
#17
Play at a volume less than 5 and let the pa do the work ...

I never turn above 5 ... I play in the 2 - 4 range with an ampeg b2r 350 watts and 4 10s ... just enough for stage volume ... then the pa does the rest of the work ...
 
#18
I did an outdoor gig yesterday for at least 500 people and the bass player in the band that played before us had a Hartke 1/12 Kickback and it was loud enough and sounded really good. He had plenty of PA support, both monitor and FOH. Let the PA and even the monitors to the heavy lifting and baby your amp if you can. I would, however, consider getting an amp with more headroom.
 
#20
silvermaneZ said:
Thanks for all the input, but I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. We had TONS of PA support, so the bass in the FOH sounded fine coming out of the DI on the combo. My beef was that with my rigs in the past I have not had any bass in the monitors because I had plenty of stage volume. With this combo even though i was less than ten feet in front of it, in order to hear myself I had to turn it to the point where it was distorting. That was my beef. I totally agree that a 210 without PA support would be inadaquite (sp?) for that situation.

BTW, we do not run the monitors hot at all. Just enough for vocals, kick drum and a little lead guitar on my side of the stage.

Robert
Click to expand...

Agreed.

Very rarely do I ever run anything but Vocals in the Monitors. Maybe a little Kick Drum but the main reason I need monitors is for Vocals. To me there is enough instrument sound on stage the important thing to us is getting those 3 part hamonys on.

I allways make sure my rig is Big Enough to play outside with no PA (or no Bass in the PA).

I generally get the Drum sound first, then add the Bass Guitar on top of that, then let the Gitar Playes Crank their amps and put just a little Guitar in the PA, then Pump the Vocals out on top of everything. I start with getting thunder out of the Bass and Drums and then go from there. Like I said Monitors are for Vocals. Have on occasion set up a Bass Amp with a Bass Cab and ran the kick thorugh it for the Drummer a monitor.
 

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