| Author | Message | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 93 Registered: 5-2007 |
Do any of you use Hartke aluminium speakers? I played with one briefly fifteen years ago and loved it but never brought one. I am considering one now. | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1851 Registered: 2-2006 |
I used Hartke's for years, and LOVED them. BUT my cabs where Guild Hartke's. I think Samson distributes them now. I now use SWR but am looking to update my rig too. If I'm not mistaken the first 8x10 cab was made for Jaco. OO | ||
| keurosix
Advanced Member Username: keurosix Post Number: 315 Registered: 10-2005 |
You can have them. I never liked the sound. IMO it's too tinny and harsh. I have an SWR Goliath 4x10 with piezo tweet, and this too sounds too harsh for my ears, so I turn it way down. I love the sound I get from my AccuGroove ElWhappo with soft dome ferrofluid tweeters and 4 way cabinet design. The best of all worlds: full sound, deep bass even when tuned down to a low A! Very transparent sound so you can EQ with your preamp or bass and really hear the tonal differences. Handles 800 watts too. Sounds amazing with my SWR SM900 amp and SF-2! Only down side is the price, but Bass Central has the best deal there. Kris | ||
| briant
Intermediate Member Username: briant Post Number: 185 Registered: 12-2004 |
If there is one speaker/amp company that I just cannot get into at all it is Hartke. I do not like the tone from thier speakers (also feel they are tinny and harsh) and their amps sound very bland. Yuck. Right now I'm really in love with the sound from my Mesa Boogie combo amps (Venture 600 combo & Walkabout Scout combo). I also have an SWR Goliath III that I'll use from time to time with one of three preamps and a Stewart World 1.6 power amp. Preamp options: Ampeg SVP-CL, SWR Mini Mo', Aguilar DB680 | ||
| dfung60
Advanced Member Username: dfung60 Post Number: 337 Registered: 5-2002 |
I'm a Hartke lover. I don't play all that much any more, but my big cab is still the old Guild/Hartke 410 with a Mesa Bass 400+. For what it's worth, I think the aluminum speaker cone thing is mostly hype. On the old Guild cabs, the speaker cones are definitely lighter than paper cones would be, but they're so flexy/floppy that any claim of stiffness is a joke. For what it's worth, I do think the Samson/Hartkes (current stuff) do have slightly stiffer cones. I often hear people say that they think the sound is harsh, but I actually think it's the other direction - if anything, the Harkte is less trebly than most 4x10 cabinets. Less bassy too. I can't stand Goliaths - the horn is just too scratchy and annoying to me, but even with the horn turned off they seem brighter than my Hartke, not to mention being quite a bit larger and heavier. They do have much better bass as you get down to the low end. The big downside of the early Hartkes was that they have very low power capacity - I can't remember it off the top of my head, but I'm pretty sure the sticker on the back says 240 watts max. It doesn't get really loud, but for low- to mid- volumes it's got a great tone. David Fung | ||
| briant
Intermediate Member Username: briant Post Number: 186 Registered: 12-2004 |
I should add that I like the Goliath III but it isn't by any means my favorite cab. I've kept it around mostly as a rehearsal room cab. The tweeter is extremely harsh sounding which is why mine is turned all the way down (off). Generally speaking I don't care for tweeters in bass cabs. | ||
| harald_rost
Intermediate Member Username: harald_rost Post Number: 154 Registered: 6-2002 |
I play Eden cabs (410 xlt and 210 xlt) and love them. Definitely worth a try. BTW: I always have the tweeter at minimum. Harald Rost | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 374 Registered: 9-2002 |
Never got into them...always found they had too much top end/brightness.... Im a Bag End fan | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1853 Registered: 2-2006 |
I always got good bottom end response from my Hartkes. On my SWR, I run a 4x10 and 1x15 both with horns and I run the alomst 1/2 way. I get a very clean crisp sound but with thunderous bottom end. I will admit though running the tweeters up a little like I do will force you to clean up your playing. OO | ||
| funkyjazzjunky
Member Username: funkyjazzjunky Post Number: 94 Registered: 5-2007 |
Too bad Alembic does not make cabs | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1019 Registered: 2-2005 |
Never did like the Hartke aluminum for the same reasons as have been mentioned. Another Bag End user here. Keith | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 375 Registered: 9-2002 |
didnt Alembic have some kind of affiliation with bag end? (Message edited by glocke on May 30, 2008) | ||
| keith_h
Senior Member Username: keith_h Post Number: 1022 Registered: 2-2005 |
My understanding is Bag End licensed some of the technology for their ELF controllers at one time. Ron Wickersham was one of the designers of ELF. There might have been more to the relationship than that but I have never seen it discussed. Alembic did make speaker cabinets at one time. Today copies of those cabinets can be found at Hard Truckers. Keith | ||
| paulman
Advanced Member Username: paulman Post Number: 299 Registered: 2-2005 |
My bass player uses 4 B-52 18" folded horn subs with a Crown K2 for lows, with a dean markley 100W head into a Fender Bassman cab for the rest of the freqs. It's like a low end massage on stage sometimes. | ||
| briant
Intermediate Member Username: briant Post Number: 188 Registered: 12-2004 |
^^^holy damn. You must be playing some big venues if he's using a rig like that. | ||
| moonliner
New Username: moonliner Post Number: 10 Registered: 12-2004 |
We all have our personal tastes, but I can't stand them and specifically ask to never have them provided as part of my set up when touring without my own amp (which is Ashdown and Bag End.) | ||
| olieoliver
Senior Member Username: olieoliver Post Number: 1861 Registered: 2-2006 |
I don't care for the newer Hartke cabs either, in fact I haven't really cared for them since they parted ways with Guild. I have been looking at the Bag End and Epifani cabs. Just can't make my mind up yet. | ||
| tbrannon
Senior Member Username: tbrannon Post Number: 760 Registered: 11-2004 |
Since this has kind of derailed a bit I'll add in my favorite combinations.... Bag End w/ a GK head Bag End w/ an Eden head It always gives me a clean, warm sound- it sounds like it's a contradication, but the Bag End cabs take those clean, sterile heads and add *just* enough flavor..it works! | ||
| glocke
Advanced Member Username: glocke Post Number: 378 Registered: 9-2002 |
cant say it enough, Bag End rocks... |
