Jase Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Ello, Just been milling around bassmerchant.com and came across the Hartke LH500 [url="http://www.bassmerchant.com/item_detail.php?product_id=318&category_id=2#"]http://www.bassmerchant.com/item_detail.ph...;category_id=2#[/url] At the moment I'm using Hartke HA4000, which is a good amp, punchy and plenty of volume if needed, only thing is and it's not a complaint, the HA 4000 has an array of controls none of which I actually use to any major degree, most things are set flat, so here is where the LH500 comes in...it looks a lot simpler to use, just wondering if anybody has used/heard one and could somebody possibly explain: "Classic 12AX7 Class-A tube front-end design with a solid-state output." Jase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 I heard this amp at the London Guitar Show. I already own a Hartke 3500 and this amp sounded comparable (which is brilliant to my ear!). I think I'm in a similar boat to yourself as I don't use the graphic EQ on my amp at all, and just use the high/low contour controls for a slight tweak depending on the sound of the room. If I get back to gigging regularly then I'm definitely buying the LH500 as a backup. I'm sure the rep at the Show said the retail would be £250-£300. That quote you've put there basically means that it's a hybrid amp. The pre-amp contains a little 'cheap' pre-amp valve to simulate the sound of a valve amp, but it uses solid-state/'transister' power amp. The same trick used in my 3500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 [quote name='peted' post='226694' date='Jun 25 2008, 01:56 PM']I heard this amp at the London Guitar Show. I already own a Hartke 3500 and this amp sounded comparable (which is brilliant to my ear!). I think I'm in a similar boat to yourself as I don't use the graphic EQ on my amp at all, and just use the high/low contour controls for a slight tweak depending on the sound of the room. If I get back to gigging regularly then I'm definitely buying the LH500 as a backup. I'm sure the rep at the Show said the retail would be £250-£300. That quote you've put there basically means that it's a hybrid amp. The pre-amp contains a little 'cheap' pre-amp valve to simulate the sound of a valve amp, but it uses solid-state/'transister' power amp. The same trick used in my 3500.[/quote] Thanks peted, well if it's comparable to a 3500 then that'll do for me I've thought about the 3500 myself but it's back to the EQ etc, thing again...I'm just not going to get that much use out of it, I'm looking for the simple volume, bass, mid and treble and the LH500 seems to offer that at a good price. Thanks for explaining the valve simulation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 Just been onto the bassmerchant, they're expecting them in about 4 to 5 weeks...seriously considering selling a bass on to get one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 Well, I went with the HA3500 in the end, even though I wasn't to keen on an EQ....tried it last night and it's very good, didn't use much in the way of EQ, maybe a little midrange boost, that was about it. Being able to mix tube and SS was good too! One thing that puzzles me....it's so much more powerful than my HA4000...punchy, tight and clean....how does that happen, 350watts flooring 400watts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted July 14, 2008 Share Posted July 14, 2008 I suspect that the Hartke 3500 has a wildly logarithmic volume knob. I know that I gig at about 2/10 and if I REALLY need to make trousers flap then I turn it to 3/10. Bonkers volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted July 14, 2008 Author Share Posted July 14, 2008 The trouser flapping remark is quite true.....I used it on 3/10 and I'm sure my trousers were being hit by the sound You lost me on logarithmic????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 [quote name='Jase' post='239332' date='Jul 14 2008, 05:17 PM']The trouser flapping remark is quite true.....I used it on 3/10 and I'm sure my trousers were being hit by the sound You lost me on logarithmic?????[/quote] The two types of potentiometers (knobs) that I know of are Linear and Logarithmic. A Linear knob will have 10% volume at 1/10, 20% volume at 2/10, 30% volume at 3/10... up to 100% volume only when you reach 10/10 A Logarithmic knob will have a very large increase in volume to start with e.g. 30% at 1/10, 50% 2/20, 60% 3/10, 65% 4/10.. with 98% 9/10 and 100% 10/10 A linear graph A logarithmic curve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 [quote name='peted' post='239758' date='Jul 15 2008, 09:17 AM']The two types of potentiometers (knobs) that I know of are Linear and Logarithmic. A Linear knob will have 10% volume at 1/10, 20% volume at 2/10, 30% volume at 3/10... up to 100% volume only when you reach 10/10 A Logarithmic knob will have a very large increase in volume to start with e.g. 30% at 1/10, 50% 2/20, 60% 3/10, 65% 4/10.. with 98% 9/10 and 100% 10/10[/quote] Only if you've got the log pot connected the wrong way round (you can get antilog pots...) Hearing has logarithmic sensitivity, hence using a log pot to control volume. What this means is that you need ten times the power to double the perceived volume. So if you've got a 100W amp and turning it to 10 gives the full 100W, turning it to half-way will give 10W, and quarter way will be 3.something watts. If you use a linear pot as a volume control, you will hear a large increase at first and then less and less perceptible volume changes as the knob is turned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted July 15, 2008 Share Posted July 15, 2008 These new Hartke heads look like great designs for very affordable prices. I suspect the preamp is based on the classic Fender/Alembic/etc tone stack with all passive EQ where 'flat' is ~2, 10, 2 on bass, mid, treble. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted July 15, 2008 Author Share Posted July 15, 2008 [quote name='alexclaber' post='239827' date='Jul 15 2008, 09:52 AM']These new Hartke heads look like great designs for very affordable prices. I suspect the preamp is based on the classic Fender/Alembic/etc tone stack with all passive EQ where 'flat' is ~2, 10, 2 on bass, mid, treble. Alex[/quote] I heard the LH500 was kind of Alembic in tone....clean. ...and thanks chaps, I've never looked at volume knobs/pots in this way at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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