Author Topic: Hartke vs Ampeg (Read 275 times)

son_of_magni · « **on:** July 21, 2004, 07:39:24 AM »

I've been using a Hartke HA7000 for 6 months or so. It is a good amp, well layed out and with nice features. Tube preamp, adjustable crossover, etc. But I don't feel there is really anything special about it. I have an opportunity to pick up an Ampeg SVT-5 PRO for under $900. I was wondering what anyone might have to say about the svt-5 and whether this would be a good move.
SoM

oggydoggy · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2004, 12:07:18 PM »

Som,
At the moment I play a SVT2 Pro. which is all tube, and I love it. I tried out a 5-PRO when I was searching, and it had a great tone with plentiful, logistic features. Have you played the amp? I find the most important thing to feel comfortable with the sound of the amp you are plaing to enable yourself to Groove. Remember bass amps are very personabble products, play what you like not what the industry wants you to.
Finally just to clarify after my banter. I like the SVT-5 PRO sound.
Good Luck,
-Ed

son_of_magni · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2004, 05:21:29 PM »

I must say, I looked long and hard at the SVT-2. But I'm kind of hooked on bi-amping, and 70 lbs? Sheesh, what's it like to carry that thing up and down stairs

My guess is that the SVT-2 is pretty close to the perfect bass head, if only they made a stereo version, heh. But for now I think the 5 will be my best compromise. The Hartke will go back to where it came from (ebay)...
SoM

oggydoggy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2004, 06:00:09 PM »

SoM,
Yes it is heavy, but i must say, When you get it their it is worth it's weight in Gold. The Ampeg DI to the board is just wonderful. I get a very sweet tone just running throught a Trace 2x10 cab. Sounds better than my Sunn 300T with a Sunn 2x15 cab. I agree that for weight issues the 5-PRO is excellent, the mosfet powere section is definately nothing to turn your nose down at either.
Yes I wish the 2-PRO was stereo. But I do enjoy spliting my pick-ups between the 2-pro and Trace solid state amp. I think it is a wise choice to go withe 5-PRO. It has a very pleasing tone, I just went with the 2-PRO because that is what grabbed MY ear with the 75 SI i recently got.
Keep me posted on your purchase and let me know how the amp does at a gig.
Best Wishes,
-Ed

88persuader · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2004, 08:54:22 PM »

I went from a Hartke setup to a full Ampeg setup with an SVT Pro 5 head. The price you have sounds good. I LOVE my Ampeg set up ... leaps and bounds richer and more punchy than my Hartke. Don't get me wrong Hartke lovers ... Harte's are good rigs ... but for my money nothing can touch Ampeg and I love the SVT PRO 5 head.

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 08, 2004, 08:18:25 AM »

Hi guys,
At my last gig (July 24th) I had some very strange problems pop up with my Ampeg B-2R/DBX 166XL rig (The DBX comp/limiter was in the pre-out/poweramp-in jacks) during the first set. Very nasty level and frequency dependent crackling sound in the back line and on the Ampeg DI out (set for pre EQ). The back line was cleared up by removing the DBX from the chain, but the DI still showed problems all night (before third set, our soundman just miced the cab). Since then I haven't been able to make the Ampeg misbehave, but it might be a question of duration and volume.
All of this caused me to get off the schnide (translation = stop lollygaging) and buy a F-1X and a QSC RMX-1450. I 'm going to use this rig at a private party this next week as a biamp setup with my existing 8 ohm cabinets: a Crate B-115E for lows and a SWR Goliath III Jr. for mids/highs. My plans call for an Acme Low B-2 (4 ohm) to join the flock. When that happens, I'll run full range to the Low B-2.

Mike

mrfunkwool · « **Reply #6 on:** August 08, 2004, 01:40:29 PM »

Can't comment on the svt5,
for what its worth, I have an svt4 pro and I absolutely love it.
I bought it used and haven't had any problems.

As for the svt5... I'd sure like to play w/ one for awhile just to see how that overdrive channel and/or octave dial sound.

dean_m · « **Reply #7 on:** August 23, 2004, 09:28:52 AM »

Wow, I finally have time to comment on this. Here's my take on Hartke vs Ampeg. I'll try to be as un-biased as possible too.

I deal with this almost on a daily basis because when I'm doing in store trainings, most of the stores I visit carry both lines.
Bang for the buck, Hartke really does make some cool, cost effective stuff, and it does work really well.... most of the time. If you do have warranty issues with any of their gear though, it's a crap shoot on how long it'll take to fix it. I know this first hand from my retail store years. I used to cringe when I'd see a Hartke come in for warranty repair. If budget is an issue though, Hartke is a great way to go.

Ampeg on the other hand offers some great cost effective gear too, and you still get the Ampeg name and service. In my opinion, I prefer the Ampeg sound over anything. I've been using their stuff long before I joined the family too. I remember 15ears old, hauling an SVT and an 8x10 cab around Boston.
I've owned and played all of the above mentioned Ampeg gear too.
Jeff, the SVT 5 Pro is basically the same thing as a 4 Pro less 2 12AX7 in the preamp. Instead of having the graphic EQ though, it has a hot-rodded distortion and octaver in it's place. Plus the wattage is little less on the 5 Pro. 1000watts vs 1200watts. SoM, if you can grab a 5 Pro for under $900, DO IT if you haven't already.
Right now I'm using the B-5R, the solid state version of the 5Pro with two of the 2x10 PortaBass cabs for portability reasons. My big rig is still the all tube SVT with an 8x10 cab though.

Mike, have you contacted anyone at Ampeg regarding your issue? I'm not sure if using your DBX on the Pre-out/Power-in is a good idea. By doing that, you're disabling the preamp of the B-2 and inserting the DBX in it's place. Then coming pre-out, sending the signal back into the DBX.

Let me know, or like you said, just go with an F-1X and solve all your problems.

Peace,
Dino

dadabass2001 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 23, 2004, 10:57:10 AM »

Thanks Dino,
It's really good to see you back and posting. I tested the B-2R at home briefly (a moderate level test) and had no problems. Then our soundguy found part of the problem was a bad cable on a drum mic reacting to bass vibration (la-de-dah good vibrations....) But I had already pulled the trigger...
Yes, I went for the F-1X and a QSC RMS 1450 amp with my current cabs running in biamp (lows to the Crate 115E, mids & highs to the SWR Goliath III Jr). I've used this set-up 3 times in two weeks and it sounds very sweet and full. My next goal is to reduce the rig for smaller venues by using an Acme lowB2 with the QSC in mono. I'm hoping one of our brothers here in the deep end will have a used one for sale (nudge,nudge).
I've loved Ampeg since the 70s when I had (and sold - Drat!) an original Poratbass with the flip-top head, and a SBT (remember the ads for the Rolling Stones) which I still have and which is used only for practice. The SBT had a transistor preamp head and 1 or 2 (I had only one) cabinets with a 120 watt power amp and 2 Altec Lansing 421A 15 in each cab.
Mike (so now I've got 6 rigs/set-ups)

son_of_magni · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2004, 04:10:33 PM »

Hey Dino, good to hear from you again. Where are you playing these days?

I did buy the SVT5 but the controls (pots) were crap and the thing had a lot of hiss, even with all the levels at zero. I returned it for a refund (barely).

The way things ended up I'm playing through an Eden preamp, bi-amping into a Bass 400+ into SWR 4x10 for the highs and a Hartke HA7000 into 1x18 for the lows. I hope I run into a guitar player that wants to try to drown me out! I can probably blow windows out with this rig.

I may switch to my Trace Elliot for the lows and sell the HA7000...
SoM

willie · « **Reply #10 on:** September 03, 2004, 11:29:59 AM »

Son Of Mangi
Since you already are using a pre-amp wouldn't it be better to run the high & low outputs to a PA style stereo power amp then to respective cabinets. The output of the Eden may overload the input stages of the Bass 400 & Hartke since they have their own pre-amp stages. I use an F1-X & if bi-amping the low output goes to a Crown PB 3 Power amp (1500 watts in bridge mono@ 4 ohms ) then to 2 1X15 cabs & high out of F1-X to another Crown PB 3 amp then to 2 Eden 4x10's. I used to have a Hartke 7000 & 2 XL 1X15 & 2 XL 4X10's. Sold em. The Alembic pre-amp into a large PA style amp & the Eden cabs KICKS @#%$&. You may want to try using a power amp with the Eden & eliminate the Hartke & Bass 400, simpler setup & great sound. Let me know what you think.

son_of_magni · « **Reply #11 on:** September 03, 2004, 06:37:05 PM »

I'm running the outputs of the Eden into the effects returns of the two amps, so I think the levels are pretty well matched. But I'd love to trade my SWR Goliath II for an Eden 410, the 4 ohm front ported one. The SWR is nice cab though.

Your suggestion is logical but eliminate the bass 400+? Hey my practice room gets cold in the winter! No really, I want to maintain the tube sound but also have the option of boosting the power by filling in the bottom with another amp. I switched to the Trace Elliot for the bottom and it sounds nice.

But don't get me wrong, I think the Eden or the F1-X into the Crowns would kick a$$.