I have acquired a Hartke HA2500 bass amp.
It sounds great in my garage through some cabs.
Could I use it on its own in my studio via the direct out on the back without any speakers connected?
If so,I take it it could go direct into my computer set up without a DI box?
Thanks
Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
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For all tech discussions relating to Guitars, Basses, Amps, Pedals & Guitar Accessories.
For all tech discussions relating to Guitars, Basses, Amps, Pedals & Guitar Accessories.
Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
Strange manual. The front and rear panel drawings don’t show a DI output, but the block schematic does and it’s in the specification list.
According to the schematic, the DI is positioned just before the master volume control, so you could leave the speaker(s) attached and turn the master volume right down.
Most solid state devices are happy to be used without speakers attached, but it does depend on the circuit used. Ef37a will say that they can sometimes go into oscillation and burn out, but it’s nothing I’ve ever cone across.
According to the schematic, the DI is positioned just before the master volume control, so you could leave the speaker(s) attached and turn the master volume right down.
Most solid state devices are happy to be used without speakers attached, but it does depend on the circuit used. Ef37a will say that they can sometimes go into oscillation and burn out, but it’s nothing I’ve ever cone across.
Last edited by Wonks on Fri May 23, 2025 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reliably fallible.
Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
Weird that they omitted the DI out from the rear panel drawing... but it definitely exists:
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- Hugh Robjohns
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(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
Not an snwer to your query, but this is why I love my little Ampeg PF20T bass head - it can run safely without a speaker cab attached, giving me a massive posh all-valve DI box for bass and other stuff.
I foolishly sold my first one, and just bought another, and this one's staying!
It also sounds very sweet through the little Ampeg 1x12 cab I have with it.
I foolishly sold my first one, and just bought another, and this one's staying!
It also sounds very sweet through the little Ampeg 1x12 cab I have with it.
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- Aled Hughes
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Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
Can you justify a little 1 x 12" (or even a 1 X 10") like Aled's? I find practicing in the studio much nicer through 'proper' speakers and have a little Warwick 1 x 12" combo which I record using the DI but monitor through the speaker.
Like Wonks I've never (knowingly) blown up a tranny amp through running it without speakers connected (though I've blown a couple up with the speakers connected
) so with the master turned right down I think you'll be fine.
Like Wonks I've never (knowingly) blown up a tranny amp through running it without speakers connected (though I've blown a couple up with the speakers connected
) so with the master turned right down I think you'll be fine.
Last edited by Sam Spoons on Fri May 23, 2025 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Sam Spoons
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Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
The amp's own protection system disconnects the speaker(s) if there's a problem, so the amp is clearly quite happy and stable with no load.
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- Hugh Robjohns
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Posts: 43692 Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2003 12:00 am
Location: Worcestershire, UK
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Technical Editor, Sound On Sound...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
(But generally posting my own personal views and not necessarily those of SOS, the company or the magazine!)
In my world, things get less strange when I read the manual...
Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
Hugh and Wonks are almost certainly right but it happened to me!
I am sure people will get away without a load on a transistor amp 99.99% of the time but where an amp is being run permanently in such a way surely it makes sense to put one of these https://store.brightcomponents.co.uk/pr ... w-8r-100w/ in a tin?
The absence of a load in the hi fi/studio world is probably harmless because the amplifiers are rarely if ever driven into hard clipping. This is a regular occurrence for guitar amps. Not so much for bass but. 'it'appen.
The other no-no for solid state amps is big transformers. These have a very low winding resistance and so even a small output offset voltage results in a steady current which can lead to thermal runaway.
Dave.
I am sure people will get away without a load on a transistor amp 99.99% of the time but where an amp is being run permanently in such a way surely it makes sense to put one of these https://store.brightcomponents.co.uk/pr ... w-8r-100w/ in a tin?
The absence of a load in the hi fi/studio world is probably harmless because the amplifiers are rarely if ever driven into hard clipping. This is a regular occurrence for guitar amps. Not so much for bass but. 'it'appen.
The other no-no for solid state amps is big transformers. These have a very low winding resistance and so even a small output offset voltage results in a steady current which can lead to thermal runaway.
Dave.
Re: Hartke HA2500 Bass Amp
As others have said it will almost certainly be fine without a cab attached for the purposes of getting a DI signal out.
However, for bass guitars the cab(s) have a significant influence on the sound that your hear, I would say that for a bass rig without a valve power stage the cabs contribute about 50% towards the sound that you hear, and therefore without them your bass will not sound the same. In this case it will come down to how much you like the sound of just the pre-amp tone shaping circuitry and what processing you intend to apply post recording.
However, for bass guitars the cab(s) have a significant influence on the sound that your hear, I would say that for a bass rig without a valve power stage the cabs contribute about 50% towards the sound that you hear, and therefore without them your bass will not sound the same. In this case it will come down to how much you like the sound of just the pre-amp tone shaping circuitry and what processing you intend to apply post recording.
