Hartke HyDrive 112C

I bought this bass amp when looking for a portable but punchy combo for playing small gigs. At that time I worked playing in a Disco covers band in small, medium and sometimes big venues (weddings and graduation ceremonies) and I loved the sound, power and definition it has. I run my Fender 60's Jazz Bass through it and with some compression, EQ and balance I can get a powerful tone, rich in basses but with clear articulation and definition of the high and mid end. I was also impressed with its versatility; the possibilities of tone shaping are endless.
The Hartke 122c features:
-1 x 12-Inch 300 watt HyDrive neodymium hybrid cone driver
-250 watts of power, 1-Inch titanium compression driver, EQ, 7-band graphic EQ, Bass and treble controls,
compressor with LED indicator,overdrive, and an XLR balanced direct output, which is very useful when playing in large venues, however I hardly used it. The XLR output of mine doesn't sound that good when recording, it's ok for demos, but in studio I wouldn't use it.
-The amp also features harmonics, brite and mix FX controls.


UTILIZATION

I found this amp to be very reliable in any situation; no matter the size of the venue I could feel the punch of the bass but at the same time the clarity of the bassline. Sometimes the bass amp would be my only monitor and even like that I could hear myself easily. It's also very resistant and solid built, heavy but not too much; it fits in any car and it's easy to carry. The manual is clear and sufficient, the amp comes also with images of different EQ, compressor, and tone settings for styles like rock, slap, motown, etc. You can also lean it backwards to get a wider sound, I found this pretty practical when using the amp as a monitor.

SOUNDS

My Fender Jazz Bass sounds great trough it. This bass is very versatile and the Hartke 112C captures that perfectly and allows me to get the vintage tone, warmth and brightness I like. Thanks to the compressor and EQ you don't need external pedals to make your bass sound good, all the notes and articulations sound even and solid. Even when playing with a pick and with muted strings the punch is not lost. When I want an aggressive tone I set the treble around 3/4 and the strings will sound harsh and bright. Or if I want a warmer, deeper tone, I set the treble around 1/3 and cut some of the high frequencies on the EQ. The only negative thing that I have found with this amp is that it hums when you turn the treble knob too high.My bass makes a lot of noise too, so the additional buzz of the amp makes it even more noticeable. Fortunately thanks to the EQ almost all of this buzz can be eliminated. This is why I find this combo great for live performances but not for studio usage.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like the most about this amp is the power it gives you and how easy is to shape a specific tone. Also the compressor controls and FX help you achieve a more consistent sound right out. While I am also fond of Ampeg combos too (because they just make the Jazz Bass shine) I'm very happy with this amp and it has worked perfectly for me during live performances, rehearsals and practice. I'd qualify it as a very complete amp. Punch, versatility, definition, warmth, brightness, it has everything I need. Would buy again if I had to but I also would like to get an Ampeg too, both are great choices for the price. In conclusion:

Pros
-Punch
-Great tone
-Versatility
-Good warmth
-Best for live performances, rehearsals and jamming.

Cons
-Some noise when playing with lots of treble.
-Not great for studio recording, unless its recorded with microphones.

I've owned the rest of the line, I started with the 1x15, got the 4x10, so I figured 'Hey life is short, I'll try the 1x12'

Hartke's Hydrive technology takes their famous aluminum cone and fuses it with a hybrid half aluminum, half paper cone to offer you a loud, warm and clean bass speaker.

I've been dogging my local music shop about these since I heard about them at the NAMM show. Finally I got in the car and drove to the nearest Sam Ash in NJ. They had 2 instock, I left with one for $399 and am saving for a second one.

Very portable. The cabinet only weighs 30 pounds. The 1x12 Hydrive speaker puts out 300 watts.

I do like that the cab is finished in tolex instead of that annoying fuzzy carpet the will get ruined in 6 minutes if you have a cat, but the tolex is thin and can get beat up easily. I'd suggest a cover or throwing a t-shirt over it when not in use.

A unique feature about this cab which I have never seen on a single speaker cab before; it can be ran at 4 or 8 ohms. This really helps you get the extra juice out of a lower powered bass amp. Unlike 4 ohm cabs that can rarely be used with other cabs, get another cab and just flip the switch back to 8ohms.

A great portable cab for those medium sized gigs. The setup really thumps when you add a second 112 cab.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com