From: ama@marley.East.Sun.COM (Al Amaral - SunSelect)
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.bass
Subject: Re: Are Hartke Speakers "Delicate"?
Date: 25 Jan 1993 19:35:00 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc. - BDC
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: marley.east.sun.com

In article <1k0vmfINNrg5@meaddata.meaddata.com> georged@meaddata.com (George Dibos) writes:
>Greetings net.  My amp/speaker search is winding down, and I will
>probably purchase something this coming weekend.  Thanx again for
>the numerous posts and E-mailings which have helped tremendously.
>
>But I keep hearing intriguing things about Hartke cabs...   Midwest
>Music in Cincinnati says that they won't carry them because although
>they sound *great*, they're extremely easy to fry because of their
>(relatively) low power-handling capability.  And they don't want/need
>the hassle.  

I have a Hartke 4x10 and a matching home made 1x15 with a EV driver.
These are being driven by a vintage 300 watt SVT.  The Hartke is rated 
at 240 watts, the EV at 150.  I've had no problems with either cab,
although I rarely push the loudness envelope, as they say...
I've even run the 4x10 alone at times, without any problems, although
I do watch the volume carefully in these cases.

I paid $300 for the 4x10 used, which was a STEAL, I must admit.  It
just needed to be cleaned up a little.  I paid next to nothing for the 
SVT used, which was in perfect condition.  The guy didn't use it so wanted
to get rid of it.  He also thought it would have to be completely re-tubed 
as it sounded really bad.  All it really needed was a couple of preamp tubes 
and to have the bias adjusted and it sounds just fine (although I should 
probably replace those half dozen 6550s sometime, OUCH!).

I'll tell you, I've bought all my amps and cabinets used, and have never
had a problem when I bought quality stuff which was well cared for.  You 
just have to know what you're buying.  I'd never pay the prices for new 
amps.  Back in the 70's I used to have wet dreams about owning an SVT, but
couldn't justify the $2400 that they were asking.  Now I own one that's
almost like new, for 10% of the original price.  Same with the 4x10.
I couldn't justify the grand or so list price, and didn't want to buy the
cheaper transporter series, so I scoured the WantAds every week till I
found what I wanted.

>Careful, cynical, and suspicious I definitely am regarding "things
>sellers say", so,

I NEVER listen to negatives that salespeople have to say about equipment 
that they don't sell, and notice how they rarely have any negatives about
their own equipment.  When was the last time you heard a salesman say "Gee,
this "Flurple" I sell is a good piece of equipment, but that "Barnsnerf" that
the guy up the street sells, now that's what you REALLY ought to buy!"?
When was the last time you heard a salesman say "Oh, ya, we carry those
"Mumbledorfs", but I won't sell one to you, they are such junk".  It's 
just not in their best interest to tell you that equipment that they 
can't sell you is as good or better than what they have.  It's their jobs 
to sell their equipment, not to give honest candid advice on what's best 
in the industry.

Find someone who sells Hartke and talk to them.  Call the Hartke distributor
and ask for information.  Find out for yourself, but don't take the word
of the salesman at Midwest Music.  I'll bet that if they started selling 
Hartke then Hartke would suddenly become the best thing since sliced bread...

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------
Al Amaral				Al.Amaral@East.Sun.COM
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.bass