The Hydrive series is new line up of 250-watt bass combo amplifiers featuring Hartke’s Hydrive hybrid cone bass transducers. Hydrive transducers are a radical change, and improvement, in bass speaker technology. Hartke’s unique hybrid cone speaker is constructed using an outside paper cone producing deep and warm low frequencies and an inside aluminum cone that produces mids that cut, yet are still sweet. Hydrive speakers incorporate a cast frame design, supporting robust motors constructed with large voice coils and neodymium magnets providing increased power handling while being lightweight!
To complete the speakers systems, there’s a 1-inch titanium compression driver with level control, producing the high frequency response that allows you to get a sweet tone that cuts through the backline. All of the Hydrive combos feature 250 watts of true, clean, robust linear power. The beefy power supply features a massive toroidal transformer and oversize filter caps. Plus, there’s internal protection circuitry to help protect the amplifier and speaker during power up and power down. The Hydrive combos’ front panel features a unique and powerful complement of signal processing and tone shaping controls. The Hydrive’s input has been designed to handle the output signal from virtually any bass - passive basses with low output pickups, to active basses powered by dual car batteries will work fine.
Next to the input is a variable Compressor control that allows you to squeeze the signal just a little or quite a bit. You can use the Compressor to help keep the signal clean or to dial up a sound. The Hartke Shape control adds a pre-set equalization curve with a slight lift in the low frequencies, a cut in the mids and then a slight lift again in the highs. The Shape circuit has a backlit on/off switch to engage the Shape EQ circuit. As you turn the Frequency control, you are adjusting the center frequency so the entire contour curve is adjusted. For added control on stage, the Shape circuit can be controlled using the optional Hartke FS2 footswitch.
The Hydrive combos also feature Hartke’s Bass Attack Overdrive. The Bass Attack Overdrive section has three controls: Harmonics which is used to set the amount of drive; Brite- to add highs that additionally excite the harmonics; Mix- that blends the overdrive and the clean signal. You can add just a touch, which is almost unnoticeable (until you turn it off), a modern overdrive, or you can even dial up a creamy fuzz tone. On stage, the Overdrive circuit can be controlled using the optional Hartke FS2 footswitch. For expanded tonal control, the Hydrive combos feature a 7-band graphic EQ with, +/- 12 db cut and boost allowing you to contour a tone that’s perfect for your sound.
Finally, the Bass and Treble controls (with Bass providing a low frequency shelving EQ at 100 Hz and Treble, a high frequency shelving EQ at 8 kHz). The Hydrive cabinets are constructed using high quality plywood with extensive bracing and dado joinery, which makes them rigid and at the same time lightweight. The vinyl covering, steel grill and corners provide added protection while moving the amplifier from gig to gig. The road tough, black and chrome biker look says you're ready to rock! And of course, the Hydrive combos feature the world famous, and the original, Kickback design allowing you to project the sound directly at yourself while on stage. Hydrive combos are super clean and natural with enough tone and signal processing to produce a radical range of sounds. That versatility, together with Hartke’s famous reliability, make the Hydrive combos the ideal amp for bassists playing jazz, funk, country, roots rock, death metal or for whatever style you create.
One of the most important advances with the HyDrive speaker is its power-to-weight ratio. A HyDrive speaker weighs 40% less than traditional speakers and delivers 250 watts for the highest power-to-weight ratio of any bass speaker available. But the innovation runs even deeper. Because of its cast aluminum frame and neodymium magnets, HyDrive speakers operate cooler and deliver more reliable power handling at peak performance.
As Hartke's engineers were designing the HyDrive series of combos, they tested them with Hartke artist Stu Hamm, a consummate performer in every genre. The result is a remarkable series of combos that give players all the power they need with more features and less weight, thanks to their patented HyDrive speakers.
Learn more about HyDrive Cabinets and Combos, check out whyhydrive.com here.
Features
1 x 12-inch 300 watt HyDrive neodymium hybrid cone driver
250 watts of power
1-inch titanium compression driver
World-famous Hartke Shape EQ
7-band graphic EQ
Bass and treble contour controls
Variable compressor with LED indicator
Hartke Bass Attack Overdrive
XLR balanced direct output
Effects loop
RCA CD input
Footswitch jack (Shape and Bass Attack)
Solid plywood cabinet construction with durable vinyl covering
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