Loud and Light LX Series Hartke Bass Amps at NAMM 2020

Hartke LX series two new Hartke bass amps the LX5500 with 500W or the LX 8500 with 800W (each at 4 ohms) have been shown by Victor Wooten himself at the NAMM 2020 Show. The heads have class-A Tube-driven preamp in which a 12AX7 tube does its work. The extremely low weight of just 4 kg is achieved by using a Class D power amplifier.

The EQ section includes controls for bass, treble, and a mid-filter potentiometer with its own shape control is available for the mids. The user also has quick access to the sound thanks to a bright button (useful for slap or tapping sounds or old strings!) And a drive control, with which you can switch from a clean to a distorted or even to a lightning-fast violently distorted sound.

On-board compressor curbs dynamic peaks, and also with regard to the connections, the LX bass amplifiers have pretty much everything you’d expect from a modern best bass amp. Of course, there is a tuner output and an AUX input for silent practice on MP3s at home, effects can be looped in via an FX loop, and the bass signal can be tapped via DI-XLR output either before or after the EQ.

Hartke Bass Amps Features

• 500/800 watts of continuous power at 4 ohms
• Class D bass amplifier that weighs 8lb (LX5500) / 8.5lb (LX8500)
• Classic 12AX7 Class A tube preamp circuitry
• Tone stack EQ with Bass, Treble, Shape and Frequency controls
• Brite button for top-end presence
• Drive circuit for added distortion effect
• Compressor knob controls bass dynamics
• 1/4″ input jack compatible with active and passive instruments
• 1/4″ and twist-and-lock speaker jacks
• 1/4″ Effects Send and Return jacks
• 1/8″ Aux input
• 1/8″ Headphone output
• 1/4″ Tuner Output
• Balanced XLR direct output with pre/post switch
• Output Mute switch
• 2 x TRS footswitch jacks for Drive, Effects Loop, Bite and Frequency parameters (LX8500)

Price and Availability

• Hartke LX5500 500W Bass Amp – $449.99
• Hartke LX8500 800W Bass Amp – $599.99