HARTKE LX8500

800-watt Lightweight Bass Head with Tube Preamp

Features

• 800 watts of continuous power @ 4 ohms
• Class D bass amplifier that weighs 8.5lb
• 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 (compatible with Speakon® connectors)
• 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

The LX8500 is a compact 800-watt amp built for the big gig. Slim and remarkably rugged, the LX8500 delivers the thump, growl, and bite you expect from your favorite amp without the backbreaking setup. Weighing in at just 8.5 pounds, this amp features a responsive 12AX7 tube-driven preamp for plenty of warmth and bass richness, backed by 800 watts of true continuous power.

Sculpt Your Tone

The LX8500's Tone Stack EQ section is designed to capture the character of the bass guitar as soon as you plug it in. It features traditional treble and bass knobs, as well as a footswitch-selectable mid-frequency filter knob and a shape knob that controls the depth of the filter. The Brite button can be selected to boost high frequencies to bring out the top end of the bass and emphasize natural harmonic overtones.

Total Control

The LX8500 offers essential onboard effects designed to enhance your playing and add additional options to your tonal arsenal. An all-new integrated Drive control can be used to add a touch of grit or throttled for an authentic fuzz tone, and is selectable via a footswitch. A variable Compressor knob can be used to smooth transients, add punch and presence to your attack, and balance dynamics for players using slapping, tapping, and thumb picking techniques.

Gig-Ready Design

The LX8500 is the ideal amplifier for stage, studio and rehearsal space, offering all the essential connections and features in a single compact and lightweight package. An XLR direct output with pre and post EQ selection allows direct connection to a PA or recording console. A 1/8" headphone output allows for quiet practice sessions, while a 1/8" auxiliary input can be used to connect phones or MP3 players. An effects loop with send and return connections can be used with your favorite time-based effects as well as the onboard 1/4" tuner output. The LX8500 has two TRS footswitch inputs to control Drive, Effects Loop, Brite, and Frequency parameters.

Specifications

Continuous Average Output Power: 800 watts @ 4 ohms, 525 watts @ 8 ohms

Preamp: Class A, with 12AX7 Low Noise High-Mu Twin Triode

Input: >1MΩ unbalanced

Compressor Ratio: Fixed 2:1

Compressor Threshold: Off to -30dBu to Input

Mute: >80dB (100dB typical) at Direct Output & Speaker Output

Brite Switch: 10kHz, +8dB Gain @ 2 o’clock; +5dB Gain @ min

Bass Knob: +8/-14dB @ 80Hz relative to 12 o’clock

Shape Knob: +11/-3dB relative to 12 o’clock

Frequency Knob: 200Hz-800Hz

Treble Knob: +5/-20dB @ 6kHz relative to 12 o’clock

FX Loop Send: 200Ω impedance balanced

FX Loop Return: 20kΩ balanced, 5.5dBu for Rated Output Power

Tuner Output: 100Ω unbalanced

Direct Output: 210Ω balanced

Stereo Aux Input: 3kΩ unbalanced, -10dBV

Headphones: 80mW max @ 32Ω

Dimensions: 14” x 12” x 3” / 355mm x 300mm x 73mm

Weight: 8.5lb / 3.85kg