Hartke 3500, 2000 User Manual

BASS AMPLIFIER

Hartke Systems

2000/3500

Introduction 3
Features 4
Guided Tour 5

Model 2000 Front Panel 5
Model 2000 Rear Panel 7
Model 3500 Front Panel 9
Model 3500 Rear Panel 11

Setting Up and Using the Model 2000/3500 13
About Equalization 15
About Compression 17
Appendix A: Impedance vs. Expected Power 18
Appendix B: Block Diagram 19
Appendix C:

Changing the Model 2000/3500 Voltage 20
Specifications 21

Introduction

3

Congratulations on purchasing the Hartke Systems Model 2000/3500 Bass
Amplifier! Although these units are designed for easy operation, we suggest you
first take some time to go through these pages so you can fully understand how
we’ve implemented a number of unique features.

The two models covered by this manual differ in the following ways:

• The Model 2000 provides 200 watts of power (into 4 ohms), while the Model
3500 provides 350 watts of power (into 4 ohms).

• The Model 3500 offers a number of additional advanced features, including
front-panel compression and graphic equalizer LED indicators, effects send
and return jacks, an effects send/return balance knob, and a direct output
with ground lift and pre or post EQ selection.

Both models are optimized for use with electric bass instruments, and the front
panel controls in both models are virtually identical. You’ll find either to be an
excellent bass amplifier for live performance use in small and medium-size
venues; in addition, the Model 3500’s advanced features makes it ideal for use
in recording environments.

In these pages, you’ll find a detailed description of the many features of the
Model 2000/3500 Bass Amplifiers, as well as a guided tour through their front
and rear panels, step-by-step instructions for setting up and using each product,
detailed discussions about equalization and compression, and full specifications.
You’ll also find a warranty card enclosed—please don’t forget to fill it out and
mail it so that you can receive online technical support and so we can send you
updated information about these and other Hartke and Samson products in the
future.

SPECIAL NOTE: Should your unit ever require servicing, a

Return

Authorization

number (RA) is necessary. Without this number, the unit will not
be accepted. Please call Samson Technologies at [phone] for a Return
Authorization number prior to shipping your unit. Please retain the original pack­ing material and, if possible, return the unit in its original carton and packing
materials.

4

Features

The Hartke Systems Model 2000/3500 Bass Amplifiers offer all the newest
concepts in bass amplification. Here are some of their main features:

• Power to spare—in the case of the Model 2000, 200 watts into 4 ohms, and,
in the case of the Model 3500, a full 350 watts into 4 ohms.

• Our unique Transient Attack® circuitry which ensures that every nuance of
your bass performance is reproduced faithfully.

• Two Pre-Amp input knobs, allowing custom blending of tube and solid state
sounds.

• Ten bands of high-quality graphic equalization, allowing you to create a
broad range of tonal colors for your bass instrument. A dedicated in/out but­ton allows you to preset an equalization curve.

• Two fully adjustable contour knobs (high pass and low pass), which provide
further control over shaping your bass sound.

• A built-in compressor which not only adds real “punch” to your bass sound,
but also allows you to smooth out volume differences between notes.

• Two independent inputs that accommodate both passive and active bass
guitars.

• Protection relay circuitry that protects connected speakers from dangerous
overloading and also prevents “thumps” when powering on or off.

• Effect loop send and return jacks that allow you to connect to professional
outboard effects processors.

• In the Model 3500, an effect Balance knob which enables you to adjust the
relative amount of Send (“dry”) versus Return (“wet”) effect signal being
routed to the speaker outputs.

• In the Model 3500, an electronically balanced direct output that provides a
means of routing signal to professional mixing consoles in both live perfor­mance and recording environments. A ground loop switch helps prevent
hum or buzz from entering the signal, and a pre/post switch allows the direct
signal to be derived either before or after the amp EQ section.

• In the Model 3500, LEDs that show you the settings of the graphic equalizer
in low-light environments as well as a two-color LED that continuously
shows the status of the compression circuitry in response to your playing.

• In the Model 2000, a high pass filter on/off switch that enables connected
speakers to be protected from subsonic frequency input.

• Rugged construction makes both the Model 2000 and Model 3500 eminently
road-worthy.

5

Guided Tour - Model 2000 Front Panel

1. Passive Input jack - If your bass guitar has passive circuitry, connect it to the
Model 2000 here. This standard 1/4” unbalanced jack provides a high impedance
(100 k Ohms) input sensitivity of 20 millivolts.

2. Active Input jack - If your bass guitar has active circuitry,* connect it to the
Model 2000 here. This standard 1/4” unbalanced jack provides a high impedance
(100 k Ohms) input sensitivity of 60 millivolts.

3. Pre-Amp A (Tube) control - This determines the amount of preamplification
being provided by special circuitry which simulates the sound of a classic tube
amplifier (this circuitry actually includes a real tube!). Note that when both Pre­Amp knobs are used at equal settings, the amplifier will be twice as loud as when
only one is used. Avoid setting both Pre-Amp knobs on maximum (“10”), since
the result will almost always be undesirable distortion.

4. Pre-Amp B (Solid State) control - This determines the amount of preamplifi­cation being provided by special circuitry which simulates the sound of a solid
state amplifier. Note that when both Pre-Amp knobs are used at equal settings,
the amplifier will be twice as loud as when only one is used. Avoid setting both
Pre-Amp knobs on maximum (“10”), since the result will almost always be
undesirable distortion.

* Bass guitars that have active circuitry normally require a battery for the
circuitry to be functional.

3 4

1

MODEL 2000 BASS AMPLIFIER 200 WATTS

INPUT PRE AMP CONTOUR MASTER

PASSIVE

ACTIVE

AB

5

6

4

4

3

3

7

2

2

8

1

1

9

0

0

10

TUBE SOLID STATE

5

6

7

3

8

2

1

9

0

10

COMPRESSION

6

5

7

8

9

Hartke Systems

GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

5

4

+15

6

IN

7

0

8

9

∞

OUT

-15

8KHz

5KHz3KHz2KHz1KHz500Hz250Hz125Hz64Hz30Hz

+15
+12

+9

3

+6
+3

5

+2

0

10

-2

15

-3

-6

-18

-9

-12

-15

LOW PASS HIGH PASS

8KHz

5KHz3KHz2KHz1KHz500Hz250Hz125Hz64Hz30Hz

0

0

3

3

3

5

5

5

10

10

15

15

15

-18

+18

+18

2

10

11



Transient Attack

5

6

4

3

7

2

1

0

VOLUME

8

9

10

10



o

POWER

12

6

Guided Tour - Model 2000 Front Panel

5. Compression control - This determines the amount of compression (peak
signal reduction) by simultaneously adjusting both threshold and compression
ratio (which ranges from 2:1 to infinity [limiting]). At the fully counterclockwise
“Off” position, the circuitry is bypassed and no compression is applied (the knob
clicks when set to the “Off” position). As the knob is raised clockwise (at settings
from “1” to “∞”) increasing amounts of compression are applied. For more
information, see the “About Compression” section on page 15 of this manual.

6. Graphic Equalizer In/Out switch - When pressed in (the “In” position), the
Model 2000’s graphic equalizer circuitry (as described in #7 below) is
operational. When pressed out (the “Out” position), it is bypassed. The
provision of this switch allows you to set up a custom equalization curve (an
equalization “preset”) with the graphic EQ sliders, which can then be activated
with the press of a single button.

7. Graphic Equalizer - These sliders allow you to “draw” the tonal response of
the system by adding 15 dB of boost or attenuation to ten different narrow-band
frequency areas (30 Hz, 64 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 3 kHz,
5 kHz, and 8 kHz), affecting the main output signal of the Model 2000. When a
slider is at its center detented (“0”) position, the selected frequency area is
unaffected (it is said to be

flat). When a slider is moved up (above the “0”
position, towards the “+15” position), the selected frequency area is boosted, and
when it is moved down (below the “0” position, towards the “-15” position), the
selected frequency area is attenuated. For more information, see the “About
Equalization” section on pages 13 - 14 of this manual.

8. Contour Low Pass control - This acts as a broad-band low frequency
equalizer, providing 18 dB of boost or attenuation at 100 Hz. You should
generally adjust this control (and the Contour High Pass control, described in #9
below) prior to “fine-tuning” the system with the graphic equalizer (as described
in #7 above). For more information, see the “About Equalization” section on
pages 13 - 14 of this manual.

9. Contour High Pass control - This acts as a broad-band high frequency
equalizer, providing 18 dB of boost or attenuation at 10 kHz. You should
generally adjust this control (and the Contour Low Pass control, described in #8
above) prior to “fine-tuning” the system with the graphic equalizer (as described
in #7 above). For more information, see the “About Equalization” section on
pages 13 - 14 of this manual.

10. Master Volume control - This is the overall volume control. For best
signal-to-noise ratio, keep the output of your bass at or near maximum and
adjust the amp’s Master Volume to the desired level.

11. Power LED - Lights whenever the Model 2000 is powered on.

12. Power switch - Use this to power the Model 2000 on or off.

7

Guided Tour - Model 2000 Rear Panel

1. Fuse sled - This contains a fuse holder and shows the currently selected volt­age rating for your Model 2000. Make sure the voltage rating is correctly set
before powering up the amplifier! Fuse ratings are 5 amp for 115 VAC and

2.5 amp for 230 VAC. For information on how to change the voltage rating, see
Appendix C on page 18.

2. AC input - Connect the supplied standard 3-pin “EEC” plug here.

3. Fan - The fan provides vital cooling to your Model 2000. Make sure that it is

kept free of all obstructions and that cool, fresh air is accessible at all times.
Also, try to ensure that the Model 2000 is used in a dust-free environment.

4. HPF Off/On switch - When on, the very lowest (subsonic) frequencies output
by your Model 2000 are filtered (removed), providing protection to connected
speakers. As a result, speaker movement (excursion) will be reduced, thus
significantly extending the life of your speakers.

We recommend that you keep the HPF Off/On switch at the “On” position
at all times unless you are specifically using the Model 2000 with speakers
specifically designed for ultra-low frequency reproduction (i.e. sub­woofers). Speaker damage (to Hartke transducers) will not be covered by
warranty if it is determined to have been caused by over-excursion.

Hartke Systems

Distributed Exclusively by
Samson Technologies Corp.
Hicksville, New York 11802

MODEL 2000

200 WATTS

8Ω = 120 WATTS
4Ω = 200 WATTS

CAUTION
TO PREVENT SHOCK, DO NOT OPEN. NO USER SERVICE­ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL. TO PREVENT FIRE OR SHOCK
HAZARD, DO NOT EXPOSE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.

ASSEMBLED IN R.O.K.

SERIAL NUMBER

1 3 5

115

~ AC INPUT

115V/230V 50/60Hz

FUSE

5A/250V, 180W (115V)

2.5A/250V, 450W (230V)

HPF

ON OFF

2

4

EFFECT

RETUIRN

SPEAKER OUTPUTS

8Ω

7

6

SEND

8Ω