Hartke HS 1200 User manual

Hartke Systems

KICKBACK

HS 1200 BASS COMBO

Produced by On The Right Wavelength for Samson Technologies Corp.

Copyright 1995, Samson Technologies Corp.

Printed November, 1995

Samson Technologies Corp.
575 Underhill Blvd.
P.O. Box 9031
Syosset, NY 11791-9031
Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766)
Fax: [phone]

2

Introduction 4
HS 1200 Features 5
Guided Tour 6

Front Panel 6
Rear Panel 9

Setting Up and Using the
Hartke HS 1200 Bass Amplifier 10

About Equalization 13
Effect of the Shape Control 16
Specifications 17

Table of Contents

3

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the Hartke Systems HS 1200
KickBack™ Bass Amplifier! Although we designed this amp for easy
operation, we suggest you take some time out first to go through these
pages so you can fully understand how we’ve implemented a number of
unique features.

The HS 1200 is a powerful 120 watt combo amplifier which includes a
matched 8-ohm 12" bass speaker in a specially designed cabinet which
can be used either flat on the floor or in its “KickBack” position for
increased high-end clarity and directionality. Optimized for use with
electric bass instruments, you’ll find the HS 1200 to be the perfect
system for use in small venues (such as club dates); in addition, its
dedicated headphone output makes it an excellent practice amp.

In these pages, you’ll find a detailed description of the many features of
the HS 1200 KickBack™ Bass Amplifier, as well as a guided tour
through its front and rear panels, step-by-step instructions for setting up
and using the unit, additional information about equalization and the use
of a unique Shape control, 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 this and other Hartke and Samson products
in the future.

SPECIAL NOTE: Should your HS 1200 ever require servicing, a

Return

Authorization

(RA) number is necessary. Without this number, the unit
will not be accepted. Please call Samson at 1-800-372-6766 for a
Return Authorization number prior to shipping. Please retain the original
packing materials and, if possible, return the unit in its original carton
and packing materials.

4

HS 1200 Features

The HS 1200 offers all the newest concepts in state-of-the-art bass
amplification at an extremely affordable price. Here are some of its
main features:

• Power to spare—a full 120 watts into 8 ohms.

• Bipolar design for clean, crisp sound—as well as our Transient

Attack® circuitry, which ensures that every nuance of your bass
performance is reproduced faithfully.

• Three bands of high-quality equalization, allowing you to create a
broad range of tonal colors for your bass instrument.

• A unique contour filtering system called “Shape.” This activates
an equalization curve specially designed to enhance the sound of
the electric bass. In addition, a Shape control enables you to
continuously sweep a filter through various frequency areas in order
to customize the effect of the Shape curve to the specific tonal
characteristics of your particular bass instrument.

• A separate headphone output which automatically mutes the
speaker output, allowing the HS 1200 to be used as a high-quality
practice amp. In addition, a front-panel Direct Out enables the
HS 1200 to be easily interfaced with external sound reinforcement
or recording mixing consoles.

• A feedback-type input that accommodates a broad range of input
levels (up to 15 volts), so that you can use the HS 1200 with pretty
much any kind of bass, from passive models to those with active
circuitry.

• Included is a matched Hartke 12" 8-ohm speaker mounted in a
specially designed “KickBack™” cabinet. When used in the
“KickBack™” position, the HS 1200 acts like an onstage “wedge”
monitor, adding high frequency clarity and directionality to the
sound.

• Rugged construction, metal screen speaker cover and carpeted
exterior serve to make the HS 1200 eminently road-worthy.

5

Guided Tour - Front Panel

1. Input jack - Connect your bass guitar to the HS 1200 here. This
standard 1/4" unbalanced jack provides a wide range high impedance
input and is specially designed to handle a broad range of bass pickup
signals up to 15 volts (allowing you to use any kind of bass, including
those models that contain active circuitry).

2. 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 HS 1200 Volume to the desired level.

6

BACK

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

INPUT

∞

VOLUME

0

+10

SHAPE

IN OUT

1KHz80Hz -15 +15

HS 1200 BASS AMPLIFIER 120 WATTS

SHAPE

0

INPUT

+10

∞

IN OUT

VOLUME

0

0

1KHz80Hz -15 +15

Hartke SystemsHS 1200 BASS AMPLIFIER 120 WATTS

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

HIGHMIDLOWSHAPE

Hartke Systems

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

DIRECT OUT

HIGHMIDLOWSHAPE

Transient Attack

HEADPHONES

Transient Attack

DIRECT OUT

HEADPHONES

®

o

POWER

®

o

POWER

Hartke

KICKBACK

Guided Tour - Front Panel

3. Shape switch - When pressed in, the HS 1200 activates a special
equalization curve that is designed to enhance the sound of your bass
instrument. When out, Shape is inactive. For more information, see the
“Effect of the Shape Control” section on page 13 in this manual.

4. Shape control - When the Shape switch (see #3 above) is pressed
in, this control is active. It applies a 20 dB filter to the specified
frequency area so that you can customize the effect of the Shape curve
to best complement your particular bass instrument. Moving the Shape
control clockwise causes the notch filter to be applied to higher frequen­cies while moving it counterclockwise causes it to be applied to lower
frequencies. At the fully clockwise position, the filter is applied to the
1 kHz frequency area; at the fully counterclockwise position, the filter is
applied to the 80 Hz frequency area. For more information, see the
“Effect of the Shape Control” section on page 13 in this manual.

5. Low EQ control - This control provides approximately 15 db of cut
or boost at 100 Hz, with a peak (bell) curve. When the knob is at the
12 o’clock (“0”) position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat
response). As it is turned clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency
area is boosted; as it is turned counterclockwise from the “0” position,
the frequency area is attenuated. For more information, see the “About
Equalization” section on page 10 in this manual.

6. Mid EQ control - This control provides approximately 15 db of cut or
boost at 300 Hz, with a peak (bell) curve. When the knob is at the
12 o’clock (“0”) position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat
response). As it is turned clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency
area is boosted; as it is turned counterclockwise from the “0” position,
the frequency area is attenuated. For more information, see the “About
Equalization” section on page 10 in this manual.

7. High EQ control - This shelving control provides approximately
15 db of cut or boost at 5 kHz. When the knob is at the 12 o’clock (“0”)
position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat response). As it is
turned clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is boosted; as
it is turned counterclockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is
attenuated. For more information, see the “About Equalization” section
on page 10 in this manual.

7

8

Guided Tour - Front Panel

8. Direct output - This standard male XLR connector provides a mic­level pre-EQ (and pre-Volume) balanced low-impedance output from the
HS 1200. You’ll usually use this to connect the HS 1200 signal to a
Direct Injection (DI) box or to an XLR mic input when interfacing with
external sound reinforcement or recording mixing consoles. The signal
from this output adds approximately 6 dB of gain to the input level.

9. Headphones jack - Connect any standard stereo headphone
(600 ohms or less) to this standard 1/4" stereo jack. When a plug is
inserted into the headphone jack, the HS 1200 speaker output is muted,
enabling you to use the unit as a practice amplifier. The level of the
signal sent to the headphones is determined by the setting of the
Volume knob—when set to the point where a connected speaker would
clip, the headphones will clip.

WARNING: Because the HS 1200 is
capable of generating extremely high headphone signal levels,
always start with the Volume knob at minimum and then slowly
turn it up. In particular, a clicking sound is an indication of
distortion and possible damage to the headphones (and/or your
hearing!); don’t let things get to that point!

10. Power switch

- Use this to power the HS 1200 on or off.

11. Power LED - Lights whenever the HS 1200 is powered on.

1. Fuse holder - Insert a 3 amp, 250 volt fuse here for 115 volt

operation. We recommend the use of slow-blow fuses.

2. Speaker output - The internal speaker is normally connected to this
standard unbalanced 1/4” jack; if desired, external 8 ohm speakers can
be substituted, though this is not recommended.

WARNING: Because of the high power levels and low frequency
content of the signal generated by the HS 1200, we recommend
the use of the provided internal speaker only. If you do wish to
connect an external speaker, use only appropriately rated 8 ohm
speaker cabinets that are specifically designed for bass
instruments.

9

Guided Tour - Rear Panel

1 2

F

U

E

S

FUSE

SPEAKER

3A/250V

OUTPUT
MIN 8 Ω

~AC INPUT

120V/60HZ, 150W

10

Setting Up and Using the

HS 1200 Bass Amplifier

Setting up your Hartke Systems HS 1200 KickBack™ Bass Amplifier is
a simple procedure which takes only a few minutes:

1. Remove all packing materials (save them in case of need for future
service) and decide where the amplifier is to be physically placed.
To avoid potential overheating problems, make sure that the rear
panel is unobstructed and that there is good ventilation around the
entire unit. The HS 1200 may be used flat on the floor or in its
“KickBack™” position (for increased high frequency clarity and
directionality), as shown in the illustration below:

11

Setting Up and Using the
HS 1200 Bass Amplifier

2. The HS 1200 is shipped with a rear panel connector
between the speaker output (see #2 on page 6 of this
manual) and the built-in speaker input; check to make
sure this is in place; if not, plug it in. If you are using an
external speaker cabinet, make a connection between it
and the 1/4" unbalanced Speaker output connector on
the rear panel. Any appropriately rated external bass
cabinet with an impedance load of 8 ohms can be used,
though we recommend the use of the specially designed
internal speaker. It is never a good idea to power up
any amplifier that is not connected to a loudspeaker.

3. Next, connect the 3-pin AC plug into any grounded
AC socket. Don’t turn the HS 1200 on just yet, though.

4. Use a standard music instrument cable to connect
your bass to the Input jack on the front panel. On the
front panel of the HS 1200, turn the Volume control to its
minimum (fully counterclockwise) position, set all three
EQ controls to their “0” (12 o’clock) position, and start
with the Shape switch out (that is, off).

5. Press the front panel Power switch in order to turn on
the HS 1200; the LED above it will light up.

6. Set the output of your bass to maximum and then,
while playing, slowly turn the HS 1200 Volume control
up until the desired level is achieved. If you hear
distortion even at low amplifier Volume settings, back off
the output of your bass (or check for a faulty cable).

7. Press in the Shape switch and turn the Shape knob
both clockwise and counterclockwise to hear the effect
of the Shape curve and filter on the sound of your bass.
Leave the Shape knob at the point where it best comple­ments your particular instrument and playing style.

SPEAKER

OUTPUT
MIN 8 Ω

INPUT

SHAPE

IN OUT

o

POWER

∞

VOLUME

+10

SHAPE

0

1KHz80Hz

12

Setting Up and Using the

HS 1200 Bass Amplifier

8. Adjust the three equalization
controls to taste (when you get a great
setting that complements your instru­ment and playing style, it’s a good
idea to write it down for future use).

9. Test the headphone output by turning the Volume
control to its minimum (fully counterclockwise) position
and then connect a standard stereo headphone to the
front-panel Headphones jack. While playing your bass,
slowly turn the Volume control up—you should hear
sound from the headphones and none from the
connected speaker. We recommend the use of large
size headphones (those with large transducers) for
optimum bass reproduction.

10. If you need to connect the HS 1200 to a live sound
reinforcement or recording mixing console, plug a
standard female XLR jack into the front-panel Direct Out
output and connect it to a Direct Injection (DI) box or to
an XLR mic-level input on the mixer. (See #8 on page 5
in this manual for more information on the use of the
HS 1200 Direct Out).

If you encounter difficulty with any aspect of setting up or using your
HS 1200, you can call Samson Technical Support (1-800-372-6766)
between 9 AM and 5 PM EST.

0

00

-15 +15

-15

+15 -15 +15

HEADPHONES

DIRECT OUT

13

Using Equalization

The Hartke Systems Transient Attack® HS 1200 Bass Amplifier gives
you enormous control over shaping the sound of your bass, using a
process called equalization. To understand how this works, it’s impor­tant to know that every naturally occurring sound consists of a broad
range of pitches, or

frequencies, combined together in a unique way.
This blend is what gives every sound its distinctive tonal color. EQ
controls allow you to alter a sound by boosting or attenuating specific
frequency areas—they operate much like the bass and treble controls on
your hi-fi amp, but with much greater precision. The HS 1200 provides
you with three bands of equalization. Each EQ knob (labeled

Low, Mid,

and

High, respectively) affects a different frequency area (100 Hz,
300 Hz, and 5 kHz, respectively) and provides approximately 15 db of
boost and attenuation.

We carefully selected these frequency areas because they have maxi­mum impact on bass signals. For example, the Low (100 Hz) control
affects the very lowest audible frequencies (in fact, most humans cannot
hear below 20 Hz), while the High (5 kHz) control affects the “twang” of a
bass string. When an EQ knob is in its center detented position (“0”),
it is having no effect. When it is moved right of center, the particular
frequency area is being boosted; when it is moved left of center, the
frequency area is being attenuated. Turning all EQ controls up the same
amount will have virtually the same effect as simply turning up the
Volume; conversely, turning them all down the same amount will have
virtually the same effect as turning down the Volume. Both approaches
are pointless (after all, that’s why we gave you a Volume control!)

0

-15 +15

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

HIGHMIDLOW

14

In many instances, the best way to deal with equalization is to think in
terms of which frequency areas you need to attenuate, as opposed to
which ones you need to boost. Be aware that boosting a frequency
area also has the effect of boosting the overall signal; specifically, too
much Low EQ boost can actually cause overload distortion or even
harm a connected speaker.

The specific EQ you will apply to your bass signal is very much
dependent upon your particular instrument and personal taste and
playing style. However, here are a few general suggestions:

• For that super-deep reggae or Motown sound, boost the Low
EQ slightly while attenuating the High control (leave the Mid
control flat or slightly attenuated):

• To remove boxiness and make your instrument sound more
“hi-fi,” try attenuating the Mid frequency control while leaving the

Low and High settings flat:

Using Equalization

0

-15 +15

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

HIGHMIDLOW

0

-15 +15

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

HIGHMIDLOW

15

Using Equalization

• For a twangy, cutting sound, try boosting the High and Mid
frequencies (putting new roundwound strings on your bass will
help a lot also!):

• Whenever you get a really good EQ setting for a particular
instrument or song,

write it down (you’d be amazed how easy it

is to forget these things!).

As you experiment with the EQ controls of the HS 1200, don’t forget that
your bass also provides EQ controls in the form of its tonal settings—this
can be particularly effective in instruments that have active circuitry.
Also, try various EQ settings with and without the Shape switch in and
with the Shape control (which imposes a filter) at different settings.
For more information, see the “Effect of the Shape Control” section on
the next page.

Finally, bear in mind that the physical position of the HS 1200 will also
affect its frequency response; when in its normal flat on the floor position
(that is, with the speaker facing directly forward), there may be increased
bass response due to the reinforcing of low frequency components by
the floor itself. In contrast, when using the HS 1200 in its “KickBack™”
position (where the HS 1200 acts much like a “wedge” stage monitor),
you’ll hear increased highs due to the directionality of high frequency
components.

0

-15 +15

00

+15 -15 +15

-15

HIGHMIDLOW

16

Effect of the Shape Control

The HS 1200’s unique Shape control enables the sound of your bass
instrument to be enhanced at the touch of a button. When the front
panel Shape switch is pressed in, a special equalization curve is
activated that is designed to improve the sound of most electric bass
instruments. This curve provides moderate boost at certain frequency
areas and deep attenuation at other frequency areas. Furthermore, the
front panel Shape control adds a filter to a selected frequency area
within the Shape curve. As the Shape knob is turned clockwise, the
filter is imposed on higher frequency areas; as it is turned counterclock­wise, the filter is imposed on lower frequency areas. At the fully
clockwise position, the filter is applied to the 1 kHz frequency area;
at the fully counterclockwise position, the filter is applied to the 80 Hz
frequency area.

Even when Shape is activated, the front-panel EQ controls remain
operational. When all three EQ controls are set to their “0” (flat)
position, they add no boost or attenuation to the preset Shape curve.
However, when any EQ controls are turned left or right of their
12 o’clock (“0”) position, their boost or attenuation effect is
superimposed upon the preset Shape curve. In this way, you can
customize the sound of the HS 1200 further still to complement your
particular bass instrument and playing style.

Note that, when the Shape switch is out, the EQ controls operate on
the “flat” signal coming from your bass (that is, there is no preset
equalization curve imposed).

SHAPE

IN OUT

1KHz80Hz

SHAPE

17

Normal Limit

1. Rated Output Power

135 W 120 W

(@ 1 kHz, 8 ohm)

2. Rated Input Level (@ 1 kHz) -30.1 dBu -30 dBu

3. Total Harmonic Distortion 0.03% 1%

(@ 120 W, with 30 kHz LPF)

4. Signal To Noise Ratio 85 dB 80 dB
(with 30 kHz LPF)

5. Frequency Response

(EQ flat, +0.5/-3 dB)

Pre Output 5 Hz - 60 kHz 20 Hz - 50 kHz
Speaker Output 35 Hz - 52 kHz 50 Hz - 50 kHz

6. Maximum Gain

Input to Pre Output 45.05 dB 44 dB ± 3 dB
Input to Speaker Output 62.1 dB 62 dB ± 3 dB

7. Equalizer

Low (100 Hz) ±15 dB ±15 dB ± 2 dB
Mid (300 Hz) ±15 dB ±15 dB ± 2 dB
High (5 kHz) ±15 dB ±15 dB ± 2 dB

8. Shape Effect 22 - 23 dB > 20 dB
(Shape control, Min. to Max.)

9. Noise Level

(@ Speaker Output with 30 kHz LPF, EQ flat)

Volume Level Min. - 60 dBu -54 dBu
Volume Level Max. - 44.5 dBu

10. Headphone Level (600 ohm load) 493 mW 500 ±30 mW

11. Idle Current Measurement 4.4 mV / Max. 10 mV /

0.47 Ω 0.47 Ω

12. DC Offset Voltage 12 mV 0 ± 50 mV

Specifications