Samson VX2510, VX2515 User Manual

HA2500

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HA2500

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VX2515
VX2510

250 WATT 1 X 15” BASS COMBO
250 WATT 2 X 10” BASS COMBO

Introduction 2

Features 3

Guided Tour

Front Panel 4-5
Rear Panel 6-7

Setting Up and Using the VX2510 & VX2515 8-9

About Equalization 10-11

About Compression 12

Appendix A: Caster Installation 13

Appendix B: Block Diagram 14

Appendix C:
Changing the VX2510 & VX2515 Voltage 15

Specifications 16

Copyright 2005 - 2008, Samson Technologies Corp.

Printed June, 2008 v1.1
Samson Technologies Corp.
45 Gilpin Avenue
Hauppauge, New York 11788-8816
Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766)
Fax: [phone]
www.samsontech.com

Introduction

Congratulations on purchasing the Hartke VX2510 & VX2515 Bass Amplifier!
Although this unit is 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 VX2510 & VX2515 combos feature tH HA2500 amplifer providing 250 watts of
power to the built-in 2-way bass speaker system. With that kind of power and Hartke’s
custom designed transducers, including 2 x 10-inch low frequency, working with a
1-inch high frequency compression driver in the VX2510 and a15-inch low frequency
drive unit plus 1-inch high frequency compression driver in the VX2515, these bass
combos are EXTREMELY loud and punchy. In addition, the VX2510 & VX2515 offer
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.

The VX2510 & VX2515 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 VX2510 & VX2515’s advanced pre-amp features makes it ideal for use in
recording environments.

In these pages, you’ll find a detailed description of the many features of the VX2510
& VX2515 bass amplifier, 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 num
ber (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.

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Features

The Hartke VX2510 & VX2515 bass amplifier offers all the newest concepts in bass
amplification. Here are some of its main features:

• Power to spare — The VX2510 & VX2515, a full 250 watts delivered to its internal
4 ohm speaker system.

• Internal, 2-way bass speaker system including two custom design 10-inch low
frequency drivers, plus 1-inch high frequency compression driver in the VX2510
and custom design 15-inch low frequency drivers, plus 1-inch high frequency
compression driver in the VX2515.

• 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 emulation 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 fur
ther 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 gui
tars.

• 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 out
board effects processors.

• 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.

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

• Rugged construction makes the VX2510 & VX2515 eminently road-worthy.

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Guided Tour - VX2510 & VX2515 Front Panel

HA2500

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1. Passive Input jack - If your bass guitar has passive circuitry, connect it
to the Model 2500 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 2500 here. This standard, 1/4” unbalanced jack provides a high
impedance (100 k Ohms) input sensitivity of 60 millivolts.

3. Pre-Amp A (Tube Emulation) control - This determines the amount of
preamplification being provided by special circuitry which delivers the sound
of a classic tube 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.

4. Pre-Amp B (Solid State) control - This determines the amount of pream­plification being provided by special circuitry which delivers 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.

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