Hartke LX8500 800W basgitaarversterker head

General

The 800-Watt Hartke LX8500 bass amplifier head comes in a nice and lightweight housing with conveniently portable measurements. Capable of producing big, booming and dynamic bass, it's perfect for both gigs and rehearsals. With a class-D power amp for the raw power and a 12AX7 tube in the class-A preamp for a little nuance, there's more room for expressive playing than with a transistor-only amp head. There's a 3-band EQ on board, but you'll be doing most of the tweaking within the mid-range frequencies. Using the Frequency knob and Shape pot, you get to decide which frequencies are boosted.

The LX8500: Even More Ways to Shape Your Bass Sound

For more consistent notes with a touch of extra definition, simply turn up the compressor while for extra bite, you can hit the Brite button. There's the Drive control to add a satisfying bit or heap overdrive and if you've got a go-to effects pedal, it can be hooked up the mono effects loop. An XLR Direct Out enables you to easily send the sound of the LX8500 to a PA, but even if you don't plan on using the amp on stage, you'll find that it works just as well at home. Naturally, external devices or headphones can be jacked in when needed.