HA5500 500 WATT BASS AMPLIFIER Hartke
Introduction 2 Features 3 Guided Tour Front Panel Rear Panel Setting Up and Using the HA5500 About Equalization 4-5 6-7 8-9 10-11 About Compression 12 Appendix A: Block Diagram 13 Appendix B: Changing the HA5500 Voltage 14 Specifications 15
Introduction Congratulations on purchasing the Hartke HA5500 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 HA5500 provides 500 watts of power to a 4 ohm speaker system or 350 watts to an 8 ohm speaker system. With that kind of power, the HA5500 is EXTREMELY loud and punchy.
Features The Hartke HA5500 bass amplifier offers all the newest concepts in bass amplification. Here are some of its main features: • Power to spare — The HA5500, a full 500 watts delivered to a 4 ohm speaker system or 350 watts to an 8 ohm speaker system. • 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.
Guided Tour - HA5500 Front Panel 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 9 1. Passive Input jack - If your bass guitar has passive circuitry, connect it to the Model 5500 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 5500 here. This standard, 1/4” unbalanced jack provides a high impedance (100 k Ohms) input sensitivity of 60 millivolts. 3.
Guided Tour - HA5500 Front Panel 6. 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.
Guided Tour - HA5500 Rear Panel 1 SPEAKER OUTPUTS Hartke Systems 8 EFFECT ~ AC INPUT 115V/230V 50/60Hz FUSE 10A/250V, 300W (115V) 6.2A/250V, 740W (230V) RETURN 9 DIRECT OUT 8Ω POST NORMAL PRE GND LIFT BALANCE 0 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. 5 SEND Distributed Exclusively by Samson Technologies Corp.
Guided Tour - 5500 Rear Panel 5. Effect Send jack - Use this 1/4” unbalanced jack to send low impedance (100 ohm) signal from the Model 5500 to a professional outboard effects processor such as a reverb, echo, chorus, flanger, or harmonizer device.* Output level is approximately 0 dB to +4 dB and is post-EQ and post-compression but unaffected by the setting of the Master Volume control.
Setting Up and Using the HA5500 Setting up your Hartke Systems 5500 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, be sure that the rear panel is unobstructed and that there is good ventilation around the entire unit, particularly behind the rear-panel fan. 2.
Setting Up and Using The HA5500 7. Experiment with altering the balance of the two Pre-Amp knobs, listening to the effect each has on the overall sound. Depending upon the specific instrument you are using and your personal taste, you may prefer the sound of one over the other, or you may prefer a particular blend of the two. Note that, when both are used at equal settings, the amplifier will be twice as loud as when only one is used.
About Equalization The Hartke Systems Model 5500 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.
About Equalization To find out how each graphic equalizer slider affects the sound of your particular bass, start with all ten bands flat (that is, all ten sliders at their detented “0” center position). Then, one by one, raise and lower each slider, listening carefully to the effect of each. If you don’t specifically need to utilize the ten-band graphic equalizer, bypass it by setting the In/Out switch to its “Out” position.
About Compression The dynamic range of a sound is the difference between its loudest and softest points. For example, as you play your bass, you’ll probably find that some notes (for example, notes played on the upper frets of the lowest string) are considerably louder than others.
Appendix A: Block Diagram SEND 50 mV, IN 0 dB TO +4dB COMPRESSOR IN/OUT SWITCH FIXED EQ RETURN VR TUBE VR SOLID STATE RMS DETECTOR COMPRESS VCA MIXER 10 BAND EQ 2 BAND CONTOUR PRE 2 1 POST GND.
Appendix B: Changing the HA5500 Voltage 115 115 Following are step-by-step instructions for changing the mains voltage of the Model HA5500. WARNING: Before carrying out this operation, remove the power cord! 1: Insert a small screwdriver into the slot beneath the fuse sled and gently press in and up. The fuse sled will pop out approximately 3/8" inch. 2: Remove fuse sled. 230 115 3: Use a small pair of needlenose pliers to gently pull out the mains jumper.
Specifications Input Sensitivity Passive Input Active Input 100 k Ohms, 20 mv. 100 k Ohms, 60 mv. Rated Output Power 500 watts @ 4 ohms 350 watts @ 8 ohms less than .5% Total Harmonic Distortion Signal To Noise Ratio approx.
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Samson Technologies Corp. 575 Underhill Blvd. P.O. Box 9031 Syosset, NY 11791-9031 Phone: 1-800-3-SAMSON (1-800-372-6766) Fax: 516-364-3888 www.samsontech.
