Hartke LX8500 Bass Head

LX8500 - 800 Watt Lightweight Bass Head with Tube Preamp

The LX8500 is a compact 800-watt amplifier designed for the big gig. Lean and remarkably robust, the LX8500 brings the thump, growl, and bite you expect from your favorite amplifier without the back-breaking setup. Weighing in at just 8.5 pounds, this amplifier features a responsive 12AX7 tube-powered preamp that adds plenty of warmth and bassy richness, backed up by 800 watts of real, continuous power.

Sculpt Your Tone

The Hartke tone stack EQ section is tailored to capture the character of the bass guitar as soon as you plug in. Equipped with traditional Treble and Bass knobs, as well as a footswitch selectable mid-filter Frequency knob and Shape knob that sets the depth of the filter. The Brite button can be selected to boost high frequencies, bringing out the top end of the bass as well as highlighting natural harmonic overtones.

Tonal Control

The LX8500 provides essential onboard effects designed to enhance your playing and add extra options to your tonal arsenal. An all-new integrated Drive control can be used to add a touch of grit or throttled out for an authentic fuzz tone and is selectable via a foot switch. A variable Compressor knob can be used to smooth out transients, add punch and presence to your attack – as well as balance dynamics for players that employ slapping, tapping and thumb-picking techniques.

Gig-Ready Design

The ideal amplifier for the stage, studio, and practice room, the LX8500 offers all the essential connections and features in a single compact and lightweight package. An XLR Direct Out with a Pre and Post EQ selection allows for direct connection to a PA or recording console. A 1/8” headphone output allows for silent practice sessions while a 1/8” auxiliary input can be used to connect phones or MP3 players. An effects loop with Send and Return connections can be used with your favorite time-based effects as well as onboard 1/4” tuner output. The LX8500 features two TRS footswitch inputs to engage Drive, Effects Loop, Brite, and Frequency parameters.