Price: $199.00
Where Obtained: Joel Pennington's Guitar Shop - Moline,IL

Great tube preamp that can be mixed with the solid state and still keep a great sound at high volumes. Only 200 watts but this thing is SO loud. I use mostly the tube with a little solid state mixed in. It's nice to know the solid state is there if a tube blows during a show. It has built in compression, EQ, and High/Low boost controls.

I play in a heavy funk metal band for lack of better classification and it powers through 2 screaming hyper active guitarist and the loudest drummer I've ever heard. I play a Yamaha RBX800a, an Ibanez SR500, and a Spector ReBop DLX.

You could get great sound direct from this amp. I use a rack with 2 compressors but I wouldn't hesitate to go directly through this head.

This poor thing has suffered through heavy road abuse. The bass player in my previous band played this for years then he "upgraded" and traded this in. I went right over and bought it, switched to playing bass from guitar, joined a new band and the rest is history. I'm the second owner and have had no problems at all. I keep two of these in my rack and I haven't needed the backup yet.

Model Year: 2002
Price: $300.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Sam Ash Music Stores

Full of features including contour filters, an EQ, its own preamp, and a compression circuit. The 10 band EQ is very versatile and allows for a huge range of adjustment. The preamp has 2 'channels,' - solid state and a real tube, which can be mixed. If you push the preamps, you WILL get distortion at high volumes, but this might be desired. The preamps sound good, the tube moreso than the solid state one. The contour filters are great and really add another dimension to your sound by allowing you to cut and boost the low and high output. The compression is ok - it does what it was made to do. A great feature is this switch on the back which disables the speaker outs until after the amp has powered on and prevent speaker 'thump' when turning the amp on and off. There is a effects loop and 2 separate speaker outs on the back. My only qualm with this amp is the lack of a DI out.

The sound is great, especially at mid volumes. This amp DOES distort at high volumes, but cutting the preamps will reduce it to a point. The distortion isn't bad, it might actually be desirable. The amp has a very versatile sound and can be made to work in almost any musical style.

The controls are easy to use but there are just soooo many options. You could fiddle for days trying to get your sound, and when you do, you're gonna want to try something else. Every little turn of a knob changes the sound, which could be a good thing or a bad thing.

Great construction, comes in a steel case with plastic corner/edge protectors. I've kept mine in a rack, but I'm sure it would hold up outside of one. I'd just be worried about knocking the knobs off if it wasn't in a case, as they aren't detented or anything, and are rather small.

Price: $239.00 (new)
Where Obtained: American Musical supply

It has 2 inputs, one for passive and one for active. 2 preamps, tube and solid state which I use together to get the sound I want. Compression, 10 band eq, low pass and high pass contour control and a master volume. It is 200W @4 ohm and 120W @ 8 ohm. It also has two outputs and effects return and send on the back of the unit.

I have been using my Peavey Millennium mostly with this amp. I have been using this at the Church service I play at with a 2x12 4 ohm cabinet I made. I also use my Hartke Bass Attack pedal as a DI at the Church service. I have only had to turn the volume up to 3 on the amp and I am heard very well, even with our loudest drummer. Musical style I play goes from Rock to Hymns and it has been fine. I haven't used it above half volume so I don't know how it sounds at high volume.

It did take me some time to mess with the 10 band eq to get the sound I wanted. It also has the option of turning off the 10 band eq and just using the contour controls.

Only had it a month so I don't know how durable it is, but it is a metal case. Since it can be rack mounted, I may look into getting a rack case to protect it further.

Model Year: 2004
Price: $218.00 (new)
Where Obtained: Alto Music Wappingers falls, NY

Power: 200 Watts at 4 Ohms 120 Watts at 8 Ohms Selectable Tube & Solid-State Preamps Rotary Bass & Treble Contor Controls 10-band graphic Eq Adjustable Compression Effect Send & Return Passive/Active Input Jacks Rack-Mountable Dimentions: 2U Space, 13" Deep

Using a 2004 Rickenbacker 4003 with no effects along with Hartke's VX115 and 2.5XL cabinets. This amp is well-suited for a broad range of musical styles. I've owned Ampeg's, Fender's, and an Acoustic Control Corp. 370 and this series amp from Hartke out ranks the Fender & the Acoustic and is equal to the Ampeg.

Setup is simple: solid state preamp - 5, tube preamp - 6, compression - 4, Eq - hi-fi range, low pass filter - +10dB, hi pass filter - 0dB master - 2-6 depending on the application

Owned for 60 days now so the use and abuse test is in process.

Model Year: 2004
Price: $239.00 GBPounds (new)
Where Obtained: M&M music salisbury (england)

200watt head that hasa 10 band equaliser. also a low and high pass 'contour' controls. (very nice)it hasa real valve amp inside it which is selectable with a solid state. which sounds bad.. so only use the valve on it. it also give 2 outputs of 200watts which means you can have 2 cabs being provided with a full 200 watts each

I use a yamaha bb404 and a musicman stingray with it. and they both sound great through it. it plays very well with rock and funk and blues and lots of other stuff. this isnt as high powered as amps iv used before but will go VERY LOUD!

So simple to use! bass plugs into the front of it. speaker plugs into the back of it. simple stuff. sounds great as soon as you turn the equaliser up.

Im not sure how durable it is. i take good care of it. its still in the original polysyrene box when not in use. its got about a 3mm Steel box around it tho so i suppose you could treat it a bit rough