Hartke TX300 Overview
Relatively lightweight at 5 lb, the Hartke TX300 is a bass amplifier head capable of driving 300W of Class-D power into 4- or 8-Ohm cabinets. The amplifier offers a three-knob tone stack with controls over bass, middle, and treble frequency ranges. You’ll also note Hartke’s shape circuit—a global tone control that simultaneously boosts and attenuates different bass-enhancing frequencies (depending on where you set the knob). A drive knob provides harmonic distortion ranging from subtle warmth to all-out bass fuzz, and a compressor control can be dialed in to add punch, to even out your dynamics, or to protect your cabinet from the unpleasant pops that sometimes accompany aggressive right-hand techniques.
For connections, you’ll find a speakON jack and a 1/4" termination for external speakers. You can patch the internal preamp to a separate power amp—or patch a separate preamp into the TX300’s power amp—via two 1/4" jacks. An XLR DI connection is on hand to feed signal to house PA systems or recording interfaces. This output sports a ground/lift switch to mitigate the noise often associated with ground loops. An auxiliary 3.5mm input lets you jam along to your favorite music via your phone, media player, or any compatible device, while a 3.5mm headphone output enables silent practice. The mute switch on the front panel also aids in silent practice. With a robust aluminum chassis and lightweight construction, the TX300 is a suitable choice for the touring bassist.
Key Features at a Glance
- 300W Class-D bass amplifier
- Lightweight at 5 lb
- Drive circuit for added distortion effects
- Variable compressor for increased dynamic control
- 3-band EQ with Shape control
- 1/4" Instrument input
- 5mm auxiliary input
- 5mm headphone output
- Balanced XLR direct output
- Output Mute switch
- Rugged anodized aluminum chassis
