AMPLIFIER

Hartke Systems

Hartke Systems 1400/1415

Introduction 3

Features 4

Guided Tour 5
Front Panel 5
Rear Panel 7

Setting Up and Using the

Hartke 1400/1415 Bass Amplifier 8

About Equalization 10

Effect of the Contour Switch 12

About Compression 13

Specifications 14
Introduction

Congratulations on purchasing the Hartke Systems Transient Attack®

1400/1415 Bass Amplifier! Although this device is designed for easy operation,
we suggest you take some time out first to go through these pages so you can
fully understand how we’ve implemented a number of unique features.

The two models covered by this manual differ in that the Model 1415 is a combo
amplifier which comes with a matched rear-ported 15” bass speaker, while the
Model 1400 is an amplifier head alone which can be used with any 4, 8, or 16
ohm bass speaker cabinet. Both are optimized for use with electric bass instru-
ments, and the actual amp circuitry in both models is identical. You’ll find the
Model 1400/1415 to be the perfect system for use in small venues (such as club
dates); in addition, its dedicated headphone output makes it an excellent prac-
tice amp.

In these pages, you’ll find a detailed description of the many features of the
Model 1400/1415 Bass Amplifier, as well as a guided tour through its front and
rear panels, step-by-step instructions for setting up and using the unit, and full
specifications. You’ll also find a warrantee card enclosed—please don’t forget to
fill it out and mail it so that you can receive online technical support and so we
can send you updated information about other Hartke and Samson products in
the future.

SPECIAL NOTE: Should your unit ever require servicing, a Return

Authorization number (RA) is necessary. Without this number, the unit will not
be accepted. Please call Samson Technologies at (516) 932-1062 for a Return
Authorization number prior to shipping your unit. Please retain the original pack-
ing material and, if possible, return the unit in its original carton and packing
materials.

3
 System Features

The Hartke Systems Transient Attack® 1400/1415 Bass Amplifier offers all the
newest concepts in state-of-the-art bass amplification. Here are some of its main
features:

• Power to spare—a full 140 watts into 4 ohms.

• Bipolar design for clean, crisp sound—as well as our Transient Attack®
circuitry, which ensures that every nuance of your bass performance is
reproduced faithfully.

• Four-bands of high-quality equalization, allowing you to create a broad

range of tonal colors for your bass instrument.

• A unique contour switch, which simulates classic tube amplifier sound.

• A built-in compressor utilizing “soft” clipping—this not only adds real “punch”
to your bass, it also allows you to smooth out volume differences between
notes.

• A separate headphone output which automatically mutes the speaker out-

put, making this the “perfect” practice amp.

• A feedback-type input that accommodates a broad range of input levels (up

to 15 volts), so that you can use the Model 1400/1415 with pretty much any
kind of bass, from passive models to those with active circuitry.

• Effects loop send and return jacks that allow you to interface professional
outboard effects processors.

• The Model 1415 Combo amp includes a special Hartke 15” 4-ohm driver
mounted in a rear-ported bass reflex cabinet; these components are specifi-
cally designed to match the amplifier circuitry.

• Rugged construction and carpeted exterior makes the Model 1400/1415

eminently road-worthy.

4
Guided Tour - Front Panel

10

MODEL 1400 BASS AMPLIFIER 140 WATTS Hartke Systems

EFFECTS CONTOUR 0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB
POWER COMPRESSION Transient Attack
o

-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15

SEND RETURN INPUT FLAT ENHANCE VOLUME LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH COMPRESSION OFF ON HEADPHONES POWER

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14

1. Effects Send jack - Use this standard 1/4” unbalanced jack to send signal
from the Model 1400/1415 to a professional outboard effects processor such as a
reverb, echo, chorus, flanger, or harmonizer device.* Output level is approxi-
mately 0 dB and is unaffected by the setting of the Volume control. You can also
use the Effects Send jack as a direct output (at unity gain) for routing signal to an
external mixing console or amplifier.

2. Effects Return jack - Use this standard 1/4” unbalanced jack to return signal
to the Model 1400/1415 from a professional outboard effects processor.*
MODEL 1400 BASS AMPLIFIER 140 WATTS Hartke Systems
EFFECTS CONTOUR 0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB
POWER COMPRESSION Transient Attack
o

SEND RETURN INPUT FLAT ENHANCE VOLUME

-15

LOW
+15 -15

LOW MID
+15 -15

HIGH MID
+15 -15

HIGH
+15

COMPRESSION OFF ON HEADPHONES POWER 3. Input jack - Connect your bass guitar to the Model 1400/1415 here. This
standard 1/4” unbalanced jack provides a high impedance input and is specially
Hartke Systems designed to handle a broad range of bass pickup signals up to 15 volts (allowing

Transient Attack >>>>

you to use any kind of bass, including those models that contain active circuitry).

4. Contour switch - When pressed in (the “Enhance” setting), the Model

1400/1415 activates a special equalization curve that is designed to emulate the
sound of classic tube bass amplifiers. When out (the “Flat” setting), Contour is
inactive. For more information, see the “Effect of the Contour Switch” section in
this manual.

5. Volume control - This is the overall volume control. For best signal-to-noise
ratio, keep the output of your bass at or near maximum and adjust the amp’s
Volume to the desired level.

* In-line effects (such as footpedals) intended for low signal levels should be
placed between the bass and the amplifier Input and not connected with the
Effects Send and Return jacks.

5
 Guided Tour - Front Panel

6. Low EQ control - This control provides approximately 15 db of cut or boost

at 33 Hz, with a resonant (bell) curve. When the knob is at the 12 o’clock (“0”)
position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat response). As it is turned
clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is boosted; as it is turned
counterclockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is attenuated. For
more information, see the “About Equalization” section in this manual.

7. Low Mid EQ control - This control provides approximately 15 db of cut or

boost at 80 Hz, with a resonant (bell) curve). When the knob is at the 12 o’clock
(“0”) position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat response). As it is
turned clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is boosted; as it is
turned counterclockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is attenuated.
For more information, see the “About Equalization” section in this manual.

8. High Mid EQ control - This control provides approximately 15 db of cut or

boost at 240 Hz, with a resonant (bell) curve. When the knob is at the 12 o’clock
(“0”) position, there is no boost or attenuation (that is, flat response). As it is
turned clockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is boosted; as it is
turned counterclockwise from the “0” position, the frequency area is attenuated.
For more information, see the “About Equalization” section in this manual.

9. High EQ control - This shelving control provides approximately 15 db of cut

or boost at 2.5 kHz. When the knob is at the 12 o’clock (“0”) position, there is no
boost or attenuation (that is, flat response). As it is turned clockwise from the “0”
position, the frequency area is boosted; as it is turned counterclockwise from the
“0” position, the frequency area is attenuated. For more information, see the
“About Equalization” section in this manual.

10. Power LED - Lights whenever the Model 1400/1415 is powered on.

11. Compression LED - Lights whenever compression is being applied to the

incoming signal. If Compression is on, this LED “follows” the incoming signal,
flashing when small amounts of compression are being applied and lighting
steadily when “soft-clipping” limiting is being applied.

12. Compression switch - When pressed in, the Model 1400/1415 compres-
sion circuitry is activated so that, when power output exceeds 140 W or Total
Harmonic Distortion (THD) rises above 1%, the incoming signal is compressed
or limited. When out, no compression will occur. For more information, see the
“About Compression” section in this manual.

13. Headphones jack - Connect any standard stereo headphone (600 ohms or
less) to this standard 1/4” stereo jack. When a plug is inserted into the head-
phone jack, the speaker output is muted (in the Model 1415, the built-in speaker
is muted). The level of the signal sent to the headphones is determined by the
setting of the Volume knob—when set to the point where a connected speaker
would clip, the headphones will clip. WARNING: Because the Model
1400/1415 is capable of generating extremely high headphone signal lev-
els, always start with the Volume knob at minimum and then slowly turn it
up. In particular, a clicking sound is an indication of distortion and possi-
ble damage to the headphones (and/or your hearing!); don’t let things get
to that point!

14. Power switch - Use this to power the unit on or off.

6
Guided Tour - Rear Panel

1 2

FUSE

NO USER SERVICABLE PARTS

INSIDE-DO NOT EXPOSE UNIT TO WET
CONDITIONS.
ASSEMBLED IN R.O.K.
MODEL 1400 AMPLIFIER 140 WATTS 4 Ω Hartke Systems
S/N
Transient Attack
-115V AC 50/60 Hz DISTRIBUTED BY SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES CORP. HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK
130W

1. Fuse holder - Insert a 4 amp, 250 volt fuse here for 115 volt operation. We
recommend the use of slow-blow fuses.

2. Speaker output - Connect any 4, 8, or 16 ohm bass cabinet to this standard

unbalanced 1/4” jack. WARNING: Because of the high power levels and low
frequency content of the signal generated by the Model 1400/1415, use
only appropriately rated speaker cabinets that are specifically designed for
bass instruments.

7
 Setting Up and Using the Hartke Systems 1400/1415

Setting up your Hartke Systems 1400/1415 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, make sure that the rear panel is unobstructed and that
there is good ventilation around the entire unit. Because the Model 1415 con-
tains a rear-ported speaker, it should not be placed up against a wall—allow at
least 2 - 3 feet of clearance.

2. In the Model 1400, begin by hooking up a speaker, using the 1/4” unbalanced
Speaker output connector on the rear panel. It is never a good idea to power up
any amplifier that is not connected to loudspeakers. Any appropriately rated
bass cabinet with a minimum impedance load of 4 ohms (that is, 4 ohms or
greater) can be used. The Model 1415 is shipped with a connector between the
amplifier output and the built-in speaker input; check to make sure this is in
place.

AMPLIFIER OUTPUT

FUSE

NO USER SERVICABLE PARTS

INSIDE-DO NOT EXPOSE UNIT TO WET
CONDITIONS.
ASSEMBLED IN R.O.K.
MODEL 1400 AMPLIFIER 140 WATTS 4 Ω Hartke Systems
S/N
Transient Attack
-115V AC 50/60 Hz DISTRIBUTED BY SAMSON TECHNOLOGIES CORP. HICKSVILLE, NEW YORK
130W

SPEAKER INPUT

3. Next, connect the 3-pin AC plug into any grounded AC socket. Don’t turn the
amplifier on just yet, though.

4. Use a standard music instrument cable to connect your bass to the Input jack
on the front panel. On the front panel of the Model 1400/1415, turn the Volume
control to its minimum (fully counterclockwise) position, set all four EQ controls
to their “0” (12 o’clock) position, and start with both the Contour and
Compression switches out (that is, off).

0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB

CONTOUR POWER COMPRESSION

-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15

FLAT ENHANCE VOLUME LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH COMPRESSION OFF ON

8
Setting Up and Using the Hartke Systems 1400/1415

5. Press the front panel Power switch in order to turn on the amplifier.

6. Set the output of your bass to maximum and then, while playing, slowly turn
the Model 1400/1415 Volume control up until the desired level is achieved. If
you hear distortion even at low amplifier Volume settings, back off the output of
your bass (or check for a faulty cable).
CONTOUR COMPRESSION

7. If desired, press in the Contour and/or Compression switches. The

Compression LED will flash whenever small amounts of compression are being
FLAT ENHANCE COMPRESSION OFF ON
applied and will light steadily when “soft-clip” limiting is being applied.
0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB
8. Adjust the equalization controls to taste (when you get a great setting that
complements your instrument and playing style, it’s a good idea to write it down
-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 for future use).
LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH

9. If you’re using an external signal processor, turn the Model 1400/1415 off
momentarily and then connect a standard audio cable between the Effects Send
jack and your effects processor input and another standard audio cable between
the Effects Return jack and your effects processor output (if required, multiple
effects processors can be daisy-chained together, output to input). Turn the
Model 1400/1415 back on and continue playing while adjusting the controls of
your outboard effects processor. For best results, set both the input and output
gain of the effects processor to 0 dB (unity gain), so that there is no increase or
decrease in level whether the effects are switched in or out.

MODEL 1400 BASS AMPLIFIER 140 WATTS Hartke Systems

EFFECTS CONTOUR 0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB
POWER COMPRESSION Transient Attack
o

-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15

SEND RETURN INPUT FLAT ENHANCE VOLUME LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH COMPRESSION OFF ON HEADPHONES POWER

INPUT OUTPUT

SIGNAL PROCESSOR

10. Test the headphone output by turning the Volume control to its minimum
(fully counterclockwise) position and then connect a standard stereo headphone
to the front-panel Headphones jack. While playing your bass, slowly turn the
Volume control up—you should hear sound from the headphones and none from
any connected speaker(s). We recommend the use of large size headphones
HEADPHONES
(those with large transducers) for optimum bass reproduction.

If you have followed all the steps above and are still experiencing difficulties, call
Samson Technical Support (516-932-1062) between 9 AM and 5 PM EST.

9
 About Equalization

The Hartke Systems Transient Attack® 1400/1415 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 0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB

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 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15

distinctive tonal color. EQ controls allow you to alter a sound by boosting or LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH

attenuating specific frequency areas—they operate much like the bass and tre-
ble controls on your hi-fi amp, but with much greater precision. The Model
1400/1415 provides you with four bands of equalization. Each EQ knob
(labeled Low, Low Mid, High Mid, and High, respectively) affects a different fre-
quency area (33 Hz, 80 Hz, 240 Hz, and 2.5 kHz, respectively) and provides
approximately ± 15 db of boost and attenuation.

We carefully selected these frequency areas because they have maximum

impact on bass signals. For example, the Low (33 Hz) control affects the very
lowest audible frequencies (in fact, most humans cannot hear below 20 Hz),
while the High (2.5 kHz) control affects the “twang” of a bass string. When an
EQ knob is in its center detented position (“0”), it is having no effect. When it is
moved right of center, the particular frequency area is being boosted; when it is
moved left of center, the frequency area is being attenuated. Turning all EQ
controls up the same amount will have virtually the same effect as simply turning
up the Volume; conversely, turning them all down the same amount will have vir-
tually the same effect as turning down the Volume. Both approaches are point-
less (after all, that’s why we gave you a Volume control!)

In many instances, the best way to deal with equalization is to think in terms of
which frequency areas you need to attenuate, as opposed to which ones you
need to boost. Be aware that boosting a frequency area also has the effect of
boosting the overall signal; specifically, too much Low or Low Mid EQ boost can
actually cause overload distortion or even harm a connected speaker, though
the Model 1400/1415’s Compressor—if on—will act to some extent to prevent
this from occurring. In general, if you’re going to apply a fair amount of Low or
Low Mid EQ boost, it’s a good idea to keep the Compressor on, if only to protect
your speakers from potential damage.

10
About Equalization

The specific EQ you will apply to your bass signal is very much dependent upon
your particular instrument and personal taste and playing style. However, here
are a few general suggestions:

0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB

• For that super-deep reggae or Motown sound, boost the Low EQ

slightly while attenuating the High control (leave the Low Mid and High
-15

LOW
+15 -15

LOW MID
+15 -15

HIGH MID
+15 -15

HIGH
+15
Mid flat or slightly attenuated).

0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB

• To remove boxiness and make your instrument sound more “hi-fi,” try
attenuating the High Mid and/or Low Mid frequencies while leaving the
-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15
Low and High settings flat.
LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH

0dB 0dB 0dB 0dB

• For a twangy, cutting sound, try boosting the High and High Mid fre-
quencies (putting new roundwound strings on your bass will help a lot
-15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15 -15 +15
also!).
LOW LOW MID HIGH MID HIGH

• Whenever you get a really good EQ setting for a particular instrument

or song, write it down (you’d be amazed how easy it is to forget these
things!).

Finally, as you experiment with the EQ controls of the Model 1400/1415, don’t
forget that your bass also provides EQ controls in the form of its tonal settings—
this can be particularly effective in instruments that have active circuitry. Also,
try various EQ settings with and without the Contour switch in and also with and
without Compression. For more information, see the “Effect of the Contour
Switch” and “About Compression” sections below.

11
 Effect of the Contour Switch

The Contour switch provides a unique control that allows the Model 1400/1415
to emulate the sound of a classic tube bass amplifier. When pressed in (the
CONTOUR
“Enhance” setting), a special kind of equalization curve is activated that provides
moderate boost at 45 Hz, deep attenuation at 240 Hz, and gentle boost that
peaks at approximately 3 kHz. This curve is illustrated below: FLAT ENHANCE

AUDIO PRECISION 1400 sweep LEVEL (dBm) vs FREQ (Hz)

40.000 Ap

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.0

-10.00

-20.00

-30.00

-40.00
20 100 1k 10k 20k

Even when Contour is on, the front-panel EQ controls are still operational. When
all of them are set to their “0” (flat) position, the boost or attenuation performed
by the preset Contour curve is as shown above. However, when any EQ con-
trols are turned left or right of their 12 o’clock (“0”) position, their boost or attenu-
ation effect is superimposed upon the preset Contour curve. This way, you can
start with the classic tube sound and customize it further still to complement your
instrument and playing style.

When the Contour switch is out (the “Flat” setting), the EQ controls operate nor-
mally, with no preset curve imposed.

12
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.
The function of the compressor in the Model 1400/1415 Bass Amplifier is to reduce over-
all dynamic range by automatically attenuating the loudest sounds input so that they are
closer in level to softer ones—the end result is that the sound “evens out” and all notes
played have pretty much the same level.

When you press in the “Compression” switch on the front panel, this automatic circuitry is
COMPRESSION engaged and the loudest sounds you play (those that might cause 1% or more of Total
Harmonic Distortion) are reduced in level so that they more closely match the level of
softer sounds—when this occurs, the Compression LED will flash. Very loud sounds will
COMPRESSION OFF ON
be limited—this is a more severe form of compression, whereby the output remains virtu-
ally constant regardless of input. When this occurs, the Compression LED will light
steadily.

Compression has three main uses. First, as just described, it “evens” out the notes
played by your bass so that they all appear at virtually equal level. Second, it adds
“punch” to a sound; since all levels are nearly the same, you can play with greater force
without worrying about the loudest notes distorting. Finally, it serves to protect your loud-
speakers from damage as a result of brief (transient) high output levels, as might be
caused by finger-popping or other performance techniques. The Model 1400/1415 com-
pression circuit uses a function called soft clipping to prevent sounds from overloading
the amplifier output—this, in turn, serves to prevent connected speakers from producing
distorted, hard clipped sound.

Whether or not you need to use compression with your Model 1400/1415 will be a matter
of personal taste and playing style—experiment and see if you like the effect. If you usu-
ally play at low Volume levels, you’ll find that, even with the Compression switch in, the
Compression LED doesn’t flash or light at all—in this case, the circuitry isn’t being used
anyway, so it might as well be off. In general, if you don’t need compression, leave it off.

13
 Specifications

1. Rated Output Power (at 1 kHz, 4 ohm, THD 1%) 146 W

2. Total Harmonic Distortion (with 30 kHz LPF, 4 ohm, 140 W) 0.05%

3. Signal To Noise Ratio (with 30 kHz LPF) -68.6 dB

4. Frequency Response (at flat S/W on)

20 Hz -11.3 dB
40 Hz - 0.4 dB
20 kHz - 6.2 dB

5. Input Sensitivity 10.8 mV

6. Equalizer
Low (33 Hz) ±15 dB
Low Mid (80 Hz) ±15 dB

High Mid (240 Hz) ±15 dB

High (2.5 kHz) ±15 dB

7. Compressor Effect
Input level -39 dB - 5.2 dB
Input level -29 dB - 3.1 dB
Input level -19 dB - 1.8 dB
Input level - 9 dB - 0.9 dB

8. Residual Noise (VR down, EQ flat, Contour flat) -56 dB

9. Idle Current 10 mV

10. DC Offset Voltage 0 V ± 100mV

11. Send Output Level 0 dBM

12. Return Input Level 0 dBM

13. Headphone Level R (32 ohm load) 275 mW

L (32 ohm load) 275 mW

14