Hartke AC150 Acoustic Ribbon Amp - Total Sonic

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Hartke AC150 Acoustic Ribbon Amp
A handsome two-channel acoustic amplifier with 150 watts
of tri-amped power and remarkable transparency.
At a Glance
Hartke Systems was
founded in New York
HIGHLIGHTS
by Larry Hartke and
THE SPECS
Ron Lorman in 1984 and
quickly became known for its
line of bass amps and cabinets
that introduced the innovative
aluminum-cone speaker to the
world. As a bass-amp
manufacturer, Hartke has years
of experience building cleantoned
amplifiers with a full
frequency range. Now, it has
applied that experience to the
world of acoustic-guitar amps
to create the AC150 Acoustic
Ribbon amplifier. The midprice,
two-channel AC150
offers plenty of power, clear
acoustic sound, and an
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This is not a lightweight amp.
$779 list/$599 street.
extensive list of features sure to be useful to performing guitarists.
Great trebles and a transparent, well-balanced overall sound.
IMPRESSIVE FEATURES FOR TONE TWEAKERS
At first glance, the AC150 looks rather curious—somewhat reminiscent of an
early-’80s boom box—but with a little investigation it becomes clear that this amp
is a storehouse of useful functions. Channel one includes ¼-inch inputs for both
active and passive pickups, a Phase button, and individual Bass and Treble
controls; channel two has an
XLR input for a microphone
and RCA jacks to plug in a CD
player, iPod, or other linelevel
device. The 24-bit
digital effects processor
has 100 presets that can
be accessed from both
channels with the push
of a button. The
AC150 houses a
unique speaker
configuration—
four five-inch
drivers, arranged
in stereo, with a
two-by-four-inch
ribbon tweeter. A
tri-amped design splits
150 watts of power, with 50
150 watts. Two channels. Four five-inch, full-range drivers and one 2 x 4 inch
ribbon tweeter. One XLR and two 1 /4-inch inputs. RCA jacks for line in. Bass, Treble,
and Phase controls for channel one. Five-band graphic EQ. Variable notch filter.
24-bit digital effects with 100 presets. Two XLR direct outputs (mono or stereo)
with Pre/Post switch to run signal with or without preamp, equalizer, and effects.
Mono-in, stereo-out effects loop. 48 pounds. 18.85 x 19.75 x 15.25 inches. Made
Kickback cabinet allows you to angle the speakers upward.
Singer-songwriters and gigging guitarists.
Hartke Systems: (800) 372-6766; www.hartke.com.
Hartke AC150 Acoustic Ribbon Amp
watts going to the drivers on the right
side, 50 to those on the left, and 50 to
the tweeter—effectively giving all
frequencies enough juice to be heard
loud and clear. Add a five-band graphic
EQ and a notch filter—then dress it all
up in a sturdy kickback enclosure, which
allows you to tilt the amp back at an
angle for easy readability and
operation—and you have an amp with
serious performance potential.
CRYSTAL-CLEAR TONAL
REPRODUCTION
Eager to get acquainted with the
AC150’s sound, I plugged in my Martin
OM-21 with Fishman Ellipse Blend
electronics as soon as I had the amp out
of the box. Strumming open chords at
low volume with EQ levels flat, the amp’s
sound was so similar to that of my
unamplified guitar that at times it was
hard to tell if the power was really on.
Turning the amp up, I was pleased to
find a louder but still very accurate
reproduction of my acoustic sound.
Following a tip from the instruction
RAY LARSEN
September 2007

manual on how best to set up the amp, I
slightly increased the levels of the Treble
and Bass controls on channel one, then
further sculpted the sound with the fiveband
EQ. I found the level controls to be
quite sensitive, and with modest
adjustments I was able to shape the
sound significantly. The onboard reverbs,
choruses, and echoes were similarly
sensitive—a dash of digital spring reverb
sounded great, but it was easy to turn
the knob too far and end up with a
saturated sound.
Putting the Hartke through its paces,
I was consistently impressed by its
transparent, well-balanced sound and
ultraclear trebles. I noticed that the
Hartke lacked some of the compression
that I occasionally use on other amplifiers
to add a little punch to individual notes.
When I added a vocal mic to the
second channel, the vocals sounded rich
and clear, and the signals for guitar and
voice were both distinct and easy to
balance. Strumming and singing at the
same time was one of my favorite
applications for the AC150, so much so
that I was drawn back to it many times
just to practice my songs. While this is an
excellent amp for singer-songwriters, it’s
important to note that at 48 pounds, it
does take some effort to haul.
I was curious to see how the 150
would cut through the mix with drums
and electric bass added to the equation,
so I brought it to band practice. When I
cranked the Master Volume I got a little
feedback yelp, so I reached for the notch
filter. The first knob allowed me to
isolate the offending frequency, and the
second let me roll back just enough to
lose the feedback, but not the entire
frequency range. With the feedback
effectively clipped, I was able to turn up
to full volume, and as we played through
our set, the AC150 came through the
mix loud and clear.
THE WRAP
The Hartke AC150 Acoustic Ribbon
amplifier was a pleasure to play through
and is well suited for a variety of
applications—whether you want to
practice at home, play a coffeehouse as a
singer-songwriter, or take the stage with
a band. And with ample wattage, an
excellent speaker complement, and
plentiful features, it offers honest tonal
reproduction at a moderate price—
making it an acoustic amplifier option
worth considering, no matter what your
style.
From Acoustic Guitar, September 2007, issue 177, © 2007 String Letter
Publishing, David A. Lusterman, Publisher. All rights reserved. For more
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September 2007