Setting up your Hartke TX600 Amplifier is a simple procedure, which takes only a few minutes.
1. Remove all packing materials (save them in case your unit requires servicing in the future) and decide where the amplifier is to be physically placed. To avoid potential overheating, be sure that the rear panel fan is unobstructed and that there is proper ventilation around the entire unit.
2. Begin by hooking up your bass cabinet(s) to the Speakon® or 1/4” speaker output connectors 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 cabinets with a total minimum impedance of 4Ω (that is, 4Ω or greater) can be used. In order to ensure correct phase correlation when using the ¼” outputs, the tip of the amplifier’s speaker jack should be connected to the “+” (hot) input of your loudspeaker, and the sleeve of the amplifier’s speaker jack should be connected to the “-” (ground) input of your loudspeaker. When using the Speakon® outputs, the +1 output should be connected to the “+” (hot) input of your loudspeaker, and the -1 output should be connected to the “-“ (ground) input of your loudspeaker.
3. Next, connect the 3-pin AC plug into any grounded AC socket. Don’t turn the amplifier on just yet.
4. Use a standard shielded instrument cable to connect your bass to the TX600 INPUT jack on the front panel (if your bass has active circuitry, use the ACTIVE input jack so that the preamp will not overload). On the front panel of the, set the MASTER control to the 12 o’clock position and set the GAIN knob to the fully counterclockwise “0” position. Set the COMPRESSOR knob counterclockwise until it is in the “0” position, and set the EQ knobs to the 12 o’clock position.
5. Press the Power switch on the rear panel to turn on the amplifier.
6. Set the output of your bass to its maximum level. Then, while playing, slowly turn the TX600 GAIN knob control up until the desired level is reached. If you hear distortion, even at a low master MASTER setting, lower the GAIN control or back off the output of your bass. If the problem persists, check for a faulty cable.
7. When you have settled on a GAIN and MASTER volume, the next step is to adjust the three band EQ controls to taste. When you get a graphic equalization setting that complements your instrument and playing style, it’s a good idea to write it down for future use.
8. Now try out the compression circuit. As you rotate the COMPRESSOR knob, the input signal from your bass becomes more compressed. You’ll hear peak signals (such as string slaps and pulls) begin to sound increasingly “squashed” relative to the lower-level signals produced by standard playing. The result will be a decreased dynamic range, but an overall leveling of signal throughout the full pitch range of your instrument.
9. If you’re using an external signal processor, turn the amplifier off momentarily and connect a standard audio cable from the PREAMP OUT jack to your effects processor input, and a second standard audio cable between the POWER AMP IN jack and your effects processor output. Then turn the amp back on and play your bass while adjusting the controls of your outboard effects processor. For best results, set both the input and output gain of all connected effects processor(s) to 0 dB (unity gain), so that there is no increase or decrease in level whether the effects are switched in or out.