Hartke 2.5XL Cabinet

Not sure of the year, the guy I bought it from said it was pretty new so probably 2006-2007 range? So, bad economy + paying for grad school + band breaking up meant I had to get rid of my old setup and scale back. I picked this one cause it was cheap but I was taken by surprise by how good it actually was! For features I give this one an 8, it's got a great port and the speakers are pretty nice as is the range, but there's no switch or attenuator for the horn, only two 1/4" plugs in the back. Also, for a 2x10 it's heavy as hell.

As for basses I use an American Fender P and a 1978 American Fender Jazz and for a head I use an SWR Studio 220 but I have also used a Gallien Krueger 400rbIII with this as well. I play everything and amazingly, this cab can cover it all- I was worried that it might be too bright, but if you just turn down the highs on your amp, you can get some sweet reggae tones out of this. It has had a bit of noise with treble turned up high (most amps do) but this is where the tweeter switch/attenuator might have come in handy. Other than that, it sounds amazingly punchy and has the ability to rumble my apartment building when necessary.

I'm going to have to say no opinion right now, I've only had it for about 10 months and have not done any heavy gigging during that time. But build quality seems pretty sturdy and like I said, it's pretty heavy.

Haven't dealt with them.

I've been playing bass for 11 years now, and this is probably one of the best cabs I've owned. It does what it needs to, it's not too big, and it sounds great. If lost/stolen, I might by another one though I'd probably go for something in 4 ohms. There are a few nitpicky things I listed but if you want something that can go from funky/jaco highs to Family Man/reggae lows in a portable package, this is your amp.

It's got a tweater

It sounds good, but the tweater that I initially thought was going to help my sound actually hindered it. I chose it because of the tweater, but afterward regretted it because it's just too much high end. In my opinion, no bass cabinet (or guitar for that matter) really needs a tweater. As long as it's got some good speakers that get good high end, there's no need.

I blew my speakers, but that's because I under powered it. Most cabinets I've played of are usually 4 ohms, and although this is a 200 watt cab, the only problem with that is that you've got spend a little more money to get an amp for it w/o blowing the speakers. Still, that doesn't make it unreliable.

Good cab, but again I think the tweater is unnecessary (some may have a different opinion, but this is mine) and a lot of electrical resistance, though I honestly don't have much of an understanding of the internal workings so I'm sure there's a reason for that.

Not sure on year of build. Bought New 2006 to replace a blky old 80's trace 4x10. I play melodic hard rock/indie rock kind of foo fighteresqe.
I was looking for a compact cab with good low requency response and portabililty was paramount. I was sick of the weight of my trace 4x10 and with the trace 1x15 i was struggling with underpowering /clipping as the trace was 800watts 4x10 and 300 1x15. so smaller kit and a better match to my amp power wss the order of the day. I play through an ampeg b2re the newer 450 rms version. originally i was looking for a trace 2x10, but they were a bit pricey even second hand, so went a local dealer to get an ashdown 2x10 and they were out of stock.
I had always been told to stick well away from Hartke and had never heard anyone get a good sound from them. I was playing a small outdoor festival this summer and the main bands backline was used by all.
I took the ampeg and put it through a hartke xl series stack of 4x10 and 1x15 and could not believe the punch and how thight the bottom end was after 5 mins i was sold.
bought the hartke 2x10 the next day from thoman. and i am about to replace the trace with the 4.5xl to make a portable 6 x 10 rig rated at 600 watts, which is not a bad match for 450 AMP.
I have used it alone and the low end is still really tight and fat. i play a music man sterling through a mxr pre amp / bass di and use a scooped mid sound with bass boost from the pedal and a little extra top. cute trhough against two marshall stacks and hold down the groove with the kick and snare
after 10 years of staying away coz of what others said i am convinced of the xl series, unless you can go boutique you wont get much more for your money. I would suggest trying yourself as i think the complaints seem to be tartgetted on the transporter series.

music man sterling mxr bass di ampeg b2re
great punchy tight bottom end good top snap
not noticed a massive amount of hiss or buzz
warm jazzy jaco tones to hard agressive metal a la trivium
distortion pedal can be a littel to bright and scratchy but a few setting teaks warms it up

have not had problems yet owned it for one year ish and looks like new still

not had to yet touch wood

20 years and good god dare i say this i prefer the sound to my beloved trace elliots!
yes id buy again, i particularly like the weight these cabs can handle
my only reservation is not being given the peak power rating as its usefull to know as i reckon thats why the transporters blew.

This is a 2 10" speaker cabinet with a 5" small speaker which acts like a tweeter or horn. It's rated all the way down to 35h which is lower than some fifteen inch speaker cabs out there. This is due mainly to the bottom porting and solid construction of the cab which make it sound simply kick ass-! It has a standard 1/4 inch input on the back for your head to plug into, pull out handles, and replacable corners.

Great features, simple and sweet- but could be better with speakon connector.

Oh my... this is a really punchy and boomy bass cab. For a 2x10 cabinet it really has a lot of bottom end. Sounds alot like a 4x10, I think someone else said that on here, I agree.
It's rated at 200 watts, which is really great because they keep it down low so it's easier to drive and find heads to work with.
The cab never breaks up, and the highs sound good because they are comming from a good quality speaker not a tweater or horn.

Simply fabulous.

I've only had this for about three months now. I bought used, and it's held up fine. No issues. I give it a ten because you just know when you pick it up that it can take anything... its invincible,

Overall just a really great sound. The only 2 x 10 cab I would recommend for a "stand-alone" setup. It might sound better with a lower cab... but thats another thing.
Anyhow, its a great cabinet. Don't see any issues or problems coming in the future. If it were stolen I would keep looking for alluinum coned cabinets. I know beringher (yuk) makes some, but I think Hartke preety much owns in this category.

Its a frecking rock monster! Yea...

This is a Xl-Series Bass cab from about 2002 (3 years old)...
I play mostly "rock" music, anything from classic 80 hairband to modern alternative feel good jam. Really great for deep rock tone.
Not sure what more or less you would want for features... has an input, sturdy handles, good covering, doesn't weight a ton (although it is heavy)- and it can take 2oo watts at 8 olms!
I've used the cabinet for practicing with the band and playing out live.
It works great at high and low volumes, always enough power and thump.

I use a Mexican fender P-bass and an entry level Ibanez soundgear...
This cab brings out the highs that were missing in the P-bass, and the lows that were stuggling to come out from the Ibanez.
For a 2x10" cab it is deep and can push its self alone in a band situation. It's rated at 35hz, which is lower than many of the fifteens out there.
Occasionally I'll do some slapping and heavier groove styles when the drummer is feeling loose. I think that this is what convinced me to but the cab, the slap tones are pushed out so nicely, and the pops are really crisp.
Overall I would describe the tone as very warm, punchy, and bright when needed.

I've had the cab for about 3/4 years now and haven't had a problem.
I'm really not sure how a cab could backfire on you if you take care of it... amps are a different story.
The speakers handel everything I throw at them, no problems.
Handels and carpet like I said are soild and have look near new.

Never han to deal with Hartke.

I've been playing bass for 9 years and other various instuments throughout that time. This cab was bought after carring around an Ampeg stack (the 8x10 refregerator) for about 2 years.
After owning and playing the hartke, I don't know why I did sell the 160 pd. Ampeg sooner. If lost or stolen I would go with a similar Hartke cab (maybe a 1x15 or 4x10"), these cabs really kick ass.
I like the tone and practicality of the cab. It goes down low, can handel a gig alone, and hasn't broken my back or my wallet.

Decent for the price

Sound is really good. I wanted to downsize a bit and this works great for that. I mainly play a fretless Precision A/E or an old fretted p-bass and use 2 of them with an old Ampeg 140TC stereo head. They are efficient enough to do the job @ moderate levels. When I want to get louder I use the Ampeg as a preamp into a McIntosh 2100 and it is unbelievably clean. The chorus is pretty cool too. I also play a BSX Allegro with them and it definately will handle the low end of the upright. Dino makes a great instrument. I know Hartke gets a bad rap a lot of times from "purists" but these cabinets really sound good, especially with the upright and the hollow body precision, the piezos for some reason do not sound as hot as I thought they would with the aluminum drivers.

I have no idea, mine have held up.

Again, no idea. I got mine from American Music Supply on line.

I have played for almost 35 years and really like these. I keep one around to practice on and jam with. We mainly play acoustic so obviously it will get loud enough. It is portable verses the gear it replaced and that alone is worth a lot to my 50 year old back. They are also a great value especially compared to the boutique stuff. I would definately buy another, actually I did after getting the first one. I mainly use them on amp stands to get them up a bit for projection and then place one on either side of us. They are small enough that they don't dominate the area. They also develop plenty of low end even when not on the floor.

Features...well, what else would you want in a cabinet like this, reverb? Thes cabites are so damn nice that I own two of them (and a 215 Sub cab). The nice thing about this (these) cabinets is that I can use them as a single cabinet, or I can stack them in a "short stack", or I can use them with my 215 sub in a bi-amp rig configuration using my Peavey Firebass, it's internal crossover and my spare 600 watt power amp that gives me a total of 1300 watts of WHOOP ASS!!! I'll put these cabinets up against anything out there!!! I'll give it a "10" even thought it doesn't have many knobs, tubes, switches...

Okay, the sounds... They are about as sweet as anything out there. The aluminum cones are responsive, clean and powerful. When paired with a second matching cabinet and an amp with a ton of headroom, they'll play just about ANY venue short of a stadium! Coupled with the matching 215 Sub, and the right amp, you could play a stadium!!! Sound-wise, I'll go a "10".

I've never had one go down on me yet. If you have doubts about this cabinet's ability to handle your venue or practice session, follow this simple rule: when in doubt, add a cabinet! It deserves a "10".

Do they have a customer service? Huh, I've never needed them...since 1987... Yup, a "10"...

I started playing shortly before Columbus discovered America.
Gear I own? Way too much to list here!
Simply put, I'm a mechanical engineer and I can afford anything I want, and I bought these because I have tried them all (SVT's on down) and these are by far the best sounding. And the "sound" is what we're after, right? I may have bought them used, but I don't believe in paying more than you have to for gear. Keep your eye on eBay for these at a bargain price. Again, a "10".

Bought new in 2001, portable 2x10" cab with 5" top end driver, single 1/4" input jack, rugged carpet covering, fold-out handles. A very versatile and loud cab for it's size(sounds like a 4x10")- I have done various gigs, from smaller pubs to medium sized clubs and theatres with it, I use a Hartke 3500 head with it and have never turned up beyond 3. I play with Jazz, Funk,Rock and Pop bands with a bit of World music thrown in.

I use a Fender Precision, Warwick Streamer Stage 1 5 string, Cort A6 fretless 6 string, Chapman Stick 10 string - all sound good through this cab - it's extremely clear and the 5" driver really helps as opposed to a horn - instead of adding hiss, it provides high midrange and top end, giving quite a complete sound - it has an amazing amount of low-end rumble for a 2x10, due in part I think to the 18" depth and the porting which moves a lot of air (It sounds much better than the smaller Hartke 210xl cab) - if pushed too hard there will be distortion - it's a 200w cab after all, but it has a lot of headroom and I've never had that problem, and for bigger gigs I use an extra 1x15" cab with it

Very reliable - after 2 years of heavy playing, one of the speakers developed a rattle and had to be repaired - as good as new - the grill and carpeting are still in one piece - it does the job fine.

Dealt with the agents in England - dropped it of to fix the one speaker, job was done quickly and staff were polite and friendly.

Been playing for 17 years, have used many different speaker cabs - definitely one of the best 2x10's there is, because of the bottom end and clarity - it's very light and therefore portable compared to various other cabs such as Trace Elliot.If lost or stolen I would get it again - An excellent cab if you're looking for a portable versatile bass cab for small to medium gigs.

Same as previous review. A deep cabinet for 2X10s.

Sounds great on its own for small rooms/lounges, or with another cabinet for bigger clubs. I love the crisp sound and tight lows. I use it with a Carvin BB75 5 string and it sounds beautiful. I've used it at mid-size clubs in a bi-amp set-up along with a 2x15 cabinet driven out of a SWR ST800 power amp and Trace Elliot GP12 SMX and the sound was phenomenal.

The carpeting on the back lower side is peeling and could have been secured better. Other than that, the speakers are holding up well and the mechanical hardware is sturdy.

I don't have any experience with them yet.

I love this cabinet. I've been playing 25 years and mostly through 15 inch paper speakers. These aluminum cones add a nice tone that enhances the sound of my Carvin bass. I also love the versatility because I can use this on its own for rehearsal or small rooms (and still have the low end) or I can pair it up with a bigger cabinet for club gigs. I'm very satisfied and would by one again.

Large 2x10 cab with a 5" mid/tweet all aluminum cones. nice carpet, stacking corners, fold out handles, and a single 1/4" input
handles 200watts. Wish it had speakon inputs, but at that power level, they aren't needed. Would be nice to have paralleled inputs.

Sounds good on its own, loud enough for rehearsals ect... good low end and high end snap. I acctually use this with a HA7000 head and 215bxl (Dual 15") cab. With this setup, you can get stupidly loud (while still staying clean). Some people don't like the Hartke 'sound' but I dig it. I mainly use an Ibanez sr500 with active pickups and bass/treble/vari-mid onboard preamp. the key to my sound are the D'Addario Prism Strings (I use the lower 4 of a 5 string set tuned b,e,a,d) I get a really bright sound with serious low end.

Only had this setup a few weeks and haven't gigged with it yet.

heard they're a bitch, but my local dealer is excellent.

I like this cab alot, sounds good, easy to move, all the good stuff.
I'd buy another again.