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Setting up your Hartke Kilo Bass 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 top and side panels are unobstructed and
that there is proper ventilation around the entire unit.
2. Begin by hooking up your bass cabinet(s) to the Speakon® or ¼” unbalanced
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 2 ohms (that is, 2 ohms or greater)
can be used (per side) in Stereo mode, or a minimum impedance of 4 ohms in
Mono Bridge mode. 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, though.
4. Use a standard instrument cable to connect your bass to the Kilo’s INPUT jack on
the front panel (if your bass has active circuitry, press the ACTIVE switch to ensure
that the preamp will not overload). On the front panel of the Kilo, set the VOLUME
control to “0” (fully counterclockwise) and set the GAIN knob to “5” (12 o’clock) po-
sition. Set the COMPRESSOR knob counterclockwise until it is in the “0” position,
and set the BASS, MID, and TREBLE knobs to the “5” position.
5. Press the Power switch on the front panel to turn on the amplifier.
6. Set the output of your bass to its maximum level. Then, while playing, slowly turn
the Kilo’s master VOLUME control up until the desired level is reached. If you hear
distortion, even at a low master VOLUME 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 level, the next step is to
adjust the three band EQ controls to taste. For more information, see the “About
Equalization” section on page 18 of this manual.
8. Next, experiment with the Kilo’s graphic equalizer. Begin by setting each of the
ten sliders to their flat (“0”) center detent position. Then press in the GEQ switch
(the switch will light green) so that the graphic equalizer is activated. Finally,
move each slider, in turn, as you play your bass. Again, 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.
Setting Up and Using the Kilo
