The Hartke HD500 is a serious gigging combo that pairs 500 watts of Class D power with two 10-inch HyDrive hybrid cone speakers, all in a package that weighs just 35 pounds. The paper/aluminum drivers deliver the punchy, articulate tone that Hartke is known for, with enough power to fill mid-sized venues and keep up with loud bands.

The top-mounted control panel features a 3-band EQ and Hartke's variable Shape EQ knob, which sweeps between 100-900 Hz to let you go from scooped modern sounds to fat, mid-forward vintage tones. An XLR direct output sends your bass tone to the PA or a recording chain, and the aux input and headphone jack cover practice at home. The only caveat is no external speaker output, so what you see is what you get. For most gigging bassists, that's more than enough.