5.1 Compact Feedback
16/05/10 - Compact
Suffice to say I'm very, very pleased with my Compact. The sound is great, but the biggest difference to my old setup is definitely the weight. It's led to one very jealous keyboard player now that his rig weighs twice what mine does! The silver cloth was a good choice I think: it's good for impressing those that listen with their eyes rather than their ears given that it looks like you've brought some old-school bad-assery with you. Combined with an RH450 I've found it to have plenty of headroom, with the volume being at the point of overpowering the band with the master at just past 12 o'clock.
Cheers,
Duncan
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25/03/10 - Compact
I'm more than surprised at how light it is! I'm just off to get the speakon cable for it and I'll be gigging it tonight!
Thanks
Stephen
Update, 11/04/10
So after a while of having my Marshall MB4210, I was pretty happy with the hybrid valve type ampifier, I liked how it was IMO a transparant aplification of my bass.
But although its a cobo its very heavy, and as I dont drive and my band relies on parants to transport our gear around for gigs and practice I quickly got bored of going back and forth to pick everything up.
So began the search to find a light, copmpact, loud, value for money rig.
I wanted a head and cab thing as the option to upgrade parts is nice and its easyier to stuff seperate squares into a small van than one large one. Anyway, I had my mind set on a at least 300w and a decent 2x10. I quickly found that good light 2x10's arnt that common opr cheap. Also i kind of narrowed my head search for harkte Lh500, Orange terror Bass or a GB shuttle 6.0. Although I searched ebay and here and talkbass, I couldn't get a used orange or LH500, and the GB was out of prive range. Then I got stuck, I convinced myself that the Orange wasnt versatile enough and the LH500 was my only option.
Then sudden case of GAS and impulseness struck me while going over ebay.
I saw someone selling an ampeg SVT-3-PRO with a footswitch and inside a LD systems gig carry hard case thing at £450. I messaged him and got him down to 420, which I thought was a brilliant catch. Obviously I did some research on it and 3 pre amp tubes is better than 2 or 1, no? plus I grew up with the sound of mark hoppus and his SVT-4 pro, and if it the 3 is good enough for Robert Trujillo its got to be good enough for me and my amateur needs.
Next was a cab. I dont know why I was being narrow minded about a 2x10. I was looking at all kinds of neo loaded cabs, some still weighing around 20 Kgs, anyway, I thought I'll email barefaced and ask his advice. Amazing he replied in less than an hour. He asked a bunch of questions like my current gear and my bands sound, and my EQ settings, he assured me that the Compact would suit me just fine although the SVT-3 might under power it a bit.
It came the other day and I got it all together and practiced the crap out of it. Im still astonished at the compacts lightness. I dont need my graphic eq pedal no more as i use the Ampegs on board 9 band graphic EQ.
The sound is pretty amazing, I still get the transparant amplification of my bass, with added features, like the low button adds a great sub harmonic to everything. It's true that the SVT-3 pro under powers the compact it but after around 3/4's of master volume it starts to drive the speaker and stuff starts to fall over, stuff in my bathroom fell over, and you can really feel it push the air. The notes are clear and seperate.
I gigged it that night and it was great I could not only hear myself on stage but feel it too. It has great punch in a crowded mix, specially with a double bass happy drummer and two loud guitards wink.gif.
I still find it funny when people think the cab is going to wiegh a tonne. I can walk out the house with the amp head bass and cab in one go, so theres no return trips to the car for me, and my band is back at complaining about the drum kit. I think the only thing i'll need at a later date is another compact to start running the ampeg at 450w at 4 ohm.
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11/03/10 - Compact
The compact is more and more amazing the more and more i play it. Cracking piece of kit! Unfortunately due to the laziness of my current band, I’m still to test it in a live environment, but i reckon this’ll be another two weeks off!
I also just picked up a DHA overdrive pedal which just aids in making this rig sound massive. I’ve finally pretty much hit my tonal nirvana!.......pretty much.........
....So I was also wondering if you could direct me to any images of a midget compact stack/threads. I remember seeing a couple a while back before ordering the compact, but I can’t seem to find them again. It won’t be an immediate purchase due to cashflow, but I’m considering adding a midget to add more aggression, and provide options within a modular rig. Reckon if i do it’ll be 6 months off or so, but thought I’d start looking and ask the question.
Hope all’s well your end, and thank you again!!
Andy (UK)
Update 26/04/10
Just finished assembling my lightweight rig, and I’m absolutely loving it!
Set up now is:
Feline Bass (5 string) --- DHA VT2-twin-eq-std --- Genz Benz Shuttle 9 --- Barefaced Compact
I’ve had the components for home playing for a while, and my first proper test was the weekend just gone, managing to get a rehearsal (finally) in with my “band”. I’d managed to dial in so many good tones at home on my own, i couldn’t wait to get it out.
The first test was whether I could actually carry it down the road (admittedly only 1,000 yards to the train station – then another 200 yards the other end). Pretty easy – cab in one hand, guitar on my back, bag of pedals and cables in the other.
I arrived early and set up with the drummer (guitarist was as usual late!) and let rip – this set packs one hell of a wallop. I EQ’d a little on the Genz, added the Extra low pre set to find my sweet spot, and it was tonal Nirvana! This is one hell of an amp in an almost ridiculously small package. I love the tone variety and the wallop it can hit you with.
Throwing in the DHA VT2 to provide some overdrive and fuzz when needed, and the versatility in tone was staggering! Really tubey and aggressive. I love the two tube stages – the first adding a little more bite than the Genz can conjure, the second taking it to a heavy overdrive/fuzz.
The compact just seems to throw out bass – literally trouser flapping!! The low B is the best I’ve ever heard it – articulate, fat, didn’t fade quickly, sounded equal in level to every other sting on the instrument.
When the guitar was eventually brought into the mix, it cut through easily, and kicked the arse out of a Marshall 412 – we’re a pretty loud band, and the guitarist resigned himself to running another amp in stereo to try and boost enough to get our mix right.
I know loudness isn’t what it’s all about, but running a single 15 in such a light weight rig, as well as more than achieving my tonal goals whilst being stupidly loud put the biggest smile on my face!!
What i thought sounded pretty good at home, just came to life in a rehearsal room in a live context. I can’t wait till next time, and to get it out gigging!!
I’m so pleased with each element of this rig, the tone, finish (The pedal and cab are extremely well built, and aesthetically i love their appearance) and the customer service I received from Alex and Dave, I just thought I’d share.
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17/03/10 - Compact
Yeah, picked it up last night, cheers! Very pleased with the look and the weight, but can't really test out the sound until I gig it this weekend.
Thanks,
Duncan (UK)
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07/03/10 - Compact
went to depot to pick up cab on saturday morning. Must admit its great - light weight and such a good bass response.
will be trying in anger on friday
Update: 21/02/10
I tried the cab out in anger last night and was really pleased. Its so ;ight and easy to transport but teh sound was great. I dont know how it does it but the bass response was really good. The only problem was that my Markbass amp kept going for a walk and nearly fell off.
Many thanks.
martin (UK)
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13/12/09 - Compact
I gigged my Compact for the first time last night, with Chainsaw, a six-piece rock covers band that has been going for 30 years. Drums, bass, two guitars, lead singer and backing singer. The venue was the Three Horse Shoes, Otley near Leeds; one of my favourite pub venues because bands play on a raised floor and the audience likes a good gig. I like to think we delivered on that front, but best ask the opinion of someone who was there.
I turned up with some trepidation. I 'just' had a Shuttle 6.0 and a Barefaced Compact, and with this band, the decibel levels are high. This year, I've often used an Eden stack with the Shuttle, and also sometimes a pair of GS112s, but all cabs have now gone to new homes and all I've got left is the tweeter-less Compact. For most of the night, I used my Stingray 5, but I also used the Modulus Quantum SPX5 for a few numbers.
Well, my anxiety about not having enough air-shifting presence was soon a thing of the past. I had a clear, loud sound on stage which kept up with the rest of the band, no problem. But that's not all. The bass end of things was immense. I could have boosted the bass much more than I allowed but that would have felt like being at an earthquake movie at a Suroundsound cinema. What became apparent was that I could hit each of the first five frets on the low B string and actually hear them as separate and distinct notes. Yes, that's not difficult in a quiet band with a couple of Bergo's or Agui's, but in a full-on rock gig, I've found that takes some doing. Admittedly, these are all 12" speakers, so perhaps it's unfair to compare them with a 15".
I've always thought that "cutting through the mix" meant being able to hear the mid and top end of things amidst the melee, but the Compact has made me realise that this can also relate to hearing the low bass and being heard amongst all other instruments as discernible notes rather than just a harmonious rumble. But what about my other worry concerning the lack of higher frequencies? Again, I was placated. I had the Shuttle on maximum treble boost, and this with the power of the SR5, gave me the bite I needed (e.g. for my occasional faux slapping moments). I'm not one to boost the mids, so I can't really give an opinion on the Compact 's ability in that part of the spectrum yet.
A true appraisal of the cab's ability to be heard at different angles requires more venues, but I certainly felt that it had a wide radius of projection last night.
The rest of the band were very impressed with the Compact. One of our guitarists, who rarely speaks with more than three words in a sentence (he's not stupid, and he has a first class university degree, but he's a genuine Tyke) said "that cab seriously kicks arse ...is it an 18 inch?" I also got some respectful comments about my playing after the gig from folk I've never met before. Believe me, this isn't a common occurrence. Maybe my brilliance just hasn't been as detectable before wink.gif.
I can only criticize the cab on one thing and that's it's appearance/finish. Barefaced has rightly focussed on delivering a 'Tardis' job in sound and weight but Barefaced cabs in my opinion have yet to have an exterior that matches their price tag. But that aside, we should be grateful for Barefaced's genius contribution to the world of Bass. Furthermore, their pioneering 'Barefaced On Tour' trials have been a great initiative.
I am so pleased that I have found a solution to lugging and to sound quality. I really could have come on the bus with my rig. One day I may well add another cab to sit on top of the Compact , but only to draw a better impedance load and to increase ear-height monitoring, but that would be a want and not a need.
Phil aka born2bmild (UK)
Addendum from Jonny:
I was in the audience at this gig and the compact sounded awesome! It's the first time I've met Born 2B Mild and having noticed in his signature that he's now using Barefaced cabs, I was really keen to see what they sounded like.
Out in the audience, the sound was full, warm and clear and the compact is more than capable of producing plenty of top-end, especially considering there is no tweeter...The amount of low-end from such a small cabinet is surprising in itself, but the amount of top-end available can easily put to rest any preconcieved ideas about what frequencies a single 15 can produce. Also worth noting is how sweet the treble is - there's no harshness that can be sometimes cause tweeters to be a bit of an aquired taste. AFAIK, the bass was running without any PA support aswell, which really helps to show how capable the compact is!
I agree about the finish and can understand why some people don't like it, but I can definately see the purpose of using that type of finish - it's hard wearing, easy to touch up AFAIK(?) and it wouldn't rip like tolex sometimes does or go fluffly like carpet can. Having said that, I think a few options regarding the finish could make the compact more attractive to more people, although IIRC, some people have already had Compacts built with different finishes, like carpet.
The weight is also incredible - it really is an easy lift. I'd really recommend that anyone with any doubts about this cab checks one out in person at a gig. It's especially useful hearing one from the audience's perspective and it's really the only way to answer any questions about what the cab is really like.
Addendum from Tom:
Glad to hear the Compact is doing it's thing. ( I swapped my Compact for B2BM's 2 Aggie GS112s)
I can confirm the points mentioned in the the above review. From my experience, the Compact filled a leisure gymnasium with no PA support using about 300 watts. In general, the band were always happy, especially the drummer, because they could hear the bass clearly as well as feel it. The finish never bothered me as I'm not hungup on aesthetics, the thing just needs to work.
I wish the Midgets where out earlier. The Compact is a great cab IMO, and the only reason I needed to move it on was that it's too big for my double bass gigs. The Aggies are great becasue I can split the stack as and when and one cab sounds really nice with UDB.
I imagine a Compact and a T'Midget would be ideal for my circumstances to cover electric bass and double bass.
[Barefaced: Following feedback from earlier customers we have worked to improve the cosmetics of our models - all cabs now have metal corners, rubber feet, finer steel grill perforations with machine cut edges, please look out for more recent photos in the near future! Also note that this is an earlier 32lb not 26lb Compact. One other thing - when Phil acquired this cab on the used market he also placed an order for a T'Midget because he was concerned that the Compact wouldn't be able to handle his band on its own. He subsequently cancelled that order!]
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14/12/09 (Compact)
I've have received the cab and it sounds SO GREAT!!!
Kristian (Denmark)
Update:
11/03/10 - Compact
I´ve got one of your combact cabs and it works great!
I am currently using an Aguilar AG500SC amp (http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_amplifiers_ag500sc.htm)
But I am thinking about changing my amp to an Markbass F1 (http://www.markbass.it/products.php?lingua=en&cat=1&vedi=82)
Whitch one of the two amps do you think would be the best/have the most volume with my compact?
Best Regards
Kristian Bech Laursen, Denmark
www.myspace.com/kristianbechlaursen
A very satisfied Barefaced customer:)
[Barefaced: Tough question! I think you'd have to AB the amps directly to know,
the power ratings are too close to call. I'd expect the F1 to sound
tighter and quicker and the Aguilar a bit juicier but don't quote me
on that. Keep the Aguilar, buy the F1 if you're curious but make sure
you can return it if doesn't measure up!]
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19/11/09 (Compact)
The cab arrived intact yesterday. I've only had a very limited time to spend with it so far, but I must say I'm very happy with it! Looks really good and weighs next to nothing. I tried it shortly with my T-funk and my new TC Classic 450, and the sound is great too! I'll post you more comments later.
Thanks again!
All the best
Tero (Finland)
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23/11/09 (Compact)
I think the first gig I will have with the cab is in january, a recordingsession with a live setup.
I'll write you when I have tried it out.
But so far it is sounding very good! I have a few different basses, and especially my Rob Allen Mb-2 5 string bass with piezo pickup has been very hard to pair up with a cab.
It always sounded too Piezo-like, if you can follow. But this cab does the best job! I think it's because of the natural roll-of of only one driver. Regarding slap sound i can't imaging why anyone would want more highs than this cab deliver. If there were a tweeter i think most people would turn it down.
Thanks
Adam (Denmark)
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22/11/09 (Compact)
Just thought I send you a quick message to say how delighted I am with the Barefaced Compact Cab you supplied me with.
I have now had the opportunity to use it during the last few weeks and am really amazed that a 15inch cab can sound so good. It can handle all the sounds that I want easily and makes playing a lot easier as I can hear what notes I am playing. Sounds fantastic from the audience position as it sits in the mix so comfartably.
It's also so much more easier for me to transport.
Thanks again
Gethin (UK)
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04/12/09 (Compact)
Cab arrived and gigged, seems to improve with almost every note I play (wish I could say the same about myself)! Will post feedback on Barefaced site after a few more outings.
Geoff (UK)
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09/04/09 (Compact)
It's..... small. I didn't quite realise how "compact" it actually was! Looking forward to giving it some welly tomorrow. Will let you know how it goes. Did I read somewhere you've already run the speaker in?
Frank
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The Funk 20/11/08 (Compact #1)
Hah! I'm in the middle of moving house and my band's been on a 2-week break while a couple of the guys were abroad so I haven't had a chance to test it in a band setting.
But from my initial thoughts, having spent an hour or so sticking different heads through it, are that the cab definitely has a character of its own and that it's loud!
The cab has an aggressive mid-range and bright highs. The lows are decent. The highs aren't harsh but they are slightly metallic - a bit G-Kish.
This really was a quick test though - and just with the one bass and with very little EQing.
The good news is that I like the sound of the cab and it sounded good with all kinds of different amps. And it was very loud with just a 150-odd Watt head.
I'm getting together with the drummer soon to make a couple of showing off videos. I'll use the Barefaced cab and see how it fares. Once my move is done, I'll sit down with the cab for a good few hours and try out all the different basses.
But my first thoughts were that I'm impressed! It's a decent height, very light, loud and with a good, very usable tone. More detail to follow!
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In my brief experience (unfortunately not yet at real volume) I'd say exactly the same; get a Compact. It doesn't appear to be right for everything (my Epifani UL502+the Compact seems to be a weird mix; all the honky mids in the world, so much so they're difficult to tame - any idea why this should be Alex?) but my ABM500 sounds great through it. It sounds very similar in many ways to some of the more rock-orientated 4x10s I've used, but a bit clearer; in fact pretty much exactly as Alex has suggested, and I'd certainly guess it would keep up volume and bottom wise.
and on UL502 with Compact
Having successfully used a UL502 through various Epifani cabs using the same basses (my Seis) I can only conclude the Epi cabs must be comparatively very mid-scooped. The same eq that worked with the Epis with the Compact produces hugely different (and far more unpleasantly honky) results. I was really struggling to get a good sound with my Sei Melt whatever I did with the eq, although I'm working on it (that bass still seems to sound best through EBS).
I got a better sound with my Ric after some experimentation, but to approximate the sound I usually use - which is very different to what I want out of the Seis - I had to use the first channel with the mid scoop in, cut ALL the mids entirely (!), and boost both bass (around 2 o'clock) and treble (pretty much flat out). I've NEVER boosted bass in my life with a Ric, but it was the mid eq that really surprised me. For comparison, the settings on the Ashdown are bass about 10 o'clock, middle rotary flat, treble around 4 o'clock, a fair old kick in the low and high mid sliders, and the preshape in (it's somewhat Squire-esque for reference). I'm hoping to soon try a friend's LMK to see how that works.
Regardless of the above, I would suggest to anyone thinking of getting a typical 4x10 that they try the Compact. It appears to do easily the same job in a package that weighs only 32lbs. It actually feels lighter than either of my heads, although the Epi is supposed to be lighter. Oh, and as stated elsewhere an ABM sits on it like it was born to do so.
and on Compact (with ABM500) vs old Trace Elliott cabs
The response of the Compact with the Ashdown didn't surprise me at all; it sounded pretty much how I expected. Compared to my old Trace 4x10 (sealed & pre-Kevlar) it had similar bottom ("toit!" in the words of Goldmember ) although with better handling, smoother and more balanced (though not quite as grindy or barky) mids, a slightly clearer voice and possibly slightly more extended top. Compared to my old Trace 1153, much tighter lows, again not quite as barky and possibly with marginally less upper end detail than the 1153, but with much greater power handling and a more balanced sound (and weighs half as much; less than a third as much as the 4x10).
Shaun
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Date?
I swapped an Acme for a Compact
So Friday I went to pick up my new Compact. If you don't care to read scroll down to see the pics.
But before that a little bit of story. I had never met Alex before Friday despite speaking to him on the phone or on email countless times.
Alex is a 5 star guy, when I got there we started chatting just to realize ten minutes later than we had never really met, funny moment. laugh.gif
Now the cabs, Alex had my cab there ready for me to take home, plus about 5 or 6 others ready to have the speakers placed and the grilles fitted.
Also there were two Big Ones ready to go, more on that later.
The Compact:
first impression is that the cab is really and I'll repeat really light. The wood used is very thin, thinner than expected. The finish looks good and it will be easy to clean if needed, I was a bit worried about scratches but after having a closer look at home, that shouldn't be a problem, the finish looks though enough. This is the most straight forward cab I ever owned. One speaker 1x15, one speakon input and that is it, no bells or whistles. The cab looks much better in person than it does on the pics and the port and logo help to a very good look overall. The grille is something in between Trace Elliot grilles and the Ampeg ones it looks good as well, the whole cab is finished to a high standard with no rough edges.
How it sounds? Well I had only a chance of trying it out yesterday at Barefaced and today at home at low volumes. This is a very well balanced cab, no harsh highs even when boosting the treble. That noise you ear when sliding your fingers down the strings from one chord to another it's not so prominent so I'll guess that this cab will be a great choice for recording. The lows are much defined even with the B string and boosting all the lows on my F1, the cab just performs. I saw the Eminence speaker Barefaced uses and they do look the business, they look like they can take lots and lots of lows and volume.
I can see this cab cutting through very easily without the need to boosting mids, I tried it today with both my basses and I managed to get a very old school sound out of my T-Bass and a great growl out of my Spector. I'm very excited about practice today and then my gig on Friday, I want to see how it performs at a proper volume.
The Big One, well first thing, IT'S BIG, seriously the cab is not small, but weights very little, very manageable with the recessed wheels and two well placed handles one on the side and the other right at the top, pushed back so it doesn't get on the way of you amp.
It sounds good too, but with more mids and a lot more highs than the compact, I can see it being a great choice for rockers who need tons of volume and a cab that cuts through a wall of guitars with ease. That's the one. For me it is too big and it would be overkill, and plus it wouldn't fit my car. Oh and if you plan on buying one ask them to ship with the vintage look, instead of black he has a kind of grey/silver grille that looks ubber cool.
David
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I've just borrowed our guitarist's late-70's silverface Bassman 50 valve head for a few days- had a quick play with it hooked up to the Compact earlier this evening, running my US Jazz (with Nordstrand NJ4's) straight in. WHAT a sound!
With the treble and bass knobs up full (and the Deep switch off), I'm getting this lovely grind tone when I dig in, yet with loads of punch and thickness too. I don't even have to crank the volume particularly high to get it either! I'm definitely going to have to try this set-up for recording...
Right, I'm off to try it with my old Squier JV P-bass next!
Etienne
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I just tried my Compact with GK 1001 RB II
I don't think that words can describe it
WHAT A SOUND!!!
WHAT A VIEW !!!
Jack
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Product: BarefacedBass The Compact - http://www.barefacedbass.com/thecompact.html
Features : 9/10
The Compact is a single, high-excursion 15" neodymium magnet speaker, housed in a 9mm hardwood ply, extremely well braced & dampened cabinet.
Dimensions: 25.5" high x 19.5" wide x 13.5" deep
Weight: 32 lbs
Sensitivity: Louder than almost any 2x10" cab, close to many 2x12" cabs
Frequency Response: Similar to the classic sealed 8x10" fridge
Recommended Amp Power: 100 - 500W RMS
Maximum Output: Similar to a quality 2x12" or 3x10" cabinet
Impedance: 8 ohms
(Measured specs are not available yet, but will follow).
Other features:
Textured re-touchable coating
Single strap handle on one side
Powder coated steel grill
Airtight Speakon jack
Speaker "run in" prior to being shipped
The only negative is there's no 1/4 inch jack input, but apparently this is because no airtight 1/4 inch or combo 1/4 inch/Speakon inputs could be sourced. (Just don't forget your Speakon cable, 'cos nobody will have a spare...).
Sound Quality: 10
Amp: Markbass LMII, Bass: Dingwall ABII 5-string played fingerstyle, clean and with effects.
Single 15 cabs aren't too fashionable at the moment, so although The Compact goes against the flow, it's nothing like those wooly, muddy 15's from the past. The manufacturer suggests that: "...because The Compact is so small, it doesn't naturally have massive bottom, but it won't mind if you crank up the lows on your amp to get that fatness." Doing this, I can get a seriously hefty tone with thick lows, that organic, woody chest-thump that I love and natural-sounding top end, ie no squawk or hiss and at surprising volume too. It easily handles the lows produced by my Dingwall without crapping out, right down to the dropped A of the 37" B-string. It won't appeal to players wanting glass-shattering highs, but those wanting a very light cab that doesn't compromise on tone will love it. (*Although I haven't tried it yet, I know The Compact will make a no-nonsense recording cab too, due to its high quality, single speaker configuration).
*EDIT: Have now used the Compact in the studio, my setup being: Bass into Summit Audio TD 100 (valve DI), DI signal to desk, Mark Bass LMII and Compact on an Auralex Gramma Pad and Neumann M147 valve mike, fairly close & slightly off-axis (see pic below). The studio people were very impressed with the instant great sound, really helped by just having one speaker in the cab - no problems with mike placement. The first thing I said when listening back to the 1st take was, "...and this is the flat cab sound...???". Yes, the straight un-equalised cab sound was right on the money and no need to have it stupidly loud to get a good tone, no moving around of the mike or radical eqing required either. I can honestly say this was hands-down the best cab I've used in a studio.
So whilst The Compact is advertised as as loud, live cab, it works very well as a studio solution too - mission accomplished.
Reliability/Build Quality 9 :
N/A for reliability so far - not had it for long enough. Time will tell if the thin cabinet panels will hold up under serious gigging conditions, but, as noted previously, it's very well braced, so I'm not too worried.
Build quality is excellent, although a couple of the corner caps were slightly crooked, but I'm being VERY picky.
Customer Support : 10
Barefaced answered all my questions quickly and patiently - can't ask for more really!
Overall Rating : 10
Have rehearsed and gigged with the Compact, but a particularly good test was in a medium-sized venue with full PA, large stage and separate monitor mixes. The other bands were using a large rig - a powerful amp with a 4x10 & 1x15 - but I have to say my micro amp (Markbass LMII) and The Compact combination sounded so much better, in spite looking less impressive! Yes, the giant rig would have gone louder than mine had it needed to, but only moderate volume was necessary and The Compact gave me a much more integrated sound - a good solid tone that was easy for me to hear. I definitely didn't miss having a tweeter either and my effects were clear and crisp too.
Having used an LMII through a variety of brands of 2x10, 3x10, two 1x12's, and 4x10, I never thought a single 15 with no tweeter would work on it's own. So many lightweight cabs sound "middle-y" and can't reproduce real low end at gig volumes - in spite of their so-called "specs" - but The Compact really does the business live and in the studio and is lighter and more versatile than any of those big "names".
So yes, as the name says, it's compact. It's also loud, beefy-sounding and very portable, which means other band members don't mind carrying it... (Our [female] singer/guitarist picked it up and said, "Wow, it's really light, but it doesn't look it. And it's much lighter than my guitar amp...").
If I ever need more than one Compact, I'll just get another!
This post has been edited by JonnyM: May 17 2009, 08:42 PM
hought I'd say this to add to my review HERE: did another gig with The Compact a couple of days ago where another aspect of it's design revealed itself. The load-in was via a narrow staircase but I was still able to carry all my gear in one go, due to the shallow cab design and handle placement. When I think of the problems I used to have carting gear around blink.gif
I raised my rig off the boomy, hollow stage and got an excellent sound: fat but controlled, with plenty of clarity. (The sound engineer asked me to turn down during sound check though...bah!).
This cab really is ideal for the gigging bass player who doesn't want to compromise on tone and it continues to impress - good job Alex! I'm sure your other cabs will find their niche too.
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31/07/09
I'm happy for you to use my feedback but I won't gig the Compact until 3 Sept. We never gig in the summer.
I love the cab in rehearsal and I know it'll be stunning on a gig.
I'll email you soon.
PS. Oh, might be doing a dep gig soon so I might review sooner.
I'll be your N Ireland rep if you like haha
Regards,
Frank
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31/07/09
I have no objection to you using my feedback with my real name, & county (Merseyside).
Just to let you know, I think the cab is superb. it seems an ideal match for the "Baby Mark Bass" amp and is just as good as the Ashdown combo I had before in terms of both tone and volume.
You may also be interest to know that I have had a cover made for the cab by AmplifierCoversOnline.com, see:-
http://stargate.terrassl.net/amplifiercoversonline.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=107_136&products_id=882
Then did not do one for the compact before I contacted them but I gave them the dimensions and they are now listing it as a standard product. This may be of interest to you other customers.
Cheers
John Stower
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01/08/09
Further to my last few emails I've found the cab will go in the Micra boot even without the seat back and it's been a godsend for the band. No more rehearsal studio roulette, it's always the same great sound (if I play right that is). I have the cab's sweet spots marked on the amp now, finding them took the compact from hi-fi to ballsy.
Oomph without bombast.
ALLAN
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06/10/09 (T'Big One)
Just got it this evening, I think my head weighs more!
I'll drop you some feedback once it sees some proper use.
Thanks for everything,
Davidd
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19/09/09 (Compact)
Just to let you know Compact arrived last week, rehearsed with it twice now with two guitarists and a fairly loud drummer and all seems good. Got a gig 3rd Oct, will let you know how it gets on.
Cheers
Gerry
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24/08/09 (Compact)
The compact has arrived, I'll give a proper review on Basschat probably tommorow.
So far I have tried three different types of bass and the first thing I noticed was how clear the speaker was and how natural the basses were sounding and the other obvious side of how much lighter this cab is .
Haven't really had a chance yet to really see what it does but from general messing around this cab can get loud!!!
Thanks again,
Matt (Murphy)
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19/08/09 (Compact)
The Compact arrived today - all OK.
First impressions are very good - it looks the business and sounds louder than the old 2x10.
I'm away for a few days so won't be able to try it out properly until next week. I've got a few good gigs coming up in Sept and will let you know how it goes and will post a review on the Forum.
Thanks again,
Pete (Cross)
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14/04/09 (Compact)
Received the cab today. My first impression is that it looks great, is very well finished and is just the right size for my ABM500 to sit on top :-) I've only tried it out in the house but it sounds fatter, bassier and cleaner than anything I've owned before and the bass extension puts my Schroeder 1212 to shame - that's probably not much of a surprise though!!
I'll post a review on BC as soon as I can. I'm not gigging at the moment but I've got band practice tomorrow and it should be an interesting first tryout.
Regards,
Andy
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04/08/09 (Compact)
I had rehearsals last night and I was so ecstatic that I wanted to text you when we finished. But then I thought better than waking you up and decide to leave it for today.
I plugged in the Spector with the same settings as I had at home. Lows boosted a quarter and everything else flat, rolled back the highs and bass boost on the onboard preamp. And Voila. Super tight sharp notes with bottom but extremely defined, very good for quick stuff. I was so happy with it that I didn't think about changing it during the rest of the night, but if I need to play something with less mids, it's just a matter of rolling back the mids or bringing the VLP filter into play, which I'll be doing next week.
I haven't tried the T-bass yet, but if the Spector sounds good the other one will be lovely as well.
I don't miss the tweeter as every single note on the D and G string cut sharp without being harsh or having that brittle sound to it. I'm very happy with my new cab.
I've tried pushing a little bit and brought the volume up to two quarters but I couldn't play for long at that volume without becoming deaf or have a cardiac arrest
I have noticed a great improvement on my B string, we were playing Feel Good Inc, that makes very good use of Eb and it sounded great very defined without the sloppy sound one usually get. The E on the B string sounds as good as the open string one; I have never come across a cab that would do this. It rings for ages and ages without loosing volume or distorting if plucked harder, a real joy.
Now I just need to order a cover to keep that pristine look and have lots of gigs to bring down the drummer and the guitards
Thanks once again
David Pires
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19/07/09 (Compact)
The cab is here and it travelled well, I've made four gigs with it, and sounds very