2011 September - December

I think we're almost up to date with the recent feedback! (There are a lot of gaps pre-September that need filling). If you have anything more to say about your cab after one month, six months or a few years then please let us know. We'd also love to see photos or footage or hear recordings from your gigs if there's a Barefaced cab on the stage.

Super Twelve - 15th December (UK)

Recieved the cab today, this thing is quality, and I can't believe it's so light! My first ever lightweight cab after 10 years of lugging my faithful Trace Elliots around! I hooked my Trace Elliot V6 up to it, 3 hours later I thought I should have a break from playing. The cab sounds beautiful! Thanks so much for all your help!
Already thinking about swapping my Trace Elliot 1518c for something of yours!
Thanks again,
Mark

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Compact - 23rd December (UK)

Just to let you know the speaker arrived just now. All safe and sound. No time to plug it in at the moment though. :-(
thanks for everything. It looks awesome. And soooo light!!!!
Happy Christmas

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Big Baby - 20th December (UK)

I really can't fault this at all: it's quite superb and actually far, far exceeded my expectations.
Even not 'broken-in', the bass response is much greater than my Berg': it handles- with ease- pretty much all of the bass the Streamliner can give.
Thank you.
After all you said about them being too revealing I was a little concerned, but the reality is that it's superb and just what I want: deep, clear, lovely smooth treble.
My very best wishes for Christmas and for 2012.

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Compact - 30th December (USA)

Just a quick note to let you know that I set the packing carton out for recycling today. This bad boy ain't going back to Brighton. I've put about 10 hours of full volume rehearsal and 1 three hour gig on it (and about 4 hours of 25Hz break-in...man, that is extraordinarily  annoying!) and it just gets better and deeper. My mates are quite impressed. Did you study engineering at Hogwarts? Because I think you're a freaking wizard. 
Anyhow, a more detailed assessment for this cab will be forthcoming once I put a little more time on it. I wish you all a very happy, peaceful and prosperous new year.
Cheers,
Charles

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Midget - 13th December (UK)

In a word (an Americanised word I never use) 'awesome'.   Only 2mins in and its obviously a superb cab and well paired with the Streamliner. Why didn't I have this 30 years ago? Graham
Update - 16 December
I sent you a quick glowing email after I had played my Genz Streamliner through my new Midget for around 2 minutes last Tuesday.
My first impressions were correct.  It seems to do exactly what I had hoped it might.  I haven't had the chance to get it on a gig yet (and it's a long way from being broken in), however, it is obvious from the 3 hours or so that I was using it on Tuesday that it is what I would have liked to have been using when I played for money between 77-99 (ish).  Definitely worth the wait (well what's 30 years between friends :)
I love the mixture of warmth, definition and responsiveness.  I think that's all I need to say and you are welcome to use this as feedback if you would like (or any other edited version - just ask).  I've binned the box... nuff said.
Thank you for your assistance with the buying process.
Graham

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Compact - 14th December (UK)

Just letting you it has arrivedalthough i think you let the gubbings out because it is so freaking light!
well thank you very very much, i will be having a very enjoyable play tonight
Ian

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Super Twelve T - 9th December (UK)

Just to let you know I received the cab last week and have done one rehearsal with it. Initial impressions are very good  - 5 gigs between now and Christmas should hopefully confirm! It looks great as well. I will update you after a few gigs.
Thanks for your help. Jim

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Big One - 8th December (UK)

Well, I'm just coming up to my first anniversary with my Barefaced Big One and it still impresses me no end. It was good at first rehearsals but the low end just kept getting better and better with use; allowing me to back off on the low eq to get my sound and give myself more headroom into the bargain. I play in a loud rock covers band where the two guitarists both have half stacks and the kit has PA support, I pondered sending a feed to the PA as well but I just don't need it. At first, I suffered from my power amp shutting down occasionaly due to the power I was asking it to push into the cab. Being able to trim the low end EQ helped that a bit, but was permanently fixed by getting a Crown 1000XLS running in bridged mode. I reckon that now, having around 700 watts driving into the 8 Ohm cab is just about an ideal combination and gives me loads of volume and headroom. I use a Ric 4001 as my main bass, I've had it many years and have used a multitude of amp and cab combinations from most of the major manufacturers during that time, but my current rig tops them all. At living room volumes I can set up sounds that really pick out all the complex harmonics and overtones of my bass and give it a wonderful, almost 3 dimensional quality, but the real joy is that with a bit of EQ tweaking to account for the Fletcher Munson effect, I can get the same authoratative, deep yet sparklingly articulate 3D quality at loud rehearsal and gig volumes. The keyboard player from one of the first bands I ever played in was in the audience at our last gig and was blown away by my bass sound - he's an engineer with a BBC background and was wondering where the band had hidden the subs because he was convinced I was going through a high end PA - but we were only using Mackie SRM 450's for the vocals. It's a great cab, the best!

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Super Fifteen - 8th December (UK)

Just a quick update on the SF.Really getting used to the sound of it now, whatever volume I throw at it, it just keeps going with no complaints.Great bottom end and a real punch and warmth to the sound and I've never had problems hearing myself whatever stage. And I've lost count of the comments from engineers about its sound and weight.My only gripe is the feet keep coming off so I've put some threaded inserts in the cab and used m5 Allen bolts.I do however still morn the loss of the big one which had a real unique hi fi quality to it which I really liked.So I'm thinking a tweeterized midget (cab that is) sitting on top would be real nice.Also I could do with a pocket sized cab for little gigs with acoustic instruments so this seems like the one for me.I've got the option of running the two in bi amp mode (just got an alembic f1x pre which is perfect) or in stereo.Anyway I'd be interested on your thoughts on the matter. Amp settings and such would be good too.

[Barefaced responds: I don't know what you do to knock the feet off our cabs - since we changed to bigger screws I haven't heard of anyone else losing feet! Maybe they're not telling me? Just be careful that with the feet attached so rigidly via the inserts that an unwanted collision doesn't break the whole base of the cab off... The Midget T will work fine with the Super Fifteen - run one on each channel (not biamped, just 'stereo') and set the gain knobs on the amp to the same place. The 8 ohm vs 4 ohm load will mean the Midget gets half the power that's going to the S15, so they'll both reach their limits at the same point (beyond what your amp can deliver in stereo anyway). Leave the highpass filter the same, and limiter on in this case (less amp power than cab power handling).]

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Compact - 5th December (UK)

Well initial reaction was WOW!  I'd been able to get about 2 hours worth of loosening up 25Hz before the accoustic session and then off we went.  The difference [vs the Ashdown MAG cabs] was unbelievable, most noticable on the deep lows and high mids.  I was noodling up at the dusty end of the neck and was stunned how clear the sound was (all EQ everywhere flat except a bot of rolled off treble on the bass (Warwick corvette with flats).  We recorded the whole session as we had some new ideas to play with but I've not had the links to the recordings yet.

I've now finished annoying the family with the looped signal and I'm really looking forward to full on practice next week. Great job on the cabs! Alain

Update - 12th December (UK)
Just to let you know we sqeezed in another rehearsal last night (sadly no gigs booked in the near future due to drummer's work commitments - he's a pilot so we fit in around him).  The Compact is sounding better and better as it loosens up.  The guys are very complementary about the sound although the size matters jokes are less funny by the day!  More importantly sound wise I'm keeping up fine in the practice room.  Very clear mids (not used to that!), and as I mentioned above the low end is becoming smoother by the session.  The other real positive is of course the sheer portability of the cab, less than half the weight of the Ashdown cabs that I used to use (now both sold on).

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Super Fifteen - 26th November (Germany)

I did a first test tonight.The S15 sounds larger than rigs I played before. Each of the three tube amps I tried somehow sounded bigger. I also seemed to sense it sounds more direct or immediate than other 15ers I played. The low end is mighty and gets served with nonchalance. I have yet to try a solid state amp.I'm expecting even more impressive sub-bass. In other words, I burned the packaging. The cabinet is a keeper. Thanks again and keep up the good work.

Best, RaBe
PS: Our singer, a welshman, said: It's one of the things that put the Great back into Britain ;-)

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Big Twin - 25th November (UK)

My rather long story starts with a huge Trace Elliot 1518 cab, and a monster Trace Elliot Series 6 amp. The sound was immense – deep, bright, loud enough to compete with a seriously loud drummer and guitarist. The downside was the size and weight of the cab - something like 40Kg and roughly the size of a washing machine. So I began the search for “that” sound from something I could lift on my own and fit into a car boot. I eventually moved to Ashdown - an ABM 500 EVO II amp and two cabs, a compact 115 and a compact 210. I should say that I really like Ashdown and the amp is still fantastic. The problem for me was with the cabs, on their own they sound great but once the band starts up, something weird happens. My bass sound turned into a boomy rumble which was loud yet lost in the mix. There were huge variations in volume related to the pitch – for example a low A rattled my skull enough to loosen a filling or two, but a G one tone lower was inaudible by comparison. There was little definition in the mid-range so I occasionally looked as if I was miming badly to a backing track.

I found Barefaced through Bass Guitarist Magazine, and in theory at least, everything Alex said made sense and explained why these things were happening. I checked out the product line up and after an email or two with Alex to help choose the best cab for me I ordered a Big Twin with vintage silver cloth. Alex really is so helpful and takes the time to give an opinion that he will back up – read the guarantee to see what I mean.

I placed my order just as they were moving premises so there was a delay of a couple of months, but when it arrived I have to say I was immediately amazed at how good it looks and just how light it is. The build quality is incredible, these things are built to last and the bracing is superb – the floor shakes but the cab doesn’t. The annoying bit is that after waiting 2 months for it to arrive, the mid-range speaker was silent. I sent an email, and although Alex was away, Bob the (cab) Builder called me and sorted the whole thing out with no fuss. I chose to drive to the workshop as I really needed the cab at the weekend, although Bob did offer to loan me one whilst mine was being sorted out. I can testify that these cabs are superbly well put together having seen the insides of my one. The component parts and cables are high quality heavy duty items, the attention to design and build detail is impressive. Most importantly, the fault with a polyswitch was quickly resolved, the cab fully tested and I was on my way home, but I know that Bob would have spent all day on it if necessary. To me, this attitude is just as important as the product itself, these guys really do want to make sure you get your perfect cab to give you your perfect sound, and will spend time with you to make it happen. Alex has followed up with a couple of emails to find out how I am getting on with it.

My small experience of Barefaced makes me feel it is a great company. The design goes against what I thought I knew about speakers, two 12’s and a 6.5 in a biggish box with a rectangular hole in the front shouldn’t work that well, but the truth is that it is amazing. Try to forget any theories you may have about speakers (unless you are Professor of Speakers at a Speaker University of course) and take a leap of faith into Alex’s world. I started with the EQ set flat and didn’t move much from there, a bit more bass and treble (Ashdowns don’t do treble) but nothing drastic. It is not an exaggeration to say that it was like taking cotton wool out of my ears… not so much in terms of volume although it is seriously loud, but there are no boomy lows, it’s loud, deep, clear.

Something’s happened that has never happened before - in three gigs I’ve had four people from the audience comment on how great my bass sounds – it has a noticeably positive effect on the band stage sound because I am not killing the whole mix with a low rumbly background noise anymore. Forget any notion that these cabs are a compromise between weight and sound, they are truly great compared with anything I’ve heard but at the same time don’t weigh much. The band can’t believe how good my bass sounds, and apparently I am playing completely different bass lines now I’ve got my new cab (“you never used to play that bit there did you?” etc). Life is good. Largely speaking it is true to say you get what you pay for, and even though these cabs seem expensive, they represent great value. I am delighted with mine and it is getter better the more I use it.

Darren

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Dual Dubsters - 15th November (UK)

I liked it so much, I bought two! After much dithering (on my part) I decided that I would 'risk' a Dubster as part of my reggae/funk sound system (the rest is a secret, known only to me...) - the result is awesome - two Dubsters off of one side of a Crown XLS2000 have to be heard to be believed - thank you for all your advice along the way.

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Big Twin T - 7th November (Norway)

I have had a few gigs and some quality time spent with the Big Twin T now, and I am very, very happy with it. Love the clarity at all volume levels, no compression down low, very nice. :)
My Ashdown MK-500 has been pushed to its limits for the first timethough - I rarely need that kind of volume, but it was interesting to learn how it would finally throw in the towel. I might get a different head or pre/power rig sometime in the future,nothing urgent though.
My chiropractor loves it too! ;) The weight is just unbelievable forsomething that size, and that loud and good sounding. How you pulled that off is amazing, the bracing must be something very special - no resonance at all!
It was well worth the wait. :)
regards Jørn

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Super Twelve T - 6th November (Australia)

Bravo & Huge Thank you!
That Super 12t is the best sounding speaker I ever used & the loudest, it sound good playing soft too! I am having a great pleasure using it. My Markbass 210 P's sound thin next to it.I love the wheels too, small but practical.
I am definitly a very happy customer, good on you!
I'll be looking for a smaller speaker in the future with the same bass fullness?
Much thanks again! Patrick Jelk

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Midget & Compact - 4th November (UK)

Just to add to the feedback of my barefaced Compact and Midget of 03 Aug 2011 I`ve now had the Compact and Midget stack for 3 months now, and have used it with both of my bands. One band is a punk covers band, so the bass is an essential part of holding down the low end, and keeping a big presence. The other band is a band with two bassists, and the best way to describe my role in this band is playing "thud bass" as oppose to "twang bass". The combination of my Ampeg PF500 through the Compact and Midget provides all I need for both roles. For such a small looking stack, I have as much power and depth of sound on hand as I previously had with either a Marshall 412, or an Ampeg 410 & 210 stack. I have plenty of defined lows, without ever getting boomy or sludgy, and the highs are present without ever being shrill. The mids are a delight, never nasally, but ensuring that the bass is present in the mix in exactly the right place.  So the sound is fantastic on these cabs, but not only that, I can carry each to the car at the same time. I have a bad upper back/shoulder, yet since getting these cabs, my back has not felt as good in years.  To summarise, my sound on stage is exactly what I want, I can easily carry them both, and due to the size of the cabs, I no longer have to move parcel shelves etc, so even loading the car is easier. All in all, the purchase of my Barefaced cabs has been one of the best decisions I`ve ever made, in regards to my musical career. Thanks a lot. Laurence

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Compact - 2nd November (UK)

The cab is great thanks. Sounds really good with the Tonehammer 500. I think the biggest compliment came from the singer who said 'wow, that's the sound we've been trying to get for years'. If you can impress a singer with a bass sound that's a big achievement!
I was thinking a Midget T would make a good compliment and give me a great flexible modular rig for all occasions. Unfortunately moving house is sucking up all the funds at the mo, so I might have to wait for a little while!
All the best,
Ben

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Super Twelve - 2nd November (UK)

Took the Super Twelve to practice last night but wasn't really expecting the fundamental difference in sound compared to my Trace Elliott. The cab is really light. It's pretty compact. It sits discretely next to the drums and doesn't make any fuss (unlike other band members;-). Until you turn the amp on. The clarity and definition of notes is spectacular and it can cut through anything, even with the new turbo nutter distortion guitarist we've acquired. The package speaks with an authority beyond top flight professional and in a surprisingly small volume. There's no problem with output but as you say it does feel like the drivers need to bed in and loosen up and even through the first practice it was definitely going lower towards the end. The thing that surprised me wasn't the tightness, accuracy or volume of the sound, it was that it revealed something i didn't realise i'd been missing: the sound of bottom E. Most cabs seem to produce lots of low end but compared to this, they're woolly and lacking the fundamental root before the harmonics kick in. It's like meeting an old friend you haven't seen in years and finding out he's been living just round the corner. I don't doubt your assertion that as the drivers bed in they will comfortably go lower and for that it might be time to invest in a 5 string to enjoy all that lovely bottom! I may even consider getting a different amp head because i can't see why i'm going to need a graphic anymore. Thanks very much for a fantastic product that has already made playing bass so much more pleasurable.
Regards
Colin

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Big Baby T & Baby Sub - 2nd November (UK)

I have now been gigging with the Big Baby T (plus Sub for loud gigs) forover 5 months now and I am still delighted with the cab.  In total I haveprobably gigged with it about 15 times - at first I couldn't hear what I wasplaying so well as previous cabs (presumably due to the lower midrangeresponse?), however my ear is now tuned into the Barefaced sound, which, touse your words, just sings.  At a recent gig in Glasgow, I was surrounded atthe break by a scrum of bassists (well two; both pros), who were both highlyimpressed with the sound of the BBT on its own.  Both took note of yourwebsite and contact details.
Iain

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Dual Compacts - 2nd November (UK)

As for the two compacts, what can I say? Possibly the best decision ive made for a while. My god they really kick ass, and sound brilliant too. No complaints at all.  And yes Ive been using them with an Ampeg Micro VR - just 200 watts and it sounds rather delightful. Nothing compares to having that sheer volume of air moving behind you. I do have a MAG600 and an ABM500 too, and with those the SPL is astonishing. But there is something rather charming about the tiny Micro VR atop the dual Compact stack. And it seems to fill most places.
Feel free to add any of this to your feedback section.
Also, I'm keen to see what home hi-fi speaker stuff you are doing. I saw some bits on your website about it. I'm used to Naim, Rega and Linn - but would be interested in your potential offerings too.
Cheers
Geoff

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Super Twelve T - 28th October (UK)

Just thought I'd give a bit of an update & little feedback on my Super12.

I finally got a Gallien Krueger 700RB-II last Friday & gigged it the same evening with my biamp Super12 .. loved it ! Really impressed & certainly no problems SPL wise .. just a small pub gig with no PA support (other than vocals) .. all band mates commented positively & they do know a thing or two.Can't wait for next gig but nothing booked as yet but will be recording a new song soon so looking forward to that.

I also had pretty good results with the Markbass Classic 300 valve amp but think it will be time to move it on as I can't justify having it purely as practice amp (which it is at the moment) & way too big as a backup, so looking at GK Fusion 550 as backup or GK 400RB-IV but would the 400RB-IV be powerful enough as you've mentioned before that the S12 requires (or likes) lots of power ? Why is that exactly & how does 'under powering' affect it ?
cheers
Si

[Barefaced responds: You can't 'underpower' the S12T but if you don't have as much power as you need for a given gig then your tone will start to get a bit compressed, grindy and thinner as the amp reaches its limits. Pushing an amp hard like this won't hurt anything but it may compromise your tone at very high SPL. Turn down a bit and your tone will go back to normal as the amp starts running clean again.]

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Midget & Compact - 19th October (UK)

I am very chuffed with the cabs.  They are excellent - sound, looks, craftsmanship, and not forgetting the weight. Thank you.

Kind regards
Calum

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Dubster - 28th October (UK)

What have you done? You have created a monster!!! Dubster arrived this morning and I just fired it up to have a quick listen. I think you have got my tone right where it should be, and then some! Gig tomorrow and I can't wait. I will send you a proper review for your site after a couple gigs... ...I have a feeling the Dubster is staying here :)

Steve

Update: Post gig - 31st October
The Dubster works a treat. Just what I have been after. A tiny boost to 220Hz Mids and that was it. Perfect.

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Super Twelve - 17th October (Finland)

I finally received my S12 yesterday, woo! The cab looks fantastic, no evidence of that DIY look people have commented on on your earlier pieces. Only had the time to quickly see that it works, but I could tell the punch is there, particularily so at higher volumes. Actually the cab seemed to enjoy being fed ridiculous amounts of juice... We'll see at next rehearsal how she performs. Oh, I tried the tracking number on the FedEx shipping label - the shipment was tracked perfectly from when it left your warehouse right up to when I signed for it! BR,Jouni

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Super Twelve T - 17th October (UK)

Getting some nice compliments about my bass sound (first time ever!). The Guitar/Amp/Bass cab combination seems to be working well. I'm using a Sandberg 'Jazz' type bass in passive mode and getting a really well balanced sound. Plenty of nice tight bass with some real growl when I dig in. I've virtually stopped playing with a pick - only on a couple of very fast numbers now.
When i first set the rig up at rehearsals I had to use far more volume on the amp than i had anticipated. Its a small-ish room but heavily padded/attenuated so it just soaks uo volume. However in a pub/smallish venue which is far more 'live' (even with punters in) I don't actually need to dial in much volume at all. I'm pl;aying with the Master volume at 12 o'clock and the gain at about 10 oclock and the rigs really punching to the back of the room. I've got the tweeter about half way.
Cheers for now
Andrew

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Super Twelve T - 17th October (UK)

Since receiving the cab I've played three different gigs plus a rehearsal and I'm simply blown away with it - the cab sounds incredible!
Every time I play through the cab I hear something new, I mean the there's a few good cabs out there that will throw out bottom end but I have yet to find a cab that could match the detailed low and midrange characteristics of the Super 12t, I can confidently leave the cab on the floor and still hear every detail coming from it - for me it's a revolution.
The build quality is excellent, the finish is top notch and having those convenient wheels, carry handles plus the overall lightness of the cab means that I can transport it with ease - a godsend for a non-driver!
I've yet to try the MarkBass through the Orange Terror but as soon as I get the chance I will and I didn't get the chance to jam with the owner of the SWR 6X10 but I'm working on that as well.
I took a chance with you and it paid off, the Super 12t sounds better than my MarkBass and SWR cabs - thanks for being honest with me!
Thanks again,
Kenny

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Super Twelve - 15th October (UK)

that cabs amazing mate - a big improvement on the previous MarkBass rig I was using. More punch and detail, that tweeter is brilliant and I'm just loving the weight of it.
I'm still thinking about changing amp from the Markbass TA503, I just think I could do better. I'm looking at maybe an Ampeg SVT 7Pro or even a tube hybrid like the Genz Streamliner. I remember you saying previously that tube heads were not a good match for the cab. Would you be able to elaborate on that and explain why at all? I just want to make sure that I get the right amp for the cab.
Cheers
Ste

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Midget - 8th October (UK)

Loving the Midget!Changed the valves in the BT500 - now it won't work!Put the old ones back, same story.I'm playing thro my Sansamp into the power amp till I work out what is going on...
Kind Regards
Aaron

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Big Twin - 7th October (Denmark)

The cab arrived today, in good health. I tried it out at low level and it sounds good. Very nice and even.
I'm going to bring it on my gig tonight.
Do you have experience with how much your cabs change when it's "burned in"? I usually notice, a the bottom end getting deeper over time.
Best Regards
Mikkel Risum

[Barefaced responds: Glad it's there! The Big Twin changes quite a lot - obviously it's had some time on it during testing but it'll change more, getting fatter and deeper in the lows and making life easier for your amp. The midrange boost switch is in the second port section if you need more attack! Let us know how you get on or if you need EQ advice etc... ]

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Big Twin T - 4th October (UK)

WOW! My ears have been violated!

I only had 30 mins to run the 20hz through it so that's what it got before it's 1st kicking.
My god it's huge! Running the same EQ settings I usually do and at out usual rehearsal/stage volumes the cab sounds (to my ears) at least 25-30% louder and the bottom end is literally making my feet vibrate.
I was running the EBS at around 4 on the volume to reach the kind of live volumes I use!
More interestingly still, not only is the EBS proving to me more than enough, it transpires it may be the ideal amp in a different way. The 'mid' EQ on the HD350 has a selectable frequency. This goes very high, and as low as 50hz. This I done as there is a notch filter option so you can use it to filter out untidy artefacts of 50hz which most cabs can't reproduce - the Big Twin however can! By selecting the 50hz frequency and boosting the 'Mid' instead of the the bass, there it is - huge, earth moving, pure, clean 40-50hz sub.
I tried this with the EBS cab but it couldn't articulate the 50hz so I assumed it was included purely for the notch filter. HD350 + Barefaced = Drum & Bass dreams!!!
The cab has a lot less in the top end, with the tweeter on 75% and the mid driver on 'high' I have reproduced the same highs I used to get from the EBS tweeter on 30%, however I think it just sounds quieter in the tips due to the gale force sub-wind coming through those ports!! 
This is one killer cab.
Amazing dude!

Update: 30th October
The cab just keeps getting better and better! 2 gigs in and i'm loving it. Single best move of equipment I've ever made. Payday tomorrow and I've just had my bonus confirmed for the last quarter... Pre and power amp time!!
I'm settled on the Pre. Picked up a 2nd hand rare EBS 1v2 rack Pre. It'll give me the exact EQ control I'm used to an allow me to exploit those low sub frequencies still. Power amp I looking set on the Crown XTi1000 as you suggested, really looks like the best in it price range and will give me 1400w in 4ohms.

Update: 13th November
Wow - Using the power amp has bought the cab to life. HUGE is an understatement. Massive.
A 24db slope off has been inserted at 30hz - seems to do the job, no speakers looking like they are going to jump out of the cab :)
Amazing amazing stuff!

Update: 29th December
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are planning a relaxing new year!
The Big Twin T is performing amazingly and has totally revolutionised my sound. Literally life changing!
My Crown XTi1000 however had a fault and was sent back to Sound Technology. Bummer. It came back today and should be working fine. So I can get the most out of it, I wondered if you had any specific speaker tunings, or hints on getting the most out of it.Currently I have...Set to Bridge MonoSet the input to Ch1 + Ch2 summed (this give 6db level boost, not sure this is needed, but was the default of the 3 options so I left it)Have 48db Butterworth slope off/high pass filter set to 35Hz
Once again,
Thanks for the stunning cab!

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Super Twelve T & Compact - 3rd October (Australia)

Just wanted to let you know that I am loving my cabs! I have gotten nothing but compliments from band members, audience members and other bassists too. I play trumpet in a few groups and often turn up with my rig just so the bassists can try it out. I always seem to make them very jealous, especially when they say they can help me pack it up and lug it to the car but I can do it all in one go. The look on their faces is priceless :) Haha pity you don't seem to have endorsements because you get so much free advertisement from me here in my part of Australia! I do have one question, what are the advantages/pros and cons of stacking the Super12T on top of the Compact? I usually have this set up except for at one gig. There was a noticeable difference, but I couldn't figure out what it was exactly. It wasn't bad at all just gave me a different sound. I guess more oldschool perhaps. It's nice to know that the two cabs give me a lot more options than I originally thought :) Cheers Matt

[Barefaced responds: The advantage of stacking the S12T on the Compact is you retain the good off-axis response horizontally whilst further controlling the vertical dispersion (so less sound being bounced off the floor and ceiling) and making the stack so tall that your ears are on the same vertical level. The only advantage of putting them side-by-side is that it's a bit less visually imposing on smaller gigs - but then you could just leave one cab at home...]

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Big One refurbished trade-in - 6th October (Denmark)

I'm glad to say that the Big One arrived today. It sounds amazing. The bottom is so fat!!! Can't wait to try it out properly at rehearsel on sunday.The Big One also looks brand new. So I think you did a really great job on the refurb.
The only thing missing was the 1meter speakon - speakon cable.
Otherwise I'm very happy.
-Pete

[Barefaced responds: Excellent! Can't believe we forgot the cable though, clearly need a better system for keeping track of the accessories...]

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Compact - 4th October (Netherlands)

Compact arrived yesterday, shiny and intact. :) Initial tryout with my DR103 Hiwatt sounded most promising. That is a very clean very big sounding amp and the Compact certainly lets it breathe. Impressive. Yes, definitely worth rethinking EQ'ing, but that is something I tend to do on the fly per gig anyway - keeps things interesting. Certainly with the Hiwatt's superb EQ I had no problems getting great sounds from the off, and as I suspected had no worries at all about upper mid / treble response. The power amp section 'presence' control on these amps can get plenty of cut from speakers with lower treble rolloff frequencies, but it just isn't an issue here. (Also not with my 'presence free' backup transistor amp.) All my main basses, fretted and fretless alike, sounded very impressive. With the Orange OR120M 'Overdrive' (much more a 'dirty' amp) it seems perfect. When I get the chance I'm likely to use that through the Compact to add a dirty edge to the solid cleans from my Hiwatt / Tecamp 2x12. Haven't tried the full rig together yet, but I'm fairly confident that is going to be outstanding. Certainly I've had great fun messing about with the Orange this morning, both clean and dirty. I've had this amp for >30 years now (ouch!) and was still finding some great new sounds from it. Old amp and new speaker technologies seem to go very well together! So yes, on initial aquaintance I think I'm going to get on very well indeed with my Compact. Thanks again for your quick and helpful responses, and for the stellar wee cab. My stairs suddenly seem to have become much less steep - thanks for that too! Very Best wishes to you and your small team there. The rumours are true - you're doing awesome work. Much appreciated!  Andy ,Amsterdam.

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Dual Compacts - 27th September (UK)

Well, that second Compact has turned out to be a good idea. We talked about the difference in how the Midget 'punches through', but that the dual Compact will more likely 'surround' the band with bass - well that's pretty much how it happened at a gig with the two compacts on Saturday. I'm well pleased. I was using an Ashdown ABM500 which sounded absolutely glorious with this stack :)  too much low end really, so I backed that off quite a bit and upped the mids to suit.
Cheers
Geoff

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Big Baby T & Big Baby - 27th September (USA)

Well, it's been 15 loud-ass gigs, and one quiet one, with 4 different bands. Prooooooooo-bly won't be seeing these cabs again, unless you ever come to New York. For 9 of the shows, I used both cabs at 550 watts each (QSC PLX 3102), for one show, I used both cabs with the amp bridged. For 2 gigs I used both cabs @~450 watts each (one side of the PLX) + one Acme B2 @900 watts (other side of the PLX), and for the quieter gig I used just the Big Baby. There was also one piano gig, which was real quiet,  too quiet for a real keyboard test, which I haven't had time for yet. The short version is that they are simply awesome.

The clarity of these things is amazing. I had thought something was wrong with my bass, or that the passive pickup couldn't really "hear" the notes below low Bb or A, or that my high G and C strings (Circle K) were too thin and I needed thicker and higher-tension ones.....none of this was true! These notes are now all thunderous and the mids and highs (I leave the tweeter on the BBT off for bass) are like nothing ever before. The downside of all this clarity is that there are new dead notes afoot that were previously undiscovered. I can't believe I'm even talking about mids and highs, I never gave a shit before I got the Bee, for 30 years it was all fretless Cort or SX strung with flats. But I began to realize how a great amp was actually MORE important in some ways than a great bass, and how some real high-end amps made even these basses sound like a superstar, and I could cut through and the whole audience could hear every mistake. Now that I have frets, I want to cut through even more, and someday get a ton of effects. Call it male sports-car menopause. These cabs even make this stupid WTDI pedal very easy to dial in to "flat".

Overall, they have been marvelous. My clarity and projection has increased (from the Acmes) by an order of magnitude, with a definite volume increase.     The third gig in, I opened for Freekbass, who insisted due to stage space that I use his rig (Kustom groove 1200 watt amp into a KustomGroove JohnMoyer 8x10). I have always hated most 8x10 cabs. But it was an interesting comparison, early on in my learning curve with the BB's, as the headroom and slam of all that surface area was exactly what I need for  these really loud gigs with insane stage volume, or big outdoor stages. And this cab extended quite low. Not like yours, but I mean low for an 8x10, and not very high. I have played through MANY SVT and SVT-type setups as backlines at these kinds of shows and none of them ever came close to this amp in terms of volume and low end. It was loud as hell and showed what  "only" 6 or 700 watts (the amp is 1,200 at 2 ohms, the cab is at 4) can do into a cab with a rather narrow range and high sensitivity and a ton of surface area. It was the best 8x10 sound I ever had, by a mile. But the clarity ws nothing like the BB's, I didn't get the feeling that the audience was hearing my every mistake like with the BB's. It was just like all slam.

A few gigs  later I did a show at a huge outdoor stage with two loud guitars, keys (screaming B3 player), drums, sax, and percussionist. It was here, with all this swirling sound, that the Big Baby's met their match @ 550 watts each. But that is a very loud, open-air, no-back-wall situation that will tax almost any bass amp with 2 low-tuned 12's. At that point I was still too scared to bridge it at a show, I was paranoid of accidently banging into a mic stand or something. So thats why I brought out my remaining Acme in addition to the BB's to another outdoor show, this time with no PA support for the bass; to help give me a little more surface area down low without having to bridge the amp. I turned the mid and high attenuators all the way up (off) on the Acme in an effort to help the dispersion issue, and set it on the bottom of the stack. It looked goofy, it was taller than me, but the extra surface area from the Acme really did help outdoors. I have only bridged the amp and BB's once, for one set. It certainly gained SOME volume, but I begin to really see the science about how much power it takes to be twice as loud, or another octave lower.  The amp wasn't straining, vol at about 75%, but it sounded very loud with a bit less definition. I'm sure the band being too loud had something to do with it.  The BB's were SHOCKINGLY clean down low, in this configuration. Playing style-wise, I play a million notes and am more and more interested in effects and never shut up (as you can see). Thus, the speakers don't have alot of time to cool down between notes and for my playing style I just feel this might be just a bit TOO many watts (~1400?) for these cabs. I mean, this is where I got into trouble with the Acme's: overpowering (900watts each) and trying to sqeeze every drop out of the cabs.

This (the night I bridged it) was at this INSANELY loud bar that I have played at twice a week for almost two years. For some reason the soundman (and i have given up trying to talk to dumb soundmen) has a system that's like 10x what's needed for the room and thunders the kick drum through it and doesn't put ANY bass in the PA???!!. It has a hollow small stage and the result is a low frequency "blah" that is loud as fuck and won't go away. So the next week I used the 2 BB's +1Acme setup here and flicked the mid switches OFF (un-attenuated) on the BB's and finallly for the first time, FINALLY after like two years experienced tru headroom at this club. Now this is only once a week at this place, the other weekly gig I do there is with a different, quieter lineup, and myself as the soundman and two BB's @550 (w/the mid switches ON (-??db)) is fine.

You told me once that if they weren't loud enough you'd "eat your hat." I'm not saying start eating, but they of course have their limits outdoors, @550 watts each,with a no-back-wall stage, or at insanely loud clubs with loud drummers. But they are less sensitive, low-tuned cabs, so I expect that. I am probably not powering them enough with the amp in parallel. It's probably safer for now for me to run them like that at this stage of my learning curve with having frets and new effects. But they are actually LOUDER in this config than the 2 Acme's at ANY frequency, even lows,  even being twice the ohms (and getting like 40-50% less power). They are awesome. But that surface area is the key, it's the way to the promised land. All that surface area of the night with 8x10 and the couple gigs where I added my (fully attenuated) Acme has got me thinking .......hmmmmm .....        ..........and you know EXACTLY what I'm thinking. And I know that you know, and that means that we both know but I'm going to leave it at that and wait a few months to ask and we both know you're gonna roll your eyes and sigh and shake your head. Anyways, for now, for like 90+% of the gigs, the two BB's @550 watts each is just awesome. I will of course do more experimenting, but if I had to boil it down to one sentence it would be this: I have NEVER sounded better.       questions:

---- I can understand the math of why these can reach as low as the Acmes, but how the HELL are they so much louder? I don't mean in the mids and highs , I get how how they will blow the Acmes away up there, I mean louder down low, like below 150hz or so. Is it the 2db increase in sensitivity? Is it the fact that I am hearing harmonics/overtones clearer with these cabs? Or is it truly the fundamentals? The BB's are twice the ohms as the Acmes and only have the woofer area of roughly one-and-a-half tens?? AND they are getting way less watts than the Acmes were. I had thought this would counterract a 2db increase in sensitivity. Amazing. Even below low B all the way down to F# they are louder and seemingly lower than the Acmes ever were. It's the Xmax factor then? It's a combination of that and  the vd measurement of the BB, which I am only beginning to understand after reading the website 150 times. They are really something. 
[Barefaced responds: It's the increased sensitivity, the increased thermal power handling, the greater Vd, the higher port tuning and the low frequency response curve that trades off sub 35Hz sensitivity for 35-50Hz sensitivity.]

-----  I turn the BBT's tweeter  off for bass gigs, You seem to advocate this, especially for distortion. I sometimes use a Source Audio Bass Mutiwave Distortion, which can be a really harsh digital-sounding and unpredictable weird pedal. But what if someday I want to run some kind of full-range bass synth or MIDI bass setup (with string patches or something that would require going over the hig-fequency limit of the mid driver)? I am still "researching" why distortion damages tweeters. In the meantime, do you have any specific limiters you would recommend for this situation?
[Barefaced responds: We only advocate turning tweeters off with distortion because it usually sounds a bit nasty. I wouldn't worry about turning it down for fear of damage, just don't turn everything up to 11 with your 3000W amp and the fuzz on!]

---- Do you put serial numbers on these? I cant find one. 
[Barefaced responds: Good point, we really should!]

-----  What IS dual-density plywood?  I can't seem to find much about it.
[Barefaced responds: Plywood where the outer plies are harder and denser than the inner plies.

---- On your website you say something to effect of "Only one other range of cabinets goes this low and their pretty special too..." Are you refferring to Acme?
[Barefaced responds: Yes!]

----Physical coupling. From what I understand you get a  2 or 3db increase from the physical coupling of stacking the cabs. But is this physical coupling effect lessened by the fact that the top cab is only touching the bottom cab via the surface area of these tiny feet (as opposed to having no feet and laying along an entire side)?
[Barefaced responds: The acoustic coupling is due to the woofers being within 1/4 wavelength - doesn't matter whether the enclosures are touching or not.]

---- mid attenuator switch, is it a difference of 1db sensitivity overall? Am I reading your specs correctly?
[Barefaced responds: The mid switch makes the cab ~5dB more sensitive from 1kHz upwards which averages out as 1dB increase across the whole frequency range taking into account the energy balance of bass guitar]

---- So what drivers are these? I keep hearing different things. Are they the off-the-shelf 3012lf or some kind of  cab-specific or proprietary wizardry secret between you and Eminence? I have heard that it is the 3012lf and a Beyma mid driver
[Barefaced responds: It's a 3012LF woofer and Faital midrange]

---- What is this coating? Is it line-X or Duratex or something like that? These are the first cabs I've had with this kind of coating.
[Barefaced responds: It's a textured acrylic coating, similar to Duratex]

----- My only ergonomic advice would be to widen or taper the recess in which the mid switch resides, . I have average-width fingers and there is not enough room between where the switch comes to rest and the side of the hole to get your finger in and get the switch going the other way. The shaft of the switch is not sticking out hole at all, it is recessed inside, and the tip of the shaft just about comes to rest against the side of the hole drilled in the wood. So getting a part of your fingernail  BETWEEN the tiny space left between the tip and the side is the only way to flick the switch. This happens to a greater effect in the off (un-attenuated) position than the on, and more on the BBT than the BB. Maybe if you just drilled a biger hole or mounted the switch so it stuck out more. I usually just squat in front of my cabs in the horse-stance and do it with my pinky fingernail. But someday somebody  might break one of these by too much up-force because they can't get at the side to generate side-force. But as far as where you put the switches, that is the coolest thing ever
[Barefaced responds: Yes, it's only a small hole so as not to affect the port function, there's a certain touch required!]

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Super Twelve T - 20th September (UK)

Received the cab today, looks good sounds good , hope to have many years of pleasure from it, many thanks. Kind regards Derek 
Update - 21st September:
I have used the cab today with my tc rh 450, jamming withfriends, I am very impressed , and that does not happen often, it cutthrough the squealing guitars, the notes I played were, clear as abell. I must say you know your job, its the best cab I have everheard, every bass player, should have one. Maybe a grant from thegovernment could be arranged, I read your column in Bass Mag, everymonth, thats what made me aware of your company, and I am glad of thefact. Kind Regards Derek

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Big Baby - 31st August (UK)

So quick update. 1. My B and E strings have never sounded better. 2. I used to run a bit of treble boost on my bass but have removed this as A and higher strings were not as full as i would like, especially when compared to the B and E. It's still not quite right but that could be me needing to adjust. 3. I heard myself all the way through a rehearsal. Usually somewhere 2 hours into a 4 hour practise i stop hearing what i'm playing as the guitars have drowned everything out. Not this time.Overall my bass has never sounded better. Great work and a good looking cab too. One last rather odd question. What sort of weight can these cabs take? I have a friend who helps out who weights 20 stone and at times he has used my cabs as seats whilst waiting to load in etc. Will this be a problem with the big baby. Ps love the light weight tho. So easy to carry. Thanks again Antony

[Barefaced responds: Good stuff - shifting to a cab like this often requires string-to-string rebalancing - the upside is that when you get it right through the Big Baby then it'll sound good through a PA or DI'd when recording, whilst if you have things set up for a more coloured cab the high strings can sound too thin or the low strings too boomy when DI'd. The cabs can take the weight of as many people as you can balance on them at once - feel free to let anyone sit/stand on yours! N.B. This cab has replaced a Markbass 6x10" - small but mighty!)]

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