Lightweight cabs with no tweeters or crossovers?

[3rdcurve]

Revsound

TBH, what you are looking for describes the Barefaced 10s to a T. The absolute best one way cabs I have ever owned, played, or heard. Thick, warm, punchy, and great bite from either drive pedals or a saturated tube amp. For a while I owned a Shaw B150 into a 210 and 410 Barefaced, and the tone would make non-bass players take notice. 210s are sub 30lbs and I can’t think of a cab that’s easier to move. My one complaint with these cabs are the quality of the tolex install. If/when I order another cab from them I will request duratex instead.

 

[el murdoque]

Thanks guys. Questions regarding Barefaced:

I've heard them described as "flat" and not imparting much character on the sound, is that your experience? I've also heard them described as bright, but that seems odd since they have no tweeter.

The Super Compact is, before you reach the high content where it won't keep up for lack of a tweeter, quite flat.
But don't confuse flat with boring. Think more in terms of 'responsive'. You want a cab with a mid hump? Take that control on your amp that says 'Mids' and turn it up. Done.
You want massive bass response? Well, turn up the low frequencies.
You want a balanced, very neutral sound? Everything at noon, then.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

I've owned all three, the AOU 900 for the DG amp.

I also owned a d800, WD 800 and GK legacy 1200.

The d800 I owned the longest and it served me well.

All the amps are pretty powerful. In order of best to worst IMO:

Forte HP
D800
D800+
WD800
DG AOU 900
GK Legacy 1200

I just couldn't get a tone I personally liked with the last 3, especially in a loud band environment.

The 800+ I thought I would prefer the sweepable mids, turns out I did not.

I prefer a set it and forget it approach, then tweak eq points little by little as I'm playing in my band to get to the sweet spot.

By far I love the Forte Hp out of all the amps mentioned. The thickness, headroom, clarity, how notes start and stop feels and sounds very different to my ears from the others.

As mentioned, having a compressor, hpf, lpf and drive feature sets it apart from all the others, less of these needed on a pedalboard.

The HP tells you very clearly if your technique is sloppy.

My bandmates comment how much better they hear me

Great, great stuff. I'm going to order a Forté HP and give it a whirl.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

This really tends to point towards the Barefaced tens imo. I run a Six 10 with an Aguilar DB 751 which has the characteristics you describe here. I have spent years being an all tube man, and this is as convincing as my svt, V4b, and Orange AD200. Loves pedals and has grunt to spare when needed on a big stage, or given your gigs which are no doubt way larger than mine look at an Eight 10 or combination of them. For my gigs which are mainly blues or old school rock I prefer the Barefaced tens over twelves.

TBH, what you are looking for describes the Barefaced 10s to a T. The absolute best one way cabs I have ever owned, played, or heard. Thick, warm, punchy, and great bite from either drive pedals or a saturated tube amp. For a while I owned a Shaw B150 into a 210 and 410 Barefaced, and the tone would make non-bass players take notice. 210s are sub 30lbs and I can’t think of a cab that’s easier to move. My one complaint with these cabs are the quality of the tolex install. If/when I order another cab from them I will request duratex instead.

The Super Compact is, before you reach the high content where it won't keep up for lack of a tweeter, quite flat.
But don't confuse flat with boring. Think more in terms of 'responsive'. You want a cab with a mid hump? Take that control on your amp that says 'Mids' and turn it up. Done.
You want massive bass response? Well, turn up the low frequencies.
You want a balanced, very neutral sound? Everything at noon, then.

Both of these are very thoughtful, cogent, replies. I'm now trying to decide whether to go for one or two of the two 10's verses one or two of the Super Twins...not from a volume/power draw standpoint, but from the tonal standpoint.

 

[Amajew]

Great, great stuff. I'm going to order a Forté HP and give it a whirl.

It's truly a killer amp. It just smokes any of the 800w amps out there clearly.

 

[mmbongo]

Both of these are very thoughtful, cogent, replies. I'm now trying to decide whether to go for one or two of the two 10's verses one or two of the Super Twins...not from a volume/power draw standpoint, but from the tonal standpoint.

Just a couple of things I would consider after owning both the Barefaced 10's and 12's.

It takes two of the 10's to equal the output of a single 12. So output wise, a Two10 is similar to the Super Compact. Four10 would be similar to Super Twin. You could also go modular, say with a Two10 and a Four10 for a modular Six10.

How much B string do you use? I found the 10 (I had the One10 and Two10) easily reached their limit on the B string while the 12 just kept on going and was very robust. May not be the case with something bigger than than the Two10, I don't know. Just things to consider! And it may not matter to you, but I use a LOT of B string.

 

[FunkHead]

Just a couple of things I would consider after owning both the Barefaced 10's and 12's.

It takes two of the 10's to equal the output of a single 12. So output wise, a Two10 is similar to the Super Compact. Four10 would be similar to Super Twin. You could also go modular, say with a Two10 and a Four10 for a modular Six10.

How much B string do you use? I found the 10 (I had the One10 and Two10) easily reached their limit on the B string while the 12 just kept on going and was very robust. May not be the case with something bigger than than the Two10, I don't know. Just things to consider! And it may not matter to you, but I use a LOT of B string.

Exactly this. I have just one Super-twin and also use a ton of B string. I can't see ever needing more than One ST but I'll probably grab one some day.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Just a couple of things I would consider after owning both the Barefaced 10's and 12's.

It takes two of the 10's to equal the output of a single 12. So output wise, a Two10 is similar to the Super Compact. Four10 would be similar to Super Twin. You could also go modular, say with a Two10 and a Four10 for a modular Six10.

How much B string do you use? I found the 10 (I had the One10 and Two10) easily reached their limit on the B string while the 12 just kept on going and was very robust. May not be the case with something bigger than than the Two10, I don't know. Just things to consider! And it may not matter to you, but I use a LOT of B string.

Exactly this. I have just one Super-twin and also use a ton of B string. I can't see ever needing more than One ST but I'll probably grab one some day.

No B string for me. Mustangs, P Basses, various hollow bodies, Serek's, thumpy deep stuff, occasionally Ripper/Grabber/Wal/Thunderbird. Lots of pedals. But the point you two gentlemen are making is well taken.

I want to also say thanks, because this thread has been a wealth of wise perspective, thoughtful advice, and generosity. So THANK YOU VERY MUCH to everyone who has chipped in.

What about a ST and a Two10? Is that weird? Am I potentially getting the best of both worlds, or am I getting something sonically indistinct or diluted? lol. In theory, it sounds kind of exciting to me, and keeps the modularity going, which is important for me when I'm putting this into a Tesla Model 3 or an Alfa GTV6 Regardless, I'm looking for a two cabinet solution for sure. I need to scale this from small venues to medium ones. Cheers!!!

 

[mmbongo]

No B string for me. Mustangs, P Basses, various hollow bodies, Serek's, thumpy deep stuff, occasionally Ripper/Grabber/Wal/Thunderbird. Lots of pedals. But the point you two gentlemen are making is well taken.

I want to also say thanks, because this thread has been a wealth of wise perspective, thoughtful advice, and generosity. So THANK YOU VERY MUCH to everyone who has chipped in.

What about a ST and a Two10? Is that weird? Am I potentially getting the best of both worlds, or am I getting something sonically indistinct or diluted? lol. In theory, it sounds kind of exciting to me, and keeps the modularity going, which is important for me when I'm putting this into a Tesla Model 3 or an Alfa GTV6 Regardless, I'm looking for a two cabinet solution for sure. I need to scale this from small venues to medium ones. Cheers!!!

Alex from Barefaced does not recommend mixing the 10CR and 12XN cabs because of the output difference.

Alex is also extremely helpful in getting you the right cabs so you may want to talk to him.

 

[Kro]

Alex is also extremely helpful in getting you the right cabs so you may want to talk to him.

+1 If it looks like you've narrowed it down to a Barefaced (very good choice IMO), a call to Alex should answer any and all questions - especially as it pertains to deciding between specific models.

If you tell Alex you need x, which leads him to recommend y, you can be certain you're getting the absolute best cab for your needs.

 

[Funkmabassup]

Both of these are very thoughtful, cogent, replies. I'm now trying to decide whether to go for one or two of the two 10's verses one or two of the Super Twins...not from a volume/power draw standpoint, but from the tonal standpoint.

Ive owned both. The super-twin is very flat in the response, think PA speaker but with little hi end response over 4k. Its probly blasphemy, but for me personally it was the worst sounding basscab Ive owned, I hated it and my band didnt like it, sounded flat, bland and very muffled in the hi end.

Two10s is a very different cab. First, you will need two of these too match the super-twins output
Second: this cabs are very voiced and sound fat in the hi-lows and low-mids but still very tight. They also sound alot smoother in the himids and treble. I liked many aspects of the TWO10 but in the end I sold it due too the fact that it felt very closed in the hi-end even for a tweeter-less cabinet, however, lots of people would love this cabinet, its very powerful for a 2x10, very light and sounds like a classic bass-cab.

For me what really impressed me with the two10s was the way the low end and low mids cut through in a mix, this was probably the cabinet Ive owned with the most consise and defined low end, I could hear my bass loud and clear even without much treble. However when I switched too slap(in a agressive band) it didnt cut through at all and that didnt work well for me.

For me the Mesa Subway 12+15 combo blew away the barefaced-stuff without even a real contest, but hey thats just my taste

 

[Stumbo]

I currently have a revsound stack. A rs210 and rs215t. It slams but the 210 is a bit bright for me, even without a tweeter.

Before spending more of your hard-earned cash, I suggest implementing the HP LPF to tame the 2x10. "Variable Low-Pass (VLPF) and Variable High-Pass (VHPF) filters, critical for precise tone shaping and taming of the most challenging gigging environments."

 

[el murdoque]

Both of these are very thoughtful, cogent, replies. I'm now trying to decide whether to go for one or two of the two 10's verses one or two of the Super Twins...not from a volume/power draw standpoint, but from the tonal standpoint.

Bear in mind that those 12" cabinets are quite a force of nature. You can compare a 112 barefaced cabinet with a good standard 212 cabinet, at least in terms of loudness and bass.

Those 10's are great cabs as well. I've owned a one10 and must admit that that's been the best bedroom cabinet I've ever experienced. It sounds huge even at low volumes, weighs next to nothing and is tiny. It does more of that vintage vibe and has a warmer feel to it.
When you play a bass with a B string and you want that low B to really punch you in the gut, the 12" drivers are the better option (IMHO). When you want a neutral response, or maximize the size/weight/volume ratio, still go for the 12".
When you want a bit of that vintage vibe, a warmer feel to the sound and rather prefer that low mid thumping in the mix, the 10" cabs all the way.

 

[Amajew]

Before spending more of your hard-earned cash, I suggest implementing the HP LPF to tame the 2x10. "Variable Low-Pass (VLPF) and Variable High-Pass (VHPF) filters, critical for precise tone shaping and taming of the most challenging gigging environments."

Trust me, I do. HPF set around 60hz and LPF set around 4-5k. Any more top end cut off and the tone becomes bland.

They're both great cabs, just may not be the pairing for me.

 

[zombywoof5050]

Barefaced Super Twin for the win, you'll only really need one of them.

 

[IvanBassist]

Ok, so now that we've talked about that, can I solicit some opinions on the following, now that I have a general concept of my speaker options:

Bergantino HP Forté
Mesa D800+
Darkglass ?

Cheers,
Justin

I used to own a Mesa D800+ but i switched to the Mesa WD-800 combined with a Subway 1x15”. Big fan of that rig.

The feel and response of the WD are amazing, imo, and you can dial in lots of tones using the 3 mid bands.

 

[RudyTardy]

Great, great stuff. I'm going to order a Forté HP and give it a whirl.

Hey Justin. I am curious: how did the Forté work out?

 

[jmjbassplayer]

Hey Justin. I am curious: how did the Forté work out?

It's here, just fired it up today. It's cool. Great "bedroom tone" - clean, powerful, detailed, good eq points. I will know more when it's rocking big cabs next to a fairly aggressive Grohl on drums for a fundraiser thingy we're doing soon. I like the highpass/lowpass filters...such a great feature I dialed that lowpass down to about 12 or 1 o'clock and was feeling my P-bass tone that way. Compressor sounds great, drive sounds pretty good.

I don't know if it's vibey enough for me. To be fair, I don't actually know if ANY class D and/or digital stuff is going to give me rad vibes when I'm used to only playing tube amps (Ampeg, Sunn, Traynor) or vintage solid state (Acoustic). I'm used to looser, blooming low end, noise, occasional tube microphonics, and just overall crust and grime. But at first listen, (Pbass with fresh rounds ripping, and Hofner Club with Pyramids digging in w/ palm muting) it seems to have a metric sh*t ton of headroom, and that's just through one 8-ohm 12" cab, so that's a pretty good indication.

I'm trying out a bunch of stuff. I have Barefaced cabs on the way next week that I went ahead and bought (two Two10s and a SuperTwin) and those are exciting, particularly the 10s. Trying some newer Aguilar SL cabs this weekend, and I'm still intrigued by Mesa Subway stuff tbh, which I'm going to go play through this Friday at the Hollywood store...my man Jimbo over there is the coolest and he's going to set up a bunch of things for me. I don't love the look of the Mesa cabs with their aggro, techy metal grills, but maybe there's a way around that...in concept I love Mesa and have since forever. So it's a fun smorgasbord right now and will probably stay like that until I come to some decisions in the coming weeks. Haven't thought about new bass amps in YEARS, so this is a pretty enjoyable distraction.

 

[Rick Brienzo]

Please report back on the Barefaced Super Twin. The ST has been calling my name so I would love to hear your thoughts on it. On paper it seems too good to be true.

 

[mmbongo]

It's here, just fired it up today. It's cool. Great "bedroom tone" - clean, powerful, detailed, good eq points. I will know more when it's rocking big cabs next to a fairly aggressive Grohl on drums for a fundraiser thingy we're doing soon. I like the highpass/lowpass filters...such a great feature I dialed that lowpass down to about 12 or 1 o'clock and was feeling my P-bass tone that way. Compressor sounds great, drive sounds pretty good.

I don't know if it's vibey enough for me. To be fair, I don't actually know if ANY class D and/or digital stuff is going to give me rad vibes when I'm used to only playing tube amps (Ampeg, Sunn, Traynor) or vintage solid state (Acoustic). I'm used to looser, blooming low end, noise, occasional tube microphonics, and just overall crust and grime. But at first listen, (Pbass with fresh rounds ripping, and Hofner Club with Pyramids digging in w/ palm muting) it seems to have a metric sh*t ton of headroom, and that's just through one 8-ohm 12" cab, so that's a pretty good indication.

I'm trying out a bunch of stuff. I have Barefaced cabs on the way next week that I went ahead and bought (two Two10s and a SuperTwin) and those are exciting, particularly the 10s. Trying some newer Aguilar SL cabs this weekend, and I'm still intrigued by Mesa Subway stuff tbh, which I'm going to go play through this Friday at the Hollywood store...my man Jimbo over there is the coolest and he's going to set up a bunch of things for me. I don't love the look of the Mesa cabs with their aggro, techy metal grills, but maybe there's a way around that...in concept I love Mesa and have since forever. So it's a fun smorgasbord right now and will probably stay like that until I come to some decisions in the coming weeks. Haven't thought about new bass amps in YEARS, so this is a pretty enjoyable distraction.

Make sure you try the Subway 115 cab. To me it's the gem of the whole line.

If you like the Mesa cabs, they will make them whatever color you want...for an upcharge of course