The Super Compact has been sold. I'm keeping the Super Twin.
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Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club
- Thread starter Stumbo
- Start date
Another glorious night jamming with my wrecking crew.
Nash PB63 with new Chromes > Enabler to control hot output pickup gain and lows > Demeter head > Two10.
Shocked at how great it sounded with the lows pulled out. The Enabler had the bass tuned all the way down and the Demeter bass eq was at 9 o'clock. Still plenty of lows. Very articulate. Plenty of cut. Plenty of thump. Not ice pick bright. I've been on a Ric 4003 kick lately and I'm tweaking my EQ to semi-mimic that sound. Tough to do with a P, but I'm trying to get it more similar than different. Whatever I did, it sounded lovely.
Nash PB63 with new Chromes > Enabler to control hot output pickup gain and lows > Demeter head > Two10.
Shocked at how great it sounded with the lows pulled out. The Enabler had the bass tuned all the way down and the Demeter bass eq was at 9 o'clock. Still plenty of lows. Very articulate. Plenty of cut. Plenty of thump. Not ice pick bright. I've been on a Ric 4003 kick lately and I'm tweaking my EQ to semi-mimic that sound. Tough to do with a P, but I'm trying to get it more similar than different. Whatever I did, it sounded lovely.
Just got back from my first band practice with the Four 10, first gig with it shortly. We have been using a new rehearsal space, last time I played the 59 Custom Shop precision into Orange AD200 and Ampeg 212 AV. Guitarist had a Marshall Hendrix stack and drummer a Ludwig rock kit. Three piece blues. While the sound was fine last practice with the 212 the bass was a tad directional and a little middy and agressive. With the Four 10 I just plugged in and had instant tone nirvana with the Orange at 5/5/5 which is unusual for this head. Swapped to the 63 Jazz bass and same again, perfect tubey lusciousness. It was not that the other guys said "Wow that is great", rather it is just that we got a great band mix from the start and the practice went great. Lovely lows, a little like having PA support if you know what I mean, and as I wandered around the room it was balanced throughout. Heaps of lows without being boomy or aggressive and as much definition as I wanted to dial in through either volume or mids boost. I loved it.
My dilemma now is that I would like a 610 as well, and how to go about it. The obvious answer is to get a Two 10 at 12 ohms and sit it on top, but that is a pain as 12 ohms does not match with any of my tube heads so I would not have the added benefit of a 210 cab if I wanted it. I have always understood that tube power sections do not like to be matched with a higher rated speaker, unlike solid state it is better to go lower. Thinking I may just order a Six 10 and be done with it.... Can't see me going back to using my other cabs after today's experience. Common sense and economy says get the 12 ohm Two 10, though. Ah well, time for a little pondering and mulling. Also, on reflection the Four 10 filled the space so easily, I have no idea how much more I could push it. It just took everything in its stride without breaking a sweat, made the playing so enjoyable.
My dilemma now is that I would like a 610 as well, and how to go about it. The obvious answer is to get a Two 10 at 12 ohms and sit it on top, but that is a pain as 12 ohms does not match with any of my tube heads so I would not have the added benefit of a 210 cab if I wanted it. I have always understood that tube power sections do not like to be matched with a higher rated speaker, unlike solid state it is better to go lower. Thinking I may just order a Six 10 and be done with it.... Can't see me going back to using my other cabs after today's experience. Common sense and economy says get the 12 ohm Two 10, though. Ah well, time for a little pondering and mulling. Also, on reflection the Four 10 filled the space so easily, I have no idea how much more I could push it. It just took everything in its stride without breaking a sweat, made the playing so enjoyable.
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Always. . . ask Alex.
The Four 10 at 8 ohms and Two 10 at 12 ohms would make 4.8 ohms. Not below the minimum and maybe not so far off 4 ohms to actually be a problem. Would that matter to the amp?
Do you really need the extra cab for volume or tone or are you in love with the visuals?
The Four 10 at 8 ohms and Two 10 at 12 ohms would make 4.8 ohms. Not below the minimum and maybe not so far off 4 ohms to actually be a problem. Would that matter to the amp?
Do you really need the extra cab for volume or tone or are you in love with the visuals?
I had my first gig with the super compact last night. I set up in the corner, to the drummer's right, angled about 35 degrees toward him. Excellent, room-filling lows with no PA support and no apparent effort on the part of my amp, master at 10:30, which is lower than I have it at practice. The resonance of the stage was the all too common 55-60 Hz, and I could feel it vibrating through my feet on those low As, but it never got muddy or overwhelming. The drummer and all the rest of us could hear me perfectly.
Just an all around perfect experience. Not a lot of high end, for those of you who aren't into a more "vintage" tone, look at the BB2 instead. But definitely enough to give it growl and texture, and the dispersion is excellent, so everyone can hear the exceptional midrange definition.
The bottom line with this cab: punch, weight, and depth without mud or boom, with excellent note definition in all corners of the room.
Just an all around perfect experience. Not a lot of high end, for those of you who aren't into a more "vintage" tone, look at the BB2 instead. But definitely enough to give it growl and texture, and the dispersion is excellent, so everyone can hear the exceptional midrange definition.
The bottom line with this cab: punch, weight, and depth without mud or boom, with excellent note definition in all corners of the room.
Not at all bothered about running the two together, that would be absolutely fine. Neither do the visuals matter at all to me, it would just be nice to have the option to move more air should I need it. We get a few outdoor gigs and while there is pa support we like a bit of power behind us. As I said, I still don't know what the Four 10 can do when really pushed. The thing is, I like it so much I really want to be able to get that sound in any situation.
My question related to using the Two 10 as a standalone cab with a tube head if I get one rated at 12 ohms, I know it would be fine with a class D or transistor amp.
I find the lows are so solid with my BB2 (and would be the same with the SC) and also Four10 (but especially BB2) that I use a Gramma pad under them whenever practical. Keeps that super-solid low end from taking on too much life of its own on wood box stages, etc. I guess I could always dial the bass down a hair. I just like the Gramma pad with these cabs.
From the Barefaced web site
12 or 4 ohm impedance?
With valve/tube amps you should use the 8 ohm or 16 ohm tap with a single 12 ohm cab, 8 ohm or 4 ohm tap with two cabs, 4 ohm tap with three cabs, 2 or 4 ohm tap with four cabs, 2 ohm tap with five or six cabs.
I wonder how many dB's less sound level you get using a single 12 ohm Two10 cab, vs the 4ohm version of the Two10; and how many dB's less versus what a (mythological) 8 ohm Two10 cab would give. Tim1 wonders, and so do I, how useful would a 12 ohm Two10 cab would be as a stand-alone cab. It would seem a tiny bit silly having a Two10 that isn't really useful except when you want more than what a Four10 does and less than what an Eight10 (or two Four10's) does/do.
Again from the Barefaced web site (it's all there). . . .
12 or 4 ohm impedance?
The 12 ohm version allows you to use up to three cabs with a solidstate amp with a 4 ohm minimum load. Many solidstate amps will run four cabs because the resulting 3 ohm load is easy enough. When using one 12 ohm cab you'll get 2/3 of the power you'd normally get into an 8 ohm cab but unlike most small 8 ohm cabs the Two10 will handle all that power without distorting so will usually play louder.
Super twin finally arrived! 
Thanks. When in doubt, read the manual.
That is a lot of power loss, but if you just bring a bigger amp than you'd normally bring for a 2x10, seems like it should work just fine. A D800 would deliver about 275 watts and an MB800 335 watts at 12 ohms. Only 115 watts out of my TH350 and 93 watts out of my MB200 at 12 ohms though.
Still, it's hard to imagine needing more than I can get out of the Four10 alone at this point.
Barefaced Big Twin II in the house! Arrived yesterday but am only now beginning to put it through it's paces. So far, I can honestly say it is a sublime match for the Glockenklang Blue Rock. Much deeper than my RS212 and a much better tone - both the amp and cab are very neutral - plug in my Roscoe Century and wow! Full review to follow in the next few days.
- Apr 15, 2010
- 3,914
- 7,324
- Disclosures
- Spector Artist
I am a bit disappointed...I got neither cabinet nor refund yet. Strange. The guys at Barefaced seem to have problems with Fedex shipping to Russia. Why not using different carrier? 
I think I'm just staying with my trusty NY604 cab.
I think I'm just staying with my trusty NY604 cab.
I am a bit disappointed...I got neither cabinet nor refund yet. Strange. The guys at Barefaced seem to have problems with Fedex shipping to Russia. Why not using different carrier?
Well that sucks, of course. But don't give up on a cab you want, there has to be a way-- deliver to a business, or use a different carrier, etc... BF is great, it'd be a shame to miss out on that for bureaucratic reasons. Do what you gotta do... in your shoes I would try to exhaust every possibility before giving it up. If it is just flat impossible to ship to Russia, you'd think Barefaced would know that already.
- Apr 15, 2010
- 3,914
- 7,324
- Disclosures
- Spector Artist
Well I have been shipped basses and amps from USA and Germany with no problem.
Yes, I did read that. However, there has been considerable discussion over the years on this topic of mismatching speaker impedance to all tube amps and the consensus has been that with a tube head it is preferable to under mismatch rather than over mismatch (if you know what I mean). I guess I am rather sensitive to this as many years ago I damaged an SVT2 after touring it heavily with an 8 ohm cab for quite a while. Since all my tube heads only offer outputs up to 8 ohms I will be looking at overmatching with a 12 ohm cab. Probably not the end of the world if only done occasionally, or I could get the Two 10 and use it with my Markbass for small gigs I suppose and hook it up with the Four 10 and tubes when needed.
The Four 10 has given me the sound I have been seeking for a while and I am keen to have it in a variety of sizes if possible. It is similar to the sound I have got and loved from driving my (much bigger and heavier) Bergantino NV215 hard, but in a much smaller form and I can get it at a lower volume too if I need it and with minimal tone tweaking. Alex is quite the magician. I expect I will be ordering a Two 10 very soon.
alexclaber
Commercial User
No-one in Russia had ever ordered a cab before. The FedEx system accepted it but the cab got returned. We're trying to find a way to get it there but it seems Russia has a lot of restrictions on imports...
I know you'll do your level best to make it happen. Breaking into new territory always has its challenges that have to be surmounted as you encounter them.
#FreetheBarefacedCab! No bass player should be denied a chance to have a Barefaced product just because they live behind the "ironic curtain".
Soxhats PM'd me seeking more information on the Four 10, and I have had a few other queries as well. He is happy for me to post my reply to him so here it is. Bear in mind that I am an older player, no pick and no slap, playing mainly blues and rock through tube heads and mainly passive Fender basses. I play with younger guys and we can get loud. Of course YMMV applies:
Hi Steve, I have no experience of the Fender neo 410 but I did own a neo 610 before I got the neo 810. The Barefaced is quite different to the two Fenders I have owned. It has more depth and weight to its basic tone and the Fenders tend to "project" more I think - by that I mean you sense where the sound is coming from with them whereas with the Four 10 it is far more natural and even right around the room. The neo cabs with the tweeters will obviously go higher, but I never slap and usually turn the tweeters down anyway. The Fenders are great cabs and I still rate them highly, probably more versatile than the Four 10 given their extended range. The Four 10 is deep but not boomy, it is controlled and sits nicely in a mix filling in the bottom in just the right way. It is old school and "there" in a beautifully full, organic way with just the right amount of definition. The V4B sounds great with it and gives it a little more definition in the mids than the Orange AD200, although with both heads the Four 10 responds well to eq. It certainly had no problems with volume, but I have not yet tried it in a full on situation. My instinct tells me that it will just go louder with no issues at all, but we will see. In terms of mobility it is fine, a very easy lift. The fact that it is a shallower cab helps too. Alex advised against fitting castors, but as it happens I don't need them. It is no problem lifting onto a trolley for long distances. I got the metal grill and while I initially had some doubts about this I am very glad I did, it looks great with all my heads (the pictures I posted did it no justice as the flash made the grill disappear) and I am just more comfortable with its added protection when I am lifting it around.
Hope this helps, I might add it to the thread having thought about it a bit. If you are into rock/blues/soul/old school I would recommend it above anything I have played previously. Since I have not played other genres I cannot comment on its suitability for them, but I see no reason why it should not be equally impressive.
Hi Steve, I have no experience of the Fender neo 410 but I did own a neo 610 before I got the neo 810. The Barefaced is quite different to the two Fenders I have owned. It has more depth and weight to its basic tone and the Fenders tend to "project" more I think - by that I mean you sense where the sound is coming from with them whereas with the Four 10 it is far more natural and even right around the room. The neo cabs with the tweeters will obviously go higher, but I never slap and usually turn the tweeters down anyway. The Fenders are great cabs and I still rate them highly, probably more versatile than the Four 10 given their extended range. The Four 10 is deep but not boomy, it is controlled and sits nicely in a mix filling in the bottom in just the right way. It is old school and "there" in a beautifully full, organic way with just the right amount of definition. The V4B sounds great with it and gives it a little more definition in the mids than the Orange AD200, although with both heads the Four 10 responds well to eq. It certainly had no problems with volume, but I have not yet tried it in a full on situation. My instinct tells me that it will just go louder with no issues at all, but we will see. In terms of mobility it is fine, a very easy lift. The fact that it is a shallower cab helps too. Alex advised against fitting castors, but as it happens I don't need them. It is no problem lifting onto a trolley for long distances. I got the metal grill and while I initially had some doubts about this I am very glad I did, it looks great with all my heads (the pictures I posted did it no justice as the flash made the grill disappear) and I am just more comfortable with its added protection when I am lifting it around.
Hope this helps, I might add it to the thread having thought about it a bit. If you are into rock/blues/soul/old school I would recommend it above anything I have played previously. Since I have not played other genres I cannot comment on its suitability for them, but I see no reason why it should not be equally impressive.
