Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club

[Dave W]

I really want to order up a pair of BB2's but I fear it's overkill.
Is anyone regularly and effectively using two of them currently? I suppose in reality one would only need them if they had no PA support. Am I off base here?

I use two all the time at our louder/larger gigs. It's not overkill for me at all but I have zero FOH support like you mention.
If you've always got good FOH support and your rig never has to carry the room then one BB2 would be a killer monitor.
I use a single BB2 for our smaller/quieter gigs all the time as well. Very portable and very capable, but it definitely doesn't have the same low end presence as a pair have. Running two of them makes me sound like I have great FOH support for when the band is really cranking along.

 

[map34157]

I used to have two Super Compacts but ended up selling both and now my go to cab is a Super Twin. I like that it's still relatively light, has wheels, and sounds huge in any venue. I rarely have FOH support so for me, it's a great one cab solution.

 

[saltydude]

I use two all the time at our louder/larger gigs. It's not overkill for me at all but I have zero FOH support like you mention.
If you've always got good FOH support and your rig never has to carry the room then one BB2 would be a killer monitor.
I use a single BB2 for our smaller/quieter gigs all the time as well. Very portable and very capable, but it definitely doesn't have the same low end presence as a pair have. Running two of them makes me sound like I have great FOH support for when the band is really cranking along.

Lol sweet. It isn't going to take much convincing for me. I love 12's. I also like not lugging stuff. My thoughts also (since I'm in two bands with two jamspaces) was to keep one in each then use both if (I have to) for gigs.
Normally I have a powered 18 sub accompanying the PA so I'm usually good for any venue but it isn't always available.

 

[chris_b]

I'm using 2 Super Compacts most of the time.

I've used 1 on smaller gigs but I prefer the sound of 2 so unless I'm playing with an acoustic guitar I'll use both cabs.

 

[Dp1363]

Man this thread has me going back and fourth. 10's never really did it for me. Perhaps the Barefaced would give me what I'm looking for.

I really want to order up a pair of BB2's but I fear it's overkill.
Is anyone regularly and effectively using two of them currently? I suppose in reality one would only need them if they had no PA support. Am I off base here?

I am. They sound great. When I am in a cramped club and have PA support, I do only use one. But you can't go wrong with two BB2's. 4ohm, closer to your, ear fuller sounding all benefits of 2 in a stack. I typically turn one horn on one of them and leave the top horn at half way on the other.

 

[SickAura]

I used to have two Super Compacts but ended up selling both and now my go to cab is a Super Twin. I like that it's still relatively light, has wheels, and sounds huge in any venue. I rarely have FOH support so for me, it's a great one cab solution.

I am really close to pulling the trigger on a SuperTwin so I am wondering if you miss having a tweeter at all?

Did you ever use one? What type of music are you playing? What head are you running?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[map34157]

I am really close to pulling the trigger on a SuperTwin so I am wondering if you miss having a tweeter at all?

Did you ever use one? What type of music are you playing? What head are you running?

Sorry for all the questions!

I've pretty much only played through and owned cabinets that did not have a tweeter. My band plays classic rock/punk/indie. I've played a Mesa D180, Mesa D800, and now I'm playing through a Crest 3.0/Arkham Zepyhr. They all sound great through the Super Twin.

Hope this helps

 

[BigEarl]

Man this thread has me going back and fourth. 10's never really did it for me. Perhaps the Barefaced would give me what I'm looking for.

I really want to order up a pair of BB2's but I fear it's overkill.
Is anyone regularly and effectively using two of them currently? I suppose in reality one would only need them if they had no PA support. Am I off base here?

I feel the same way about 12's, never had any luck with 12's. I've always preferred the sound and feel of a 10", dunno why, maybe the transients?

 

[The Deep End]

Man this thread has me going back and fourth. 10's never really did it for me. Perhaps the Barefaced would give me what I'm looking for.

I really want to order up a pair of BB2's but I fear it's overkill.
Is anyone regularly and effectively using two of them currently? I suppose in reality one would only need them if they had no PA support. Am I off base here?

I've settled on a BB2 / Super Midget combo. Was going to eventually swap out for a Big Twin 2 (for a simpler schlepp) but find the combined BB2/SM tone too delicious (big deep + big thick). The SM is also a painless NYC subway schlepp for clubs with FOH support and questionable back lines.

You can't go wrong really. GLWTB!

 

[chaak]

Hello all, I am highly interested in the Barefaced Big Baby II

I already own a 2x10 (a Mesa Powerhouse) and a 1x12 (which will be gone soon, selling it). I play with a very loud drummer and a louder guitar player and I am wondering how does the big Baby II perform since on the website they say "It's the first 1x12" to compete with great 2x12" and 4x10" cabs for tone, bottom and loudness". I've been wanting a 4x10 without the dimensions, weight and hassle of moving a 4x10 around.

 

[Dp1363]

Hello all, I am highly interested in the Barefaced Big Baby II

I already own a 2x10 (a Mesa Powerhouse) and a 1x12 (which will be gone soon, selling it). I play with a very loud drummer and a louder guitar player and I am wondering how does the big Baby II perform since on the website they say "It's the first 1x12" to compete with great 2x12" and 4x10" cabs for tone, bottom and loudness". I've been wanting a 4x10 without the dimensions, weight and hassle of moving a 4x10 around.

IMHO yes. But I still like to use 2 BB2's for fullness (mainly for band practice). They can take a lot of wattage, and can get very loud if needed, so really you only need one for most gigs, unless I have an outdoor gig. Why haul more than you need to?

A 410 is a pain in the ass to haul around. Very awkward especially through door ways, stairs etc. plus I ran into the dreaded dispersion issues with 410 I had. I love the BB2's. Light weight and powerful with plenty of bottom.

 

[Plutonium244]

IMHO yes. But I still like to use 2 BB2's for fullness (mainly for band practice). They can take a lot of wattage, and can get very loud if needed, so really you only need one for most gigs, unless I have an outdoor gig. Why haul more than you need to?

A 410 is a pain in the ass to haul around. Very awkward especially through door ways, stairs etc. plus I ran into the dreaded dispersion issues with 410 I had. I love the BB2's. Light weight and powerful with plenty of bottom.

Agree with this. I like my Barefaced Four10 but it is not as portable as other cabs in the BF line-up b/c it is wide (as are all 4x10's) and weighs 50 pounds and no wheels... yes that's half the weight of most 4x10's but it seems like a lot compared to the 29 pound BB2. I do bring out the Four10 but when the haul is important, I go BB2.

I'd suggest getting one BB2 and seeing if that has you covered. You can always add a 2nd (since I am pretty sure you'll love the sound of this cab). Hard to judge since your band is apparently very loud, but even though I have a BB2 and a SM and have run them together, for my gigs, for all practical purposes, I got the same performance from just the BB2 (with an adequately powered amp) as from the stack of two.

 

[RevOgre]

Man this thread has me going back and fourth. 10's never really did it for me. Perhaps the Barefaced would give me what I'm looking for.

I really want to order up a pair of BB2's but I fear it's overkill.
Is anyone regularly and effectively using two of them currently? I suppose in reality one would only need them if they had no PA support. Am I off base here?

I have a pair but have never had to use both, I bought the second one when I thought I was going to have a series of outside gigs with no PA but it fell through... now I just rotate them so they see even use and wear.

The two of them opened up hits you right in the chest like Bruce Lee's One-Inch Punch. I can feel the air they are pushing like a breeze, from a foot or two away. No joke.

FWIW I'm running a Stringray through a Mesa D800

 

[Plutonium244]

I have a pair but have never had to use both, I bought the second one when I thought I was going to have a series of outside gigs with no PA but it fell through... now I just rotate them so they see even use and wear.

The two of them opened up hits you right in the chest like Bruce Lee's One-Inch Punch. I can feel the air they are pushing like a breeze, from a foot or two away. No joke.

FWIW I'm running a Stringray through a Mesa D800

Agree. What I often tell people about the BB2, to give them a sense of what it does, is that from the room it sounds and feels like you have PA support for the bass when you don't-- it is so full, enveloping, and even, pretty much everywhere. I have never had that experience with any other cab. I have multiple BF cabs but if I had to pick just one, it would be BB2 to rule them all.

 

[monsterthompson]

Hello all, I am highly interested in the Barefaced Big Baby II

I already own a 2x10 (a Mesa Powerhouse) and a 1x12 (which will be gone soon, selling it). I play with a very loud drummer and a louder guitar player and I am wondering how does the big Baby II perform since on the website they say "It's the first 1x12" to compete with great 2x12" and 4x10" cabs for tone, bottom and loudness". I've been wanting a 4x10 without the dimensions, weight and hassle of moving a 4x10 around.

Need more info than "loud and louder." What is the guitarist using? What head are you using? Are you using the 112 and 210 together and finding it loud enough? What type of bass tone are you after? My experience with a Mesa 210 says the BB2 will outperform it. I've not played another 112 that betters the BB2 for volume. I've pushed it very hard playing synth from my laptop, in a very loud hard/heavy band with two loud guitarists using half stacks in rehearsals. I ran that through the power section of a 900w Genz head, so it was 450w at 8 ohms. I've used it in loud indi rock settings, for bass guitar with an 800w Demeter head (400w at 8ohms).

 

[chaak]

Need more info than "loud and louder." What is the guitarist using? What head are you using? Are you using the 112 and 210 together and finding it loud enough? What type of bass tone are you after? My experience with a Mesa 210 says the BB2 will outperform it. I've not played another 112 that betters the BB2 for volume. I've pushed it very hard playing synth from my laptop, in a very loud hard/heavy band with two loud guitarists using half stacks in rehearsals. I ran that through the power section of a 900w Genz head, so it was 450w at 8 ohms. I've used it in loud indi rock settings, for bass guitar with an 800w Demeter head (400w at 8ohms).

I am using an Epifani UL 501 which is an 800 Watts at 4 Ohms, tried running both 2x10 and 112 together but did not like the outcome and I tried to fiddle around with both my on board preamp EQ ( Aguilar OBP3) and the Epifani's but it was simply too loud and unclear of a sound so went back to only the 2x10 on its own. I usually change my EQ a lot depending on the songs and passages plus i apply various right hand techniques we are a trio playing rock fusion ( a mixture between Aristocrats, Plini, and Russian Circles at times) Guitar player is currently using a Fender Bassman 50 Stack. Yes I thought so about the BB2 and I have had my eyes set on one for a long while now, I cannot try any of the Barefaced products since they are unavailable in my country (rarely any good gear is available in my country.
But I play in another more vintage sound and playing oriented band where I have been using my Fender '63 precision reissue D.I. ed and i was thinking of getting a Gallien Krueger MB Fusion 500 or 800 for that band (currently no need we are in the studio strictly recording) but we will soon start live performances. and I thought the BB2 would fit both and do a great job.

 

[Plutonium244]

But I play in another more vintage sound and playing oriented band where I have been using my Fender '63 precision reissue D.I. ed and i was thinking of getting a Gallien Krueger MB Fusion 500 or 800 for that band (currently no need we are in the studio strictly recording) but we will soon start live performances. and I thought the BB2 would fit both and do a great job.

I typically run my BB2 with a GK MB Fusion 800. Sounds great.

 

[jsper]

Anybody know how different sounding the Super Twin/Super Compact is from the Retro series? I want to get a 2 cab setup to go with my new stereo amp and can't decide between getting 2 Super Compacts or 2 Retro cabs (probably a 2x10 and 4x10)

It seems like the Retro series is more of what I'm looking for, but the Super Compacts are pretty intriguing to me because of their lack of tweeter and they seem to push a lot of air for being such a small setup. Which one would handle dirt better? I use a lot of distortion and other effects. It seems like the Compact is more transparent and clear sounding (I do like having a pretty articulate tone), but the Retro apparently handles cone overdrive and is EQ'd for dirt.

Or maybe, just maybe, one of each type?

Anyway, just want to get some field reports from somebody who has tried both.

 

[alexclaber]

I feel the same way about 12's, never had any luck with 12's. I've always preferred the sound and feel of a 10", dunno why, maybe the transients?

The transient response isn't tied to the size of the cone - in fact our 12XN driver has quicker transient response than the 10CR. Physics eh?

 

[friskinator]

Played my first gig with my new One10 last night - wow! I'm still blown away by the amount of sound this thing can produce. Neither me or my bandmates could believe it, and the sound guy was impressed as well. We played a fairly large room with PA/monitor support, and I never turned the volume on my MB200 past 11:00. Best of all, my load in is now one trip with no hand truck.

I've owned a lot of cabs and amps over the years, but this setup is not going to change. For the kind of gigging I do, it's perfect. Thanks to all on TB who provided so much useful info on this cab!