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Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club

Oh Alex, two questions:

There's no rear label on mine - are they coming later on as per one of your earlier update emails?

Secondly as far as the cab's serial number goes - how important is it? And will that be printed on the rear label? The only place I have a record of it so far is the QC label wrapped around the handle.

We're just finishing off the rear label design so we'll send them out once they've been printed. The serial number will be on that, we've been keeping a record of them here.

Glad you're liking the Big Baby 2, I don't think it's technologically possible to make a better high accuracy bass guitar (& double bass?) compact loudspeaker! :bassist: Incidentally some more arrived in Melbourne at the same time as yours so if you hear a loud noise you know what it is... ;)
 
I really want one of those Super 15's but I'm not even sure you can get them in the US. Their site doesn't show that it's available to ship.

We've discontinued the Super Fifteen because between the Super Twin, Big Twin 2 and '69er we have three models that all beat the S15 at its various games.
 
A few months ago I received my new Big Baby 2 and Super Midget to augment/replace the Gen 2 Midget that I had been using. I've now had a reasonable amount of experience with both cabs and thought it was time to post some comments. Although I do have the occasional doubling gig and pure bass guitar gig, the vast majority of my work is on Double Bass. I play a LaScala Hybrid with a Revolution Solo pickup into an Acoustic Image Series III Focus amp. My work ranges from big band jobs to small group background jazz gigs, sometimes with just a piano or guitarist as a duo. I was a bassist in Los Angeles for many years before moving to the Edinburgh, Scotland area.

As so many others have stated both the BB2 and Super Midget are fantastic bass guitar speakers, alone and in combination. However, unlike many other speakers that work well with bass guitar, both of these speakers are outstanding with double bass as well. Their accuracy is incredible and they sound natural and very much like the sound of my bass without an amp. Both are capable of getting incredibly loud with no distortion or frequency bumps and yet they can also be used in those instances where you want just the tiniest bit of amplification to augment what is essentially an acoustic sound. The BB2 does provide a slightly richer and fuller sound than the Midget, but both are wonderful.

For trios and quartets, either with or without a vocalist, the Super Midget is my first choice. It fits in a Meinl Deluxe Cajon bag leaving enough room for the Focus and an extension lead. Using the high pass filter on my amp, I'm able to get a very warm and yet solid sound that is extremely punchy on swing tune walking lines or sambas and bossas. It is also capable of getting plenty loud on its own, and I've experienced this with double bass backing a 17-piece big band as well as on bass guitar gig in a 5-horn pop band backing a male vocalist in a large hotel ballroom.

The Big Baby 2 has become my favourite speaker however because of its ability to sound rich and full at any volume from just a whisper up to Stoopid loud. I play regularly with a 5-horn, 3-rhythm touring Rat Pack theatre show and it is particularly effective as a stage monitor that I point across the band stand so that everyone in the band can hear me. While we always have a house PA, the quality of the sound crews and systems can vary widely and having my own amp has saved my bacon many times. The sound on stage often gets quite loud and the BB2 is capable of holding its own against multiple monitors with no problem whatsoever. The first time I used it I got several compliments from the other musicians, particularly the horn players who are on the other side of the stage from me.

I have yet to use both speakers together on a gig, not having had a job that required that kind of volume. However, in my practice room the sound of the two together with both my upright and BG is wonderful and I have no doubt that I would ever need anything more than what these two speakers can deliver. I haven't mentioned how light, compact and easy to carry they are, but like most upright players I refuse to have amplification equipment that is heavy. Wonderful speakers like the BB2 and Super Midget have eliminated any need for hauling heavy stuff around.

Thanks Alex for designing and building products that are so good for the working musician.

Erik Hansen aka Lownote
Scotland
 
Thanks Erik, glad they're living up to the 'hype'! ;)

Does this mean that the Dubster is also discontinued? If so, is there a superior replacement for that niche sector?

The Big Twin 2 has replaced the Dubster. Although the Dubster has slightly more output in the mid-bass if you have enough power, no Dubster owners have been using amps so powerful that a Big Twin 2 wouldn't be able to match their cab. The Big Twin 2 also goes lower, has better transient response (more punch & slam) and dispersion and is far more tonally versatile.
 
Super Twelve is Gen2, the Gen 3 Compact and Gen 3 Big Twin 2 use the new driver (thus Gen 3 vs Gen 2).
the compact has both a Gen 2 and Gen 3 version, and I would think the driver changed.

I think that answers my question, the Gen 3 version of the Super Twelve is the Super Twin, which appears to, like the other models, use the 12XN550.

Which digresses to an actual question, is there any plan to take a Barefaced Gen 3 cab and integrate a Class D plate amp with crossover for a super portable PA sub? If there were, I'd be more than willing to be an American beta tester :ninja:
 
I shall attempt to clear up some confusion!

Generation 1:

Compact (3015) [Production of this continued right through Gen 2]
Big One (3015LF) & Big One T
Vintage (2x 3015) & Vintage T

Generation 2:

Midget (3012HO) & Midget T
Super Twelve (2x 3012HO) & Super Twelve T
Super Fifteen (2x 3015)
Dubster (2x 3015LF)
Big Baby (3012LF) & Big Baby T
Big Twin (2x 3012LF) & Big Twin T
'69er (10"+5x10") [Production of this has continued through Gen 3]

Generation Three:

Super Midget (12XN550)
Super Compact (12XN550)
Super Twin (2x 12XN550)
Big Baby 2 (12XN550)
Big Twin 2 (2x 12XN550)
 
Which digresses to an actual question, is there any plan to take a Barefaced Gen 3 cab and integrate a Class D plate amp with crossover for a super portable PA sub? If there were, I'd be more than willing to be an American beta tester :ninja:

Sorry, missed this! We have some ideas on this front but probably not conventionally active - unless someone knows an OEM supplier of plate amps that are clean enough and powerful enough?
 
Thanks Erik, glad they're living up to the 'hype'! ;)







The Big Twin 2 has replaced the Dubster. Although the Dubster has slightly more output in the mid-bass if you have enough power, no Dubster owners have been using amps so powerful that a Big Twin 2 wouldn't be able to match their cab. The Big Twin 2 also goes lower, has better transient response (more punch & slam) and dispersion and is far more tonally versatile.


Whew! I'm glad I ordered my Dubster when I did! I can see how the Big Twin 2 would be more versatile, but ska, rocksteady & reggae is all I do. At the time of order placement it was the first of it's kind going to the U.S. Now I'm thinking it might be the ONLY one in the U.S. Couldn't be happier with it & it's rarity in a weird way makes me even happier. Looking forward to receiving the back panel label as my insurance provider requires a serial number. Thanks again for a Topnotch cab!
 
Sorry, missed this! We have some ideas on this front but probably not conventionally active - unless someone knows an OEM supplier of plate amps that are clean enough and powerful enough?

Most likely you know them already...
Hypex ?
UcD700OEM plate amplifier

I've been looking at those, if there's something you don't like about them, would be great to get some feedback.
 
I have a super twin on order and wonder if there is going to be a cover available?

I look forward to your assessment of Super Twin. I was on the fence between that or a 69er. I now have a 69er at my place and am breaking in the speakers as we speak. Being a NV610 tone lover, I just had to try the 69er first. Right now the cab seems a little "tight", but after breakin it should do everything my NV did, at half the weight.
 
Here's a recent pic of my BB2 and my Sadowsky SA200 amp which I decided to play more regularly!
 

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