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Official Barefaced Bass Cab Club

What's become of some of the other projects, such as the 18" sub in the PA line? I also don't see the LF800 (15" sub companion to the FR800) on the site anymore either.

I know there's been a lot of development work going into the new guitar cabs, but I have always been intrigued by Barefaced as PA gear. I may be underestimating what the FR's alone or the LF800 can do, but the idea of a true sub that extends the low frequency range such an the 18" (the LH800 doesn't extend the low range, it just handles some of the low end power so the FR doesn't have to) gets my attention. I have a BB2 and so I understand that the FR800 can get good solid low coverage on its own for many applications, and no doubt sound great since the BB2/FR800 is so clean and clear, but wonder about using a pair of FR800's stand-alone for PA in those cases when you are going full bore: drums into the PA etc.
 
What's become of some of the other projects, such as the 18" sub in the PA line? I also don't see the LF800 (15" sub companion to the FR800) on the site anymore either.

With introducing the new guitar cabs we've basically run out of space in our excessively tiny factory, and the LF1400 / Dubster 2 weren't selling fast enough to tie up the space storing components (18" drivers are big!) We discontinued the LF800 (12" subwoofer) when we launched the LF1400.

The FR800 is on borrowed time because the module we use has been discontinued and there isn't an obvious direct replacement, so once we run out of modules (obviously we'll keep some spare ones in case of faults) that's going to go out of production until we find an replacement plate amp that's equally good.
 
First night with the Bb2. I am blow away at what this cab can handle. It laughed at everything I through at it. Not a sign of stress or anything. And I tried to push it. My band mates were very impressed.
The Bb2 had more low end and punch then my 410 eden. All from a 112. Just wow!

I like 'em all but the BB2 is my favorite Barefaced cab. That said, small stage tonight and not a huge room, so Super Midget gets the start.
 
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My amps clip before I even think the BB2 is stressing. I can hear a limit on the Two10s but it goes toe to toe with the BB2 on volume to where I'm comfortable and I'll never be in a situation where I'm forced to push to clipping.

I am curious at how the BB2 and Two10s will pair with the new GK 1200 Legacy amp along with their other future 1200watt amp releases too. 1200 watts at 4 ohms and 800 at 8 ohms is some serious power to 1 cab.
 
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Thanks for the replies and suggestions chaps (and hi Jose - long time no speak).

I'm still weighing up options, but I'm certain that the SM won't offer me much more than my current cab. The BB2 is certainly an interesting suggestion and is pretty much exactly the same size as my current cab, and could prove helpful if I went down the helix rabbit hole.

That said, at my last gig at the weekend I did a quick tweeter test during soundcheck. I don't particularly favour zingy bright top end, and the most top I get is when I use drive or fuzz. So I tried my usual 'muse' type fuzz, turned the tweeter from full on to full off at far as it would go, and not a lot happened!. My cab's crossover is set at 3.5khz, so I'm thinking I may not miss a tweeter at all.

As such I think a BB2 'might' be overkill and a SC still may be my best bet. As MonsterThompson mentioned, I'd expect any helix amp/cab model to roll off around the tweeter area anyway.

Jose's insights into the two10 are very interesting too. Having a baked in curve that just works sounds great, and could be just what I'm after in certain scenarios. But other scenarios may require different thinking. Sure, a SC may require a little tinkering, but it should be able to get close to the two10's curve?

The curveball is the helix and the concept of FRFR powered speaker I love the idea of rocking up to a gig with minimal gear, a bass and HX stomp in a gig bag and a powered FRFR in one hand. No amp, no bass cab. However, after investigation, I'm still finding it difficult to get my head around the frequency responses of some of these units, even the ones such as the QSC 12.2 that are partly designed for bass guitar. On paper, they don't seem like they should cut the mustard, but I'm reading a number of reports by users that they're the best thing since sliced bread. Can a FRFR that rolls off just above 50hz really do the job for me?

I'm still yet to email Alex but will in time. I need to do some more tweaking with what I have first and decide what to spend my money on first. At the moment I'm leaning toward the HX stomp first and then decide what amp/cab route to go down.

I was like you about the 'baked-in' tone and wanting to go for a more transparent cab, as that's obviously more versatile... But in the end it turned out the 10-series coloured tone was just right, and I don't find it lacking versatility at all.
I guess it's not that surprising since most classic bass tones have come from similarly coloured setups. Barefaced really got it right here. If you get a chance, give them a try. On paper it doesn't look like it should matter much, but I find the Two10 much more easy to carry around.

Having said that... the BB2 / SC are very capable, and so are you ;) so I'm sure you'll get the sound you want from them easily. Having owned a couple of BB2, and tried a SC, I'd go for the SC purely on portability. Both are great cabs.

With regards to whether a cab that rolls off a bit over 50Hz can do the job... I imagine it will. I have been using adjustable HPFs for a while and I was surprised at just how much you can cut off from the bottom without the bass sounding weak. 50-55Hz roll off doesn't sound like it'll be a limitation to me. I often cut higher than that... and you do need a strong bass for ska music.
 
I was like you about the 'baked-in' tone and wanting to go for a more transparent cab, as that's obviously more versatile... But in the end it turned out the 10-series coloured tone was just right, and I don't find it lacking versatility at all.
I guess it's not that surprising since most classic bass tones have come from similarly coloured setups. Barefaced really got it right here.

I think if I went through all the albums I listen to frequently, you'd be able to get the bass sound on 99% of the songs from one of our 10CR cabs! Now that doesn't mean every bassist on those recordings would like a 10CR cab over and above a 12XN model (or even something from another manufacturer) but it does show how tonally versatile this 10" bass driver is. Another way to look at it is the huge quantity of bassists who've gigged with Ampeg 810s and how varied they've sounded on record - and there's no doubt that our 10CR models have a wider sonic range than ye olde fridge. There are so many reasons that Ampeg became the standard.
 
I've had my Super Twin for about 2 years now, and while I'm not one to gush, it has spoiled me. When I'm using backline gear or amp sims\IRs to record I just hate how scooped and muddy some very popular bass cabs are. My tone is so much more clear. And powerful. It really has become the cornerstone of "my tone."
Plus, everyone that picks it up is shocked. They can't believe how something that light can make that much noise, and sound good to boot.
Work smarter, not harder. :thumbsup:
 
I've had my Super Twin for about 2 years now, and while I'm not one to gush, it has spoiled me. When I'm using backline gear or amp sims\IRs to record I just hate how scooped and muddy some very popular bass cabs are. My tone is so much more clear. And powerful. It really has become the cornerstone of "my tone."
Plus, everyone that picks it up is shocked. They can't believe how something that light can make that much noise, and sound good to boot.
Work smarter, not harder. :thumbsup:
I really really like my Super Twin Cab. With my Traynor tube head the tone is fantastico. It's a great time to be a bass player......
 
Just wanna say that the Bb2 still blows my mind. Running a tc electronics Bh250 into it at 8 ohms so, 125 watts power. The Bb2 makes it sound like its more powerful than 125 watts. I was able to keep up with a loud drummer and guitarist with no problem.