THE Boutique Bass Cab Shootout

[MDBass]

OP update 1/18

Hey folks!

Short version: I'm simply looking for true studio monitor quality reproduction in something that's light enough to carry with a single hand and loud enough to kick it with a modern rock band on a larger stage.

Think a Genelec that can handle 700 watts: no small task, right?

I run a Jule Monique and a pretty extensive pedalboard, and I'm a working session musician so I'm very familiar with what I should be hearing out of the cab.

Cabs in Round 1:

Audiokinesis Thunderchild
Audiokinesis Changeling
Barefaced Big Baby II
Fearless F115
Genzler 210-3 Array
Genzler 12-3 Array
LDS 15/6

I have recorded around a dozen signals (ranging from P bass with flats to heavily saturated modern tones) direct through my pedal board to Pro Tools, and am reamping that signal through each of the respective cabs mic'ed w a U87.

I'll be compiling the results in an HD YouTube video, as well as a SoundCloud playlist, for the builders to use as they see fit - and so you can all hear them for yourself as well

I've already plugged my bass directly in to the Monique and moved the speakon cable around to each of the cabs in turn, and the differences were honestly pretty surprising...

I'll save the rest of my thoughts on how they compare until the recorded tests are done, but it's definitely going to be a horse race

I'd be happy to do another round of reamps after NAMM if more builders are interested: Bergantino currently has all of their cabs tied up at NAMM, and I've sent inquiries to Acme, RevSound, Mesa and MAS but have yet to hear back.

 

[Fit4pain]

Sounds like Barefaced is what your looking for or maybe AudioKinesis.

 

[smeet]

For flat-response cabs, I’ve owned fEARful, Acme, And Baer. The clear winner so far is my Barefaced Big Twin II. Very balanced, clear and defined, but still sounds like a bass cab to me. Also, the tweeter control is great. It’s a true crossover, and the control moves the cutoff frequency. So it basically transfers the highs from the tweeter to the paper cone. So you can choose between two clean/flat flavors. It’s also very efficient and loud, and light too.

I’m in the LA area, so if you want to trek up to Woodland Hills you can check it out. PM me if you like.

 

[MDBass]

For flat-response cabs, I’ve owned fEARful, Acme, And Baer. The clear winner so far is my Barefaced Big Twin II. Very balanced, clear and defined, but still sounds like a bass cab to me. Also, the tweeter control is great. It’s a true crossover, and the control moves the cutoff frequency. So it basically transfers the highs from the tweeter to the paper cone. So you can choose between two clean/flat flavors. It’s also very efficient and loud, and light too.

I’m in the LA area, so if you want to trek up to Woodland Hills you can check it out. PM me if you like.

I actually bought an Aguilar S410 cab from you close to a decade ago

How does the tweeter on the Barefaced handle dirt? Additionally, how truly full range is the cab with all the highs routed to the cone?

That's been one of my biggest issues with bass cabs of all kinds: needlessly dark and colored without a tweeter, harsh and beaming with one.

I'd be happy to bring you a coffee and have an afternoon gear hang some time in the next week or two if you're up for it

 

[MDBass]

Sounds like Barefaced is what your looking for or maybe AudioKinesis.

Any specific recommendations for models from either camp?

 

[Munjibunga]

Bergantino HDN410.

 

[MDBass]

Bergantino HDN410.

I'm a pretty strong guy, but I'd prefer to keep the weight closer to 40lbs with a more compact form factor since I'll be carrying it in one hand up stairs on occasion.

The LDS actually replaced a Berg NV425, but I'd assume the HDN410 would be more full range in addition to a bit smaller and lighter than the NV.

 

[John Marat]

Any of the Greenboy Basic series would probably work for you. I use a Basic 15 for recording and its great.

 

[4StringTheorist]

AudioKinesis Thunderchild series is well worth your consideration.

 

[MDBass]

Any of the Greenboy Basic series would probably work for you. I use a Basic 15 for recording and its great.

Do you know what the frequency response of the Basic 15 is like?

Can't seem to find that info on any of the builders sites, not sure a "vintage" cab design with a single speaker would have the upper presence area articulation I'd want on certain gigs.

 

[MDBass]

AudioKinesis Thunderchild series is well worth your consideration.

Any particular cab you'd recommend?

 

[MDBass]

I'll be demo'ing some gear at NAMM next month, so feel free to mention if any of these designs will be at the show

 

[4StringTheorist]

Any particular cab you'd recommend?

It depends on how loud you need to go. The TC 112 is switchable between 4 and 8 ohms which gives some flexibility on the amp end of things. Same story with the TC 115 in terms of switchable ohmage. The 115 is more efficient, therefore louder per watt. The deep lows are rolled off just a tad more compared to the 112, but that's offset by the higher efficiency I expect. All of these cabs can run with several different plugged port configurations to suit the room you're in or the volume you're playing at. I've owned a TC112 for more than 5 years now. Good quality build from a good guy.

I'm not sure I'd call the 212 a single hand carry, so that one's probably out.

 

[MDBass]

It depends on how loud you need to go. The TC 112 is switchable between 4 and 8 ohms which gives some flexibility on the amp end of things. Same story with the TC 115 in terms of switchable ohmage. The 115 is more efficient, therefore louder per watt. The deep lows are rolled off just a tad more compared to the 112, but that's offset by the higher efficiency I expect. All of these cabs can run with several different plugged port configurations to suit the room you're in or the volume you're playing at. I've owned a TC112 for more than 5 years now. Good quality build from a good guy.

I'm not sure I'd call the 212 a single hand carry, so that one's probably out.

Commercial 410 volume is definitely what I need, everything from clubs to festival stages depending on the gig.

Is that within the wheelhouse of either of these cabs?

The only downside to trying out a cab at NAMM is volume restriction issue, no way you can really open anything up at all without attracting the noise police.

 

[4StringTheorist]

Commercial 410 volume is definitely what I need, everything from clubs to festival stages depending on the gig.

Is that within the wheelhouse of either of these cabs?

The only downside to trying out a cab at NAMM is volume restriction issue, no way you can really open anything up at all without attracting the noise police.

The AK thread would be a good place to ask people who've pushed AK cabs in outdoor settings, which I haven't done. Very active thread (including the maker) so you'll get high quality info fast. These cabs use high excursion drivers, so they displace more air and punch above their perceived weight, but to replace a 410 I think you'd be looking at a 212 or two 112s. Trust the folks in that thread more than me on that one, though.

 

[Dp1363]

Barefaced BB2.
Barefaced Bass - Big Baby 2

 

[smeet]

I actually bought an Aguilar S410 cab from you close to a decade ago

How does the tweeter on the Barefaced handle dirt? Additionally, how truly full range is the cab with all the highs routed to the cone?

That's been one of my biggest issues with bass cabs of all kinds: needlessly dark and colored without a tweeter, harsh and beaming with one.

I'd be happy to bring you a coffee and have an afternoon gear hang some time in the next week or two if you're up for it

Oh yeah, I forgot where we met.. The S410, of course!

I've been playing very cleanly through the Barefaced. It sounds great with the overdrive from the Reiner, but that is not a buzzy distortion, so I don't know how it would sound with a Rat or a Muff.

I'm not a big dirt guy, even though I've owned a lot of dirt boxes. That makes it hard for me to judge. The tweeter extends quite high, so maybe a bit too bright with lots of saturation, but since there's no frequency hole between the cone and tweeter, it doesn't sound like a swarm of bees, and I believe the dispersion is good. With the woofer handling all the highs it is noticeably darker, but IMO not colored sounding, as there are no weird peaks that I can hear.

I don't currently have the cables to feed full range audio through the cabinet, so it's hard for me to test.

Come on by, I'll be around this next week.

 

[monsterthompson]

Come over and plug in. Got a Barefaced BB2. I’ll say that I didn’t care for Monique through the Barefaced SC, but the BB2 is voiced a little differently. Same woofer, but bigger low end extension, and the crossover compression driver. Hit me with a PM if you wanna pop on by.

 

[Downunderwonder]

Commercial 410 volume is definitely what I need, everything from clubs to festival stages depending on the gig.

Is that within the wheelhouse of either of these cabs?

The only downside to trying out a cab at NAMM is volume restriction issue, no way you can really open anything up at all without attracting the noise police.

Commercial 410 dispersion is terrible. Barefaced are all over your volume needs while giving great dispersion. One hand carry at that sort of volume might be one in each hand though.

 

[interp]

Greenboy F112 or F212.