Another Barefaced question.

[dave_bass5]

As a few of you might know im struggling with my Genz Benz head. I think most of us know its the 1212L cab causing the bad vibes.

As much as i love this cab i do realise its not the most open of cabs, but its size and weight have been perfect for my needs.

Now im thinking i should look around for something in this size/weight, but with a less pronounced mid range bump, maybe something that can produce slightly lower freqs ( but i know of the limitations here), is still loud and wont cost the earth. The compact seems to tick all the right boxes.

Im happy to loose some of the brute force the 1212L kicks out for a smoother tone, but dont want something that will get lost in the mix.
I realise im going from a loud 2x12 to a 1x12 if i get a Compact but I should add that i never have to turn up too loud, never needed to go past about 11 o'clock on the master on my Markbass heads, although the cab is 4 ohms. What im saying ive never come close to pushing this cab so i can get away with something with less speakers in it. I gigs for ages with a Epifani UL115 and even that was enough for most gigs.

Ive read all the info over on the BF website but i'd like to hear from anyone that has gone from a 12xx cab to a BF.


Cheers.

[RandomBass]

Hi

Although I haven't done the same transition that you are considering, the Compact is a 1 x 15 and i can recommend it.
I also have a Midget, which is 1 x 12 and also fabulous - but it is stronger in the mid range.
Have you considered the Super Twelve, which is a 2 x 12?

Cheers

Geoff

[Merton]

Dave,

Whereabouts in SE London are you? Do you want to try a Vintage? I know it's a bit bigger and probabbly overkill but can give you a very good idea what TWO compacts sounds like

Mert

[dave_bass5]

Cheers guys.

Mert. Thanks for the offer, much appreciated but at the moment i only want to concentrate on the smaller cab as i know i wont get one of the bigger ones, no room in the car and cant afford it.

Geoff. Thanks for the reply. To be honest the super 12 is out of my price range, and i do quite fancy a 1x15 again.

[Merton]

No prob

The Compact is an awesome cab, my favourite 1x15 by some way. Might even be worth using the famous Barefaced month money back guarantee?

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Merton' post='1300936' date='Jul 12 2011, 01:02 PM']No prob

The Compact is an awesome cab, my favourite 1x15 by some way. Might even be worth using the famous Barefaced month money back guarantee?[/quote]

I do like 1x15s. Like i said above, i had a UL115 and it was outstanding. very full range for a 1x15 and deeper sounding than my 1212L. I did play some large rooms with PA support, mostly Holiday camps and it sounded fine. Its just that i felt a bit underpowered at some of the bigger gigs.

The 1 month trial sounds like a great idea. My problem would be to pay for the new cab i would first need ot sell my 1212L, leaving me with nothing other than a MAG combo.

Edited July 12, 2011 by dave_bass5

[redstriper]

Dave, I din't know how much use this is to you;
I use a small 1x15 Flite cab similar to the Compact, just a bit smaller and it's loaded with a similar Eminence driver as used in the Compact - mine is the lower frequency model of the 3015, so probably a bit quieter because it isn't quite as sensitive.
It is loud enough for 90% of my gigs with my LM2, but I have another identical cab for those occasional gigs where I need more volume without PA support.
My feeling is that you will be fine with one Compact and you will certainly appreciate the weight, the tone should be deeper than your 2x12 too.

I think Clarky had one and he's down your way, but he might not still have it with the rate of gear turnover he has.

[Sibob]

If it makes any difference, I can highly recommend the BF Compacts, so much so that I've just bought another one..... Mmmm 2x15 stack
My mate Dave also liked it so much he bought a a Super Twelve.

Si

[dave_bass5]

Cheers Guys.

I have no doubt they are great cabs, my worry is im going from an extremely loud cab that im used to, and would need to sell it to pay for a new one so there's no going back.
After feeling a little let down with my recent amp change im just being a bit more cautious.

Steve. knowing the sort of music you play thats a great recommendation for a small cab. Im not expecting earth moving low end but if it works for you then i expect it will be at least deep enough for me.

[JTUK]

Dave

I have a couple of GS112's you could borrow for a short while if you are thinking about runniing 2 cabs.
As much as I like 2 112's, I wouldn't consider using one.

If you are down my way and want to collect them, give me a PM.
All my gigs till early August are on large stages so I will be using my DB210's and P.A support.

[dave_bass5]

Hi John.

Thanks for the kind offer but im only looking to use a one cab rig and i know a GS112 wouldn't work for me either as i had one on loan just before i got my first Schroeder.

Cheers anyway.

[Sibob]

[quote name='CyberBass' post='1299965' date='Jul 11 2011, 02:58 PM']I have no doubt they are great cabs, my worry is im going from an extremely loud cab that im used to, and would need to sell it to pay for a new one so there's no going back.
After feeling a little let down with my recent amp change im just being a bit more cautious.

Steve. knowing the sort of music you play thats a great recommendation for a small cab. Im not expecting earth moving low end but if it works for you then i expect it will be at least deep enough for me.[/quote]

I've never gigged a Schroeder, but the BF cabs are pretty bloody loud/sensitive

Si

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Sibob' post='1301127' date='Jul 12 2011, 03:11 PM']I've never gigged a Schroeder, but the BF cabs are pretty bloody loud/sensitive

Si[/quote]

So i believe, thats why im looking at the Compact.

I realise the mid bump in my 1212L is a contributing factor to its loudness, and while it sounds good i kind of hanker after a more traditional tone.
I expect to loose some volume but we aren't a particularly loud band, its just that we play in some large rooms with PA support and some stages seem to soak up a lot of energy from my rig. I dont push my heads too hard so i know ive got a bit of room left on the master if its needed.

[Sibob]

Do you just have your cab sat on the floor?

Si

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Sibob' post='1301145' date='Jul 12 2011, 03:25 PM']Do you just have your cab sat on the floor?

Si[/quote]

No, its always on a Gramma pad.

[Paul S]

I don't know if this is of any use whatsoever but I have recently replaced a Trace Elliot rig - any combination of AH-300 head played through a TE 1x15, 2x10,1x18 or, latterly, an AH-250 MkV head. Anyway I now have a TC Electronics Classic 450 and BF Compact and it every bit as loud (not had the master beyond 4 yet and I play with a loud heavy rock covers outfit) with more clarity.

[dave_bass5]

Thanks Paul. Yours and the other posts have given me confidence that ill not be getting lost in the mix.

I think ill keep an eye on the classifieds for a while before ordering one. I might find a trade option for my 1212L

Edited July 12, 2011 by dave_bass5

[Prime_BASS]

All of Barefaced range is very transparent. Although they each hold characteristics of size/speaker aswell.

For example the midget is a great flat response cab, although if you push it you notice the loss in lows more due to it's small size pushing less air.

The supertwelve gives the same midget sound but loud, fantastic mods and due to size the lows keep up all the way to the point that your head explodes.

The compact is a great middle ground, very very loud, the kids and lows stay balances all the way to maximum Vd. The lows are nice a full with out muddying the Mids/low mids. My own personal problem is it's high end response, something sounding as phat as it does you notice the 4khzs barrier more, especially if you are used to the 20khz+ limit of a tweeter.

All in all these cabs wont solve your mid range issue, but I will say you get what you put in! You put in a vintage sound you get that out, put in a clean bright sound you'll get that too.

I personally like the fantastic PA quality un-coloured sound.
I'm probably one of few people in the world to have owned all three of the modular range!!!
Th supertwelveT does it for me on a lot of occassions.

The compact im positive will be a great choice, however I think that genz streamliners are quite mid present an as such might need a little cut depending on what bass you use. Also it'll be even more present with a new conpct due to the driver needing to be broke in, a time goes on the mods smooth out and the lows deepen a little. Just beware that at gigs you may not be getting quite the same high end response due to the cabs limit.

[dave_bass5]

Thanks for that reply. All noted and taken on board.

I do like a bit of top end sparkle, but i also run my 1212L with the tweeter off so i dont go for a hifi tone. Ill only be playing a P bass through it (for now).

Im basing my decision part on i know how nice my old UL115 sounded so i know a 1x15 can sound nice and smooth, but i also realise its the mids that help get the sound out in the room so i dont want to shy away from them too much.

If i do find one in the classifieds then hopefully it might be broken in anyway.

My guitarist only uses a Fender combo, never run too loud so i dont have a wall of power chords to fight against so im now convinced i wont have a volume issue, as long as i dont have to do anything drastic with the EQ.

I do find my STL600 a bit mid present, and have already started cutting the mids but i get the feeling a lot fo owners are going the other way as they say it has a scooped tone.

To be honest ive been saying im going to change cabs for a couple of years now so maybe the time is right.

[Prime_BASS]

I have a tendency to keep my EQ flat on amps for the fact that I like the sound of my basses and I'm still not too sure how to EQ right in regards to room dynamics, however this isn't really an issue with these cabs as they are very efficient as in the sound isn't too effected by rooms (to a point) anyway my point.

With basses such as P's even poorly setup jazzes have to me sounded rather boomy through the compact, however now I feel confident that I could do enough to the bass, head and cab to cancel out any boom.
If you are turning the tweeter off anyway then you won't miss that ultra high end as a compact has plenty of top just not enough for me, and in the mixes I was in with it the high end it did have I found got lost a little.

You personally won't ever know until you try it your self, but I'm confident you'll find it great for your current needs. You won't find anything louder, lighter, brilliant sounding for cheaper.

[dave_bass5]

Thanks prime_BASS. Im all set to place a trade add in this weekend and see if anything happens.

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1301326' date='Jul 12 2011, 05:21 PM']Thanks prime_BASS. Im all set to place a trade add in this weekend and see if anything happens.[/quote]

If I had a compact and didn't have the supertwelve I would trades. If the figures on the site are true I'd be interested in trying one. The mini 10s look unbelievable!!

[machinehead]

Just noticed this thread Dave.

Being a 1212L and Compact (and Midget) owner I'll chip in.

At absolute full tilt I think the 1212L will be slightly louder. But the loudness comes at the price of a mid-heavy tone and gets tiring on the ears I think.

The Compact is almost as loud but has a vastly more rounded tone and is a more pleasing sound. A Compact is a lot deeper than a 1212L, there's not much difference in size but the Compact is a lot lighter and an easier shape for carrying.

I would have no problem in choosing the Compact over the 1212L and the 1212L is a very useful gigging cab too as we both know well. It's just that the Compact is more versitile all round.

Frank.

[DirkThrust]

[quote name='machinehead' post='1313076' date='Jul 22 2011, 06:43 PM']Just noticed this thread Dave.

Being a 1212L and Compact (and Midget) owner I'll chip in.

At absolute full tilt I think the 1212L will be slightly louder. But the loudness comes at the price of a mid-heavy tone and gets tiring on the ears I think.

The Compact is almost as loud but has a vastly more rounded tone and is a more pleasing sound. A Compact is a lot deeper than a 1212L, there's not much difference in size but the Compact is a lot lighter and an easier shape for carrying.

I would have no problem in choosing the Compact over the 1212L and the 1212L is a very useful gigging cab too as we both know well. It's just that the Compact is more versitile all round.

Frank.[/quote]

I made the same move myself, from 1212L to Compact. I can't really add anything to Frank's post except that the only application where I would favour the Schoeder over the Compact is where I'd be struggling to be heard over loud guitars and drums, but as I try and avoid bands like that now I have no use for the Schroeder.

I finally shifted the Schroeder in favour of the Compact when I started playing in a quieter band with a more sparse mix and I found the Schoeder mid honk too tiring. The fuller sound of the Compact just filled up the bottom end of the sound better.

Edited July 23, 2011 by DirkThrust

[dave_bass5]

Cheers guys.

Im not sure if we are a loud band or not. Im guessing we arent as i never have to push my head hard and whiel the drummer is loud its more cymbals rather thna pure power.
It does sound like a Compact is the way to go though.