Barefaced compact and Midget T

[thebassman]

Finally get to tryout my new Barefaced Compact and Midget T tonight at a loud rehearsal :-)
I can give them a try with my Orange TB.
Can't wait
Cheers
Thebassman

[RichF]

one of the great moments - when i first tried my tecamp puma with my midget t compact stack, i literally cried. It sounded like what basses sound like in my head, but i could carry the whole lot in a oner from the car!

[Paul S]

The key word here is 'loud' I think...

[MarkG3]

How did it go? Did you get any pics

[thebassman]

With the risk of being shot down, i wasn't very impressed really.
Perhaps it was my very high expectations, or perhaps i'm just a bit speacial
Paired with the Orange TB and my stingray 5, the sound seemed very processed.
It seemed to sound a lot nicer with my Mesa 2x12, this may mean the Mesa has it's own tone that i prefer.......... not sure really.
Don't get me wrong, it was plenty loud enough, i just didn't really dig the tone.

I will maybe try it out again at rehearsals next week.

They might find themselves in the Classifieds fairly soon though, so if anyone is after some, watch this space.

cheers

thebassman

[gafbass02]

I didn't enjoy the sound of that rig either, horses and courses eh

[RandomBass]

Hi

I had a single compact for a couple of years which I loved - tone and weight. I then added a Midget to it, but really didn't get on with it at all. I found the addition of the little one added too much mid-range bite which I couldn't easily EQ out. So i changed it for another Compact, and I was back to that sound I love - just even louder and all encompassing with 2 drivers.

However, I found I was using the two together very rarely - the places I play don't warrant it. So I'm back to just one Compact and will probably stay that way.

Did you try the Compact and Midget singly, and not just together? It might be worth trying that if you are not getting what you want from the combination of the two. I really found the Midget changed the character of the sound when used atop the Compact.

And not forgetting, a little bit of settling/breaking-in of the drivers will happen - that also has an effect on the tone.

Good luck

Geoff

[chris_b]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1346314936' post='1787703']
....a little bit of settling/breaking-in of the drivers will happen - that also has an effect on the tone....
[/quote]

+1

Cabs always sound better when “run in”.

But then you’ve made a significant change to your signal chain and that [i]will[/i] change your sound - a lot!

Comparing Boogie and Barefaced cabs will be like comparing apples and oranges, but if you spend the time finding out what the BF cabs will do, rather than trying to make them the same as the Boogie cabs then you should be able to get a great sound out of them.

I don't know much about the Midget, but I've played though 2 Compacts and I think that's the sound that I'd prefer.

[Oopsdabassist]

Anyone tell me if my Reidmar would power a compact sufficiently? looking at the BF website they were quoting a min of 250W at 8ohm and the reidmar only puts out 250 at 4 ohm

[alexclaber]

thebassman - email me! As Chris said, you've changed a lot of variables and the cabs fatten up and smoother as they're run in.

Oopsdabassist, depends on how loud you need to be, how powerful the Reidmar really is and how it behaves at the limit.

[Oopsdabassist]

Running it through an Eden 4 x10 XLT at present, have no idea how it sounds at the limit, never dared wind it up that much, its feckin HUGE into 4 ohm, blows my 400 Eden into the weeds, but its only rated at about 150W at 8 ohm

[barkin]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1346317664' post='1787739']
Anyone tell me if my Reidmar would power a compact sufficiently? looking at the BF website they were quoting a min of 250W at 8ohm and the reidmar only puts out 250 at 4 ohm
[/quote]

I used my newly aquired Compact at a pub gig last weekend, with my Hartke HA2500 - 180W at 8Ohms.
(I'd loaned my LH500 to a mate with an amp emergency - his gig was bigger than mine...)

The volume and clarity of the Compact meant that the little HA wasn't being pushed anywhere near its max, and the end result sounded really rather nice.

[Oopsdabassist]

Hmm tnx for that bud, damn this GAS, I feel a wifely earbashing coming on sometime soon lol!

[barkin]

The compact is almost exactly the same size as an Ashdown 2x10 that I've just sold.

The 'one in, one out' just happened to take place while she's in Italy for a few days...

[Phil-osopher10]

Barkin, my hero.

[thebassman]

[quote name='alexclaber' timestamp='1346319856' post='1787767']
thebassman - email me! As Chris said, you've changed a lot of variables and the cabs fatten up and smoother as they're run in.

[/quote]

Emailed

[Lozz196]

I think it`s all down to personal preference. I started off with a Compact, and whilst I liked the volume available, wasn`t too keen on the sound, feeling it lacked depth, and punch, but after e-mailing Alex, and stating what I was after, he recommended a Midget, and the pair together really worked for me.

So following Alex`s advice is something I`d recommend, he really does advise which are the best products for the buyer.

[thebassman]

[quote name='RandomBass' timestamp='1346314936' post='1787703']

Did you try the Compact and Midget singly, and not just together? It might be worth trying that if you are not getting what you want from the combination of the two. I really found the Midget changed the character of the sound when used atop the Compact.

And not forgetting, a little bit of settling/breaking-in of the drivers will happen - that also has an effect on the tone.

Good luck

Geoff
[/quote]

I only tried them as a pair at rehearsals.
I have emailed Alex and he has offered some good options to try out.

I will give it a go.

Btw, the cabs are approx 18 months old, so they are well and truly run in.

Cheers

Thebassman

[4000]

I'm also interested in a Reidmar through a Compact, my current cab. I'm currently using an ABM500 (when I use the bigger rig, which isn't often these days).

I do wonder if I'd prefer a Midget as sometimes I find the Compact a little lacking in a particular kind of midrange punch, focus and for want of a better term, "bark", something I've been unable to dial in with several different heads. Bear in mind this is with me playing through it; of course YMMV.

[Lozz196]

That was exactly what I found with the Compact, and adding a Midget provided exactly what I was looking for. I never tried just the Midget alone, except for home use, and think that it would have been the opposite - I would have had the punch, but without the bulk. That`s why Alex recommended adding the Midget, and he was right - the pair worked so well together for what I wanted. Shame I had to sell them really.

[ead]

+1

The advice I got from Alex was very good, although I nearly went for the 2 x Compact set-up.

[4000]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1346410750' post='1788866']
That was exactly what I found with the Compact, and adding a Midget provided exactly what I was looking for. I never tried just the Midget alone, except for home use, and think that it would have been the opposite - I would have had the punch, but without the bulk. That`s why Alex recommended adding the Midget, and he was right - the pair worked so well together for what I wanted. Shame I had to sell them really.
[/quote]
Unfortunately both would be one step too far bulk-wise, so I'd have to choose between one or the other. Or something else entirely of course.

[Lozz196]

Looks a a Super 12 then?

[machinehead]

[quote name='thebassman' timestamp='1346311668' post='1787667']
With the risk of being shot down, i wasn't very impressed really.
Perhaps it was my very high expectations, or perhaps i'm just a bit speacial
Paired with the Orange TB and my stingray 5, the sound seemed very processed.
It seemed to sound a lot nicer with my Mesa 2x12, this may mean the Mesa has it's own tone that i prefer.......... not sure really.
Don't get me wrong, it was plenty loud enough, i just didn't really dig the tone.

I will maybe try it out again at rehearsals next week.

They might find themselves in the Classifieds fairly soon though, so if anyone is after some, watch this space.

cheers

thebassman
[/quote]

A few weeks ago I had the chance to try a Mesa 2 x 10 against my Compact. The Compact was my preferred sound by a long way.

The Mesa cab sounded thin and lacking in the depth and creaminess of the Compact. The Compact also was capable of going louder than the Mesa.

All that means nothing if you prefer the Mesa sound but don't give up on the Barefaced cabs too quickly. It might take time for your ears to adjust to the Barefaced sound.

Frank.

[thebassman]

[quote name='machinehead' timestamp='1346540185' post='1790472']


A few weeks ago I had the chance to try a Mesa 2 x 10 against my Compact. The Compact was my preferred sound by a long
[/quote]

I must admit, I have never been a fan of 2x10 cabs either.

Cheers

Thebassman