Barefaced Compact

[The Dark Lord]

[b]Product: [/b]Barefaced Compact - [url="http://barefacedbass.com/index.php?page=compact"]http://barefacedbass...hp?page=compact[/url]

[b]Price paid:[/b] £315 (second hand) including delivery

[b]Features : 6/10[/b]

Difficult one this, as it's a cab, so you don't need much in the way of features. Having said that, it has a speakon connector, which is good, but could maybe do with two of them. Although, I hear the newer ones do, but it's difficult to tell as the company's website doesn't shed any light on that. It could maybe do with a jack connection for the speaker too. The handle on the side is good for carrying, but I'd rather it was placed on the top as it makes it awkward to manoeuvre the unit in-situ. It's a relatively expensive cab when new, so could probably do with having a cover as standard. I had to buy a Roqsolid item separately. Also, it doesn't have a tweeter when so many cabs have an adjustable tweeter nowadays. So, has to lose some points here.

[b]Sound Quality: 9.5/10[/b]

I played it for the first time in anger at a gig last night. Great sound. Deep, rumble, clear high notes - everything I wanted. I played a 1999 Fender USA Precision through it using an Ashdown MiBass 550. The Ashdown gives a big, strong clean sound and then I used a Line 6 X3 Live floorboard as a preamp to get some grunt and shape. I was worried that the lack of a tweeter would leave the cab sounding duller and boomier than I would like - but no worries there. I set the amp completely flat and clean and tweaked the EQ using the floorboard. The sound was excellent - in fact couldn't have been much better. It's also surpsingly loud. The Ashdown, although a 550 watter, only kicks out about 300 watts through an 8 ohm cab. I had plenty of spare volume on tap next to a loud rock drummer and a deafening guitarist. It would take a very big stage for anyone to want any more volume than this will give. In the end, sound quality is the most important thing, as it is what a cab is for - and this one passes the test with flying colours.

[b]Reliability/Build Quality: 7/10[/b]

Mine is a few years old and has battle scars here and there but is basically sound and has stood the test of time well. A sort of road-worn version. Build quality is not up to the standards of the TC Electronic RS210 and RS210 I had previously, but then again nothing much is. It's also not in the same build quality league as my AER combos - but anyone who has owned any AER product will understand that. I'm also a little unconvinced by the metal grill. I took that off to inspect and remove dust from the speaker and found it to be flimsier than many I have seen. The grill is somewhat crudely screwed into the cab too. I expect the flimsy grill is down to the weight-saving effort. Also, the company badge appears to have been applied rather crudely to the grill. It is very light for a 1x15 but not [i]that[/i] compact. I'm undecided on the new unit price vs this build quality. I will take care with it.

[b]Customer Support: 7/10[/b]

My experience has been limited to a very brief pre-sales email conversation - so can't really comment on the company's support as a whole. I was going to order a new one until I saw this come up on Basschat. As the company's website recommends, I did contact Barefaced for some confirmation that a Compact was the cab for me, prior to ordering, but I got less useful info than I was expecting .... so I hesitated and then this one came up.

[b]Overall Rating: 9/10[/b]
This is a great cab. Not that [i]compact[/i][i], [/i]but very light. Not up to the build standards of some of the major brands, but good enough and don't forget this is a very small operation. Main thing is though, this is a fabulous [u]sounding [/u]cab. Not up to the near audiophile sound quality from my AER units, but a great cab which works well with my Ashdown head. Very happy with it.

Edited April 2, 2013 by The Dark Lord

[stinson]

They are absolutely cracking cabs. Use mine with a p bass and LMII, couldn't be happier. Cheers for the review

[Lozz196]

Good review, and a great price for one of these - bargain.