NCD - Even More Barefaced....

[51m0n]

Some of you may know my rig for the last few years, a Markbass sa450 into a Berg ae410. Its been at the SE Bass Bash enough times! And its absolutely class, that 410 is in my opinion the best sounding punchy 410 ever made. However what it doesnt do so well is get right under a band - it just pokes straight through the mix clear as a bell, always. My band now have a keyboardist and guitarist whose rhythm work is intricately funky, playing off each other and around each other in a fantastic way. The sound is compelling, but quite busy, and I've become increasingly aware that I am often detracting somewhat by not being under them enough tonally, and my amp/cab combination can't quite get the tone I want in that regard.

So after loving the Barefaced output for years (I helped Alex a bit with the original Big One) and banging on about it ad nauseum to people (here and elsewhere) I've finally put my money where my mouth is and am picking up a Big Twin gen III this afternoon from Alex

I tried one at a rehearsal last week to be sure it was what I wanted and it delivered that piece of the puzzle that I was missing, in spades, real depth, an ability to pile on eq without break up at full gig volumes (not that I'd need that much but its good to know the cab handles it) and a wider freuquency response than the Berg, giving a better sense of where the fundamental is.

Its a really good match up with my Roscoe (Century Standard 5 strung with Elixirs) which is again tonally pretty tight in the bass, so nothing seems to get woolly down there, just deep and clear. The low B has never sounded so good!

The other interesting point is that this cab is more sensitive than the Berg, so at like for like volume/gain settings it pushes more air, or certainly seems to. Not that the Berg is a quiet or insensitive cab, its very loud, just the Big Twin makes those precious watts go even further....

All that is no surprise to me, physics is physics, the Big Twin is a significantly larger cab, being driven with very modern and exceptional drivers that go the extra mile, the ae410 cant hope to deliver as much deep low end as the Big Twin III, but its still a beautiful sounding cab with an absolutely gorgeous tone.

Not sure what will become of the ae410, but I think its days are very numbered

Edited September 15, 2015 by 51m0n

[Merton]

V nice! Pictures please... You know the score

[IanA]

The AE410 is well known for being a punchy cab with a present but very well controlled low end. when I owned mine a few years back I thought it was great in a busy mix as it didn't try to compete with the sub lows that the keys were producing.
I sold as I prefer the 212 form factor over the 410.

[51m0n]

Completely agree with you the ae410 is great in a busy mix if you need to poke through.

I want to be sitting under everything a bit more though, and it can't quite manage that.

[51m0n]

[quote name='Merton' timestamp='1442235292' post='2865339']
V nice! Pictures please... You know the score
[/quote]

I's love to but I'm damned of I can get that to work on this site anymore

[pete.young]

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1442328627' post='2866072']
I's love to but I'm damned of I can get that to work on this site anymore
[/quote]Stick 'em on photobucket and include the <IMG> tags.