Older Barefaced Compact (15) vs Newer Super Compact (12)

[Tradfusion]

Anyone had or tried both? apart from physical size is there much difference tonally?

[Paul S]

Yup.  I had a Compact and a Midget.  Compact was deep but lacked a tightness at the top end.  Midget was tight at the top but lacked bottom.  Together they sound brilliant.  I replaced these two with a Supercompact, which sounds like the two together in one cab.

[Tradfusion]

4 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Yup.  I had a Compact and a Midget.  Compact was deep but lacked a tightness at the top end.  Midget was tight at the top but lacked bottom.  Together they sound brilliant.  I replaced these two with a Supercompact, which sounds like the two together in one cab.

I like the sound of that... and the smaller Super Compact is able to cope with the gigs where you used both Compact and Midget together?

[Paul S]

Yes.  There isn't quite the headroom but, frankly, it isn't needed.  I did actually buy a second Supercompact but it stays at home unless I am feeling particularly decadent.  Might even be moving it on, in fact.

[Tradfusion]

Thats a good endorsement mate... I might be interested if you decide to sell the second one... drop me a PM any time

[machinehead]

40 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Yup.  I had a Compact and a Midget.  Compact was deep but lacked a tightness at the top end.  Midget was tight at the top but lacked bottom.  Together they sound brilliant.  I replaced these two with a Supercompact, which sounds like the two together in one cab.

I had the same set-up and I'd broadly agree with Paul's opinion.  I'd add that the Midget could take more lower frequencies very well via EQ.  Both are great cabs.

I don't have a Super Compact but I do have a BB2, which is a Super Compact with a horn, in a slightly bigger enclosure.  I also have a Super Midget.  If small size is your most important criterion, the Super Midget will do most gigs alone but again, with less bottom.

I prefer the BB2 though for the massive lows and sharper highs.  In my experience a BB2 (or Super Compact?) will do all pub gigs and most other gigs in hotel/club rooms.

I gigged my BB2 with a Quilter Bass Block 800 yesterday.  This was the first time using the Quilter with the BB2.  It's just astonishing how good this combination sounds.

Don't overlook the 10" range of cabs.  I have a pair of one10s and these are also superb cabs - beautiful tone and one will do in a small pub while a pair will handle bigger rooms or a louder band.

If you're ever up to Belfast, you'd be welcome to try the cabs.

Frank.

[Tradfusion]

1 hour ago, machinehead said:

I had the same set-up and I'd broadly agree with Paul's opinion.  I'd add that the Midget could take more lower frequencies very well via EQ.  Both are great cabs.

I don't have a Super Compact but I do have a BB2, which is a Super Compact with a horn, in a slightly bigger enclosure.  I also have a Super Midget.  If small size is your most important criterion, the Super Midget will do most gigs alone but again, with less bottom.

I prefer the BB2 though for the massive lows and sharper highs.  In my experience a BB2 (or Super Compact?) will do all pub gigs and most other gigs in hotel/club rooms.

I gigged my BB2 with a Quilter Bass Block 800 yesterday.  This was the first time using the Quilter with the BB2.  It's just astonishing how good this combination sounds.

Don't overlook the 10" range of cabs.  I have a pair of one10s and these are also superb cabs - beautiful tone and one will do in a small pub while a pair will handle bigger rooms or a louder band.

If you're ever up to Belfast, you'd be welcome to try the cabs.

Frank.

Great info Frank cheers... I'll have to get ye a gig in Strandhill and you can bring them all down with you   Dave

[chris_b]

One of the gen1 Compacts was in the GTG cab shootout that we did a few years ago and to my ears it sounded as good as any other cab there. I haven't gigged one though.

For the last couple of years I've been using 2 Super Compacts and I have played both on nearly every gig. IMO they just sound bigger and better, even with the volume turned down.

Now I'm also trying out a Three10 (Two10 and a One10) on some of the smaller gigs. So far these are making a great sound together.

[ead]

On 1/22/2018 at 16:42, Paul S said:

Yup.  I had a Compact and a Midget.  Compact was deep but lacked a tightness at the top end.  Midget was tight at the top but lacked bottom.  Together they sound brilliant.  I replaced these two with a Supercompact, which sounds like the two together in one cab.

Interesting, going through this very thought process myself if only because I'm playing through PAs mostly and the Compact is more often than not used as a stand for the Midget as a monitor.

Alex is recommending an SC as the One Cab To Rule Them All option.

[stevie]

That shootout was quite interesting. Particularly illuminating was the performance of the £70 Maplin cab (Prosound). Here's a link:

 

[Sibob]

All I can do is echo the above, the SC is the tonal equivalent of the G2 Compact & G2 Midget combination.

I actually use a SC with a G2 midget on top a lot of the time, for nothing else than a little extra reinforcement closer to my ear (vertical stacking etc).

Si

[NiekdeWit]

On 22/01/2018 at 20:34, Tradfusion said:

 

On 23/01/2018 at 01:12, chris_b said:

One of the gen1 Compacts was in the GTG cab shootout that we did a few years ago and to my ears it sounded as good as any other cab there. I haven't gigged one though.

For the last couple of years I've been using 2 Super Compacts and I have played both on nearly every gig. IMO they just sound bigger and better, even with the volume turned down.

Now I'm also trying out a Three10 (Two10 and a One10) on some of the smaller gigs. So far these are making a great sound together.

Hi Chris, I am very interested in the tonal difference between BB2 and Two 10, between a 12” plus hf and the 2x10” speakers. Alex says on his website that the 10” speakers sound as their vintage ancestors did and that the 12” + hf sounds like a flat frequency response (modern sound). Since you can compare, what is your opinion? And why don’t you add a Super compact to a Two 10? That should be best of both worlds… or sound of not making dedicated choises?

 

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, NiekdeWit said:

 

Hi Chris, I am very interested in the tonal difference between BB2 and Two 10, between a 12” plus hf and the 2x10” speakers. Alex says on his website that the 10” speakers sound as their vintage ancestors did and that the 12” + hf sounds like a flat frequency response (modern sound). Since you can compare, what is your opinion? And why don’t you add a Super compact to a Two 10? That should be best of both worlds… or sound of not making dedicated choises?

 

 

Hi, I don't have the 210's anymore. The bottom line is that I preferred the sound of the BF 112's.

 

IMO the sound I got out of the 10's and 12's was pretty close! I am gigging a passive PJ5 (with flats and foam) through an Aguilar TH500 and the differences were minimal to my ear. I also gig an active J5 through an Aguilar AG700 which works well with the clean 12's. Alex recommends not mixing the 10's and 12's and I never felt the need to try that. The 112's always seemed to be first choice when loading the car, so as they were lighter (my back problems rear up periodically), and louder, I decided to stick with the, IMO, better sounding 12's.

Edited October 25, 2021 by chris_b

[Open E]

I've got one of each and agree with what most say, the 1x15 is mellow and warm and the 1x12 speaks a bit more and is therefore more audible. The Supercompact is lovely and light and fine for rehearsals.