Barefaced Compact on tour

[largo]

I've already had the "Tour" Compact and liked it so much I bought one.
One word of warning I have to add. I used to have a Schroeder "carpet covered" cab and instead now use a single Compact. The cab is kept in a trailer with all of the other band gear. For the record, the Schroeder after 2 or 3 years of gigging looked almost like new ! The Compact with Roqsolid cover after a month looks beat up already. Chips out of the painted covering and worryingly, heavy scarring where a flightcase has rubbed against the Compact and the ply is seriously dented. Alex, please, please, please give us a carpet cover option ! I'd happily have an extra 1kg of weight for slightly heavier plywood and a carpet finish.

[Captain Rumble]

[quote name='razze06' post='906915' date='Jul 27 2010, 12:01 PM']At house practice volume, the differences are already obvious: the compact pushes out far more low end that the 2x10, but is less crisp and defined in the mid range. In essence, to my ears the compact sounds a lot warmer throughout, and my ideal solution would be use the tecamp AND the compact together. Alas, that can't be easily done, since the 2x10 is a 4 ohm cab...[/quote]
I own a compact and use it with either a puma 350 or an Eden wt 500 bridged (600w) and the diferences between them are quite pronounced. I feel that the puma is probably a bit short on watts into 8 ohms to get the best out of the compact and I also feel the sonic characteristics of the Puma are more suited to smaller drivers (prepares to be shot down in flames by those cleverer than myself). Using the Eden I still have all the bottom end I could want but I definately have more mid top without resorting to extream eqing.
I would suggest if you get the chance try the Compact using a diferent and preferably more powerful (into 8 ohms) amp.
The Compact likes watts lots and lots of watts

[Protium]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='953765' date='Sep 12 2010, 06:14 PM']Don't think the driver comes in 4 ohm, so can't make them. Super 12 is for that.[/quote]

£150 more and the odd shape puts the super 12 out of the running for me.

[alexclaber]

The extra loudness from a 4 ohm version of the Compact is too marginal to be worthwhile, especially as it removes the option of adding a second cab (be that Midget or Compact) for a useful increase in output.

[daz]

[quote name='largo' post='954064' date='Sep 12 2010, 09:27 PM']I've already had the "Tour" Compact and liked it so much I bought one.
One word of warning I have to add. I used to have a Schroeder "carpet covered" cab and instead now use a single Compact. The cab is kept in a trailer with all of the other band gear. For the record, the Schroeder after 2 or 3 years of gigging looked almost like new ! The Compact with Roqsolid cover after a month looks beat up already. Chips out of the painted covering and worryingly, heavy scarring where a flightcase has rubbed against the Compact and the ply is seriously dented. Alex, please, please, please give us a carpet cover option ! I'd happily have an extra 1kg of weight for slightly heavier plywood and a carpet finish.[/quote]

that sounds like a good idea for an option.

[harmonator]

[quote name='daz' post='956519' date='Sep 14 2010, 08:47 PM']that sounds like a good idea for an option.[/quote]
I was put onto this cab a few days ago by a member of this forum and see that this cab is getting a lot of praise. The compact and vintage probably appeal to valve users and 'traditionalists' with the silver grille cloth. The paint-on textured finish doesn't seem to make sense, though. Why not offer a tolex version with high quality grille cloth, perhaps in two or three shades (a la Mesa) to look the part sitting there underneath a good valve amp. Just a thought...

[tonyf]

In terms of whereabouts, who's got it now?

Really keen to get my hands on the Compact to see how it sounds.

T

[Sharkfinger]

[quote name='largo' post='954064' date='Sep 12 2010, 09:27 PM']I've already had the "Tour" Compact and liked it so much I bought one.
One word of warning I have to add. I used to have a Schroeder "carpet covered" cab and instead now use a single Compact. The cab is kept in a trailer with all of the other band gear. For the record, the Schroeder after 2 or 3 years of gigging looked almost like new ! The Compact with Roqsolid cover after a month looks beat up already. Chips out of the painted covering and worryingly, heavy scarring where a flightcase has rubbed against the Compact and the ply is seriously dented. Alex, please, please, please give us a carpet cover option ! I'd happily have an extra 1kg of weight for slightly heavier plywood and a carpet finish.[/quote]
Like yours, my compact sees a lot of action too except I have no cover for it and I've had it probably going on two years now. In and out of vehicles and through lots of tight doorways. I've plenty of chips out of mine, some down to and out of the ply itself. Must admit to having wanted carpet covering but now I just shrug my shoulders and cover them up with marker pen.

[quote name='alexclaber' post='955414' date='Sep 13 2010, 09:25 PM']The extra loudness from a 4 ohm version of the Compact is too marginal to be worthwhile, especially as it removes the option of adding a second cab (be that Midget or Compact) for a useful increase in output.[/quote]
Indeed. I use a QSC PLX 1200W beast bridged straight into the compact for a lot of gigs and all rehearsals. That means it's taking 700W and I can definitely hear a difference in volume between volume setting 9 and 10! However, It's when I add a second cab that I really get the best out of both the amp and the cabs.

Strangely though, I don't get as much apparent volume when I use the amp in parallel mode (two channels separate) with 3 cabs (see avatar, one of which is for sale, hint hint) with the bottom 2 getting ~170W each and the compact getting 200W. Maybe because that still adds up to 'only' about 550W. More experimentation is needed.

I too am keen to get my hands on they tour Compact, however.

[Conan]

[quote name='tonyf' post='956772' date='Sep 15 2010, 12:23 AM']In terms of whereabouts, who's got it now?

Really keen to get my hands on the Compact to see how it sounds.T[/quote]

Dunno if Alex would like to jump in here...

I have the current touring Compact. I brought it down from Edinburgh just over a week ago and used it last week at rehearsal. I plan to do the same this evening and then pass it on to Water Of Tyne. Alex then plans to collect this particular cab as there is a "new improved" version that will be taking it's place on tour!

I am not sure who that "new" cab will be sent out to. Who's on the list after WoT? (Edit - I guess that would be "bassfunk" in Manchester).

Hmmmm.... just had a thought. I wonder if the current one might be for sale....

Edited September 15, 2010 by Conan

[largo]

What ! It's only a couple of months since I had the "new" Tour Compact and then purchased a cab on the back of that. You telling me it's out of date already !!!!!
I'd be very interested for Alex to come into this thread and detail the changes on the new cab.

Edited September 15, 2010 by largo

[Conan]

[quote name='largo' post='957260' date='Sep 15 2010, 03:03 PM']What ! It's only a couple of months since I had the "new" Tour Compact and then purchased a cab on the back of that. You telling me it's out of date already ........ (wonder if I'm within my month's trial still)[/quote]

Maybe the new one's got carpet covering...

[alexclaber]

As stated on the website, we have a policy of continuous improvement. If anyone wants to contact me directly then I'm more than happy to discuss anything. We will not be changing to any kind of tolex or carpet covering or offering it as an option in the forseeable future.