Barabass

Have I mentioned how much I love that small, lightweight little beast? It has already served as backline for several gigs with PA and IEM support, and it’s had to work hard to deliver solid stage sound. It also feels like the cab has opened up after some hours at higher volume, and I notice that now even at lower volume. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I strongly feel it sounds better after more playing time: more openness and a smoother low end. Whether that’s measurable or not, I can’t say, but as a user I believe I can hear it. The Monza punches far above its weight and size when it comes to sound quality, volume, and headroom. There’s no escaping the laws of physics, yet they keep getting bent here. It proves that the number of woofers and their diameter is just a label, something people often overvalue or judge too quickly. This is simply a loud, clear, and deep-sounding cab of 11 kilos and 56 liters (external dimensions). What’s inside doesn’t define the name, but it does define the result. The tone makes it unique. Don’t let yourself be blinded by the “1x10” prejudice. There’s so much more to it.

I’ve had an LFSys Monza for a few weeks now. Last Saturday, it finally got to come along for the first time. Every now and then, you plug something in and instantly know: this is right. The Monza gave me that feeling. Yes, bass amplification is evolving, but this cabinet sets an exceptionally high bar for the competition. A bass cabinet can be simple or high-tech; the real art is making it sound natural. An LFSys cabinet must come from a brilliant mind, because creating something like this requires advanced mathematics that almost bends the laws of physics. This is an extraordinary bass guitar cabinet. That said, you can love any well-made cab—or at least find it good enough. It’s not about competition, about what’s better and why; we’ve all moved far beyond that. It’s about what you enjoy and which gear helps you best achieve your specific goal. The Monza does that for me. And then takes it up a notch. How loud and how deep does it go? This is a cabinet that can do everything needed during a loud jam or rehearsal to lay down a solid, well-founded bass. The LFSys Monza is a technical marvel. You wouldn’t expect speaker design to advance so rapidly in this day and age, yet here we are. Compact, lightweight, and astonishingly powerful, the Monza combines cutting-edge engineering with a tonal quality that sets an exceptionally high standard for the competition.

I’ve heard the cab will be ready tomorrow. Apparently, some final work is still being done, which is great news. Now it just needs to make the crossing to mainland Europe. And it will probably be the first LFSys cab in the Netherlands. I have no financial stake in it, and if it ends up disappointing me, I’ll stay quiet and accept the loss.

Which video?

After years of playing with the same gear, I’ve decided to order a LFSys Monza. I was torn between a Monza and a Monaco. Stephen really helped me along in making the choice, although ultimately I had to make it myself, and I went for the more compact and lighter option. I’m very curious, especially whether the cab will provide enough headroom, particularly during rehearsals with a band that has two guitarists, a solid drummer, and a keyboard player who really digs in on his Hammond plus Leslie. A second Monza is always an option, but I hope I can manage with just one. It’s quite a gamble to put your money on a speaker cabinet you’ve never heard in person. I based my decision purely on the posts here on Basschat, the specs, and the info on the website. The cabinet itself (the wood, the bracing) already looks like a beautifully thought-out piece of craftsmanship. I don’t think it could be better. I’m as excited as a kid for the delivery and will of course share how the Monza performs in the field, both in the rehearsal space as a stand-alone and as an addition for stage sound. Live, I always play with my band using in-ears and PA. I could even leave everything at home for gigs and just take my bass and pedalboard with me. But according to our sound engineer, some bass sound should also come from the stage itself. The drummer does that naturally, and the guitarists bring amps and cabs as well. People standing at the front of the stage also deserve the experience of a live band, not just PA sound coming from the sides. It might seem like a noble goal that I’m making this investment for the audience, but of course I’m really buying it for myself (haha!). It’s great to have the finest gear and to purchase something from someone who puts so much heart and soul into their work. That part is definitely not a gamble. I am 100% certain about that and have complete confidence in it. Whether it stops at one Monza, I’ll let you know. If it does, then we’re truly talking about innovation, evolution, and refinement that I can benefit from now, and that younger bass players will also benefit from later. There’s so much commercial gear for sale, including small cabinets at very low prices. I’ve also owned and used larger cabs, like the Chinese-made Kustom 8x10 (a fantastic cab in terms of sound) or Ampeg’s budget B-410 series. There’s good and affordable gear out there. It doesn’t always have to be expensive or boutique to sound great. But I also want to explore the spectrum of the best builders, the ones who make the very best there is. That can cost a bit more, and that’s a personal choice.

I bought a cab from Chris, he sent it very well packed to the Netherlands. He's a real gentleman, an example for how to do business in gear. Thanks Chris!

I've done the conversion. It's simple to do. BF sent me a clear manual, it's easy.

[quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]My 2nd One10 has arrived![/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Lovely little stack. Rehearsal on Sat morning, then a gig the following Sat. Looking forward to it. [/font][/color][/quote] How is the difference between the two cabs? New or broken-in?

Perhaps the tweeter + crossover weighs as much as the (thin) wood that the SM has less than the SC.

An Eden WT-550 possibly? It can handle 2 Ohms.

Barefaced Super Midget. With steel grill, no, silver cloth. Eeh steel. I choose for cloth, steel.

Since yesterday my Two10 is 4 Ohm. It was easy to do. It's a very big difference in volume, this 210 is LOUD! It will take some time and experiment to find the best adjustment between the two master knobs and the crossover, but it is clear that it gives me a (extra) variety of tonal possibilities. These cabs seems to be made for the '88 GK 800RB. 4 Ohm and 8 Ohm, Two10 for the lows, One10 for the mid/high. Together louder, lower and lighter than a 410 or two 210's. Masterpieces!

What cabs on the 800RB? When my Barefaced Two10 is re-loomed from 12 to 4 Ohm, my GK is going to run that Two10 and a One 10 bi-amped. Matches with the impendances, experimenting the crossover knob ;-)

That little thing is a real small giant!! Sounds big, warm and round. This Barefaced One10 is in The Hague, Netherlands