Barefaced Compact Review by Prime_BASS

[Prime_BASS]

Ive had this a while now so the 'hype' factor has now gone and I've had to live with it. I've also owned 2!!!

FEATURES: 8/10
I feel this is realistic: The one I have now is a newer one and has 2 speakons on the back for diasy chaining it with other cabs (spurred on from the TC's lack of speaker outputs) IT's been very thought out, the single side handle makes sense as it allows easy carrying to and from cars etc. It's size is easy to manage in one hand and I'm no muscle man. It's two sets of feet(side and bottom) allow for horizontal stracking too. I guess weight can be mentioned in the features. It only wieghs 12KG and as such I can pick it up and the bass and my head in one go and walk to rehearsals/gigs with it. A decent hand trolley will take you further.
Overall, very good. The extra speakon makes a difference when adding more cabs, but I feel an extra handle on the adjacent side could be useful when moving the unit without having to take everything off the top. The wieght more than makes up for lack of handles.

SOUND/SOUND QUALITY: 9/10
The sound of this cab is huge! Clean! and Clear! People always ask me about it's suitability to certian genres. I tell them that you get out what you put in, and with a quality head you will get a really good DI/PA sound (which I want) With my markbass head it's incredibly clear sounding and you can really hear the difference between the tube pre-amp and solidstate pre-amp. Thats how clear it is. It is also really really loud. Gigged it a few times at venues with no PA support, and it's always been the loudest thing there, being heard over the PA at the back of huge school halls.
Due to it's single speaker the mids don't get muddled up or sound warped and as such it's one of few cabs you might actually need mid-scooped EQ.
It will do everything for everyone providing you know how to EQ for what you want, if you don't Alex is nearly always on hand to help out.
Overall it's really great sounding cab, I havent heard anything else like it, or better. The drop in point comes from the fact that some users may find they now sound 'nasal' or too clean as before they've relied on the cab for 'character'.

Value For Money: 8/10
This is a quality piece of kit and you get a lot of bass cab for the money. Some think that the looks let it down and for the money can get something that looks better. Me personally, I don't care. When it sounds as good as it does, goes lower than most and louder than a lot of competition looks don't really matter. You can not get better quality for the kind of money. A Markbass neo 1x12 with a tweeter costs nearly £200 more and is heavier and will not go louder than the Barefaced Compact, infact the 9kg midget which is even less will go louder and lower than the markbass 1x12.
Overall, it's simple really. I superb sound for less than mainstream manufacturers. The finish is practical however and not design to look good, although with the silver grill cloth it looks considerably vintage.

Customer Support: 10/10
I've brought all of the modular range from Alex at barefaced, and loved all of them. He is a real gent to deal with and is extremely helpful and will answer the most challenging question to the most mundane, he even sent me a performance spec sheet to help me decide on what I really need. Which is a lot more than you'll get from Ampeg, fender etc. When I had my midget it arrived damaged even the box had a hole in (so no fualt of Alex's) and he was happy to do a partial trade in to upgrade it to a super12T.
If you need help the guys at barefaced will help, what more can you ask for?

Overall: 9/10
When it comes down to it, it out performs everything I have tried and I will not be using anything other than a Barefaced Cab. A lot of bassists say it's great and I'm surprised they don't know who Barefaced are. I'm happy to point thgem the right way aswell.

It's not for absolutly everything or everyone, but it is the best compromise on the market today. Super light weight, super loud and the price is as far as I know unbeatable.

The customer service is excellent and extremely helpful.

It's a pro bit of kit for amateur/gigging bassist money. When your band is saying you have to take a cab you know it's a good one.

I'd definitly get another if this was stolen or lost, and really want to get another or a midget to add to a stack. Superb, can not praise them enough.

My bands facebook page has recording which where recorded with either the Midget or the Super12 and I'm working on recording with the Compact aswell.

Stephen H.

Edited February 19, 2012 by Prime_BASS

[Happy Jack]

I'm happy to back up all the above - an astonishing cab, more than capable of gigging any pub/club type venue with any band.

One thing to add is that, if you pair a Compact with a Midget, the quality of the sound takes a further step up. This is exactly as advertised by Alex on his website. The two cabs are designed to complement each other, and it really does work.

[neilb]

Stop it....just stop it. I like my TC cabs with my RH450 but they aint light. Im looking a a compact first off then add the midget later.

Great review......hasnt helped!!!!!

LOL

[winterfire666]

i need a compact to go with my super 12t , one day you will be mine!

[GRAHAM SG1]

Stop it guys, I am waiting for my Super Twelve T to arrive, you are just teasing me

[Prime_BASS]

Stupidly amazing cabs.

I won't to add anopther compact but for what I'm doing in the future alex suggests the ultra clear big twin T will be better suited although two compacts will look and sound menacing!

Also adding a midget is another idea i'd like to try. Especially a tweetered version.

[GRAHAM SG1]

I cant wait to join the Barefaced club

Good things come to those who wait

[Prime_BASS]

[quote name='GRAHAM SG1' timestamp='1330199235' post='1554143']
I cant wait to join the Barefaced club

Good things come to those who wait
[/quote]

You won't regret it son!
I think barefaced's super clean and clear midrange will be the only cab you need to actually have a mid-scoop with, with some basses and saome heads anyway. That ampeg I believe has a similar tone-stack to the Fender bassman/OTB.

[GRAHAM SG1]

`You won't regret it son!`

I did not know my dad was from Nottingham

Mids are where I want to be so cant wait .

`That ampeg I believe has a similar tone-stack to the Fender bassman/OTB.`

I dont know about the Fender but I do know that my PF500 has a fantastic set of tones, a really great sounding amp which should really sing with the Super Twelve, fingers itching with anticipation

[Prime_BASS]

the bass and treble at noon are naturally boosted(in favour of bass though) while the mid is scooped. The OTB's true flat setting was the bass effectively off, with the mids fairly boosted.

The OTB I found very boomy with the compact, but now I have a markbass I love the way i sound through the cab.