NCD Barefaced Big Baby 2 (x2)

[Starless]

Sorry, another Barefaced thread but having taken the plunge I thought I better give something back to the forum after milking it over recent months and soaking up every drop of Barefaced/Vanderkley etc opinion I could find - opinions which ultimately led to the purchase of two Big Baby 2's.

Decent sized pub on Saturday night (back wall a long way away) with punters pretty much crammed in (doorman with his little clicker counting them in and out had them queuing in the rain outside - only 200 allowed in at any time), so a good mass of sound-absorbing human flesh inside.

Cabs smaller and lighter than what I have been used to (2 x TC 210), small enough to fit in the car without removing the child seat and folding the whole shooting match down, only the 2/3 back seat needed collapsed. Thumbs up.

Carried both cabs in to the venue in one go (parked up a side street so a reasonable walk), one in each hand. I have never done that before, no pain, no strain and not even slightly out of breath. Thumbs up.

Raised hollow stage in the corner so employed the Gramma pad and set it all up - Streamliner 900 and a Genzler Magellan 800. Was intending to use the Streamliner for the first half, then switch to the Magellan for the second half to see how they compare, but decided to try a different A/B - one cab for the first half (8ohm) and two for the second half (4ohm).

First half with one cab (on top of the redundant other cab) - very decent, very decent indeed. Guitarist asked me to turn up after a few tunes. I was reluctant as I thought I was well loud enough, but then realised I was listening to myself at my usual 6 inches from the rig at a level I was accustomed to with the TC cabs. The 'problem' here was I could actually hear myself perfectly well at a much lower volume with the Big Baby. I duly turned up a bit, got the thumbs up and could now REALLY hear myself. Fantastic. Thumbs up.

The set calls for a few numbers with pick playing - and I had to tame the treble on my bass as the ding-ding was ringing like a bell (that's with the horn turned all the way down BTW), serious top-end coming out of the cab, top-end that I'm not used to hearing with a drummer thrashing away a couple of feet away from me. I think another thumbs up in terms of fidelity, but I was all too aware of my sh1tty pick technique. Time to start practicing, I've been exposed!

The Streamliner never reached 12 o'clock and I had rolled off about a quarter of the volume on the bass (always like to have a bit in reserve towards the end of the night when everyone turns up and the drummer's steroids kick in).

At the interval I connected the second cab (at floor/Gramma level), hit a low E and just about blew my trousers off. Rolled everything back a bit and had a ball playing with my preferred light touch all the way through to the end. Normally I find myself digging in harder and harder as the night progresses and the watts all around increase, but I don't think I need to now. Thumbs up obviously, but both cabs in a pub setting... well, that's probably complete over-kill. I think I would only use one with the other acting as a stand, rotating them from gig to gig so that they each get a chance... and as I am paranoid about gear failure (always two heads and two cabs) the power handling of a single Big Baby should see me through just about any venue we play (couple of exceptions where I may employ both cabs).

As for aesthetics... I think they look just fine. The coating is textured and shiny (and I believe touchable-up-able) and a lot tougher than tolex.

Overall, the combination of near hi-fi reproduction at serious volume and ridiculous weight of these things ticks all the boxes for me. I knew I had to move on from the TC rig as, although one of the lighter brands, they were still affecting my back and didn't give me that extra ammunition that I needed as a gig wore on. It's cost me a few bob, but I think that's pretty much all I need now and can't see what possible upgrade path there is from here.

Just my tuppenceworth

Edited May 4, 2016 by Starless

[Marvin]

Congratulations.

However, unless you supply pictures we just won't believe you bought anything

[Starless]

Sorry, no gig photos (that I have seen yet), but this is the setup in a domestic setting. The two cabs together are about the same height as a bass standing on end.

Real bonus with the handles on the side.... a velcro cable tie through the top one and round the neck of the instrument and hey presto... no need for a guitar stand - one thing less to transport. Rock solid and safe as houses.


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[Marvin]

Crikey. My house walls are creaking just looking at it

Very nice.

[discreet]

Nice work! Before reading your post I was going to say you'd probably only ever need one cab, but you beat me to it.

[machinehead]

Nice review. Thanks for taking the trouble.

I think you'll also notice an improvement in the volume and tone after they are used for a few hours in anger. And yes, I only need the one cab 99% of gigs, but it's nice to have a second in reserve just in case.

Frank.

[discreet]

Oh yes, nothing wrong with two cabs. Boy Scouts: Be Prepared. Because when you do need that second cab you won't be able to get one at short notice...

[Dood]

Great review and now one step closer to wanting to order a pair of BB2's.

[Starless]

The weight, the power and the clarity I was aware of before, but the biggest unexpected bonus for me was the ability to hear myself without deafening myself while being assaulted by the noise of the drums and guitar, standing cramped up against the rig (alternating between standing right in front of it and a foot or so to one side - the usual bass player 'squeeze in somewhere with limited footprint after everyone else has claimed their acres of space' routine).

We did a short multi-band charity set the following day and the gear was provided... so it was back to some combo on the floor flapping at my ankles, hearing nothing but the boomy mush of the PA bouncing back at me off the opposite wall. Talk about sublime to the ridiculous....

[mcnach]

... another 2x BB2 user here.

Just to add that... they even fit in the boot of my little A3!
This is just tonight packing the car ready for tomorrow... 2x BB2, LM3 and Streamliner 900 heads (I'll use the LM3 but I like to have a backup just in case), and a small pedalboard. Between the cabs and the back of the seat there's a small space where I can fit a small bag with clothes etc... The bass will travel in the footwell of the rear seats, covered with a black cloth. Between that and the tinted windows, nobody would even know I have a full bass rig on board. Can still take three passengers with me if I need to.

[GregBass]

I also use a pair of BB2s, which replaced my previous Markbass 1x15 and 4x10 rig. With my TC RH750, it is the perfect setup for my style of playing!