wateroftyne Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Hi all Bottomendian kindly offered to bring his Barefaced Bass Vintage cab along to a little bash, organised by Warwickhunt (cheers!). Howard The Bass Doc and myself also brought our stuff. This is what we ended up with... Loads of amps, loads of basses, and, L-R: Bass Doc's Fender 2x15, Barefaced Bass Vintage, 2 x Aguilar DB112, 2 x Bergantino HS210s USUAL DISCLAIMER: None of this is intended to be scientific. The only place tone really counts is at a gig. I'll let the other lads chip in, but... the Vintage blew me away. First off, it looks cool. Secondly, it's stupidly light. As in.. Warwickhunt & I were literally laughing at how easy it was to pick up. And it's so shallow. It doesn't naturally have a lot of top end, but if you want it, just give your treble knob a nudge, and there it is. It's the kind of treble I *love*, too... warm, and not sizzly. What the Vintage also has - in common with The Bass Doc's Fender 2x15 - is a BIG & FAT body to the notes. Very much like the Fender 2x15, but only half the weight! I've put together a little video of Warwickhunt's Sadowsky Metro PJ (Which is beautiful. I'm going to steal it off him when he goes to the shops this afternoon) through my Mesa MPulse. [b]With the benefit of hindsight, and apologies to Alex[/b], it doesn't really do the Vintage justice, as it only shows the relative tonal differences between each cab with the same input source. What we didn't do was re-do the video with each cab EQ'd to taste. A little nudge on the treble would have given the Vintage a similar bite to the Bergs (with the horns rolled right off) and Fender 2x15. You'll just have to trust me on this. What it should show, if you listen to this through headphones or decent speakers, is the pure girth of the notes from the Vintage and the Fender 2x15... I have a feeling the Vintage would suit me to a T - Bottomendian has offered to let me use it at a gig so I can see how it gets on with my fretless. I love my Bergs, and the modularity they provide, but the outcome of a real-world test could be.... interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='568777' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:01 AM']I love my Bergs, and the modularity they provide, but the outcome of a real-world test could be.... interesting![/quote] I don't have much time to chip in now, but I'll just point this out for our dear readers: the Vintage weighs about the same as [b]one[/b] of those Bergs, or [b]one[/b] of the Aguilars. And (IMHO!) it absolutely wipes the floor with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.T Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Oddly (or not?)..... I thought the Fender had the most 'full' sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Cool video, I liked the sound of the Bergs the best, at least on the video. Thanks for posting it - I hope I can try out some combinations at the October bash. ped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='Mr.T' post='568795' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:14 AM']Oddly (or not?)..... I thought the Fender had the most 'full' sound.[/quote] The Fender's got bucketloads of top end. Absolute masses of it. And that's from two 15s, remember. It's not a sound that suits me -- I love the roll-off from the Vintage. It's useful for taming the stupidly aggressive fuzzes I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 The Fender is more midrangey - less treble and less bottom. That's not a bad recording - I'm listening on studio monitors with a good sound card which helps! Put youtube on HQ to hear it better. So did you find out which goes loudest? Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr.T Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='568808' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:21 AM']So did you find out which goes loudest? Alex[/quote] I wouldn't put my money on the Fender or Aggies in the 'loudness' stakes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 No, you're right - the Fender's treble goes higher but it dips in the upper midrange and then has more in the mid and lower midrange. The Vintage has more upper midrange bite but less treble air, less thickness in the rest of the mids and then it sounds quite a lot thicker and deeper on the bottom. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='568820' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:27 AM']...The Vintage has more upper midrange bite...[/quote] And lordy, it was niiiiice on WoT's fretless P. Added so much growl, bark, bite, woodiness (hat-tip to The Bass Doc for the terminology ) and all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noisyjon Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='wateroftyne' post='568777' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:01 AM']...I have a feeling the Vintage would suit me to a T... I love my Bergs, and the modularity they provide...[/quote] 2 Compacts it is then! Alex has said that there's not a lot in it between them and a Vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Chipping in with my thoughts on the 2x15s as a man who has never really gone for the smaller speakers/cabs. The Barefaced Vintage was decidedly warmer than my Fender which is fitted with 2 ElectroVoice 15Ls - very toppy for 15s. I use my old Precision with La Bella flats so I begin with a relatively dull sound source and need that extra top end to project. The Barefaced was a match for it by increasing the treble at the pre-amp stage so I would quite happily gig one and achieve the right performance. The weight comparision was staggering. I always believed my cab was necessarily heavy to produce the right result - not so. Just wondering if Alex has any advice on what to do if and when the helium runs out of the Vintage - can it be readily replaced via the local balloon company? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 More info about that notable EV 15L here: [url="http://archives.telex.com/archives/EV/Speakers/EDS/EVM-15L%20Pro-line%20EDS.pdf"]http://archives.telex.com/archives/EV/Spea...-line%20EDS.pdf[/url] Note the rising response through the midrange to the highs (the Midget is quite like this), hence the brightness. As the Xmax isn't much over half of that of the Vintage's drivers you'd need two of those Fender cabs to play as loud as one Vintage, which makes the weight saving even better! I use hydrogen not helium - more lift and rock and roll effects if you get the voice coils hot enough. That's why the port is at the bottom - please do not invert the cab. I'd be interested to hear a Midget/Compact stack next to the Fender 2x15" - suspect that would be very similar sounding. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I dont have the best speakers at work, but id say, for me, the Bergs hit the sweet spot, then the Aggies. They all sound good to be fair! Ill have to listen with proper speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 Don't know much about Xmax (except it's still along way off isn't it?) but in the room the two 2x15s sounded about the same volume. "I use hydrogen not helium" Aw, shame, I was hoping a quick sniff of the cab would help me in hitting the high harmonies the band require. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 On my PC speakers the Bergs sound the 'roundest' (neither too trebley or bassy) and get my vote. But, as WoT says "a little nudge on the treble would have given the Vintage a similar bite to the Bergs", then I would guess that it would be a draw in my books between the Vintage and the Bergs had both been EQ'ed to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildmanofrock Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='Mr.T' post='568795' date='Aug 14 2009, 11:14 AM']Oddly (or not?)..... I thought the Fender had the most 'full' sound.[/quote] As explained above... "It doesn't really do the Vintage justice... a little nudge on the treble would have given the Vintage a similar bite to the... Fender 2x15..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='569000' date='Aug 14 2009, 01:30 PM']Don't know much about Xmax (except it's still along way off isn't it?) but in the room the two 2x15s sounded about the same volume.[/quote] Yes, they would do. The greater Xmax means the Vintage can take almost four times as much power, which equals a 6dB advantage - same as using a pair of the Fender/EV because that would give you 3dB more sensivity whilst doubling the power handling. But as you'll know with 2x15" cabs even a small amount of power gets you LOUD! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 You see to me, That was a VERY useful video, Thanks! The tone you got from that sadowsky is exactly the tone im aiming for (and getting) a lot of the time at the moment, And the Bergs are what i would have shot for if i was in a funky band. But< im doing blues and rock and roll, After talking to Alex for a bit we decided that the slight roll off on the highs of the vintage (Or lack of any peaks up that end) would stop it sounding like i was building a shed at the same time. If your telling me that the vintage can do both, then well, I'm going to be a happy bunny! Thanks so much for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted August 14, 2009 Author Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='MythSte' post='569014' date='Aug 14 2009, 01:47 PM']You see to me, That was a VERY useful video, Thanks! The tone you got from that sadowsky is exactly the tone im aiming for (and getting) a lot of the time at the moment, And the Bergs are what i would have shot for if i was in a funky band. But< im doing blues and rock and roll, After talking to Alex for a bit we decided that the slight roll off on the highs of the vintage (Or lack of any peaks up that end) would stop it sounding like i was building a shed at the same time. If your telling me that the vintage can do both, then well, I'm going to be a happy bunny! Thanks so much for that![/quote] Cheers! That Sadowsky is FANTASTIC, even if they spelled 'Fender' wrong on the headstock. The Vintage appeals to me for a similar reason. The Bergs are incredible, but I always have the tweets rolled off.. I'm looking forward to trying the Vintage at a gig to see how it works in the real world with flats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='MythSte' post='569014' date='Aug 14 2009, 01:47 PM']You see to me, That was a VERY useful video, Thanks! The tone you got from that sadowsky is exactly the tone im aiming for (and getting) a lot of the time at the moment, And the Bergs are what i would have shot for if i was in a funky band. But< im doing blues and rock and roll, After talking to Alex for a bit we decided that the slight roll off on the highs of the vintage (Or lack of any peaks up that end) would stop it sounding like i was building a shed at the same time. If your telling me that the vintage can do both, then well, I'm going to be a happy bunny! Thanks so much for that![/quote] Ste, I have a feeling you'll love the Vintage. What amp are you using? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 I'd still have 2x10's and 1x15... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TPJ Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='JTUK' post='569029' date='Aug 14 2009, 02:05 PM']I'd still have 2x10's and 1x15...[/quote] Luddite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='TPJ' post='569039' date='Aug 14 2009, 02:15 PM']Luddite [/quote] ha ha of course, but they sound good and I can throw them both in the back seat of my car...and I only have 2 doors.. Cabs aren't sooo light but are well made and will not fall apart.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 [quote name='Merton' post='569028' date='Aug 14 2009, 02:04 PM']Ste, I have a feeling you'll love the Vintage. What amp are you using?[/quote] Shuttle 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harvey1-8 Posted August 14, 2009 Share Posted August 14, 2009 That Sadowsky through the Aguilars sounds lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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