I have been using a Barefaced Big Twin II for almost 4 years, and it has served me well on all types of gigs. I have used it on outdoor shows with a a very loud 7-piece band, with a 9-piece band having two guitarists and three horns, and on festival stages where there was no back line support and this cab has always served me extremely well! I have driven it with a variety of 600 to 800-watt amps (Mesa M-Pulse 600, Mesa WD800 and Demeter MD800 models) and the cab sounds fantastic with all of them!!!

Many thanks for this. Moderate playing (none of the slapping and popping which plagues so many bass cab reviews) and the tone generator tests are particularly helpful.

What a great comparison. Thanks so much for sharing it. Really helped me choose the right cab.

Have you ever tried the Barefaced Four10 and done an AB to other cabs? Thank you

How the mic was placed for Goliath? Because on the clip it is far away from tweeter and for Barefaced is is almost on its output.

0:52 Genz Benz Shuttle 2:16 Barefaced Big Baby II 3:38 SWR Goliath III 410 5:03 Barefaced Big Twin II in my opinion Big Baby wins

Not fair on the swr at all, you are not going to get a full frequency range sound by just putting the mic in front of the 10" speaker as this is crossed over inside to let the horn take all the hi frequency so the 10" is not producing any real hi as can be seen on your graph, I think you know this as your not daft, ! Who did you say you indorse ?

@francisnorthwood7862

3 жыл бұрын

The barefaced has a tweeter as well and the mice is even further away. Brainlet

This is absolutely genius. I'm a bit unsure how no one has picked up on this and sent you a whole bunch of cabinets to demo simultaneously, facing one off against another!

@Hiphopdabop

2 жыл бұрын

Cabinets like the Boom Bass Cabs along with the Epifani, Markbass etc.. controlling the low end and it's extended ranges can be overly stressful 😫

I researched it daily for about four weeks before making my decision. Based on this video and two or three others, well my barefaced super twin should arrive in approximately 2 1/2 weeks all the way from Brighton to USA. Thanks Harry and gang! And thank you for your video comparison and review.

@matthewheathharper

4 жыл бұрын

Mr. Wunderful, how've you liked it so far?

Great video, however I'm confused as for the usefulness of the tone generator and white noise tests when recording back through an SM57, as I'm sure you aware this mic has a strong EQ line

Id love to see the same test with their 10CR250 speakers/cabs! Interested in the Eight10 :)

I know you have received comments about the mic, but very few are mic'ing bass cabs with SM57's anymore. Audi D4/6 EV 320's etc. The Barefaced excels below the 57 rolloff - although to your credit, viewers need good monitors or headphones to hear below the cutoff well.

Interesting analysis. The Barefaced gear is amazing and I shall be buying some at some point...

I like the use of white noise traces and your avoiding the common slapping and popping demos. I agree with others that the microphone choice has a big effect. But you only used the bottom of a four octave instrument! What do these fine cabs sound like up where a lot of the action happens?

Which options are there for new cabinets that can deliver more lows (down to say 40Hz)? I'm looking for a cabinet that can deliver more fundamental tone as I'm going for a sound like an upright... with a lot of information from say 40 to 150hZ. And not so much all the overtones in the mid register. Cheers.

@matthewheathharper

6 жыл бұрын

AA1969 sorry that I'm just now noticing your question! I wish that I'd thought to show this in the video, but all the fundamental that shows to be missing in the video actually comes from the porting. The BB2 very powerfully produces fundamental all the way down.

Did you use the SM57 for the spectrum analysis and sine wave sweep? Or did you use a flat mic for those tests?

@buzzlightcome933

8 жыл бұрын

+AndyPanda9 yeah lol .... such a shit mic

@joelonsdale

3 жыл бұрын

@@buzzlightcome933 Unarguably a legendary microphone and an industry standard both live and in the studio since the mid 60s. I could make a great sounding record using just the SM57. Not "shit".

An updated shootout to include newer designs and manufacturers, as well as using a flatter but still affordable mic like a Rode NT1 to avoid the significant low end roll-off and presence spikes of the SM57, would be a great idea :)

@francoishtzl157

Жыл бұрын

Bergantino ahah x) and the SM57 is better for Guitar or Vocal so ?

@MatthewtheBassPlayer

Жыл бұрын

@@francoishtzl157 The 57 is actually pretty cool for a recording bass cabs, but mostly for picking up the midrange grind: it's a very colored mic, so it doesn't really tell you anything about what these cabs actually sounded like in that room.

@francoishtzl157

Жыл бұрын

@@MatthewtheBassPlayer Okay good to know thanks !

Hi, first of all: thanks for the video. I am thinking about pairing my shuttle 6.2 12T combo with a Big baby to add power and low end at outdoors gigs. Have you done this pairing? May you describe? Thanks again!!

@matthewheathharper

5 жыл бұрын

The Big Baby is louder with more bottom end. And since it's front ported all that energy moves towards you instead of away like the Genz Benz cab. In short, I think that would be a great pairing and would absolutely improve your comfort on outdoor gigs. I've used the Big Baby solo on outdoor gigs with the Shuttle 9.2, and had all good experiences. But definitely more comfortable with 2 12s.

can the drop-off below 100Hz be explained by the fact that sm57s drop-off below 100Hz...?

Is it possible to get any more string rattle? Solid review though, thank you.

the 3kHz scoop on the SWR cab.. could that be due to the tweeter turned down or that SWR have a high crossover around 3.5kHz with some long throw 10"s with little +2kHz output..

@matthewheathharper

7 жыл бұрын

Hi! Yes, the tweeter was on and set to full. We placed the mic in the same place on all the cabs as best we could to capture the woofer AND the tweeter. This was actually the strongest we could get the tweeter to show up while still getting the woofer good. But I believe that you are correct in that it was all setup for long throw, and it definitely had a better mix of tweeter and woofer a few feet away. Thanks for your comment!

can you also demo the one10 and super midget the same way? i would get a one10 but am not sure if it is a slap happy (think marcus miller-ish sound) cab :)

@matthewheathharper

8 жыл бұрын

Let me see what I can pull off. Thanks for your comment!

Was the tweeter turned on in the BB2? just wondering. Good review. I love my BB2 to bits, although I felt the 4x10 sounded better to my ears.

@matthewheathharper

8 жыл бұрын

You can see on the white noise test that the full spectrum is present, and according to the website the tweeter control is a crossover, so you can't actually disable the tweeter. The Barefaced cabs are transparent, so they don't help the sound at all. They tell you the truth about your tone, the SWR may sound better to your ears, but it's lying to you about what your actually sending to the FOH feed. I hope this helps, and thank you for your comment!

@davebassP5

8 жыл бұрын

+Matthew Heath Harper. Thanks for the replay. I'm confused though as that's not how I understand the tweeter to work at all. The way It was explained to me is if the tweeter is off you hear the full range of the woofer. This is more or less the same tone as the SC, certainly in the high end. The tweeter knob does change the crossover point by lowering the upper freq on the woofer and letting the tweeter take over. Is this not correct?

@matthewheathharper

8 жыл бұрын

+Dave Pearce you're very close. The tweeter control adjusts the crossover point down into the range of the woofer, and up to around 10kHz. It never actually disables the tweeter. While we can hear up to 20kHz there isn't much sonic information up there, which can create the perception of a disabled tweeter. And to answer your question, in the video the tweeter control is set to it's lowest point, crossing into the woofer's range.

@treetrunker13

7 жыл бұрын

The best statement you said was 'they tell you the truth about your tone." We can all find the "sound" we want from our setup, but if it doesn't sound anything like what the audience is hearing...ultimately, I want my "sound" to be heard. Haha

You said you were using a frequency generator, you got my like

You did this with a SM57?? And you are speaking of rolloff below 100??

@MrVyrtuoso

4 жыл бұрын

I know! The choice of mic didn't make sense to me.

The Barefaced sound really good, but interesting, i just bought a Goliath III 2x10 paid 230 euro used, my first cab after a 30 watt combo, . I could definitely do worse choices.

IMHO for my ears the winner is Goliath III followed close by Big Twin II... Thanks for the video.

@67168

7 жыл бұрын

One might also consider the weight differences.. The Goliath weighs 90 lbs and the Big Twin weighs 50 lbs

Very nice review and video, Matthew!! To you and all bass players out there, if the SWR is colored, it's for a reason. It compliments the sound of electric bass. Otherwise, everyone would be using p.a. cabinets for bass.... because they are built to represent the spectrum faithfully, right? Think about it.

@matthewheathharper

5 жыл бұрын

It is colored for a reason, and a very good color at that. I loved that cabinet for a long time. However, as I've gained more experience, I want a cabinet that doesn't make me feel better, I want a cabinet that tells me the truth about what sound I'm sending to FOH. So now, for me, cabinets like AccuGroove, Greenboy, and my personal favorite Barefaced, are what I'm looking for. Thanks for your comment!

@Subtlenimbus

4 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately, SWR amps are also colored~ they have a huge notch around 200-250 hertz. IMO, that is a terrible ‘coloring’ for electric bass. I had to do a bypass mod on my Grand Prix to get any girth out of it. Now that it has a flat eq, it is so much easier to work with. What on earth could, “compliments the sound of electric bass” mean? As if there is one way for a bass to sound.

Ok so you could really hear that tight deep bottom with the Barefaced.

If you used an SM 57 for the frequency analyzer test. Then this bit of your test is no bueno. You need a full range flat frequency response mic to do this. The SM 57 curve is not ideal for this and it has proximity effect. You need a re do my friend. Nice Sandberg BTW!

@StueeRoss

8 жыл бұрын

+Manny Bernardez ... Yeah it's not accurate, but this is a comparison not a scientific measurement. Regardless of the mic's frequency response (which in the case of the SM57 is actually pretty flat between about 200Hz & 3kHz), as long as all the cabs are tested using the same mic and positioning, the comparison is valid.

@MatthewtheBassPlayer

6 жыл бұрын

The comparison is valid, but only for what they sound like mic'ed the way they are with an SM57. The analysis from that mic choice can be pretty misleading: the significant drop-off at 100Hz and the spike at 6kHz that were pointed out in the frequency response of the Genz cab are actually from the mic itself. The SM57 is -5dB at 100Hz and +6dB at 6kHz. You'd need to use a flatter condenser mic positioned a foot or two away if you want a more accurate picture of what those cabs actually sound like in person, not just when mic'ed with a 57 in that specific mic positions.

@excismos8056

6 жыл бұрын

Also, there's no mic on the bass port..

@ethanlancaster76

5 жыл бұрын

Excismos because it would just sound like air moving 🤷‍♂️

@darkstar4494

5 жыл бұрын

Bigg TK Nuggs that’s what sound is..

Do you think the Barefaced Big Baby can get as loud as the SWR 410?

@matthewheathharper

6 жыл бұрын

KPM oh the Big Baby is noticeably louder than the Goliath!

@KBP4

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much... To me, i know its a video. but the sound of the BB2 is fuller and SMOOTHER .You did a great job of making this video. Very eye opening... . YOur review is the BEST of its type.. Great idea using Spectrum analyzers too... I hope to see more of your stuff... I have been looking for a cab like this Big Baby 2 or Big Twin 2 and am sort of side tracked by a Fearless type 115 or 212.. I need to get something by January ... So i need to decide. Im coming thru Nashville since i'm heading out on tour with a nashville artist.. And i'm downscaling this year. so the BB2 could do the job if t can surpass the 410... Thank you

@KBP4

6 жыл бұрын

The 112 cab? Thank you again

@matthewheathharper

6 жыл бұрын

KPM The Fearless is also a great product, they are very comparable. When you're in Nashville hit me up, I'm happy to let you try mine out, even use it on a local gig.

I'd rank them: 1) Big Twin 2) GenzBenz 3) Big Baby 4) SWR

Swr sounded best. Bare faced ranks a close second. The rest sounded shitty and I forgot one from the other. Lol

A bit weird to use computer to determen what speakers sounds great. Isnt it just taste, opinion...

As has been mentioned, you gotta either use a flatter mic or account for the colored mic's respond in tests like these.

@matthewheathharper

8 жыл бұрын

I used the best tools available to me. It's not scientific, but the SM57 is an industry standard mic that everyone has used. And it's response is pretty flat from ~150Hz up to ~4kHz. Like I said I know that it's not scientific, but the point is still pretty clear IMO. Thank you for your comment!

@Rudreax

8 жыл бұрын

+Matthew Heath Harper No problem, thanks for responding and making the video either way! You're making content worth discussing, which is what matters!

@ethanlancaster76

5 жыл бұрын

It worked for my ears. I mean if you gig with a cab then you can almost be guaranteed that if mic’d up by the house engineer/soundman then it will probably be a Shure SM57 or a mic that is a very similar. Is that really the best mic to use for bass cabs? Well no, but I’m used to it and I know what it sounds like to make a somewhat educated comparison between the cabs being demonstrated. To get a studio quality demo it would really take a couple of mics for different frequencies and placement and an isobaric booth to help keep the color from the room out of the mix. I thought it was a good comparison video personally 🤷‍♂️👌✌️

No Greenboy cabs?

@matthewheathharper

7 жыл бұрын

M Thompson I would have loved to included one! I was researching Barefaced before I got involved with them, and found Greenboy. At the time I didn't know anyone who had a Greenboy to try out. From what I gather they're pretty close to each other sonically.

which barefaced amp will pair well with the Darkglass Microtubes 900 amp?

@matthewheathharper

7 жыл бұрын

JT Cano since the Barefaced cabs accurately reproduce the amplifier signal instead of coloring it, the cabs literally tell the truth about what any amp sounds like. So the short answer is yes, it will pair just fine.

@TheJtcano

7 жыл бұрын

Matthew Heath Harper thanks for the fast response.

>endorsed This is already pretty onesided.

Wow, excellent demo. Would love to see the Super Twin. (Everyone's gotta ask for something, right? :-) ) Thanks for this great video.

@matthewheathharper

8 жыл бұрын

Thank you for commenting!

@Marcink126

3 жыл бұрын

Yyy, excellent demo? Please look at the placement of the microphone for SWR, it does not point the center of the speaker of even tweeter xD So no wondering why there is fall of on higher frequencies.

Stick on beard?

Your bass needs a set up.

@sethnicholls7861

4 жыл бұрын

Why do you think this?

As an old-school touring bass player of over 35 years, I understand why you are using a 5 string. That said, IMHO, 5 strings suck and sound flabby.

your mispronouncing GenzBenz

@sethnicholls7861

4 жыл бұрын

Lol, who cares really???!?

@chrislangham8545

4 жыл бұрын

and you're mis-spelling 'your', ;o)