Barefaced Cabs...These look interesting...

muudrock

Experienced
Saw a video of the 1x12 being compared to a standard guitar cab and on the room mic, it was a big difference. Filled the room with the sound as opposed to the beamy, narrow, nasally response of the standard cab. These have piqued my interest.
I wonder if this design would translate good with a modeler (and maybe a FR speaker) for the fabled amp in the room experience?




https://barefacedaudio.com/products/reformer-112?variant=23413701279802
 
Interesting!

But the design doesn't do anything to change the directivity in the front-firing direction. It's going to be as beamy and narrow as a standard cab.
 
Well, I can tel ya that bassists love them, but then bass IS omni-directional to start with :)
 
the design doesn't do anything to change the directivity in the front-firing direction. It's going to be as beamy and narrow as a standard cab.

Maybe there's something more to it that isn't shown in this video? Lens? Donut? Magic wand?
 
Maybe there's something more to it that isn't shown in this video? Lens? Donut? Magic wand?

he explains it... some science behind it, something with the way it's baffled in the back. seems legit.. interesting.
 
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The way I took it is that the rear of the cabinet has a patent applied for design that reflects the sound differently and increases the amount of room coupling mixed with the front facing output. Less beamy and more "amp in the room". I could be wrong, but if the sound example is legitimate, which it appears to be, that could really open some possibilities in my mind. I'm specifically curious in regards to using a more FR speaker like the new Celestion in it. I wonder if that combo would work and be an improvement over a traditional FR monitor/cab.
 
Maybe there's something more to it that isn't shown in this video? Lens? Donut? Magic wand?
Their photos don't show any modification to the front of the cab/speaker. So if their photos are right, it's beamy in the front.

I'm surprised that no guitar cab manufacturer has implemented the foam donut... 🤷‍♂️

EDIT: also found on their website: "From the front it behaves much like a closed or open-backed cab. But the mids and highs coming out of the AVD at the back are amplified and dispersed around the room whilst the lows are inverted to match the lows from the front, giving lots more bottom."
 
We shall see...as I drank the Kool-aid of that video..and have been holding off getting a 1x12 for my Guytron and possible AXE/poweramp action....incoming soon...
 
Well, I can tel ya that bassists love them, but then bass IS omni-directional to start with :)

Low frequencies are omnidirectional (from typical sized speakers - though from a big horn or a PA sub array they're directional). But bass guitar is not omni-directional, plenty of bass guitar sounds go higher than guitar sounds, so suffer from the same narrowing of dispersion with increasing frequency.
 
Low frequencies are omnidirectional (from typical sized speakers - though from a big horn or a PA sub array they're directional). But bass guitar is not omni-directional, plenty of bass guitar sounds go higher than guitar sounds, so suffer from the same narrowing of dispersion with increasing frequency.
Hey Alex , welcome to the forum (though I see you joined long ago) ..Looking forward to receiving my Reformer, and curious if you have any insights on integrating it into a mostly FRFR/AxeFX studio rig (I do have a couple real amps as well)
 
Hey Alex , welcome to the forum (though I see you joined long ago) ..Looking forward to receiving my Reformer, and curious if you have any insights on integrating it into a mostly FRFR/AxeFX studio rig (I do have a couple real amps as well)

This^^ . Welcome! I am also interested on hearing your thoughts on your cab implementing a more full range speaker.
 
Hey Alex , welcome to the forum (though I see you joined long ago) ..Looking forward to receiving my Reformer, and curious if you have any insights on integrating it into a mostly FRFR/AxeFX studio rig (I do have a couple real amps as well)

Thanks! We've been planning to do a guitar FRFR cab for years (although our Big Baby 2 and Big Twin 2 are better at it than anything else I've come across - but there's an octave of LF extension that guitarists don't really need).

I think if you're using a Reformer 112 with a standard guitar speaker in it then I'd just treat it as any normal guitar cab when used with modelling - turn off the cab sims and use the modelling for the FX and amp only.

Regarding a Barefaced Diffractor guitar cab with the AVD tech, we're awaiting a sample of the F12-X200 from Celestion. If that works well it would be a much simpler and cheaper solution than building something around the innards of the Big Baby 2.

I think there's potential for a whole FRFR range, going from the monster Big Twin 2 as a 1600W 2x12" bass guitar oriented FRFR cab, via more multi-function bass/keys/guitar designs to a guitar specific FRFR model.
 
Thanks! We've been planning to do a guitar FRFR cab for years (although our Big Baby 2 and Big Twin 2 are better at it than anything else I've come across - but there's an octave of LF extension that guitarists don't really need).
Wasn't the FR800 model your do-it-all FRFR? I see that it's no longer available, how come?
 
Low frequencies are omnidirectional (from typical sized speakers - though from a big horn or a PA sub array they're directional). But bass guitar is not omni-directional, plenty of bass guitar sounds go higher than guitar sounds, so suffer from the same narrowing of dispersion with increasing frequency.
Alex - welcome, and thanks for the clarifications.
 
Wasn't the FR800 model your do-it-all FRFR? I see that it's no longer available, how come?

The plate amp we used in it was discontinued. It was simply an active version of the Big Baby 2 - had two 400W modules bridged to give 800W into the 1x12”+HF driver with the same passive crossover.
 
Thanks! We've been planning to do a guitar FRFR cab for years (although our Big Baby 2 and Big Twin 2 are better at it than anything else I've come across - but there's an octave of LF extension that guitarists don't really need).

I think if you're using a Reformer 112 with a standard guitar speaker in it then I'd just treat it as any normal guitar cab when used with modelling - turn off the cab sims and use the modelling for the FX and amp only.

Regarding a Barefaced Diffractor guitar cab with the AVD tech, we're awaiting a sample of the F12-X200 from Celestion. If that works well it would be a much simpler and cheaper solution than building something around the innards of the Big Baby 2.

I think there's potential for a whole FRFR range, going from the monster Big Twin 2 as a 1600W 2x12" bass guitar oriented FRFR cab, via more multi-function bass/keys/guitar designs to a guitar specific FRFR model.
Hey Alex ,do you have any further thoughts on the F12 X200 ..? am thinking of putting one in my Reformer.
Edit ....just heard from Alex , apparently the F12 x200 does not fit in the reformer cab due to the doohickey he stuck in there, but is promising a new FRFR using it..soon...?
 
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Hey Alex ,do you have any further thoughts on the F12 X200 ..? am thinking of putting one in my Reformer.
Edit ....just heard from Alex , apparently the F12 x200 does not fit in the reformer cab due to the doohickey he stuck in there, but is promising a new FRFR using it..soon...?

Yes, Barefaced FRFR guitar cab due out soon - with F12-X200 and AVD and MORE! ;-)
 
QUESTION: Aloha everyone! I hope you all are well. The Barefaced cabs (and the Radical 212 in particular) are very intriguing. I've watched every video on Youtube I could find but don't see any in a live band situation or comments about that. I live in a small town and play with my band in either of 2 small venues, my cab is not miced, nor are we using any monitors, other than for vocals. We play a wide range of rock covers from AC/DC to Velvet Revolver, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots, etc... We have 2 guitars, bass, drums, and lead singer. I currently use a Fractal OMG9 set up (global cab off), a Matrix GT-1000, through a Matrix NL212. Often times, I find myself having to locate the "sweet spot" in front of my cab to hear myself over the other guitarist and our drummer always has difficulty hearing either guitar, even though he is slightly in front of our cabs, it's still too much to the side of him. We have tried angling our cabs more toward our drummer, but that causes more havoc, since the cabs are now facing either guitarist in a criss/cross arrangement. I was wondering if anyone had any experience using the Barefaced cabs in a live situation with 2 guitarists. My concern is with the "fill the room with sound" AVD technology and 2 guitars in the band. If I get a Barefaced cab, will it "override" the other guitarist and should I get one and it sounds great, and the other guitarists gets one too, will it just be overwhelming. Sorry, if this is a dumb question. I have no way of trying it out first and would hate to spend $1,100 only to have it not work for us especially since, even before Covid, we only gig maybe 5-6 times per year for fun. Any insight, shared experience would be greatly appreciated. Also, it would be great to see some Youtube reviews using the cabs in various live situations with a band. Mahalo, Rob
 
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