I’ve been curious about the Barefaced Reality 112FR cabinet for a couple of years, hoping they might develop a distributorship here in the US but, no-go so far. They are a very intriguing design but too pricey (for me) to order, sound-unheard, without the option to return it. I know their bass cabs are highly regarded.
Do any of you have any experience with this cab, particularly the active version? If so, could you offer a review?
I’ll take that as a no. 
Hi I have one and use a power stage 200 amp on my board. The cab sounds great and loud. I captured my Mesa and Fender its sounds very close. The open back throws the sound well. Expensive but light and does a great job.
I’m in Australia.
$906 USD. I can get the raw speaker for $150, say $150 to ship to USA what is the other $600 for in a passive cabinet?
Thank you for your input, gentlemen.
I should have mentioned, I’m interested in the active (Activier) version which adds a rear-facing tweeter for improved high-end dispersion. It’s an intriguing design but pretty pricey and there is no 30-day return policy here in the US. Understandable with the cost of shipping and now the added tariffs. Hopefully Barefaced will be successful enough to add distributors in the US in the near future.
JonC, how is the low frequency extension on your cab? I don’t play Metal and wouldn’t expect the “chug” of a 4-12 cab but I also don’t want to compensate for a thin sounding cab. I know every FRFR, PA cab and studio monitor manufacturer talks about “flat” response, yet they all sound different. That said, does the response of your Barefaced seem pretty neutral (no annoying peaks or valleys)? Have you tried playing pre-recorded music, from your phone or other device, through it? I’ve found this to be a good way to test FRFR cabs for smooth response.
I play with alot of musicians around the world online and have toured with alot and I’ll be away again soon and I was hoping Id get my hands on one b4 I hit the road … I’ve been very interested in the Barefaced activier and have watched a few sorta YouTube bits and pieces and well from what I can tell the videos have done nothing to convince me they are any better than any p.a speaker cause thats what they are in reality 
the extra tweeter firing out the back which has a volume control and power which I think is what they call the activier, it may add something but in general we are trying minimise the tweeter.. I have actually been in contact with them, because the circle I make music consists of alot of guitarists.
Who are gigging and touring have shown alot of interest in them, because they are willing to pay and like me weren’t convinced going by there videos even the guitarist in the video doesn’t look convinced using it and I mite be wrong but under the impression he is part of the company anyway with there high prices compared to say a headrush frfr or Fender there very expensive…
Anyway the videos I’ve seen so far don’t compare it against anything else nor have they managed to properly show the purpose of the rear firing tweeter or the difference it makes
Regardless of the design, I don’t think you can compare the cost of something coming off of an assembly line in China to somthing hand built in the UK. It has to cost more. I just wish I could try a pair to see if I like them enough to justify the cost difference.
I get ya…but this isn’t hand built vintage amp magic were talking about here… Watch a couple of the videos they have up and I don’t think anyone gave me the impression this gonna be the big boss in frfr…and that just my opinion and impression…our bass player thinks there stuff is fantastic small light weight and lots of power.. But it doesn’t translate in a live gig situation there anemic
You may be right but their bass cabs are certainly well regarded. I do miss the “openness” of an openback cab. I had an openback FRFR cab but it didn’t really do that openback thing because it used a coaxial, two-way speaker so the only sound emanating from the back was below the crossover frequency. Barefaced claims that their AVD and rear-facing tweeter give a smoother response over wider listening area. I’m pretty happy with the Headrush cabs I’m using (especially for the price, size, weight) but like most PA style cabs, their spread is pretty narrow. Anyway, unless Barefaced gets some distribution in the US, it’s all academic. 
Yes like you I’d really like to hear the reality and play through it… (But I also have a nice 25watt tube amp for my open back sound) .. To really see if there is a difference and actually hope they do well but it’s pricey as is and then to pay the extras upon arrival… It’s alot of cash considering the price of Fender tone master pro amp vs an frfr cab…i think I’d get the fender
Have you tried the Fender 10" and Headrush FRFR108? If so’ how would you compare the two? I’ve heard good things about the Fender FRFRs. Wish they had an openback version.
I purchased 3 frfrs online well 2 frfr Hrush and fr10 and a presonus air10… I felt I needed to purchase them at the same time so I could try them side by side… And I ended keeping the presonus air10… They were all fine I was just happier with air10… But sound is subjective and I felt the air10 suited me better…
At the time I was just going to front of house and just uding what was at the gigs and alot of the monitors onstage were bad so decided I need somtin of my own…
And the best I can say is on different settings/presets each one sounded better or that preset suited a certain cab better… But overall the air I liked most
we’ve got the Spark 10" 140w FRFR and the Fender FR12 in our studio/venue and have compared them extensively. They’re both pretty decent for the $
Hey Xush, are you talking about the Spark Live 150 (2-6.5" + 2-tweeters)? I’ve wondered about the Spark Live but questioned whether it would be loud enough. I own a Spark 40 and a Spark Go. They’re pretty slick for home practice and the Spark 40 has worked for low volume jams but I wouldn’t use it at a gig. Spark amps use a fair amount of “built-in” compression to make them sound bigger/louder but at the expense of dynamics. Does the Spark Live suffer from the same always-on compression or is there a mode or input that allows full dynamic range?
I just checked Positive Grid’s website, you must be talking about the Spark Cab, which I wasn’t familiar with. The same compression question stands.
It’s the 140w cab
I don’t feel or hear any unwanted compression. We’ve used it side-by-side w/ the Fender FR12 which most people seem to love and it could pretty much be dialed in to sound almost identical.
I wouldn’t use any of these for your only amplification on a gig, but they are fine for monitoring at home or onstage. The Spark Cab (they really should give it a model name!) is designed for an increased bass-response but I don’t feel it compromises dynamics at all. You can engage the “contour switch to emphasize low and high frequencies for a better sound balance at low volume” but I’ve never seen the need to do that.
Why not actually buy a 15watt tube amp… Cause none of them options are gonna give you the open back sound your looking for. Atleast a real tube amp will… Even the basic monoprice tube15 will sound better than any frfr.. It’s light small and sounds great…and only $329 Or 2nd hand fender blues Jr..
Thanks for the review, Xush. I appreciate you sharing your extensive knowledge.
DD, I used to use a Line 6 Pod Pro into a Dumble-inspired Brown Note combo kit that I built. Considering the primitive modeling (by today’s standards), I got some pretty good tones…as I recall. The downsides to your suggestion (for me) is I like using the cab modeling and IRs to really change the flavors. Also, I use the QC for my acoustic tones and may be adding a synth so full range is pretty mandatory.
To be honest, I’ve done some tweaking to my current rig, since my original post, and am quite satisfied. Of course I’m always open to being MORE satisfied. 
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Sound I get you now… Have you thought about maybe building your own and adding an extra tweeter to the rear of a cabinet… And adding a volume Inline or a selector switch to attenuate the rear tweeter… By 3db each flick of the switch seems like that would be fairly close
Yeah, I’ve thought about that and had even priced drivers, plate amps, etc. Been years since I built my last speaker cab. I don’t own a table saw any more and by the time I added up the wood, components and hours for my slow woodworking skills, I was in the red. 