“Barefaced Audio Raises the Bar Again” Bassic Review – Barefaced Audio Big Twin 3 Bass Enclosure

Performance

The Big Twin 3 is an exceptional bass speaker cabinet that delivers high-end accuracy and deep, controlled bass response. The cabinet featuring two custom 12XN550 neodymium drivers, designed in collaboration with Eminence USA, offers unparalleled performance in a compact and portable package. With a massive power handling of 1,600w RMS and an impressive maximum SPL of 133dB, the Big Twin 3 can effortlessly fill large venues, without sacrificing clarity or depth.

What sets this cabinet apart is the 12XN550 driver, which combines the high sensitivity of a pro-audio mid-bass driver with the excursion capabilities of a subwoofer, optimised for bass guitar applications. The result is a cabinet that outperforms traditional designs, while maintaining a remarkable tonal accuracy on and off-axis.

Complex Internal Construction

Barefaced Audio has very kindly shared with us a detailed look at the construction of the Big Twin 3 and what makes it different to an “off-the-shelf” bass speaker cabinet design. I have added a clip to my review video for you to check out.

At first glance, the Big Twin 3 looks quite unconventional, with its complex internal brace structure exposed. But there’s an ingenious method behind this unorthodox appearance. The core innovation is the internal “monocoque space frame” – an interlocking maze of struts and braces. This achieves three critical purposes. First, it makes the entire cabinet extremely stiff and solid, ensuring those crucial low frequencies remain tight and articulate. Any experienced bassist will tell you there’s nothing worse than a flabby bottom. Second, the complex geometry serves to break up and diffract internal sound reflections that can cause midrange muddiness. While not an anechoic chamber inside, it’s far better than the usual parallel box design that colours the resultant tone. The third benefit is vastly increased strength and longevity – crucial for withstanding the rigours of touring musicians. Even if that is only up the stairs of The Dog And Duck at the weekend. Yet somehow, Barefaced Audio has kept the overall weight quite reasonable, at just 25Kg.

But the clever design touches don’t end there. The vertical “spine braces,” along with supplementary struts, form a rigid framework for a new system Barefaced Audio humorously calls “Supercooler Tech.” I won’t pretend that I fully understand Hermann Von Helmholtz’s theories, however, in the hands of Alex Claber – company owner and products designer – who has a very solid background in engineering, the venting system actively pumps cooling air across the rear heatsinks of the 12XN drivers. Additional “motor vent deflectors” then channel this heated air up through the top section of the main front-firing port to create a chimney effect, constantly evacuating hot air from inside. This ingenious thermal management system allows higher sustained volume levels, while keeping power compression and distortion in check.

There are even strategic holes cut into the cabinet to further aid hot air evacuation. But don’t worry, these are precisely sized and located to avoid audible air noises while still allowing extra internal diffraction. Very clever stuff indeed. Barefaced Audio has obsessively painstakingly refined every last detail. Even the internal brace dimensions are calculated to be non-harmonically related, (different sizes) minimising resonant panel modes.

In Use

How does the Big Twin 3 perform in a gig situation though? Well, I am yet to get anywhere near a point where the speaker cabinet runs out of juice in a live environment, and that is good news. My amplifiers are powerful. What I have noticed is that it is worth taking some time to get used to the more even response of the Big Twin 3. I have found that I have dialled the bass control on my amplifier down, as the cabinet is more capable of reproducing lows sent to it. You also get less of the “steep high-pass filter effect” you tend to experience with ordinary boxes. Mid-range frequencies of even the most stubborn pickups are easier to deal with, as I’m not struggling with competing responses throughout the signal chain. The top end is a joy; clear and detailed. However, you can dial it back for a smoother sound, but maxed-out exhibits extra output, should you want that full-on slap-bass clarity! 

Physically Speaking

Weighing in at 24kg (54.5lbs), cloth grill model, the Big Twin 3 is relatively lightweight for its output capabilities, making it a practical choice for gigging musicians. Quality construction and attention to detail ensure that this cabinet will withstand the rigours of the road, whilst designed to deliver exceptional performance night after night.

Big Twin 3 features side handles that have been placed with ergonomics in mind. You don’t have to bend all the way down to lift the cabinet, and, when you do, the natural position standing means that your knees and shins won’t take a beating as you navigate stairs and venue corridors. I found it will fool you, as the whole cabinet in this lifted position feels lighter than an 18Kg cabinet I have nearby. If you do find yourself walking long corridors, well, there’s a set of wheels on the back of the cabinet and a handle on the back edge. Tilt and walk. Along with metal corners and a tough acrylic coating to protect the cabinet, there’s also an optional well-padded cover to suit that includes cutouts for the carry handles. Good design thought here, too.

Summing Up

All told, the Big Twin 3 is a lovingly over-engineered piece of hardware, the result of years of R&D. For thunderous low-end grooves that remain as cool and composed as can be, or rich room-filling clarity, the Big Twin 3 deserves high praise. Overall, the Barefaced Audio Big Twin 3 is a game-changer in the world of Full Range Flat Response, offering uncompromising sound quality, remarkable output, and innovative design in a portable and gig-ready package.