Customer Feedback

07/08/25 - Activier Reality 112FR - UK

Absolutely stunning cab/amp may I say

Danny Page

11/07/25 - Activier Reality 112FR - USA

Well, my friends, you f*%king did it! I’ve installed the new Activier module today, and am very happy to report that your new design has essentially solved the EMI problem! The unit is now quite amazingly quiet, as you have proudly and rightly advertised.

EMI is gone, and the hiss is much much lower - overall, this is a much improved circuit layout if you ask me.

I would like to thank you for sticking with me as we worked together to improve the situation. You took me seriously and I’d like to think I did my part in providing good, actionable data.

How this was handled speaks quite a lot to your values as a company and something I will be sure to trumpet to those who ask my opinion. This Reality with Activier, I believe, is such a fantastic solution for us guitar modeling enthusiasts. I’ve played the Fender FR-12, which seems to be the king in everybody’s mind, and this one is just better all around. It’s a great bit of engineering, and the cabinet design itself has always been a game changer for me.

I believe that for the first time since I bought this product way back when, I’m truly experiencing what you want me to experience.

Thanks again to everyone at Barefaced, and please be sure that others on the team see this email. You've made my day.

CJ

11/07/25 - Activier Reality 112FR - USA

10/03/25 - Activier Reality 112FR - UK

Thanks all for your help with this. It sounds amazing!

What's the little ribbon thing at the bottom of the grille for? Is it just aesthetic?

All the best,

Charlie

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Hey man,

The tab is for taking the grill off if you ever need to change the driver (which you're far less likely to want to do in an FRFR cab than a traditional cab where you might want to play around with different drivers etc.). Top tip though, if you do want to take the grill off, get something pokey under both left corners and pull it out sideways.

Cheers,

Lewie

31/01/25 - Reality 112FR - Australia

Received the cab so many thanks for rushing this through - sounds amazing.

Jon

19/01/25 - Reality 112FR - USA

I bought the first iteration of the Reality FRFR cabs and have always loved how they translated the sounds from my Axe FX III, and how the adjustable tweeter worked for the differing guitars that I have; However, I thought there was something missing and couldn't put my finger on what it was. The chain that I use is the Axe into a Matrix GT 1000 FX (2U); directly into the 2 reality cabs. They were connected by a pair of Dean Markley speaker cables. Sounded great, just not fabulous. 2 weeks ago, one of the speaker cables seemed to start to cut in and out so decided to get a new set to connect to the cabs. I purchased a pair of Gator Cableworks Headliner Series, premium 12-gauge speaker cables and the fabulous is now there. I kind of did not believe all the talk about cables until I started purchasing better guitar cables and heard the difference they made. So, I did it with the cab cables and could not be happier. I recommend these cables highly. Hope this helps users of your cabinets. By the way, I would never get rid of or use any other cabinets for the AXE. One of the best purchases I ever made.

Joseph

08/01/25 - Reformer 112 / Reality 112FR - USA

Hi Alex,

Got an interesting question for you: I got a Reformer 112 from you last year and it is spectacular. I use it with my Mesa Mark V and she sings... I was wondering if anyone has ever requested one of your powered FRFR cabinets but with the ability to turn off the amp in the powered cabinet and use it as a standard cabinet with a guitar amp head? Or.. if that is even possible :-) I ask because I have two rigs, my Mark V head and I also have a Quad Cortex. Would like one ( or two for sublime stereo ) to be able to use with both of my rigs. I suppose I could always get another reformer and then use one of the smaller powered amp pedals like the Seymour Duncan power stage to power them off my quad cortex board. And.. what is the current lead times for the reformer 112's as well as your FRFR powered cabs? 

Thanks

Kevin

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Hi Kevin,

We have done an "active/passive" Reality 112FR for someone but the issue is that you really need to put an IR filter between the power stage of a guitar amp and the cab because it's an FRFR cab, or if you're running the power stage pretty clean you could put an IR before it - just something to take off all those highs that a normal guitar driver filters out.

However I think a lot of guitarists are going the wrong way with speakers for modellers - FRFR is great if you need all the sounds in the world and/or are using in-ears all the time. But so many guitarists would be better served by turning off the speaker modelling and using a real guitar speaker. So in your specific case, get an active/passive Activier 2 Reformer 112. Then you can use that cab your tube head along with your other Reformer, or you can use the Activier 2 in that cab to drive the new active/passive Reformer and your current passive Reformer in stereo.

Hope that makes sense!

Here's the current lead times - https://barefacedaudio.com/pages/production-and-delivery-times

They need updating though and we've had quite a lot of orders recently, so they'll probably be longer in reality. Hope to get that figured out this week!

Glad you're enjoying your Reformer!

Best regards,

Alex

03/06/24 - Reformer 112 + Reality 112FR - UK

Hi Alex,

For the last few years I have been learning to play an NS Design electric cello. I normally play sax/clarinet with different jazz, folk and experimental musicians, often with a PA, often with a mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, rarely at high volume or in large venues.

Now I want to try using the cello with these musicians too. The NS Design has a completely solid body and piezo pickups. My priority so far has been trying to create a core sound which is as close as possible to an acoustic cello. However, I also want to explore its great potential as an electric bowed instrument in the future. Until recently, I had long term loan of an AER amp which I used with the cello. The sound I got was quite mediocre. It improved massively with the addition of Cello IR software from a firm called 3 Sigma Audio, I run it in a TC Electronic IR loader pedal. However, the sound still remained rather dull and boxy.

I have now returned the AER to its owner and have bought a Katana 100W head. I decided on this because (1) my cello is an electric instrument, not acoustic (2) It is highly dependent on Impulse Response to create a decent acoustic sound (3) the Katana has powerful multi effects built in, modelled on classic Boss pedals, giving lots of potential to explore experimental playing.

So far, I’m very pleased with the Katana plus IR loader combination. The cello sounds a lot better using the ‘clean’ amp models (set to minimum gain) rather than the ‘acoustic’ settings - ie it’s more authentic, vibrant, dynamic. I now need to decide what to do about a speaker cab.

So far, I have tried:

1. The Katana head has a 35W 5 inch driver built in, intended for home practice. Considering its size, it sounds amazingly good, even at the lower end of the cello’s range. It has a vibrancy which the AER lacked and it produces a lot of volume, though not really the depth/richness to make it suitable for playing with other people. Bowing vigorously can produce unpleasant woomphing distortion.

2. I have a small HK Audio Polar PA. I have put the Line Out from the Katana through it and the signal is surprisingly weak, it needs a lot of boosting. Even then, the tone remains soft edged and very bass heavy. I’m sure I could improve it with some EQ work but it’s not inspiring.

3. I have tried a friend’s 1x12 cab for guitar which has a small port on the back. It’s old, unbranded, but apparently has a Celestion driver in it, I don’t know which model. The sound from this is the best I have had from anything, with lots of depth, detail and sparkle. Interestingly, I need to cut both bass and treble on the amp. The Katana has three options for modelling Cab Resonance (Vintage, Modern and Deep) and Vintage sounds the best. The sound to the rear of the cab is fairly good (due to the port, I guess) but at the sides is very weak.

All this makes me think that a 1x12 cab is what I should buy. Whilst researching different makes I came across your website and I am impressed by your approach to speaker design. In particular, I love your aim of filling a room with high quality (but not necessarily high volume) sound in the same way as happens with an acoustic instrument. I also very much want to be able to hear myself play as clearly as possible when I am with other musicians - being able to do this feels crucial on an unfretted instrument. I would greatly appreciate advice as to which of your speaker designs would best suit my needs: I read initially about the Reformer 112 and thought it sounded ideal. However, I then learnt about the Reality 112FR and suspect this might make more sense given my use of Cello IR software and the Katana?

Many thanks for your help!

Andrew

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Hi Andrew,

If you don't think this is a crazy idea, as we have a one month trial period then you could order both a Reality and a Reformer, compare them head to head and then return whichever one isn't best for you.

Alex

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Hi Alex,

It has been very interesting comparing the two side by side. They both sound very good, much better than anything else I have used and I would happily live with either of them. The differences I noticed were:

1. More powerful bass on the Reality, with enormous dynamic headroom at the bottom end. Fantastic, but actually the bass is overwhelming most of the time and I had to cut it to a minimum on the amp which seemed a shame.

2. It’s hard to put into words, but the Reality sounds a bit too refined, particularly in the low midrange where I sense a kind of stuffiness. I had a subtle feeling of there being something in between the instrument and the sound generated from it - as if the sound is artificial and coming out of a loudspeaker... a ridiculous thing to say because obviously it is exactly that, particularly as I am playing through both a cello IR and a modelling amp!! I get the same feeling (but to a greater degree) when playing through a PA - however, playing through the Reformer feels vibrant, gritty and directly connected to the instrument. 

3. As you would probably expect, the sound from the Reality was more consistent at the sides and the rear of the cab than the Reformer. That’s a great bonus and I really liked it. In fact, ironically, I think the best sound of all came from sitting directly behind the cab with the tweeter full on! Maybe you need to add a second tweeter on the front...

4. I have spent a while experimenting with the tone controls and can get the Reality feeling quite similar to the Reformer. That tempts me to choose the Reality and I imagine it’s possible that careful tweaking with a parametric EQ might completely solve the issues of excessive bass, stuffiness and feeling distanced. However, I don’t have the experience to do that quickly or to know if it’s really achievable. It would also feel a bit perverse to be needing to manipulate the EQ in sophisticated ways. So, I think I’m choosing the Reformer because it feels straightforward, honest, connected, vibrant.

Hope this all makes sense. I’m interested to know how my experience compares with that of anyone else using your cabs with modelling amps and instruments other than electric guitars…

Kind regards,

23/07/24 - Reality + Activier - Australia

I just received my 2 Reality cabs. One with the Activier fitted as well as the 2nd passive cab.

Do I assume input 1 on the Activier is already connected to the speaker inside the active cab?

I ask because I noticed there are speaker outs on the active cab labelled output 1 and 2 so I am confused what speaker output 1 is used for.

There is no diagram or document explaining the way to connect a stereo setup so I want to be sure I don't damage anything doing it incorrectly.

Also on the passive cab what is the 2nd speaker input used for? Do I assume the left input is the one connected to the speaker?

Lastly the passive cab has the tweeter adjustment but there is no similar knob on the active cab but there are the tweeter pad switches on the Activier.
Depending which pad setting I use (-3db, -6 or -9) how do I make sure the passive speaker tweeter knob is matching? Where do I set the knob for -3, -6 and -9 settings?

Oh and there was a document in the box saying something about a low cut switch which I can't find. I assume that switch isn't relevant for the Reality cabs?

Cheers,
Andrew

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Hi Andrew,

Apologies, I have yet to find the time to write a user guide for the Activier! 

Output 1 on the Activier Reality is already connected to the internal speaker. Speaker output 1 can be used to add an extension cab on that channel (each power amp channel will run down to 2 ohms) or if someone has chosen the optional passive input then we don't connect output 1 internally and instead the speaker output on the Activier module is connected to a passive input plate (like on your other Reality) via an external speakon lead (a short jumper cable about 6"/15cm long).

The two inputs on the passive Reality are both in parallel, so you can daisy-chain a second cab by using one as an output.

Regarding the rotary L-pad vs the switchable one, as both cabs will be in different places in the room they shouldn't be set the same but should be adjusted so they sound roughly the same (they'll rarely sound identical because of the differing room acoustics). I'd probably start with the pad at -3 or -6 and the rotary knob turned down about half to a quarter.

Yes, that thing about the low cut switch is for the non-FRFR - definitely need an FRFR + Activier user guide! Please email any questions you have, however silly they may seem. Off the top of my head, the only thing you shouldn't do is connect output 1 to output 2 or the outputs to any inputs. Normal stereo active + passive slave cab configuration is one side of signal chain to input 1, other side of signal chain to input 2, output 2 to passive Reality and that should be it - two 1/4" leads to the Activier module and one speakon lead from the Activier to the passive Reality.

Let us know how they sound!

Best regards,

Alex

09/07/24 - Reality 112FR - USA

I guess you know you're doing things right when someone orders another cab immediately after their first one haha! 

I have a unique question for you...  I was curious, I did not see that y'all could make the Reality as a 2x12 when I place my order. 

I was curious, if I were to send mine back (and pay for the shipping and whatever upgrade costs) you would accept the return and make me this thing as a 2x12? 

If not, no worries. I understand being oceans away from each other and I do love the cab still. I just think a 2x12 would have been "more perfect" 

Anyways, let me know. I do not intend to cancel my 2x12 order for the radical. That'll be specifically for my tube amp. 

Get back when you can

McClain

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Hi McClain,

Glad you're so pleased with the Reality! Regarding sending it back for a 2x12" version, that would be v expensive because we can't arrange shipping from the USA to UK so you'd be paying retail rates which are a lot. However, we can make you an extension cab, so for louder gigs you can stack the Reality 112FR on another 1x12", so it'll be the same as a Reality 212FRV, just in two boxes (which is how I do my 2x12" FRFR bass rig, with two BB3 rather than one BT3). Hope that makes sense!

Best regards,

Alex

08/07/24 - Reality (active + passive) - N/A

I purchased two Reality cabs, one with Stereo Activier, and one without.

My rig: Quad Cortex with built-in speaker models, and York Audio IRs. This stereo rig is an absolute monster in terms of tone. My friend and I have A/B tested it in the room with a Two-Rock stereo rig in vertical 212 format, and the Barefaced went toe-to-toe in a magnificent way. I also have been running a Boss GM-800 synth into the rig over the past two weeks; this is where the FRFR nature really shines through. I am able to scene swap on QC from synth, to guitar, to synth plus guitar, and it takes all the tone and creates a beautiful product where all sounds feel as they should.

Alex and the team have created something in the Reality that all guitarists should be looking forward to trying. You won't be disappointed once you have a chance to really mess around with one of these (preferably two... it's a ton of fun).

@NSRider24

27/06/24 - Reality FR w/Activier - USA

Just got mine in the mail yesterday and I'm sold. The quality of the sound and how it fills the area around you is epic. 100% worth the $$

McClain