From k2mojo@groovedaddies.com Wed Jan 29 13:36:17 2003
Subject:RE: barbetta 3105 A's... anyone have any info??

> I will be playing in mono most likely. Usually I am using the amp as a
> monitor but also need it as a stage amp for some gigs and all
> practices.Unlike my Roland KC500 (which I am trying to upgrade from) the
> Barbetta amps only have a mono direct to the mains. Therefore, I
> am assuming
> that you are using a mixing board to route your signal in stereo to the
> mains and then a separate signal to your monitor.

That's correct; I use an Alesis Studio12R mixer with the main outputs going
to the PA and the monitor outs going to two of the inputs on either a JBL
EON G2 or the Barbetta (when I take it out of the house). I find if I run
two independent L&R signals to the little mixer in the powered speaker, as
opposed to summing them at the output of the Alesis mixer and running just
one line, I don't have any trouble with phase cancellation. To keep things
simple and cheap, Behringer makes some great little mixers that would do
this nicely for you; their smallest, the UB502 has separate stereo tape
outputs for a monitor send to your powered speaker and it's only $50.

> It sounds like if I want a
> better bass response with a single amp I better go with the 41c. I'm
> surprised your freinds who are running in stereo don't just use a pair of
> powered Mackie SRM 450's or the like.

This has been argued in every User Group I belong to (except for the
Brittany Spears Group), but regarding the Mackie SRM450, the JBL EON G2 and
the Barbetta (any model) everybody has their favorite and swears by it. I
have all three and use them in different circumstances because of their
various strengths and weaknesses. Live, I use the JBL because it has great
bottom end, lots of volume and it's virtually indestructible. We've dropped
them off the ends of the stage and had full beers dropped into the front of
them and they perform just great. The only "complaint" I have about them is
they aren't as accurate of a speaker as the other two, but hell, I'm playing
in noisy, smoky bars and this is just not as important. The Mackie I use
for rehearsals and I'd say it's probably more accurate than the JBL, yet
doesn't have the same bottom end, but this is not all that important for
rehearsing. The Barbetta I play through at home for my own enjoyment and
the reason I keep it at all is because, IMHO, it is the best sounding
powered/active speaker on the market. One thing I've noticed about some of
the Barbetta detractors is they usually had trouble with one of the earlier
model Barbettas (which I did also) and now they hate them, but I'm hearing
less and less complaints about their dependability with the newest models.

> Thanks again for your help, it's hard to find out end user info
> on Barbetta amps,

Very true. Barbettas and Speakeasy Preamps are probably two of the hardest
things to audition in a store, so you pretty much have to buy one and see
for yourself whether it works for you (which is admittedly an expensive
course to follow), and then if it doesn't there's always eBay. I've been
lucky enough at times to have enough cash flow to purchase a new piece of
gear and A/B it against the old piece of gear before I had to resell one of
them (although this is not one of those weeks I could do that). What's bad
is when you decide they're both great and necessary and you can't bring
yourself to resell either one. Right now, I'm trying to figure out how to
raise enough extra $ to get an Electro so I can A/B it against my CX-3. My
fear is that I'll like them both the same and then I'll have to miss some
meals ;-)

Ed Fliege
k2mojo@groovedaddies.com
www.groovedaddies.com

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