I have the Barefoots, upgraded from Neumann KH120a. At first they were hard to get used to as they are the opposite sound signature to the neumanns (the Neumanns sound warm and dark), but I gave them a chance. I worked on them for a while and got pretty used to them. In my opinion they beat the Neumann's in just about every way a speaker can be beaten. Excellent purchase; strongly recommended. My mixes are translating effortlessly and the most intricate details of the music are immediately apparent. Very fair price too!
@@itznoxy7193 Yes definitely, they sound very slightly scooped in the low mids, and hi-mid forward. There was definitely an adjustment phase for me to get used to them. They have a bigger soundstage, more bass extension, and way more detail too. Make sure you get a quiet pair though, my first pair was noisey, but the dealer sent another one.
I think i had these monitors for 2 months and I absolutely love them. I never in my life paid this much for a monitor before but I had to have these. I went back and forth on reverb with so many monitors, some cost more and other were less. I don't regret the choice I made. They sound good and I'm loving the meme technology.
And here I am with my 80ies hifi speakers (40hz-20khz) that have blown cones which I fixed with silicone which actually gave them tighter low end respond. I saw a similar pair once at flee market for 15 euros, I should have bought them as extras. Been mixing with these since 1998 and I rely on them, but it sometimes bothers me a bit whether I'm missing out on spotting distortion or some minor details.
hey, great review! especially interesting pov with comparison of these with atc's. did you measure with a sub? on your measurements both pairs go down to, like, 23hz with no problem, but on paper they go down to 45 or something
Added the Footprint 02s as our new main near fields. They are the most useful pieces of gear in the whole place. Ultra honest, while still being really fun to listen to. Incredible sound stage and depth of field. Some reference mixes that I've used for years suddenly had their flaws instantly exposed.
Great video! Would be very interested to see what you think of the Fluid Audio image 2’s vs Barefoot 03s… similar-ish price range, and both entry level 3-ways!
The fluid are great the barefoots has difficult translation.But avoid 3 ways for near field at all cost you will run in to phase issues.Those are good for midfield or big room.For near field tue best are coaxial because of the excellent phase response basically if u come back to the mix it sounds the same to where u left it as it doesn't trick your brain
@josiahscottquinn Adam are difficulty to translate .Adams have a sound.For translation you can have a look at APS monitors they translate really professional .
Great video Thomas! It’s nice to see some measurements of these monitors. I have had my 03s for a couple months and they have been an absolute dream! Side note: I’m going to try putting the tweeters in today just to see if I like it better. The default on these is tweeters out but the manual says you can do either way. The phantom center should be better tweeters in I would imagine.
@@tronmosesmedia4816 Yamaha hs5 and focal alpha 65. I also went to sweetwater to compare them to Neumann kh120ii, focal shape 65, and Genelec 8040. They were the clearest in the mid range, tightest in the bass, and the best stereo field. It felt like they didn’t even compare but that might be mostly down to them being 3 way.
Do a review on Mackie MR824's I am curious how far off they are from highgrade monitors and what changes need to be done with them to get them closer to a studio quality sound if possible.
Coming from mackie Hr824 mk2, the barefoots blow them away by a mile. Can hear things that i couldn't before! would recommend them. Even sold my ns10's as the meme technology on these is excellent
I know the ATC very well..... for me they are so good that I hate to work on them.... Nothing sounds good they are revealing and honest but that does not make them nice speakers for a home producer (EDM mostly) If I was a mix engineer only then maybe they would be the best choice but they are lack bit of bottom. My search ended with the focal SM-9 (best of both worlds for me) Nice to work on, accurate enough to deliver good translating mix and they are full range and can be midfield and nearfield with the focus button.
It’s so amazing how monitors are so personal. I like what focal does, but the sm9’s i really had a hard time working with. The passive radiator made low end really slow to me.
Hoi Thomas, hoe verhouden deze barefoot’s zich tov bijv de Genelec’s in die prijsklasse? Ik heb een kleinere studio 3,25m bij 4,5m. Ik kan ze zoals jij van de muur af zetten. Twijfel tussen deze 3 weg / 2 of 3 weg Genelecs. Ben benieuwd wat jij zou doen met een budget van 2k’ish. Toffe podenco, heb er hier ook 2 😉
Heey ! Nice review ! But I think you placed the speakers opposite of how they should : the bass reflex is like ATC facing the outside ,so the the bass is inside and the twiter on the outside.
So, on the atc’s the port is on the side of the low driver, here it’s on the other side. I think i mention in the video that i’m putting them exactly the same as my atc’s as ive gone theough testing them in both configurations and low drivers out worked best.
your points made with the reference tracks are interesting as it seems the Barefoots are more in tune with the actual records. Please give us a follow up also with respect to bass output.👍
DSP means their is another cycle of dac in your speakers, it’s what hypex does, its allowing you to eq your speaker results, I think it sucks, get great analog monitors and get your room together
I work on the Neumann KH310. How are the Barefoots 03 against the 310? Also thought about a big upgrade to Telegrapher Gorillas. Somebody here who heard all of them and can tell something about them?
I own the Barefoots, and have heard the 310s in another studio. I also used to own the KH120s. Neumann KH310s win IMO, but they were out of my price range. The 310s are more spacious, better bass extension, and better centre image (and less self noise). Barefoots have better high end, absurd amounts of detail/tightness, and can go deafeningly loud. Both are really nice and musical. Still very happy with my FO3 purchase, and not tempted to upgrade any time soon. The only speakers I've heard that beat the 310s are ATC SCM50s, but I'm not in the world of spending that kind of money. Not familiar with the Gorillas so cannot comment. Hope that is helpful
@ Thanks for your detailed answer, great. Maybe did you mean the ATC25s? Meanwhile I bought the Neumann 750 DSP subwoofer with the alignment mic and now I decided not to switch anything. The sub + the 310s calibrated to the room is another level to just the 310. But the Gorillas still interests me a lot.
@@axoplanet6081 that’s a fine setup right there. I’m sure you’re enjoying it immensely. I’ve never heard the SCM25s, only the 50s, but I’m sure they’re all excellent
I have avantone abbey they do what this do and a lot more becayse of the air motioj transformer.Also the paper cones sounds dramatically better then others transients are very realistic .There is no coloration of woofers.These days uncan mix with 300 bucks speakers and put in your pocket engineerrs with expensive speakers.As long as you have mixcubes expensive speakers make no sense you will not hear that much better.With the mixcubes only u can create amazing mixes as they reveal the musical stuff the mids.
@@thomasvopstal I was curious to see what results you would get by mixing the same song on your ATCs vs the Barefoots and seeing how they translate directly in the bounce and what you might perceive listening to them in different listening environments.
I gotta say, while I know monitors are a huge personal preference and taste, I was not impressed by this model. I’ve recorded using mini mains and mixed on foot prints. I have much respect for the brand but there is something about this 03 that doesn’t do it for me. I demo’d them extensively in store so perhaps I just need to give them another try in my treated control room. I’d sooner spend two thousand dollars in acoustic treatment and getting the room right before purchasing these monitors. My two cents. Cheers!
For high quality speakers 2k is actually cheap. But they may not be high quality. Speakers can sound great and start having issues early on. In that case 2k is a lot of money,
All manufacturers will start coming up with cheaper but good monitors since economy dictates such approach. It’s better to sell 1000s of $2k monitors than few $10k pairs… The tech that goes into those is not “rocket science”
Right? Do note that the measurement is more a tool of reference than an absolute comparison. There are many more factors that make monitors good or bad besides the frequency response
Hey Thomas, thanks for the video, it was very interesting. Although I understand it doesn't fully translate to a real-world situation, I still find it valuable when someone includes an audio demo, if done well. One of the best I've come across is Kirk Monteux Productions' Neumann KH310 vs vid th-cam.com/video/00klIguGgrs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ZGs3VQm4RhupTe7r
@@GingerDrums A recording of speakers can provide a general sense of their sound characteristics, such as tonal balance, clarity, dynamic range, and possibly some aspects of transient response, though it's never a true representation. Listening through different headphones or speakers introduces its own coloration, so while useful for comparison, it's more of a rough guide than an accurate reflection of how the speakers sound in person.
@@GingerDrums You're right, there are many factors, like room acoustics, mic choice, and playback system, that affect the recording far more than the actual speaker's performance. Indeed, trying to judge a speaker's quality solely based on a recording can be misleading. At best, it provides a rough comparison, but I agree that it's not a reliable representation of how the speakers will sound in real-world use. Direct listening in a well-treated space is always the best way to evaluate speakers. However, since this is a video review, it adds an experiential layer to the technical specs and subjective descriptions. Viewers can relate the reviewer's comments to the actual sound, offering a more engaging review experience.
ATC GIVES THE RAW RECORDING/MIX/MASTER BAREFOOT GIVES YOU A PRETTY /PRETTIER SIDE OF WHAT YOU’RE LISTENING TO. I PREFER ATC. HANDMADE IN-HOUSE ALL ANALOGUE
2k the pair. So not 4k. 2k is q very reqsonqble proce for professional monitors. Enough lower priced stuff in the hobbyist and prosumer ranges that is stellar nowadays and can serve professionally even.
The point of this video would be saying you can get a similar car for 1/5th the price. So if you would be in need for a high end monitor, this is only 2 instead of 10. If you do this for a living, high end monitors are extremely beneficial and necessary in some cases.
I have the Barefoots, upgraded from Neumann KH120a. At first they were hard to get used to as they are the opposite sound signature to the neumanns (the Neumanns sound warm and dark), but I gave them a chance. I worked on them for a while and got pretty used to them. In my opinion they beat the Neumann's in just about every way a speaker can be beaten. Excellent purchase; strongly recommended. My mixes are translating effortlessly and the most intricate details of the music are immediately apparent. Very fair price too!
Would you say then these speakers are cool and bright if they are the opposite of the Neumanns?
@@itznoxy7193 Yes definitely, they sound very slightly scooped in the low mids, and hi-mid forward. There was definitely an adjustment phase for me to get used to them. They have a bigger soundstage, more bass extension, and way more detail too.
Make sure you get a quiet pair though, my first pair was noisey, but the dealer sent another one.
I think i had these monitors for 2 months and I absolutely love them. I never in my life paid this much for a monitor before but I had to have these. I went back and forth on reverb with so many monitors, some cost more and other were less. I don't regret the choice I made. They sound good and I'm loving the meme technology.
Right?! I’m also a fan!
I got to hear these at NAMM as well and was blown away. Definitely on my list to check out.
If they sound that good straight out of the box, that's impressive.
I'd burn them in for a few days before drawing any conclusions.
And here I am with my 80ies hifi speakers (40hz-20khz) that have blown cones which I fixed with silicone which actually gave them tighter low end respond. I saw a similar pair once at flee market for 15 euros, I should have bought them as extras. Been mixing with these since 1998 and I rely on them, but it sometimes bothers me a bit whether I'm missing out on spotting distortion or some minor details.
I was already sure I wanted this pair as an upgrade from my current setup (shitty old jbls), and now you just made the update to be more urgent!!
Hey Thomas! Great in-depth informative video. Really glad you like them. Rock on
hey, great review! especially interesting pov with comparison of these with atc's. did you measure with a sub? on your measurements both pairs go down to, like, 23hz with no problem, but on paper they go down to 45 or something
Added the Footprint 02s as our new main near fields. They are the most useful pieces of gear in the whole place. Ultra honest, while still being really fun to listen to. Incredible sound stage and depth of field. Some reference mixes that I've used for years suddenly had their flaws instantly exposed.
footprint 02 o footprint 03?
@@joaquinruiz3039 02
Great video! Would be very interested to see what you think of the Fluid Audio image 2’s vs Barefoot 03s… similar-ish price range, and both entry level 3-ways!
The fluid are great the barefoots has difficult translation.But avoid 3 ways for near field at all cost you will run in to phase issues.Those are good for midfield or big room.For near field tue best are coaxial because of the excellent phase response basically if u come back to the mix it sounds the same to where u left it as it doesn't trick your brain
Rare to see someone review a pair of monitors compared to more expensive monitors that they already own.
It’s a fresh perspective
I’ve been between Footprint 03 & Adam A8H. Do you have any experience between those two?
@josiahscottquinn Adam are difficulty to translate .Adams have a sound.For translation you can have a look at APS monitors they translate really professional .
Great video Thomas! It’s nice to see some measurements of these monitors. I have had my 03s for a couple months and they have been an absolute dream!
Side note: I’m going to try putting the tweeters in today just to see if I like it better. The default on these is tweeters out but the manual says you can do either way. The phantom center should be better tweeters in I would imagine.
What were you using before you got these?
@@tronmosesmedia4816 Yamaha hs5 and focal alpha 65. I also went to sweetwater to compare them to Neumann kh120ii, focal shape 65, and Genelec 8040. They were the clearest in the mid range, tightest in the bass, and the best stereo field. It felt like they didn’t even compare but that might be mostly down to them being 3 way.
Ive got 2 pairs of these. Simply the beat in this price range.
Those are very nice
Hoi. Ik zelf gebruik de event opal. Die zijn echt super.
Do a review on Mackie MR824's I am curious how far off they are from highgrade monitors and what changes need to be done with them to get them closer to a studio quality sound if possible.
Coming from mackie Hr824 mk2, the barefoots blow them away by a mile. Can hear things that i couldn't before! would recommend them. Even sold my ns10's as the meme technology on these is excellent
I know the ATC very well..... for me they are so good that I hate to work on them.... Nothing sounds good they are revealing and honest but that does not make them nice speakers for a home producer (EDM mostly) If I was a mix engineer only then maybe they would be the best choice but they are lack bit of bottom. My search ended with the focal SM-9 (best of both worlds for me) Nice to work on, accurate enough to deliver good translating mix and they are full range and can be midfield and nearfield with the focus button.
It’s so amazing how monitors are so personal. I like what focal does, but the sm9’s i really had a hard time working with. The passive radiator made low end really slow to me.
Hoi Thomas, hoe verhouden deze barefoot’s zich tov bijv de Genelec’s in die prijsklasse? Ik heb een kleinere studio 3,25m bij 4,5m. Ik kan ze zoals jij van de muur af zetten. Twijfel tussen deze 3 weg / 2 of 3 weg Genelecs. Ben benieuwd wat jij zou doen met een budget van 2k’ish. Toffe podenco, heb er hier ook 2 😉
hey there, what software are you using to analyze?
Heey ! Nice review !
But I think you placed the speakers opposite of how they should : the bass reflex is like ATC facing the outside ,so the the bass is inside and the twiter on the outside.
So, on the atc’s the port is on the side of the low driver, here it’s on the other side. I think i mention in the video that i’m putting them exactly the same as my atc’s as ive gone theough testing them in both configurations and low drivers out worked best.
I wonder how these compare to the PMC 6-2’s
your points made with the reference tracks are interesting as it seems the Barefoots are more in tune with the actual records. Please give us a follow up also with respect to bass output.👍
Hey Thomas, have you ever listened to some Geithain Monitors? Would be interested on your opinion on them, compared to your ATCs and those barefoots…
Playlist link? These monitors are convincing me more a more each day 😢
It's on his linktree in his about section
DSP means their is another cycle of dac in your speakers, it’s what hypex does, its allowing you to eq your speaker results, I think it sucks, get great analog monitors and get your room together
Nice monitors! 🔥
$600/mix would be my rate for this investment! 😅
how's the transient response compared to CLA 10/NS 10?
I work on the Neumann KH310. How are the Barefoots 03 against the 310? Also thought about a big upgrade to Telegrapher Gorillas. Somebody here who heard all of them and can tell something about them?
I own the Barefoots, and have heard the 310s in another studio. I also used to own the KH120s. Neumann KH310s win IMO, but they were out of my price range. The 310s are more spacious, better bass extension, and better centre image (and less self noise). Barefoots have better high end, absurd amounts of detail/tightness, and can go deafeningly loud. Both are really nice and musical. Still very happy with my FO3 purchase, and not tempted to upgrade any time soon. The only speakers I've heard that beat the 310s are ATC SCM50s, but I'm not in the world of spending that kind of money.
Not familiar with the Gorillas so cannot comment.
Hope that is helpful
@ Thanks for your detailed answer, great. Maybe did you mean the ATC25s?
Meanwhile I bought the Neumann 750 DSP subwoofer with the alignment mic and now I decided not to switch anything. The sub + the 310s calibrated to the room is another level to just the 310. But the Gorillas still interests me a lot.
@@axoplanet6081 that’s a fine setup right there. I’m sure you’re enjoying it immensely.
I’ve never heard the SCM25s, only the 50s, but I’m sure they’re all excellent
You did review the Iloud precision MTM as well. how do these two compare? same price bracket
I think i like these more
0:49 Just record the sound of the monitors with your phone
Name checks out 😂😂😂
Really? 😂
@@mdptg1990 Yes
I have avantone abbey they do what this do and a lot more becayse of the air motioj transformer.Also the paper cones sounds dramatically better then others transients are very realistic .There is no coloration of woofers.These days uncan mix with 300 bucks speakers and put in your pocket engineerrs with expensive speakers.As long as you have mixcubes expensive speakers make no sense you will not hear that much better.With the mixcubes only u can create amazing mixes as they reveal the musical stuff the mids.
Have you mixed a track on these yet? If so, are they as clinical as the ATCs
Try Kali Audio IN8's - 3 way - $750 a pair
Do you have song mix example of songs on both?
How do you mean exactly?
@@thomasvopstal I was curious to see what results you would get by mixing the same song on your ATCs vs the Barefoots and seeing how they translate directly in the bounce and what you might perceive listening to them in different listening environments.
Looks like speaker placement in combination with the room is comb filtering.
7:58
Do you think it’s worth to upgrade from neumann kh 120 ii????
I would say a 3 way system is always a great upgrade
8:20 "let's not focus…" camera: "ok."
Hahaha it understood the assignment i did not want it to understand🫠🫠
Also bether than the Yamaha Hs8 for bigger rooms?
Yes, theyre in a different league
I gotta say, while I know monitors are a huge personal preference and taste, I was not impressed by this model. I’ve recorded using mini mains and mixed on foot prints. I have much respect for the brand but there is something about this 03 that doesn’t do it for me. I demo’d them extensively in store so perhaps I just need to give them another try in my treated control room. I’d sooner spend two thousand dollars in acoustic treatment and getting the room right before purchasing these monitors. My two cents. Cheers!
2000 dollars still is a lot of momey
Yes, definitely! But compared to what other 3 way monitors in this range cost, it’s not super expensive
For high quality speakers 2k is actually cheap. But they may not be high quality. Speakers can sound great and start having issues early on. In that case 2k is a lot of money,
They could easily cost 2k for 1 unit.
Bro, ive got 2 pairs. They’re incredible.
All manufacturers will start coming up with cheaper but good monitors since economy dictates such approach.
It’s better to sell 1000s of $2k monitors than few $10k pairs…
The tech that goes into those is not “rocket science”
2 minutes in, I drifted to the comments. So now I will watch to find out why 2,000 for TWO speakers is considered "cheap".
Wow! The ATCs are definitely great. But just by comparing the measurement graphs, it doesn't seem to me like there's a $5k difference in sound quality
Right? Do note that the measurement is more a tool of reference than an absolute comparison. There are many more factors that make monitors good or bad besides the frequency response
The measurement would suggest that your room is imparting a very similar footprint on both sets of speakers
Only $2000 a pair? Get me 8!
Thanks for demonstrating chat gpt amongst all commercial ia use is lying... It is done on purpose for some stuff and not for others... Peace brother
Hey Thomas, thanks for the video, it was very interesting. Although I understand it doesn't fully translate to a real-world situation, I still find it valuable when someone includes an audio demo, if done well. One of the best I've come across is Kirk Monteux Productions' Neumann KH310 vs vid th-cam.com/video/00klIguGgrs/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ZGs3VQm4RhupTe7r
Thanks, i’ll take a look at that and see if that’d be something i could do as well!
How is a recording of speakers useful? Yes, this is a rhetorical question...
@@GingerDrums A recording of speakers can provide a general sense of their sound characteristics, such as tonal balance, clarity, dynamic range, and possibly some aspects of transient response, though it's never a true representation. Listening through different headphones or speakers introduces its own coloration, so while useful for comparison, it's more of a rough guide than an accurate reflection of how the speakers sound in person.
@@Max-bh1pl its just misleading imo. The room, mic choice and your playback system will have much more influence than the actual speakers...
@@GingerDrums You're right, there are many factors, like room acoustics, mic choice, and playback system, that affect the recording far more than the actual speaker's performance. Indeed, trying to judge a speaker's quality solely based on a recording can be misleading. At best, it provides a rough comparison, but I agree that it's not a reliable representation of how the speakers will sound in real-world use. Direct listening in a well-treated space is always the best way to evaluate speakers.
However, since this is a video review, it adds an experiential layer to the technical specs and subjective descriptions. Viewers can relate the reviewer's comments to the actual sound, offering a more engaging review experience.
never gonna sound great is hilarious
big like from "ISRAEL" !!
12:55 Maybe it has too many S's?
ATC GIVES THE RAW RECORDING/MIX/MASTER
BAREFOOT GIVES YOU A PRETTY /PRETTIER SIDE OF WHAT YOU’RE LISTENING TO.
I PREFER ATC. HANDMADE IN-HOUSE ALL ANALOGUE
ATCs 100% have their own sound and colour the sound coming out of them
Barefoot is still overpriced af. The Neumann smoke them at half the price. More expensive ≠ better!
Lol 2k on those. Feck that.
Low end drivers to the inside is proper set up, unless of course u r the only person on the planet that mixes low end in stereo🤦🏻♂️
All good, set up your monitors how they work best for you!
That's not how stereo works. If you have the same single coming out of the monitor at the same level. It will be mono.
Oh nvm that’s way too much for my budget
I can't believe the Lamborghini Urus is just 300K hahaha..Man, 4k for a pair is out of the picture for most of us..
2k the pair. So not 4k. 2k is q very reqsonqble proce for professional monitors.
Enough lower priced stuff in the hobbyist and prosumer ranges that is stellar nowadays and can serve professionally even.
@@asymmetrymedia9838 I was just joking:)
The point of this video would be saying you can get a similar car for 1/5th the price.
So if you would be in need for a high end monitor, this is only 2 instead of 10. If you do this for a living, high end monitors are extremely beneficial and necessary in some cases.
"Only" lol
You did notice i compared them with $10k monitors right?😂 i know it’s a lot of money, but for what you get it’s far from expensive!
I can still get better mixes on my couple hundred dollar ns-10s and a properly treated room smh
A market exists for higher quality speakers with modern technology. Stop hating