When most audio professionals (artists, producers, engineers, mixers) hear the name Barefoot they associate it with unaffordable speakers that they would only dream of owning or using at a big studio. The reality is that most of us are in our home/project studios that can’t facilitate these monitors… Cue the Barefoot Footprint01 model from the Portland Oregon manufacturer.
The Footprints offer an affordable home studio monitor but don’t confuse affordable with cheaper. The company does not comprise any of the components or details that make their speakers what they are in the industry. The speakers not only deliver the sonic qualities you expect in their lager models but also include the amazing MEME Technology that allows you to emulate 4 different types of listening with a simple switch… Why is that incredible? You no longer have to own two or three different sets of speakers and run out to your car in the middle of winter to check a mix back.
First impressions out of the box… Well, they look awesome. They have the clean and distinct look of a Barefoot speaker. The first time I turned on the speakers I sat down to listen to a couple of songs that I have heard a million times… Right away I noticed the clarity and detail of the top end. The 1” dual ring radiating tweeter on the cabinets are actually placed in the middle of the speakers under the midrange driver. The speakers are designed with 8” opposing woofers in each cabinet just like their higher-priced monitors and offer consistent and powerful low end so you don’t need to buy an expensive sub for your home studio either. These speakers sound so full and complete on their own and the translation to other sources… your headphones, car, etc… is exceptional. One thing I have noticed is the sense of space in the imaging. Panning elements and small details really stick out and come alive.
In short, this monitor offers extremely fast reference monitoring in your mixing process and top of the line hi-fidelity during tracking and playbacks. It’s both practical and impressive. The most important part of your home/project studio is your own ear and the Barefoot Footprint01 gives your ear the best tools to make decisions in your records!
Alex Brown – Mix Engineer
