Barefoot Footprint 03 - Par

FOOTPRINT03 AT A GLANCE

THE STORY

Say hello to the Footprint03, the next generation of Barefoot Sound’s highly acclaimed Footprint series. This tri-amplified 3-way studio monitor maintains the exceptional audio quality and design characteristics of its predecessors, the Footprint01 and Footprint02, all while offering a more compact design and an affordable price. Departing from the traditional sealed cabinet design, the Footprint03 embraces a fast transient ported speaker design, achieving remarkable low-end extension while upholding Barefoot’s renowned standards in cabinet construction. The cabinet’s Footprint Gray polyester coating, stress assembly techniques, and substantial weight contribute to stability and damping, combatting potential vibrations for an unparalleled listening experience.

Delving into the heart of the Footprint03’s innovation, the speaker boasts a 1″ ring radiator tweeter, a 3.5″ midrange driver with an aluminum cone, and a forward-facing 6.5″ aluminum cone woofer, each meticulously designed to enhance audio fidelity. The incorporation of advanced magnet and motor systems, copper shorting rings, and an improved heat-sink system ensure minimal distortion, longer excursion capabilities, and reliable performance even during extended use. The introduction of SPOC™ (SPectrally Optimized Conversion) technology and a groundbreaking Digital Signal Processor (DSP) further elevate the audio experience, providing higher resolution, reduced latency, and optimized frequency response for audiophiles and professionals alike. Barefoot’s MEME™ Technology adds another layer of versatility, allowing seamless integration into various applications, making the Footprint03 a true powerhouse in studio monitoring in a small package.

DESIGN

The goal at Barefoot Sound has always been to push the design limits of what is possible in a compact studio monitor. The Footprint03 is no exception; we are proud to introduce many new innovations in this model as well.

PORTED

Barefoot Sound, known for its sealed cabinets, proves its versatility with the introduction of a side-firing ported speaker design. Embracing this fast transient bass reflex system, they achieve remarkable low-end extension while maintaining Barefoot’s renowned standards in cabinet construction, comparable to their other acclaimed sealed cabinet designs.

CABINET

The cabinet boasts the well-known Footprint Gray polyester coating with its signature textured finish and is meticulously constructed using Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF). Employing stress assembly techniques to enhance stability and damping, these cabinets are in line with the exceptional standards of all other Barefoot monitors. Their substantial weight further aids in combating any potential cabinet vibrations.

TWEETER

The new 1″ ring radiator tweeter design boasts a more powerful magnet and motor system, resulting in longer excursion capabilities, increased volume output, and reduced compression for a truly dynamic and captivating audio performance. To ensure consistent peak performance, an improved heat-sink system has been integrated, effectively regulating operating temperatures during extended use. Additionally, the inclusion of extra copper shorting rings around the voice coil serves to further reduce distortion, delivering a pristine and accurate sound reproduction. The tweeter’s diaphragm is crafted from a high-quality fabric ring radiator material, while its housing adopts a sturdy aluminum enclosure and a solid aluminum face plug for superior rigidity and resonance control. Further enhancing its capabilities, the new tweeter incorporates Neodymium technology, culminating in a harmonious blend of precision, clarity, and unparalleled fidelity in high-frequency sound reproduction..

MIDRANGE

The Footprint03 3.5″ midrange driver utilizes an aluminum cone, further contributing to the driver’s rigidity and resonance control, thus enhancing the overall audio fidelity. The inclusion of a larger, high-sensitivity power motor and additional copper shorting rings around the voice coil effectively minimizes harmonic distortion, resulting in pristine and accurate sound reproduction. The driver’s advanced magnet and motor system, combined with its longer excursion capability, enable it to achieve higher volumes while maintaining minimal compression. Moreover, an improved heat-sink system ensures reliable performance even during prolonged use

WOOFER

The Footprint03 forward-facing 6.5″ aluminum cone woofer is driven by a robust 100W amplifier in each monitor, ensuring powerful and accurate bass reproduction. Its larger, high-sensitivity power motor, combined with additional copper shorting rings around the voice coil, effectively minimizes harmonic distortion, delivering pristine and accurate sound reproduction. With a more potent magnet and motor system, the new woofer design achieves longer excursion capabilities, resulting in louder and less compressed sound output. An improved heat-sink system ensures reliable performance even during extended usage, further solidifying the woofer’s durability and dependability.

AMPLIFIERS

The Footprint03 features three Class D amplifier modules, each dedicated to a specific driver. The tweeter channel has a 60-watt amplifier, while midrange and woofer drivers are supported by separate 100-watt amplifiers. The amplifiers maintain a total harmonic distortion (THD) of less than 0.005% when delivering maximum power. This configuration ensures a well-balanced, powerful audio performance, optimizing signal levels for each driver and facilitating optimal sound reproduction.

NEW TECH 

INTRODUCING SPOC™

SPOC™ (SPectrally Optimized Conversion) is introduced to the audio world through the Footprint03. The new Barefoot patented technology incorporates an analog crossover section prior to the analog-to-digital conversion, allowing us to pass the high frequencies into the converter unattenuated. This yields 5-bit higher resolution or a 15 dB signal-to-noise ratio. Exclusive to monitors featuring SpOC, this technology achieves a more transparent signal not found in any other monitor in its class.

DSP

The Barefoot Sound Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in the Footprint03 is at the heart of this cutting-edge technology. DSPs play a critical role in enhancing and optimizing audio signals, elevating the listening experience to unparalleled heights. With a remarkable latency of an impressive 3 ms, this DSP ensures a near-instantaneous response, eliminating any perceptible delay for seamless audio reproduction. By optimizing the drive level, the DSP enhances the low-end frequency response, delivering deeper and more impactful bass. Additionally, distortion is significantly reduced, allowing for enhanced clarity and sonic accuracy. This enables audiophiles and professionals alike to experience every nuance of the sound with pristine detail.

MEME™ TECHNOLOGY

Barefoot Sound’s Multi-Emphasis Monitor Emulation™ technology (MEME) elevates the adaptability of the Footprint03, enabling it to seamlessly integrate into a wide array of applications, including playback rooms, mobile setups, homes, and production environments. MEME provides authentic emulations that faithfully model the performance and unique character of mix cube speakers, the renowned white coned speakers we are all familiar with, and consumer hi-fi speakers. This empowers the mixer with the convenience to effortlessly switch between these iconic monitors for reference purposes.

TECH SPECS

• Description: Tri-amplified 3-way studio monitor with MEME™ Technology
• Controls: Input level stepped attenuator, MEME™ voice select
• Analog Input: XLR female, Pin 1 ground, Pin 2 positive, Pin 3 negative
• TRS Male, Tip: Positive, Ring: Negative, Sleeve: Ground
• Input Impedance = 20k Ohms
• Input Sensitivity (1m) = 90 dB @ -15 dBV (pass band)
• Analog to Digital Conversion: Word Length: 28-bit (56-bit High Precision)
• Sample Rate: 96 kHz
• Signal/Noise ≥ 100 dB
• Frequency Response: 45 Hz–40 kHz (+/-3 dB), 50 Hz–22 kHz (+/- 1 dB )
• Bass Response: -3 dB @ 46 Hz
• Q = 0.707 Slope = 18 dB/octave
• MAX SPL: Continuous 101 dB
• Cabinet: 10.5 liters total internal volume
• Solid aluminum baffle plate
• Polyurethane acoustic damping throughout
• Crossover Frequencies: 600 / 3900 Hz (Active crossover between drivers)
• Tweeter: 1″ ring radiator, low distortion motor,
• rear waveguide chamber. Amplifier: 60W
• Midrange: 3.5″ aluminum cone, aluminum phase plug, Low distortion motor +/- 3.5 mm linear excursion Amplifier: 100W
• Woofers: 6.5″ aluminum cone with low distortion motor
• +/- 9.5 mm linear excursion. Amplifier: 100W
• High Frequency Amplifier: 60W
• Mid Frequency Amplifier: 100W
• Low Frequency Amplifier: 100W
• Power: Mains Voltage Input: 85 VAC to 265 VAC universal
• Idle Power Consumption = 12W
• Maximum Power Consumption = 340W
• Weight: Speaker: 17.5 lbs each (12.66 kg)
• Dimensions HxWxD: 9″ x 13.25″ x 9.25″ (229 x 337 x 235 mm)