is it just me or does a natural bat (no face) sound better?
Possibly - although quite often when an amature player uses a bat with a facing it is likely that the bat has been knocked in at a shop - which can mean it has been pressed again - as a result it will be duller. Plus Pros by their very nature will time the ball better than the rest of us mear mortals - hence the bat will sound better in a pro's hands.
I remember watching Graeme Hick back in the day, when he hit the ball there was a sound like a gunshot. Brilliant.
Loads of pro's use a facing on a bat, it will make a marginal impact on the performance of the bat, but the benefits of using the cover massively out way this. These include protecting the bat's face, sealing in moisture, saving you from sanding and oiling etc