If you were me, would you return it and wait to hear more? I can't imagine the Headrush or Line 6 Powerplus can touch this amp, even with the hiss. Thanks for your time, helping a newbie to this modeler FRFR world.
IMHO, if you've already got it and the hiss isn't driving you nuts, I'd keep it. Even if the hiss does bother you...
1. There's no guarantee that Fender is going to do anything about it, ever.
2. WKSmith has designs that work. He hasn't shared them yet, but he's got them.
3. He's also said that something close to a drop-in solution is coming. He has parts on order.
4. The work he's already shown fixes the issue with some trade-offs. It seems like we're not even waiting for "fixed", we're waiting for fixed, better, and easier, at least depending on exactly what you want out of the thing.
5. This isn't a tube amp. AFAIK, working on the preamp is incredibly simple and not particularly dangerous (
@WKSmith please correct me if I'm wrong about that). If that's the case, it looks like the fix would be simpler than wiring a Strat.
6. There really isn't much else that does what this does. Even the Friedman FRFRs at over twice the price have more complaints about the sound as opposed to just the noise.
As for this....
I can't imagine the Headrush or Line 6 Powerplus can touch this amp, even with the hiss.
Agreed. I haven't actually played one of the Headrush things. I should get around to that. But, I really can't imagine they're "better". They're cheap PA speakers and not special, at least based on anything I've seen. I've played PowerCabs several times and always come away with a sense of "I guess it's good" rather than "it's good".
I think I was the first person to play one of the fenders on this forum (I live near one of the top ~5 Guitar Centers in the US; they apparently had them before the leak, but the employees didn't know what they were), and I came away with the sense of "yeah, this is basically a PowerCab without all the BS that sounds better". IOW, "It's good."
I
was playing louder than I normally do, and in a GC showroom that's
huge compared to where I usually play (mastering is still a side-hustle for me, and guitar has always been a hobby rather than a job). But, I didn't notice the hiss, and the PowerCabs became "not a thing" in my head.
The
only reason I don't own one is that my wife works in film, which means a significant chunk of our family income this year was just gone with no real warning because of the WGA strike. We're fine. I could afford it. But, it's not a responsible choice to buy some random thing that I don't really need until we catch up a bit. (Side note: projects
are moving forward, regardless of what the internet "experts" are saying - I'm not sure I can say why without violating an NDA, but the fact that shows and movies are in production is public knowledge, just not widespread....also, she got a job offer within a couple hours of the WGA agreement, and no, she wasn't on strike...it's just that almost the whole industry shut down because of it.)
But at least IMHO, this is the thing that competes with running the modeler into a real cab.
It's the same promise of the Laney FRFRs, except they're in more stores and about half the price.
IMHO, based on what I have played and preconceptions...those are the three that at least kind-a make sense and are worth trying if you can: real cab, Laney FRFRs, and Fender FRFRs. Between those...I think you'd have to play them all to
know. But, the Fender is most cost-effective, and that'll probably still be true after WKSmith's mod board/plans.'
TL;DR: I
really like the FR-12. In the end, it's a completely clean, super high headroom combo amp with a tweeter that works with IRs. Which seems to be
exactly what a lot of people want for modelers, and I kind of can't believe that it took so long for someone to make one.
but it is possible to make the fix a plug and play solution. But yes working on small signal audio circuits is far less dangerous than touching a tube amps guts!
