Harley Benton FRFR-112A, and other low cost FRFR, share your thoughts.

R

Roadrunner

Power User
So I’m on the hunt again for a new FRFR set and its after few not so good experience with other brands. Maybe this time it will do the job.
The purpose is to use it both for home practicing + backing tracks (linked to the PC) as well as a monitor for me for live application.
I’ve been looking on the HB 112A for some time, price can’t be ignored + weight etc and it sounds sufficient (at least in the YouTube vids I’ve seen).
Does anyone has any experience with it?
Thanks.
 
A customer brought a FRFR-112A to my studio to "take a listen in an acoustically treated environment" so I had the opportunity to try it... Not bad for the price BUT not comparable (for construction and sound) to a Red Sound MF.10 or even to the small Elis.8.
I didn't like the DSP on it (and there's no reason to have with a FAS unit).
Obviously this is just my opinion...
 
I understand budget conscious... but when it comes to a good monitoring solution you need to spend some money! Otherwise it's always going to be a compromise with something.

If you look at all of the most recommended solutions that are being used it's for a reason and not just because they are spendy. CLR, EV PXM, Redsound, RCF NX are probably the top of the list for not just guitar but track reproduction as well.
 
Thanks for the info.
I would be happy to get a pair of Red Sound but the price……wow! Not exaggerated at all, not at all.
The Laney are no longer available @ Thomann so...(Im planning to order from them)
 
Diego said:
A customer brought a FRFR-112A to my studio to "take a listen in an acoustically treated environment" so I had the opportunity to try it... Not bad for the price BUT not comparable (for construction and sound) to a Red Sound MF.10 or even to the small Elis.8.
I didn't like the DSP on it (and there's no reason to have with a FAS unit).
Obviously this is just my opinion...
Click to expand...
I wish the Red sound had even rudimentary DSP capabilities. I always found it a touch too dark in the top end.
 
Jkist7 said:
I wish the Red sound had even rudimentary DSP capabilities. I always found it a touch too dark in the top end.
Click to expand...
Sound is often related to personal preferences and I see your point of view... but it's something you can dial from the modeler without any DSP (since I don't think that the DSP on this unit has a separate mic to adapt the sound to the environment).
 
Roadrunner said:
Thanks for the info.
I would be happy to get a pair of Red Sound but the price……wow! Not exaggerated at all, not at all.
The Laney are no longer available @ Thomann so...(Im planning to order from them)
Click to expand...
Yes they are pricey BUT it's like you buy a Ferrari and then use 4 low cost tyres.... at first corner at high speed the result is not what you thought before. You have the best unit with the best sound but then you sacrifice the sound with a low quality speaker. For sure Laneys are better than HB. I would contact Thoman to know if they will be available sooner or later so you can decide.
 
I started with the Headrush and then 2 Laney's the 8" and the 112...I found the Laney 8" to be the best of those ...the Laney 112 was too Boxy sounding with too much low mid's.
I now have 2 Fender FR10's and an EV PXM12...both of those are, to my ears ( retired soundman still with ears) are way more natural sounding and conform closer to any patches made on my fairly expensive Studio monitors.

The FR10's rock out and PXM is versatile and prisice, both get loud.

I heard someone say the FR12's sound boomy or boxy...so as always sound is subjective to the listener...mileage may vary!
 
Thank you all for the input, appreciate that, I agree about the Ferrari thing and cheap tires, thing is that the price is so tempting and current status can't justify hi end so...

BTW I'm also looking @ the Headrush 108 MKII, also very tempting, especially size wise. Not much more expensive vs. the H.B ones and much more portable.
What do you guys think of it?

The Fender FR10's looks nice and right weight / size but Thomann are not allowed to ship it to my country + not a big fan of a trad' look, I much prefer the monitor style look (will use it live as well).

I guess I will wait with the H.B monitors but on the other hand, I'm not in the market for hi end monitors / FRFR set, all these EV, MF etc are way out of my pocket and do not justify the cost from my perspective.

Laney's are interesting though.... they are available locally, will think of that direction as well.

I bumped into Positive Grid Spark CAB, anyone has tried it?

Found an interesting comparison between the 108 and the Fenders FR-10, 12:

I'm opened to hear more ideas.
Thank you all.
 
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Roadrunner said:
Thank you all for the input, appreciate that, I agree about the Ferrari thing and cheap tires, thing is that the price is so tempting and current status can't justify hi end so...

BTW I'm also looking @ the Headrush 108 MKII, also very tempting, especially size wise. Not much more expensive vs. the H.B ones and much more portable.
What do you guys think of it?

The Fender FR10's looks nice and right weight / size but Thomann are not allowed to ship it to my country + not a big fan of a trad' look, I much prefer the monitor style look (will use it live as well).

I guess I will wait with the H.B monitors but on the other hand, I'm not in the market for hi end monitors / FRFR set, all these EV, MF etc are way out of my pocket and do not justify the cost from my perspective.

Laney's are interesting though.... they are available locally, will think of that direction as well.

I bumped into Positive Grid Spark CAB, anyone has tried it?

Found an interesting comparison between the 108 and the Fenders FR-10, 12:

I'm opened to hear more ideas.
Thank you all.
Click to expand...


He is playing low volume jazz....I had both the HR 108 and I have the FR10 now and it is night and day for me.
The HR sound too mid centric at medium volume and turns to mud and squeals at high volume...I would wager he hasn't turned it up past 85 Db or so.
My 8" Laney FRFR was alright...beter than the HR for sure.
 
Another vote for the FR-10 and EV PXM. Both are great for what they do.

I'm on the list for two V2 preamps for my FR-10s. Kick that hiss to the curb!

Also, don't underestimate what Nick says about running dual mono. He's dead-right about that. I use the Lehle P-Split III coming out of my Ethos CFD (balanced mono out) into my FR-10s and it's wonderful. (That is with either the FX8 or HX FX in its loop) Yeah, stereo can be a lot of fun, but it's easy to get lost. I found the Cabzeus to actually help with that, but it could very well just be a phase issue.
 
Using an FM12 dB technologies. Works fine. Have a CLR also that I prefer slightly. Played a HB monitor once, 200W if I remember well, a bit too dark and less definition to my old ears but for a one gig stage return it did the job. Always single monitor in mono. Seems these fender boxes are having a hiss problem
that can be modded, check in a never ending thread here on the forum. Personally I'd not go for a fr-fr solution that needs modification (=warranty void) from the first day on.
Had a red sound MF12 of the older series a few years ago that I sold as it was a bit too much boxy sounding and mid colored to my taste and wouldn't fit for my acoustic guitar. I'd love to try the new red sound monitors but am not playing enough to justify any more investments 😉. The CLR has one big advantage with its 2 input channels that most other monitors don't have, I use one input from the console for band return and the other channel that I can adjust to taste for my FM3. Playing mostly bars and without IEM it's quite practical and taking less space than separate monitors.
 
Hello

sorry a bit late in the party... This is an aswer to Roadrunner who PM me, too.
With my AFX3 I have a HB FRFR112A connected to out2 of the AFX3, and a pair of matrix GM50 power amps, connected in stereo to my audio interface Motu828es via SPDIF. I have budget Thomann The Box PA302.
My usage is very simple in my home studio, just to have a good sound and take pleasure to play music. No reharsal, no gigs. So certainly very different requirements, from you guys, who are "real" guitar player ;)

So in my context, the HB112 are quiet good, used with flat eq on the back (just -2db @ 800Hz to avoid a small nazally notch). I have almost the same sound as through the GM50/PA302, and quiet the same with my studio monitors the good old berhinger Truth B2031A (really under rated, and fine for home usage, see more).
No issue, good for backintracks playback as well.
I know this a "entry level" set up with regard to AFX3, but all my friends visiting me are very pleased with the overall sound quality of these devices.
Of course, you might have (as myself) a different point of view if using at high volume for reharsal or gig...dont know.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

trb said:
a pair of matrix GM50 power amps, connected in stereo to my audio interface Motu828es via SPDIF. I have budget Thomann The Box PA302.
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Out of curiosity:
How you connect via SPDIF, an audio interface into an amp like the GM50 and moreover, where are these power amps feed to? as the box PA302 is active (own amp) so....
Im not sure I understood your routing.

trb said:
the good old berhinger Truth B2031A (really under rated,
Click to expand...
Agree.
 
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