Best Powered FRFR Monitor

Which Powered FRFR Monitor?

  • ATOMIC CLR

    Votes: 53 50.0%
  • Matrix FR12

    Votes: 4 3.8%
  • Friedman

    Votes: 6 5.7%
  • AccuGroove

    Votes: 3 2.8%
  • Xitone

    Votes: 22 20.8%
  • Mission Gemini Wedge

    Votes: 3 2.8%
  • Dynacord AXM12A

    Votes: 2 1.9%
  • Headrush

    Votes: 13 12.3%

  • Total voters
    106

MKeditor

Experienced
Which powered FRFR monitor sounds best to you? My criteria is that it shouldn't color the tone. I play recorded music through them to hear how true they sound. I've had a pair of FBT Vere 12ma's for about ten years. They've been fantastic...but I dropped one and now it's ruined and FBT don't make them anymore. I've been out of the FRFR market a long time. I want to hear what you guys think. Vote, cuss and discuss. ✌
 
I had a Verve 12ma for quite a while.
The Atomic, XiTone and (not listed) RCF NX12ma will make that Verve sound like a toy.
 
If you really like the Verve search my old posts here about it...

From your list I know (and have) 2 CLRs and the Dynacord. They're both great.
 
I was using a pair of JBL 5 inch monitors. I picked up a pair of 12inch headrush speaker's. I use them as monitors and they sound great. I don't understand when people say they don't get the amp in the room feel. In stereo they sound and feel better than any amp ive owned. They also sound great for music playback. I would say there about 90 percent accurate as monitors.
 

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If so those must be really coloring the sound.
Very much. Didn't realize until 'Merlin' (above) started raving about the RCF NX12ma.
I bought one and the difference was significant.
The Verve required a pretty substantial Eq compensation (which folks created IRs for, to compensate and make the Verve flatter).
It was much better with the IR/correction - but flipping it on and off showed how much color the Verve was adding.

Not a bad wedge, and I happily gigged with one for years. But the RCF (and CLR and Xitone), are just better, plain and simple.
 
Very much. Didn't realize until 'Merlin' (above) started raving about the RCF NX12ma.
I bought one and the difference was significant.
The Verve required a pretty substantial Eq compensation (which folks created IRs for, to compensate and make the Verve flatter).
It was much better with the IR/correction - but flipping it on and off showed how much color the Verve was adding.

Not a bad wedge, and I happily gigged with one for years. But the RCF (and CLR and Xitone), are just better, plain and simple.
I think he was saying that the Atomic and Xitone color the sound, not the other way around... ;)
 
The poll is probably a better reflection of what people have tried and liked than what is really 'best' of these options. I mean, I would imagine that only a small percentage of folks have tried all of these options.
 
I've tried the Xitone (very early cab w/ Eminence Beta LTA), CLR MKI, Accugroove Latte and Robusta. To my ears the Accugrooves sounded the best but they are pricey. I like the Robusta a little more than the Latte, it is more raw and has more low end. The Latte is closer to a studio monitor and very hifi. Of the three, the Xitone was the most "amp in the room" sounding but darker than the other three. Before I got the Accugroove Robusta, I was running the Xitone as a sub with the CLR and it sounded awesome.
 
I don't feel that I've been ears on with enough monitors to vote, but I'm pretty happy with my XiTone and I liked it over an L6 Powercab.
 
I think he was saying that the Atomic and Xitone color the sound, not the other way around... ;)
Ah, I took it the opposite.

@MKeditor - feel free to clarify.

I agree with Merlin's comment above - Verve is coloring. If I remember correctly, it had a decent spike around 500htz.
 
The Verve is "coloring". I was the one that did the corrective EQ IR. It was unusable without it.
The CLR is as flat as it probably gets, Dynacord 2nd, RCF 3rd. (from those I personally know).

I appreciate your experience with these monitors.

As others have suggested, we only know what we've tried. When I first embraced the black box back in 2008, I ran it through a VHT 2502 poweramp and a pair of cubes with vintage 30's. It sounded good but the amp tones all sounded similar. Once I tried a monitor I was finally able to hear distinctive amps. I bought a pair of QSC HPR122i because they were the current favorite. It was a big improvement because it was FRFR...but when I played audio tracks through them there was an odd coloring in the midrange. A year later everyone was raving about the FBTs. There were none in stores but I took a chance. They were a huge improvement. Great sounding, small and lighter. I stopped there. Over the years I've seen other monitors held high as the darling of the forum only to be discarded and replaced by new latest and greatest. I have no intension to play musical chairs with monitors. My goal is for them to sound like the FOH as much as possible. I don't want a monitor that enhances the signal in any way. Just looking for honest amplification of the Axe-FX. I appreciate everyone's input. I've been told my speaker is damaged. I have to either: A) find a replacement speaker, which is questionable since FBT is in Italy and don't make them anymore or B) buy a new pair of monitors and sell one of the FBTs. It's unfortunate that I dropped one of the FBTs. This is turning into a $2k problem.
 
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FWIW, after months of research on this and other forums I concluded that the CLR is the closest thing to a consensus pick that there is - but people have been on the CLR waiting list for more than a year, so it's effectively unavailable. Atomic also has a pretty spotty reputation for support. I just ordered a Xitone powered wedge, which (from everything I've read) seems like a close runner-up. I've been on the CLR waiting list for about five months. If it magically becomes available again, I'll probably order one and compare it to the Xitone.
 
Which powered FRFR monitor sounds best to you? My criteria is that it shouldn't color the tone. I play recorded music through them to hear how true they sound. I've had a pair of FBT Vere 12ma's for about ten years. They've been fantastic...but I dropped one and now it's ruined and FBT don't make them anymore. I've been out of the FRFR market a long time. I want to hear what you guys think. Vote, cuss and discuss. ✌
Wish Redsound, and Laney were within the poll. CLR’s are really good, but partially hype as well. Other issues with them are already mentioned
 
Wow. That's a very long wait. I can't imagine what could cause a year long wait. Too bad. The CLR is easily the favorite.

Xitone has a light weight and regular wedge. I like the idea of lighter. Any thoughts on that?
 
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Here's my old comparison between the RCF and the FBT (without EQ), the direct signal and the FBT with EQ.
Wedges miked AFAIR with a ECM8000 about 1m away center.



I seem to be not able to share the playlist, so go in there and you'll find three files...
 
Xitone has a light weight and regular wedge. I like the idea of lighter. Any thoughts on that?

I went with the heavier wedge with the cloth grille because I preferred the style. Just email Mick at Xitone and describe what you're going for - he's super responsive. I've emailed him three or four times with questions and he's always gotten back to me within an hour or so.
 
I bought a pair of QSC HPR122i because they were the current favorite. It was a big improvement because it was FRFR...but when I played audio tracks through them there was an odd coloring in the midrange. A year later everyone was raving about the FBTs. There were none in stores but I took a chance. They were a huge improvement. Great sounding, small and lighter. I stopped there.

This was my exact path as well. First used HPR122 as my FRFR, then took a leap just like you did (due to the rave) to the FBT Verves.
I was happy, and gigged with one for quite a while.
- > enter Merlin with his RCF and comparison to the Verve.

I always have GAS, so I ordered the RCF. It was not hype....it was a huge improvement.
Just like studio monitors - you have a set you think sound great, until you hear better. Then you wonder how you could ever be without the 'better' one.

Like I said - I always have GAS, so take my advice with a grain of salt. But if I was in your shoes, I'd ditch the Verve and get either the Atomic, RCF or XiTone (or Dynacord as Merlin mentioned, that seems to be a great wedge as well).
There are better products out there for an extremely close price. You deserve the best :)
 
Here's my old comparison between the RCF and the FBT (without EQ), the direct signal and the FBT with EQ.
Wedges miked AFAIR with a ECM8000 about 1m away center.



I seem to be not able to share the playlist, so go in there and you'll find three files...

Wow. They do sound very different. I would have liked to have heard an mp3 of a well known song through them. For me that's a far better reference to distinguish which is more true sounding.
 
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