FRFR speaker recommendation?

DigiSage

DigiSage

Member
I've got a pair of Xitone 12" FRFR active wedge speakers. I love them dearly, however one is due for some warranty work, and in the meantime I wanted to get a second pair of similar FRFR speakers as a backup and to have an alternate setup location to play from. I could just buy more Xitones and I may do that, but are there other brands I should consider? I'd like to try something different.

What are the go to FRFR active speaker models these days? I haven't looked into this in about 4 years.

Thanks!
 
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Promit said:
Everyone's going to name their favorite until every FRFR on the market has been named, basically. That said, I really like my Laney 2x12. I love that it looks like a normal vertical 2x12 but is secretly an active FRFR.
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This, to find the FRFR cabinet that works best for you, you definitely have to try them out.
I tested around 35 different FRFR speakers to find the one that I like the most.
 
Sashman said:
This, to find the FRFR cabinet that works best for you, you definitely have to try them out.
I tested around 35 different FRFR speakers to find the one that I like the most.
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Where I'm at, I doubt I could find 1 or 2 FRFRs to try. Does GC actually stock any of those? Haven't been there in awhile, but that's all we got. I've tried 2, a Headrush 112 and a Celestion F12 in a DIY cab. The F12 wins that one.
 
skolacki said:
Where I'm at, I doubt I could find 1 or 2 FRFRs to try. Does GC actually stock any of those? Haven't been there in awhile, but that's all we got. I've tried 2, a Headrush 112 and a Celestion F12 in a DIY cab. The F12 wins that one.
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I'll echo this. Short of buying/returning (which I hate doing in such large volumes...) I have no idea how to really feel out most of the options that get raised in these forums.
 
skolacki said:
Where I'm at, I doubt I could find 1 or 2 FRFRs to try. Does GC actually stock any of those? Haven't been there in awhile, but that's all we got. I've tried 2, a Headrush 112 and a Celestion F12 in a DIY cab. The F12 wins that one.
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They carry the Yamaha, no idea about stock, especially where you are.
 
skolacki said:
Where I'm at, I doubt I could find 1 or 2 FRFRs to try. Does GC actually stock any of those? Haven't been there in awhile, but that's all we got. I've tried 2, a Headrush 112 and a Celestion F12 in a DIY cab. The F12 wins that one.
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The EV PXM-12MP should be pretty easy to find. EV is a big company, the speakers are part of their floor monitor line, and they sound really good with the Fractals.

Guitar Center carries them. Sam Ash does too.

I have two of them: they can be positioned at different angles, are not too big or heavy, and the built-in EQ is flexible. I had some nice bags made for them by Studio Slips to keep them from getting beaten up. You can search for the speakers in the forum and find many comments about them.
 
skolacki said:
I've tried 2, a Headrush 112 and a Celestion F12 in a DIY cab. The F12 wins that one.
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Oh, regarding the Headrush 112…

People sing their praises because they're relatively loud for pretty cheap, but having had one and having listened to a friend who was using two of them, there's a night and day difference between them and a good powered PA speaker or dedicated FRFR. Once you're in the $800+ range for a cabinet the sound changes dramatically. My friend switched from his pair of 112s to QSC K12s, and when he powered them up and started noodling prior to a show I could hear the difference easily. The QSCs were clear, punchy, well balanced, and had a lot of extra volume to spare. They blended really well with my EVs when we'd play together. Just like with so many other things musical, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Buying a quality modeler and running it through a cheap speaker reduces the quality of the sound. And the only way to know is to try several different types and compare them. The thing about a good FRFR is it's like a chameleon, it can sound like so many other cabinets because it's designed to be transparent, and not color the sound.

I'm half a day's drive from L.A., and if I was looking for something I'd take the time to drive to Hollywood and nearby cities and hit several stores to compare different ones, then buy whichever I liked. It's worth the trouble.
 
Greg Ferguson said:
Oh, regarding the Headrush 112…

People sing their praises because they're relatively loud for pretty cheap, but having had one and having listened to a friend who was using two of them, there's a night and day difference between them and a good powered PA speaker or dedicated FRFR. Once you're in the $800+ range for a cabinet the sound changes dramatically. My friend switched from his pair of 112s to QSC K12s, and when he powered them up and started noodling prior to a show I could hear the difference easily. The QSCs were clear, punchy, well balanced, and had a lot of extra volume to spare. They blended really well with my EVs when we'd play together. Just like with so many other things musical, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Buying a quality modeler and running it through a cheap speaker reduces the quality of the sound. And the only way to know is to try several different types and compare them. The thing about a good FRFR is it's like a chameleon, it can sound like so many other cabinets because it's designed to be transparent, and not color the sound.

I'm half a day's drive from L.A., and if I was looking for something I'd take the time to drive to Hollywood and nearby cities and hit several stores to compare different ones, then buy whichever I liked. It's worth the trouble.
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The old adage is true, you get what you pay for. The Headrush fit my budget at the time. It actually sounds pretty good in stereo with my F12 cab because the voicing is different. To compare the 2, the HR has a boomy sounding bottom and the tweeter is shrill and piercing. The coaxial tweeter on the F12 isn’t as harsh and the bottom is tight and natural sounding. It doesn’t look like there are many manufacturers using the F12 in their FRFR cabs. So they are DIY for the most part. If you can woodwork and pick up a used amp, you can have a quality speaker solution for a good price. FWIW I ran mine in an open back 112 while building a cab, and it sounded great. Some people just put them in regular cabs with good results.

LA really sucks to drive in. But the stores stock a lot more stuff than you see in smaller areas. I lived north of San Diego for many years and made a few LA guitar store runs. The shopping part was fun, the driving part wasn’t.
 
Just get a redsound or an atomic and be done with it. No need to try 20 frfrs if you just get the best ones first 🤷‍♂️ Also guarantees you wont be selling your fractal in 3 months because "it just doesnt feel right" or some other excuse.
 
unix-guy said:
The CLRs are in unobtainium for about 2 years ;)
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Ive seen a few pop up in the resale market lately. My 3rd choice is the accugroove, those are also decent. Suprisingly the celestion f12x200 in a proper box paired with a powerstage200 isnt terrible either.
 
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