Headrush and Other Budget-Friendly FRFR Monitors

p8thfind3r

p8thfind3r

Member
So my last gig I noticed - from a friend filming me front row - that not having stage volume is an issue when your bass player and other guitarist have a loud amp. With that said, I need to acquire a speaker system for on stage volume.

Now I know all of us fractal guys are tone purists and will recommend Atomic and other $grand plus FRFR speakers but I came across the Headrush FRFR - 112. Has anyone tried it or any other budget friendly speaker? A friend mentioned the electro-voice ZLX-12p as well.

I’m just looking for stage volume for the first row or two of people - most of the audience will be getting the FOH sound so I don’t need a speaker that will produce exactly the same sound (que angry fractal mob with fire and pitchforks)

Thanks guys!
 
I've never tried the Headrush but heard really positive things on TGP when used with Helix

I've got a Laney IRT-X. I picked it up cheap for when I dont want to lug my Friedman ASM about. Works great for a simple FRFR solution, doesn't have as good a sound as the ASM but has plenty of features built in so it's worth a look, and I'm told the newer Laney 1x12 cab is even better

There's also some of the powered MAtrix cabs to consider. A few of them pop up on eBay around the same price as a Headrush
 
No pitchforks here, but I think perhaps you are trying to solve the wrong problem. No doubt the "loud amps" of the bass player and other guitarist are causing issues for the poor souls trying to mix the FOH. I'd suggest that simple, counter-clockwise twist of your wrist while gripping the MV knobs of said "loud amps" would solve the problem and save you $300.

That being said, if you can't do that, then the Headrush monitor might work just fine for you. I suspect it will probably lead to them turning their amps up a bit more, though.
 
After thinking some more, I would add that if you buy something that's just barely good enough to meet the lowest requirement application you can think of, then it'll probably not be any good for anything else. So, if one day you needed something to amplify your $2K+ AxeFX in a situation where a PA wasn't available, is the $300 monitor going to be good enough?

This is said in total ignorance of the quality of the Headrush monitor, but just following the concept that you get what you pay for.
 
This is probably as good as it gets for a budget friendly: electro-voice ZLX-12p

But before I did that, I would comb craigslist for a used JBL PRX or QSC HPR. Generally around the $350-400 range on the used market.
 
BBN said:
This is probably as good as it gets for a budget friendly: electro-voice ZLX-12p

But before I did that, I would comb craigslist for a used JBL PRX or QSC HPR. Generally around the $350-400 range on the used market.
Click to expand...
I think the EV ZLX-12P is a great monitor. I use these for FOH and I create my patches on it. This would do you right IMO.
 
Has anyone had experience comparing the Headrush FRFR or EV-zlx to a high end FRFR such as CLR or Xitone? I just picked up the Headrush and it sounds better (flatter) than my QSC K12...but I still wonder if I'm still missing out.
 
I am using the Yamaha DXR10 like a monitor pointing to me and not to the first row. That unit is easy to carry and surprises with a lot of power. Well - they have so much power - they could even blow away the other guitarist - same with the people in the first row - although I dont like playing that loud its good to have at least the option ;-)

Soundwise quite nice.
 
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