Inexpensive active FRFRs: Headrush1212, Laney LFR112, QSC CP8, ISP FS8...

Maegirom

Member
Greetings from Spain (sorry for my bad english).
I'm searching for an inexpensive FRFR solution for my AXE FX2. 400$ range. I've already read many of the threads about this topic, but I'm still a bit confused and I would like to delimit my options to the cheapest ones.

Now, I'm playing several ways. With my main band (a large rock/metal cover band) I'm going direct to FOH, listening to myself through the monitor speakers.
I have another rock band with smaller gigs. Here I'm using an ART SLA2 power amp and a 2x12 cabinet with FRFR beymas inside. 250W each canal. It sounds really good.

But now I'm joining another band (musician life, you know... xD) and I'm searching for a holy grail: Enough headroom both for front monitoring and rear source, clean/true FRFR (I mean, what I have in my studio monitors at home is what I get on the speaker), inexpensive, portable...

SO, after reading a lot of threads, webs... I have several options:

Headrush FRFR-112: This is my first option. I have only seen good opinions. 1000W RMS/2000W peak. Super-portable, only 300$, people who has tried it says it is clean and sounds the same as in their homes (headphones, studio monitors...). The cons: Only one 12" drive, and maybe the esthetic (but this is secondary)
If it meets expectations I could even take a pair for not losing my stereo presets.
https://www.headrushfx.com/products/frfr-112

Laney LFR-112: It looks nice in vids. Nice esthetic, cheap (~400$). People say it sounds clear and response is quite flat. 2 drivers (12" FRFR + 1" compresion driver). Cons: "Only" 200W RMS. I guess it could be enough but compared with other 1000W ones... don't know...
https://www.laney.co.uk/products/lfr-112/

QSC: 2 options, the CP8 (~480$), and the "K" series (8.2, 10.2, 12.2) but these are on 700$+ range. In principle, it's not for my pocket.

ISP Technologies Vector FS8: I have discovered this option recently and it looks quite good. 600$. Here are the specs: http://www.isptechnologies.com/portfolio/vector-fs8/

Edit: 2 new models are in game: the Alto ts312, wich seems quite the same as the headrush, and the Yamaha dx r10.

And now is where you come. Advices about these ones? Of course I'm open to "discover" new ones, but please note the money range I'm moving. I know the existence of the friedman, line 6, atomic, Gemini2 products... but sadly I can't afford that right now

THANKS in advance!
 
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Just picked up a HeadRush FRFR 112. It sounds really good. I get the same tone compared to my Friedman ASC (already sold) but it seems to be a clearer and cleaner. Lots of volume. The contour switch is really nice as well. Also, it has a better sounding translation of all presets (even the stock) when compared to my studio monitors, Presonus Eris E8.

Thinking about getting a second one.
 
Thanks for your reply. I have been adviced about 2 more ones: the alto ts312 and the yamaha dx r10. Any info about these ones?
 
Thanks for your reply. I have been adviced about 2 more ones: the alto ts312 and the yamaha dx r10. Any info about these ones?

Not sure about the Yamaha but I read somewhere on the forum that the HeadRush is basically identical to the Alto TS312, a repackaged version.
 
Well, Alto and Headrush come from the same parent company. The Headrush is not exactly the same though. The amps differ and I think the transducers as well.
The Yamahas are very good products.

Honestly, you’ll have to try the ones that appeal to you. Wattage will only give you a hint as to how loud they are. Transducer efficiency is an important factor that people don’t discuss.
 
Haven't tried the new QSC compact speakers but the K-12 sounds great. They are bulletproof, worth every penny and have a six year warranty. You've dropped a couple grand on your Axe, why cheap out on a speaker?
 
QSC 10.2 is the best for guitar modeling, I tried all 3 k.2 sizes. 8.2 was smaller sounding and 12.2 was boomier. How do these other options compare?
 
Haven't tried the new QSC compact speakers but the K-12 sounds great. They are bulletproof, worth every penny and have a six year warranty. You've dropped a couple grand on your Axe, why cheap out on a speaker?
I Should Be So Lucky... Right now (and in a close/middle future) I can't afford that.
I have the option to test the headrush and the yamaha dxr10 in a few days... let's see. And I have seen good opinions about the alto sxm112a. I will keep investigating...
 
Greetings from Spain (sorry for my bad english).
I'm searching for an inexpensive FRFR solution for my AXE FX2. 400$ range. I've already read many of the threads about this topic, but I'm still a bit confused and I would like to delimit my options to the cheapest ones.

Now, I'm playing several ways. With my main band (a large rock/metal cover band) I'm going direct to FOH, listening to myself through the monitor speakers.
I have another rock band with smaller gigs. Here I'm using an ART SLA2 power amp and a 2x12 cabinet with FRFR beymas inside. 250W each canal. It sounds really good.

But now I'm joining another band (musician life, you know... xD) and I'm searching for a holy grail: Enough headroom both for front monitoring and rear source, clean/true FRFR (I mean, what I have in my studio monitors at home is what I get on the speaker), inexpensive, portable...

SO, after reading a lot of threads, webs... I have several options:

Headrush FRFR-112: This is my first option. I have only seen good opinions. 1000W RMS/2000W peak. Super-portable, only 300$, people who has tried it says it is clean and sounds the same as in their homes (headphones, studio monitors...). The cons: Only one 12" drive, and maybe the esthetic (but this is secondary)
If it meets expectations I could even take a pair for not losing my stereo presets.
https://www.headrushfx.com/products/frfr-112

Laney LFR-112: It looks nice in vids. Nice esthetic, cheap (~400$). People say it sounds clear and response is quite flat. 2 drivers (12" FRFR + 1" compresion driver). Cons: "Only" 200W RMS. I guess it could be enough but compared with other 1000W ones... don't know...
https://www.laney.co.uk/products/lfr-112/

QSC: 2 options, the CP8 (~480$), and the "K" series (8.2, 10.2, 12.2) but these are on 700$+ range. In principle, it's not for my pocket.

ISP Technologies Vector FS8: I have discovered this option recently and it looks quite good. 600$. Here are the specs: http://www.isptechnologies.com/portfolio/vector-fs8/

Edit: 2 new models are in game: the Alto ts312, wich seems quite the same as the headrush, and the Yamaha dx r10.

And now is where you come. Advices about these ones? Of course I'm open to "discover" new ones, but please note the money range I'm moving. I know the existence of the friedman, line 6, atomic, Gemini2 products... but sadly I can't afford that right now

THANKS in advance!

Do you have a fixed budget? If you are looking at QSC and Yamaha speakers you might as well look at the Atomic CLR and Xitone speakers.. which are expensive, but also some of the best

If you are looking for budget, I would stick with Alto\Headrush and Seismic Audio. They have some nice coaxial speakers

https://www.seismicaudiospeakers.com/collections/monitors/products/powered-12-inch-coaxial-monitor

p.s. Where are you finding the Headrush for $300 in Spain?
 
Any report here?
What did you do?
Hi there! I finally caught the Headrush. It's a beast. I'm very happy with it.
The sound is very similar to my Adam A5X monitors, wich I'm using as tone building reference, so I haven't had to tweak anything. Actually a quite flat response.
The volume is brutal! At half volume, I'm covering my drummer in rehearsals xD
I like it much more than my art sla2+beyma 12GA50 solution, and it's much more portable of course

For now I've used it as side support monitor, and as rear real amp. Great behavior in both cases

In case there is some spanish people here, I bought it in Txirula Musik (it's in Bilbao) for 349€
 
Hi Maegirom,
Don’t forget that Chinese watts are smaller than rms watts - the head rush boxes are apparently pumping 700 watts into a compression driver. There is not a compression driver available that will take that many real watts unless it’s used as a weapon!
Thanks
Pauly

Greetings from Spain (sorry for my bad english).
I'm searching for an inexpensive FRFR solution for my AXE FX2. 400$ range. I've already read many of the threads about this topic, but I'm still a bit confused and I would like to delimit my options to the cheapest ones.

Now, I'm playing several ways. With my main band (a large rock/metal cover band) I'm going direct to FOH, listening to myself through the monitor speakers.
I have another rock band with smaller gigs. Here I'm using an ART SLA2 power amp and a 2x12 cabinet with FRFR beymas inside. 250W each canal. It sounds really good.

But now I'm joining another band (musician life, you know... xD) and I'm searching for a holy grail: Enough headroom both for front monitoring and rear source, clean/true FRFR (I mean, what I have in my studio monitors at home is what I get on the speaker), inexpensive, portable...

SO, after reading a lot of threads, webs... I have several options:

Headrush FRFR-112: This is my first option. I have only seen good opinions. 1000W RMS/2000W peak. Super-portable, only 300$, people who has tried it says it is clean and sounds the same as in their homes (headphones, studio monitors...). The cons: Only one 12" drive, and maybe the esthetic (but this is secondary)
If it meets expectations I could even take a pair for not losing my stereo presets.
https://www.headrushfx.com/products/frfr-112

Laney LFR-112: It looks nice in vids. Nice esthetic, cheap (~400$). People say it sounds clear and response is quite flat. 2 drivers (12" FRFR + 1" compresion driver). Cons: "Only" 200W RMS. I guess it could be enough but compared with other 1000W ones... don't know...
https://www.laney.co.uk/products/lfr-112/

QSC: 2 options, the CP8 (~480$), and the "K" series (8.2, 10.2, 12.2) but these are on 700$+ range. In principle, it's not for my pocket.

ISP Technologies Vector FS8: I have discovered this option recently and it looks quite good. 600$. Here are the specs: http://www.isptechnologies.com/portfolio/vector-fs8/

Edit: 2 new models are in game: the Alto ts312, wich seems quite the same as the headrush, and the Yamaha dx r10.

And now is where you come. Advices about these ones? Of course I'm open to "discover" new ones, but please note the money range I'm moving. I know the existence of the friedman, line 6, atomic, Gemini2 products... but sadly I can't afford that right now

THANKS in advance!
ma
 
Thanks for the answer.

How do you connect the FRFR-112 to the AX8?
XLR-XLR or TRS-XLR or TRS-TRS?
Did you connect just one cable?
 
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Bought my own Headrush FRFR-112 now. Everything as expected. Sounds amazing! Searched for it about 6 weeks, now amazon.de sold it. What a surprise...
 
I don't have the Axe2 but the Axe 3. Went through the same thinking process as you and many others on this forum. The sales person in SamAsh (US) told me to stay away from the Alto's/Headrush but I think they would do the job OK. I really wanted the qsc CP8 to work but at the end I got the CP12 which is a shrinked k12 (not the k.2). CP8 sounded like a chunk of midrange is missing compared to the CP12 and the CP12 is almost the same size as a 10" speaker.

No matter what you choose they will sound good at lower volume levels. The "challenge" comes when you get to higher SPL (Fletcher–Munson) and you need to adjust according to the space you are playing (!!! rabbit-hole warning !!!).

If you are in EU I would suggest go with any (maybe used) RCF 10" in stereo. it does help with the sound perception!
 
As on a "cab" side of things, you could try the F12-X200 Celestion speaker https://www.thomann.de/de/celestion_f12_x200.htm?glp=1, it's still not out there yet though. Put it into some empty 1x12 cab (whatever you find used) and add a power amp to it. You could also consider DIY for both cab and power amp if you are into it and the price tag is important.
Anyone try one of these yet? You could make a cab with a class D plate amp in it too as khvMX says here
 
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