Looking for smallest stereo FRFR for home use

Adinfinitum

Experienced
I have a CLR and Atomic Reactor for my Axe-Fx in my home studio (plus Mackie Monitors).

I'm looking for a FRFR solution for my bedroom set-up - AX8. I've tried running the AX8 into the Aux in of a THR10, Amplifi and Marshall Stanmore. All sound "meh." I just tried running into the aux In of a Code25 and it sounded much better than the other units. I don't have room for large monitor speakers in my bedroom set-up. So, I'm looking for the smallest form factor that sounds better than what I'm using.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.
 
Does anyone have experience with the iloud? Is it similar to the Marshall Stanmore?
I have one. I like it a lot. I use it as my quick and dirty monitor when I don't feel like setting a bunch of stuff up. For its size, the performance is excellent. While I have never played the Marshall, but I have to wonder, (and I'm sure someone who has one will likely take offense to this... LOL) if it is not primarily playing on its looks/brand sort of like the bar stools and refrigerators. The iLoud feels and sounds like it was meant to be a small, portable, studio monitor and it has done well enough that I have never looked at alternatives.
 
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Bought an iloud - just slightly better than the Marshall, but just barely. So far, the Ax8 sounds best through the Code25 with its 10 in mono speaker. Go figure. The Marshall, THR and Iloud all have this harsh abrasive sound to them when going through the Aux in. I might have to give the Equator D5s a go - I tried buying via eBay but was bid sniped.
 
Update

I tried Yamaha HS5, Adam Ax5, Mackie MR-5. The AX8 sounded harsh through all of them compared to running the AX8 through the FX return of a Trademark 10. I just received Equatir D5s based on recommendation on this web site, and it also sounds worse than the Trademark. I'm having Xitone build a small FRFR wedge for me, but I must be doing something wrong that each of these speakers just sounds harsh in the upper mids and High end. Any advice would be welcomed.
 
Well, bang for the buck the D5s are very honest. You are absolutely doing something wrong? When you go from that Code25 10" speaker to an FRFR are you using Cab sims? What were the presets dialed on? If they were dialed on the CLRs at volume, then the only difference is volume. All my presets start out on headphones, then the D5s, then live and loud on a variety of systems. The only changes I sometimes make (if any) after playing them loud is level adjustments between presets and scenes, less lows, less highs, less reverb, and maybe less gain. The same presets won't work for FRFR and a traditional guitar cab with just enabling or bypassing the cab block(s).......................just my $0.02............
 
Moke - thanks for the reply (I'm sort of honored!). Actually, I'm just running through factory priests and some of your patches I downloaded (ha!). I'm running with power amp and cab sims on. Volume on the AxX8 is around noon (like Cliff recommended). The trademark 10 is similar to the Powerengine 60 - basically a powered guitar cab. All my modelers going back to a Pod 1.0, to Axe-fx Standard, to 11R, to Axe-2 to a KPA sound fine fine through the PE60, but obviously sound better through the CLR. I also run my Ax2 into Mackie 824s and it sound pretty good. I've tweaked some patches, but they all just sound harsh into the near-fields compared to the Tech 21 (with cab sims on!).

What is weird is that I'm not pro-guitar cab over FRFR when running the Axe-2 or Kemper through the Atomic FR or CLR. It is just perplexing. Do you think the D5s just need to be broken in? The Axe-8 did sound better turning down Treble, turning off presence, increasing depth - took out some harshness.
 
Is it a case of the old 'Cab in the room' thing? I've been playing direct through full range stuff for so long now that I really don't like the sound of a traditional guitar rig anymore. I've always wanted to hear what the audience hears and what my guitar heroes sounded like the way I've always heard them.
 
What about a decent set of headphones/in ears? Doesn't get much smaller and sounds great.
I got a guitar cable off Amazon that has a headphone extension built in, so you don't have an extra cable to drag around too.
It works for me anyway.
 
I have a CLR and Atomic Reactor for my Axe-Fx in my home studio (plus Mackie Monitors).

I'm looking for a FRFR solution for my bedroom set-up - AX8. I've tried running the AX8 into the Aux in of a THR10, Amplifi and Marshall Stanmore. All sound "meh." I just tried running into the aux In of a Code25 and it sounded much better than the other units. I don't have room for large monitor speakers in my bedroom set-up. So, I'm looking for the smallest form factor that sounds better than what I'm using.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.
Bose Sounlink Mini. Stunning
 
I've owned several bose speakers and they are very artificial. Nice for listening dub-dub-boom-boom but not accurate for playing & tweaking the Axe-FX

The Audioengine A2+ are the closest thing to the Mackie HR824 that can fit at the small desk of my tiny apartment. When I am tired of wearing the Audeze LCD-2 on my ears i switch to the Audioengine 2+, and they are great.
 
I've owned several bose speakers and they are very artificial. Nice for listening dub-dub-boom-boom but not accurate for playing & tweaking the Axe-FX

The Audioengine A2+ are the closest thing to the Mackie HR824 that can fit at the small desk of my tiny apartment. When I am tired of wearing the Audeze LCD-2 on my ears i switch to the Audioengine 2+, and they are great.

The only BOSE speaker I ever had is this bloody tiny thing, and 70% of my time abroad for my job I'm absolutely charmed by the fun it procures and how it can satisfactory proceed guitar sound just for rehearsing and playing along/around. I wouldn't consider a single second tweaking life and band sounds with any desktop speaker, whatever be the brand.
 
M-Audio AV42 i was totally surprised what they deliver.
Round warm sounding little monitors especially for nearfield with moderate volume...
Definitely worth trying, i love them .
 
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