FRFR Cabinet Shootout! I Which FRFR should you buy?

What do you do when you don't know which FRFR is the best? You have a good old fashioned shootout! So HW and the Tone Junkies got together with 5 different cabinets and tried them all out. We used the Mission Engineering Gemini 2, Alto 312, Line 6 Power Cab, and Friedman ASM12.

Which FRFR was your favorite?

[straightxvedge]

Poor guy spent all his money on kempers.
Can't even afford shoes. 😔

[neilregan]

It's so frustrating. All FRFR units, by definition, should sound the same.

[supertal]

Great Great job!!! thanks for demonstrating this. People talk and talk - I like seeing & hearing the speakers using the KP.

[ExplicableCashew]

I just had a weird, but potentially useful, idea. Take a reference track (Bohemian Rhapsody? Basket Case? Who knows...) and line-in it into each speaker. The one that sounds like the recording wins.

[pauliusmscichauskas]

Change where a Kemper is connected? No.
Have 5 kempers! Hah.

[corymoore]

I thought the point of an FRFR is to accurately reproduce the sound of the modeled amp AND CABINET? I don't care what the FRFR cab sounds like without the cab sim. I could just use my regular guitar cab for that. I want the versatility. I want an FRFR that sounds like an Orange with an Orange cab sim or a Marshall with a Marshall cab sim or a Mesa with Mesa cab sim. 1 cab get's you 3 different and distinct cab sounds. Isn't that the point?

[delamar]

For me it is the Friedman all the way. This was the only one where I felt to hear an actual real amp and cab combo.

[MP-yhjv]

I said before I have both the headrush 1x8 and 1x12. I tried running a stereo signal left and right to each. Sounded great. Fortunately you can split and eq each signal separately in the Helix.

[adrianjems]

For me and my ears
I will go with ME, and friedman .. those two are good for me ..
thank you for making this vid

[NickGranville]

Amazing how different these sound. In theory they should all sound the same if they were truly flat, but I guess it’s the same principal as studio monitors; get the one you like which doesn’t tire your ears.

[mcpribs]

Wow! That Gemini 2 is incredible! Thanks for this. Great video!

[mylesmaths]

I recently bought a Boss GT1000 and the shop (PMT in Birmingham, UK) specifically advised against using an FRFR because it's going straight to the front of house PA. So, you want a sound coming at you that is similar to the front of house PA and that's the rig you want to set your sound up through too.

In the shop, I used a QSC CP12 (which was awesome) but at home, I've been using an old Alto PS4HA which sounds great. This Alto is very old and comes from the days when Alto seemed to be making quality gear. We gigged last Saturday through a Mackie PA rig (SRM450's + a pair of 18" subs) and whilst the sound out front wasn't exactly the same as the Alto PS4HA it was close enough and sounded excellent.

When I demoed the GT1000 in PMT I tried it through a Headrush 112 as well as the QSC. The difference was stark. The Headrush was very middley. I didn't like it. It sounded like an entry-level PA cab (which is what it is).

Now, if I had the cash I'd go and buy the QSC CP12 because it sounded excellent and was smaller and lighter than the Alto PS4HA I'm using. The QSC would also be less expensive than everything on this video except the Alto TS112/Headrush 112 (same cab, different name).

So, based on my experience so far I'd echo PMT's advice. Don't buy an FRFR. Buy a good quality PA cab or wedge that will replicate the sound of the PA.

[rjmcmooseknuckle]

Why didnt you do the Suhr on the cleans at the end? lol Or even at the end of the By far sounded the clearest and best on 1st comparison, and im sure it did on the 2nd aswell :P

[Scubasgamecorner]

Great really need an updated version of this comparison with new stuff on the market....I am so confused on what to buy

[antoinelablanquie]

The fact that they are in different parts of the room has a crazy influence on the sound!! You should all put them in the same place to shoot out I’d say

[elliottnunez]

I liked the Friedman the best. Also I have 2 Alto TS, 210s and they don't sound bassy at all!! I was going to get the 12s but got a really good deal on the 10s. Very happy that I did..Go with the 10s. Next thing I'm going to try is running the Helix through a Marshall 40 combo. 1 cable to return on the amp.see who that sounds..

[AmpAHolic-wnmr]

Gemini 2 had the best tone in my opinion. I could see it cutting well in a live situation. I would never buy it however, at $1400 and 70lbs it’s simply overpriced, to big and way to heavy to haul to most gigs.

[michalmikolajmaslowski]

Excellent video, gents, as well as fantastic commentary. To me, the Gemini 2 sounds "the best"; personally, for the price of single Gemini 2 stereo unit I got a pair of two Powercab Plus units and now enjoy stereo with nice spread in the room :)

Thanks!

[gusecheverri]

i like this kind of comparison where you'll mention right away if you hear the difference. Personally, i have the Alto 312 and i use it to play bass with.

[TheRealDave]

On the off chance it's not already coming up in part two, the new Laney LFR-112 is well worth checking out.