Fender’s FR-12 vs FR-10 vs HeadRush FRFR-108. My Recommendation? Guitar Daily ep46

[@ronlyster5667]

Great content. Subbed.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks so much! Apprecaite it

[@brianlebrun2382]

I have a headrush 112, I had a powercab 112 and sold it because I have the Fender FR-12. For me it's not an frfr. I use it as an actual on stage amp facing the audience. It has enough power to push some sound off the stage. The problem that I've found with the monitor type frfrs is that my sound was on the edges of the stage. I'd come out of the FOH but unless I run a center fill speaker there's a gap in the sound in the front middle part of the stage. My headrush is bassy but I didn't want to change the global eq because I liked what I heard from the FOH. The Fender checks all my boxes....it looks like a traditional amp, has tone controls that don't affect the FOH, it's light and best of all it costs way less than the powercab. I'm sticking with it.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for the comment. Agree, I think the fenders are the best option, and IMO the 10 will be plenty for most people. I haven’t tried the power cab but it looks weird to me. And if it’s more expensive than the fenders then I figure it best to get the fenders

[@calyptratus187]

when you say that “ it has enough power” are you literally plugging straight into the FR-10/12. Like guitar>> FR?

[@brianlebrun2382]

@@calyptratus187 guitar>Helix>Helicon Voicelive2>FR12. This thing can get VERY loud.

[@NickGranville]

Why would one want to plug guitar into an frfr amp? That would sound bad imo. It’s designed to amplify a modeller.

[@AlinFlorida]

Nick, thank you for this excellent comparison. I've been trying to decide between the Fender and HeadRush, then I found your video. So helpful! Thank you!

[@NickGranville]

Glad it’s useful. Thanks for watching

[@sgmarshall3]

I bought a Headrush 112 ( the original version) and hated it. It’s literally buried under a pile of clothes in my bedroom. I tried it with a Kemper Stage and a HX Stomp and both sounded bad. I’m really anxious to try the Fender models. They sound amazing with you playing!

[@NickGranville]

Hi. I tried the Headrush 112 and 108 and bought the 108. I didn’t like the 12 either, it’s boomy. Crazy thing too was the 12 was $100 more and came with a free Headrush modeller. Just didn’t like it as much so bought the 108. The fenders are a step up. They sound better and most importantly the form factor is much much better. They’re more like using a real amp with physical EQ, tilt back legs and more. The 10 inch would be plenty for most people. I would recommend dialing in your modeller on a good pair of studio monitors first. Then you can be sure what your adjusting etc is done in a way that will translate to all other systems. Cheers Nick

[@tonepilot]

I like the fact that you used a room mic for all three which I think gives a more accurate representation of what to expect.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks, it’s the only way I could think to show them fairly. It’s kinda difficult to demo speakers cause you have to be in the room. Thanks for watching

[@carlquance2542]

Agree, the 10 sounded best to my ear

[@NickGranville]

@@carlquance2542 thanks!

[@matthewmayfield7607]

Thank you for such a great review of a world I’m very new to. I’m leaning towards the 10 bc most of the low end will get rolled off at FOH. The mids will stick.

[@NickGranville]

@@matthewmayfield7607 cheers! Yeah I bought the 10 and have been very happy with it. Just works great

[@henryb160]

Before you selected the FR-10, I'd already made my mind up: thinking not only did the 10 sound the best, but it actually drew the best playing from you. Thanks for posting, as this was exactly what I was looking for.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks! I’ve been very happy with the FR10 since I’ve owned it. Does exactly what I need. Now I was a second one. Ha

[@leo777lee]

Hi, nice to know you received my comment Still learning all about my FM9 turbo, big learning curve.

[@NickGranville]

Oh yes, it is a big learning curve but then it all make sense and you’ll be into it deep before you know it

[@leo777lee]

@@NickGranville thanks for the encouragement I lived in NZ a few years ago I used to hang out at the 1860 pub on a Sunday years ago, 1860 big band loved them, jazz rock Melbourne now

[@NickGranville]

Nice! I love Melbourne, my favourite Aussie city. Hope to make it there sometime soon. I never heard the legendary 1860 but Rodger fox and others talk about that band all the time

[@jakeboynz]

Great comparison - You said something really important, "A guitar amp is producing sound not just monitoring whereas an frfr cab/speaker is monitoring" Thankyou and God bless

[@NickGranville]

Right on! Thanks man.

[@richardselvaggi3251]

Thank you! This is exactly the comparison I was looking for! And well-done putting the mic in the room

[@NickGranville]

@@richardselvaggi3251 Thanks for watching!

[@adamwilcox6405]

On the subject of boomy I always put a low cut in on anything below 100-130.

[@NickGranville]

That’s always a good idea. I usually go 80 and high cut at 8k

[@adamwilcox6405]

@@NickGranville I hear a lot of people cut at about 8k. It must be my ears, below about 10k it loses something for me.

[@NickGranville]

Yeah all depends on the guitar I find. No rules, just do whatever works for you

[@christianvanhorn8446]

So, I have two Headrush 112s running stereo right now, and they are too boomy and REALLY resonate badly on certain notes. I’m sure you could fix that with some type notch filter…but WHY? Aren’t they FRFRs? As far as flat response goes, remember that larger speakers are capable of reproducing lower frequencies, so there’s that. They should all come with a frequency graph that shows their true reproduction. The Fender 10 may be the way to go. Controls in the right place, tilt back legs, and an EQ. Thank you for the review!!!

[@NickGranville]

Yeah the whole flat thing when it comes to these isn’t true. The theory would be that bigger speaker can more accurately reproduce lower notes doesn’t really hold with these because guitar is a mid range instrument, so all you really get is an excess of frequencies you don’t want or need, for most people the fender 10 is the way to go - it’s cheaper than the 12, lighter, more natural sounding etc. Cheers

[@stevesheroan4131]

I had the previous HR108, and found it much better sounding and much louder than the 2nd generation, so here I am looking at the FR-10. I wish someone would make a “Fender FR-10 vs Friedman ASC-10” video. That would make for a direct comparison and some great content.

[@NickGranville]

I’ve heard good things about those first gen HR108’s but never tried one. If I could get my hands on a freidman ASC-10 I’d love to do a comparison. I don’t think I’ve ever seen on available here in NZ. Thanks for watching

[@Dbj5555555]

Makes me love my tube amps more.

[@NickGranville]

Great! I love my tube amps too.

[@warrenjoseph2605]

One could get a twin reverb to use for your amp modeler onstage amp

[@NickGranville]

That’s a possibility but you’d have to split out before the amp modelling & cab. To me that’s a heavy setup, which I used to do but these days not really worth carrying a big amp like that

[@guitarman5560]

In 50 years of playing I've never liked 10" speakers in any configuration. Even though it probably makes little difference and may have added a pound over the FR10, I chose the FR12. And it sounds glorious. The bass knob (as well as the other eq knobs) is very responsive. Its easy to shave off extra bass.

[@NickGranville]

Fair enough. But personally I love 10’s in amps. The fender bassman is one of my favourite amps it’s worth remembering that these fr amps aren’t producing the sound rather just amplifying what your modeller is making, so different from how a regular amp works. Anyways, doesn’t matter because it sounds like you’ve found what works for you

[@jimmyelectric]

That opening tone was so lovely!

[@NickGranville]

Thanks so much

[@FRUITSWITHROOTS]

Many thanks for this content. This has helped me decide.

[@NickGranville]

Glad I could help! I only had these on loan to do my own testing to see which I want to buy (I already own the Headrush).

[@james0217]

Great review. Thank you! Your funky playing is so much fun!

[@NickGranville]

Thank you kindly! Appreciate it

[@carlquance2542]

@@james0217 Obviously a very good player. Very knowledgeable, very informative.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks!

[@TheoMancer]

This is why I bought a modeling pedalboard that had EQ knobs built onto it, so you can tweak it on the fly exactly like an amp -- Valeton GP-200, absolutely fantastic unit

[@NickGranville]

Nice! Yeah there is a way to do it with the fractal in the same way as the valeton but both require reaching down to the unit. It’s much easier if the controls are on the top of the amp. At least for me. Thanks

[@ChadSpinks]

You mentioned running eq cut to zero. Should probably run at 12 oclock for flattest response, maybe that explains the difference you were hearing. I want so bad to run two FR10s as stereo studio monitors.

[@NickGranville]

I think it works in reverse - running the cut at zero is flat and then if you turn it up you’re turning up the amount of cut so making it darker, winding off treble response. Hope that helps

[@ChadSpinks]

@@NickGranville just reading through the manual, and see indeed the Cut is different than the ±6db controls on the EQ. I thought you might have be running all EQ's at -6db.

[@NickGranville]

👍

[@MRxr400]

excellent video mate. I tried a headrush pedal board with two 108's. hated the pedal board, but fell in love with the 108's and now use them for fold back or front of house for my PA. they really are tuned nicely, but yes, i agree, frfr is nonsense. each room effects the sound of every speaker. I'm now considering selling my mesa single rec and buy a friedman IR-X and powered cab like the fender or 108. simple set up for an old fart like me, DI for small gigs and monitor on stage for larger. And yes, i much prefer the smaller speakers in regards to PA, frfr etc. better than 12" Chears

[@NickGranville]

@@MRxr400 nice, sounds like you have your setup worked out. Make a difference having two FRFR’s. Stereo is just so much fun

[@TheLadsBandLive]

I mostly play small, outdoor venues: restaurants, yards, gardens, etc. I wonder if the 12 would be right for me. Sound is a funny/frustrating thing outdoors; time of day, weather and temperature all mess with tone.

[@NickGranville]

I do all those types of venues and use the FR10 for them without problem. I used an FR12 the other day as it was provided backline. First thing I noticed is it was boomy, even in an arena venue so I turned down the bass a little and it sounded similar to my FR10 when it’s flat. For most people I’d say the 10 is the way to go. Only people I’d suggest get the 12 is if you play big outdoor stages regularly, but even then the 10 will still work and can always use IEM or traditional monitors. The 10 is lighter, cheaper and to me sound more accurate

[@TheLadsBandLive]

@@NickGranville Super helpful advice. Was wondering about the boominess of the 12. I almost always prefer a 10 over a 12 for that very reason. Suppose if the venue is huge, I could always just go direct into the PA from the FR10. Thanks for the reply!

[@NickGranville]

Cheers for watching! All the best

[@carminelombardi9575]

Great review. I'd go with the FRFR 10 from Fender, it's tighter and punchier.

[@NickGranville]

That’s the one I bought and I’ve been very happy with it

[@28mmRPG]

I have the FR-12's (2 of them for stereo), I use them for Keyboard/synth... I do have the Fender Tonemaster Pro but I have yet to use it with the FR's. FR-12 works awesome for running my Korg Wavestate, Akai Key37 and Cobalt8 (through a Mackie Mix12FX and out into the FR's) It's loud enough alone for rehearsals with guys running 50w Tube amps.

[@NickGranville]

Nice! I’d never thought to use them with keyboard, but makes sense it would work

[@crsantin]

I have two of the Headrush units and I’m keeping them. I think they sound great. I just play at home. The updated Helix cabs are great and the Headrush units have a small footprint.

[@NickGranville]

If they work for you then awesome, stick with them. I’m keeping my Headrush as it’s just handy to have around

[@tommyluhn]

@@NickGranville I bought two Headrush FRFR112's and have one on stand facing out and one on floor facing back. They sound awesome on my Headrush Prime. I have the floor one hooked up to the headphone out so I can control it with the phones knob on the prime without getting up. I'm planning on buying a third one so i can have two facing out. I've only tried my setup in my house at this point.

[@NickGranville]

Cool, nice setup for playing at home. I’ll be it sound lush with all that sound filling the place. Nice

[@eearts]

Thanks Nick! Love the guitar!

[@NickGranville]

@@eearts thanks

[@simonwilliams7608]

Maybe I'm just lazy, but even the FR-10 seems a bit heavy and cumbersome to me at times - especially when I'm going to DI anyway. (plus which, I sometimes like to go to tiny gigs, jams or rehearsals on my e-bike, towing my gear in a trailer, and the FR-10 is too heavy to do that). So this morning I tried a little experiment. I plugged the Fractal into one of those tiny Vox MV50 amps (the "Clean" version) and its matching 8" cab. I wasn't expecting too much; I just wondered if it might be useable. Well, I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised at both the level and the tone. A/B'ing it against the Fender, it stood up remarkably well. It's certainly more than useable as a monitor, and would probably cope with a small, club-sized gig at a pinch (especially with another of those speakers plugged in, taking it to 50 watts). True RF? I doubt it. But it doesn't seem to lack much at all. Bottom end is a bit light, but you generally want that anyway . So, tiny and light enough to easily take as carry-on luggage on a flight, and weighing in at a total of just over 4kg, I reckon this is a winning combo. I recommend trying it sometime if you ever get a chance. I'd be interested to hear what you think. Cheers

[@NickGranville]

I’m not sure it’s laziness, rather being practical. I’ve found everytime I don’t bring my own monitor (like an frfr) I’m usually disappointed. I don’t like relying on sound people that much - most are cowboys who don’t know what they’re doing imo. Also it’s just annoying to have to ask for more or less volume or various eq etc. I don’t know that little vox amp but if it works for you then cool. Doesn’t have to be one or the other - use both. Eg the fender for when transport is easy and it’s necessary and the vox for rehearsals/ smaller gigs. That’s often how my rigs work

[@simonwilliams7608]

@@NickGranville I definitely don't plan on losing the FR10! It's just nice to have the option of a MUCH smaller and lighter alternative. The MV50 amps are great! They're absolutely tiny and weigh almost nothing. I have two - the Clean and the Boutique. Before the FM9, I used to run them in stereo, in my wee studio, out the back of the FX8. Wonderful sound! 🙂 Anyway - thanks for the feedback.

[@NickGranville]

Oh for sure, I wasn’t suggesting that. Use whatever works, you know that already though. Thanks for the comment

[@StefBorremans]

Great video! I believe they sound different because of the speaker size. IMO regular guitar cabs sound at their best with 12 inch speakers, while FRFR cabs sound best with 10 inch speakers.

[@NickGranville]

Totally agree. The speaker size makes a big difference with FRFR’s. It shouldn’t if they were all actually flat response but in truth it does. The 10 is the sweet spot I reckon. Some people might like the 12 for the extra bottom end. Thanks for watching

[@AJG76]

Thanks Nick - gonna buy one ( fender ) - I agree with your points . Adam G

[@NickGranville]

Cheers Adam! They’re really great, I’ve been very pleased with mine on all kinds of gigs. Since this video fender have released a list of the serial numbers of the ones which might hiss and they’ll replace the board for free. So if you’re buying one new maybe find that list and try to avoid from the start (saves waiting while it’s repaired). Hope you’re well mate. Cheers

[@LIKEFUNK]

I personally much prefer 15's on/as 2 way for my tones, there's much more frequency headroom to be able to tap into for certain styles/genres, those claiming certain bandwidths aren't available or even required are off with the sugarplum fairies, there's more than enough tweak factor in most guitars and modellers to specifically set to suit the 15's 2 way and it's more than capable of murdering any conventional 4x12 cab rig, the in the room trouser-shaking moving air is also very much there too if tweaked too properly, I usually only run one of mine with a Crown power amp hitting it with 300watts and in bigger settings I consider it my actual guitar amp only instead, it sounds even more stunning in the times it gets mic'd up to the foh likewise. I mounted/placed my full range 15 2 way into a 4x12 behind the front cloth for a giggle a couple of times live around fellow players and they complimented me on how great my 4x12 sounded, they hated me afterwards when I revealed the joke.

[@NickGranville]

Glad you’ve found what works for you. Thanks for watching

[@jmar482]

Great comparison. Would like to see the line 6 power cab 1x12 mixed in with this type of comparison as they are the other big competitor in this space.

[@NickGranville]

I’d love to have access to one to compare it but didnt have an in road. Generally I tend to like line 6 stuff

[@MrReStories]

Nick, did you notice any background noise from the Fenders - I've heard they are noisy

[@NickGranville]

@@MrReStories any amp does have some noise, including my tube amps. Some of them did have a problem with noise and you can find the info for which ones online somewhere (and they’ll replace the board in them). But all the ones I’ve tried haven’t had that problem.

[@jeffsurtees847]

love that guitar. I played an Artist most of my career.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks Jeff!

[@the_great_zampano]

Same here ❤

[@NickGranville]

Nice!

[@erickleinedeters3173]

Great video, im new to the multi effects world, slowly getting rid of messy pedal boards, currently have a Boss ME 90 running through the clean channel on 2x12 fender champion amp, but thinking about a headrush, after watching this im not so sure

[@NickGranville]

The Headrush is good, especially for the money. I tried both the 8 & 12 Headrush’s and the 8 sounded better (less boomy). I just don’t like the form factor. They’re basically like a PA speaker. The fender’s nail the form factor and the eq on top is super useful. Good luck. Cheers

[@carminelombardi9575]

Very good demo, after hearing this I'm totally in with the Fender FR12, I have a Headrush 12" FRFR, but I use it more as a monitor for my vocals. Additionally I have the (UA Dream 65) which models only the Fender Twin amp, , as well as the Axe Fx3 MKII, I'm wondering what it would sound like if I were to use the Dream 65 going into the Fender FR12.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for watching

[@marcusohlson1816]

Actually found someone from NZ! I’m based in Palmy and play at a local church. Awesome vid bro thanks!

[@NickGranville]

@@marcusohlson1816 thanks Marcus! Always good to have fellow kiwi’s on here. Cheers

[@irelana2650]

I use the headrush on a small stand using the Top Hat mount - works well off the ground from behind - nice compact lug

[@NickGranville]

That’s a great way to do it! Thanks for watching

[@TimPoitevin]

Great video! I'm looking at one of the Fenders, but every reviewer I come across uses a physical pedal/modeler to feed the cabinet. I'm using a Scarlett 2i2 DI into a Macbook running Amplitude 5, then back out via the DI to (hopefully) the FR-10 or 12. Would that work as well?

[@NickGranville]

Hi Tim. I’ve no idea if that would work. I’d think the signal from your DI might be like level? Maybe send fender an email and check before you go ahead??

[@RobertHopkinsArt]

I'm thinking of running the Tone Master Pro pedal into (2) of the FR-10's in front of me at an angle (like monitors). I would really like to hear myself in stereo instead of mono to get those sweeping sounds like the FOH is getting. Would you agree with this setup? The two cabinets may have a little more bass supplied with less "boomy-ness" to them compared to the FR-12" speaker(s)/cab(s).

[@NickGranville]

You might be better to buy a wedge shape frfr for that application. Maybe check out the Headrush 108’s for that application. They’re cheaper and closer to a traditional monitor in shape

[@RobertHopkinsArt]

Excellent! Thanks for the quick reply, Nick! Even though you got back to me quickly, I went ahead and ordered two of the FR-10s. I can afford it even if I don't use them in that application style. I can always use them behind me if I end up liking that "sound" better. I was never happy with the way my 2 Atomic CLR's sounded in front of me. They were to sterile for my taste. I have seen the Headrush 108's but never heard them up close. I will be sure to report back how they perform. Physically and sonically. I have a very large practice room that I can run the volumes at performance levels and I will let you know how it goes! Thanks again!

[@NickGranville]

Nice! They’ll get the job done. Keep me posted

[@stratslinger3921]

Could you run a mic for vocals as well as your guitar through the fender 10 say for busking?

[@NickGranville]

@@stratslinger3921 I’ve no idea. Maybe with some kind of mixer. I wouldn’t think it would be great for busking as it needs power, would be better off with a battery powered setup for that I’d think

[@stratslinger3921]

@ thanks Nick, yeah bit of a lame question sorry. 🤣🤙

[@NickGranville]

Fair question. All good man. Cheers

[@Stratguy10NZ]

FRFR-108 user here Nick - love it. I run it out of one of the sends of a stomp XL (mains to FOH). I have inserted an eq block in series with the send (parallel to the main outs) so its super easy to adjust the send tone to the FRFR mid gig. My chain is TS808, Protein OD, Tonex Pedal, HX Stomp XL Loving your content, greetings from Auckland - Jed

[@NickGranville]

Hi Jed. The 108’s are really good. Dumb placement of the input plugs but I run mine upside down and that fixes it (taped over the logo cause upside down is annoying. Yes, I’ve done the same with fractal on the perform page. I have EQ, reverb send, drive level etc. But it’s still faster to adjust on the fender frfr’s cause the control is on the top and you don’t have to bend down to the Pedal board. Interesting that you run two / three drive pedal into the HX. Why? I’ve thought about doing the same, mostly cause I like the controls on pedals right in front of me. Cheers

[@Stratguy10NZ]

@@NickGranville Analog drive pedals into the Tonex pedal (loaded with a really good amp capture) sounds awesome to me. The stomp is being used for modulations, tuner, send for the FRFR-108, and of course FOH or a stereo feed into my DAW for recording. Super powerful and flexible.

[@NickGranville]

Ah I see. That’s a great way to do it. Essential effects post amp (virtual). Lovely

[@SportThompson]

I concur. I have an FR12, and it can get boomy. I’m frequently having to dial out the boom.

[@NickGranville]

Yeah, it’s crazy isn’t it - a 12 inch speaker is standard in regular guitar amps, but in these frfr the 10’s seem to be the sweet spot IMO. Thanks for watching

[@officialWWM]

What’s it like for rock though? The 12 would have to be a better choice for driven sounds.

[@NickGranville]

Imo the Fr10 is great and my solid recommendation still. I’ve played plenty of rock gigs with it. Never a problem and it’s plenty big sounding enough for anything. But Are you asking or saying the FR12 is better for driven sounds in the second part of your question?

[@officialWWM]

@@NickGranville I’m kinda assuming. I’ve played amps with 10 inch speakers and they just lack bottom end.

[@NickGranville]

Yeah, I get that but that’s the problem most people have with frfr - it’s not an amp, meaning it’s not producing the sound. Rather, it’s amplifying what’s happening in your modeller. So a 10 inch speaker has heaps of bottom end. And a 12 imo has too much, very often. It might help to think of studio monitors - an 8 inch studio monitor can sound massive! So imagine a 10, even more so. Hope this helps,

[@officialWWM]

@@NickGranville hmm, I guess I’ll just have to try both of them and figure out which one I like best. Oh, and I mix on 12 inch monitors, lol.

[@NickGranville]

Oh wow! I have 8 inch monitors in my studio and I have to run them on the lowest bass setting, casue the room isn’t massive. Yeah, I recommend trying them side by side. That’s what I did, twice and bought the FR10. But maybe the 12 might be more you, only one way to know for sure. Cheers

[@gs-mx7ic]

very helpful ... thanks!

[@NickGranville]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching

[@Vakilando]

I'm never sure what to make out of this tests. Generally they SHOULD sound the same, but obviously the don't. And then, do you use it for rehearsal or live? And live? Is it your oly amplification or do you go into PA? In the last case: are ther eno monitors and you have to rely on your amp? I often have the feeling we guitar players want a slightly EQed signal, although this is not what the audience is hearing. Main difference would be: How are the speakers radiate sound? At which angle and how stable is it. TL;DR: FRFR should sound the same and I don't know what to make out of this comparisons, although I still like to hear people's oppinions.

[@NickGranville]

@@Vakilando I’ve tried a bunch of FRFR’s now and none of them sound the same. Sometimes wildly different. So the whole flat response thing just isn’t true. I bought the fender fr10 as it’s the most natural sounding. U play a lot of gigs, I’m a professional musician so need to be working. The fr10 gets the job done. Most the time I run into the PA via my fractal FM3 and the fr10 is my monitor but some gigs and rehearsals there isn’t a PA and that’s fine, it’s plenty loud enough

[@Vakilando]

​@@NickGranvilleyeah, that's what I mean. I was not talking about you specifically, but about the general player, who should think about what they use it for. If it's only for rehearsal and personal monitor you shouldn't make your life too difficult and go with something PA-like to hear what the audience hears. Or if this doesn't matter to you with something that's EQed to your liking, but it must be understood that this again is not what the audience hears. I like your test and the fender seems to be great.

[@NickGranville]

@ most PA speakers are very accurate either. A much better option is the fender FR10 because it has the EQ on the top so you can Taylor it to the room, if need be. Also it looks like an amp. I’ve used PA speakers before and often disappointed, more then happy with them

[@Vakilando]

​@@NickGranvilleI see, but isn't this only helpful when you use the fender as the sole amplifier? Anytime you use a PA, the audience will not benefit from your FRFR's EQ. Although they might get some signal from it from the front row. But IDEALLY (and I understand how complicated this is) the modeller should put out exactly what you want without further fiddling? For me it's really to replicate what's going to the audience. But I'm 100% with you: anytime your personal amp is enough, it's perfect to have a real amp or an frfr with an EQ.

[@NickGranville]

@ every room is different so being able to EQ the fender for you is perfect, even if going to the PA. The sound people out front will EQ if you need to. Do what works for you though

[@matthewearl9824]

Instead of the 108, you should have used the 112. it would have been a more fair comparison on the headrush. I'm actually in love with my positive grid cab.

[@NickGranville]

I don’t have a 112 thought. I do own a 108, hence why I used it. I remember trying both when I bought it and I found the 108 to sound more natural to my ear (and lighter) hence why I bought it. Thanks for watching

[@christianvanhorn8446]

I DO own the Headrush 112, and it's way too boomy. It is NOT the final answer or gods gift to modelers. I promise. Also Nick has a great ear, and obviously knows tone, and the guitar.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks Christian! The fender fr’s are a step up. For most people I’d recommend the Fr10 - it’s lighter, cheaper and more natural sounding. Cheers

[@chewchy9052]

Nice video and explanation - I have the FR 12.. and the headrush prime modeler - for fun really , they seem to work good together.

[@NickGranville]

Nice setup! 👍

[@tdz69]

Maybe my ears are broken but I can’t tell any difference. I use a headrush 108 with my FM3 and AxeFX3 and been doing so for years. I go FOH and use the HR just for myself and anyone near me on stage. It’s more than fine and small and light. Played tons of gigs with it and it serves the purpose. Simple set up and tear down.

[@NickGranville]

Cool, glad it works then no need to change. And they’re cheap so that a bonus. Enjoy.

[@samhainlimon]

Thanks for this. I have the HR 108. The upside down grill annoyed me too. I finally took the screwdriver to it and flipped the grill to correct that. OCD 😂. I recently got the Fender FR - 10. I really appreciate the eq right on the panel. I run a isp theta pro dsp and it handles it quite well. I've tried a lot of the modelers and the isp sounds the most full clear and present. The Fender FrFr 10 can get pretty loud too.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for that. I just put gaffer tape over the logo’s then it doesn’t matter that’s it’s upside down. dumb design. Those fender FR-10’s are great and I hope other companies looking to make make frfr speakers ‘borrow’ from that design. Headrush could really benefit from that design. Thanks for watching

[@JPG747]

The Headrush V2 model which I have, sorts that issue out plus this Updated electrical design features improved components such as the Woofer and Tweeter for better clarity and more accuracy with amp and cabinet emulations Added Bluetooth Audio - Stream audio wirelessly from any Bluetooth enabled device Contour Switch changed to an HPF EQ switch Updated shape and design and controls are more easily accessible Gold Logo on front panel to match new Prime/Core (Previous models featured a white logo) Power LED located now on front panel as opposed to the rear panel on the MKI And no I dont work for them! Did spend a lot of time trying speakers out, the Headrush ticked the boxes.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for that. I haven’t seen a V2 of the Headrush. Curious to see it. The Bluetooth esp would be handy. It’s likely they’ll be slow to arrive in NZ, but if I can get my hands on one to try I will. Cheers

[@davidraymond8994]

@@NickGranville I have the v2 and it is great they fixed a lot of the defects except for the upside-down handle ha ha. I like it a lot wanted to try to the Fender FR10 but there are none near me to try, would like to hear the difference.

[@davidraymond8994]

@@JPG747 I like the upgrade and it sounds better than I expected.

[@ROSER6410]

This was really helpful, thanks. FR 10 it is.

[@NickGranville]

@@ROSER6410 thanks. I really like my FR10

[@pdbordelon]

I have the FR-10. Surprised how good the Headrush sounds, I like the top end! That said Im happy with the Fender!

[@NickGranville]

Yeah the Headrush is good especially for the money. It’s not too far behind the fender in terms of tone but where it lets itself down is in the form factor

[@christianvanhorn8446]

I am worried that the Fender FR-10 won't be bright enough. Does it emulate a chimey fender or Vox pretty well?

[@NickGranville]

Oh it’s plenty bright. And plenty loud for any gig. I’d have no problem gigging one if I owned one. It’s great. And I think a better option for most people - it’s lighter, cheaper and more natural sounding than the 12

[@jturquoise]

Clean playing broseph Great job

[@NickGranville]

Thanks!

[@Hendoneabdar]

The playing style effects the sound a lot. You should play so close ass possible for fair judgment.

[@NickGranville]

@@Hendoneabdar thanks

[@huanton2many]

great vid. are you using these live? Do you find thatt you have to tweak the presets on the FM a lot , room to room?

[@NickGranville]

Thanks! Hardly any tweaking to do on the Fm’s. I have the presets dialled in now. The only changes I have to make is sometimes cut or add bass depending on the room (which I do on the fr10) or sometimes turn down reverb.

[@huanton2many]

@@NickGranville so all n all its pretty similar to using regular amps? ive sold my tube amps and am now thinking of going this route. What worries me is that these guitar processors never hold their value and become quickly expendable. Tube amps do not. In fact their prices keep rising. What do you think?

[@NickGranville]

@ tube amps go down in value too, except for the high end stuff. For me I’m not worried about that, I just use the gear that gets the job done. The speaker fr10 thing is just a monitor really, it’s all down to the level of the modeller and what you do with it. If you can’t get a good sound from it, then no frfr will help. Good luck

[@denniskrottje012]

Great video! Thanks 👍 Are you willing to share your preset? That would be great 🙂

[@NickGranville]

Sure thing. Send me an email to my website Nick Granville . Com and I’ll send you it. Cheers

[@frafilipoart4082]

Instant sub. great stuff

[@NickGranville]

Awesome, thank you!

[@simonwilliams7608]

Interesting. There's not a lot in it, but I quite like the warmth both Fenders add, although the 12 feels a little more boxed in, while the 10 is more open. Would you say the HR is the flatest of them? To me, it sounds that way, and perhaps that's why I slightly prefer the sound of the Fenders, and particularly the 10? What amp model is that?

[@NickGranville]

Thanks! The amp model is the vibratolux. It’s in my main preset I sent you. The Headrush sounds a little hyped in the lower mids, the fender 10 was the most natural sounding of the 3. By natural I mean closest to my studio monitors which are pretty close to actual flat. It doesn’t matter too much with frfr speakers cause you can EQ but it’s a nice starting point. I honestly think the Fender FR-10 is the ideal solution for most people - light, portable, sounds good, and price is in the middle

[@simonwilliams7608]

Hmmm.... As far as I've been able to gather so far, no one here seems to be stocking the FR-10, but the price listed by Musicworks was almost exactly twice that of the Headrush. I think I prefer it, but I'm not sure that I would prefer it enough to justify the cost. Anyway, it's unlikely I'll be using it to gig in the near future, so there's no rush. 🙂

[@NickGranville]

Musicworks gave them in stock I think. That’s who I borrowed it from. Unless they’ve sold out. Best to contact them as their website isn’t the best. Yeah, the price of the fenders is hard to justify, especially compared to the Headrush, but I think it’s worth it for the better form factor alone - and they do sound a bit better imo. Cheers

[@charlesfitzgerald3201]

Great review, I’m with you , the fender 10 is the best choice , I was going to buy the 108 is to why I’m here. Thanks for the help.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks

[@zeppu2671]

awesome video. Just wondering will the Headrush 108 or fender fr10 handle bass guitar as good?

[@NickGranville]

I’ve no idea for bass. It’s not really designed for bass so maybe not a good idea. Or go for the FR12 if you’re using it for bass?

[@zeppu2671]

@@NickGranvilleahhh.. thanks

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for watching

[@leo777lee]

Have you tried the atomic CLR’s I have a pair really nice, Backing tracks & FM9 through atomic’s

[@NickGranville]

I haven’t tried them. As far as I know they never came to NZ. I have heard good things about them though

[@rianrox190]

Where did you manage to buy these in Nz? Can’t seem to find them anywhere at the moment

[@NickGranville]

I didn’t buy them just had the fenders on loan to try so made a video to show my thoughts. I borrower them from the good folks at musicworks.

[@robpags]

I play the FM9 too… and I have a Friedman FRFR wedge and a headrush wedge…. The headrush blows away the Friedman cab.

[@NickGranville]

@@robpags nice! I haven’t tried the Friedman. I’d love to get my hands on one to do a comparison. The Headrush’s are real good for the money, just wish they’d copy the fenders format as the eq and size, shape etc work for me so much better

[@JPG747]

Interesting video, the Fender 10 and Headrush 8 are very close in sound, but I went with the Headrush because for me soundwise with Boss GX100 it just edged the Fender out. The other advantage of the Headrush 8 is 2 kg lighter, and 2 channels plus Bluetooth. Portability is key for me so this factored in over EQ. On my GX I almost always have an EQ in the signal chain and apply the Bass, treble, etc to the fast change controls and touchscreen so EQ on the speaker is not an issue, its right there in front of me on the GX and super visible. Last advantage...the Headrush is a lot cheaper which means money can be directed towards beers... very important this 😂. I can see why the Fender will be a popular choice though. I did hear about issues with hiss but the one I trialled was very quiet, but maybe I would have heard it more if tested at home? Great to have so much choice these days! Thanks for video.

[@NickGranville]

You got it man, the Headrush is cheaper so more money for beers! 🍺 🍻 ha. Nicely put. Yeah, if the Headrush works for you then awesome, cause it’s much cheaper. I have one too, and it’s super useful, but I’ll likely get a fender too. I’ve heard some people online talk about the hiss but the ones I had were quiet. In fact, less hiss than my Headrush (but it’s quiet too and a non issue). I wonder if some of the people trying these and having hiss issues might have problems with power coming into their houses or any number of other things that could be causing it. Cause the ones I had it wasn’t an issue. Thanks for watching, cheers

[@JPG747]

@@NickGranville Good point about the power, when I attach the GX to my desktop PC for editing the hiss and noise through the Headrush is dreadful, but through the laptop non existent, so power supply could be an issue like it is for many things. In normal use there is a very low amount of hiss through the Headrush but barely noticeable.The Headrush has a ground lift, as does the GX but its not always the answer. Have a good one!

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for that. Yeah, all gear can hiss a little - both my bassman and tweed deluxe real amps have a little hiss, probably more than my Headrush 108. But it’s so low it’s never a problem. Thanks for watching

[@tiago2336]

Idk what you are saying. I have Headrush 112 and it sounds absolutely bad, empty and uninspired. My Nano Cortex sounds great but, Headrush only gets a knack of it, and only at high volumes. I really dislike the Headrush. I can make it work with EQ, but it still sucks.

[@NickGranville]

Fair enough, if it doesn’t work for you then don’t use it 🤷it’s also worth noting that if you fail in your sounds they should work on any system. For me that means dialing it in on studio monitors so I know it translates

[@montiac22]

Well after spending some more time with the Fender FR10 I have pretty much decided to stick with the HeadRush 108. To my ear on this video the 108 sounds better. I'll continue to fool with the Fender but I have a feeling its not going to get the job done. The other thing is to my ear the overdrives and distortions sound better on the 108. I have tried so many multi-effect pedals with the 108 and for portability and ease of use I have to say my little NUX MG-30 does a great job with the 108. Thanks again for a great video.

[@NickGranville]

Fair enough, but you have only had the FR-10 for one day, right?? But, if the 108 works for you then why change as the 108’s are great, especially for the price. I like my 108 and plan to keep it. However, they won’t suit everyone, and that’s why I suggested the FR-10 as being what most people will want from these sorts of systems - striking the right balance of cost, form factor, tones and portability. Thanks for watching

[@montiac22]

Yes we are always searching for something new and loving it. lol @@NickGranville

[@NickGranville]

I’m the worst, never settling in. Maybe that’s a good thing 😂

[@therealone1288]

Which one for metal bedroom playing? Worried the 12 will be too boomy

[@NickGranville]

I have no idea for metal, it’s not really what I do. But I’d think the 10 should have plenty of bottom end. The times I have to play rock / heavy rock stuff my little 8 inch Headrush 108 gets plenty of bottom end. So the 10 is even bigger and 12 possibly too much.

[@the_great_zampano]

Great infos, great guitar and I agree on the Fender 10". Thanks mate!

[@NickGranville]

Thanks so much! Rock on.

[@joseph9226]

Greetings Mr. Granville. Great information. I do have a question. I have two Alto TS 415. And two headrush 112 mkll. If you wanted to send two back which two would you keep. Thanks.

[@NickGranville]

Hi, I haven’t tried either of those sorry so can’t give an opinion. Which do you like better? Maybe keep both? I’ve often found it useful to have multiple amps/ speakers then I can leave one at a gig and do another gig on the same night. I don’t do too many double gig nights these days but sometimes I do. Thanks for watching

[@joseph9226]

@@NickGranville Thanks for your reply. think I will keep both.

[@NickGranville]

Great! Plug all 4 in at the same time. I’m sure it’s glorious. Surround sound. Ha. Enjoy

[@joseph9226]

@@NickGranville Will do, Thanks

[@guestguide2544]

Yes, the 10 sounded the best from your first run through of the 3.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks, yes I agree - the 10 sounded the most natural to me. Cheers

[@nathanm5909]

Great content! I'm looking for a portable speaker solution to use with my laptop, Focusrite solo and Neural DSP plugins. I have some KRK Go Aux3s monitor speakers which are ok but not really as portable as I would like for playing causally in different rooms in my house. (I'm just a bedroom guitar player.) Would something like the Fender FR-12 be a good solution? I'm in NZ too so don't always have a lot of options.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks. Oh man, I have no idea about the laptop. Maybe if you have an FM3 or FM9 or some kind of modellers with multiple inputs then you could run it into one of those. I can say these work great for guitars. There were 3 of these just in the country and all gone now so you might be waiting till the next round of them come in. Cheers

[@nathanm5909]

@@NickGranville Cool. Appreciate the reply. Hopefully I can get my hands on one soon.

[@NickGranville]

Keep me posted what you end up getting. Thanks

[@nathanm5909]

@@NickGranville Just tested one out. As others had mentioned on KZbin there was a noticeable hissing sound which was super off putting.

[@NickGranville]

Bummer! Sounds like you might have the first generation ones, which I think did have hiss - and many have talked about on KZbin. The 12 that I had in to try was fine, no problem - it had a little hiss but hardly any. And the 10 which I’ve since bought is fine too. All the Fr’s from fender I’ve tried have been quieter than my tube amps in terms of hiss.

[@davidraymond8994]

Can you recommend a good stand for the HeadRush 108 as I have been told to get it off the floor for best tones. I am a newbie and just got a Helix LT and HeadRush 108 to replace a Tiny Terror and Orange PPC112 cab.

[@NickGranville]

Hi. I can’t sorry, I’ve never used a stand with my 108 - so have no idea which ones to go for. Best advice I can give is to check out the forums, as I’m sure people will have good advice. Cheers

[@gregmiller7123]

I just bought a standard PA speaker stand for my 108 from Amazon. It is a Pyle tripod and was only $30 USD. Plenty stable and getting the speaker off the floor makes a world of difference. The 108 has a speaker stand notch on one end and a knob to secure it from being bumped off.

[@NickGranville]

Nice one Greg. That’s a good price

[@dantearturorodriguezcamach2613]

Hi there! Thank you for the awesome comparison! I want to buy the FR-10 but it's not availabe where I live, just the FR-12. I understand it's boomier than the FR-10, but do you think you can control that with the bass knob in the FR-12? I'm going to use it for acoustic guitars, standard tuning electric guitar and lower tunings on electrical guitar with a digitech drop pedal (deftones, linkin park, Metallica, etc). So basically: 1: do you think the boomyness in the FR-12 can be controlled with the bass knob to have a similar sound as the FR-10, which you mention that you prefer? 2. Do you think i could pull those tunings off with the FR-10? Since I read it only goes to around 75hz Thank you!!!!

[@NickGranville]

@@dantearturorodriguezcamach2613 hi. I’m sure it’ll have plenty of bottom end to play those heavier tones. I don’t play that sort of music often, but occasionally I do, and I can get the job done. I used an FR12 the other day as it was supplied backline. I found it I turn the bass control down from 1/2 way to 1/3 that seemed to be similar to the Fr10 and I was happy with the tone. So I’d say go for it if it’s the only one you can get - you’ll be happy with it I think. Cheers

[@dantearturorodriguezcamach2613]

@@NickGranville got it! So FR-10 should do the job, but can't go wrong with FR-12 if it's the only one I can find. I really appreciate the quick response. Thanks again and congrats on the video, there aren't many on youtube like this one!

[@NickGranville]

Cheers man! Appreciate you watching and the comment. Cheers

[@guestguide2544]

Did you try the Headrush effects modeler?

[@NickGranville]

I haven’t tried one. Is it any good??

[@marekgitarzysta5193]

How would you feel about using FR-10 in a power trio rock/blues type scenario (1x guitar, drums, bass)? Would it be "full" enough?

[@NickGranville]

Oh yes, it’s plenty fine for that - I used it for a few blues gigs when I had it in to check out. If anything you’ll find you might have to turn down the bass. The 12 even more so - it’s often too big sounding - the 10 is the sweet spot imo

[@boltguitar]

thanks big boss

[@NickGranville]

Thanks for watching

[@redcomn]

My biggest problem with this is…. I wanted it in tweed finish 😂

[@NickGranville]

Me too! Tweed would be awesome.

[@pigxstix]

That little Headrush is punching above it's weight class for sure, I wasn't expecting it to keep up like it did. It looks like a toy compared to the Fenders.

[@NickGranville]

Right on. For the money it can’t be beat. But I still went for the Fender Fr10 as I was willing to pay more to get a little more. Still, the Headrush comes in handy.

[@LaCajaDeSnake]

Fender FR or Laney LFR which is better ?

[@NickGranville]

The fenders. They’re lighter and less boomy (more accurate). I didn’t like the laneys at all - tried the 1x12 and the 2x12. I own a laney IRT-X which is fine (little 8 inch) but the handle sucks, and it’s under powered, I’d go for the fender FR’s of all the ones I’ve tried- they’re not cheap but the form factor alone is worth it

[@LaCajaDeSnake]

@@NickGranville I understand, thank you very much for the information, is the fender durable enough to go out and play, or is the laney better for that?

[@NickGranville]

I’m not sure. I haven’t gigged the laney, only tried it in my studio and didn’t like the sound or form factor. I wanted to like it. I did one gig with the FR12 and one with the fr10 and both worked well. Seemed durable enough but only time will tell (I don’t own any of them, only had them on loan). I’d think the laneys would be durable enough, their stuff is usually well built. So I don’t think either will be an issue from a durability point of view. Cheers

[@LaCajaDeSnake]

@@NickGranville Thanks again, then I'm going to go with Fender, you made it clearer to me.

[@NickGranville]

I think you’ll like it. I know I did

[@Javier-qk7ms]

I dont want to sound disrespectful but 8", 10" and 12" flat speakers will always sound different from each other. Even with studio monitors

[@NickGranville]

Yeah, I know - so then why call them flat, cause they’re not. And not even close, even when comparing two different companies who make an 9 inch speaker unit for example.

[@leo777lee]

Roger fox yes amazing

[@NickGranville]

He sure is

[@zlau6132]

10 MILLION DOLLARS :O :O :O

[@NickGranville]

😂😂😂

[@krocs]

Great review. Quick question: Is the purpose for FRFR speakers to remain true to the input? Meaning that it should always accurately reflect what is being fed into the speaker with tweaks being made to the sound source? Would love to hear perspective on this.

[@NickGranville]

You got it. FRFR should just reproduce the source input. To me that’s what flat means, but they all sound so different. Of the ones I’ve tried the fenders have the best form factor (really important), and sound quite natural. I think most people will find the 10 to be plenty. I’ve yet to decide which I’m getting - I’m trying the 12 on a gig this weekend. Have tried the 10 on a gig. Thing that complicates it for me is I already own the Headrush 108. If I didn’t I’d just buy the 10, but seeing as I have the 108 I’m thinking the 12 would be a nice contrast. Will report back

[@javimartin3521]

I will wait for your report, because I've got a FR108, and planning to buy a fender FR 10 or 12...in your video I prefer the fender FR 10 among them... Sometimes I've found my headrush 108 too bassy...if the fender suit me well, maybe I could sell 108 and get a second fender FR 10 or 12, for dual mono (Or keep the 108, as you do) for bigger medium stages... In terms of power...do you think FR 108 is louder than the 1000 watts of fender?

[@NickGranville]

Thanks. No idea which is louder as I never got to push either to their top volume. 1000 watts should be plenty for most situations. And same with me, I’ve sometimes found all of the frfr speakers to be too big sounding, even with an 8 inch speaker. That’s one of the reasons I like the fenders with the eq on top. It’s just quick and easy to sort

[@PukeyMcDork]

Headrush is meant to be on a small stand. You can use them like an old fashioned tiltback monitor but that's not how they're designed. Get that thing OFF THE FLOOR and onto a stand. Then make that bad boy stereo. The stage volume is 100% not meant for the audience. People need to be cognizant of that. When you're using a profiler that unit is pushing FOH and that tone is what the audience hears. Of course in a big house, even if you have a marshall stack it's 99% through FOH. So the amp is just a speaker with a mic in front. Which is what a Kemper Is. Kemper is the only way to go. Headrush must be on stands. MIC DROP

[@NickGranville]

They’re not ‘meant to be on a small stand’. You can totally run them as a monitor wedge or on a stand. I’m not remotely interested in bring a stand as it’s extra stuff, just to run my monitoring. And some people do run their FRFR to fill a room not just for monitoring. I do gigs sometimes where the PA is just a vocal PA so my frfr 100% has to fill the room. And I much prefer the fractal stuff to anything kemper makes. Thanks for watching, mic drop

[@PukeyMcDork]

@@NickGranville sorry about that. I just assume people at my playing level and that they are in the United States. I keep making that mistake. Again sorry.

[@NickGranville]

@@PukeyMcDork 👍

[@JayYarbroughMusic]

The 10 million dollars was more than enough for a thumbs up 😂

[@NickGranville]

@@JayYarbroughMusic ha, thanks

[@miketheawsomeonemoran5751]

Laney lfr 212 is better sounding

[@NickGranville]

I tried it and didn’t like it at all. It’s boomy and crazy heavy. Just didn’t work for me at all, but hey, if it works for you then cool.

[@Robertas-u5l]

i have 108 to listen to music 😂

[@NickGranville]

They work well for that I’m told. Nice

[@yaniv-nos-tubes]

frfr is such a dumb idea i can't believe people are buying this crap, why don't you carry a tube amp if youre going to log around with a cab? don't you want to sound good?

[@NickGranville]

Yeah I agree that the notion of flat in terms of FRFR is rubbish. Lots of reasons to use a frfr speaker over a tube amp though. Take my current gig on we will rock you. For the 3 band rehearsals I used my fender Fr10, and then we we moved into the theatre I couldn’t use a speaker at all, so it was onto IEM’s. There’s no way I can use a tube amp in this situation - there are 40 headset mics on stage, and feedback would be a major issue. The other thing is I’d much rather use a modeller if I have to play at low volume, as tube amps just don’t sound good unless you can push it a little. And a modeller gives me way more tones which is what I need on this gig. Hope that helps

[@larrypeyton797]

Been using a Helix live for 4 years 2 nights almost every weekend and I used Tube amps for 30 years. I can do shit with the Helix that I could never do with an amp. Also the helix sounds the same every night, never had an amp that did that consistently. At the end of the day you have a loud heavy tube amp on stage and all that sound is being pushed through a little sm57 and out the PA speakers. Now that's stupid. All it does is make life hard for the soundguy. I doubt there is anyone these days that could even tell the difference if it's dialed in properly. I haven't even had a cabinet or minitor on stage in 4 years because we use iems but I do miss having the controlled feedback that only happens with a speaker. Saying it's stupid is just as stupid as me saying your stupid for using a tube amp. Sounding good comes from your hands and knowledge and no gear is going to fix that.

[@NickGranville]

Thanks Larry, I agree

[@YonkyKADAVER]

Get a HiGain tube amp, tune down 5 or 6 semitones, put emg 81 on bridge position, and stop playing music for weak people.

[@NickGranville]

@@YonkyKADAVER lol 😂 😂😂

[@YonkyKADAVER]

@@NickGranville My message was not intended to be malicious, I was just joking. greetings

[@NickGranville]

Ha, it made me laugh all the same. Especially the weak people part. Cheers 👋

[@slimturnpike]

which modeler do you recommend with he FR-10?

[@NickGranville]

I use the fratcal FM3 and FM9. For most people I’d recommend the FM3 as it’ll do everything you’d want, and it light and portable