HeadRush FRFR-108 Mk II Speaker | Electric Factory | RRP: $589
The HeadRush FRFR-108 Mk II Speaker is leading the charge in a new wave of affordable, professional sounding on-stage monitors designed for guitarists and bass players. In 2011 I moved from Auckland to Naarm, leaving behind not only an entire scene of musicians I’d gigged with, but also a key piece of gear: my guitar amp. Having no acquaintances in Naarm, I found it incredibly difficult to make inroads into the metal & hardcore scenes. So I gave up the ghost and decided my band days were over. But I wasn’t done making music. A few months later I forked out for an amp modeller, and became a bedroom recording artist. I built a bunch of tones that I eventually used on a solo album. That was the closest I came to harnessing the full potential of amp modelling hardware. But there was one major downfall: I had nothing to play it through. It was headphones or bust, and something about not being able to feel the sound of my guitar in the room really took the wind out of my sails.
Amp modellers have flooded the live music industry in recent years. Not only do they drastically simplify the logistics of gigging—a single floor unit replaces 50-60kg worth of amp and cab—but many units come loaded with multiple amp and cab tones. So really, it’s like bringing an entire guitar shop to your gigs.
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Traditionally, you’d run your floor unit into a PA, but you lose that feeling of standing next to a guitar cab while the air gets pushed around by the sound of your chugs. Enter the FRFR speaker. FRFR stands for ‘full range flat response’. The speakers in guitar cabs are traditionally low wattage, don’t deliver the full range of frequencies, and have their own built-in character which colours your amp tone. FRFR speakers are the exact opposite: high power, very clean, and capable of outputting frequencies from 50-60Hz to 20kHz and beyond. This allows them to accurately, cleanly and powerfully amplify the sound of your tone & associated speaker cabinet emulation without colour.
HeadRush is at the forefront of FRFR speaker technology, with 8” and 12” options on offer. The FRFR-108 offers an insane 2,000 watts of power, outputs frequencies from 52Hz to 22kHz and is a must have for every gigging or recording guitarist with an amp modeller. Weighing in at only 9kg (half as much as some tube amps), the FRFR-108 is the perfect stand-in for a real cab at a fraction of the size, with a specially voiced 8” flat response woofer and high-frequency compression driver that will maintain the purity of your simulated cabinet tones.
Versatility is the name of the game here. The FRFR range of speakers come with dual XLR/TRS inputs via combo jacks and an XLR output. You can use the FRFR-108 as a foldback wedge on stage, you can use the XLR output to send your tone to front of house or to a second speaker, or you can use two speakers in stereo. At a compact 17.1” x 10.1” x 9.6” (434 x 256 x 245 mm), the FRFR-108 is the ideal bedroom-sized monitor for recording, and you can even send the XLR output directly into your DI box. There’s a quickstart guide in the box that offers a handful of configuration diagrams, which makes setup super easy. The guide also includes a list of the features on the control panel to help you operate the speaker correctly.
A function that I found particularly smart is the high pass filter button, which can help to tame muddy mixes by rolling off the frequencies below 100Hz. The intention here is to simulate the effect of the speaker being lifted off the floor and pole mounted. I found that the bottom-end frequencies really rattled my floorboards while the speaker was on the floor, so the HPF option is a great touch. If you prefer the analog version of pole-mounting (as in, actually mounting the speaker on a stand) the cabinet itself is fitted with a clamp. Speaking of lifting it off the ground, there’s also a ground lift button if needed, making for a cleaner signal. There are three volume knobs on the control panel: one for each input and one for Bluetooth. Arguably the best feature on the entire speaker is the fact that all three volume knobs go up to 11. Nigel Tufnel would be proud.
The Mk II versions of the FRFR-108 and FRFR-112 are Bluetooth capable, so there’s infinite potential. They make great all-purpose speakers. Just push and hold the Bluetooth button to pair. Great for house parties. Not great for your relationship with your neighbours. When I tested the Bluetooth function on the FRFR-108, at volume mark ONE I was listening out for a knock on my front door from noise control. This thing goes HARD.
I really wish I was paying attention when the first FRFR speakers hit the market. The HeadRush FRFR-108 has the ability to replace some of what I lost when I left my amp in Auckland. I might just have to go out and buy one. Or maybe I’ll just refuse to give back the one I borrowed to write this review. I’ll just tell them it was stolen or something. Mixdown have my back, right? Hello…?
For local HeadRush enquiries, visit ELFA.
