Low budget FRFR live monitor - again!

  • I didn't try it with others. Would have loved to but it wasn't in the budget for me. The alto was ok...but not what I liked hearing when playing live. I'm not sure what it was but I don't think it represented the tones I was getting through the Kemper like when I would record direct. It seemed to add something different to the sound but I'm not sure what. If you find one really cheap like I did (I paid $180 for mine), it might be worth a shot for you to try it out.

  • I didn't try it with others. Would have loved to but it wasn't in the budget for me. The alto was ok...but not what I liked hearing when playing live. I'm not sure what it was but I don't think it represented the tones I was getting through the Kemper like when I would record direct. It seemed to add something different to the sound but I'm not sure what. If you find one really cheap like I did (I paid $180 for mine), it might be worth a shot for you to try it out.



    Thanks! Yeah I think I know what you're trying to say... with the 3 different monitors I mentioned in the first post I get different results, which differ from what I hear at home. And, well, I'm not at all convinced that any of them is THE one I want to be hearing when we play live.


    So the search continues!

  • Yesterday I used the Superlux SF12A on a medium stage (6-8m wide) (had it with me to create an "hotspot" for me).
    Style: Loud electronica with drums and gits on stage


    With a very loud drummer and no gits on the floormonitors. It was not far away from the maximum of the monitor, but I like the sound. It´s hissing a little, but always at the same level. Damn heavy, but good to handle. About 180€. Will buy another one (for stereo at home):


    Superlux SF12A overall:
    hissing (who cares on stage)
    very warm sound (love it)
    CHEAP!
    just enough power to survive a hell of a drummer



    what I hate:
    no cover (thomann) and no alternate seller in germany.

  • When I was scouting for a monitor almost two years back I tried the Alto TS112A and then QSC K12 with the KPA at a music store nearby. Without any adjustments on the KPA it was very obvious that K12 won. However due to the price difference I went for the Alto thinking then that maybe I just need to EQ the KPA and it will sound similar. After a week of tweaking I couldn't get the sound of K12 so I went back to the store and swapped the Alto to K12. The K12 had the harshness on its own that I also didn't like at first but later I learned to tame it using the global EQ of the KPA. I could have gone to cheaper but nice sounding monitors that were mentioned here however I have very limited option in my place.

  • For me, the Yamaha DXR10 has been a revelation!
    There is a whole new world of quality tone now, without the back-breaking chore of lifting heavy valve amps and 4x12 cabs!
    Currently we are testing this new world by loading the identical rigs into 2 different kpa setups:-
    KPA POWERED (cab off) into Marshall 1960 4x12 cab
    KPA NON-POWERED into Yamaha DXR10 FRFR powered speaker
    Both guitarists (Ibanez and ESP guitars) then played simultaneously. Then we switched KPAs


    BOTH rigs sounded great. The Yamaha sounded richer and fuller!
    Each sounded similar, but the guitars did affect the sound - we could probably gig with identical rigs in each player's KPAs and still sound different enough to work well :)
    Testing continues - loving it!
    \m/

  • I started with the EV ZLX12P and brought it home and tweaked it with the KPA EQ until I liked how it sounded. He emphasized the lows and highs a lot but cut them back with the EQ. Playing out with it I always had to tweak it for the room until I liked it. I bought 2 Yamaha DXR10's for rehearsal and first tested them out on the KPA for a side by side comparison. I had to set the KPA EQ back to flat and thought it was more a natural sounding FRFR. Now that I have played out with the DXR10 I didn't have to touch the EQ and liked the stage sound much better. You really don't realize until you get them side by side exactly how much better the DXR sounds. That's my experience.

  • For the money the ZLX is hard to beat, liked the DXR10s a bit more but they were $200 more and I decided to go with the ZLX until I spring for a Mission Gemini. If you get the ZLX you can tone the bass down easy enough with the built in EQ and also remember to turn off the sub (works for me anyways). Good luck!

  • Hi there, I'm getting a DXR10 the next days. I wanted to ask which of the DXR inputs you're using ? XLR or Line ? The DXR's manual isn't a great help on this topic...


    I am using the XLR connector. All settings on the DXR are neutral and I have set the speaker off the ground in a vertical position where for me think its sounds the best.

  • My primary rig include two Yamaha DSR112s mounted about chest height. At times I scale down to one or two Yamaha DXR10s, and my cheapskate alternative is a pair of Behringer F1320D wedges. The F1320Ds actually work quite well considering their price, although they're a little weak (ClassD 300W) to stand up to the Yamaha's on every occasion.

  • Hi there, I'm getting a DXR10 the next days. I wanted to ask which of the DXR inputs you're using ? XLR or Line ? The DXR's manual isn't a great help on this topic...


    You can use both inputs. I often use the Kemper's monitor out to the DXR's line in (TS-TS cable) with excellent results.


  • You can use both inputs. I often use the Kemper's monitor out to the DXR's line in (TS-TS cable) with excellent results.


    I have a DXR10 since yesterday and using the monitor out to Input 2 I get a lot of noise (hiss). :( still no idea (after 5 minutes of trying to find an answer). I will have a look at that later...