Headrush FRFR 108 vs. Yamaha DXR 10 - my impressions

  • I'm not a sound expert, all I can give is an advice based on 1: My ears 2: My tastes 3: My use (mostly home, as I'll only try it with my band next month, Tonejunkie/TAF presets mostly + RZ for high gain..) with - 4: My weak english level that makes me use terms that may not me very acurate.


    I've seen many likes for the HR108 for home use, I've read them before buying it, and I could'nt get close of the tone I have with an amp + cab in the same room.


    I felt the HR108 to be too smooth in the bad way, soften, I expect a gainy sound to be granular and a part of sound complexity and beauty comes with this. Furthermore the sound was very bassy and what I described as "colored", maybe the term was not well chosen: as if I was using a TS9 with gain on 0.... As I play 80% with the neck pickup of a strat, I just could'nt get used to that.


    I agree that the high's are more (maybe too much) pronounced on the line 6, but I can get a similar tone and playability in FRFR mode as I get with my head+cab, at home friendly volumes, I'm not surprise I could sound tiny loud, and It could be for the same reason as it sounds good quieter..


    Also, there is a huge difference between

    1: Kemper merged profile taken with a head+greenback with the powercab in FRFR mode

    2: Kemper same merged profile with cab disabled, with powercab in greenback mode

    I could have thought it would be quite equivalent ... but the powercab cab sims seam to filter more highs than the Kemper cab section does. Powercab sims feel unnatural to me. I also get to the conclusion that the FRFR mode of the line 6 PC could not be so FRFR even if I like it.


    Finally, nothing new here, as 3 Kemper profiles of the same amp can sound and play very different, 3 FRFR will also sound a feel different, tone seeking can be complex. I'm glad I kept my real amp, at least I have something to compare ...


    And that said, even If i'm quite satisfied, these 2 FRFR are so different that I will try other solutions if I can, maybe the asc10, or the kemper active cab when it comes out...

  • I'm struggling to find some info on the FRFR112 and hoping someone here may be able to help. Is anyone able to tell me what current draw it takes? I'm looking at a pedal power supply that has an AC pass-through and wondering if I can also get it to power a cab.

  • I'm struggling to find some info on the FRFR112 and hoping someone here may be able to help. Is anyone able to tell me what current draw it takes? I'm looking at a pedal power supply that has an AC pass-through and wondering if I can also get it to power a cab.

    Ok, for reference you can make the classic calculation for current, the FRFR has a supposed peak of 2000W, which would give you a peak current of 20A at 120v, and around 12A at 220V, for nominal operation, they normally operate at 60% peak power, so your nominal current would go arround 12A and 7.2A. Assuming you live in europe, then I would not connect your FRFR112 unless the passtrough supports at least 10 amp. But most passtrough connections do, so I think you would be fine.


    I can measure mine anyway, just give me a couple of days for weekend to arrive so I can check personally with my FRFR108 (has the same electric configuration to the 112, just smaller coils, same power, should be fairly the same).

    The answer is 42

    Edited once, last by Alfahdj ().

  • “also found the 108’s bass response to be very “spikey”.



    no way!!! ;)

    If you use FRFR the benefit of a merged profile is that the cabinet is totally separated in the profile.


    For my edification only... ;) Kemper/Axe-FX III/ Quad Cortex user

  • Ok, for reference you can make the classic calculation for current, the FRFR has a supposed peak of 2000W, which would give you a peak current of 20A at 120v, and around 12A at 220V, for nominal operation, they normally operate at 60% peak voltage, so your nominal current would go arround 12A and 7.2A. Assuming you live in europe, then I would not connect your FRFR112 unless the passtrough supports at least 10 amp. But most passtrough connections do, so I think you would be fine.


    I can measure mine anyway, just give me a couple of days for weekend to arrive so I can check personally with my FRFR108 (has the same electric configuration to the 112, just smaller coils, same power, should be fairly the same).

    Thanks so much, I'm waiting on a Cioks Big John to arrive and the pass-through is 2A, so it sounds like it's unlikely to work. The FRFR is being delivered to a rehearsal space in Germany ready for tour, so I've got no way of checking for the next three weeks.

  • Thanks so much, I'm waiting on a Cioks Big John to arrive and the pass-through is 2A, so it sounds like it's unlikely to work. The FRFR is being delivered to a rehearsal space in Germany ready for tour, so I've got no way of checking for the next three weeks.

    The thing here is just calculations that are made by assumptions on the data we have, will get us not really close to the real number. Nominal voltage Wattage is not displayed on the box, and nowadays, nobody knows what the heck nominal means for audio equipment "at medium volume? 3/4 volume? both inputs? only one input?", so take all with a grain of salt, and in the meanwhile, I will try to measure the speaker myself, so I can give you an idea where are you going.

    The answer is 42

  • The back panel of the Headrush indicates a T10 fuse for 120 volts, a T5 fuse for 240 volts, and a Power Consumption of 800 watts.


    So, a 10 amp current draw at 10 volts, and a 5 amp current draw at 240 volts.

    Just careful there, the rating of the fuse is to protect the circuit from overload, but it does not correspond always to the total load of the whole system, the fuse can be connected to a part of the circuit, or directly to the line input, if the later, then yes, we can expect that will be the maximum load os the line, but if not, the fuse can be measuring current in a diferentiated state of power. Anyway, 5A is way above of the connection he has on his peddalboard, so it would be a no-no

    The answer is 42

  • Thanks so much, I'm waiting on a Cioks Big John to arrive and the pass-through is 2A, so it sounds like it's unlikely to work. The FRFR is being delivered to a rehearsal space in Germany ready for tour, so I've got no way of checking for the next three weeks.

    Finally, measured, in idle, 220v, the headrush consumes around 3.8A of current, and while playin and mid volume goes to 4.3A, that means the headrush uses around 750W+ of nominal real power, so there you have it, 2000W looks like marketing, at most this thing would be a 1200W peak speaker, but it indeed sounds like a louder one. Still, no luck for your pedalboard :/ wont make it with 2A

    The answer is 42

    Edited once, last by Alfahdj ().

  • Finally, measured, in idle, 220v, the headrush consumes around 3.8A of current, and while playin and mid volume goes to 4.3A, that means the headrush uses around 750W plus of nominal real voltage, so there you have it, 2000W looks like marketing, at most this thing would be a 1200W peak speaker, but it indeed sounds like a louder one. Still, no luck for your pedalboard :/ wont make it with 2A

    Thanks so much for doing this. Like you say, it won't work for what I need to do, but I'm sure someone at some point is going to be Googling for exactly this and you'll answer their question too.

  • I was looking into frfr options. What’s the best way to connect one of these headrush cabs...1/4 speaker cable or xlr?

    The cheapest most at hand solution, if you already have a XLR, go that way, if not 1/4" instrument cable, the only difference is that technically XLR will deliver more volume to the Speaker, but it is not needed anyway, chanel balance would make no difference at all. Speaker cable is overkill.

    The answer is 42

  • The cheapest most at hand solution, if you already have a XLR, go that way, if not 1/4" instrument cable, the only difference is that technically XLR will deliver more volume to the Speaker, but it is not needed anyway, chanel balance would make no difference at all. Speaker cable is overkill.

    Sorry I meant instrument cable not home that we speaker cable. I assume that’s just mono output or do you run dual stereo xlr to the headrush?

  • Sorry I meant instrument cable not home that we speaker cable. I assume that’s just mono output or do you run dual stereo xlr to the headrush?

    The Headrush is a Mono cabinet. The Monitor Output of the Kemper is a 1/4" mono jack. I suggest using a 1/4" instrument cable.


    If you want stereo Monitors, you can set up the Kemper to send Stereo Monitor Outputs, and would need a second monitor cabinet.


    Another big advantage to using the Monitor Output(s) for the Headrush. You may want to use the Main Outputs for recording, or to send to a PA at some pome point.

  • Hello.


    This may be out of interest since the Kone and the cab are already here, but I recently brought my 108 home from the rehearsal room and I've been checking it against the Yamaha face to face.


    Yamaha wins no doubt. It's much more clear, clean and had better dinamics.


    The 108 sounds more compressed, distorted, and it hasn't that clarity. It also has that bass presence... Maybe it's great for metal players or for others, but not for me.


    I know with such a different price tag they are in different worlds.


    Anyway the 108 sounds great for the price and is very handy. If I had to buy one today for rehearsals and playing at home I'd get the 108.


    But, for me, the Yamaha's sound quality is simply better.

  • I really don't rate the Headrush 108 for clean sounds. Of course I didn't realise this until I bought the Kone.

    Great value for money mind. I sold mine recently and only lost £20 from what I paid originally.

    'You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead' - Stan Laurel

  • Finally, measured, in idle, 220v, the headrush consumes around 3.8A of current, and while playin and mid volume goes to 4.3A, that means the headrush uses around 750W+ of nominal real power, so there you have it, 2000W looks like marketing, at most this thing would be a 1200W peak speaker, but it indeed sounds like a louder one. Still, no luck for your pedalboard :/ wont make it with 2A

    I think this measurement is flawed. Not at all likely that a class D amplifier in idle draws 750W.