Playing with two FRFR cabinets and stereo vs. mono

  • Hello Everyone,


    I will offer my standard apology up front that I am new to the Kemper/modelling world so these questions may fall into the rookie territory. Anyway, I own a Kemper Stage and a Headrush FRFR 112. I played them at a rehersal for the first time and the band loved the sounds. The FRFR112 is loud enough for rehersal, but barely. I am considering adding a second one to offer more confortable headroom and volume control. My questions are as follows... Has anyone else used the FRFR112 (or similar) and added a second one? If so, did it provide a nice volume boost? Any issues with running them in parallel?


    Lastly, if I add a second cabinet I could obviously run stereo, I realize that stereo is primarly of benefit to the guitar player standing in front of the cabs. We on occasion play venues where the PA is in mono and I am not sure how to handle that if I am running a stereo rig. Any thoughts on mono vs. stereo? If I decide to run both 112s in mono would I just use the out on the first 112 to connect the second or is there a way to sum on the Kemper and use the L and R Mon out?


    Sorry for all the questions, and a huge thanks in advance to this forum. It has been super helpful.

  • I can;t answer on the headrush directly but you would assume additional wattage will of course be better. I do question your volume or output though as I suspect 2000 watts is pretty loud....


    With regards to stereo....I personally don't rate it for a couple of reasons:


    1) "wider" is not necessarily better. A tighter sound generally will cut better


    2) Its then tempting to make all effects wide and stereo because you have that set up, quickly losing your core sound.


    3) More hassle to set up and balance.


    4) Ping pong delays are irritating and not big or clever :)


    For me no point having stereo monitor if it doesn't go out FOH.


    The only caveat to that is if you have a very "ethereal" which require swooshing spacey effects. For a good rock sound, I'd stay mono.

  • Hi, onlyagibson,


    Adding a second identical loudspeaker will not give you significantly more volume. Under ideal circumstances, you get +3 dB SPL. That's noticeable, but not significant in a rehearsal situation. If you're already at the point of being just barely loud enough, with a loudspeaker capable of 131 dB SPL peak - I think you need to get everybody to turn down the volume at rehearsal. You're probably playing at toxic levels.



    As you've noted, stereo can sound great for you, the guitar player. It's not going to make a difference to the audience where the PA is mono.


    On the Profiler, in the Output section, you can specify that both main outputs are MONO.

  • I'm amazed that a Headrush 112 is "barely" loud enough!

    I have a DXR10 and it gets so bloody loud my bandmates would kill me.8o=O

    Totally agree...either he plays VERY loud or I suspect something to do with the output levels not set correctly. I suspect the latter.....

  • Totally agree...either he plays VERY loud or I suspect something to do with the output levels not set correctly. I suspect the latter.....

    yeah there is no no way. I have a Headrush FRFR108 (8 inch speaker vs 12) and it gets really loud. I love playing super loud cabs but ive never turned that speaker up past 1/3rd of the way up (because of my living situation) but even at that setting it's loud as hell. Its either output settings or he just doesnt have his master volume and the volume on the headrush both turned as high as he thinks he does.

  • Okay after another rehearsal I will have to agree that the Headrush is loud enough. We are a loud band, but I was somewhat reluctant to push it too hard my first time using it. But I gave it more volume this time and it does indeed get plenty loud. Sorry for the fire drill,

  • Okay after another rehearsal I will have to agree that the Headrush is loud enough. We are a loud band, but I was somewhat reluctant to push it too hard my first time using it. But I gave it more volume this time and it does indeed get plenty loud. Sorry for the fire drill,

    Thats ok dude, but I also play in loud bands ( at times its been painful) but you should have plenty of headroom. Just check the level you are sending to the headrush as well :)


    ...and check eq....there is a difference between volume and "cut"....don't just try to power through with a very thick sound.


    A guitar sound that sounds great on its own can easily get lost in the mix...