Powered Kabinet or 2x12 Kone or FRFR

4d9c16ccdf8a51f88b3f3e7126597918eadbe798 · Nov 5th 2021

Hello everyone, recently sold my 2x12 cab and running direct from my Stage to my Studio monitors.

I am planning to get a better solution so I don't stick with my 5'' studio monitors for playing.

I am considering a few different routes.

1. Powered Kabinet is the obvious choice - my concerns are that 1) it's a 1x12 only and wouldn't feel as tight and big as a 2x12, 2) Sound might not be exactly what FOH would get even with the most closely matched imprints (not a huge concern atm since not gigging atm)

2. Like the sound of the 2x12 Harley Benton vertical cab and replace the V30s with the Kones. Downside is I'll need a power amp and might make my solution bulky to carry. Is Kemper coming out with a 2x12 ? lol would love that.

3. A good FRFR. I'm not sure if I'll enjoy this since I like the amp-in-the-room sound but maybe I'm prejudging. I have been playing through cabs for 15+years

Penny for thoughts?

Ruefus · Nov 6th 2021

1. The Kone and Kabinet are for monitoring. It won't sound like what the FOH gets. FOH receives a mic'd cabinet sound. What the player wants is the amp-in-the-room sound. Same as your 212.

It's too bad the powered Kabinet doesn't have an output to connect a second, passive speaker. That'd be the ticket.

2. I don't know about a 212 Kabinet. I doubt it...but I've been wrong before. (Just ask my wife.)

3. I have no experience with FRFR speakers. I hate the aesthetics. It's also a mic'd cab sound...which isn't bad. Just not my preference for monitoring.

Wheresthedug · Nov 6th 2021

If you only need it for playing at home I would personally go for better studio monitors and forget about a cab at all but that’s just my personal preference. I have a Kabinet and Powerhead which I use at rehearsals and gigs but almost never plug in at home.

Gitarrenschlumpf · Nov 6th 2021

active 2x12 coax FRFR

toni dd · Nov 8th 2021

At home I'd use good studio monitors and the kemper main output into your soundcard. It works great for me. I use M-Audio M Track Eight soundcard and Rokit 5 KRK monitors. In my opinion, the result is 10/10. I wish I got that sound at rehearsal or even live.

For rehearsals with the band, I use Kemper monitor output into Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 and two Kabinets. It works ok, though it requires a lot of adjustments in global monitor EQ, high cut, low cut, etc. Not a disappointment, but still work in progress to achieve the perfect sound I get at home. Seriously considering to add Kemper's main output to PA in rehearsal, just to check out how it works... but that's an other story.

Live, my setup is Kemper's main output into FOH and Kemper monitor's output to Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 plus two Kabinets for monitoring on stage.

Hope it helps

4d9c16ccdf8a51f88b3f3e7126597918eadbe798 · Nov 8th 2021

Quote from toni dd

At home I'd use good studio monitors and the kemper main output into your soundcard. It works great for me. I use M-Audio M Track Eight soundcard and Rokit 5 KRK monitors. In my opinion, the result is 10/10. I wish I got that sound at rehearsal or even live.

For rehearsals with the band, I use Kemper monitor output into Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 and two Kabinets. It works ok, though it requires a lot of adjustments in global monitor EQ, high cut, low cut, etc. Not a disappointment, but still work in progress to achieve the perfect sound I get at home. Seriously considering to add Kemper's main output to PA in rehearsal, just to check out how it works... but that's an other story.

Live, my setup is Kemper's main output into FOH and Kemper monitor's output to Seymour Duncan Powerstage 700 plus two Kabinets for monitoring on stage.

Hope it helps

Display More

Thanks Toni, that makes sense.. I was really hoping that with the imprint technology and Kones, I'd be able to get close to the FOH sound with these as monitors. I have the Rokit 5s as well

My situation is that we aren't gigging at the moment so I was wondering if I should configure my Stage with profiles that sound good through the Kabinet so I can get a good home and rehearsal sound and then duplicate the profiles I use in separate performances and tweak them for a good FOH sound.

BayouTexan · Nov 9th 2021

Best to tweak the sounds for gigging now to save you the headache later. It's always easier to roll back to a "home practice" sound by cutting the high end and adding more low end.

Share