I've tried so many different monitors and settled with an Eminence EM12, sounds pretty good but still looses a little something. Been eyeing the Fender, it's really tempting me and you just made it worse 🤣!
Kellerblues, I was curious how the Fender FR-12 is working out for you after a few weeks? I've seen quite a few people saying it sounds good, but that there's a hiss present and it's loud when playing at lower levels, has this been an issue?
Please let us know what you think. I’ve had great luck with my CLR NEO, But always lookin for something better
Kellerblues, I was curious how the Fender FR-12 is working out for you after a few weeks? I've seen quite a few people saying it sounds good, but that there's a hiss present and it's loud when playing at lower levels, has this been an issue?
Hi Howard. All good here, still very happy. This thing is a monster, never heard any FR box that reproduce the different emulated cabs like this one does. The punch and the low freq gives really the feel of a real cab and the on-board EQ makes the setup for a different room a matter of 2 minutes. The hiss is there, but for me absolutely negligeable (a real amp is worse), measured in my studio at 32-34dB (3' distance) with ambience noise of 30dB. Even if you play at room level (65dB) you don't hear it. Heck, even the strings noise is a lot louder then that. Still, it looks like some box has a louder hiss the others, so it would be better to try it in the shop first
Please let us know what you think. I’ve had great luck with my CLR NEO, But always lookin for something better
The CLR is about the only one that I've never had, but it beats hands down any other one. As a reference I had: Blue Amps, L6 PowerCab, DXR-10, EV 12, Mission Engineering 2x12, Laney 2x12 (very impressive, but weight and size are excessive, like a 4x12), HR 108 (this one was so bad!), QSC FR12a, Powered Kabinet, Catalyst 100. The main thing is that it doesn't sounds and feels like a PA speaker, but like an actual amp. Particularly impressive is that it's a closed back speaker, but with the Cab emulation of an open-back one, it really sounds like the back panel dropped off. Same when you use a 4x12, you just can't believe the sound is coming out of this 1x12. I can only recommend at least to try it.
Please let us know what you think. I’ve had great luck with my CLR NEO, But always lookin for something better
I have used the Clr in the past and loved the way the rigs translated to the FOH. I have sold them since we've moved to a smaller house in retirement. I am going to try tweeking on studio monitors and see how that goes.
The guy I sold them to has used them for stage monitoring, as well as FOH for small venues.
The CLR is about the only one that I've never had, but it beats hands down any other one. As a reference I had: Blue Amps, L6 PowerCab, DXR-10, EV 12, Mission Engineering 2x12, Laney 2x12 (very impressive, but weight and size are excessive, like a 4x12), HR 108 (this one was so bad!), QSC FR12a, Powered Kabinet, Catalyst 100. The main thing is that it doesn't sounds and feels like a PA speaker, but like an actual amp. Particularly impressive is that it's a closed back speaker, but with the Cab emulation of an open-back one, it really sounds like the back panel dropped off. Same when you use a 4x12, you just can't believe the sound is coming out of this 1x12. I can only recommend at least to try it.
Thanks for your input, I gotta try the Fender. I can't find one within a reasonable driving distance so I'll have to order one. I'm at the point that this may be my last effort, if it doesn't work for me I'm considering going back old school.
I got the Kemper rack in 2017 and for four years I ran it into the effects return of a Fender Mustang III, picked a stock rig and just played. I had an EV ZLX12 at the time of purchase and tried it but didn't care for it.
In the last two years at stores I tried a passive Kabinet and the Headrush units. I ended up purchasing a matching rack and two 112 cabs to load my own speakers in for a stereo setup. So far I've bought and tried the first generation Kones, the Neo Kone, but settled with the Eminence EM12's.
I'm almost embarrassed to include the other's I've bought in that time frame but here they are nonetheless. Two Yamaha CBR10" passive, a powered Kabinet, a QSC CP8 powered, and last week an ISP Vector FS-8 that the power section shorted out on after four hours of use yesterday, so back it goes.
By the way, it looks like the hiss can be fixed if a person is willing to open the unit up, remove and solder in a couple of replacement parts. Details are on the Fractal Audio forum, but it would be a little daunting without pictures or maybe a video for reference, at least for me.
By the way, it looks like the hiss can be fixed if a person is willing to open the unit up, r
Seen that, but not worth the hassle, IMO. Really nothing disturbing, you just notice that is on (at home, alone in a very quiet room). Any low wattage tube amp would be the same/louder when you flip on the standby switch (not to mention when you kick on any pedal). This is really an internet-inflated non issue. I've been gigging and recording with a Super Sonic Twin 100W for years (and a couple dozens other tube amps before it) and that beast was hissing like a snake's nest everytime I was hitting Ch.2, the FR-12 is really nothing
That hiss would drive me nuts. I've read you can make it disappear by turning down the pressence knob. Not ideal but at least something.
That hiss would drive me nuts
That would really surprise me 
. It's not a studio monitor by any mean, but even a Champ 12 is louder then it
I have that "hiss" in my headphone amp. It drives me nuts but the amp sounds great. When the headphones come off, I still hear that damn hiss for 30 minutes. 
I have that "hiss" in my headphone amp. It drives me nuts but the amp sounds great. When the headphones come off, I still hear that damn hiss for 30 minutes.
That's tinnitus, not hiss 
That's tinnitus, not hiss
Sounnds the same, no? 
The imprints may sound okay with that cab but I don't beleive they are accurate to the Kone?
Sounnds the same, no?
The imprints may sound okay with that cab but I don't beleive they are accurate to the Kone?
No idea... Looked it up and the speaker is
Aktiv, 2-Wege
Never heard of it, but so what. Super happy with my Kabinets, but it would be interesting to A/B these...
Sounnds the same, no?
The imprints may sound okay with that cab but I don't beleive they are accurate to the Kone?
Not even tried to use Imprints, running only with Cab on.
Thanks for the review and updates Kellerblues. It's very a very compelling option.
Do you run the XLR out from the FR-12 into FOH? How does that compare against the Main output from the Kemper.
I currently use the Powered Kabinet. Prior to that I had used the Line 6 Powercab Plus and preferred the XLR output from it to FOH.
Thanks for the review and updates Kellerblues. It's very a very compelling option.
Do you run the XLR out from the FR-12 into FOH? How does that compare against the Main output from the Kemper.
I currently use the Powered Kabinet. Prior to that I had used the Line 6 Powercab Plus and preferred the XLR output from it to FOH.
It depends where the Snake is, For bigger events they always have one front of stage as well
Seen that, but not worth the hassle, IMO. Really nothing disturbing, you just notice that is on (at home, alone in a very quiet room). Any low wattage tube amp would be the same/louder when you flip on the standby switch (not to mention when you kick on any pedal). This is really an internet-inflated non issue. I've been gigging and recording with a Super Sonic Twin 100W for years (and a couple dozens other tube amps before it) and that beast was hissing like a snake's nest everytime I was hitting Ch.2, the FR-12 is really nothing
I bought the FR-12 a few weeks ago and noticed the hiss the first couple of times I turned the cabinet on and was right next to it. The hiss is still present, but I don't notice it, and at 3-4 feet away I can't hear it. The noise from single coils is way louder, but after forty years of playing that's something I just accept.
I put my Kemper rig up for sale after having the FR-12 for a week. I was waiting to try the Profiler with the FR-12 before selling, it was my last attempt at finding a monitoring solution. Had the FR-12 not sounded as good as it does I was going to go back to a traditional amp, but I'm extremely happy with the FR-12. I now want to downsize to a Kemper Stage, much more portable than my current setup.
A bit of a stupid question but I am completely new to this and it's related to safety so here I go...
I know that tube amps should always be plugged into grounded power sockets, otherwise you risk getting an electric shock.
Is this also the case with a powered speaker like the FR12 in combination with a Kemper Player?
My rent home does not have grounded sockets (only in the bathroom and kitchen) and this is part of the reason I went with a modeler instead of a tube amp.
I'd love to get the Fender FR12 for my Kemper Player, but if plugging it into an ungrounded socket poses a risk I may need to look for a different solution.
