Headrush FRFR-112 Powered Monitor

review
LINE 6 POWERCAB 112 PLUS & HEADRUSH FRFR-112
106
Guitarist november 2018
The massive
headroom of the
HeadRush FRFR
makes itself felt as
well as heard
your sound. Both speakers weigh about
the same and are quite portable; the FRFR
is taller and narrower with an integral grip
on the top rear, while the Powercab Plus’s
more conventional shape makes it a little
easier to carry single-handed.
Sounds
Both monitors power up cleanly and
smoothly; we tried them out with an entry-
level amp modelling pedal and a higher-
grade rack unit, also borrowing a Helix
Floor to check out the Powercab Plus’s
digital and MIDI integration.
Sonically, the HeadRush and Line 6
are both quality performers. There’s
a big difference in power and this was
immediately noticeable, with the massive
headroom of the HeadRush FRFR
making itself felt as well as heard. While
the 2,000-watt figure is qualified as a
peak measurement, this still works out at
around 1,000 watts continuous, which is
respectably loud by any standard, with no
less than 128 dB SPL. With immense power
comes great clarity and the HeadRush is
perfect for music that demands precise
definition, like metal, or anything that uses
detuned instruments. The only downside
to this level of power is that any mistake you
make is reproduced with the same stunning
clarity. So if you’re prone to sloppiness, then
be prepared to polish your chops if you
want to get the most from the HeadRush’s
huge headroom.
While not as powerful, the Powercab Plus
scores well on the tone front, with a more
authentic ‘real amp’ sound compared with
the HeadRush FRFR, which comes over
more like a high-quality recorded track.
The Powercab Plus still puts out 125dB
peak SPL, which is loud enough for small
to medium gigs and, of course, there’s a
balanced output to hook it up to whatever
PA is in use. Another cool feature of the
Powercab is that the dual concentric driver
arrangement means you can mic it like a
regular guitar speaker and hear the HF and
LF content from one source. The speaker
models are very impressive, particularly the
Vintage 30 and Alnico Blue programs, both
of which sound spine-chillingly authentic
compared to the real thing. The Creamback
and Greenback models are ideal for putting
the final polish of authenticity on vintage
Marshall-type tones, while the Eminence
Swamp Thang patch mixed with a rude
tweed champ model is instant Tres Hombres
ZZ Top.
The Powercab Plus functions on a
number of different levels when combined
with a Line 6 Helix. You can choose to set
it to ‘Flat’ and use the Helix’s amp/cab
modelling, or turn off that part of the Helix
and use the Powercab to generate speaker,
cabinet and mic placement effects, together
with your choice of impulse response.
The Line 6 Link ins and outs let the whole
operation take place in the digital domain
with zero latency.
While the presets and other digital
features of the Powercab Plus worked
perfectly with other MIDI-compatible
sources, it’s clear Helix users will enjoy
Powercab’s full potential. There is a lower
spec’d version of the Powercab that retains
the speaker models but does away with
almost everything else. This will work
just fine with any other modelling source,
although we wish Line 6 had left MIDI in.
Onboard programming is quite
straightforward, with one knob for
selecting and editing parameters and
‘home’ and ‘save’ push-button switches.
The other knob is a non-programmable
volume control. The edit knob has a
useful LED-illuminated ring that can be
4. As well as sitting the
FRFR on the fl oor, you
can pole-mount the
HeadRush, just like a
conventional PA speaker
5. The FRFR chassis has a
built-in grab handle for
easy carrying
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GIT439.rev_l6_hr_cabs.indd 106 03/10/2018 16:27