Using same speakers for home & live use

[knulp]

Hi, week-long lurker, first-time poster. Just got the Helix and love it. Only played it through cheap-ish headphones and still blown away.

 

I've sifted through this forum as well as ones on other sites and compiled a lot of helpful tips about my following question, but also enough confusion to warrant asking it here directly ...

 

I am looking to buy a speaker/PA system that will cover the following personal needs: I am using the Helix to process guitar as well as some electronic drums, a synth sometimes, looping w/an external looper, possibly even my vocals. So--primarily I'm a one-man band (and having the ability to process all these things through the Helix, on top of replacing my pedal board, is why I got it; really, it's a revolutionary device, not that I need to waste time preaching to the choir, but truly, revolutionary is an accurate descriptor for it), and thus the speaker/PA setup should reflect this use, particularly w/the idea in mind that it'd be used as my amplification in small venues (coffee shops->small bars sizes). I also play guitar in a couple of bands and would like to be able to use the same speaker/PA as either a monitor if we play somewhere that has FOH or on its own if we play somewhere that doesn't. Again, small-size rooms; not expecting to play theaters any time soon.

 

From all I've read, this doesn't seem like an unreasonable expectation from the various FRFR/PA options out there..

 

I'd like to ideally use the same setup at home so I don't have to be concerned w/creating different patches for different systems, and would like the patches I create to translate as well as possible to FOH (I've read a lot about all that and understand moving from one system of playback to another will always cause some differences in how the patch comes across, but just looking to have decent expectations that things won't shift too drastically). One concern I read about is that creating patches using low volumes on speakers won't translate when the volume is increased in a live situation (or it may have just been playing through them w/the volume low won't sound too good?), and thus a suggestion was to use studio monitors at home. I'm open to this idea, but again, ideally would like one setup that covers it all. 

 

My favorite comment from those I've compiled is the one that seems to directly address my needs--"I'd go for one L2M just to give me an all in one home jamming, jamming w/friends, and a gig solution"--so perhaps my question is really, does this answer to another user's question also successfully answer mine?

 

I'll also mention I have a JamHub, if that's helpful to know/put to use at all. I wouldn't mind not using/needing it though; really hoping to keep things as streamlined as possible, and the JamHub usually stays in my office.

 

Thanks a lot for any help you can offer-

 

 

[cruisinon2]

FRFR is definitely the way to go...and there's a lot of options now. There are numerous threads around here that have it all spelled out. Personally, I like the Stagesource speakers. I've got an L2T. Live I use it as a floor monitor, and run straight to FOH.

 

However, there's no getting around the volume thing that you mentioned. Nothing, whether it's FRFR or not, is gonna sound the same at stage volume vs. comfy living room volume, and it's nothing to do with the speaker(s)...it's just the way we perceive the volume of different frequency ranges at a given amplitude. Can't fight biology. I've got patches that I use at home, and others for gigs.

[chrisvermaak]

I had that very same requirements. Want my guitar to sound like a guitar. Like Hank Marvins guitar. And wanted my backing tracks or just pure music sound like pure music through the same system.

 

Finally I purchased 2 off L3t speakers and connected them to my Helix full digital via Line 6 Link

 

Now I have full stereo backing track at HiFi quality sound and my modeled VOX AC30 (Hanks favourite amp) with delays, reverb, compressor all going through stereo patches straight from the Helix to the L3ts and it sound beautifull.

 

I needed two speakers to accomplish the stereo from backing tracks and I went big for the L3t's such that when you have your guitar and backing track going to both speakers the volume you can achieve is truly huge. 

 

And whether I practise at reduced volume at home or play at loud volume with my sons or to myself the tone only sounds slightly different  and I think that is just because of my ears always enjoying the louder tone but the soft tone also makes me perfectly happy.

 

I achieved that by finally setting the levels on Helix and L3t's to what really works close for low or high volumes.

 

The L3t's are heavy (effectively each 1300W speaker amps) at 26kg each. But they carry easy and the setup is simple with one serial cable going from Helix to 1st speaker then loop through to the 2nd. 

 

I do not think you can buy better equipment for your (and my purpose)

[knulp]

Thanks to you both for your replies, very helpful. I'd like to ask about L2 vs. L3 but I'll go poke around other threads first and see what's been said already. Thanks!