Single L2T or Dual PA?

[bryaneaves]

I've been playing my new Helix through headphones and my Marshall DSL 100 with 1960 cab.  I just can't get this thing to sound good through the Marshall.  Based on this forum, it sounds like sand alone speakers is what I need as opposed to using an amp cab.  This is for home use only.  But my home set up is a fairly large room and I like playing loud when no one's home.  I assume I need to skip powered monitors and go for bigger speakers.  I can afford a single Line 6 L2T or dual PA speakers (Say a pair of Alto 212's).  What do you guys recommend between a single L2T versus 2 PA speakers?  Thank you very much!  Bryan

[j_hotch]

Personally, a good quality single speaker is what I would go with. Just my humble opinion.

[Patrick29]

I have both... My L2m blows the Altos away by a looong shot. Both sound pretty good, but you wont be disappointed in an investment for an L2t. At first it plug-in, it sounded a little boomy, but after a little bit of tweaking, I got it just perfect. Lay it sideways, like a monitor, because it has an internal accelerometer that engages an effect that rolls off the lows a little bit. The L6 link also sounds way better, than connected through a 1/4 cable. Not sure why, but it does...   

[cruisinon2]

3 hours ago, bryaneaves said:

I've been playing my new Helix through headphones and my Marshall DSL 100 with 1960 cab.  I just can't get this thing to sound good through the Marshall.  Based on this forum, it sounds like sand alone speakers is what I need as opposed to using an amp cab.  This is for home use only.  But my home set up is a fairly large room and I like playing loud when no one's home.  I assume I need to skip powered monitors and go for bigger speakers.  I can afford a single Line 6 L2T or dual PA speakers (Say a pair of Alto 212's).  What do you guys recommend between a single L2T versus 2 PA speakers?  Thank you very much!  Bryan

 

Either choice is perfectly doable...I have an L2T, and it sounds great. Live, it's my stage monitor, but it never gets used at home. A larger pair of powered studio monitors that you can crank up to "nobody's home" volume would allow you to run stereo amps and FX... big fun, especially if you're gonna do any recording. Totally up to you though. Either way will work.

 

Also worth considering is L6's new Powercab... if it lives up to it's own press, this might be a good option for you as well, possibly requiring a little less patch tweaking than powered monitors,  or other FRFR options. The more I read about it, the more interested I get, despite the fact that I have no real "need" for it.

[roscoe5]

If you are thinking the Alto route, consider the Headrush FRFR-112. Basically the same as the Alto TS312 and same price, but true guitar FRFR voicing/DSP.  

 

I've read others saying that there is a difference.

[BBD_123]

1 hour ago, cruisinon2 said:

A larger pair of powered studio monitors that you can crank up to "nobody's home" volume would allow you to run stereo amps and FX... big fun, especially if you're gonna do any recording.

 

 ^ ^ ^ ^ Well worth considering. Stereo is such fun :-) And big studio monitors are LOUD.

[bryaneaves]

3 hours ago, cruisinon2 said:

 

Either choice is perfectly doable...I have an L2T, and it sounds great. Live, it's my stage monitor, but it never gets used at home. A larger pair of powered studio monitors that you can crank up to "nobody's home" volume would allow you to run stereo amps and FX... big fun, especially if you're gonna do any recording. Totally up to you though. Either way will work.

I originally thought about Powered Studio Monitors but read several comments from people on here saying they are wonderful for purposes of tweaking the sound, monitoring mixes, patches, etc, but aren't really enough for cranking up a guitar for loud practice.  I would much prefer to have the smaller footprint of studio monitors.  8 inches are the ones I've seen discussed the most.  Do you think these would be enough for good volume high gain distored guitar (that's what I play most)?

[DunedinDragon]

1 hour ago, bryaneaves said:

I originally thought about Powered Studio Monitors but read several comments from people on here saying they are wonderful for purposes of tweaking the sound, monitoring mixes, patches, etc, but aren't really enough for cranking up a guitar for loud practice.  I would much prefer to have the smaller footprint of studio monitors.  8 inches are the ones I've seen discussed the most.  Do you think these would be enough for good volume high gain distored guitar (that's what I play most)?

 

How much actual SPL volume do you need?  We're talking modeling so aside from Fletcher Munson effect, your tone is based on what you dialed into the amp model, not the actual output volume on the Helix.  It's the same at any volume.

[BBD_123]

+1

[bryaneaves]

10 minutes ago, DunedinDragon said:

 

How much actual SPL volume do you need?  We're talking modeling so aside from Fletcher Munson effect, your tone is based on what you dialed into the amp model, not the actual output volume on the Helix.  It's the same at any volume.

I'm not experienced enough to identify the correct terms nor quantify them.  I just want to be able to fill this 13'x25' room with rich sound at a good volume level.  If Studio Monitors will do that, perfect.  If not, I'll go with PA speakers.

[DunedinDragon]

Well the safest choice would be the PA speakers since they're more than capable of reaching whatever volume you'd want, and could certainly be further used with a band or just to jam with other musicians.