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EV ZLX-12P vs. HeadRush FRFR 112


jbyrd0408
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Which would be the better way to go the EV ZLX-12P or the HeadRush FRFR 112? I can get both of these speakers for the same price, I know the EV has a DSP menu on it, but supposedly the HeadRush is tuned for guitar. If I went the route of the EV, could it be tuned for guitar? I'm just trying to find out which brand will have a better advantage over the other for running my HeadRush Pedalboard thru.

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1 hour ago, jbyrd0408 said:

Which would be the better way to go the EV ZLX-12P or the HeadRush FRFR 112? I can get both of these speakers for the same price, I know the EV has a DSP menu on it, but supposedly the HeadRush is tuned for guitar. If I went the route of the EV, could it be tuned for guitar? I'm just trying to find out which brand will have a better advantage over the other for running my HeadRush Pedalboard thru.

 

I'm assuming you meant Helix...as there probably aren't a whole lot of Headrush pedalboard owners in this particular forum. But either way, "the better way to go" is entirely subjective.

 

I'm also not quite sure what you mean by "tuned for guitar", but the whole point of using an FRFR speaker is that it's not "tuned" for anything in particular... it's supposed to be a blank slate...a speaker that will provide as little color as possible, so that the modeler (whatever it is)  can do what's it's designed to do... mimic something else. By preemptively "tuning" anything one way or the other, you lose that blank slate. So I don't really see that as an advantage of any kind, but rather another variable you'd have to work around. 

 

Most FRFR platforms will provide similar results (emphasis on similar...no two units can ever be expected to sound exactly the same, no matter what the spec sheets say). What that really means, is that in most cases you'll b e applying high and low EQ cuts to eliminate muddy bottom end and fizzy highs that often plague this kind of rig... but that will likely be necessary no matter what you choose in the end. Using FRFR speakers requires a different approach than a traditional guitar amp.  It's just the nature of the beast...It will vary from one unit to another, some requiring slightly different tweaks than others, depending on the frequency response, volume, the kind of tones you're after, etc etc... but trying to predict which one will better suit your specific needs is more or less futile. In the end, you have to experiment. Buy from someplace with a reasonable return period so you have time to work with it, without worrying about being out a bunch of money. 

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I think it's highly unlikely the Headrush is any better tuned for guitar than the ZLX.  Which guitar is it tuned for?  Acoustic or Electric?  Resonator?  Les Paul or Gretsch?  If it's tuned to the guitar that means your on stage sound will be different than the sound coming out of the front of house.  This all sounds like marketing fluff to me.

 

What is true in terms of difference is the Headrush has more volume, but at the expense of a lack of ability for the user to "tune" the speaker to their needs using a range of DSP contouring options.  Additionally, the ZLX-12P is a bi-amp design (one amp for lower frequencies and one for higher frequencies) whereas the Headrush is a simple one amp design with different drivers for highs and lows.  The bi-amp designs are used more in premium speakers because it makes it easier to evenly allocate frequencies given the nature of how well sounds project at different frequencies, so they allocate wattage differently for highs and lows.  Those are really the only considerations that should come into the equation.  As Cruisinon2 mentioned, the idea is you want a speaker with as little coloration as possible so that you get an honest representation of your tone.  Some of that coloration can come into play depending on how the speaker is positioned which is why it's handy to have various contouring options to correct for it.

 

 

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I use a pair of ZLX-12P's with my Helix Floor and love them. There is onboard DSP that you can program and save to get the sound you prefer. I have used them as monitors onstage when I can go directly to the house with my Helix or I use them as my main amplification in smaller venues. I use them in my home studio and live when I gig and I am very satisfied with them.

 

There are so many good FRFR options that you basically cannot go wrong with the choice of a good flat response full range unit from any manufacturer. I would love to have the Line 6 solution but my EV units do the job and are road worthy. I think any unit like the EV's just require that you take some time to work with them to obtain  the sound you prefer. 

 

I've never had anything be perfect right out of the box including my Helix. I spent a lot of time with the Helix and the speakers getting the sound I liked. But the setup now along with with my JTV69 provides the swiss army knife solution for our setlist and my recording needs.

 

Good luck with your decision.

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  • 1 year later...

Very late reply but with the EV it makes a huge difference whether it's set to pole or floor. Using it with floor might actually be preferable on the stand because it cuts a little bass. I set it to +2 treble and - 8 bass. It has a lot of clear bass so it can be adjusted to your taste but that's a good starting point. That is in my small room. Even in a pole it's close enough to the wall it accentuates the bass. It sounds fantastic. I want to hear the Headrush 8inch sometime to see if it might be better in my small room but I love the ZLX so maybe not. I definitly can notjustify the Line 6 power cab, at least at its price. 

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