Routing to both FRFR and FOH?

[pytty]

Hi,

 

I bought Helix recently and I've been using it trough my Laney Ironheart's power amp and VHT 4x12 cabinet. I'm thinking about buying an FRFR monitor to be able properly use all cab sims in the Helix and also that I don't need to carry big amps and cabs to every gig.

 

Someone in my area is selling their near mint condition Friedman ASM-12 for 650EUR, so I'm planinng on buying that (is it a good idea?). It only has a single balanced female XLR input and I would believe most sound guys would want to connect my Helix to XLR input as well in the mixing desk. So how can I connect Helix to both FOH and FRFR if I only have one (mono) XLR output in the Helix? Do I have to rely on 1/4" output and hope the sound guys can take it? Or can I use an 1/4" to XLR cable/adapter? I don't really know much about routing levels either, which levels (Line/Instrument/Mic) would I have to use for each output?

 

Also, what are your experiences on Friedman ASM-12's volume? We have two guitarists, a bassist, a drummer, a lead singer and three of us do backing vocals. We play pretty loud hard rock/heavy metal in the rehearsal room (we can barely hear the vocals). We wear ear protection. Can ASM-12 compete with the other guitarist's 4x12 cab and come on top in the solos (with solo boost in Helix)? And could it work in extreme cases, when FOH connection isn't an option, as my sole sound source?

[rd2rk]

You can get a really cheap ($10) DI to convert the 1/4" out to XLR:

 

https://smile.amazon.com/Premium-Direct-Injection-Audio-Box/dp/B0027V760M/ref=sr_1_6?crid=1UGU066430O5Q&keywords=di+box&qid=1553559810&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=di+%2Caps%2C327&sr=1-6

 

You can also pay a lot more for the same features from a PRO level brand name,  but it works for me.

[rvroberts]

DI box is a simple fix, most soundies already carry a batch for bass and keys anyhow. 

Regarding the Friedman, I’ve never heard one, but even at a reduced price it’s not cheap!  There are the line 6 power cabs and a pile of seriously good speaker systems, many of which are designed specifically for a more “guitar” sound out there at or below that price. Yes, Friedman is a good name, but that box came out a while ago, and it’s hardly the only kid on the block these days. Personally I’m still needing to be convince some really good PA boxes don’t do the job every bit as well. 

You’d be able to go stereo ( which I find to be a real treat) for similar money with 2 1000w boxes. I’d fun 1/4 inch into my monitors and save the XLRs for FOH. 

So my basic message is try some options before jumping in. Be aware that you will need to EQ your sound for any box, and I personally find it more logical to be EQing for something that more closely emulates the FOH.  

[DunedinDragon]

I'd second RVROBERTS in looking at all the possible solutions as there are quite a few very good ones out there at this point that are much more price competitive than the Friedman.  Unfortunately there's no way to know other than trying them out whether any solution will work with a loud band.  Optionally you could join a band with some professional discipline that realize it's not the 70's or 80's anymore and most PAs can easily carry the volume load for the venue so you don't have to be so loud that your stage bleed drowns out the PA and vocals.

[rd2rk]

15 hours ago, pytty said:

I'm thinking about buying an FRFR monitor to be able properly use all cab sims in the Helix and also that I don't need to carry big amps and cabs to every gig.

 

Way to go. I'm using a Headrush FRFR112 (cheap and sounds good),  but any quality powered PA cab will work. Go to GC and try several!

[gunpointmetal]

If you're running a mono signal chain you can use both the Left and Right XLR output from the Helix at the same time and they send the same signal. A lot of guys seem to prefer using a DI box with the 1/4" outputs for FOH to avoid a possible phantom power buzz issue, but my experience has been that if you're playing somewhere where the sound system doesn't have individual channel phantom power 1) you're gonna need more stage volume and don't bother with FOH anyways or 2) the sound guy and the PA are a hundred years old and a DI rig is just going to confuse him anyways.