8 Best FRFR Speakers of 2024

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Whether you're rehearsing at home or performing at a venue, you want an amp that'll give you a consistently full range and a flat response.

That's where FRFR (full range flat response) speakers come in, they project your sound without affecting it in any way. The best FRFR speakers give you a flat response that allows you to get the most out of your guitar or bass.

We're going over the best FRFR speakers of 2024 and highlighting what exactly landed them on this list. We also included a buyer's guide at the bottom, so you know what to look for while shopping.

The best overall FRFR speaker on this list is the Line 6 Powercab 112 for its room-filling volume and multiple modes for different, specialized uses.

The right FRFR speaker can act as a canvas for your performance, amplifying your tone without coloring your sound.

Quick Summary of the Best FRFR Speakers

  1. Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus (Best Overall FRFR Speaker)
  2. Boss Katana-100 MKII (Most Customizable FRFR Speaker)
  3. Friedman ASC-12 (Most Stylish FRFR Speaker)
  4. Headrush FRFR-112 (Best FRFR Speaker for Live Performance)
  5. Kemper Kabinet (Most Lightweight FRFR Speaker)
  6. Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus (Best Flat Response FRFR Speaker)
  7. Headrush FRFR-108 (Best Budget FRFR Speaker)
  8. Mission Engineering Gemini 2 (Best Expensive FRFR Speaker)

Best FRFR Speakers

1. Best Overall FRFR Speaker – Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus

Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus

SPECS

  • Power: 250W
  • Speaker Size: 12"
  • Weight: 36 lbs.
  • Connectivity: XLR Output Jack

The right FRFR speaker can help you recreate the same sound in the recording studio and on stage, and none do it quite like the Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus.

The Powercab 112 Plus does everything you need from an FRFR speaker, and it does it well. It gives you the optimum sound quality you're looking for without sacrificing any power, and it has a lot of power.

The Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus comes with an astounding 250W of power, almost double most of the other FRFR speakers on this list. That much power means you have enough volume for small to mid-sized venues.

One of the Powercab 112 Plus' best features is its Flat Mode, where the Powercab delivers your sound between 70hZ - 25kHz with a completely neutral frequency response.

The Powercab 112 Plus is constructed of lightweight yet durable plywood, giving it a real amp look while letting you carry it to your next gig without too much hassle.

This FRFR speaker also has a 125db SPL maximum volume, giving you the amplification you need for your next performance.

If you want the best overall FRFR speaker on the market, check out the Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus.

2. Most Customizable FRFR Speaker – Boss Katana-100 MKII

Boss Katana-100 MKII

SPECS

  • Power: 100W
  • Speaker Size: 12"
  • Weight: 32 lbs.
  • Connectivity: .25" Phone Type

The best FRFR speakers will give you a flat response, full range, and plenty of features to go with it.

No other FRFR speaker on this list gives your as many options as the critically acclaimed Boss Katana-100 MK II. It's a 100-Watt amp that comes with a solid 12" custom speaker that produces a deep bass response and a powerful presence.

The Boss Katana comes with five different amp characters (Clean, Crunchy, Lead, Brown, and Acoustic) so you can get the exact sound you're looking for.

The Boss Katana-100 MK II has memory built into it, so you can replay your favorite amp and effect settings too. It's even one of the best modeling amps in the guitar world too.

If you're looking for connections for external hardware, the MK II has you covered. It comes standard with connections for up to two foot switches or an expression pedal, whatever you use with your current setup. Power control also helps you get a cranked-amp tone even at the lowest volumes.

If you're looking for an FRFR speaker you can play around with, check out the Boss Katana-100 MK II. Boss took everything people loved about the original Katana model and made it even better.

3. Most Stylish FRFR Speaker – Friedman ASC-12

Friedman ASC-12

SPECS

  • Power: 500W
  • Speaker Size: 12" with 2.5" Edge Wound Voice Coil
  • Weight: 59 lbs.
  • Connectivity: Balanced Male/Female XLR Output

If looks were everything, the Friedman ASC-12 would easily take the top spot on our list as the best overall FRFR speaker. This speaker isn't just a looker, though; it's one of the best and most reliable on this list.

The Friedman ASC-12 is the perfect FRFR speaker for someone who wants to add some style to their next performance and doesn't mind having an excellent speaker too.

The Friedman ASC-12 comes with a Celestion speaker. It's a standard 12" in length but comes with a 2.5" edge wound voice coil that acts as a low-frequency transducer.

The ASC-12 is made in America with a sturdy birch and plywood construction, giving it the appearance of a traditional guitar speaker. It's pretty heavy at 59 lbs., so it might not be the easiest FRFR speaker to take with you to your next gig.

At just under $1,400, the ASC-12 is one of the more expensive options on our list, but it isn't at that price point for nothing.

The Friedman ASC-12 comes with a maximum peak SPL of 129, giving you enough maximum volume to fill up a medium-sized venue. It also has a low-cut filer and a subsonic filter, giving you the flat and neutral response you're looking for.

If you want power and have the money to spend on great vintage gear, check out the stylish Friedman ASC-12.

4. Best FRFR Speaker for Live Performance – Headrush FRFR-112

Headrush FRFR-112

SPECS

  • Power: 2,000W
  • Speaker Size: 12"
  • Weight: 35.8 lbs.
  • Connectivity: XLR

Most people use their FRFR speakers both at home during practice sessions and on the road during live performances.

You want a lightweight speaker that doesn't sacrifice power for portability, and none do it better than the classic Headrush FRFR-112. At a light 35.8 lbs., this speaker weighs almost half of what the Friedman ASC-12 comes in at.

The Headrush FRFR-112 also comes with plenty of XLR ports to make connecting this speaker to the rest of your setup a breeze.

At 2,000 watts of peak power, there aren't many speakers on this list (or in the world) that can compete with the output of the FRFR-112. It looks like a standard speaker, and it's anything but—the Headrush FRFR-112 has a great frequency range that's a perfect match for many guitar and bass players.

If you want an insanely powerful speaker that works better than any while you play live, check out the Headrush FRFR-112. It has the power you need to get more volume out of your next set.

5. Most Lightweight FRFR Speaker – Kemper Kabinet

Kemper Kabinet

SPECS

  • Power: 200W
  • Speaker Size: 12"
  • Weight: 23 lbs.
  • Connectivity: XLR

When you're looking at FRFR speakers, you're looking for mobility. You want a lightweight speaker you can take to recording sessions and live performances, and the Kemper Kabinet is the lightest of them all.

At just 23 lbs., there isn't a single cabinet on this list much lighter than the Kabinet. It still provides a maximum 200-Watts of power, so don't let this speaker's small size fool you - it packs a punch.

The Kemper Kabinet works well with other guitar cabinets, or you can buy the Kemper Kone. The Kemper Kone is Kemper's guitar cabinet that you can connect directly to the cabinet if you're looking for its quality transparent sound.

The Kabinet offers 19 different imprints to get the specific sound quality you want. This speaker gives a full range of sound with more features than you would expect from FRFR speakers of this size.

If you want a lightweight, portable set of speakers to take to your next show, check out the Kemper Kabinet. At less than 25 lbs., you might even forget you're carrying it around.

6. Best Flat Response FRFR Speaker – Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus

Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus

SPECS

  • Power: 500W
  • Speaker Size: 2x12" with 2" Voice Coils
  • Weight: 47.6 lbs.
  • Connectivity: XLR and MIDI

If you thought the Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus was impressive, check out its older sibling, the Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus.

The 212 Plus took everything the 112 Plus did and made it better—from the tonal characteristics to the impulse responses, the 212 Plus is a huge step up. It takes the spot as the best FRFR speaker with a flat response due to its dedicated Flat Mode.

We included the 112 Plus as our best overall FRFR speaker due to its price point—fit is much more adorable than the 212 Plus.

The Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus costs around $1,200 at the time of writing, nearly three to four times more expensive than most of the other speakers on this list. The price tag doesn't come out of nowhere, though, as this full-range flat-response speaker sounds great.

It has a great frequency response, which makes sense as Line 6 makes great amps across the board. The 212 Plus is the only active speaker on this list with two speakers and voice coils, giving you double the drivers to amplify your best guitar tones.

If you want a guitar speaker that feels like modern and vintage gear, check out the top-class Line 6 Powercab 212 Plus.

7. Best Budget FRFR Speaker – Headrush FRFR-108

Headrush FRFR-108

SPECS

  • Power: 2,000W
  • Speaker Size: 8"
  • Weight: 19 lbs.
  • Connectivity: XLR

The Headrush FRFR-108 is an anomaly of a speaker. It's incredibly lightweight at less than 20 lbs., yet it produces more than 2,000 watts of power. It even features an 8" high-frequency compression driver, one of the biggest on this list.

Its high-frequency driver isn't the only feature that sets apart the FRFR-108 from the rest, its price tag is a modest $279, more than five times cheaper than the Powercab 6 212 Plus.

Headrush makes some of the most popular speakers around, and through the FRFR-108, it's easy to see why. If you're a guitar player looking for the best sound for your alt-rock band, this could be the speaker for you.

The ground lift switch makes it easy to make sure no unwanted noise gets through, while the tilt-back design ensures you'll always get the angle you're looking for.

If you want to find the cheapest, best FRFR speaker in the music retail world, check out the Headrush FRFR-108.

8. Best Expensive FRFR Speaker – Mission Engineering Gemini 2

Mission Engineering Gemini 2

SPECS

  • Power: 220W
  • Speaker Size: 2x12"
  • Weight: 63 lbs.
  • Connectivity: USB

If you're a guitar or bass player without a budget and you want the absolute best FRFR speaker a freelance writer can find for you, here is the Mission Engineering Gemini 2.

Coming in well above $2,000, this FRFR cab isn't for the budget audio enthusiast. This musical machine will work well with most amp modelers and stage monitoring devices as well.

The Mission Engineering Gemini 2 includes USB connectivity options so you can play or record directly into your computer without any additional software.

It comes with an EQ contour switch, so you can switch between flat or a more traditional sound. The twin 12" drivers give it an excellent sound quality and frequency response that you'll need for live performances.

If you're in the market for some of the best speakers on the market, check out Mission Engineering's FRFR speakers. They're a small company helping musicians through great speakers that work well with any guitar amp or digital modeling device, and the Gemini 2 is no exception.

Best FRFR Speakers Buyer's Guide

There are a couple of things you should keep in mind when looking to buy FRFR speakers, as the best ones all share a couple of similar features.

The best FRFR speakers have great sound quality, enough power to fill the space you're performing in, is compatible with your current setup, and is portable.

Sound Quality

The primary goal of an FRFR speaker is to accurately reproduce the sound of your audio source without coloring or altering it, making sound quality a top priority.

Look for a speaker that provides a flat frequency response across the entire audible spectrum, ensuring that all frequencies are reproduced faithfully and without distortion.

Consider reading reviews or listening to audio samples to assess the sound quality of different speakers before making your purchase.

Power

The power and wattage rating of an FRFR speaker determines its volume and headroom. The size of the venues or environments where you'll be using the speaker will determine how much wattage you'll need.

Higher-wattage speakers generally provide clean headroom and better projection, but keep in mind that excessively high wattage may not be necessary for all applications.

Compatibility

Check the connectivity options of an FRFR speaker to ensure compatibility with your audio sources, like your guitar amp. Most FRFR speakers offer standard inputs like XLR, 1/4" TRS, or 1/8" auxiliary inputs.

Additionally, some speakers may have built-in digital signal processing (DSP) or modeling capabilities to enhance compatibility with specific devices or software.

Portability

The portability and build quality of the FRFR speaker are very important, especially if you plan to transport it frequently or use it in different locations.

Look for lightweight options or speakers with built-in handles for easy carrying. Ensure that the speaker is constructed with durable materials that can withstand the demands of regular use, including transportation and potential impacts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does FRFR stand for?

FRFR stands for full range, flat response, and it refers to a speaker that doesn't alter or color your sound as you're reproducing it.

They're important for guitar and bass players alike, allowing you to plug into your guitar amp and recreate your sound with ease.

What is the difference between FRFR speakers and guitar/bass amps?

Unlike traditional guitar or bass amps, which are designed to add specific characteristics or coloration to the sound, FRFR speakers aim to reproduce the audio source with accuracy and clarity.

FRFR speakers are commonly used for modeling and digital effects systems where the goal is to maintain the integrity of the processed sound.

Are FRFR speakers suitable for live performances?

The best FRFR speakers are not only suitable for live performances—they can get the most out of your play. They are used by musicians who utilize amp modeling or digital effects systems on stage.

FRFR speakers offer a versatile and consistent sound reproduction that allows for more precise control over the tone and easy integration with an amp.

Are FRFR speakers heavy?

The weight of FRFR speakers can vary depending on the specific model and size. Some FRFR speakers are designed to be lightweight and portable, while others may be heavier, particularly if they have larger drivers or additional features.

We'd recommend checking the specifications of the specific speaker you're interested in to determine its weight.

Conclusion

If you're in the market for the best FRFR speakers, you'll want to go over what you're looking for from them.

Some FRFR speakers have 2,000 watts of power, letting them fill any room with high-quality sound. Others trade their power for portability, allowing you to transport your speaker from venue to venue.

Power, portability, sound quality, and compatibility with your current guitar cabinet or guitar speaker are all hugely important factors when shopping for an FRFR speaker.

The number one FRFR speaker on the market is the Line 6 Powercab 112 Plus due to its excellent sound quality and durable build quality. For those seeking a more budget-friendly yet high-quality FRFR speaker, the Headrush FRFR-108 is an excellent alternative.

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