FRFR?

[paulmcnamara]

I am a Helix user but am investigating FRFR amps/cabs. Posts I've seen are a bit old and obviously I'm looking at the latest technology. Can anyone explain the breadth of FRFR because some bassists seem to opt for PA active units but these still have a boundaries frequency response I.E. 50 -16000, So my Aguilar cabinet goes down to 37 hertz but low synth and bass pedals might need lower than PA's 50 hertz....... any thoughts on capturing the range needed?

Spoiler

 

 

[Dood]

I think this thread: 

is still pretty relevant and well up to date. I'd be careful to answer this one, save to say "the manufacturing figures won't tell you the whole story".  

[fretmeister]

I’ve got a yamaha DXR 10.

 

its works very well for bass despite the supposed lack of low end. In reality most FOH engineers will cut everthing below about 60-80hz anyway to stop any booming. 

 

I cut everything below 80hz on my Helix to get a nice tight sound.

 

and if I plug my iPod into it the low end is immense. So really try a few out and trust your ears! 

[Skybone]

I cheat and plug in to the Effects Return on an amp, bypassing the need to buy an FRFR (which will invariably be cheap & low end and therefore not much good for bass).

[jrixn1]

8 hours ago, paulmcnamara said:

low synth and bass pedals might need lower than PA's 50 hertz....... any thoughts on capturing the range needed?

 

You still might be ok.  This page explains it better than I could, but basically the human brain can extrapolate the missing information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missing_fundamental

For example, the lowest note on my 5-string bass is 31Hz but it sounds good through my RCF with its range of "only" 50Hz-20kHz.

[BigRedX]

TBH most published figures for bass cabs are at best economical with the truth and at worst simply fantasies.

And unless your bass guitar or synth is pumping out pure sine waves, the fundamental is the least important (and many would say the least desirable when it comes to low frequencies) harmonic to reproduce.  

Stop reading the fiction in the spec sheets and start using your ears. My  Helix + FRFR (RCF745) sounds far better than any of my previous bass rigs including the very expensive high-end ones.

Edited August 27, 2018 by BigRedX