It’s a good deal. Not just for the price, either.
I’m liking it at home and take it to jams (and gigs, when I make that happen again). Clear and good definition.
Better off the floor. I put it on a chair. I’d have exchanged it for the 12” but don’t feel the need, as a guitarist.
This is a good review. Pretty much mirrors what I’m seeing:
I have one of these, and for the price and weight they are just great! I use mine for practicing at home and small jams with friends. It is just so small, light, and easy to carry around. I have other equipment for gigging.
Like any decent small amp/cab though, if you had to use it at a gig or larger venue, you can always mic it up or go direct to the PA. I think the only caveat, as mentioned in the video, is if you are playing with a really loud band and can’t hear it. These can get pretty loud though so for many bands with controlled stage volume it should be adequate.
I have heard it mentioned that some players have opted for an equivalent Alto version (same company and essentially the same powered cab) instead because they are a bit more versatile if you intend to switch back and forth between using yours as, for example, a stage/vocal monitor versus a guitar monitor, or perhaps for busking with a mic. The Alto TS408 for instance, has more in the way of DSP tone shaping as well as Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port, for about $40 more. By way of contrast in explaining why anyone would choose the Headrush instead, as it lacks these features, the company claims that the Headrush’s tone is better optimized for guitar.
I’m wondering how it compares to the BOSE S1 PRO. Never heard either one of these.
I’m currently looking for something home-practice-suitable without having to sit at the desk in front of studio monitors. Wouldn’t mind having two individual and compact speakers for stereo instead of a bigger mono speaker.
My first experience with the Bose S1 was with an acoustic guitar and a Tone Dexter at a friend’s house. I found it pretty impressive and the basic EQ comes in handy. My buddy absolutely loves it. He uses it as a bluetooth speaker as well. After I bought my QC the S1 went on sale at Best Buy for $400. I figured it was a no brainer at that price point so I picked one up. It sounds great with the QC.
I’m in the middle of a remodel but I’m looking forward to playing the QC through my Dynaudio monitors once I get my studio space set back up.
I have 2 and like them a lot.
Sometimes I take one to rehearshalls or little gigs with friends.
With these you can go stereo for a few bucks. Absolutely worth. You’ll be convinced as soon as you hit the first chord with preset 4H DUAL AMPS AND CABS. Shocking!
I was using my Quilter Micro Pro Mach 2 8” for a while. There’s a PA speaker in there so it can handle vocals, acoustic, harmonica, etc. When you plug into the return of the amp effects loop, the modeler then controls everything. That actually works with any amp’s effects loop.
It’s a good sound and supplies you with a nice backup amp should anything go wrong with the modeler. But the Headrush is fuller. Catches more of the nuances. Don’t know about others’ impressions, but I do think the 8” is pretty much all you need.
I, too, am a dual Headrush '108 user, completely satisfied. I use them in my home studio but not for gigging outside of my home, so I cannot comment on them for that purpose. They are on speaker stands and sound great. They also sound really good for bass guitar in my studio. After reading many glowing reviews and considering the price (USD 249), I took a pair home and was immediately satisfied that the purchase was reasonable. The build quality is excellent, and the design is well thought out. I’d recommend them to QC users looking for an amplifier system at a very competitive price.
I too use a pair of Headrush 108’s and I am very happy with them. I keep them off of the floor to sound their best to me. I use these stands which I was able to order with a very nice carry case.
Pair of Mini Tripod Speaker Stands with 60-pound Load Capacity, 28.25"-46" Adjustable Height, and Carry Bag - Black
they were only $90 at SW
Might just be my ‘80s blown out eardrums but I hear a difference between headphones and the speaker. I always set my preset EQ to the headphones and the speaker tends to have a little more bass than I want.
Seeing as there’s no EQ on the speaker I’ve been putting a Boss GE-7 between the QC and 108. Results are very good. No coloration when bypassed or at unity gain. Speaker sounds the same as the phones.
I have a few high dollar earbuds and I do not expect any of them to give me what the room speaker of any shape, type, form or position will provide in my space. To me they are NOT equal in so many ways. You are very fortunate to see a pairing in my view. Fortunate are you! I’d love to say the same.
What are your earbuds? I’m using a couple of different standard headphones. Like them a lot. One of these days I’ll convert my now clown the coop daughter’s room into a studio with studio monitors…but for now it’s the phones.
Shure 4 driver and 3 driver buds.
The following is only a hassle if your band either doesn’t have good floor wedge or IEM monitoring in your rehearsal space, or your bandmembers don’t want to have guitar in their monitor.
I have observed on the occasions where I bring my Headrush or Line 6 Powercab+ to rehearsal that due to the closed-back it is more difficult to get adequate volume to the musicians in the back of our space (typically the drummer and bass player and sometimes the keyboards). We are in an extremely large rehearsal space, and they end up asking me periodically to crank it up. Plenty of volume in front of these monitors though and sometimes we just circle up for rehearsals. Facing each other helps with communication and visual cues while we nail down arrangements anyway.
This is an issue I have noticed with closed-back monitors/cabs in general. Regardless of the model or brand. Stands to reason, there is just less sound coming out from behind than an open-back design. Open-back cabs have the advantage there. Of course, if you crank any cab up loud enough everyone in the band will hear it, regardless of where they are positioned. Never had that issue with a cranked Marshall with 412 cab - just permanent hearing loss. But using that approach, the volume can just get overwhelming during a rehearsal. Closed-back cabs tends to be harder to hear from behind at moderate/lower volumes in larger rehearsal or performance spaces. Smaller rooms do a better job of reflecting the sound back.
As noted in my previous post I love the Headrush 108 for practice at home and sometimes rehearsals or small jams when I want to travel light, I don’t use it for gigs, although you could with no problems in the right venue/band and many do.
Does anyone have a solid recommendation for an open-back FRFR? I may give one a try at some point. Most FRFRs, as well as PA speakers that double as FRFRs, are closed-back.
When I run in to a circumstance like you describe I rotate one to the rear or side etc. as needed. That is the benefit of the short little stands and bringing two. Most of my performance is with only FOH and in ear mix, with no monitor “hardware” in use in backline.
I’ve recently bought a 108 but sadly can’t agree with the above comments.
Mine sounds muddy and flubby, even using high/ low pass filters and lifting it off the floor.
I’m going to try the Laney Fr12 see if that’s any better.
My “fix” on this front is the cheapie. Rather than look for the right FRFR, I’ll make a preset that works through my phones, copy and paste it to an empty preset, and adjust the EQ so it sounds right through the 108.
Laney is fantastic vs the HeadRush IMO.
I’m looking for an FRFR that I can play both guitar and bass through as a practice speaker to use with the QC. I played the Headrush 108 at my local shop and I found it was pretty good with bass but quite boomy and too bass heavy with guitar. I then read that the Headrest 108 (and possibly most FRFR speakers) need a bit of EQ love to make it sound more amp like and cut the unneeded frequencies (along with getting it off the floor etc.)
Has anyone else out there have any joy with the QC through the 108 with bass and guitar?
I’ve really been enjoying the FRFR108, so much so that I bought a second one to run in stereo. It doesn’t impart that amp-like tone that I get from the 12" driver in my Xitone Wedge but I would argue that they are more neutral. I like to reference my presets by checking them regularly on the JBL and KRK monitors in my studio and the presets sound amazingly similar through the 108s, as long as I have them on stands. They tend to sound pretty tubby if they’re not off the floor. I wish they’d replace the “contour” setting for one that adjusts the low-end for using them on the floor. They sound amazingly full and clean at a relatively high volume as long as you’re not expecting that little 8" woofer to reproduce the pant flapping bottom end of a 4-12 halfstack. I haven’t tried them with bass but I’m sure they’d sound quite good, at a reasonable volume. The FRFR112 might be a better choice for bass but my buddie’s 112 doesn’t sound as flat (response) to my ears. Exaggerated low end and not as smooth in the mids as the 108. For the size, weight, and especially the price, I think they’re a great choice.
I use two. love