Active Speaker > Line Out Puzzle

[Dave Grafe]

I would suspect that the input and output of the FR-12 are linked in such a way that bleeding some of the output to ground due to the low impedance of the mic input on the mixer also reduces the input signal to the FR-12 Power amp section.

What Jeff said

The reason adapting the XLR to 1/4" works is the significantly higher impedance/resistance of the 1/4" "line" input relative to the XLR "mic" connection. Very poor design choices, this output should be buffered, Fender must have been in a hurry to get it into production.

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Between my tests and experiments and a bunch of PM discussion, I'm feeling like I'm zeroing in on this as an impedance issue.

I was sort of floored....and then I guess I started understanding that it made sense....maybe....when instead of plugging the XLR cord from the Fender FR to a board or other device, I slipped on one of these adaptors.



The moment I stuck it on the other end of the cable the speaker cut 50%. Didn't even plug that 1/4" end into the board.

Where I'm at -- I need to explain why my two Fender FR-12's are behaving differently than the people here who are doing exactly the same thing as I am.
One scenario is that my two are from a later production run in which they either cut corners by ditching a buffer between in & out. Or there was an error in production that missed the buffer.

When I began communications with Fender, I was told that my issue was getting transferred to "the ToneMaster Team". Then after two weeks of nothing and only after I got all 'dude, what's the deal?!' with Customer Relations, I finally got action (he was great -- got a replacement right out to me.)
So it makes me wonder if the tech team knows that they've created a problem and are trying hard to not have to deal with it.

All speculation.

[Jon Jaffe]

I have tested the balanced line out on the 202 with a speaker load, and it's anemic at best.

I then did this: PSG-->VP-->Superblock-->FR12--Bal Line Out FR12-->202 with this premade cable and got a good tone. Jon, your adapter has electronics to match the impedance. Whereas my cable is just wired.

[Jeff Highland]

Looking at the FR-12 Manual the output is described as "Balanced XLR line output for connection to external sound reinforcement"

The important word here is "line"

It is not intended to be connected to a mic input on a mixer, but should be connected to the line level input.
Connecting through the Mic input is just not appropriate.

An XLR to TRS cable will give the best results both for signal strength and noise rejection through maintaining a balanced signal as opposed to going to a TS plug.