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(More customer reviews)I've been a fan of Behringer products since 2004. My first experience with them was when I'd ordered a UB2222FXPro mixer in April of 2004 despite a dire warning from one of my well-intentioned, musician friends: "You know Behringer stuff is cheap. It's flimsy and won't last long." When pressed as to how he acquired his valuable insight, he paused a moment and said, "Well, that's what I read online." And yes, I've seen similar comments in online reviews of Behringer products; but I suspect that many of these bad reviews might actually be propaganda posted by competitors.
My band plays on the average of 4 to 5 nights a week; and my Behringer mixer has continued to work flawlessly for six years now. In fact in 2008, I purchased a 2nd Behringer mixer (Xenyx 2222FX) for backup. Besides these two mixers, I've acquired a plethora of other Behringer products: Pro-XL MDX 2600 (compressor/gate/expander/peak limiter,) 212A powered PA speaker; U-Control UCA202 USB-audio interface; Minimon Mon800 Stereo Monitor Matrix Mixer; CX2310 Super-X Pro Crossover; DR100 reverb pedal; Powerplay Pro-XL HA4700 (headphone amp;) Truth B2030A Active Studio Monitors; Tube Ultragain MIC200 (mic preamp); Vintager GM110 Combo Amp; DEQ2496 Ultracurve (speaker management/digital EQ) and a ECM8000 reference mic.
All the above units have done exactly what they're supposed to do - always surpassing my expectations and always priced way below their competitors' counterparts. Out of all these items I've only had two problems:
1) I had a "dead" channel on my 2nd mixer (Xenyx 2222FX), and that was quickly resolved by a replacement unit being sent out immediately by Musician's Friend.
2) My first DEQ2496 (digital EQ) suddenly failed after nearly 4 years of almost daily use. (It turned out that it was actually cheaper to simply buy another unit as opposed to repairing the original.)
I've prefaced this review of the Behringer F1220A Active Monitor Speaker with all the above background information to let the readers know of my prior experience with Behringer products - especially in regard to product reliability.
The F1220A is a sleek-looking unit, covered with tough, durable covering. The boxes are constructed to lie on their sides on the stage floor, angled up towards the performer. These enclosures can also be stand-mounted via an integrated 35 mm pole socket. On the front panel there are controls for: level; bass, mid-range and treble EQ; sweepable feedback filter with in/out switch; mic/line input (both XLR and 1/4") and a "link output" (both XLR and 1/4") for cascading additional powered units. This monitor features a 12" driver and a 1" high-frequency driver powered by 125 watts.
So, how does it sound? Incredible! Plenty of volume and quality. We had been using Mackie SRM350s for stage monitors; and now I have noted a fuller, warmer bottom end - much easier on the ears. (And I must admit my band members and I had been very satisfied with the Mackies; but I just had to try these Behringers. And now everybody's even happier!)
Besides the band, I do a solo gig every Wednesday. So out of curiosity, I tried the F1220A as a main. I pole-mounted it (a bit tricky for one person due to the location of the socket,) and it sounded great as a PA speaker! It handled the bass of the split keyboard and the drum unit as well as the vocal and backing tracks with plenty of power and quality. As far volume, this speaker is capable of much more than I would ever use for this mid-sized venue (approx 100 people) for my Wed night gig.
Back to the band, all the guys I work with have been very impressed with these monitors. They especially like being able to adjust the volume to their liking along with tailoring the EQ to their taste. And at least two of them, without prompting, have commented on the full, low end that these monitors provide.
This monitor has a sturdy, strap handle of the top. The unit can be a bit unwieldy when carried by the handle depending which "face" of the speaker is towards your leg. If you find the unit banging against your knee, just rotate it 180 degrees, and you'll be fine.
You'll want to keep your monitor safe while transporting it. Even though it does have a tough exterior, you might consider purchasing the Gator GPA-SCVR450-515 Speaker Covers. They run about $50 and fit these monitors pretty well. They even have a cutout for the monitor's strap handle. Or you can use the bag's own handles. They are a good investment to keep your F1220A in good shape.
My verdict? Another outstanding value from Behringer!
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High-Performance, Active 125-Watt Monitor Speaker System with 12" Woofer, 1" Compression Driver and Feedback Filter
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