Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I really like the idea of the Kemper but a few minutes on the company forum turned me off to doing business with them. At some point I will probably pick one up anyway, the versatility is incredible.

Really? That's very strange. I've spent quite a bit of time on the forum and I honestly have no idea where you're getting that attitude from. There's a few weirdos on there, but that's pretty much the norm for guitar forums, and it's certainly not the company's fault.

 

[tubecrunch]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I sometimes wonder if stupid loud guitar amps and hammer-handed drummers are part of the reasons the local rock scene has declined so much (there are definitely other reasons, but they're outside the scope of this thread or forum).

Just wanted to chime in and agree with you on this. Since its somewhat related to the topic: the best band I saw this year was a guy playing through a modeling amp, playing along with pre recorded backing tracks. Only gig I've ever been to where the cymbals didn't drown out half the song. Okay. Carry on.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I am hoping someone will get good modelers of amps with fuzz pedals in front of them

or gnarly keeley modded rats high gain like

The Kemper comes with some very nice fuzz and distortion boxes already modelled. I've had great results with the Fuzz Face model into my profiles. TS, DS-1, and Rat models also work exactly as one would hope.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I never even thought about profiling API pre's in the signal chain, but I admit I haven't delved into some of these top end modelers. I did check out the Kemper at the LA Amp Show every time they were there. There's more to like about the Kemper than most of the others from what I've gathered.

 

[everdrone]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

The Kemper comes with some very nice fuzz and distortion boxes already modelled. I've had great results with the Fuzz Face model into my profiles. TS, DS-1, and Rat models also work exactly as one would hope.

that is super awesome, I can't wait to hear your album you are working on! lets face it, most guitarists dream of mixing a great album and then going out and gigging, and that is what you are doing, cheers :beerchug:

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I never even thought about profiling API pre's in the signal chain, but I admit I haven't delved into some of these top end modelers. I did check out the Kemper at the LA Amp Show every time they were there. There's more to like about the Kemper than most of the others from what I've gathered.

The way I see it, stuff like using an API (or Neve, or whatever you prefer) mic pre is what puts a profile over the top. Think about how electric guitar is recorded in a big name studio, and why they make the mic and pre choices they do. If you use the same methods for profiling as you do for recording, you will get results that are just as good.

I'm lucky because I have access to this gear and I know how to use it. If there's one thing I can record well, it's electric guitar. Profiling with the Kemper uses the exact same tools and skills.

For me, it's great, because as soon as I have a good profile made I can use it forever. I don't have to worry about renting a studio and all that gear each time I want to record something. I just dial up the profile that suits what I'm doing and play, confident that the tone I want is in there.

Maybe even more surprising is how good it is in a live setting. As soon as you get used to the fact that it's not a loud, directional guitar amp, more like how a touring pro hears an amp through monitors, it's really cool.

 

[Silver]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

If you can pick one up used for a good price, then fair enough.

Otherwise, I could never justify it because the AxeFx 2 is better in every conceivable way and it's more or less the same price (sweetwater has the Kemper at $2133, the Axefx2 is $2199).

All that profiling stuff the Kemper does; the Axe-FX can do it too, and it's just a very small fraction of what the Axefx2 can do.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

If you can pick one up used for a good price, then fair enough.

Otherwise, I could never justify it because the AxeFx 2 is better in every conceivable way and it's more or less the same price (sweetwater has the Kemper at $2133, the Axefx2 is $2199).

All that profiling stuff the Kemper does; the Axe-FX can do it too, and it's just a very small fraction of what the Axefx2 can do.

Saying the AFX is "better in every conceivable way" is a very bold claim to make. I assume you've spent plenty of time with both units? Not sure how else you could come to a conclusion so broad.

I've personally never used an AFX, so I don't pretend to know one way or the other. I do know that people are getting great tones from both units. I chose the Kemper mainly due to recommendations from guys I know and trust, and so far they have not let me down.

I have to say that you're wrong about the Axe FX doing the same kind of profiling as the Kemper. That just isn't true at all. The Axe FX does "tone matching", which is a way of saying that it listens to your tone and finds something close to that among the amps in its library. It will then tweak a few parameters and cab IR to get you something close to the tone you want. That's really cool if it works for you, but it is not at all the same thing as profiling an entire amp rig the way the Kemper does.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I'm sorry man but it's crazy to let go of the Mark V in favor of the Kemper. Furthermore, though it certainly rivals anything AxeFX has ever put out, it's not that close to a real rig in sound or feel. Once your honeymoon is over, you will probably come to that realization. Besides, how many sounds do you actually need when you have an amp like the Mark V which can give you a great many sounds? There is just no way that I'd ever pick a Kemper over a Mark V. However, I won't try to stop you. If you want to keep the Kemper and let your Mark V go dirt cheap, I'll even help you out with that

 

[dominus]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I'm sorry man but it's crazy to let go of the Mark V in favor of the Kemper. Furthermore, though it certainly rivals anything AxeFX has ever put out, it's not that close to a real rig in sound or feel. Once your honeymoon is over, you will probably come to that realization. Besides, how many sounds do you actually need when you have an amp like the Mark V which can give you a great many sounds? There is just no way that I'd ever pick a Kemper over a Mark V. However, I won't try to stop you. If you want to keep the Kemper and let your Mark V go dirt cheap, I'll even help you out with that

It just depends on your needs. I don't perform live, so anything I can use in the studio is what I'd prefer to have. Since I live in an HOA neighborhood, a roaring 4x12 just isn't going to happen. I was getting better sounds out of software than the Kemper though, so the Kemper went. I'll probably try an Axe FX one of these days, just haven't seen any good deals on them. Most people seem not to sell them. Kempers end up on the market often enough.

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

It just depends on your needs. I don't perform live, so anything I can use in the studio is what I'd prefer to have. Since I live in an HOA neighborhood, a roaring 4x12 just isn't going to happen. I was getting better sounds out of software than the Kemper though, so the Kemper went. I'll probably try an Axe FX one of these days, just haven't seen any good deals on them. Most people seem not to sell them. Kempers end up on the market often enough.

Those last two sentences say alot. I want to like the Kemper, but from what my own research into both of them has shown me is that the Axe FX II is alot more tweakable and flexible.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

I'm sorry man but it's crazy to let go of the Mark V in favor of the Kemper. Furthermore, though it certainly rivals anything AxeFX has ever put out, it's not that close to a real rig in sound or feel. Once your honeymoon is over, you will probably come to that realization. Besides, how many sounds do you actually need when you have an amp like the Mark V which can give you a great many sounds? There is just no way that I'd ever pick a Kemper over a Mark V. However, I won't try to stop you. If you want to keep the Kemper and let your Mark V go dirt cheap, I'll even help you out with that

It comes down to the basic reality that the Kemper does a far better job of meeting my needs right now.

I have to be realistic: I'm a home studio guitarist who very rarely plays gigs. A 90W half stack is completely inappropriate for that. You say it's crazy to sell the Mark V, but to me it's crazy to live in an apartment and own an expensive amp I can never even turn on. I've already put more hours into the Kemper than I had put into the Mark V all of last year. Besides, all the tones I love from the Mark V are in the Kemper now, thanks to profiling. Win/win.

I don't need thousands of sounds. I need about a dozen really good ones. The Kemper is doing a great job of that.

And I'm not letting the amp go "dirt cheap." I've listed it locally at a fair price. I'm not in a big hurry to unload it.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

Man, you guys are really something.

"Check it out: I got this cool new gear!"

"Pfft, it's not as good as ________."

... okay?

 

[B2D]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

Man, you guys are really something.

"Check it out: I got this cool new gear!"

"Pfft, it's not as good as ________."

... okay?

That attitude isn't limited to guitarists, as Clarkson will illustrate at 2:18

 

[Gone_Shootin]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

Man, you guys are really something.

"Check it out: I got this cool new gear!"

"Pfft, it's not as good as ________."

... okay?

I apologze. I should've been a little more careful in my choice of words, because I do think that the Kemper sounds great as does the Axe FX II. In the quality of the models and overall sound, they're on par, IMHO. It's the extra tweakability that has me leaning towards the Fractal. But if I weren't the type of guy that's constantly messing with settings and spends a good portion of my waking hours pondering different amp mods, I would probably go for a Kemper instead because they're more readily available on the used market.

You have a great piece of gear.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

Man, you guys are really something.

"Check it out: I got this cool new gear!"

"Pfft, it's not as good as ________."

... okay?

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Such Kemper, so amaze, wow

It comes down to the basic reality that the Kemper does a far better job of meeting my needs right now.

I have to be realistic: I'm a home studio guitarist who very rarely plays gigs. A 90W half stack is completely inappropriate for that. You say it's crazy to sell the Mark V, but to me it's crazy to live in an apartment and own an expensive amp I can never even turn on. I've already put more hours into the Kemper than I had put into the Mark V all of last year. Besides, all the tones I love from the Mark V are in the Kemper now, thanks to profiling. Win/win.

I don't need thousands of sounds. I need about a dozen really good ones. The Kemper is doing a great job of that.

And I'm not letting the amp go "dirt cheap." I've listed it locally at a fair price. I'm not in a big hurry to unload it.

I suppose if you get a great sound then it doesn't matter what device it comes from. The day that I can unplug from a modeler and plug into a tube amp without feeling a difference is the day I start looking for good deals. The AxeFX and Kemper are closer than anything out there but so still so far from it. Nevertheless, the GAS hits every now and then and people start looking around at their guitars and amps and thinking of which one they would trade for a good modeler.