The Kemper thread

FarleyUK

Jonathanthomas83 said:

I've been quiet on here lately, I've had a bit of a wobble...similar to @FarleyUK in that I'm tone chasing again.

Long and short of it is that I'm missing some of my old tones, the pedals and amps I had and am looking to get some of that back. The profiles around for those tones aren't good enough really - OR, actually, they're not to my tastes or how I'd choose to EQ them, rather. This has left me a bit jaded and I've not been able to get excited about all these amazing Kemper announcements that I've waited a year for! (they're all great announcements, by the way!)

So I bought an amp and a Suhr Reactive Load IR. Long story short, I disagree with John Suhr's assertion on TGP that an amp and Load Box sounds better than the Kemper - https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/kemper-vs-reactive-load-with-irs.1751830/.

I started way back in 2016 with an amp and load box, that was my route into digital and since then moved on to the Fractal in 2017 and Kemper in 2018. With good reason too, judging by my experience over the last two days.

There's no doubt in my mind that amp and load box and IR is still an incredible solution. I love it, genuinely do. It's been nostalgic to experience the fun of it all over again. Owning an amp is a great experience, it gives a warm feeling inside. The Suhr RL/IR is superb, it's nice having a new toy too.

But genuinely, although it sounds absolutely fantastic - probably better than I remember the Fractal sounding, to be honest - I genuinely can't hear anything in the sound that makes it a worthwhile switch from the Kemper. The Kemper has all the nuances I look for and nails the feel, just like how I'm feeling the amp + load box + IR.

It's a different experience to the Amp In The Room, both solutions are, but I'm ok with that.

The problem: As far as I see it, and I don't know why it's taken me so long to realise...Profiles available aren't very personal. They aren't necessarily the way you or I would set things up in a real world environment on YOUR/MY amp. That's been my problem all along. I've been very lucky with some profiles in that they suit my playing style and tone, but it's an endless wade through treacle to find something that fits the bill.

So this has me thinking about doing some profiling of my own. The latest Tone Junkie podcast with Michael Britt just goes to prove that profiling doesn't have to be done with the best gear or in the best room. It will, however, prove to be expensive. So, like Michael Britt said in the podcast...I'll have to beg, borrow and steal, to make it happen!

That's something I thought about as well.... but I no longer have any amps, so it's kind of tricky!

(Although may get the new mini JCM800 Marshall have announced).

PVO_Dave

Kemper just posted a screenshot of the editor, I think it’s quite a neat layout

Freebird

PVO_Dave said:

Kemper just posted a screenshot of the editor, I think it’s quite a neat layout

I like it, it's a very clean design.

I wonder if you can drag any FX into a new slot position?

Jonathanthomas83

Freebird said:

PVO_Dave said:

Kemper just posted a screenshot of the editor, I think it’s quite a neat layout

I like it, it's a very clean design.

I wonder if you can drag the FX into a new slot?

Agreed, I love the design. Typical Kemper and well executed.

Jonathanthomas83

I wonder if you can type values in or will we be handicapped to using the knobs...which can be fiddly at times.

joeyowen

Is that a new reverb on the right?

Jonathanthomas83

joeyowen said:

Is that a new reverb on the right?

I was wondering what that was too.

Jez6345789

I have my go to patches on the Kemper and Britt features heavily his new one with the Friedman is a keeper but in general I tend to feel blessed as unlikely to get even a taste of real world trainwrecks or Dumble stuff and for me it’s all more than good enough.

As said profiling what you need is the answer and sure a few people here would help out hooking you up if you brought the Kemper over for a bit of profiling or perhaps look to hire what you need and see if that gets you closer.

i think the whole tone quest is a bit of modern world affliction and I say this without any judgement but we live in a world these days where the options have never been so vast and as someone who grew up with budget transistor amps like HH Carlsbro, the choice of amps pedals modellers available to day is beyond belief but I do understand it’s  human nature.

Wazmeister

Jez6345789 said:

I have my go to patches on the Kemper and Britt features heavily his new one with the Friedman is a keeper but in general I tend to feel blessed as unlikely to get even a taste of real world trainwrecks or Dumble stuff and for me it’s all more than good enough.

As said profiling what you need is the answer and sure a few people here would help out hooking you up if you brought the Kemper over for a bit of profiling or perhaps look to hire what you need and see if that gets you closer.

i think the whole tone quest is a bit of modern world affliction and I say this without any judgement but we live in a world these days where the options have never been so vast and as someone who grew up with budget transistor amps like HH Carlsbro, the choice of amps pedals modellers available to day is beyond belief but I do understand it’s  human nature.

HH Carlsbro... we used to marvel at that !!!

Jonathanthomas83

Jez6345789 said:

I have my go to patches on the Kemper and Britt features heavily his new one with the Friedman is a keeper but in general I tend to feel blessed as unlikely to get even a taste of real world trainwrecks or Dumble stuff and for me it’s all more than good enough.

As said profiling what you need is the answer and sure a few people here would help out hooking you up if you brought the Kemper over for a bit of profiling or perhaps look to hire what you need and see if that gets you closer.

i think the whole tone quest is a bit of modern world affliction and I say this without any judgement but we live in a world these days where the options have never been so vast and as someone who grew up with budget transistor amps like HH Carlsbro, the choice of amps pedals modellers available to day is beyond belief but I do understand it’s  human nature.

Absolutely, mate. For me, I guess it's less of a tone chase and more of a hankering for my old tones. But your post is spot on.

FarleyUK

So what patches are you all using, and for what style of music?

FarleyUK

Just tried playing through the new Headrush FrFr speaker I had delivered - actually sounds pretty much better! Certainly better than going through the PA we're using.

Second Headrush speaker delivered on Monday, so I'll be back to a stereo setup

simonk

FarleyUK said:

Just tried playing through the new Headrush FrFr speaker I had delivered - actually sounds pretty much better! Certainly better than going through the PA we're using.

Second Headrush speaker delivered on Monday, so I'll be back to a stereo setup

What were you using for gig monitoring before?

FarleyUK

simonk said:

FarleyUK said:

Just tried playing through the new Headrush FrFr speaker I had delivered - actually sounds pretty much better! Certainly better than going through the PA we're using.

Second Headrush speaker delivered on Monday, so I'll be back to a stereo setup

What were you using for gig monitoring before?

This is for a backline. We use IEMs - although I'm starting a second band as well, so will be used for various things in that too.

Jonathanthomas83

Sounds great! Impressed with all of the new stuff! Happy days.

cbellanga

That sound demo at the end was pretty shit to be honest..

gearaddict

FarleyUK said:

simonk said:

FarleyUK said:

Just tried playing through the new Headrush FrFr speaker I had delivered - actually sounds pretty much better! Certainly better than going through the PA we're using.

Second Headrush speaker delivered on Monday, so I'll be back to a stereo setup

What were you using for gig monitoring before?

This is for a backline. We use IEMs - although I'm starting a second band as well, so will be used for various things in that too.

Do you also have a FoH PA? Why do you even need backline? Sorry, stupid question probably. 

Jonathanthomas83

cbellanga said:

That sound demo at the end was pretty shit to be honest..

Choice of style, perhaps, but you could clearly hear the difference between speaker selection. Also, nothing sounds great at NAMM.

sweepy

Rick Beato was complaining that the Guitar hall at NAMM was even louder than the drum dept !

FarleyUK

gearaddict said:

FarleyUK said:

simonk said:

FarleyUK said:

Just tried playing through the new Headrush FrFr speaker I had delivered - actually sounds pretty much better! Certainly better than going through the PA we're using.

Second Headrush speaker delivered on Monday, so I'll be back to a stereo setup

What were you using for gig monitoring before?

This is for a backline. We use IEMs - although I'm starting a second band as well, so will be used for various things in that too.

Do you also have a FoH PA? Why do you even need backline? Sorry, stupid question probably. 

Yes, we have a foh PA - but the speakers are a bit naff. By having the backline of stereo FrFr speakers, it makes the guitar tone more controllable for me.

I used to do it with two Yamaha DXR10'S, and it sounded a lot better than it does now, and the Headrush speakers sound better than the dxrs, so should be better now.

Also - I'm starting a new band, and a duo, so these speakers can be used for either direct monitoring or a backline again