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In fact though, the prices of the commercial packs are quite reasonable!
if you download the Rig Manager software, you can audition profiles from the Rig Exchange (Kemper forum) without downloading them so you can cherry pick the ones you like.
In terms of output, I'm initially planning to use my KRK RP6's, but I'm interested in what other options sound best?
Active FRFR, or get a small poweramp (Camplifier Studio or EHX 44 Magnum) into a real guitar cab, like a Zilla?
What will get me the most authentic amp sound? I know some people find FRFR a bit clinical.
I'm looking at getting a Camplifier Studio, which is a 50w poweramp for the Kemper.
Then it's just a case of a getting a cab. I don't know whether to get FRFR like a Laney IRT112 or a traditional cab. It'll be for home use, but I'm thinking I might be better off with a 2x12 to move more air and get more bass, to try and get a better amp in the room feel.
Gigging wise I use a Zilla 2x12 with a V30 and a CL80, sounds really thick and nice. In all honesty I do prefer a *real* amp for smaller gigs, I can't explain why but there is a certain satisfaction cranking a valve amp up that the kemper does slightly lack, but that could just be the profiles and not the KPA itself. For gigs where it's miced and you're coming through monitors then the cab is pointless other than for looks, DI out all the way. Some sound guys have struggled with the signal being too hot from the main outs on mine, even at -15db. I think it is because they need to treat it like a keyboard, but they seem to want to stick it through a preamp for some reason, I don't know your experience may vary if you do end up playing out with it but it has been an issue for me.
One thing with FRFR is you do get to make the most of the cabs which are a much bigger part of the sound than I realised. It's worth checking the Kemper forum because most of this kind of stuff has been discussed to death, on there atleast the Yamaha DXR10 seems to be the favoured FRFR without breaking the bank.
Anyway, I can recommend the Camplifier units, though I've not compared to the Kemper amps.
im thinking of making a rather drastic jump........
Unfortunately I got a toaster, when I would've preferred a rack, but they don't come up all that often, and I'm a bit impatient when I get an idea in my head.
I only got the Eleven Rack about a month ago or so, but I was so impressed with it, that this seemed like the logical step, albeit costly. I'm hoping the Kemper provides some of the warmth/dynamics that was lacking from the Eleven Rack.
I may keep the Eleven though, at current it's my only audio interface, and it still offers a lot more than its resale value.
Im thinking of seeing if I can live with the 11R through a power amp and guitar cab.
as I found running the pre amps through the fx loop of my amp give pretty good results, albeit different tones, it was more just different rather than lower quality.
could be that it's the cab and mic settings that let it down, against more modern stuff.
With the Eleven, it might not be so crucial, but if you did go to Kemper yourself, or Axe FX, then you're losing a modifier in your signal chain, because you'll be stuck with one cab, rather than infinite IRs, which can alter the overall tone a fair bit.
On the Kemper forums, quite a few people use normal cabs, but the general consensus is that the Kemper works very much like the amp that you're profiling, and hence if you're using a Marshall profile, with a Marshall cab, it'll sound good, but if you then put a Fender Twin profile through the Marshall cab, you might not get what you want.
With regards to going into the FX loop of your amp, what amp is it? There's also a mention on the Kemper forums of how good the Fender Mustang modelling amps work as just a powered speaker, bypassing the pre-amp of the amp. I'm going to test this, hopefully I can get hold of a Mustang that someone is willing to let go of on the cheap.
the 11R against the internal pre amp was pretty decent, using either a Mesa high gain or a fender clean.
im going to set up a few patches to mimic a clean amp and try on Monday at rehearsal.
If I'm not mistaken some Mesa's have the tone stack after the Preamp, so that might work well with a Kemper through the FX Loop
Sod's law.
Through the Matrix passive CFR 12 or my HS5s via DAW it sounds great.
Live, when my playing (and band's) is tight it sounds like isolated gtr parts from a well produced record. As much as I like a cranked amp blowing my pants off through a cab, I like the "studio" sound more.
But my playing (and the band's) needs to be spot on as does the stage monitor mix.
Headphones or IEMs lack depth. Again, with expensive gear (e.g. multiple drivers per ear) and a good band mix it is much better.
Imho, as good as the KPA can be (and I like mine a lot), I think one has to like the studio sound a bit and learn to think a bit more like a mixing eng.
For the function gigs and session work I've been doing, dialling in my idea of tone through my amp rig now seems more like a self-indulgence of the past rather then a sensible and considerate approach to tone.
Were I playing in a power trio or a proper rock band it would be diff. but the KPA ain't too shabby for that either.
Also, @ragingben, for DI out level try -17.5 db. Iirc the folks over at the KPA forum suggest it and I've had no probs. with 4 diff. soundguys. Also check that you're not pushing the KPA output too hard
(I think the way to do this is via the input sensitivity but ain't 100% yet how this works; I've just found a setting that works across a few diff. gtrs and left it at that)
They take a while to upload to the Kemper via Rig Manager?