Okay... so every bloody guitar forum on the planet has one of these threads. Why should we be any different!?!
I've used both, but don't have a lot of experience. I've used Jim's a couple of times, and have a pretty decent understanding of how it works. But I have more experience with the Kemper as I owned one for a couple of days.
Now the Kemper is easier to use. It just is. The knobs on the front are context sensitive and is easy to get your head around. There are menus you can go through, but largely all you need to do is turn a knob, and you'll be on the page you want to be on. This speeds up editing, and when I was using it, I really didn't feel I needed any sort of editor.
The Axe FX involves a lot of scrolling and menus, and it was apparent to me that the best way to edit the thing is via a PC/Mac. Not sure about editing on an iPad, I believe there is an editor but I don't know how good it is.
It's the live usage that I'm really ignorant of. Just never done it. The Axe FX II seems on paper to be more designed for live usage, but the Kemper does have the CabDriver tech and now comes with a poweramp (when I had mine, it didn't have a poweramp, so I didn't try it into a cab)
There are too many bellends on the Kemper forum espousing the virtues of FRFR. I'm not interested in that. I want to use a real guitar cab. "Why would you want to do that!! You're losing half of the benefits!" - nah bruv.... leave it out. Ultimately the lack of information on this front puts me off a little bit.
As I have used Jim's rig and heard it through a real guitar cab, with a poweramp... I am convinced by the sounds. It sounded great.
So... this thread; use it to moan, fanboi, and hopefully (and preferably!) post some useful information about either unit!!
Comments
I really am the type of person who wants to buy something and just have it work. I'm not anti tweak, but I am anti bodge!
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
I'm more interested in using the Kemper to collect amplifiers that I otherwise cannot afford, or don't want to buy. My tonal tastes shift a lot, and the Kemper seems like a good way to solve that problem. The Axe does too, aside from price and configuration overkill.
I'm also waiting for NAMM to be out of the way before I go back to looking at my amplification. I've currently got the Ironheart 120, which I've decided isn't for me. Will probably sell it. I've got the 5150III, which is nice, but the channel 1/2 thing pisses me off. I'm at the point where the combination of a valve amps reliability, tonal shifting (as the tubes get hotter!), weight, and sound palette limitations, are all conspiring to make me truly considering going fully digital.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Most valve amps at the moment (particularly the newer ones) just don't interest me all that much. But what is going on in the digital world really does.
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
Studio: https://www.voltperoctave.com
Music: https://www.euclideancircuits.com
Me: https://www.jamesrichmond.com
If I had the money for a kemper, I'd get one because it's a damn sight cheaper than buying 2 or 3 top valve amps, even if you include the cost of a nice cab to go with it.
I like the idea of silverface twin reverb clean, Peavey/EVH heavy rhythm, mesa dual rec lead and maybe see how that would go.
A bandit will do in the meantime...