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Base theme by DesignModo & ported to Powered by Vanilla by Chris Ireland, modified by the "theFB" team.
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For those who have a 'good' valve amp does the Kemper feel the same and do the amp profiles (either those that come with it or those that can be downloaded) feel and sound like an amp should when playing clean. I think, though I might be wrong, that modelling is better able to fake an amp with loads of distortion than a clean amp just on the edge of distortion.
And how much of a compromise is it to put the Kemper through the output section and cab of a valve amp? What puts me off is all the extra gear it is suggested you need in order to get acceptable results, midi controllers, FRFR amps and cabs etc. If I thought I would get good results through the output section of my Dumble clone and 2x12 I might be more inclined to give it a go.
I have noticed a few people have Kempers in this place, and I wondered how they worked through headphones? I'm guessing that in theory they pass as FRFR.
I just wondered if the Kemper came across as harsh or fatiguing through headphones?
If I had one, I'd end up using it like this for quite a bit.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
Thanks @PVO_Dave that's encouraging.
Funny, as a high gain player I think the opposite.
Clean sounds are usually pretty responsive to me - different tones from the pick attack.
High gain is where modellers let me down (never tried axe FX or kemper or the one Andy James used for a while).
Then again, I heard a demo of a strat through a dumble on tgp people were wetting themselves over and to me it was a very boring, plain tone. Maybe different types of players "get" different things.
Whilst I probably do sound like a fan boy harping on about my new toy I stand by what I've said before on here.
Live the Kemper is the dogs bollox - sounds superb when properly EQ-d up gig volume.
Only negative I can think of when using it through the PA is that I can't fookin hear myself so have to use a monitor.
This thing about 'feeling' like an amp or not; I've now done two gigs with the Kemper direct into the PA. When I play with my band I can never actually hear my amp that well over the drums and bass so invariably have it coming back through the monitors at me.
That is the sound you expect to hear from the Kemper. So to me it sounds jsut as good as the amp I normally hear through my monitors except I don't have to bring 'my amp'. The sound guy also finds it easier to mix and I have 100's of amps to choose from and have fun with - cushtee!
'Feeling the amp' really depends on what you are used to, 'back in the day' I switched from using two 100W Marshall heads and 4 4x12 cabs to a JMP-1 and a 1x12 monitor, it obviously felt different. If your normal amp is a princeton reverb set at 2 and mic'd up it's not going to feel that different at all
Nothing to stop you using a Kemper through a power amp and 4x12 for your on stage sound and direct to FOH for the audience if you play venues big enough
For my money the biggest draw with the Kemper is the ability to access a massive range of sounds and effects, it helps if you suss out what to ignore or not use and the range of options is daunting to figure out at first, I have found in a lot of cases less is definitely more but again once you suss it out it's easy, the ability to programme the unit and foot controller (You need one of these !!) to be able to switch profiles/sounds for different songs / parts is useful, it makes doing the river dance on the effects board a thing of the past, one button does the lot if you get it right
Be choosy with the profiles that you use and pick ones from credible sources, and use ones that make you sit up from the off it's like recipes some of them are just plain shit and don't work well, another issue I have found is the old "polishing a turd" scenario, if you start with a bad profile, you're gonna struggle trying to adjust it into something you want. I spent weeks trying to do this and eventually deleted everything in the unit and started again, the rig manager software is essential for efficient management of profiles you can try them and tweak them if you like before you load them which is a good option, I now have less than 30 profiles in total in the unit, and that's maybe too many if I'm honest.
Once you find the right profiles and get your head around the Global output and amp EQ's there should really be no issue with playing live through a cab, if you run a line out to the desk the cab can be basically a stage monitor anyway and you have different settings available for the line to the desk and the cab outputs anyway so you can tweak what you like. I use both a JCM 900 4 x 12 and a Jet City 2 x 12 with mine depending on circumstances and yes you need to tweak the Kemper to account for the differences but it's no great issue.
Previously I have been using Marshall and Blackstar valve amps for a number of years , I still own a JCM900 Twin Reverb 100w head, which never gets used I hasten to add, and some of the profiles I have for more unusual / classic amps, Plexi's, AC30's, Matchless DC 30, Selmer 50, Hiwats, JTM's and the like are awesome, and some of the others too, Diezel, Engl, EVH 5150, Soldano and Mesa Twin Rectifier are amongst my favourites.
Lastly I would say due to the costs involved it takes some thought before you buy, it took me the best part of 3 or 4 months to get my head around using the Kemper, and I'm not there yet, so having one for a week or so probably won't unlock the box enough but that's only speaking from my experience, I'm no gear officionado, and I'm not pretending that I have the greatest sound in the world but I sure have a whole bunch of options available in one little box that I never had before and all this is just my point of view for anyone that's interested
Cheers, Chris
GREAT in the studio. I mean, absolutely unrivalled. Massively flexible, easy to use, easy to capture amps, sounds bang on, does what it says on the tin. Etc etc etc. absolutely LOVE mine as a studio tool. Saves me having to run amps flat out at work every day.
Ever band is always totally blown away by how they can't tell the difference between their micd amp and the Kemper.
Live. Mixed feelings. Good to a good PA. Not sure about using one through a guitar cab. Direct profiles are probably much more usable in this scenario now though.
Great in the studio obviously but use it 3-4 times a week every week for gigs ...switching between Acoustic,Electric,Bass,Mandolin,Banjo and even Sitar Guitar now ....straight into PA sounds great ...no heavy cabs to lift etc ...can't see me changing unless the Kemper 2 arrives
I sold my Kemper to get the Helix, because live use was more important for me and the Kemper wasn't flexible or quick enough at switching patches for me. But now I'm not getting the Helix.