Can anyone recommend a 1U sized power amp to use with a Kemper?

  • Mesa 20/20 also here! I havent yet found any FRFR solution I like, didnt like Matrix GT800FX and neither Yamaha DXR-10.
    In a few days trying Atomic Active Wedge and if it is not sounding good I definitely go to guitar poweramps -and Mesa 20/20 is the ONE.


    If you are adicted to that dynamic punch in your chest when you strum your strings on stage you still need poweramp tubes with traditional guitar cabs. The challenge here is to find this dynamic interaction in a light 1u power tube amp. Personly I rather loose some sonic FRFR details but keeping the punch. But things can be approved. Companies like Koch and Fryette are working on it. Maybe others to but it is about time that some company can crack this challenge of a flat, super dynamic, light, 1U tube poweramp for use with some traditional guitar cabs.

  • @ liulululi: glad you like the tube amps...........but as said, it is just a matter of taste, right guys?


    for instance: I have seen this guy named Pete Thorn playing the suhr badger 30 with an incredible sound. then he tested his axe fx2 with the matrix 1 unit amp and the sound was incredible as well. overall, tastes apart, all these pieces of equipment are just fantastic and need to be adjusted to each on playing. and at the end if it sounds good than it is the right choice.........

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner


    "Rock in Ecclesia" - new album on iTunes or Google music

  • +1

    I'm curious about this Behringer poweramp, is it transparent enough for the KPA (like Matrix GT1000FX) ?
    Have anyone tried the more powerful models EPQ1200 or EPQ2000?

  • If you are adicted to that dynamic punch in your chest when you strum your strings on stage you still need poweramp tubes with traditional guitar cabs. The challenge here is to find this dynamic interaction in a light 1u power tube amp.

    I have to disagree. The "punch" you're talking about is really just a volume thing - I've got a class D amp running a FRFR wedge and, if I turn it up anywhere close to stage level, it gets punchier than Mike Tyson refilling his drink at a Christmas party.

  • as said, it is a personal taste...........one fact though it clear: the 98% of the people using a pre amp relay to a tube amp. if this was just volume i don't think everyone yelded so easily to tubes. and we are speaking about pro player: petrucci, Vai, Lukather and the list goes on.

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner


    "Rock in Ecclesia" - new album on iTunes or Google music

  • FWIW I fired up my Marshall 6100 yesterday the first time in months. I had only one of the two 4x12" connected.
    Well, it was loud, very loud, it was punchy and it had 'body & balls'
    But not more than the profiler with the CLR connected.
    My immediate impression was that I missed the even- nes of the CLR.
    The Marshall cab is way too focused in comparison.


    Yup, I think I'm now completely assimilated to the world of FRFR.:)

  • i dig your experience, Ingolf. indeed a tube amp, at least to my side, tends to make every sound similar, no matter what the amp. on the other hand the matrix or similar enphasizes the profile in a more precise way.......but that is just an opinion.


    for the sound I use, dark and more Steve Vai like, the tube amp is the way to go...........but other sounds might request different equipment. In particular, I kind of use one sound only achieving all what I need (clean, crunch or distorted) by the guitar volume. this being the case, when I found the mesa/kpa combination it suited me, I didn't look any further.

    "...why being satisfied with an amp, as great as it can be, while you can have them all?" michael mellner


    "Rock in Ecclesia" - new album on iTunes or Google music

  • Indeed it is a personal taste. In the live setup I just love the dynamic relation of the poweramp tube/transformer and guitar speakercab. That is where the non-linearity liveliness hides. Again this is for a Live setup.
    Playing a nearfield recording/profile of this by FRFR is to me just not the same. I like my guitar to interact with the tube/transformer/guitar speakercab farfield chain. Just my experince and opinion. Maybe we can call this the GTTSC setup which is very different to a FRFR-setup. ;)

  • Yes, if you put KPA to Mesa 20/20 to guitar cabinet it makes all sound more similar...but in a good way ;)
    Im not so much of tone authenticy but for a good playing feeling.
    Today I get that Atomic CLR active wedge, I`ll let you guys know does it makes my head turn to FRFR world..or not..lets see :)

  • I'm curious about this Behringer poweramp, is it transparent enough for the KPA (like Matrix GT1000FX) ?
    Have anyone tried the more powerful models EPQ1200 or EPQ2000?

    I've not tried it. But t's not like the Matrix, which costs much more. In these kind of applications (i.e. low freq audio analog devices) you generally do not invent nothing, and quality costs.


    The amplitude response is just one of the parameters to evaluate an amp's quality, BTW.


    HTH :)

  • Today I get that Atomic CLR active wedge, I`ll let you guys know does it makes my head turn to FRFR world..or not..lets see :)

    yeah....test it and let us know.........

    Sorry guys for the delay!


    About Atomic Wedge and that FRRFRFRFR -thing:
    I tried Atomic CLR wedge AND Behringers Eurolive F1320D as a pair to it... :D
    Now: Im not very sure that it is worth to put so much money to active wedge -I even get so much better sounds from Behringer than from Yamaha DXR10 (didnt like its hi freqs).
    It was even very close to wedge if just tweaked a bit (Eurolive has an EQ).


    But now the dramatic turn of events:
    today I did sell wedge (Eurolive still here...) and the best part is that just that I got Dynacord Reference 500 rackamp, (with very poor preamp)
    but Kemper sounds really good through its poweramp (two EL34 tubes) to guitar cabinet....


    Just remembered after a while what is REALLY good sound.... :love:


    Im afraid I never get used to these FFRFRFRF things :huh:

  • Youre not the only one. Tried that FR stuff long ago. I am now using 4, yes four, 2x12 cabs powered by the new Koch ATR-4502 in a stereo setup. Gives me not only "an huge AMP in the room" but also "room in the amp". :thumbup:


    BTW Koch will attend NAMM so you can test this poweramp yourself.
    http://www.koch-amps.com/atr-4502.html


    Edited once, last by DADA: adding NAMM info ().