A few questions from a potential buyer

    Ok, I'm interested.


    I play guitar in a couple different rock cover bands and currently do 120-150 shows a year. Over the years I've played real tube amps, the Randall MTS rack system, modelers direct to PA, etc. At the moment, I'm using the Marshall JMD hybrid amp (programmable digital preamp, tube power amp). My primary interest in the Kemper would be for live use.


    So anyway I've been going through the forum here and trying to soak up as much as possible, but still have a few questions. I apologize if they've been asked before and I just hadn't got to them yet.


    1. How good are the stock profiles? Because I don't have a bunch of great mic's and mic preamps laying around, I doubt that I'm going to jump in and start making brilliant profiles of real amps myself right off the bat. Therefore, I'll likely be limited to the stock profiles and what I can find on the rig exchange. Am I going to be impressed with the stock profiles and able to build most of what I need from there, or am I going to be searching through the exchange for weeks on end trying to weed the good profiles from the bad?


    2. Now that the Kemper is available with a built in power amp, what do you recommend -- the powered Kemper or un-powered Kemper with a powered FRFR? I guess I'm asking how good is the Kemper power amp. If your answer is unpowered Kemper with powered FRFR, do ahead and throw out which FRFR you recommend. I guess if I got the powered Kemper I'd still have the additional option of hooking it to a guitar cab, but again, how good is the Kemper power amp?



    3. Does the Kemper have any type of global EQ capability? Meaning if I walk into a club with particularly shrill or muddy acoustics, is there any ability to tweak the overall Kemper EQ without going into each preset one by one? I have a feeling the answer to this question is no, because I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere. I really wish global EQs were standard on all boxes with presets intended for live use...but oh well.


    Appreciate any thoughts you care to share.


    Thanks,
    Gary

    1. The stock profiles are okay, but there are (IMHO) much better profiles available for download, many of them for free from the rig exchange. FWIW I haven't ever profiled an amp, and I still think the KPA was the best gear purchase I have ever made. You can definitely find great profiles on the rig exchange (and it is probably worth buying some of the commercial packs as well, depending on exactly what you are looking for).


    2/3. Can't answer, I'm a bedroom warrior with un-powered KPA :)



    Hope that helps a little (1/3 better than nothing!).

    If you have the budget I suggest the Powered Kemper (Head).


    You have a Global EQ for Monitor Out (Poweramp to Cab), and a separate Global EQ for Main Out (to PA).
    And, a bunch of other EQ stomps that you can use wherever you like.

    I think it comes with a lot of great profiles, but my favorites are my own profiles or some I have from The Amp Factory. With this amp you could spend the rest of your life auditioning profiles...it's endless. So for people with OCD, this amp might not be a good choice.


    When I first got mine, I spent 30 minutes playing on the first profile, it was that good.


    I choose the unpowered version. The nearly $700 price difference leaves you lots of options. And the Powerhead is only mono powered. For frfr speakers, a lot of people like Altos which sell for about $250 (in the US). I've never heard them. The Yamaha DXR10 is another popular choice...new about ~$500 on eBay or discounted from a chain. Or there is the Atomic CLR, which is about $1050, and you need to get on a waiting list for one of those. I own the last two.


    My recommendation would be to try out the Atlos and Yamahas (and anything else) in a store if possible. If like me, that is not an option, I would easily choose the DXR10s again. Light and very powerful. The high end is just a little more piercing than the more guitar cab sounding CLR, but a little global eq can help that.

    Edited 4 times, last by ur2funky ().

    Welcome!
    1. The stock profiles are very very good. If you're going to be impressed or not depends on what you expect. The stock presets are mix ready, i.e. They fit in a band context (recording or live doesn't matter) without being too boomy or having exaggerated bottom end.


    2. my personal opinion is that the profiler's full potential can only be exploited by using a FRFR solution.
    A built in power amp can potentially come in handy when you often have to rely on supplied backline like cabs etc.
    2a. My recommendations for FRFR are well known: Yamaha DXR 10 or Atomic CLR if you can afford them.


    3. Yes, there's a global EQ for the different outputs in the master Section.

    I'd recommend the PowerHead and the Active CLR. Gives you the most flexibility. Sure it's a little more money but so what? Who wants to compromise on their sound? For live use you could play thru your favorite half-stack kitted out just the way you like (V30s criss-crossed with EV12Ms in my case) and switch to the CLR for specialty tones like Fender/Vox cleans, an acoustic profile or the killer metal rig of your choice.


    No compromise :!:

    When you get used to a full range powered speaker it really is so much more toneful with more complexity to the tones of the Kemper. I use a Yamaha DXR10. I love that speaker. 800 watts. 32 lbs. The non powered toaster weighs about 8 lbs. Lighter is better ...

    TONE IS PARAMOUNT :D8) 8o

    Thanks so much to everyone for your responses - the Kemper sounds even more promising now!


    "Separate global EQs for the Main & Monitor outputs" - Smart, smart, smart!


    "Stock presets...without being too boomy or having exaggerated bottom end" - Excellent, as I always find modelers and even many real amps to have way too much bottom end. I listened to a ton of Eleven Rack demos on Youtube before coming here, and they all suffered from this.



    ONE MORE QUESTION -- if I did get the powered version, is there a passive equivalent to the Yamaha DXR10?