Kemper users who also own an AxeFx II


  • I completely agree.


    There are some FAS amps in the Axe FX2 2 that I really love the sound of. They dont exist in the real amp world, but who cares. Im more s sonic head then a tech head. I value finding the sounds that work for me. I dont have a catalog of amps in my head that I feel must be the point of comparison for any generated in guitar processors. If it sounds good, it is good, whether or not it matches any amp thats real.



  • The Kemper has profiles that don't exist in the real world too. Fooling around with the amp and cabinet controls can really yield some interesting results.


    The one area that the Axe FX has defined itself has been djent tones, in my opinion, mainly because real world bands are using them.


    I'd be interested in seeing some Kemper-fied versions of those tones if anyone with an Axe FX out here is able to do it right. This would be an interesting test, methinks, especially after the latest firmware update. ^^



  • I'm not feeling attacked in anyway, we are just changing impressions and love to debate, really.


    First of all, my english is not my mother tongue, so sometimes I don't express myself the way I really want to, but, anyway....


    What I wanted to say is, that IMHO, the Kemper is better if you're looking for a referenced tone,a tone that you've heard before or you have in one of your amps...after all, the Kemper is a profiler, you can't build a profile from the scratch as long as the Kemper doesn't emulate any amp, just makes and loads profiles that you can later modify.


    And of course, speaking of "tone", as you say, is very subjetive, we should better talk about "the tone, to my taste".I have received bad critics about some sounds from the Kemper in my videos (too high gain/trebly), and a lot of people also loved that same tone because was "very 80s" and asked me for the profiles...so just a matter of taste.


    What I wanted to say is that both units sounds really great now, if you're looking for some classic reference tones without tweaking too much or too much effects/processed sounds, the Kemper is the way to go.If you like to experiment more with the sound, and love to tweak and make your own sound, or you have a sound in your head that is, for example, like a SLO100 but with more presence, less mids or something else that a SLO100 doesn't do on by itself, the Axe is the right thing to try.


    Said that, I love to load a profile and have the feeling that I have the original amp in front of me, but also love to load a preset in the Axe and find a wonderful killer sound that matches this or that song or that is a good and fun preset to play and make a powerful solo.


    For example, if you love Metallica, you can have the guitarjon presets that NAILS the sound of the Metallica songs, literally, sounds like the original recorded guitars in the LP....and you are not so close getting that sound even with the original amps used in the recording, because there are added eq, post-process, etc to that amp recorded tracks.....but with the Axe you can get that same sound, and feel like your guitar is into the original song when playing.For example, in Master of Puppets someone may say "that is not the way an original MKIIc+ sounds....".Of course not, they used a MkiIC+ slaved into a marshall and some equalizers, post processing (and probably some more stuff), so you can't do that just with an amp, therefore, can't profile that sound from a real amp/rig.


    The Axe can be tweaked to an extreme of nail that sound, maybe is not "natural" or a real tube amp referenced tone but....man, I like it!!!!


    I'm lucky having both units, the only problem I have is that sometimes I can't decide wich one use or wich one take for live sound or wich one delivers a better tone for this concrete recording, because you have sooooo many sonic possibilities that you get overwhelmed.


    It takes a lot of time finding your tone in the Kemper or in the Axe, setting up your sound to your band and to your setlist, so, having both units, that possibilities really multiply (tge Axe has more tweaking that the Kemper also),so you can get lost finding / enjoying beautiful sounds from both units and lost perspective of what you were really looking for / what suits better for the final result you were after.


    I'm going to continue with the Kemper for live playing with my band because I already have achieved the sound and tones that I needed and don't need more tweaking....but who knows, maybe I'll find a tone that blows me out for liveplaying with my band in the Axe in a near future and would think of using the Axe instead of the Kemper.


    In the end, we all love tweaking and changing our tone because we use to get tired when we have the same tone or the same gear for a long time, and fond attractive to our ears new tones, just a matter of taste.


    My point is that both the Axe and the Kemper can deliver amazing professional tones and do the tricks for playing live and recording to the highest standards.

    Proud Kemper+Axe FX II user.....yes, you can hook'em together, they WON'T explode.

  • [quote='SteelEdge


    My point is that both the Axe and the Kemper can deliver amazing professional tones and do the tricks for playing live and recording to the highest standards.]


    As the owner of both as well, I completely agree with this statement.

  • [quote='SteelEdge


    My point is that both the Axe and the Kemper can deliver amazing professional tones and do the tricks for playing live and recording to the highest standards.]


    As the owner of both as well, I completely agree with this statement.


    Yes, but now the question is: wich one do I turn on????? ;):D^^

    Proud Kemper+Axe FX II user.....yes, you can hook'em together, they WON'T explode.

  • I went the radical route. I want the sound to be born in my hands. After having been "played upon" by gear along the whole '80s, I decided to be stuck with a solid platform and move from there. At the time, the AXF cost almost twice the Profiler in Europe... To not mention Cliff Chase's behaviours and attitudes, which definitively pushed me back. But I disgress!


    I'm pretty sure there are way more sounds and tweaks available in the Profiler than I will ever need or be able to try.


    On a slightly side note, I don't like the "infinite" freedom: I prefer to create starting from some rules and limits (borders, if you will) and expand my possibilities of expression from there.
    :)

  • I had a lend of a AXE FX2 in my studio for about a month, so of course I did partake in a bit of playing with it at that time.


    It is a great unit, no question.


    I had a Kemper at the time too, and did not really use it as the Axe was new and I had it for a limited time.


    Anyways, I remember getting really great sounds from the AF2 by the end, but I also remember spending a lot of time tweaking sounds to get them to fit right in the mix.



    The AF2 owner took their unit back and I was left with the Kemper for the next job.


    I booted up the KPA and within about 5 mins (no joke!) I had a perfect usable sound for the new project!




    In summary, for me, the KPA is a lot faster at getting good sounds....though this does depend on the profiles you have it loaded with. There are a lot of "lower quality" profiles on the Rig Exchange at the moment, and sifting through them with the Rig Manager can take a while. But when you find that good tone.....oh man.... its just bliss! :D
    For reference, for my recordings 90% of the time I just get a raw amp tone, so YMMV.



    Also, the KPA seems to get a rep of its effects "not being as good as the AF2".


    IMHO, that is simply not true. The reverbs and delays are superb and the pitch shifting algorithm effects are great! I had a guitarist doing a bass part in a track a few weeks ago using it! (sounded awesome actually! :thumbup: )
    Where I think this inaccurate rep comes from, is that (and to be fair to the AF2) the editing software of the AF2 allows for an easier "audition" and "testing out" of effects with your patches, especially if you are new to effects.
    With the KPA, I find that you need to know roughly the type of effect you want in advance, as auditioning different effects is more time consuming and less intuitive as the Fractal softwares approach.


    HTH
    Great discussion.


    Bottom line: If you can afford both, then why not!? Lucky you! :thumbup:

  • OK guys, here we go (drumroll :D :(


    I´m finally going to use the Axe and the Kemper together, using the Kemper in the FXLOOP of the Axe with the 4 cable method (thu I´m not sure if I need the 4th cable, I´ll let you know why some lines below and ask your oppinion).


    Why have I taken this decission???


    1 - I´ve tested that the Kemper sounds EXACTLY the same when run directly (Guitar--->Kemper----> DAW/Poweramp+cabinet) than when I use the Kemper in the Axe Fx II FXLOOP (Guitar----> Axe--->Kemper in the Axe FX II FXLOOP-----DAW/Poweramp+Cabinet).


    Why am I saying something that should be obvious????. Well, when I tested the Axe and the Kemper 2 years ago, I noticed that the Kemper sounded different (better) when runned directly than when runned inside the Axe FX FXLOOP.Did a lot of tests, and no matter what I touched, adjusted or tried, the Kemper lost some of his "mojo" when run inside the Axe FX II FXLOOP.Believe me, I A/B´d a lot of times.I don´t know if the Axe has improved the connections of the FXLOOP block or whatever...is maybe is because in the test I made 2 years ago I was running the Axe by USB to my DAW and now I´m doing it thru the OUTPUT 1 to a M-AUDIO FAST TRACK PRO...is the only difference, I don´t know, maybe the USB interface "sucked" some of the Kemper tone....don´t really know, havent tried to do it thru USB again and test, maybe is just that I made a mistake two years ago when testing..... I will test that in the next days.


    My test was, one track recording from the SPDIF OUT of the Kemper, another track recording the same signal BUT from the Axe OUTPUT 1 putting the Kemper in the Axe Fx II FXLOOP, blank preset with just one FXLOOP block, so, when I played the guitar connected to the Axe, the guitar was also going to the Kemper and, out from the Kemper SPDIF OUT directly to the DAW and another signal that was procesed by the Kemper and sent to the Axe FX II RETURN, so I could record both tracks at the same time, one recorded directly from the Kemper and another one recorded from the Axe FX II OUTPUT, being the Axe Fx II preset just a FXLOOP, so it was just the Kemper sounding thru the Axe FXII FXLOOP.


    Both signals were IDENTICALLY, so, the AXE FX II FXLOOP doesn´t color the Kemper signal.


    That was very very importanta for me, that was the main reason because I sold the Axe II 2 years ago, as far as it coloured my Kemepr signal and couldn´t use both units together, I decided to stick with the Kemper and sell the Axe II.


    2 - Now that I can have my beautiful / unaltered Kemper tones inside a FXLOOP block of the Axe FX II, I can use all the flexibility of the Axe FX in editing, also use all the wonderful Axe FX II presets / tones without giving up the Kemper tones.And also I´m able to add the wonderful Axe FX II efects to my favourite Kemper raw amp tones.Resuming, I can have the best of both worlds.I can get and MFC for the Axe and also control the Kemper MIDI THRU.I can make as many prestes in the Axe FX as I want using this or that profile, all I have to do is put the FXLOOP block in the Axe (wich is really the Kemper) and assign the MIDI number of that preset to the desired Kemper Profile. EASY!!!!!.And what about "Mixing" and Amp+Cab Blocks of the Axe in paralel with a FXLOOP wich contains a killer Kemper Profile???? 8) Two differents amp in STEREO, Kemper+Axe FX power!!!! Amazing possibilities here, I think I´m getting dizzy :wacko::D


    3 - I can use that Axe FX II + Kemper "ULTIMATE TONE RIG", also known as the "RODNEY KING RIG" (Can't we all just get along?) 8) directly to my DAW or even to a poweramp+Cabinet, disabling all Axe and Kemper Cabinet and poweramp sims off (yes, I know that the Kemper poweramp sims can´t be turned off, but they sound GREAT in my Mesa 20:20 anyway.... :thumbup: )


    Here is a pic of my connection in the back of both units using the 4 cable method:


    [Blocked Image: http://i60.tinypic.com/1zlpu6p.jpg]


    This is how I use the 4 Cable Method....thu I think I can get ride of the RED cable, please guys, read what I do and help me with that question!



    1- Guitar into the Axe FX II front INSTRUMENT INPUT


    2- Axe FX II Output 1 (L unbalanced) into the Kemper Return input (RED cable)---> I think I can get rid of this cable, because I guess this one just takes the processed signal of the Axe (lets say a Axe FX II Presets with amp and cab) into the Kemper FX LOOP Return, so you could use the Axe FX II inside the Kemper FX LOOP and add effects or EQ or whatever with the Kemper....I don´t want to do that, I just wanna use the kemper inside the Axe FX II FXLOOP, so I can get rid of that cable, right???


    3- Axe FX II Output 2 (L unbalanced) into the the Kemper Alternative Input ---> (Makes sense, that takes the MONO signal of the guitar to the Kemper for processing)


    4- Kemper Main Outputs (L and R unbalanced) into the Axe2 FX Return (Input 2) (2 BLACK Cables)----> Kemper signal procesed back to the Axe FX II in STEREO, so yopu can use some of the Stereo posibilities of the Kemper.



    5- Axe FX II Output 1 (L and R Balanced or TRS Unbalanced, your choice) into the M-Audio Card or the Poweramp Stereo Inputs.



    I/O Settings Axe FX II in the Audio Menu:


    Main Input Source- Analog (In 1)
    Input 1 Left Select- FRONT
    Input 1 Mode- LEFT
    Input 2 Mode- STEREO
    Output 1 Mode- STEREO
    Output 2 Mode- L+R SUM


    So....I guess this is it!.


    I´ll start a new thread with all this info for those who want to use both units at the same time (like I´m gonna) do and share tricks / impressions / oppinions. Axe FX II + Kemper together (Kemper in the Axe FX II FXLOOP), the ULTIMATE TONE RIG!!!!!! )


    I´m exhausted, whole day testing / trying, but I think I finally got it!!!!! :thumbup:


    Share your thoughts / oppinions (and let me know if I´m right with my supposition about getting rid of the RED Cable! :P )


    P.S. Yes, I´m gonna get a 6U rack for putting this shit together..... :thumbup:

    Proud Kemper+Axe FX II user.....yes, you can hook'em together, they WON'T explode.

    Edited 3 times, last by SteelEdge ().


  • Also, the KPA seems to get a rep of its effects "not being as good as the AF2".


    Actually, the complaint on this side of the fence has always been that there are fewer effects. That said, things like formant shift and pure tuning are the best in the business right now.


    Also, I think a lot of the FX have more to them once you scrape the surface. The deep controls are almost a mystery to me, even a year after I got my Kemper. I spend too much time playing to document exactly how a little change in something like "manual" can completely change how an effect works.


    My only complaint with delays is that I want them to be slot assignable -- which should be coming in one of the updates in the future, as confirmed by Kemper Amplifiers. It would also be interesting to see some more zany effects like reverse reverb, detune and slow attack, but I don't see them as mission critical to the Kemper.


    Bigger fish to fry ^^

  • Just wanted to chime in on one of the Kemper vs Axe-FX myths and opinions: Axe-FX effects are much better. After listening closely on both, I don't believe this is true. Fractal certainly has a lot of effects and routing options, but I think the Kemper easily holds its own against it. You really need to isolate each effect and not have so many routes or signals which can certainly enhance any sound.


    Certainly if you're playing through a PA in a live situation, I highly doubt you can tell the difference between the units. Maybe recorded direct and through high-quality headphones or monitors, but if you're really recording the items -- you'd probably use delay/reverb from SW VST or dedicated hardware.

  • As a Fractal and Kemper owner, I have found it frustrating -- and embarrassing -- the amount of fan boy-ism on other forums (i.e. The Gear Page) regarding Fractal. Especially coming from people who are supposed to be moderators. They constantly troll the forums for any Axe-FX or Kemper posting to extol the virtues of Fractal. They'll always end the posting with some caveat that it's their opinion and everybody should do their own thing. Yet the tone of the post is always that there must be something wrong with you if you do not love Fractal. 8|


    Example: http://www.thegearpage.net/boa…p?p=18559784&postcount=19


    If you know the history, you'll also find the poster saying that for a PA monitor -- QSC Q10 as being the best, then moving to RCF, then finally the CLR. Each time, it's always "a veil has been lifted," etc. The same goes for each firmware release and each new model. I guess what it means is their previous opinions were all wrong. :)


    I guess I should use an ignore option on these fan boys ... But it's sad that they can influence so many people who don't know the history or motivations.


    Update: I tried ignoring the poster, but you can't for a moderator. :cursing:


  • Lets face the facts...Fanboyism is present on just about every forum. Whether its guitars or sports. We have our fair share here as well...believe it or not ;)