Kemper - my first time

  • So, as I've said in my previous posts, I am really interested in getting a Kemper but not even heard one/played...well on Saturday I tried one out!


    What did I think? Not an easy answer...


    To date, I've bought my amps mainly on reputation. Crazy I know but you just can't tell what an amp is like in a shop compared to live. Often I've found that a killer sound disappears in a band mix and vice versa a duff sound comes alive with a band, based on frequencies etc. Plus you get used to sounds.


    I bought a Laney GH100L years ago, switching from rack stuff, totally different no reverb, delays, chorus etc. Took me ages to get used to it but eventually I grew into it and it becuase my favourite sound ever. Interestingly I can't describe why though...


    What this means is I've never had to think too much about the sound because it's limited to my Amp and cab set up. Traditionally I've just bought what I think to be the best - Celestion v30's, george L cables, Bareknuckle pickups in order to stand the best chance of the best sound.


    I've now realised that with the Kemper I would have so many options and so a duff sound will be 100% my fault and I'll need to think about it more - worst still, I'll need to get....an opinion!


    Its a bit like wall paper, my wife will say " do you like this wall paper" and I'll say "no". Then she'll say " what do you like", and my answer is nearly always " I don't know - I just know I don't like that one". ;(


    A friend of mine came to a recent gig and told me he loved my guitar sound from my Blackstar Stage 60...which was funny because I was thinking how much I didn't like it and wanted to sell the amp!


    The Kemper....


    It sounded great in general but each rig ( these were all the standard ones) sounded so different. Many I didn't like so I switched cabs ( from 2 x12 to 4 x12) and they sounded very different/better straight away.


    So I've come to the following conclusions:


    • I'm starting to now fully understand the impact of each element in the signal chain - or at least realise that I will need to care
    • When it comes to guitar sounds, I don't have much of a clue.
    • Am I going to get a Kemper? - hell yes!... but I might need some advice on " the best sounds" because I might not know a good sound even when it punched me in the face.
    • I have no taste and even worse no idea what makes a good sound I just know it when I hear it!
    • I'm annoying to live with.. :whistling:


    In summary, kit this good will expose my short commings so I'd better get my act into gear. I'm happy to invest the time, it's wether I trust my own taste and opinion!


    Bit deep I know...anyone else have that same dilemma? Just me I bet... 8)


    Roll on a few weeks from now when I order a Powerrack...big shout out to the shop ( can I name them??) who had it all set up for me and knew what they were talking about!!!

  • Nice post!


    Believe me I know where you're coming from, but ad long as your friends like your sound and you do not, useless to ask for advices about sound! :thumbup:


    One thing is for sure: with the Profiler you'll never find yourself short of good sounds. And this is a good start I guess... :)

  • Don't be too sceptical of yourself. ;)
    Of course you have an opinion, of course you already have developped a taste, even if it may start with what you don't like.
    Always follow your gut feelings.
    Your taste and the ability to name and describe it will only evolve over time.
    And the profiler will follow you wherever your preferences lead you. ;)

  • @V8 I know I've said this before but.


    Windows 7/8 pc or mac + Rig manager +KEMPER =[Blocked Image: http://media1.giphy.com/media/z91tFIwWZOJq0/200.gif]
    You gotta try it.


    You will land on a rig and BAM there's the sound you have been looking for. :thumbup:


    Just be prepared to play for hours and hours going through all the amazing profiles.
    [Blocked Image: http://media0.giphy.com/media/M6sxEwE5kAllm/200.gif]

    Edited 8 times, last by Lash ().

  • Lash silly question ( which I think you've answer before) do I need a profiler to do this or can I do this now and start listening to profiles?


    Ingolf - I know just relaised I'm not sure what sound I like. Maybe it's because there are loads

  • In the end, it's really no different than the issues you have using any amplifier. What sounds good when you're playing alone in your studio isn't what sounds good live and in a mix. You just have to go with your ears and your experience, and adjust as you learn.

    Go for it now. The future is promised to no one. - Wayne Dyer

  • I would say, does your brain tell your ears that it sounds good? Then, that would be your answer. I think Zappledan summed it up very well! When you are jamming at home and cranking your amp with full on bass, etc...etc....that may sound good there. However, when you get on the stage, you will find and have probably already found out, suddenly things sound a lot different. You don't need as much bottom end. You need a bit more mids, and your highs may need to be increased or backed off because you have to fit in with every instrument on the stage with you. Too much bottom end and you are competing with the bass player and kick drum. Too much high end and you are completing with the cymbals and perhaps the keyboard player or vocals. I used to have a Diezel Herbert and that amp being incredible as it was, always got lost in the mix. I had the thing cranked and it still couldn't find it's way. Was it user error...partially and I also would put the way it was designed as the other piece. That mid-cut feature sounded amazing at home and for recording. On stage though, I needed those same mids to cut through the mix and I didn't do that correctly.


    As far as being undecided, well, there are many of us who are like that. Look at all of the gear that many of us trade in, or re-sell. It happens.


    Right now, I have a good tube amp that I like, but at a 85lbs, it is very heavy to lug around. I'm returning it for a smaller combo that works for me. I won't get that glorious bottom I get out of the sealed back 2x12 within my bigger amp but I'm not losing all that much either as the combo has a beautiful vintage bloom to it and an awesome high gain. The new smaller combo sounds great so I'll deal with it's shortcomings.


    I'm going to move my Kemper to more of an FRFR setup. I initially wasn't going to do this but again, after trying my Rack with a few other FRFR setups over the past few days, I really am liking the sounds that I hear. In all honesty for the majority of gigs I am doing, I only need to bring my Kemper and then go out to FOH.


    Enjoy your new box when it arrives! Be weary though that running it through a speaker cab will make the profiles that are higher gain mush together more...especially if you are using V30s. I've found Greenbacks to give me a bit better definition on the higher gain profiles.

  • Great stuff PBGas...you are so right about frequencies and getting lost.


    I have decided I'm getting one and I just know that if I can't get a good sound, it will be user error :).


    I am being slightly over dramatic becuase I will find a great sound, I know it, but I was surprised how much I will now have to think about it so wanted to see if anyone else felt that way - i.e. a bit of a change in mindset really. It caught me off guard.


    It's quite hard to get a bad sound ( I think) out of my Engl now but I can see me going on an endless quest for tone with all that flexibility. Sometimes too much choice can make you less decisive I guess is my point...great problem to have though!


    Longer term I'll consider FRFR but it's just more expense and a bigger "change". With one of my bands I'll use FOH becuase it's our PA and we have control, plus we are all moving to IEM's but for the other band ( Whitesnake tribute...plug, plug...) it's mainly in house PA's and the last thiong to get sorted is the monitoring, hence initially I want control over my backline.


    The compactness and not relying on tubes is a big fact in all of this too..


  • I have decided I'm getting one and I just know that if I can't get a good sound, it will be user error :).


    I am being slightly over dramatic becuase I will find a great sound, I know it,


    You said it, man, you're too self-deprecating. I know that I went through a lot of questioning before I plonked down on the cash for a Kemper. Endless research, just looking for anything that could dissuade me from such an expensive purchase.


    When I got it, I plugged in and it was just bliss. I really can't foresee myself ever parting from my Kemper in the near future, except in really dire circumstances, which *touch wood* don't seem likely either.


    It is truly the best piece of guitar equipment I've bought. I even see my guitar as being more replaceable in my signal chain the Kemper. If you like organic sounds from tube amps, the Kemper will get you there.


    Longer term I'll consider FRFR but it's just more expense and a bigger "change". With one of my bands I'll use FOH becuase it's our PA and we have control, plus we are all moving to IEM's but for the other band ( Whitesnake tribute...plug, plug...) it's mainly in house PA's and the last thiong to get sorted is the monitoring, hence initially I want control over my backline.


    The compactness and not relying on tubes is a big fact in all of this too..


    One more big plus of the Kemper is its capabilities in a recording environment. It's like having a cranked stack in a room, except you can play at volumes that don't damage your hearing.


    Wondering why you need a power rack though. Granted, it's future proof in case you ever want to play through cabs, but since you mainly rely on the PA for amplification and IEMs for monitoring, I don't see it being much use to you unless you want to cart around a cabinet to gigs. IMHO, FRFR is the best way to go with the Kemper, because that way you'll get the maximum benefit of the process that went into making each profile. ^^

  • Cheers, both.


    Nightlight, I was after the powered version because for the Whitesnake band I will stay with my backline because with in house PA's the monitoring isn't always sorted, to the point where I won't use my IEM's every time because it's never quite right. Mind you, not had the option to go direct before but small steps and all that :)


    If I can just use the PA then I will but on that basis to start with I'd like to keep control of my backline. The simplest way is to use my existing cab and I don't want to try and find/match a separate power amp. Seems worth the extra expense for the flexibility...


    Also I will consider FRFR's once I've settled with it and again having the built in amp seems sensible.


    Plus I will probably take it to rehearsals as well and they have 4 x12's there

  • As an example we were late setting up on Sat and had a support band.


    As a result we didn't get a proper sound check. As you all know at a sound check the last thing sorted is monitors. If I'd relied on Monitors to hear myself on sat I'd have been stuffed.


    So the plan is, get it set up to use a cab as a normal amp as now and then play around with going direct with my other band to get the PA sound sorted. Then can consider either monitor sound or FRFR...


    I figure the power amp just gives the options...

  • Lash silly question ( which I think you've answer before) do I need a profiler to do this or can I do this now and start listening to profiles?



    You can start right now - got to my website (link below) and check out the many sound clips.
    Check out the sound clips from other sellers as well.


    .... then you get an idee about the different sound options.


    Enjoy!

    (All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with soundside.de)


    Great Profiles --> soundside.de


  • Well, you can power either a guitar cab or your own frfr cab for monitoring. That's what I always do with my Yamaha dxr10.