Kemper Versus Axe FX II - My opinion


    Quote from nightlight

    Did you just one-up yourself?


    Quote from nightlight

    Honestly, this thread is getting out of hand. The minute anyone says anything contesting the Axe FX (and this is the Kemper forum mind you), there's an immediate retort that the user must be a Kemper fanboy.


    Quote from nightlight

    If the original user could post his opinion, other users should be entitled to it. Again, I'll point out that this is the Kemper forum. If you post the same thing on the Axe FX forums, I doubt you will get as patient a hearing and would no doubt be dragged under and then banned within the space of a few minutes, with the thread deleted too. Taunting us and saying we should go do it on the other board isn't fair: if you'd like to see what happens, why don't you post?


    Quote from nightlight

    Please allow everyone to have their say about the Axe FX or the Kemper.


    Quote from nightlight

    Just don't say anything bad or the trolls will come out. You don't want to see a p*ssed off Ingolf or viabcroce


    Totally agreed.

    Quote from Animus

    Except any AxeFX user that gives the Kemper a honest chance doesn't look back as the Kemper is undeniably better. I haven't seen too many Kemper users switch over to Axefx, if any, yet I have seen countless AxeFX converts to Kemper. Axefx had it's heyday with certain name players such as Bulb endorsing it but when it comes down to it is just a "boutique" version of a POD with really good effects. Why do you think the owner of Fractal freaked out so hard and got so aggressive/paranoid and came out so vocally against the Kemper a couple of years ago, bad-mouthing it and spreading blatant misinformation; and eventually integrated more "Kemperish" type features in the AxeFX. It really is in a whole different ballpark from his stuff and he knows it. The Kemper is a game changer and the new leader in digital amp technology. There I said it.


    Wrong.


    [Blocked Image: http://i59.tinypic.com/wwnn09.jpg]

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

    Like 1


    You like lecturing people, don’t you?

    I agree that the Axe is a great machine. I also agree on FW getting constantly improved. What I can't stand is the aggressiveness of some people. They (CC included) have always been repeating like a mantra "now it's really undistinguishable from the real thing" since V 4. A dose of humility would not hurt.
    Heck, I was attacked (for lasvideo: attached :D) on the Axe forum when I wrote that CC would have certainly went on improving the product in the years. We were @ V 5... LOL


    Also, totally agree about "owner of Fractal freaked out so hard and got so aggressive/paranoid and came out so vocally against the Kemper a couple of years ago, bad-mouthing it and spreading blatant misinformation; and eventually integrated more "Kemperish" type features in the AxeFX". The man has lost any possible ounce of my esteem with his incredible behaviour in the years. The same goes for mods at TGP closing threads whenever lese-majesty was committed or even evoked.


    The above has a lot to do with me being here now. Which I'm really glad of guys :D

    I own both so I have no dog in this fight and I'll just say this. They are both excellent. With Axe firmware 15 I would say the raw amp tones were equal in both units. With firmware 16 I would say that the Axe is now actually slightly better. More natural lows and clearer highs. However I use the Kemper more because I enjoy the ease of use. The difference is small though and anyone claiming that one unit is vastly superior to the other is delusional and should spend more time practicing and less time worrying about their gear purchases.

    Quote from Mr_Marty

    I own both so I have no dog in this fight and I'll just say this. They are both excellent. With Axe firmware 15 I would say the raw amp tones were equal in both units. With firmware 16 I would say that the Axe is now actually slightly better. More natural lows and clearer highs. However I use the Kemper more because I enjoy the ease of use. The difference is small though and anyone claiming that one unit is vastly superior to the other is delusional and should spend more time practicing and less time worrying about their gear purchases.



    Some people should stop getting up in a tizzy when other people say they like something over something else, and perhaps practice more as well. The AxeFX is cool, but as viabcroce suggested, it supposedly sounded "real" back at firmware 4, and now we are at firmware 58 and is even more real than real. And lastly, this is the Kemper forum and people shouldn't get butt hurt or act surprised people here might like the Kemper over another product. As has already been said, this thread conversation wouldn't have been even been possible over at the Fractal forums, the participants flamed and banned and thread closed or deleted.

    As I mentioned in the first post I made here. I think the two units serve a different need, obviously many here have both, if they were identical this would make no sense.
    I prefer the hands on design of the Kemper and the greater attention being put onto the amp profiling and the ability to profile new amps as just killer.


    If I wanted an all rack effects processing system where I would completely program my songs I would have bought the Axe but I don't like this constraint and I never have.
    I am not a preprogrammed musician I like to change up things on the fly. The Kemper for me serves as a wall of the most amazing amps that I can chose from. That is Kemper's strongest suit. It has great effects but they are more secondary for me. The Axe is all about programing a sound with all its effects and tweeks already decided. It is not for me.


    I think that they are both amazing pieces of technology and both create astounding results. Are there benefits and draw backs to both, few draw backs and many benefits surely. Is it OK to voice those without being ripped apart for sharing person subjective thoughts? I hope so. :)


    Peace! 8)

    Quote from viabcroce

    The man has lost any possible ounce of my esteem with his incredible behaviour in the years. The same goes for mods at TGP closing threads whenever lese-majesty was committed or even evoked.

    I remember that, and I totally agree, it was ridiculous! :thumbdown:


    I am impress by a guy like Andy from Amp Factory who NEVER feels threaten by new comers and even try to learn something from this situation.

    I was an Axe user since the very begining (waiting even when the Standard wasn't yet released), I was the first official spanish Axe Fx user, then came the Ultra and the II, wich I got sent by Cliff to my hotel in a trip to NY with my wife.


    Loved the unit, loved the tones....but I tried the Kemper, had both for a while and realized that the Kemper sounded better to my ears and filled better my tonal needs, so I sold the Axe FX II. That was firm 7, I guess.


    After that, I was told that the Axe really improved in firm 15, so, bought one and give it a try, as I did with the Kemper.


    Amazing raw amp tones, as good as the Kemper for some tones, better in other tones, and worse for other tones too.Anyway, loved the unit, loved the sounds and flexibility and, as is not better or worse than the Kemper, just different, I kept both, I guess I'm a lucky guy and can afford having both.


    I have ears for listening opinnions....but I rather use ' em to hear the tones and make my own oppinions.Mostly people who argue against the Kemper or the Axe never tried or had both for a reasonable amount of time, and I really pay attention to the ones who did, because their oppinion is more worthy than the people that are just fanboys of this or that unit.


    What does "better" mean????? Sounds better????? Who says so????? Do I have to like the same tones that him????


    Enjoy your gear, shut up n' play yer guitar!!!!

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

    Like 1

    Yeah, at one point I had thought about getting a AxeFx just to run the fx for the Kemper but thought it would be too redundant with all the amp stuff, not too mention too many options, so I decided to go for a Eventide H8000 and a Bricasti M7 instead. The Kemper is perfect for my needs, clones existing amp signal paths and it's done; didn't want to get into all the under the hood amp tweaking with tube plate voltage and all that stuff.

    Quote

    What does "better" mean????? Sounds better????? Who says so????? Do I have to like the same tones that him????
    Enjoy your gear, shut up n' play yer guitar!!!!

    :thumbup:


    But you as well have apparently fallen into the "this is better than that" trap :)


    Quote from SteelEdge

    Amazing raw amp tones, as good as the Kemper for some tones, better in other tones, and worse for other tones too.

    Quote from Mr_Marty

    With Axe firmware 15 I would say the raw amp tones were equal in both units. With firmware 16 I would say that the Axe is now actually slightly better. More natural lows and clearer highs. .


    Seriously !! Facepalm !!! Just do a profile that has more natural lows and clearer highs then ...

    Don't you all think we're getting a bit redundant here? ;)
    All in all I think Gianfranco summed it up quite well.
    Making a decision pro or contra Axe is not only a question of its sonic qualities in general (nobody doubts these) but also a question of the overall handling of competition, criticism, etc.
    In this field FAS has lost a lot of creditibility/sympathy to me.

    The only comments that should be made on this thread henceforth should be clips.


    "Voice" your opinions, rather than resort to overly verbose arguments that convince no one.


    I, for one, resent the suggestions that Version 16 is now better than Version 15 of the Axe FXII and now that kicks the Kemper's a**. Unbelievable.


    Even more unbelievable are the mods on these forums. They must be chilling all the time, drinking Kemper energy drinks and thinking, "Let the denizens of the forum thrash it out among themselves"


    Definitely a +1 to the Kemper Gmbh folk. It's a praiseworthy and positive attitude. Now if only they'd open an "Other things/miscellaneous" sub-forum ^^

    Quote from viabcroce

    :thumbup:


    But you as well have apparently fallen into the "this is better than that" trap :)


    :)


    When I say better/worse I should have added "to my taste", but I think that was implied in the affirmation.


    In the quality level that both units offer, better/worse is very subjetive.


    For me, the "ala U2" tones are way better in the Axe because of the effects and tweakability of the Amp
    Block, but the 80's hard rock high gain Marshallish tones Are umbeatable in the Kemper.


    Again, IMHO and to my taste. ;)

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