Giving it up!!

  • True! @OP: If you're into Marshall Sounds... check the free TAF ManRock 800 Rig!

    MJT Strats / PRS Guitars / Many DIY Guitars -- Kemper Profiler Rack / Kemper Remote / InEar

  • Hey Mark, I can see where you're coming from re ditching the KPA. I've had mine for three weeks and have just done my first (pub) gig with it last week,
    using one of the band's active monitor wedges.


    FOH sound was good, but wasn't so happy with "On stage" sound, but got through the gig anyway.


    When I got the KPA I wiped all the profiles off it, purchased some profiles from TAF (Marshall / Orange / Trainwreck / Fender SR), and downloaded a few (Marshall JCM800) profiles
    from Rig Exchange. The JCM800 one is the one I use most, (used to own one back in the early '80 's + 2 4x12 cabs, sold it all to finance rack (ADA MP1 / Rocktron / ART) setup).


    Currently own (& will keep) MESA Dual Rec, Mark III, Mark IV heads & Triaxis-50/50-GMajor2, Marshall JMP1-G Major1-Valve 20/20 power amp rack set up + MESA / Marshall
    Cabs, all of which sound good, but am growing tired of having to move amps,cabs etc.


    Am sure the KPA is a good piece of gear (when I learn how to set it up & get around to profiling my own amps), and will probably stick with it, but I can sympathize with what you're feeling.


    The KPA Forum seems to have a lot of folk, who are very much knowledgeable about this piece of equipment, and are willing to offer help / advice on it - Cheers guys ;)


    Regards, Gordie.

  • I've given up on the Kemper three times now! LoL. But I always keep coming back for some strange reason..... 8|8|8|:D


    This one seems to work nicely for me though, so I'm pretty much a ok with it now. The FOH sounds that I am getting are absolutely killer. I've been borrowing a Line6 L2T monitor for a couple of weeks and it has worked nicely with it. Going to try out a Yamaha DSR112 at some point in the new year as well. Thus far, the on stage sounds just like the house which is great for me. I find I don't have beaming that I got with a 2x12 or 4x12 which was always a problem. I move around and I can hear a lot more of myself in more places.


    It was somewhat difficult to retrain my brain from hearing a 12" guitar speaker cone behind me to having and FR speaker in front of me but I have succeeded and have gotten used to it. I still am going to pick up a small tube amp or mini-head cab for those moments when I feel that I am missing something but really more as a backup.

  • I would be very surprised if anyone got the KPA hooked up to a computer with Rig-Manager and access to the Rig-Exchange and not find a collection of rigs they like, or at least can tweak to fit their needs. This tweaking btw is no more than adjusting the gain, tone, and fx. It's no more complex than it is to dial in a traditional rig.


    I do have a couple thousand commercial rigs. Many of those are absolutely excellent, but i think I could find close matches for almost every rig I use on the exchange. The key is to find a handful rigs that match your guitar and style of music. I don't use a large number of rigs. Even on a gig with a coverband that cover a lot of different styles of music I may play an entire gig using a couple different guitars with 5 rigs (1 performance) on the KPA. Those 5 rigs are then prepared with what I find to be usable effects so that I can add or subtract those FX from the base tone in the rig. Those 5 rigs thus provide a lot of variation. At gigs I use the KPA almost as if it were a regular amp, making smaller adjustments to gain and tone along the way. It may OTOH be months between each time I make significant changes to my selection of preferred rigs. I spent some time learning how to handle the KPA. I also learn new tricks along the way, but I don't spend more time tweaking my sound now than what I did when I played the tubes.

    Edited once, last by heldal ().

  • Guys, I get where Marky boy is coming from. You don't want to tweak but I feel I have to trying to find a sound similar to the amp in a room sound. It always feels a compromise running it through a guitar cab...yes I know, I should run FRFR speaker..but there are reasons why we want our 4x12's..quantum leaps and all that.


    I am still 80/90% there even with commercial profiles. For some reason it is more fickle than a regular amp through a guitar cab....sometimes the sound is a bit "scratchy" and I can't put my finger on what is not quite right. Just doesn't seem to be an eq thing but somethiong inherent in a lot of the profiles. I think the removing of the cab/mike via cab monitor off seems to be the only artificial part. I'm not confident becuase its so tweakable to do basic stuff...amp sagging, clean sens, cab settings, balancing volumes etc.


    BUT.....


    I am sticking with it because there is nothing to touch it versatility wise. I am blown away by what you can do with it. It is the most infuriating but amazing peice of kit. I am convinced the sounds are there but not easy for a novice, especially like me when you know it's not quite right but you don't know why. You definately get profile blindness so going for 1 good profile makes perfect sense. It's also a fair amount of pyscology...it's digital, it can't sound like a valve amp can it ? Plus you guys are really helpful.


    Marky - I can sort the FCB1010 Uno out...I sussed that one and happy to get together ( you are relatively close). Might be interested in your Yam as well :)

  • The KPA might be everything. But it is not a tool what needs to be tweaked a lot. You have many options though. I rather would say, stay away from tweaking. If a profile does not sound good right away, I just don't use it. I just do minor changes on profiles. Would you buy I real amp and change tubes and caps before you played the first tone? Same here. Find the right profile for you and play. You might have to turn down the bass and cut the highs here and there. But if it does not sound right in the beginning, skip it. It depends on what kind of music you play. For instance the workshop profile PW Overdrive is just right to me. No changes. For me 95 % of the non commercial profiles are not for me. The commercial ones are better. But still even here 80% don't fit.
    I also have to say, that it is senseless to have 100 different amps. If you want to play music, you need your own sound, a few options and that's it. It is a problem of todays times to have to many options. Good thing nobody can force you to use all. And don't be confused about some posts here in the forum. There are many user who just collect profiles. Some of them are not real musicians, I guess. They don't want to play music, they want to play with technical devices. But for sure, they picked a real good one :)

  • The KPA might be everything. But it is not a tool what needs to be tweaked a lot. You have many options though. I rather would say, stay away from tweaking. If a profile does not sound good right away, I just don't use it. I just do minor changes on profiles. Would you buy I real amp and change tubes and caps before you played the first tone? Same here. Find the right profile for you and play. You might have to turn down the bass and cut the highs here and there. But if it does not sound right in the beginning, skip it. It depends on what kind of music you play. For instance the workshop profile PW Overdrive is just right to me. No changes. For me 95 % of the non commercial profiles are not for me. The commercial ones are better. But still even here 80% don't fit.
    I also have to say, that it is senseless to have 100 different amps. If you want to play music, you need your own sound, a few options and that's it. It is a problem of todays times to have to many options. Good thing nobody can force you to use all. And don't be confused about some posts here in the forum. There are many user who just collect profiles. Some of them are not real musicians, I guess. They don't want to play music, they want to play with technical devices. But for sure, they picked a real good one :)


    Good advice here. After all, guitarists who use tube amps have how many amps on stage?

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

  • I certainly don't want to collect profiles or fiddle. The problem I have had is finding a good basic profile and I've been through a few. I don't think I'm fussy and my signal chain is pretty decent yet it's still not "there".


    Not sure why....the true test is at volume becuase although the amp is relatively linear, the speakers start to move and ears change etc...

  • I was considering keeping it but I have sold it today, I feel bad about it, tweaking is not for me and to be honest I don't think I could do it justice!! Fare well friends, I'm sure you will all manage to create some great kemper users. Thank you for all your help, I'll miss you guys!!


    markyboy signing out!

  • I find it really uncomplicated to use, I do a fair bit of recording and therefore like a selection of stock sounds which I'm making as the case requires, then tweak on the day.
    I needed a clean, powerful 80's vibe yesterday and got exactly what I wanted in about 2 mins and I'm no gear genius (which is why I like it)
    I know I haven't scratched the surface of the Kemper but I don't feel the need to do so as it gives me what I want without the itch.
    Marky, pity you're getting shut of the KPA but each to his own, good luck.


    Mike

  • When I first got my Kemper I used only the stock RIG pack for like 4-5 months. Eventually I downloaded some Tills cabs and other odds and ends but in general I still use the stock Marshall JMP profile with different cabs. I don't really care about effects or whatever else, I like the core Marshall tone. To me it is worth the paying price to have that tone without screwing with my real Marshall at earblowing volumes. Every day, I get the exact same tone which doesn't happen with my real amp necessary. When I play live it sounds like the best mic'd Marshall ever with no mic bleed. Perfect!


    As far as amp in the room tone or FOH tone, you can basically get there with lots of high powered speakers.

  • In my world I have owned and used numerous tube amps from Bugeras to Boogies and have found that I would spend many hours fine tuning the tones and yet never get to the end.. I would come to the amp the day after and find that there was still room for tweaking. Problem I always had was that as my ear became used to the sound of the amp and having explored the tweaking areas, I would start hankering for a different sound. This just became expensive and time consuming and the Kemper has done away with all that. It was becoming difficult to find a seat in this room at one time . ;(