Kemper KPA vs. Axe-FX II (Yes, another one...please read!)

  • Man who gives a shit
    we say kemper they say axe


    BOTTOM LINE: we all know KEMPER OFFERS BEST TONE/rig/tube like sound, and most accurate profiles with dynamics.....FX are axes forté , hence Axe-FX


    so that's that
    move on or buy both
    or use neither


    in the end shutup (jk lol) ;)

  • Yes, I did. And they sounded remarkably accurate. But I WAS able to pull up tones on the Axe-Fx that sounded darn close as well. Not as close as the KPA, I agree, but for my purposes, there wasn't that much of a difference to outweigh the effects (for which there was a big difference).


    Glad to hear it :)
    I thought towards the beginning of the thread you were maybe putting too much focus on finding the EXACT tones that you get from your own amps, but speaking from personal experience, I've totally lost interest in searching for the exact sounds that I know and am comfortable with, as there are so many great profiles/patches of amps that I never even heard of before that I've discovered through this wonderful evolution in technology. Having said that, as a studio owner, the profiling technology of the Kemper is extremely useful when working with bands and their own gear, for reasons that you can probably imagine ;)


    Good luck with your new gear.


    Cheers,
    Sam


  • Glad to hear it :)
    I thought towards the beginning of the thread you were maybe putting too much focus on finding the EXACT tones that you get from your own amps, but speaking from personal experience, I've totally lost interest in searching for the exact sounds that I know and am comfortable with, as there are so many great profiles/patches of amps that I never even heard of before that I've discovered through this wonderful evolution in technology. Having said that, as a studio owner, the profiling technology of the Kemper is extremely useful when working with bands and their own gear, for reasons that you can probably imagine ;)


    Good luck with your new gear.


    Cheers,
    Sam


    Yeah, if I'm going to try to capture my own amps, I want them to sound as close to accurate as possible (because I've spent a good amount of time getting them to that point), but overall I'm most interested in good/usable tones.

  • I have to say that, by reading the last say 30-ish posts on this thread, there's one person who stands as the most reasonable, balanced and mature one.
    I'll leave the duty of identifying them to whomever is willing to.


    Really, this apparent hysteria is out of my mind.
    I believe that since today we can cease any claim of "superiority" over the Fractal community :whistling:


    Well done, guys.

  • I believe that since today we can cease any claim of "superiority" over the Fractal community


    Aye. I used to be embarrased and annoyed by the immense fanboyism on the Fractal forum. Now I'm starting to get somewhat embarrased here too...


    And for the vs discussion: do not under estimate the power of actual knobs/buttons vs menus. The Kemper is dead simple to quickly dial in on a gig.

  • I dont want to keep this thread alive, but... German, i do find some of your posts a bit more confusing than you tend to think. I always appreciate your input (and even moreso your awesome profiles which i thank you for sharing), but i dont think mbrown was being contradictory or obstinate. Maybe a little abstract or asking things that couldnt be answered and instead would snowball into heated discussions, but i think maybe you got a little too hot from his responses. Not saying its inappropriate but just something to think about for avoiding conflict in the future if thats what u want

  • @meambobbo thanks for your post and observations. I have really tried to explain, clarify and help mbrown3 in his quest to find what he is looking for. I didn't get headed or angry. Perhaps I felt a bit helpless since no matter what I said it was met with a passive-aggressive attitude.


    By no means have I favored the KPA over the Axe because I wanted to give only facts. Besides it's a matter of taste and playing style...there's no better. It just suits one or not. what has gotten to me is the way the responses were worded and please correct me if I am wrong but to keep asking "why" even when the answer was given is a very difficult way to hold a conversation.
    i never called names or set out insults (contrary to mbrown3).


    anyways, thanks for the compliment on the profiles and I hope we all can get back to playing good music.


    No hard feelings. Carry on, nothing to see here...these aren't the droids you are looking for...

  • @meambobbo thanks for your post and observations. I have really tried to explain, clarify and help mbrown3 in his quest to find what he is looking for. I didn't get headed or angry. Perhaps I felt a bit helpless since no matter what I said it was met with a passive-aggressive attitude.


    This is the kind of nonsense people are talking about. Why do you make accusations like "passive aggressive attitude?" It's incendiary, and what's more, untrue. If you think it's true, fine...prove it. Cite examples. I don't believe I have been passive aggressive. Certainly I didn't intend to be. You can't just throw accusations and insults around and then throw up your hands and say, "What? I was just trying to help!"


    By no means have I favored the KPA over the Axe because I wanted to give only facts. Besides it's a matter of taste and playing style...there's no better. It just suits one or not. what has gotten to me is the way the responses were worded and please correct me if I am wrong but to keep asking "why" even when the answer was given is a very difficult way to hold a conversation.
    i never called names or set out insults (contrary to mbrown3).


    Again...PLEASE cite examples of how my posts were worded that you felt were inappropriate or "passive aggressive". Also, I don't think you can cite an example of where you gave an answer and I said, "Why?" - yet you claim that this has been a consistent response on my part. Where? When?


    You continue to insist that you are not calling names or insulting, yet constantly accusing someone of being argumentative or "passive aggressive" IS insulting. On the contrary, you cite no examples of where I have "called names or set out insults", but you throw in a drive-by like "(contrary to mbrown3)". Why is that necessary? Throwing in accusatory (and simply untrue) snipes like that with no examples or proof is what causes most conversations to get out of control on the internet.


    Most of us have been able to carry on a mature and helpful conversation. But it's clear that you really seem to have an axe to grind, insults to throw, and an insistence on arguing. What's not clear is why.

  • You called me being a problem in one of your past post even tho I gave you a in depth break down of things.


    tbh, this is childish. You are the one nagging nonstop on my post. I am trying to be civil.


    i am done. I call bs where I see it and I see a lot.

  • You called me being a problem in one of your past post even tho I gave you a in depth break down of things.


    tbh, this is childish. You are the one nagging nonstop on my post. I am trying to be civil.


    i am done. I call bs where I see it and I see a lot.


    So your whole issue here is because you think I called you a problem way back in the thread? That's...wow.


    The funny thing is, that's not even what I said. I said (and I quote), "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem." That's a well-known and commonly used expression...not even referring to you in specific; it's a general phrase used to mean, "not actively helping to solve a problem means you are, albeit passively, enabling it to continue."


    You're right about two things, though: you do seem to see BS a lot...under every rock, apparently...and it is childish.

  • Ok this is getting very ridiculous.
    If I may be so bold. mbrown3, why don't you just let this thread die. You have had your fun. You have stated what YOU like and dislike. You have stated what you would like to buy. So let it go.


    Regardless of who is right, wrong or indifferent, you continuously break down EVERYBODIES posts with extreme detail and disturbing obsessiveness.


    You have done this from the start.
    As I said early on, you claim to have had the goal of just getting help from the word go, but you seam to become totally obsessed to taking everybody on that has a criticism.
    Whether they are right or wrong you could just let it go and continue with what you claim you are doing here.
    Yet you seam more interested in egging these people on with your long drawn out quoted breakdowns of what they say and how they are wrong.


    Even now that you have come to your conclusion you continue with this.

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  • I have to say that, by reading the last say 30-ish posts on this thread, there's one person who stands as the most reasonable, balanced and mature one.
    I'll leave the duty of identifying them to whomever is willing to.


    Really, this apparent hysteria is out of my mind.
    I believe that since today we can cease any claim of "superiority" over the Fractal community :whistling:


    Well done, guys.


    man, really, why be graceful when beating a dead horse, no hacking it over and over etc...


    Furthermore if anyone still wonders your wasting time and bandwidth


    sometimes tough love makes things stick


    ps kemper rules fractal drools

  • Dear mbrown3


    I completely understeand You. I have made the same choice before the appearance of Kemper.


    ....I also had to grow up from Axe FX Ultra maniac to Kemper Profiling Amp maniac! :)


    Years ago I was masked the poor tones of digital amp sims (from Line6 to Roland) behind a lot of effects from Eventides to TCs Rolands and other rack monsters on almost all recordings. I have tryed all Rolands from GPs to VGs, all Line6 products, Roger Linns products, Sansamps and all plugins (but these are not realy my teritory, because of the latency. Unfortunatelly I like to feel that immediate responding attack of the sound of guitars.


    After this era I have discovered the Axe FX Ultra which was very convincing on both sides: the amp simps and the effects, and suddenly I have noticed, that I,m using mostly the dry amp sims tones with a very little effects or completely without them. It was more easier to work in the studio, but live it was uncomparable with my amps in feeling and responding. (You must to know that I don,t use any special in the amp domain: some Fender Twins, some Crates, one very old Marshall, and the little Kasha Rockmod).


    ...now I,m an almost satisfied Kemper user in the studio and on stage.... and I don,t want to change it with anything else, including my real amps or the newest Axe or others.
    Why? Because it,s incredible real responding to my playing at every nuance. It,s true that the effects scale are not too wide and the midi communication is much poorer than in the cheapest boss floor effect processor, but in the studio I have all that professional plugins and rack effects, and on the stage (from the arenas to small clubs) who cares about the effects natural sounding?
    At the beginnings with my KPA I carried with me big racks with studio reverbs, pitch shifters, delays.
    After this I have worked with the KPAs internal effects and I discovered that they are amazing with some missing effects. After this I have buyed the Eventide EH9 to make up this inconvenience, but now I don,t need it anymore.


    Now , the only thing what I don,t like in my Kemper is the poor midi cc palette and the Behringer 1010 foot controller :)...., but the responding and the amp tones are purely uncomparable with anything else!!!!


    So this is my little Kemper vs. Axe FX story.
    Sorry for my bad english.


    ...and succes with Your Axe, before You buy finally the Kemper!!!

  • @TheLightspeeder I totally agree with you. Passive when the mood dictates. Aggressive when the mood dictates.


    Smooth trolls, who would believe it.


    If you don't have a Kemper and have made your decision, go now. No need for ignore.


    @viabcroce This is kind of like the scene from Die Hard 3 where Bruce Willis walks into an African-American neighbourhood wearing a sign saying, "We hate negroes".


    OP seems to think if he asks the questions, he'll get better responses than on the other threads on the internet. I don't understand. Use the freaking search button on google, no? I'm really happy that he had a Kemper that he could borrow to demo against a friend's Axe FX. A friend who's no doubt on the Fractal forums. And his summary that both units are great tone wise, but the Axe has better effects, is welcome, isn't it. Tones are equal. Axe FX effects better. Right....


    Honestly, you guys have never seen this kind of negative marketing on sites like the Fractal Forums and TGP? Honestly, if you read the responses to this thread, you'll come around to TheLightSPeeder's passive-aggressive view of the OP.


    It's like the Kemper forums are so utopian, the geezers out here are as naive as children.


    I'm not lending my Kemper to anyone.