Powered Kemper vs Valve Amp - Power Amp Specific

  • I'm wondering if anybody had directly AB'd one of the powered Kempers against a high power valve amp?


    Now to be clear I'm not looking for a debate on the realism etc, I've got an unpowered Kemper and love it for use at home. However, when using a power amp with it live I've always felt it doesn't have the depth or pure low end presence or thump of my valve amp, a Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier.


    I often play in bands with two guitars, so what I'm asking is, if I went specifically for the powered Kemper, will it have the power and depth to compare to either my Rectifier or a similar 100W valve amp, assuming both are not mic'd?


    Especially interested in people's opinions that have been in a similar scenarios before.


    Thanks!

  • Brilliant, that's the sort of thing I'm looking for! As I said, I know the profiles themselves sound great, for me it's more specifically can the built in power amp hang with a valve amp at loud volumes.


    With various average power amps I've used its sounded fine low volume but a lot thinner than a valve amp once it's up to full band volume.

  • Ya know i have a roadster, 2:100, and a solid state power amp. i have compared them in a lot of ways, and the 2;100 with the kemper still has more depth, and low end. i noticed i have to reduce the gain and presence a little as well. With the new direct profiles kemper sounds much better with solid state than with previous other profiles, but there is still a difference.

  • Brilliant, that's the sort of thing I'm looking for! As I said, I know the profiles themselves sound great, for me it's more specifically can the built in power amp hang with a valve amp at loud volumes.


    With various average power amps I've used its sounded fine low volume but a lot thinner than a valve amp once it's up to full band volume.


    Yes it can hang with a valve amp :D Valve amps are same - they sound different at home levels to gig levels, just tweek monitor EQ for gig level.

    Steve

  • OP, IIGIR what you are basically saying is that you love the colouration your non-linear amp imparts to the sound Vs. a more linear power amp.
    If this is the case, the Kemper power amp will never give you the same sound, so I'd stay with what you have got :)