Kemper VS Axefx2 shootout through poweramp and mic'd up cabinet. TWO NEW TESTS!

    Hi fellow guitar nerds! :D


    Me and my brother did a quick Kemper vs Axefx2 shootout through a cheap solidstate amp and a mic'd up cabinet.


    Chain: Esp ldt with SD JB's-->Axefx2/Kemper-->loop return cheap chinese solidstate amp--->cheap chinese cabinet--->sm57 (sneap position..kind of :P )


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    https://soundcloud.com/tolszow…ough-poweramp-and-cabinet
    00-19 = Axefx2 5150.
    20-37= Kemper 5634+.(deadlight studios: "Peavey 6534+ 1960 C" with cab turned off)
    38-56= Axefx2 TS-5150.
    57-1.15= Kemper TS-5634+.(deadlight studios: "Peavey 6534+ 1960 F" with cab turned off)
    1.16-1.33= Axefx2 5153red100.
    1.34-1.52= Kemper 5153 50w.(deadlight studios: "EVH 5150 III F4" with cab turned off)


    The audio quality isn't great but to my ears the kemper sounds a little more smooth and crunchy while the axefx2 sounds more harsh and compressed but the differences is not that big in my opinion. Both units sound great and play great IMO.
    What do you guys think?


    Volume knob dynamics test:

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    both amps had the noise gate of.


    First clip is kemper (deadlight studio "Diezel hagen 8 mesa" with cab sim off)
    Second clip is Axefx2 "preamp only tonematch" of the kemper profile i used in the earlier clip.



    Axefx2 vs Kemper cabsimulation test:

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    First clip is Axefx2 with cabsimulation on into my my mixer.
    Second clip is a very expensive kemper profile from a professional studio (that i can't share SORRY! ;()
    Third clip is a Axefx2 tonematch of my studio profile with a litte bit work so it doesn't sond as harsh.

    Enjoy! :thumbup:

    I think it is unfortunate that comparing these two products almost always leads to very negative remarks. Hopefully, that will not happen this time.


    Both products are capable of sounding great. With thousands of sounds available for the two boxes, the Axe could be the one that is more smooth and crunchy than the Kemper. It comes down to the sounds chosen for each of them.

    Yeah you are absolutely right Paul.


    My brother created the Axefx2 patches from scratch. It took him about 15 minutes of dialing for each sound. I myself didn't touch any knobs. I just chose a deadlight studio merged profile and put the cab simulation off.
    Listening in the same room the axefx and kemper sounded almost identical IMO. The new Axefx2 FW has come a long way in improving the feel of the playing. The Axefx2 feels/plays just as good as the kemper now IMO.


    Was the Axe running the latest FW 18? The new G3 modeling is a dramatic improvement on previous FW. If not, its not an accurate comparison of the current capabilities of these 2 great pieces of equipment ; )

    It's not really possible to compare the two devices since they work so differently. You can never really say that this profile and this model's settings 'should sound identical', and i think it has been long proven that neither unit has a 'signature sound' that you can average out.


    What i'm really interested in is the 15 minutes it took to dial up the XFX models.
    Can you have your brother explain in detail, maybe step by step, what he did?


    It always seems as if selecting a model and IR, maybe applying a bandpass should do it.
    What's involved in making a good XFX sound?

    "But dignity is difficult to maintain
    stamina requires constant upkeep
    repetition is boring
    and you pay for grace."

    When I use the Axe Fx XL I dont spend ANY time dialing in presets. A very active creative member named Yek (who maintains the Wiki) has created a file of clean/dirty amp/cab presets with minimal if any effects added (maybe a touch of reverb ).


    http://forum.fractalaudio.com/…llection-xl-starters.html


    5150 II G3.syx
    5150 III sc2x G3.syx
    Bogner Shiva sc2x mv G3.syx
    Bogner Uberschall mv G3.syx
    Bogner XTC Blue S2x G3.syx
    Bogner XTC Red G3.syx
    Cameron Atomica G3.syx
    Cameron CCV sc4x G3.syx
    CarolAnn Triptik s2x G3.syx
    CarolAnn Tucana sc2x G3.syx
    Diezel VH4 sc2x G3.syx
    Dr.Z Maz 38 G3.syx
    Dumble ODS sc3x G3.syx
    Engl Savage mv G3.syx
    FAS Brootalz G3.syx
    FAS Modern III G3.syx
    Fender Bandmaster G3.syx
    Fender Bassman 59 G3.syx
    Fender Bassman 65 G3.syx
    Fender Blues Jr G3.syx
    Fender Deluxe Reverb G3.syx
    Fender Deluxe sc2x G3.syx
    Fender Twin Reverb G3.syx
    Fender Vibrolux brt G3.syx
    Friedman BE sc2x G3.syx
    Friedman HBE sc2x G3.syx
    Friedman Shirly G3.syx
    Fuchs ODS G3.syx
    Gibson Scout sc2x G3.syx
    Komet Concorde sc2x G3.syx
    Marshall 1987X sc2x G3.syx
    Marshall AFD Slash G3.syx
    Marshall Brown variac G3.syx
    Marshall JCM8 mv G3.syx
    Marshall JTM45 G3.syx
    Marshall SLP G3.syx
    Matchless DC-30 sc2x G3.syx
    Mesa 2ch-Recto Orn mv G3.syx
    Mesa 2ch-Recto Red mv G3.syx
    Mesa Triaxis Ld2Yellw G3.syx
    Morgan AC-20 sc3x G3.syx
    Ruby Rocket sc2x G3.syx
    Soldano SLO mv G3.syx
    Splawn Q-Rod1 sc3x G3.syx
    Splawn Q-Rod2 sc3x G3.syx
    Suhr Badger 18 mv G3.syx
    Swart Atomic sc2x G3.syx
    Trainwreck Express G3.syx
    Two-Stone J35 G3.syx
    Vox AC30 G3.syx
    Vox AC30 Hot G3.syx

    Edited once, last by lasvideo ().


    Don't you think that it's a better idea to create a new unique sound only for the specific poweramp/cab you are using? We could try to use those presets if you want to but i'm not sure that they will work on my brothers Axefx2. He hasn't got the XL model.

    Quote from Quitty

    It's not really possible to compare the two devices since they work so differently. You can never really say that this profile and this model's settings 'should sound identical', and i think it has been long proven that neither unit has a 'signature sound' that you can average out.


    What i'm really interested in is the 15 minutes it took to dial up the XFX models.
    Can you have your brother explain in detail, maybe step by step, what he did?


    It always seems as if selecting a model and IR, maybe applying a bandpass should do it.
    What's involved in making a good XFX sound?


    Since i'm not a axefx guy i have no idea what he was doing. But a lot of pressing buttons and turning knobs. :P
    I'll ask him if he wants to explain in detail...

    Quote from The_Bass_Ace

    Don't you think that it's a better idea to create a new unique sound only for the specific poweramp/cab you are using? We could try to use those presets if you want to but i'm not sure that they will work on my brothers Axefx2. He hasn't got the XL model.


    Nope. As with Michael Britts profiles on the Kemper, these Yek presets on the Axe Fx sound so good that most of the time I dont need to change a thing. And thru my CLR FRFR speaker they really rock! ; )

    Two great creative tools. Different technologies and two very strong customer bases who just always seem to turn into the Hatfields and McCoys (Old American feuding families reference for my EU/Asian and other friends). I think the sounds are stellar on both...just great evidence that there are many ways to get great tones. I chose a machine that fits my technological and tweaking preferences while many of my friends will swear by the Axe as the only answer :).



    Great clips and thanks for putting those up!!!

    Quote from lasvideo

    Nope. As with Michael Britts profiles on the Kemper, these Yek presets on the Axe Fx sound so good that most of the time I dont need to change a thing. And thru my CLR FRFR speaker they really rock! ; )


    I asked my brother and he said that XL patches won't work on standard XFX2 which suck IMO. ?(


    Do you guys have any request how we should test both units through poweramp and cab?
    Maybee a FX shootout? First use Kempers internal reverb/relay/chorus on cleans and then connect the kemper to the XFX2 and use its FX's?

    Quote from lasvideo

    Nope. As with Michael Britts profiles on the Kemper, these Yek presets on the Axe Fx sound so good that most of the time I dont need to change a thing. And thru my CLR FRFR speaker they really rock! ; )

    Why would you need presets if all he did is select a model and an appropriate IR?
    If he has to tinker with parameters or mix and match for a while until something 'clicks', then that's what i'd like to learn

    "But dignity is difficult to maintain
    stamina requires constant upkeep
    repetition is boring
    and you pay for grace."

    I always wondered if the Axe FX reacts as well as the Kemper when turning guitar volume knobs down on high gain patches. Never seem another solid state unit react like a tube amp when you turn the knobs until I got my Kemper.

    Quote from Booyah

    I always wondered if the Axe FX reacts as well as the Kemper when turning guitar volume knobs down on high gain patches. Never seem another solid state unit react like a tube amp when you turn the knobs until I got my Kemper.


    Ok I will test and record that tomorrow! 8)

    I just tried this out on one of the Marshal presets mentioned above.


    At full volume on my Ernie Ball Majesty I get a thick dirty sound.


    When I drop the volume it cleans up quite a bit.