Recommendations on which KPA to get?

    Hey guys!


    I'm sure that this kind of thread has been posted before but I'm new to all of this. Basically within the next couple of months I am looking at purchasing a Kemper. The one I desire is the rack mounted one, but I wanted to know which would people suggest, the powered or unpowered with an external power amp? I am looking at using it for home recordings but mainly for gigging. The cab I will be running is a Harley Benton 2x12 with the Celestion V30's, so another question is, would I be able to run the powered or externally powered one without blowing up the speakers? I would be interested in running the Kemper through the PA but often the gigs I play don't have floor monitors or the engineers don't actually set them up properly for us, hence why I'd like the cab so I can hear what I am playing!


    But yeah, any suggestions, tips and advice would be fantastic! Thanks guys :) sorry about the newbie questions and all! Just want to be certain with what to get when I'm spending so much money!

    If you gig then get the toaster , if not get the rack...


    powered or non powered ..... I got un-powered as the powered weren't invented back then but I inserted the Ambrosi power section later on


    If you want to bring the KPA home to play with after every gig then the toaster is easier and more mobile

    Ah okay, I do gig, usually a few a month. Only small to medium sized venues currently. But thought I'd get the rack and stick it in a flight case, that way I can transport it from home to rehearsals and to gigs and it being smaller than the combo I use at the moment but also it being lighter than a head as I do have back problems.


    Thank you :)

    I would not buy the powered version. It's extremely expensive (although it is well worth the money), and its power is excessive for most applications IMO.
    Of course, if you buy the (passive) rack version you'd have to rely on an external amp, since you can't retrofit a rack Profiler.
    As for me, I gig regularly 2-4 times a week plus play at home,and went for a third-part retrofitted lunchbox :)

    Honestly, you won't go wrong either but if you have the money I would buy the powered version for the simple fact you can be ready for any situation without any extra equipment (I am a minimalist). I use mine with Yamaha dxr10 and Mesa 4x12 and the KPA rocks through both setups. I think with your situation you would benefit from the powered version but just my 2 cents.good luck

    I bought a Power Rack 2 years ago and put it in a 3U shallow rack. It's great for taking on the road, where between shows it's generally being stored in the band's lock up, but it's not so portable that I can bring it home without a fuss (I live in Copenhagen, where everyone bicycles in the city). This year, I got an additional unpowered toaster and put an Ambrosi ATM70 in it. Though the combined weight is greater than the Power Head, I like the fact it's only 60W into 8 ohms, meaning I don't have to keep an eye (ear?) on the volume control for fear of blowing my cab (1x12 Matrix NL12) and it's infinitely more portable than the rack when you stick it in a Namba bag. Theoretically, I can have everything I need to gig with me on my bicycle (although I think I'd have to avoid any patrolling cops...).

    Just ordered my powered toaster a few days ago should be here in a few days. I have a pair of QSC 153i's that I will run through, outa do the trick? Should wake the hood up nicely at half volume or so. It will sound great on stage as a side fill. Yeah, I know I didn't need the powered toaster for the QSC's but when I gig often times There will be a cab to plug into and I wanted the versatility of not having to truck my side fills around every time. Plus they are massive overkill for a backyard gig! Unless it's a really big yard with a line array out front!

    Edited once, last by Danger ().