Planning to buy a Kemper

nikosssb · Mar 14th 2016

Hey everyone,

I have been tempted to buy the Kemper profiling amp. Following is a list of reasons why I think I should buy the unit.

1) I mainly play blues, old school rock and occasionally some heavy stuff, which is why I was looking for a versatile unit. I am currently using a hughes and kettner tubemeister 18 and was planning to get a fender princeton reverb, but then I would have to get distortion pedals to drive the fender into high gain territory. This is why I started looking for a digital alternative.

2) Tube amps sound great IF you can crank them to their sweep spot, which is hard if you have neighbors. This is another reason I want to get the Kemper; practice at low volume and through headphones. How is the sound using headphones? I know there's a new "space" feature, but how does it sound for you?

3) As I understand the PowerHead is basically a poweramp which will enable me to use guitar cabs whereas with the unpowered head, I will have to use powered monitors, right?

Any help and tips would be appreciated!

Havohej · Mar 14th 2016

2) Headphones sound great with the Kemper but I would suggest you have a good pair to get the best out of it. Preferably open headphones.
3) Yes. If you can afford it just go for the powered one so you keep your possibilities open.

Prepare to be amazed

Ingolf · Mar 14th 2016

Welcome.
With the profiler you can have the sweet spots at any volume.
So you are not restricted to headphones but you could also use Studio Monitors or other FRFR solutions at way lower volume than with your amp.

Raoul23 · Mar 14th 2016

Hi, dont just buy one buy 2 lol. You will not regret the purchase of the kemper trust me. I dont and ive had mine over 3 years now

nikosssb · Mar 14th 2016

I guess I will!! Are the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro good for the KPA?

skoczy · Mar 14th 2016

Quote from nikosssb

I guess I will!! Are the Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro good for the KPA?

Welcome.
I use them (80 Ohm version) and recommend them for quality of sound fed by Kemper. And they are comfortable.

Raoul23 · Mar 14th 2016

a few people here use them headphones with the KPA and say that they sound great

nikosssb · Mar 14th 2016

Couple more questions: I can use stompboxes with the KPA right? Some overdrive, delay, and compressor? Does it have built in digital fx units?

lightbox · Mar 14th 2016

You can use your stomps, no problem. Either in front of the Profiler or in an effects loop.
Just don't rush doing this before you've explored the potential of the Profiler. It has plenty of stomps/effects and it will take you some time to understand the wide range properly so you can decide what you might be missing (or not). So do not buy any stomps for now. With a little patience and lots of playing and trying you might be surprised how little you need additional stomps.

db9091 · Mar 14th 2016

Hi,

Headphones don't have the bottom end of a real amp, but sound like a real amp so you'll be amazed and not care about that.

I'd recommend open headphones. I have the DT770 and they are fine with the Kemper. But they do color the tone more than other headphones. I find the AKG 240 to be better and work well for some headphone mixing (whereas the DT770 cause some issue mixing because they are the opposite of "flat")

You can use other power amps if you get an unpowered one. A big choice is rack vs lunchbox. I don't travel much so I have the lunch box. Easier to carry around. I've played through FRFR, headphones, and using a power amp (iSL Stealth) to a 2x12 cab and love it through all.

viabcroce · Mar 14th 2016

Quote from nikosssb

Does it have built in digital fx units?

Welcome Nikos

Pretty sure the Profiler will give you great satisfactions. Just let me say tho that it's weird you're going to spend 2,000 on a unit w\o even knowing what it does!

As for the output, another option would be to use the return of your guitar amp with a passive Profiler

If you look among my threads you'll find a first-use tutorial I posted here. It might guide you through your first hour with the Kemper

whippinpost91850 · Mar 15th 2016

Welcome to the family....

strabes · Mar 15th 2016

Kemper takes pedals exactly like the profiled amp. When I switched over I didn't have to change anything about my pedalboard, except after selling all my tube amps I had more money for PEDALS =)

I loved my kemper as soon as I got it and figured it out and was using it live 2-3 times a week, but now that I got a FRFR speaker (Line6 Stagesource L2M) for home practice I love it even more. Playing through headphones is a drag IMO.

viabcroce · Mar 15th 2016

I know where you're coming from, but OTOH it really depends on the HPs you use, and your head's physical conformation.

Anyway, the Profiler is the digital unit that best sounds through HPs in my direct experience.

Monkey_Man · Mar 15th 2016

Welcome, Nikos.

nikosssb · Mar 15th 2016

Quote from viabcroce

Quote from nikosssb: “Does it have built in digital fx units?”

Welcome Nikos <img src="http://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/wcf/images/smilies/smile.png" alt=":)" />

Pretty sure the Profiler will give you great satisfactions. Just let me say tho that it's weird you're going to spend 2,000 on a unit w\o even knowing what it does! <img src="http://www.kemper-amps.com/forum/wcf/images/smilies/tongue.png" alt=":P" />

As for…

Display More

Hehe no I've read so many threads and watched so many videos about it. I'm just making sure that I'm not dreaming seems too good to be true.. all in one small lunchbox!

Thank you for the input

nikosssb · Mar 15th 2016

Quote from db9091

Hi,

Headphones don't have the bottom end of a real amp, but sound like a real amp so you'll be amazed and not care about that.

I'd recommend open headphones. I have the DT770 and they are fine with the Kemper. But they do color the tone more than…

Thank you for your input! Yeah i've been reading a lot about headphone reviews. So many opinions, I guess it's subjective at the end of the day but I guess most people are recommending open headphones with flat response. I will research more about the best headphones to match the KPA. Anyone can concur on the AKGs?

Freisegler · Mar 17th 2016

@nikosssb I have AKG K702s.
They are reasonably flat too. I have very good soundproofing and prefer however to listen through a Matrix FRFR cab.

V8guitar · Mar 18th 2016

Quote from nikosssb

Couple more questions: I can use stompboxes with the KPA right? Some overdrive, delay, and compressor? Does it have built in digital fx units?

You can but I agree with what has already been said, don't buy any until you explore the Kemper. I have no outboard effects, just don't think they are necessary... the Kemper covers virtually all bases, even pitch/Whammy, noise gate, flanger etc...With the remote you also have a looper..

paults · Mar 18th 2016

Quote from nikosssb

Thank you for your input! Yeah i've been reading a lot about headphone reviews. So many opinions, I guess it's subjective at the end of the day but I guess most people are recommending open headphones with flat response. I will research more about the best headphones to match the KPA. Anyone can concur on the AKGs?

The AKG K240 are great headphones for listening, and for mixing.

Share