Is the Kemper really suitable for the "amp in the room sound" ?

  • I've been working a lot with direct (no cab) profiles of my own gear lately running them through a matrix power amp and then through my guitar cabs.


    I've found that when I dial up an amp (I have several very nice high end amps I've collected over the years) through a cab the way I like it, then profile just the amp (no cab, direct profile) and then run the KPA profile through the matrix power into the guitar cab I cannot tell a difference from the original amp... it's as perfect as my ears can perceive.


    What I wonder about, however, is if the same is true for your profiles because they are all studio profiles and not merged - meaning that a little of the amp gets into the cab block and a little of the cab gets into the amp. The separation is not perfect and I've read about it in other places here on the forum (as well as experiencing it myself.)


    So I wonder if you'd get better results using a direct profile through your cab as opposed to a studio profile with the cab block turned off?

  • I have been running my KPA exclusively through a 4 x 12 and had the opposite problem swicthing to FRFR.


    I still maintain some profile sound better theough FRFR and some through cabs.


    What I do know is that the KPA is far more "sensitive" than a regaulr valve amp so you do need to search and experiment.


    I have been used to ENGL's and the KPA will hang with those for distorted sounds easily.

  • Just to add one more opinion from an "amp in the room" guy (I only had the Kemper about 4 weeks now).


    In buying the KPA what I was looking for was something like a more flexible and practical tube amp for home playing, something that didn't have to be cranked and that I could plug headphones into late at night and that I could also use for home recording.


    I was never quite happy with modellers through monitors / FRFR before, so made a bit of a leap of faith and went for a 25w stereo Camplifier and stereo 2x10 guitar cab to use with the KPA).


    It took me a bit of trial and error to find some profiles that really clicked but four weeks into it, I will say flat out this is the best bit of guitar gear I've ever bought by some margin. In fact I freaking love it!


    I don't have any problems with "fizz" like the OP, though. Given that I'm using a 25w stereo Camplifier too, I'm wondering if it's either just personal taste in sound / profiles or speaker differences? With my setup I find I usually actually boost the treble and presence a bit on most profiles (as an example with the bridge pickup on an EJ strat with the Morgan AC20 profile I bump them up by two or three lights worth each) I'm usually playing at relatively low volumes and it's possible that my speakers are somewhat quirky as a filter as they're actually Fender Vaporizer speakers. I will probably upgrade the speakers to some WGS or similar soon, so will report back if I have any fizz or other issues.


    Interestingly, I assumed that the merged profiles would work better than studio types into a guitar cab (I always turn the cab section of each profile off when playing into the real cab) but a lot of the studio profiles sound just as good to me (good work by the Kemper guys on the cab seperation code, I guess!)


    To answer the original question - Yes, with a guitar cab, I think it's absolutely fantastic for "amp in the room"