(Sticking my neck out) I think some of you KPA owners are missing the boat...

  • I keep reading threads and listening to clips where people are profiling or wanting to profile the AxefxII.


    I owned an Ultra and have owned an AxefxII since about the day it was released.


    It sounds incredible for a modeler, but there ARE absolutely small, noticeable differences between a real tube amp and an AxefxII...at least when it comes to recording. I say this because I've done quite a bit of a/b comparisons on my own. ...not trying to get the Axefx to sound exactly like the tube amp, but more just listening to the overall sound and characteristics of each to determine if one sounds more "alive" and real. The Axe has some incredible tones, but when it comes to sounding dead on as alive and 3d as a tube amp, even it falls a few percentage points short. It's not huge, but if you're recording, you want the absolute highest quality you can get...right?


    Moving on...so...I'm confused as to why some guys are seemingly more or as interested in profiling another modeler than trying to get their hands on some incredible tube amps. A profile of a model is basically 2 generations of digital emulation stacked on top of eachother. Modeling has come a long way, but it's not to the point yet where this kind of methodology will result in profiles that sound dead on like the real thing, tubes glowing and volume cranked.


    I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade. I just think the end results will be more real, believeable and enjoyable if the profiles are of actual well-mic'd tube amps and not from other modelers.




    Am I the only one thinking this?




    cheers,


    Steve

  • I had an AxeFX ultra and sold it after 2 months. I just didn't like the thing really. Too many buttons for a start. I need knobs to use anything to do with guitar. The unit had excellent effects, but I think the core amp/cab sounds were just average to be honest. The touch sensitivity was there, but other than the great effects (which I didn't use) it certainly was not worth the money, so I sold it.


    I don't really understand why anyone would want to use the Kemper to profile a modeller, but then again whatever floats your boat :)

  • They profile the AxeFx because they can LOL! What else can do that? I am trying to broaden people's minds in imagining what else can be profiled. BUT! you are right in questioning why would someone want to profile the AxeFx... seems like you'd be going backwards instead of forward with profiling a REAL tube amp. I do not own the Kemper yet too and am relying way tooooo much on how awesome it is but in all honesty... I'm trying to get away from the axefxII. shhh

  • You're probably referring to me as I'm guilty of asking for Axe2 profiles.


    Having never actually played an AxeII - I just want to see what the fuzz is all about. I mean, after years of brain-washing how great the Axe is, I just wanted to check a few patches out myself showing its core tones.


    Anyway, to give you a different perspective as to why to profile a modeller - I'm going to be profiling my old Pod XT & X3 sounds as soon as I get the hang out of the KPA. Not because the Pods are that good (they actually are NOT!) - but so I can have these sounds whenever I feel the "old-school" vibe.

  • I am looking forward to fiddling about with the Kemper to create some profiles of some home-made amps that I have cludged together over the years. Really horrible looking things without cases etc, just bare electronics but with old radiogram speakers etc that when driven produce some lovely sounds so it will be good to give those sounds an easy-access home.

  • They profile the AxeFx because they can LOL! What else can do that?

    This is the correct answer. :thumbup:


    The Axe-FX11 Profiles I've tried in the Kemper are not very nice tones, I don't like them or use them.
    I think I've only tried 2, I think there are only 2?


    Having said that, Daniel's Profile of the Kulik GP-1 all tube Pre-Amp sound excellent.
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/551117…16-11-31%20-%20KULIK.kipr
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/551117…0-41%20-%20KULIK%202.kipr
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/551117…4-40%20-%20KULIK%203.kipr


    Funny thing is.
    If the Kemper couldn't make Profiles it wouldn't matter, it would still be by FAR the best "modeller" I've ever played through. (haven't played the Axe-FX)....the amps that come stock in the Kemper are more than enough...tons of great amps in the KPA.

  • I profiled my Axe2 for one simple reason:
    I wanted to test profiling and don't have an amp :)

    MJT Strats / PRS Guitars / Many DIY Guitars -- Kemper Profiler Rack / Kemper Remote / InEar

  • I had an AxeFX ultra and sold it after 2 months. I just didn't like the thing really. Too many buttons for a start. I need knobs to use anything to do with guitar. The unit had excellent effects, but I think the core amp/cab sounds were just average to be honest. The touch sensitivity was there, but other than the great effects (which I didn't use) it certainly was not worth the money, so I sold it.


    Me too (after about 21/2 years of frustration and being persuaded that the next firmware update was 'the real deal' - It never was...)

  • Hmm, I dunno about the real axe II, but, I actually really like the Sand man profile on kemper. Can't wait to try profiling my own GR5 patches, especially to see how my kemper deals with dual-amp rigs.

  • I, for one, don't agree with you at all.
    I've often heard that Fender Princetons have the most tube-like sound of any solid-state amp. Don't know if that's true.
    JVMs sound flat to my ears - other praise them for being massive and 'tubey'.


    The bottom line is - a sound is a sound, period. These '3D qualities' you're hearing, whether real or imagined, are physical properties - for better or worse.
    What about profiling a fuzz pedal? These are early imitations of tube clipping. How is that different than profiling an old modeler? Why is profiling a new one not as good?


    Schneidas - your XFXII profiles are awesome and i use several of them regularly - the XFXII's models have something of an 'idealized amp' character to them that can be very handy in some situations.

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

  • When you buy a piece of gear .....like an Amp or a Modeler or a Profiler it really doesnt matter what everyone else is using .....you either get the sound that you want out of it or you dont .... comparison of units is the pointless unease of the psychologically unhappy guitar player who is insecure ( imho :) )


    If youre happy with your guitar sound then the only people you should listen to are your band members / guitar players who have heard your sound or producers .....


    play what you are playing ..if you dont like it get something else ....CK is smart enough to fight his own marketing battles

  • When you buy a piece of gear .....like an Amp or a Modeler or a Profiler it really doesnt matter what everyone else is using .....you either get the sound that you want out of it or you dont .... comparison of units is the pointless unease of the psychologically unhappy guitar player who is insecure ( imho :) )


    If youre happy with your guitar sound then the only people you should listen to are your band members / guitar players who have heard your sound or producers .....


    play what you are playing ..if you dont like it get something else ....CK is smart enough to fight his own marketing battles


    Exzellent Post!

  • Quote

    I am looking forward to fiddling about with the Kemper to create some profiles of some home-made amps that I have cludged together over the years. Really horrible looking things without cases etc, just bare electronics but with old radiogram speakers etc that when driven produce some lovely sounds so it will be good to give those sounds an easy-access home.


    I think this is the coolest application of the KPA I've heard. I don't build amps myself, but if I did, I'd use the KPA as a way to take convenient, performance-ready snapshots of my work. It's cool to think that you can make a stable, safe, convenient instrument from something that might otherwise be unstable, a fire hazard, or whatever. Like catching lightning in a bottle! :)

  • He says he's "looking forward to fiddling about with the Kemper" so it's likely the profiles don't exist yet. But it sounds like the amps do, so hopefully we'll hear from him again in the near future...

    If it's the same JonG I'm thinking of, the KPA didn't work out for him; I think he went back the real amps.


    Cheers,


    jayson