Boss Katana 100 watt 212

    I have the yamaha. @Tritium Not A big fan of the way the speaker responds. It's like playing kemper/axe fx/real amps through monitors. I have to do it for convenience/recording reasons, but it is not the time when I come alive as a player.


    The katana gives you guitar speakers... And that's a whole 'nother feel. I will probably be buying one and using it for local gigs (and running kemper through it IF i like that sound better, which remains to be seen).


    It's a solid state amp so it's not like it will sound bad at low volumes. It's just that "moving air" through a real guitar cab doesn't happen at whisper volumes. The katana combo would be at its best at moderate to loud volumes, when you aren't pushing the power stage to its limits, but are still pushing the speaker enough.


    But yea, I still prefer it to the yamha thr even at low volumes. It just feels more "real".

    And I just read you have the power rack @Tritium. Oh well, different story then! (I assume you have some guitar cabs too)


    Hi Dimi,


    I am just sorry to hear you haven't been able to bond with your Kemper when connecting to a nice FRFR monitor.


    Have you ever had the opportunity try a coaxial-based FRFR monitor, such as the XiTone, Mission Gemini, or Atomic CLR? I, myself, had a problem bonding with a 2-way monitor, such as the Yammy DXR10, because I am really sensitive to hearing the spatial separation and localization of the tweeter. But that went away, and problem solved when I got my XiTone, which is amazing...and, IMHO, sounds so much closer to a traditional guitar speaker...except that it is FRFR, allowing you to get all the benefits of the Kemper's cabs.


    Cheers,
    John

    Quote from Dimi84

    And I just read you have the power rack @Tritium. Oh well, different story then! (I assume you have some guitar cabs too)


    I do have an incredible Marshall Vintage Modern 4x12 (with the custom Celestion Jimi Hendrix Green Backs), as well as a nice Vox 2x12 with blue alnicos.


    However, truth be told, I prefer using my KPA power rack straight into my passive XiTone 1x12. While the Kemper sounds great with a traditional guitar cabinet, you unfortunately run into the problem of many of the amp profiles sounding the same -- because the cabinet is contributing 75% of the over-all tone.


    I much prefer hearing the Kemper amp profiles as they were intended, with their respective mic'd reference cabinets. But you definitely have to find the right FRFR solution for you. For me, it was the coaxial-based XiTone.


    Cheers,
    John

    Personally I do not care if it sounds like the orginally profiled amp or not. For me it must sound good and then I am happy ... you are absolutely right that the speakers make a big portion of the sounds .. In real life I would also not go with several cabinets. Cheers

    Yeah, I have not experimented enough with FRFR tbh. It's just that good guitar cabs can be had for cheaper than a great frfr, so usually end up going with these. Most amps that are similar (which most high gain amps are very similar in structure) sound similar through the same cab, so wouldn't expect it to be much different with kemper, but it does seem to be more emphasized with the toaster.


    Cheerios

    Quote from Dimi84

    Yeah, I have not experimented enough with FRFR tbh. It's just that good guitar cabs can be had for cheaper than a great frfr, so usually end up going with these. Most amps that are similar (which most high gain amps are very similar in structure) sound similar through the same cab, so wouldn't expect it to be much different with kemper, but it does seem to be more emphasized with the toaster.
    Cheerios


    The benefit of FRFR is that the profiled amp sounds exactly like the actual amp through an FRFR solution. With a cabinet, you're always getting the voicing of the cabinet in the way. I don't have a powered Kemper, but I think that even if I did, I would want an FRFR cab like the Atomic or the Blue Amps solutions so that I was getting the most out of the profiles I bought or found on the rig exchange.

    Quote from nightlight

    The benefit of FRFR is that the profiled amp sounds exactly like the actual amp through an FRFR solution. With a cabinet, you're always getting the voicing of the cabinet in the way. I don't have a powered Kemper, but I think that even if I did, I would want an FRFR cab like the Atomic or the Blue Amps solutions so that I was getting the most out of the profiles I bought or found on the rig exchange.

    Well, I don't think the profile amp sounds exactly like the real amp through FRFR. Close, yea sure, but not exactly the same, no. I also like the idea of hearing the same tone as the audience hears. It's just that most FRFR solutions that aren't very expensive have me wanting in terms of "Feel" (heck, even the atomic one).

    Quote from rundoverdog

    Or the front and use acoustic channel. sounds great with a bit of eq

    I am really courious how this settings is working out for you @rundoverdog, I came across a 2nd hand katana 100 I am going to get asap. Using the cab section of the profiles is a huge advantage, did you try this at drumming volumes?And also how you adjust the eq in acoustic mode to get what you like with cab on?

    Quote from Dimi84

    Well, I don't think the profile amp sounds exactly like the real amp through FRFR. Close, yea sure, but not exactly the same, no. I also like the idea of hearing the same tone as the audience hears. It's just that most FRFR solutions that aren't very expensive have me wanting in terms of "Feel" (heck, even the atomic one).


    Have you tried a Tech 21 Power Engine by any chance? It colours the tone a bit, but it's probably more like a guitar cab than one of those speakers.


    Hmm, I had the chance to pick up one cheap. I think I should try it out and report back.


    @billruppert had an interesting mod going on to make it "more" FRFR. Perhaps I'll try that too.