Kemper vs. Real Amp Test - Cameron CCV

  • Ok I just realized Rabea DID NOT actually profile his amp. Man, how did I miss that.. So this is an MBRITT profile.


    Anyway, still congestion can be heard, I think, but I don't know how noticeable it is to others. Not the best comparison for any such conclusions. Why not profile the torpedo I have no clue.

    Edited 3 times, last by Dimi84 ().

  • If you open support tickets, you could reference the issue as "congestion" and "raspy leads" and link to this thread. It would help for them to understand what's going on and that several descriptions are of the same issue.


    That said they genuinely seem unaware of these issues. Support also asked if I have the noise gate on when referring to low notes being "congested", gated, tighter.

    Despite really liking their profiles in general, i hear this raspiness a lot with Top Jimi and Michael Britt's samples. It's espcially noticable on a Dsus2 chord. Although since i don't have any of these amps and have them opened up, maybe the miced amp sounds the same?

  • Despite really liking their profiles in general, i hear this raspiness a lot with Top Jimi and Michael Britt's samples. It's espcially noticable on a Dsus2 chord. Although since i don't have any of these amps and have them opened up, maybe the miced amp sounds the same?

    No clue. I only know for sure that the vast majority, if not all amps I've profiled resulted to "congested" and "raspy" profiles, sometimes more, some less.

  • Despite really liking their profiles in general, i hear this raspiness a lot with Top Jimi and Michael Britt's samples. It's espcially noticable on a Dsus2 chord. Although since i don't have any of these amps and have them opened up, maybe the miced amp sounds the same?

    Yes! I always play a Dsus2 chord when testing gear and let the notes ring and this is how the effect is more noticeable.

  • Yes! I always play a Dsus2 chord when testing gear and let the notes ring and this is how the effect is more noticeable.

    Any AC/DC style riff will work :) I can eq around (for the most part) my lack of bass complaints, but this is my biggest sticking point is the "harshness" that we are all talkling about. It seems way more noticable on Marshall style profiles, especially mid or mid-high gain with the mentioned open chords. Ironically, I was just at Guitar Center (wanted to play the Friedman PT20 again but no stock) and played a 6505mh and it had a pretty harsh sound on those open chords too.

  • Any AC/DC style riff will work I can eq around (for the most part) my lack of bass complaints, but this is my biggest sticking point is the "harshness" that we are all talkling about. It seems way more noticable on Marshall style profiles, especially mid or mid-high gain with the mentioned open chords. Ironically, I was just at Guitar Center (wanted to play the Friedman PT20 again but no stock) and played a 6505mh and it had a pretty harsh sound on those open chords too.

    I recently profiled a 6505mh. It has a relatively harsh sound to begin with, being the amp it is, but the profile defo had more "raspyness" and the tone felt "tighter" as well (these two effects seem to be due the same cause or at least always go together). Harsher fo sho.

  • Agreed, I'm starting to believe the reason I'm running into this issue moreso than others, and it is so obvious to me, is because I am specifically focused on that Marshall-style midrange type of tone. Whereas many people now days seem to have moved on to more modern tones. So a lot of folks are reading my posts and scratching their heads wondering WTF I'm talking about because they are happy with their tone. Or maybe aren't using the KPA for release quality recordings of those kinds of tones.


    I always say this.....the late 70's and early 80's hot rodded Marshall tones (meaning the ones with the cranked amps) are hands down the hardest, most challenging thing to replicate with anything but real amps. It is the ultimate litmus test for modelers/profilers. That's why I gave up many years ago even thinking it was possible after having experienced the first round of POD's and the like. But the KPA really seemed like promising technology, like it may have finally cracked the nut. However, as far as I've experienced thus far it still isn't there. Has so much potential, and is so close I haven't been able to bring myself to throw in the towel quite yet. But at the end of the day, it either does the job or not, and if not I have no need for it.

  • Agreed, I'm starting to believe the reason I'm running into this issue moreso than others, and it is so obvious to me, is because I am specifically focused on that Marshall-style midrange type of tone. Whereas many people now days seem to have moved on to more modern tones. So a lot of folks are reading my posts and scratching their heads wondering WTF I'm talking about because they are happy with their tone. Or maybe aren't using the KPA for release quality recordings of those kinds of tones.


    I always say this.....the late 70's and early 80's hot rodded Marshall tones (meaning the ones with the cranked amps) are hands down the hardest, most challenging thing to replicate with anything but real amps. It is the ultimate litmus test for modelers/profilers. That's why I gave up many years ago even thinking it was possible after having experienced the first round of POD's and the like. But the KPA really seemed like promising technology, like it may have finally cracked the nut. However, as far as I've experienced thus far it still isn't there. Has so much potential, and is so close I haven't been able to bring myself to throw in the towel quite yet. But at the end of the day, it either does the job or not, and if not I have no need for it.

    I think for recorded at least (i havent' tried live) Top Jimi is so close to being there in the gain and feel, but that sound is definitely there for me on open chords (i also like a little more low end than some of his profiles have which may be why some have issues with them live). I think a JTM style amp cranked has the most problems with this sound from samples i've heard.


    I don't hear the issue nearly as much in other types of amps/sounds, but if i try i feel like i can always identify the real amp vs the Kemper. Like i said if the kemper were much cheaper this would just be a limit of the technology, live with it type of thing. But at this price i have to decide, do i keep it or give up all the features and variety for a few tones that i use most. I still doubt i can get close to what I have in the price range unless i'm going the pedal route. I already have an Egnater MTS system from the past, i'm also waiting to see how Synergy pans out. Even then i'd be looking at getting some sort of direct load box to play silently, be back to dealing with playing through the PC for cab emulations. Decisions :(

  • I think for recorded at least (i havent' tried live) Top Jimi is so close to being there in the gain and feel, but that sound is definitely there for me on open chords (i also like a little more low end than some of his profiles have which may be why some have issues with them live). I think a JTM style amp cranked has the most problems with this sound from samples i've heard.
    I don't hear the issue nearly as much in other types of amps/sounds, but if i try i feel like i can always identify the real amp vs the Kemper. Like i said if the kemper were much cheaper this would just be a limit of the technology, live with it type of thing. But at this price i have to decide, do i keep it or give up all the features and variety for a few tones that i use most. I still doubt i can get close to what I have in the price range unless i'm going the pedal route. I already have an Egnater MTS system from the past, i'm also waiting to see how Synergy pans out. Even then i'd be looking at getting some sort of direct load box to play silently, be back to dealing with playing through the PC for cab emulations. Decisions :(

    Support ticket :D nao!

  • For anyone who opens a support ticket I will donate 1 dollar to some charity and shit..

  • please enlighten me, "congested" = compressed ?


    because thats what i noticed , when hiting a chord in a semi-clean / semi-overdrive profile , it compress a lot more than the real
    amp.


    also , the KPA elminates all the room reverb , make it feel like playning in an anechoic chamber, not natural al all ,
    and no kind or reverb solves that.


    i know they are tecnical limitations , it just depend what are our needs imho.


    right now im having better resuts with real amps and a iso-box.


    asap i will be doing some tests with KPA vs real amp + iso box :thumbup:

  • Did you watch pacocity's video? https://youtu.be/L_wq-pfAXt8


    That's an extreme example but while strumming his open chords it makes a raspy, distorted (not in the good sense) sound. I hear this even with most Marshall-esque commercial profiles as well.


  • Never used an isolation box...but doesn't such a system, by design, pretty much eliminate the unique reverberation and complex reflections of a particular "room". I mean, isn't an iso box basically a miniature anechoic chamber?

  • I would suggest let's try to be a little more specific if we are going to discuss iso boxes. There are two types. 1) The kind you literally stick a cab into, which I usually refer to as an iso chamber. This is the type that truly allows the amp to behave as normal (assuming not too much air restriction is happening in the chamber). And 2) A box that has a "stand-alone" speaker inside, which could be any type of speaker, and range in size from tiny to large.

  • I would suggest let's try to be a little more specific if we are going to discuss iso boxes. There are two types. 1) The kind you literally stick a cab into, which I usually refer to as an iso chamber. This is the type that truly allows the amp to behave as normal (assuming not too much air restriction is happening in the chamber). And 2) A box that has a "stand-alone" speaker inside, which could be any type of speaker, and range in size from tiny to large.


    Hello Sonic,


    Even with Type 1, it is my understanding that the iso enclosure would still be heavily lined with acoustical foam, in order to mimic (as much as possible) a Free Field condition. Therefore, either way you slice it, and iso box is going to remove "room" reverb from the equation.

  • Hello Sonic,


    Even with Type 1, it is my understanding that the iso enclosure would still be heavily lined with acoustical foam, in order to mimic (as much as possible) a Free Field condition. Therefore, either way you slice it, and iso box is going to remove "room" reverb from the equation.

    No disagreement on the room removal aspect. But there is a non-trivial difference between placing into an iso chamber an actual guitar cab with real guitar speakers as opposed to an iso box with a speaker. Every guitar cab (right down to size, materials, design and degree of air resistance) interacts with the speakers in the cab, all of which interact with the amp. This is a very different animal from an iso box where a "free standing" speaker is used (of which may be a size and/or type that is not considered standard guitar speaker)