Kemper vs. Real Amp Test - Cameron CCV

  • I don't know if this will be of any help but I thought I'd share it just in case it does offer some help. I have made a ton of profiles and I've never heard these issues but in one of the previous demos that someone posted in this thread I clearly heard an issue. Today I made some profiles of my Friedman BE100 and Splawn Quick Rod, I'm not a metal player but some of these, especially the QR are pretty high gain. I wonder if anyone can hear the issue in these profiles, if so let me know and maybe we can try to narrow it down. I always make Merged profiles so I saved both the Direct Amp and Studio profiles along with the Merged profiles. The last letter in the name tells you what type of profile it is, D=Direct Amp S=Studio and M=Merged. There is also a ReadMe.txt file with some more info in the folder.


    If anyone wants to give them a try you can download them from here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/inq…yY-Cnpt8njDNg3_9ly0a?dl=0

    I just tried those QuickRod profiles, and I think that I like them even better than your Friedman profiles, which I love!

  • I just tried those QuickRod profiles, and I think that I like them even better than your Friedman profiles, which I love!

    Thank you! I think Splawn amps are very underrated, this is the first amp I've ever bought where when I first got it I simply set all the tone controls at noon and hit a power chord and was floored by the tone, it's really hard to get a bad tone out of this thing.


    Anyway, if you hear any of the issues discussed in this thread in these profiles let me know, maybe we can do some more tests to help narrow it down.

  • I don't know if this will be of any help but I thought I'd share it just in case it does offer some help. I have made a ton of profiles and I've never heard these issues but in one of the previous demos that someone posted in this thread I clearly heard an issue. Today I made some profiles of my Friedman BE100 and Splawn Quick Rod, I'm not a metal player but some of these, especially the QR are pretty high gain. I wonder if anyone can hear the issue in these profiles, if so let me know and maybe we can try to narrow it down. I always make Merged profiles so I saved both the Direct Amp and Studio profiles along with the Merged profiles. The last letter in the name tells you what type of profile it is, D=Direct Amp S=Studio and M=Merged. There is also a ReadMe.txt file with some more info in the folder.


    If anyone wants to give them a try you can download them from here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/inq…yY-Cnpt8njDNg3_9ly0a?dl=0


    Tim, my man! Thank you!


    Cheers,
    John

  • Thank you! I think Splawn amps are very underrated, this is the first amp I've ever bought where when I first got it I simply set all the tone controls at noon and hit a power chord and was floored by the tone, it's really hard to get a bad tone out of this thing.
    Anyway, if you hear any of the issues discussed in this thread in these profiles let me know, maybe we can do some more tests to help narrow it down.

    Will do. I haven't had a lot of time with them yet. So far, the only issue was with the very first profile I loaded. It was probably the worst sounding profile I had ever heard. I was completely shocked and how shrill and brittle it was. Then, I realized that I had accidentally clicked on the direct profile, instead of the one I meant to click on. Haha.

  • Thank you! I think Splawn amps are very underrated, this is the first amp I've ever bought where when I first got it I simply set all the tone controls at noon and hit a power chord and was floored by the tone, it's really hard to get a bad tone out of this thing.
    Anyway, if you hear any of the issues discussed in this thread in these profiles let me know, maybe we can do some more tests to help narrow it down.

    I have always loved your profiles but I could hear that effect in the highs in your profiles too...


    This is probably my last access to the private section of the forum as I sold the KPA yesterday.


    It's been a pleasure. Enjoy your KPAs and keep this thread constructive. There is something to improve at those frequencies and the criticality of the issue depends on each person.


    Un saludo!
    Paco

  • I have always loved your profiles but I could hear that effect in the highs in your profiles too...
    This is probably my last access to the private section of the forum as I sold the KPA yesterday.


    It's been a pleasure. Enjoy your KPAs and keep this thread constructive. There is something to improve at those frequencies and the criticality of the issue depends on each person.


    Un saludo!
    Paco

    Yep, nice profiles but the issues are still present.


    Good luck Paco, sorry you sold the KPA. Hopefully these issues get resolved and you'll be motivated to return..


    Sonic

  • I've been thinking, this subject reminds me of the Boss GT-10 cocked wah issue but on a much smaller scale. When I first got the GT-10 I took it to a jam session and the other guitarist said it sounded like the wah pedal was stuck on and he was right. Ever since then I could hear that cocked wah sound in most presets that had a fair amount of gain, the sound was stuck in my head and it drove me crazy. On the GT Central forum (is that the right name?) it was a very hot and disputed topic, people who didn't hear the cocked wah thought we were crazy, the discussions got very heated at times, they eventually created a sub forum just for cocked wah discussions.


    Now the tables have turned, people are complaining about an issue with the KPA that I don't hear. At least a couple of you said that you hear the issue in my profiles, but I just don't hear it. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you don't hear something, I'm just saying that I don't hear it and I've been thinking that I don't want to hear it because if I do then it will be stuck in my head like the GT-10 cocked wah was and I'll never be able to get rid of it.


    Anyway, I hope that makes sense and I wish you guys the best of luck getting this issue fixed.

  • I've been thinking, this subject reminds me of the Boss GT-10 cocked wah issue but on a much smaller scale. When I first got the GT-10 I took it to a jam session and the other guitarist said it sounded like the wah pedal was stuck on and he was right. Ever since then I could hear that cocked wah sound in most presets that had a fair amount of gain, the sound was stuck in my head and it drove me crazy. On the GT Central forum (is that the right name?) it was a very hot and disputed topic, people who didn't hear the cocked wah thought we were crazy, the discussions got very heated at times, they eventually created a sub forum just for cocked wah discussions.


    Now the tables have turned, people are complaining about an issue with the KPA that I don't hear. At least a couple of you said that you hear the issue in my profiles, but I just don't hear it. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that you don't hear something, I'm just saying that I don't hear it and I've been thinking that I don't want to hear it because if I do then it will be stuck in my head like the GT-10 cocked wah was and I'll never be able to get rid of it.


    Anyway, I hope that makes sense and I wish you guys the best of luck getting this issue fixed.


    Hi! I think that you would identify what we are hearing playing a Dsus2 using the first 4 strings. Arpegiate it and let the strings ring. E and D open strings. Change from profile to real amp and compare.

  • I remember the time a few years ago after a particular update.


    One member said the tone has changed, something has changed with the update.
    Suddenly other members started hearing the same tone change, the thread grew bigger and bigger, more and more members started hearing the change in tone...BIG drama.


    Then CK told us nothing had changed, it's identical to the way it was before the update. :)


    lol, guitarists

  • I'm not sure what your point or motivation is. But it might be helpful to refer back to post 1038.. The tone issues with the KPA are very much real.


    Sonic

  • You can't compare with that update because no one did a valid A/B test then. This is not the case now.


    Just profile something and compare what I suggested some posts above. Have you ever profiled something?

  • I am one of the early adapters of the KPA and I've used it many times for live and studio use. One month ago I played my H&K duotone with 4x12 cab. I really like the tone and pressure and attack. Much more than the KPA through 2x QSC K12. I thought that perhaps the KPA could give me the same feel and sound using a power amp and using the cabinet. I tried a matrix and Koch poweramp. I like the sound and feel more than using the K12's but not comparible to the tubeamp. Long time ago I used to play on a Fender super six reverb. 2 weeks ago I bought a Fender twin reverb 1974 with an additional bandmaster cab. The cab gives the twin more body and the sound is bigger. The sound and feel of this combo is so powerful and direct! I am experimenting with pedals and this is so inspiring. The KPA sounds to me more "hifi" and distant. I believe the KPA is still the best replacement for al real amp but I rediscoverd playing the real thing and although the KPA is much more practical I chose to play the Fender from now on. Perhaps I keep the KPA for use in my studio. I don't mean to bash the KPA and I've played it for years and really liked it. I just want to share my experience and I understand why some guitarist prefer playing a real amp (or return to the real amp).

  • Dimi mentioned to me before that the Fryette Power Station gives the Kemper a tube warmth more than any solid state power amp.

  • I am one of the early adapters of the KPA and I've used it many times for live and studio use. One month ago I played my H&K duotone with 4x12 cab. I really like the tone and pressure and attack. Much more than the KPA through 2x QSC K12. I thought that perhaps the KPA could give me the same feel and sound using a power amp and using the cabinet. I tried a matrix and Koch poweramp. I like the sound and feel more than using the K12's but not comparible to the tubeamp. Long time ago I used to play on a Fender super six reverb. 2 weeks ago I bought a Fender twin reverb 1974 with an additional bandmaster cab. The cab gives the twin more body and the sound is bigger. The sound and feel of this combo is so powerful and direct! I am experimenting with pedals and this is so inspiring. The KPA sounds to me more "hifi" and distant. I believe the KPA is still the best replacement for al real amp but I rediscoverd playing the real thing and although the KPA is much more practical I chose to play the Fender from now on. Perhaps I keep the KPA for use in my studio. I don't mean to bash the KPA and I've played it for years and really liked it. I just want to share my experience and I understand why some guitarist prefer playing a real amp (or return to the real amp).

    Yes of course play the real thing wherever you can and want.
    In some situations the kemper is a good choice

    • if the stack is to heavy
    • if it is to big
    • if it is to expensive
    • if you dont want to mike your amp or
    • if you play with IEM
    • if you dont like to use external effect pedals
    • if you dont own the real thing
    • if you want total recall in recording sessions

    I love to play real amps but the kemper is much more practical for me.
    I played the last three years live only with the kemper.
    Audience and my bandmates told me it is the best sound I ever had.
    So lets see what the kemper team or other vendor will bring.

  • It's important to remember that the Kemper as it is now isn't the end point, it's one step along the path towards the end goal of affordable and accurate emulation of classic amps.


    There will be other tools out there, there will be updates to the Kemper itself.


    For me the current state of the Kemper is fantastic for the studio and all the reasons PETERFR. stated. But it's not there in other ways. There's no natural room sound/verb, when played through a guitar cab the sound seems to lack the headroom and poke of a real amp which seems to distort differently with different frequencies and have a different sort of "bloom" (sag) effect, especially Fender amps have even without a reverb a certain sound that the Kemper doesn't, almost like they emphasis that neck pickup position sound, to me on clean the Kemper just sounds like different EQ pedals on a dry signal, or maybe going through a not very lively amp more geared for high gain, you all know the ones where lead is amazing, but clean is just dull as dishwater. Some amps have a sort of plosive woofiness the Kemper can't do either, a breathy transient.


    Some of it may be just those few precious dB during transients where a real amp peaks with substantially higher levels than it's sustained output, some of it may just be the sag modeling needs some refinement, there could be a million reasons. But the Kemper isn't there yet for me in non studio situations, and it could do with some improvements when it comes to clean sounds and it's rectifying emulation IMO.


    It's still the best piece of guitar kit I ever bought though. No regrets.

  • one step along the path towards the end goal of affordable and accurate emulation of classic amps.

    I think it's already there in the software world. Lots of guys doing full scale recordings using BIAS FX which you can get from $59 to $159. The BIAS head and rack are also considerably less expensive than a KPA, though without built-in effects. Say what you will about your preferences of one versus the other, the fact remains people are out there using it with success.


    Now even the Helix LT and Headrush are scaling costs to the consumer down, and in the convenience of a pedal board, which only means carrying less equipment and moving pieces around. Funny, players used to love lugging all their flashy gear to even the smallest of shows in order to show it off, now everybody wants everything in the smallest, lightest, most portable box possible.

  • I was an early Bias adopter, but unfortunately Bias while great for software still sounds and plays poorly to me. The Kemper is still a very long way ahead when it comes to realistic amp tones.