Rack mounted tube power amp​, equivalent to a kemper profiler or Axe Fx with tubes in it.

  • Has Kemper considered a rack mounted (something like a tube pre amp) equivalent to the profiler with tubes in it. Or it makes no sense?
    Like, "Digitech GSP 2101" which is a valve preamp processor, Amp/FX simulator.


    I've heard of pro players putting some tube/DY box to give a more organic sound.

  • The problem with having a tube power amp with the Kemper is that it would Colour the profiles. This is not desirable, since you want an accurate representation of the tone. Solid state power amps are the way to go!

    That's what i hear most. Some fractal users still use tube power amps with for ex. SS valves, to not colour the sound. Purpose? One said mids are better. It could be more pleasant to your ears when loud; but this is scientific already; has to do with sound waves and frequencies.

    Yep.


    Tubes are gonna mess up the authenticity of the Kemper's sounds.


    Tube Profiles through more tubes? Ain't gonna be authentic to the originals.

    As kemper's nature is different than fractal; it could be a mistake!

    Would it make sense, strictly speaking? No, I personally don't think so, since it already captures the power tubes of the profiled amp. That said, some people seem to like the results better through tube power amps. Doubling up on the toobz!

    Could be related to what i said to @nightlight

    Audiophile-quality High Fidelity tube power amps might sound nice, but, they typically aren't designed for transport, are heavy, and very expensive.

    I meant something like a Fryette Power Station with tubes.

    Are you talking about a Kemper PREamp with tubes? I guess this won't happen (and I don't see any reason for it).

    Exactly! Reasons could be what i wrote to @nightlight. Some people still run it through tube power amps.

  • I think all this business about tube preamplification and the Axe came about due to the original Atomic Reactor amps, which used tubes. That crowd on those forums will sell you snake oil. Just yesterday I was watching some guy say, "with the transpose feature of my Axe, who needs an eight string"? Then he proceeded to demonstrate with some buzzy mess and guys were lapping it up.


    Seeriously, you want accurate (and I stress on accurate) reproduction of profiles, you don't want any additional Colour, nice mids or no.

  • Yeah, it might well be desirable for a Fractal unit. Personally, I'd probably want to get some real tubes into the signal chain too if I were an Axe user.


    However, the Kemper is Different™.

    If i go fractal I'l try both options. If i feel a tube power amp does give a better more organic sound to my ears i'l buy it!
    With Kemper its a mistake.

    I think all this business about tube preamplification and the Axe came about due to the original Atomic Reactor amps, which used tubes. That crowd on those forums will sell you snake oil. Just yesterday I was watching some guy say, "with the transpose feature of my Axe, who needs an eight string"? Then he proceeded to demonstrate with some buzzy mess and guys were lapping it up.


    Seeriously, you want accurate (and I stress on accurate) reproduction of profiles, you don't want any additional Colour, nice mids or no.

    Idk some people still use tube preamps. I read somewhere some pro's using some form of DY box from palmer with fractal, for a more organic sound.
    An unit won't sound the same as a real 8 string plus playbility and feel would be off. There are limits. But if you can get away with it for 1 or 2 songs i dont see why not...


    You're right on the accurate reproduction of profiles with Kemper. Messing about will give bad results.

  • Question to this thread. People seem to generally suggest solid state power amps, but do not some amps have tubes in their power amp section? So if one uses direct profiles through a cab, and one uses a direct profile of an amp that has a tube driven power section, a tube power amp would actually improve those profiles? If I'm wrong I'd love to hear a good explanation.

  • Question to this thread. People seem to generally suggest solid state power amps, but do not some amps have tubes in their power amp section? So if one uses direct profiles through a cab, and one uses a direct profile of an amp that has a tube driven power section, a tube power amp would actually improve those profiles? If I'm wrong I'd love to hear a good explanation.

    a direct amp profile still includes the power amp section of the profiled amp-its just the cab and microphone that are not included in a direct amp profile. If you want to amplify a PROFILER it is best to use a digital or solid state amp.

  • a direct amp profile still includes the power amp section of the profiled amp-its just the cab and microphone that are not included in a direct amp profile. If you want to amplify a PROFILER it is best to use a digital or solid state amp.

    If you use a line output, but if you take the direct profile from the FX send of the amp? Then you are capturing the signal before it goes into the power amp. This is the kind of direct profile I would try to use with a tube power amp. I've been having a discourse about this topic on the Facebook group today and I'm pretty convinced I'm onto a good idea. Worst case I'll buy one, sell it and lose a little bit of money. But I think this could be cool to try. A preamp-only profile into a tube power amp and then an IR made using a clean and transparent solid-state amp, or an actual guitar cabinet. If I find a tube power amp with stereo line-out like the Seymour Duncan powerstage has, I could send the same signal to FOH too. I'm doing this yo!

  • that would be a direct preamp profile-in that case there is obviously no power amp saturation to be captured and you could use that with a tube power amp without any unwanted coloration.

    But there is no real advantage in taking that route. A proper merged Profile will sound just as good and is a lot more convenient to use.