My Kemper Just Crapped Out...

    My Kemper Just Crapped Out... a Huge Dump All Over My Former Fractal Axe FX 2 XL Plus!


    I've only had a few hours with it since it arrived today, and have mostly played with the BHP adamp & lee jackson profile packs...


    But I can tell you already, this sounds more like a amp than the Fractal, and it absolutely better nails all the 80's 90's hard rock/heavy metal tones, better an easier than the Fractal ever did.


    I wish I'd had the Kemper sooner, so much wasted time with the Fractal and so many headaches trying to get these tones with the Fractal.


    All I had to do was buy these good profiles, add a small bit more gain and just a touch of reverb, and I was able to get the same tones that was in the demo videos.


    The Fractal can't do those tones, the Fractal doesn't have models of that equipment used to make those profiles.


    Even if it did, who could possibly tweak it? It took me several minutes just to find the off switch on the Kemper because I was expecting there to be a button not a knob for that, and I had forgotten how I turned it on after a few minutes playing, so you can see how if I have difficulty finding the off button on a KPA I certainly am not a fan of tweaking the Fractal junk.


    I am so glad I sold that Fractal junk and got a Kemper.


    I like buying profiles and getting what I want.


    I hate tweaking, I hate Fractal.


    I've owned Fractal since the very first Fractal Standards came out, over 10 maybe 12 years I've used Fractal, and in just a few hours, well parrt was getting it screwed into my rack cabinet and figuring out how to import to the rig manager, but other than that I got INSTANT better tone out of the KPA just by loading a profile I bought then I ever, ever got throughout all the years trying to tweak Fractals.


    There's a lot of good factory presets too I found in the KPA, Fractal XL only had ONE good factory preset that I ever liked.


    I hope KPA and Fractal become like the war between Facebook and Myspace, and hopefully KPA will put Fractal out of business. (although I loathe facebook, I always liked myspace better) But I think if everyone that owns a Fractal could experience the KPA instant gratification of tones they would switch over in a heartbeat.


    I have no regrets at selling my Axe Fx 2 XL+ peice of overpriced JUNK.


    Good riddance Fractal....


    Hello Kemper.

    I don't own or have ever played the Fractal product; however, from what I have read (thousands of reviews), it seems to be the general consensus that the Axe II Fx does have a better efx chain than the Kemper, but that the Kemper is more amp-like.


    My experience with the KPA has also been quite good for the reasons stated in this thread. It is just easy to get a good tone out the KPA. From a spanky fender clean, to a brutal heavy metal sound, it just seems pretty simple.


    I would say that from the hundreds of profiles I have auditioned, I have only kept a dozen. Even my purchased rigs .... maybe 1 out of 20 in the pack ends up on my performance settings.


    The ones I keep though, I edit and hone to brilliance..... and it doesn't take long to get to "Brilliant" IMO. This is the greatest strength of the KPA IMO.


    @yngwierhoadsvaivaughan


    Love the username! Huge Yngwie fan, here, as well as SRV...with mucho respect for Vai and Randy.


    We all can appreciate your enthusiasm for your new Kemper, and sharing your positive experience with the community here. However, in my humble opinion, and with all due respect, there is no need for the over-the-top bashing of the competition...which is a bit unseemly.


    Again, welcome to the community, and no offense meant.


    Cheers,
    John

    The way I took it is this:


    He's more than qualified to voice an opinion IMHO, 'cause, just as in my case where I bought all the PODs starting with v1.0, he's made the Full Fractal™ journey. That's a whole lotta money, time and loyalty.


    Having experienced many years tweaking his heart out and never managing to get to where he wanted to be tone-wise, both his frustration thereof, as well as the sheer delight / relief brought about by his Kemper experience, cane to bear in his "venting" of the situation.


    IOW, I saw this simply as someone wanting to get off his chest / put behind him the frustrating journey that brought him here.


    This is why I think it's perhaps a little-bit precious of us to criticise him for it. "You can relate your frustration, followed by your delight, as long as you don't gush emotionally". Put another way, can anyone here imagine in his / her wildest dreams, someone over at the FAS forum's being pulled into line for relating the (albeit quite-rare, I'm guessing) opposite experience?


    I say get it off your chest mate, give yourself a pat on the back for taking a leap of faith that's seen your finding yourself in a position, finally, where you feel empowered and not enslaved by your guitar processor.


    Just my typically-understanding 2¢ worth. Perhaps I'm just a big softy.

    Quote from Monkey_Man

    The way I took it is this:


    He's more than qualified to voice an opinion IMHO, 'cause, just as in my case where I bought all the PODs starting with v1.0, he's made the Full Fractal™ journey. That's a whole lotta money, time and loyalty.


    Meh. I've made the entire Line6 journey, the entire Fractal journey, and the entire Kemper journey. LOL! All one leg of it. All were great journeys so far.


    Piece of overpriced junk is a bit of a stretch. Okay, maybe even a complete mischaracterization. Take any advice from someone that can't figure out how to turn the unit off with several thousand grains of salt.


    What it sounds like to me is someone found the tone they've been looking for. Good for him. Hopefully he simmers down a bit. The Kemper is a great piece of gear. So is the Axe. So is the Helix. Got all three here beside me. They're tools. I don't call my screwdriver an overpriced piece of junk because it can't tighten a bolt or drive a nail. I have a wrench and hammer for that.


    Being a good mechanic is all about knowing how and when to use the tools in your toolbox.

    Agreed, Karl.


    I was simply pointing out the fact that I understand his "enthusiasm", given the long-term frustration he's experienced.


    Mate, I'm happy for you that your L6 journey was good. Mine was too until I hit the HD500 and then things fell apart badly. I must've wasted two and a half years fighting that thing for cream, for nicks. Well, not entirely for nothing, 'cause after all, it lead me, through the same frustration the OP felt, to the Kemper. Woohoo!


    Thank you for your level-headed input, mate.

    Oh, don't mistake me. The Line6 journey was good. I didn't make too many glowing comments about the destination. Important distinction. :) Line6 HD and Helix...they're a lot more similar than you might think.


    Fractal and Kemper are the top of the line for a reason.