Axe FX III vs Kemper Profiling Amp

  • They do, but you have to input those numbers manually, and if you use an external IR, there's no way of accurately knowing what the numbers are so it's usually approximated and even then, the algorithm or modeling is subjective to a certain degree based on the programmers ears.

    It's not uncommon for an IR maker to provide those numbers if you ask. It uncommon for someone to ask though :)


    But IF you ask for and receive those numbers you can apply them inside the AxeFX, as you said.

  • Lots of people, myself included, have spoken to why we like the Axe. You are not “puzzled”. You simply refuse to accept that anyone can have an opinion that differs to yours.

    Well all I said is that and impulse response is missing critical data about the speaker impedance, speaker saturation, and cabinet resonance frequency which in the real world affects how the Power amp section of a tube amp reacts in a significant way. Kemper profile includes all that information accurately, meanwhile all other modelers use approximation because it's almost impossible to have the information in many situations. These are facts and you can feel free to fact check this.


    You on the other hand responded by attacking me personally instead of responding to the specifics of what I said. How about telling us what you use for impedance or resonant frequency when you use external impulse responses. Maybe you don't care about the impedance or cab resonance, which won't be a big deal, It's a discussion and there's no need to get defensive or offensive. If you happen to know the effect of impedance on how tube amp response, maybe you can chime in, if not, then you might learn something if you do small search instead of using personal attacks to make a point irrelevant to the topic at hand.

  • I was excited to purchase a Axe Fx but wasn't excited to have to wait like 6-9 months for it to be built. But I really needed something better than all those boring amp sims I never was pleased with..Yuck! <X Then I heard of Kemper and was a bit sceptical at first but decided to go for it and didn't have to wait more than a week to get it. Just pressed buy button on Thomann. Got it and connected it and.... bam! I couldn't believe how good the Kemper sounded. After that I couldn't care less about Axe FX.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Well all I said is that and impulse response is missing critical data about the speaker impedance, speaker saturation, and cabinet resonance frequency which in the real world affects how the Power amp section of a tube amp reacts in a significant way. Kemper profile includes all that information accurately, meanwhile all other modelers use approximation because it's almost impossible to have the information in many situations. These are facts and you can feel free to fact check this.
    You on the other hand responded by attacking me personally instead of responding to the specifics of what I said. How about telling us what you use for impedance or resonant frequency when you use external impulse responses. Maybe you don't care about the impedance or cab resonance, which won't be a big deal, It's a discussion and there's no need to get defensive or offensive. If you happen to know the effect of impedance on how tube amp response, maybe you can chime in, if not, then you might learn something if you do small search instead of using personal attacks to make a point irrelevant to the topic at hand.

    Considering I quoted what you said I don’t see how I could not be responding to the specifics of what you said. But I take it back. You clearly are easily “puzzled”.

    Edited once, last by SwAn1 ().

  • Well all I said is that and impulse response is missing critical data about the speaker impedance, speaker saturation, and cabinet resonance frequency which in the real world affects how the Power amp section of a tube amp reacts in a significant way. Kemper profile includes all that information accurately, meanwhile all other modelers use approximation because it's almost impossible to have the information in many situations. These are facts and you can feel free to fact check this.

    Yes, Kemper profile includes all that information accurately but only in one situation, and that's the one moment of profiling. So in many other situations it's for Kemper almost impossible as well to have the information.


    In the end it's all about (your) tone. Can you get your tone with an Axe FX and not with a Kemper, that's fine.
    Can you get your tone by licking a stringed orange, that's fine as well.

  • We take about a tool which is advertised to be "the best/strongest/largest//biggest/extra XXL super size"- digital guitar tool out there in universe with specs of an alien space ship..double/triple the price of a KPA or anything else out there in the market..


    Yet it's synth block is still mono.Is it just me or is this sloppy working on product which was obviously rushed out in a hurry;


    I say that because obviously it's core amp Sims are not better than on the AF2..
    I try to get the "philosophy" behind the AF3 and the reason to pay over 3000 euros (including new FC since the mfc-1 becomes obsolete too with the AF3)..for a product which does what exactly better than its predecessor;


    More I/Os,more simultaneous FX..what else;


    Honestly,one does not need to be a Kemper fanboy to not like the fractal audio business philosophy.

  • Sometimes I read through such threads to learn something new - even if the shown bickering is a bit tiring ;)


    Holy sh*t, some people take it serious - but it is still only (great) tools for musicians, not about life and death :thumbup:


    If someone complains what Axe-Fx 3 does not get right and ignoring hundreds of things that makes it a nice "tool", that is a bit childish in my opinion. Especially when repeating it again and again. But of course everybody is allowed to do so...but why so insistent, niggling and quibbling?


    You could also list, that Kemper still has no accurate strobo tuner (cause of rounding issues or whate else, not fixed in last update), still no good spring reverb...


    Would I say this are essential shortcomings? Yeees! Is it a bad device cause of this? No, not at all - hope they will fix it and make it even better... In the meantime I just use hundreds of things that work great.


    And now that I know even more backgound...I still use IRs with the Kemper sometimes (also with Torpedo Cab like Steve Stevens) - just sounds good to me.

  • It seems that many simply don't want to discuss the topic because they think it's a waste of time so you get comments like "buy both." and this thread is "useless"


    I don't see the big deal of why this topic has become a taboo and the only explanation is that some elitists on both sides decided that they're unable to read any criticism even in the form of discussion of their device so they don't see the value of this thread for those who can afford only one device.


    Yes there are many out there who want to purchase only "one modeler" due to financial reasons.


    If everyone can afford both plus everything from strymon and Eventide, then this thread would be useless,


    Many potential future owners of either device wouldn't mind honest opinions of why chose one over the other and that's how I see this thread.


    I think it's weird why companies Like Kemper amps include "other gear" sub forum for this specific purpose of making such discussions not realizing that most of their active forum users are not even able or willing to discuss why they chose to buy their device.


    Maybe this whole "other gear" is really useless because quite a few active members will only chime in to point out how "useless" a topic is instead of simply not participating, when in reality it could be one of the most useful and educational topics.

  • Well, we simply learn.
    And from experience how all the recent 'vs' debates turned out, including your own redundancy to argue all the same ad nauseam there's indeed only one educational thing about this thread: avoid it.
    Still I'm entitled to point out how useless it is whenever I feel like it.

  • Weeks ago and when this new axe appeared a lot of guys wanted to talk about its "superior specs"...I remember this very well.


    Now I ask about very specific things..I honestly don't have the feeling that I am bickering or what ever.Actually I am an "potential customer"..asking exactly for some specs which seem obvious to me to pretend from the world's most glorious & powerfull digital guitar modeller..


    Soundweise nothing has changed with the AF3..


    This is a fact no-one will deny.


    Interestingly enough none of the guys who wanted to "talk about specs" weeks ago care to get in this discussion now.


    That is the only reason I am "repeating" it "again and again"..


    All nice with super specs and colourfull diagraphs but there are some people who would like to learn about the impact of all these specs into sound.A great sounding polyphonic synth module for guitar today costs 300€..not 3000€..

  • Well, we simply learn.And from experience how all the recent 'vs' debates turned out,..

    So what's the big deal about a heated debate about hotly debated discussion topic? If you're unable to handle it or willing to participate, common sense would suggest that you can ignore it instead of whining or crying about it.



    .., including your own redundancy to argue all the same ad nauseam

    If I participate in a thread, I start by actually reading the posts and when I contribute I like to contribute more than just one word "Welcome" as you do without addressing any of the questions.


    I'm far less redundant than your single "Welcome" . I'm surprised you haven't put in your signature yet !!


    there's indeed only one educational thing about this thread: avoid it.

    That's the extent of what you learned due to the extent of your bias and inability to handle contested topics, so you simply not only chose to ignore, you try to bully others into ignoring the topic you don't like/



    Still I'm entitled to point out how useless it is whenever I feel like it.

    Of course you are entitled to derail threads you don't like by even attacking the topic. You're a guitar player right? I know how big of an ego some of those guys can have, many of my friends are guitar players. :)


    However, you might want to get back to the topic of this thread and maybe explain some of the advantages that the kemper has that made you buy the Kemper, even if you had bought it just because it was actually significantly cheaper That would actually count as some respect to forum rules and also those who started this thread who are also entitled to discuss whatever they feel like as long as it doesn't violate forum rules and guidelines.

  • I don't post too much, more of a reader. But I guess I have to react to this.
    It is obvious for all the long time readers on this forum that Ingolf is a very respectful member with tons of read-worthy comments with good and helpful advice in the past. It is in my humble opinion not right to úse terms like for example 'whining' or 'derailling'. It is just not what Ingolf ever has done, in contrary.
    A couple of days ago I was happy seeing Monkey Man back on this forum. Reading posts like this makes me sad.
    But of course I don't have to read (or write).
    Let's keep this forum great.

  • I agree that a comparison like this is pretty pointless. The volume difference makes a big difference and I preferred the AxeFX III in most of the clips. Some VERY minor tweaks here and there (IR, cabinet resonance, cutoffs, etc) will give one the advantage over the other for a given amp. But seriously, put two random Plexi's side-by-side and they will sound more different than the AxeFX/KPA in this comparison.


    Having owned both the Axe really is pretty awesome. The standout models to me were the Dual Recs, Plexi's and the CA Tucana... I truly found nothing wanting in those. Super easy to dial in and they sound amazing. The effects are amazing. But the editor is a requirement, IMNSHO.


    Then there's @rmpachecos Morgan AC20 profile -- I mean nothing on the AxeFX can touch that profile. There are so many profiles that just "bring it" easily as good as the CA Tucana AxeFX model. The KPA FX are adequate for my use and the overall ease of use is way better. No editor NEEDed.


    Honestly, you can't lose with either. No wrong choice.

  • .... It is in my humble opinion not right to úse terms like for example 'whining' or 'derailling'. It is just not what Ingolf ever has done,...

    Well I'm curious to know what you think or how you feel about the thread starter @fredrikn reading Ingolf post in reply to his thread using disrespectful language "utterly useless".



    I personally would apologize to fredrikn, plain and simple regardless of how many of ingolf friends liked his offensive post. I'm sure infolf is and has been very helpful and a great member to many, but that doesn't not mean that he didn't or isn't posting to derail this thread. SO he's tired of the topic because he's been around here long ago, but there are many new users added everyday and many new potential new users who could find this topic interesting.



    In case you missed it:




    The video is utterly useless, as is this thread.

  • It is all right Dean. My post was I guess actually only ment for myself, by expressing my emotion at that time. Not worth any furher debating, perhaps shouldn't had to post it in the first place. My emotion triggers emotion of others etc.. that is not contributing.
    Like to read on topic posts again! Thnx for your input on the forum as well!

  • I signed up for the axe 3 email notification but haven't received one, my friend has though.


    I'll gladly make a comparison if/when I get one. There should be someone to compare the feel i think. Lol