I’m not satisfied with my Kemper at all? It makes no sense!

  • Im using Genelecs 8020s and a Babyface Pro too, except my Kemper is the absolute best sounding piece of gear being run through those bad boys.


    Please check out some 3rd party profiles, you're doing yourself and your Kemper a disservice by not doing so.

  • Well, maybe the Kemper is not the right gear for you.
    Buy the stuff of your teacher, which sounds good for you.
    So you will be happy, that‘s the easiest way.

  • That’s weird because I already registered. Maybe that’s because I changed my email. I’ll check. It now has 5.50 beta, the newest one. And I update it pretty frequently.


    Try a firmware reset, that may help. It could be something went screwy. It won't affect your Kemper and is a simple procedure.


    As others have suggested, play around with the pure cabinet option.


    Also, just to check, what do you have your master output set to when you run into your setup?

  • I'm no fanboi, but there are too many variables here. What kind of pickups do you use? If they're active pickups, high output ceramics, or cheap single-coils, that can all make a difference. Give some examples of the settings and profiles you use. What gauge strings? Is your action low? Maybe your guitar teacher has a fine technique, and technique has a lot to do with how good a player sounds. I've had my own struggles trying to figure out whether to go Kemper or Fractal, but I never doubted the quality of the tone - and I'm a pretty die-hard tube amp guy. I don't know man, but it sounds like something with your settings, or setup, or technique that must be off if you already tried updating your Kemper, etc.

  • Im using Genelecs 8020s and a Babyface Pro too, except my Kemper is the absolute best sounding piece of gear being run through those bad boys.


    Please check out some 3rd party profiles, you're doing yourself and your Kemper a disservice by not doing so.

    Is the “Pure Cabinet” on your kemper engaged or not?



    Well, maybe the Kemper is not the right gear for you.Buy the stuff of your teacher, which sounds good for you.
    So you will be happy, that‘s the easiest way.


    Blackstar ID:30? You’re joking right?

  • Try a firmware reset, that may help. It could be something went screwy. It won't affect your Kemper and is a simple procedure.


    As others have suggested, play around with the pure cabinet option.


    Also, just to check, what do you have your master output set to when you run into your setup?


    I tried to turn off the pure cabinet this morning, it did sound a little better but the volume wasn’t loud enough, I’ll try it again when I’m home.

  • I'm no fanboi, but there are too many variables here. What kind of pickups do you use? If they're active pickups, high output ceramics, or cheap single-coils, that can all make a difference. Give some examples of the settings and profiles you use. What gauge strings? Is your action low? Maybe your guitar teacher has a fine technique, and technique has a lot to do with how good a player sounds. I've had my own struggles trying to figure out whether to go Kemper or Fractal, but I never doubted the quality of the tone - and I'm a pretty die-hard tube amp guy. I don't know man, but it sounds like something with your settings, or setup, or technique that must be off if you already tried updating your Kemper, etc.


    I have tried my Kemper with a Suhr Standard with SSH+, a Suhr Classic with SSV, a Grosh NOS Retro with 3 single coils and a PRS Artist package SC245, all passive pickups. I use 10-46 for Strats and 11-48 for PRS. Action is average I think.


    It’s not about technique because my classmate played it, he just played a few notes. Actually just an a minor chord could tell the difference, it sounded open and “sounded like a guitar amp”. But my kemper, hmm... I’ve owned more than ten tube heads and I now have 5 tube heads and they’re all great with the guitars I mentioned. I hate to say I’m a tube amp guy because I really want to keep using my kemper.

  • This. Plus contact support with a backup of your machine.

    This this this! My unit wasn't sounding good, emailed Kemper support a clip and was sent a new KPA within a week. You've got the tools, no reason why you can't attach a clip if you want help. Even better, upload a DI track and someone here can reamp it and compare with the exact same profile.

  • https://soundcloud.com/user-776669749/splawn-nitro


    I'm not sure if this works. Profile called Splawn Nitro, from Rig Exchange.


    1. Suhr Standard with SSH+ humbucker
    2. Suhr Classic with SSV humbucker
    3. Grosh NOS Retro with single coil


    https://soundcloud.com/user-776669749/marshall-golub-crunc


    Another one called Marshall Golub Crunc, I was using Suhr Standard.


    Both are unprocessed. After I turned off the "Pure Cabinet", I do think it sounds better. I still think high gain profiles sound fake and digital.

  • My connection's not quick-enough to hear these, Jason; the SC pages won't load (the usual "Something's Wrong" message appears - normal for the site when bandwidth is limited).


    If you're able to embed the files as most do around here (no idea how) so that all we have to do is hit "play", I'll be able to take a listen now if you're keen (only the file itself has to load, as opposed to the whole page), otherwise don't worry, mate; others with "proper" internet services will no doubt accommodate you.

  • I had the same issue when I bought mine. Could not get awesome sounds so I bought a SM57 and mic'd up my ENGL powerball II with my EVH 5150 III cab then I bought an eVH 5150 1x12 cab...problem solved and have my engl in a box . I made some profiles that are lead/rhythm live, lead/rhythm studio and both with a delay added. The difference is the studio patch simply bypasses the power head and uses a cab sim. I found you should profile and record your reference amp exactly the way you want without its reverb if the amp has reverb because the kemper reverb works amazingly well. I dont profile my amp flat aka all knobs at 12o'clock. Also the guitars and pickups make a difference IMO so I recorded different profiles some with higher mids and gains for my parker guitars vs my active emg guitars. I have a few of my profiles on rig exchange. Feel free to give them a shot. My sound is remarkably close to my full engl setup. Hopefully this is helpful!

  • Do yourself a favor and grab a 4x12 cabinet and, using the monitor out, give it a try.


    If that brings you joy, it’s just a matter of sorting your monitoring situation.


    I use a Strat with a Duncan Screamin Demon, a stock LP Studio with Burstbuckers, an Iceman with Duncan Nazgul/Sentient and an Ibanez RGIB6 Baritone among others and I am getting great results and similar tone thru a OS Rectifier 4x12 and my Mackie HR824’s.


    Multiple profiles used from Mr B to the stock ManRock JCM profile and beyond. No issues. Joy.


    My .02


    Cheers

  • I have tried my Kemper with a Suhr Standard with SSH+, a Suhr Classic with SSV, a Grosh NOS Retro with 3 single coils and a PRS Artist package SC245, all passive pickups. I use 10-46 for Strats and 11-48 for PRS. Action is average I think.


    It’s not about technique because my classmate played it, he just played a few notes. Actually just an a minor chord could tell the difference, it sounded open and “sounded like a guitar amp”. But my kemper, hmm... I’ve owned more than ten tube heads and I now have 5 tube heads and they’re all great with the guitars I mentioned. I hate to say I’m a tube amp guy because I really want to keep using my kemper.

    Well the Kemper is what it is. The only reason I can respond to your post is because it took me years and years to finally come around to modelers, and only recently after much trial and error, did I become willing to spend the big bucks for them. When I plug into my BE-100, Diezel, or any other tube amp, it's obviously a leveled-up experience from both my Kemper and AX8. I don't have any unrealistic expectations though. When it comes to practice and just improvising and coming up with riffs, it's so much easier to use my Kemper or AX8 than to fiddle with my tube amps. I wonder, have you let your teacher and classmates play through your Kemper? If so, did you still think it sounded bad when they were playing? To be honest, the Kemper nor the Axe FX/AX8 sound convincing enough between amp models/profiles through a speaker, but recorded tone is almost impossible to distinguish.