Two weeks in & i am blown away!!!! My name is Conrad & i am a converted valve purist!

  • so chuffed for you but I'be been through the same revelation...so easy to transport and so many great sounds.


    Personally I have not gone down the stereo route purely ( and this is just me) I feel that in a 2 guitar band, the more direct signal cuts better. Going to stereo mushes things up.


    For a single guitar band where you want to cover a wider spectrum, makes sense.

  • just installed a Celestion f12 x200 in a 1x12 cab - initial impressions are GOOD! Sounds and feels like a guitar cab. There is a little coloration but I’m sure that’s what gives it the “amp in the room “ feel


    Rehearsal on Tuesday so I’ll crank it , take fletcher Munson into account and report back !

  • just installed a Celestion f12 x200 in a 1x12 cab - initial impressions are GOOD! Sounds and feels like a guitar cab. There is a little coloration but I’m sure that’s what gives it the “amp in the room “ feel


    Rehearsal on Tuesday so I’ll crank it , take fletcher Munson into account and report back !

    Looking forward to hearing about the results. Best of luck!

  • If you'd like to make a Direct profile of that Sheriff i'm sure people would be very happy :D

  • Hi mate


    I actually sold my kemper recently.


    Loved the unit for producing “recorded tones” but was constantly fighting to get that “amp in the room ” tone!

    I finally realised that only a valve amp will give you that, 3 dimensional , “amp in the room tone” NO digital modeller or profiler, can reproduce a valve amp tone (in the room)


    I stand by my initial assessment that the kemper produces awesome recorded tones and if your ears can get used to this then it is an incredible solution.

    For me , the difference in “feel” and lack of a “3 dimensional , amp in the room tone” finally became a deal breaker. I play live and I simply , couldn’t get used to hearing a “recorded” tone.

    I recently bought into the synergy system and o have never been more happy with my tone.

    Lastly , I do not think the kemper actually “profiles” amps. My gut feel is it works off generic algorithms for amp models, cabs and microphones.

    IN MY OPINION : Too many amp models sounded the “same” to my ears. I tried the kemper through FRFR and a guitar cab . I also tried loads of different profiles (direct and merged) - (paid and free) and I’m not sure this product , is any better than a helix or any other modeller. once again this is only MY OPINION. If it works for you - enjoy it.

    I’m simply not a digital guy and can now say , I have completely given up on digital, amp modelling products.


    I thank all of you for your help whilst I owned the kemper and I would like to wish all of you a healthy , happy life.


  • I understand your opinion, but I don't share it. You say all of the Kemper profiles sound the same and use a generic algorithm?!? That's the opposite of my experience, but I use FRFR so I'm not running through the same speaker sound for everything.


    How do you get all those different amp sounds with your tube amps?


    I understand the appeal of the beaming amp on stage feeling, but I care too much about the sound the audience is hearing to be able to bleed up the whole stage with a cranked amp.

  • I respect your words Conrad. Sometimes going back to what you know is what is truly you. No harm no foul. I struggled with some profiles for live being a cab user as well until I did profile my own amps. Was the profiles 100%? No, I say they were about 98% spot on but to me felt better and sounded better. Lol. I finally have some live profiles were I smile. About 10 that live in my unit. Have fun and enjoy.

  • There is a little coloration but I’m sure that’s what gives it the “amp in the room “ feel

    Funny thing is this: I exclusively use the KPA for about 3 years now for playing guitar at home, in rehearsal and live via either studio headphones or IEM. Now we got some Yamaha DXRs as satellites for live use ... since these cabs seem to have a good reputation at the "FRFR"-gang in this forum, I took it home to test it. Now read this:


    The sound I got was what I expected. Absolutely nothing to blame. Here's the but: since I am this used to "directly" hear the guitar in HiFi via earphones, I had difficulties playing without headphones since it all was "wibbeliwobbeli" and way more undefined as if I play direct with headphones. Basically I learned these days, that I do not want to go back to an "amp in the room". 8)8o

  • Funny isn't it how we all think differently...


    I played at the weekend and the support band had a guitarist using a Marshall ( I think it was a JCM800 - certainly an older model, probably non master volume).


    A few things struck me:


    1) It sounded really good

    2) He had it VERY loud - the PA guy had to get him to turn down a number of times as the backline was drowning out the PA. He was using both a 4 x12 and Fender Hotrod deluxe as a slave...

    3) He had a pedal board the size of a small barge to give the additional sounds he needed, although he had some very creative sounds ( octavers, Moog thingies, strymon timeline delay etc).


    So going on stage I thought my KPA doesn't sound as good through my 1 x12 FRFR...until i started playing...it sounded great, particularly out front, but not at ear splitting levels. Don't get me wrong, we don't play quietly, but I don't need to crank it. In fact I prefer not to be too loud else the Gretsch squeals like a pig at feeding time. I can balance the volume to get musical feedback.


    I get the " its not got the amp in the room sound" but actually I prefer not having to deafen myself or the audience to get a great sound and I've changed my thinking as a result.

  • ...it sounded great, particularly out front, but not at ear splitting levels.

    I have to admit, my rigs sound way better at home through studio headphones than through my IEM, especially with sounds having higher gain. But for live use, I basically do not care too much about the overall sound quality (in my IEMs) - what really matters is that I can hear _what_ I play and _what_ the others play. I kind of rely on the KPA sounding great over the PA (which is does). After listening to my cues afterwards in the DAW over the studio headphones it always sounded as I expected it to do.

  • I have to admit, my rigs sound way better at home through studio headphones than through my IEM, especially with sounds having higher gain. But for live use, I basically do not care too much about the overall sound quality (in my IEMs) - what really matters is that I can hear _what_ I play and _what_ the others play. I kind of rely on the KPA sounding great over the PA (which is does). After listening to my cues afterwards in the DAW over the studio headphones it always sounded as I expected it to do.

    Yep, me to. Before backline was so important because you were miking it up. Now for me as long as its good enough to inspire etc. then that'll do...my IEM sound also isn't great btw, but never had a great sound with a valve either... :)