First, a bit about myself.
Although I am new to Kemper, I am not new to the rock guitar world. I am an old school and verifiable "old guy" who has come up playing through Fender, Marshall, Soldano, and the like in live situations all over the USA. Fame and fortune did not come, but boy I had fun! And I have partially deaf ears to prove it...
When the Stage came out, I had to get one. Besides the problem (?) of too many excellent choices in sounds, I am struggling with the issue of using the profiles live through an FRFR, or ditching the cab profiles and playing through one of my decent cabs I have.
My first thought is: this is what you buy something like this for, to get the profiles of the cabs as well as the amps and effects. I agree with the whole idea that you have never heard the "amp in the room" of your favorite guitarists, but either pushed through a PA live with EQ or on a record with Lord knows what tossed in the mix. I want to get the sounds like I hear on records, and the Kemper allows me to do that.
But...personally over decades of playing everything from tiny clubs to large concert halls, I have never experienced anything but the "amp in the room." The closest I have come is the last band I worked with that had the luxury of the in-ears, which I absolutely loved, but I was using either an AC30 or my Plexi clone on stage. And loud!
With my current band, I took the Kemper to rehearsal along with my FRFR this week. Now, I have a Headrush FRFR-112 and I know people either love or hate 'em, but please look at it from my perspective of my virgin voyage into FRFR-dom in a live situation. The FRFR sounds great at home, pretty cranked but with the band (trio: bass and drums) I was less than stoked. I did a bit of fast EQ-ing and it improved somewhat, but you know how when you have that perfect sound and your fingers feel like they can do no wrong? I didn't get that.
I guess my main question is: is it me? Am I too set in my ways as far as live sound? Is this normal for someone like me using a setup like this for the first time? If I was in a situation where I always went direct into the board and had in-ears, I would not worry, but at some of my gigs, the sound I generate on stage is the sound that the audience will hear. Small clubs, only vocals and kick miked. I know that I will ultimately do what I need to do to get what I want/need to make me love what I am doing. If it is to ditch the FRFR and use a real cab, so be it. But I kind of feel like it would be a waste to not use those wonderful cab profiles.
So, I seek advice. Please don't bash the Headrush; I am sure something else sounds better...and costs way more. I am talking about the whole experience of amp-in-the room vs full profiles live.
Thank you for any advice you give!