Axe 6.0 has dropped

    Nevermind...found the specs and converted those to inches...aint gonna fit. Still, it would fit in a cab with a little bit of scroll saw work.

    Guitars-Lifeson Axcess Red, Lifeson Axcess Brown, Iced Tea Axcess stop tail, LRP Sig 57
    Amp-Axefx2, KPA, G5, GSP1101, RCF, QSC, Matrix, EHX-Mag44

    I have nothing informative really to add to the discussion. I for one am happy for the AXE guys. Why shouldnt we all be? We have something cool that works for us, they have something cool that work for them. Everyone wins. I certainly have no urge to run out and buy an Axe now. Nor would I try to convince an Axe user to run out and buy a Kemper if they are totally digging the Axe.


    Im also quite certain I am in the minority here, but I tend to agree with Radley. It drives me nuts that I cant run 2 delays on the Kemper. I dont want to carry along extra pedals to play live. I want it in one box. I would like better OD stomps as well. Or at least the ability to profile OD's and use them as stomps instead of part of the amp tone. I sincerely hope that CK is working on some major improvements. Im not dogging the Kemper. I LOVE it. But to say its a complete package and doesnt need any improvement isnt 100% accurate. I would say for studio work, its there for me. For live use, it could use some improvements. YMMV :D



    EDIT: I dont want to sound like a whiner. For a 2k box the Kemper IS awesome. And I do love it.

    All of you guys make very valid points and the input is always noted and appreciated. My situation has changed since that live video of Koinonia at Montreux (at least 25 years ago - yikes!), as well as the complexities of recording. I now tour with a large band for a famous artist and the demands tonewise are much more specific, and my (admittedly selfish) desire is to have it all in one reliable package - I must have a backup for every piece of kit I use onstage, so I try to keep it to a minimum (Foot controllers, Electric processors, Acoustic processors, Volume pedals, etc - the more you use, the more can go wrong). I realize I'm probably in the minority here, because most people attracted to the KPA are focused on the Amp & Cab results, which are obviously excellent. (btw: I have made some progress in getting the more natural, cushy attack that I prefer) ;) Regardless, Mr. Kemper has started his own revolution with the KPA, and I hope he will be repaid with much success. Christoph for President? 8o

    All modelers known to man 8o

    Quote from MagnaVox

    I think the Axe II (standard and Ultra for that matter) effects are stellar. When you start comparing them to Eventide...thats a compliment to the Axe.
    6.0 is awesome . It really is good. Come into my studio... you wont be able to tell the difference between the AXE the KPA or a real tube amp.
    You guys are not doing KPA any favors by comparing those products. Thats probably is what keeps most people on the fence about either.


    Not really comparing the axe to the eventide, as I said I much prefer the eventide, even the stomp boxes.
    Don't want to sound too negative, but the 'try out firmware 6, its the real deal' is a bit stale after the same thing was said about firmware 5, 4 and 3 etc all the way back to firmware 5 on the axefx standard.
    I tried all of them except this new one. I said the same after firmware 5 was dropped and got exactly the same response, then tried it myself and was yet again disappointed.
    Honestly I dont wanna cause offence. If the axe is for you then thats great and Im happy for you, and if it is as good as everyone says then great. But all the previous exclamations of greatness after previous firmwares do little to convince others that this time its actually true.

    Well, I'm sure that the amount and quality of available built-in stomps will grow. And we'll get rid of some imitations, such as the impossibility to use more than one instance of any stomp.
    I believe Kemper should unleash stomp boxes usage, allowing any combination and any placement.
    Things like parallel processing are possible as well w/o changing KPA's design, it's just a matter of CPU power and some code.


    What I believe we won't see is the ability to profile a distortion box and load it into a slot box: this would imply executing at the same time two instances of the algorithm (new code, double the required power). I see some pale chances if we use it together with a clean amp profile tho, but can't be sure.

    I own both AXE 2 and KPA, and while the KPA is very impressive for profiling it's missing effects that I need for live gigs, it's not a complete box like the Axe 2, I imagine one day it might be, but for now I continue to use the AXE 2 for all gigs, v6 it's really a major improvement in the amp sounds, with presets properly dialed in and tone matched it really is sounding amazing in my opinion. My live patches are usually very simple, but occasionally I need to do a few songs that need to use certain effects and I prefer to have it all in one box, obviously C.K. is a smart guy and will keep adding to the KPA as many effects as possible.

    Quote from ChrisBeaver


    Chris,


    I find the combination of these three 'ingredients' gets me closest to the string feel I prefer:


    • Amp Compression = .1 (the smallest amount you can dial in, but it makes a considerable difference when you 'dig in')


    • Pick = +.3 or -.2 (very small settings)


    • Power Sagging = 2.5 to 4.0


    Also, if I am using the Clarity control at 4 or 5, I often use a higher Amp compression setting (never more than 2.0). Btw, the Clarity control seems to be a direct mix parameter and really helps certain profiles. 8)

    All modelers known to man 8o

    I would like to hear a axe clip tone matched to the kemper then we could really hear whether it's improved. I think this would be the ultimate test! So someone with both devices have at it and do a poll to see if people can pick what's what?!?

    Quote from jeddie

    I would like to hear a clip of the axe tone matching the kemper then we could really hear whether it's improved. I think this would be the ultimate test! So someone with both devices have at it and do a poll to see if people can pick what's what?!?


    I do not see the sense of all this, but if you want to compare something you should take as a reference the original amp with the exact same setting and mic/mic placement, profile against tone matched.
    Nothing personal, but I do not believe it would demonstrate anything. Races are for horses....

    "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" Serghei Rachmaninoff


    So are you saying you can tone match the amp the same way you can profile an amp? I thought you would have to take your recorded profile and then tone match to that recording? Ehh nevermind I think I see what your saying record the actual amp and tone match to that recording. Compare that recording against a profiled recording! Bingo?

    Edited once, last by jeddie ().

    I mean you should tone match the recording of the actual amp that has been profiled, recorded with everything exactly the same as during profiling, and not tone match the profile.

    "Music is enough for a lifetime, but a lifetime is not enough for music" Serghei Rachmaninoff


    Quote from Radley

    All of you guys make very valid points and the input is always noted and appreciated. My situation has changed since that live video of Koinonia at Montreux (at least 25 years ago - yikes!), as well as the complexities of recording. I now tour with a large band for a famous artist and the demands tonewise are much more specific, and my (admittedly selfish) desire is to have it all in one reliable package - I must have a backup for every piece of kit I use onstage, so I try to keep it to a minimum (Foot controllers, Electric processors, Acoustic processors, Volume pedals, etc - the more you use, the more can go wrong). I realize I'm probably in the minority here, because most people attracted to the KPA are focused on the Amp & Cab results, which are obviously excellent. (btw: I have made some progress in getting the more natural, cushy attack that I prefer) ;) Regardless, Mr. Kemper has started his own revolution with the KPA, and I hope he will be repaid with much success. Christoph for President? 8o


    I have no issue with what you want... it's a natural. The fact you have respect for the KPA and want to see it do more of what you want is absolutely a positive thing for my way of seeing things. There's nothing I have heard anyone want as a feature being "pissing and moaning". I would suppose CK reviews evey customer statement as worthy of review. < He certainly hasn't appeared shy in his willingness to respond as candidly as is good prudent business would dictate >.


    I would like to see downloadable FX which could replace the built in FX to be more selectable to MY taste and needs. Perhaps it's possible. There's fx in there such as autowah and famous but less than my sort of distortion/od stomps that I juat have zero interest in. It doesn't disappoint me they are there, but they wouldn't have been my choices.

    Edited once, last by 1fastdog ().

    Quote from jeddie

    I would like to hear a axe clip tone matched to the kemper then we could really hear whether it's improved. I think this would be the ultimate test! So someone with both devices have at it and do a poll to see if people can pick what's what?!?

    Hey Jeddie,
    there's much more to an amp sound than tone alone: its dynamic, the way its sound changes depending on the fretboard section you're using...
    Tone matching, as I see it, is a way to match the tone of an amp provided you are using a model of the same amp and you're just after the sound the artist is using on a specific tune. Tone-matching a Marshall track applying it to a Fender model won't give you the same sound. A single note might sound similar, but on phrasing and chording you'd perceive the different response each amp is characterized by.


    Were it otherwise, a simple 32-band graphic equalizer would turn any amp in any other one, and Fractal should have just developed a single model and applied different EQs to generate any other.


    Trivial considerations maybe, but it seemed they were worth it :)

    Quote from Radley

    • Amp Compression = .1 (the smallest amount you can dial in, but it makes a considerable difference when you 'dig in')

    Thanks Radley for your findings :)


    To support your statement, I've come across this from my FSA (Forum Secret Archives). I'm afraid I can't say who wrote what tho :/



    "The compressor in the amp section of the KPA works differently than any normal Compressor. I am not sure how it works internally but i guess that it just temporarily alters the binary data concerning volume and dynamics of the profile. Normally, a compressor would need to react on the input audio Signal. Because of this, a compressor always has some latency in its effect on the audio signal. The results of this can be audible as the typical compressor artefacts like the "snap" of longer attack time, distortion because of too small attack and release times, "pumping" or "breathing".
    The KPA Amp compressor does not show these behaviours, in fact it works like a "perfect" compressor would react. It has no effect on the gain structure and it does not pump or breathe.
    I use the compressor on every clean tone. You instantly get this beautiful warm tone even it this profile was rather harsh or thin. I never use it on hi gain rhythm, but sometimes for soloing.


    I agree, the Compressor in the amp block is excellent, sounds awesome with any of the clean Profiles, it brings them to life".

    I would also add: The more Amp compression you use, the more you should increase (+) the Pick parameter to maintain solid note attacks - this is especially true of high gain sounds. (imho) 8o

    All modelers known to man 8o