Kone & Kabinet Q&A

  • Would love to hear from someone with a HeadRush FRFR-112 compared to the Kabinet. It's gonna be awhile before Sweetwater gets them back in. They are having to close 2 weeks starting tonight :(

  • I tried it with bass and I don’t recommend it for that. It could be used in a small setting but the cab vibrates too much for it to be used at higher volume. I think a 1-15” version would be a big hit but the cab design would need to be able to handle the extended frequencies and volume.


    I need to try it more off the floor. I’m really impressed with how great the bass boost sounds on the floor. I think this would be my preferred way to use it but I wish I could control the level of boost. Even if it was in five 20% increments or similar settings.

    Thanks for that.

  • After spending the last year with the Kemper and trying dial in sounds through a Marshall 4x12, Headphones and Recording through SPIDIF, I finally felt I had decent command of the tones I was creating in each of those situations. Now I have a nice new Kabinet at home to play with and I was hoping that I could get some clarification to save some of the inevitable experimenting: Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I have read the manual and I have scanned online and I have read conflicting information.


    1) Direct or Studio Profiles? When and what Kone settings are ideal for both?

    • With a Direct profile I read its best to turn off the imprints but do you still leave the Kone still on? Or should the Kone be off?
    • Are Studio profiles preferred if you are using the Kone and Speaker Imprints?

    2) Pure Cabinet Setting - when should this be used when using the Kab?

    3) Any recommended output volume settings if using with Power Head?

  • It's mostly about resonant frequency, and this is where MDF and HDF have the advantage in that they're fundamentally (see what I did there?) consistent.


    HDF's really-heavy, which I'm guessing is why Kemper chose not to use it; it'd detract from one of the lures of modelling setups - that of reducing the load, so to speak. Also, the resonant frequency is likely to be lower and that mightn't have suited the intended purpose.

  • wouldnt different cab woods help if people wanted to focus on a type of sound though? If someone prefers a clean fenderish sound compared to high gain, open/closed back etc? :/

    That’s why you can purchase the Kone separately and place it into any cab style/make you want

  • I tried it with bass and I don’t recommend it for that. It could be used in a small setting but the cab vibrates too much for it to be used at higher volume. I think a 1-15” version would be a big hit but the cab design would need to be able to handle the extended frequencies and volume.


    I need to try it more off the floor. I’m really impressed with how great the bass boost sounds on the floor. I think this would be my preferred way to use it but I wish I could control the level of boost. Even if it was in five 20% increments or similar settings.


    The Kabinet is not really made for bass, as it is a pure and classic guitar cabinet design.


    However, the Kone is bass compatible. Size does not matter, as you can see by 10' speakers being used especially for bass cabinets.

    We are hoping for cabinet makers creating such designs for the Kone. A 2x12 horizontal or vertical (400 Watts) would work great, favorably with a metal grill instead of cloth.


    A classic 4x12 cabinet equipped with Kones would also work great for bass.


    If you need a continuously adjustable bass control, then use the Monitor Equalizer. It's made exactly for that and of course still works for the Kone.


    CK

  • Interesting, I might then find a bass cabinet that I can mount the Kone into. Like you say, cabinet design does make a difference , especially for air movement. With a bass cabinet, I should still be able to work with a single 12” Kone.


    Any word ckemper if there is anything in the works for other speaker Kone sizes (10”,15”)? Especially with 4x10 , 2x10, 1x15 bass cabs are more common

    Edited once, last by drog ().

  • Interesting, I might then find a bass cabinet that I can mount the Kone into. Like you say, cabinet design does make a difference , especially for air movement. With a bass cabinet, I should still be able to work with a single 12” Kone.


    Any word ckemper if there is anything in the works for other speaker Kone sizes (10”,15”)? Especially with 4x10 , 2x10, 1x15 bass cabs are more common

    No plans for that.

    The sizes 10 and 15 are not necessarily chosen for the sound, but for a convenient format IMHO.

  • No plans for that.

    The sizes 10 and 15 are not necessarily chosen for the sound, but for a convenient format IMHO.

    idk, I think a 1x15" for bass players would be much smaller and lighter than a 2x12". There are a lot of bass players that could use the Kone technology when they move between acoustic, upright and electric bass. I use the Kemper in the studio for bass just as much as guitar. I know most bass players would prefer a 1x15" to a 1x12" but the cab design would need to be capable of handing the extra low end response.


    These Kabs are so badass, I hope to see you expand the line. If you build it, they will come.

    These profiles go to 11!

  • Calling it "Chinese guitar gear" is a misleading way to describe them.


    We regularly have products invented and developed in our R&D team manufactured in other countries, including China. Calling them "Chinese products" is a poor and revealing way to describe them.

  • If a resonant cab is designed to accentuate the right frequencies then you can get a great result if done right (eg: Buzz Feiten did one), but with different amps you get what you get.


    Using MDF for the Kone is the best option by a mile. The results speak for themselves.

  • Calling it "Chinese guitar gear" is a misleading way to describe them.


    We regularly have products invented and developed in our R&D team manufactured in other countries, including China. Calling them "Chinese products" is a poor and revealing way to describe them.

    Didn’t mean to mislead anyone my friend, I am not calling them “Chinese Gear”. They are indeed by definition Chinese gear. Regardless of where the R&D took place, like or not, they are made in the PRC. But let’s be fully transparent here. Where are the profilers themselves made?


    Get my point? I am sure they are not made in China for a reason. And I would go as far as take a good guess at the reason: You guys, Kemper, have the highest of standards in your German Factory and manufacturing process and even tough it would be much more affordable to produce it in the PRC, they are not (and likely never will)


    So, I was just noting that the quality of the Kone is very nice, despite being affordable (because they are made in China) thats all.

    Cheers,

  • You didn't mention the affordability, so it sounded like you think Chinese manufacturing is somehow inferior.


    I think you're going to have warranty and return issues if you buy a set and then sell off the parts.

  • Didn’t mean to mislead anyone my friend, I am not calling them “Chinese Gear”. They are indeed by definition Chinese gear. Regardless of where the R&D took place, like or not, they are made in the PRC. But let’s be fully transparent here. Where are the profiles themselves made?


    Get my point? I am sure they are not made in China for a reason. And I would go as far as take a good guess at the reason: You guys, Kemper, have the highest of standards in your German Factory and manufacturing process and even tough it would be much more affordable to produce it in the PRC, they are not (and likely never will)


    So, I was just noting that the quality of the Kone is very nice, despite being affordable (because they are made in China) thats all.

    Cheers,

    Not to hijack the thread but we are not in the 80s anymore and the stereotype you are hinting at really needs to die. The early quality control debacle of the KPA Stage should be enough to disprove your point. There are reasons to not have your product made in China but bad manufacturing quality certainly isn't one of them anymore.