Poweramp for Kemper and Kabinet.

    After some review, I decided to spring for the SD Power Stage 170. I have two CLR cabs and haven't until I purchased the Kone had a need for a separate power amp. The CLRs are now going to be used as monitors. The Duncan although pricey seemed from reviews to be reliable ,powerful enough, and have onboard EQ. Plus they seem to hold their value in the used market.

    I am torn between getting the cab plus a pedal power amp or waiting for a powered cabinet from Kemper. No, not another board, I have enough that I don't want and I enjoy the ease of a stage in a backpack. So, I'm gonna wait, I think. Today I thought, what if we are just about to see the perfect match for the new cabinet: a powered stage! :P

    What a nice thought.

    But then I somehow remember Christoph in some interview replying "yes" to the question if there would be a powered monitor/cabinet some day. So... I'm gonna wait another week.:/

    Better have it and not need it, than need it and not have it! - Michael Angelo Batio

    Quote from RobT

    After some review, I decided to spring for the SD Power Stage 170. I have two CLR cabs and haven't until I purchased the Kone had a need for a separate power amp. The CLRs are now going to be used as monitors. The Duncan although pricey seemed from reviews to be reliable ,powerful enough, and have onboard EQ. Plus they seem to hold their value in the used market.

    i am in a similar situation, 2 CLRs that i use at home as monitors for kemper and music playback. Glorious for that, but they are huge. I just wonder whether playing through the Kabinet for guitar is more rewarding than 2 clrs for homeuse

    I just ordered 4 pack of Kones. I have two 12” sonic monitors that I will two in. I have a 4x12 cabinet that I will put the the other two in.
    I need to power them. I was thinking of a 300 watt Crown. Some of these power options seem to color the sound. Anyone else have any other pure power options? Want to run in stereo.

    Quote from toadroddy

    I just ordered 4 pack of Kones. I have two 12” sonic monitors that I will two in. I have a 4x12 cabinet that I will put the the other two in.
    I need to power them. I was thinking of a 300 watt Crown. Some of these power options seem to color the sound. Anyone else have any other pure power options? Want to run in stereo.

    I'm using the PALMER MACH 402,
    I have it in my Kemper Rack Case, with a small rack mixer I can use it also as mini PA.
    https://www.thomann.de/gb/palmer_macht_402.htm?

    the Harley Benton GPA 400 is also a low budget Amp.

    https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_gpa_400.htm

    Be the force with you ;)

    I'm completely undecided on what to do at the moment with the Kabinet. I know I definitely want one, but I had the unpowered head so decisions are between an external power amp + Kab or wait for the powered.


    The thing that is giving me pause is that the price difference for the unpowered head vs powered in the UK is around £350, so potentially the powered Kab will be about £350 more than the current unpowered?


    Now I'll only be using the Kab at home, so I could get something like the hotone loudster, or ever the SD Powerstage 170 along with the Kab and save a few £'s if the powered Kab is going to end up being as expensive as it would seem.


    Anyone got any thoughts on this?

    - Liam

    think the powered cab wont be anytime soon with the way the world is now. Im in a similar situation, i only need power for home use and saw the camplifier studio yesterday (25w) which is cheaper than the SD, i could maybe get that, the Kone and buy a cheap empty cab for about £70. The kone and kabinet prices were bumped up a few days ago


    The SD 170 is around the £350 mark so you would in effect have the powered kemper, but maybe overkill powerwise

    Quote from clarkydaz

    think the powered cab wont be anytime soon with the way the world is now. Im in a similar situation, i only need power for home use and saw the camplifier studio yesterday (25w) which is cheaper than the SD, i could maybe get that, the Kone and buy a cheap empty cab for about £70. The kone and kabinet prices were bumped up a few days ago


    The SD 170 is around the £350 mark so you would in effect have the powered kemper, but maybe overkill powerwise

    Yeah I've looked at the camplifiers too, but the only thing that puts me off is the wattage. From what I understand the powered kpa is 600w to give 'headroom' and a more natural feel, so, providing that is the case, would the 25w, even for home use, be enough?


    Of course all that could be a load of rubbish in which case the camplifier would probably be a very good choice

    - Liam

    I just picked SD Power Stage 170 from local private market for 220 EUR (retail price here 380-400 EUR). Seems to work well with my Marshall 4x12 and I'm really looking forward to test that with Kemper Kabinet which should arrive tomorrow.


    IMHO the SD price is quite high and personally I would have probably bought Camplifier if I would have not been lucky finding this SD preowned.

    Just before moment courier ringed my door. I was expecting Fryette PS-2.

    I took the box, it was quite heavy. When I came to my room I noticed the box says: Fryette PS-100 (thougth, maybe someone put it in spare box...).

    I opened it and it is Fryette PS-100.

    Called guitarguitar.co.uk and they will arrange courier to get PS-100 back and send me PS-2.

    Mistakes happen, it's the way how we handle them, which makes our attitude.

    Sill waiting for Kemper Kabinet.

    Hopefully, they don't send me Stage ;)

    Edited once, last by skoczy ().

    Like 1
    Quote from Skebaristi

    I just picked SD Power Stage 170 from local private market for 220 EUR (retail price here 380-400 EUR). Seems to work well with my Marshall 4x12 and I'm really looking forward to test that with Kemper Kabinet which should arrive tomorrow.


    IMHO the SD price is quite high and personally I would have probably bought Camplifier if I would have not been lucky finding this SD preowned.

    great find at that price :thumbup:

    Isn't the PS-100 the newer, updated (more expensive) model?

    The older I get, the better I was.

    Like 2

    So I got the SD Power Stage 170 and the HB Custom Line Thunder 99 for comparison. Especially from the view of a stage user who wants a solution that fits on pedalboard.

    Tested with the Kabinet.


    Both devices have their Pros and Cons. I will list my impressions of them so far.

    In common I think that both are suitable solutions for the Kone/Kabinet and unpowered Kempers.


    ###

    Custom Line Thunder 99

    ###


    Pros:

    - Nice price at 89€

    - Enough power for rehearsels, gig monitoring and I would say also as main audio source for small to medium club gigs (see power/volume example at the end)

    - Good quality construction/design, feels stable

    - Significant smaller and more lightweight than the Power Stage

    - Mute foot switch


    Cons:

    - Power adapter very big (way bigger than the pedal itself and even bigger then most laptop power adapters I've seen the last years)


    ###

    Power Stage 170

    ###


    Pros:

    - Even better quality construction/design, feels massive and even more stable

    - Equalizer (but I won't need it because its in the Kemper already)

    - Even more power, so you won't be worried about

    - Integrated fan and control lamps to prevent overheating

    - General On/Off Switch


    Cons:

    - Hefty price tag (nearly same than the Kabinet itself, so easily doubles the price of the fun)

    - Significant bigger and more weighty than the Thunder 99

    - In quiet places you can hear the fan (so if you want to let your equipment running ready in the background at home this could be annoying)


    As an rough example for the power/volume of both:


    Both devices on 12 o clock.

    In my 20m² room it starts already being too loud at Kemper volume:


    Power Stage

    -25 db


    Thunder 99

    -23 db


    Other way round. With Kemper at nearly 50% Volume (-11 db):


    Power Stage

    max. 3 o clock


    Thunder 99

    max. 4-5 o clock


    Yeah that isn't an objektive laboratory measurement. But it should be enough as an orientation for the ones that can't imagine the difference between the power of both solution at all or aren't sure if especially the Thunder 99 has enough power for their home jamming or rehearsels.


    I haven't made my decision because due to obvious reasons I couldn't test it in rehearsel yet.


    Hope that helps somebody.

    Quote from ShadowJumper

    Isn't the PS-100 the newer, updated (more expensive) model?

    PS-100 seems to be updated PS-2. It is 100W versus 50W


    PS-100 versus PS-2

    "adding a foot-switchable FX-loop to amps that have none"

    100W of pure tube power

    Output Impedance: 2/4, 8 or 16 Ohms, selectable