New power head and first impressions.

  • Admittedly, I’m an analog dinosaur and this was a big step/leap for me but anyway I scored a gently used power head off Reverb for $1600 and it arrived today.


    I currently have a metroplex with matching 2x12 cabinet, an old fender twin with JBL’s and a 1969 Marshall 1959 with an amazing 1968 Marshall basket weave 4x12 slant cab loaded with its original pre rola greenies. The 4x12 cab sounds amazing and it lets me know pretty quick if a Marshall head is a keeper or a dud.


    I don’t have monitors and or an FRFR cabinet so I hooked the toaster into the mentioned 4x12 above and picked a Britt 1970 super lead profile that was already on the toaster, dimed the EQ just like I do a “real” vintage super lead and I was honestly shocked! I couldn’t believe how close it sounded. Sure, it lacked the punch of it tube brethren but it sounded almost dead on. I tried some fender stuff through my twin and same results. I’m very impressed.


    Besides the ability to buy profiles of expensive vintage amps for the price of a cup of coffee the other big benefit I see with using the toaster is you are going to get the same reaction and tone every time without worrying about tubes, mic placement, etc. it’s going to be there every time.


    Even the effects are good. The only effect I use is an old 70’s Phase 90 and the onboard subtle phase sounds fantastic.

    I guess we all want/hear different things/tones but I don’t see how or why people complain about not getting good tones out of this unit. I was a/b the toaster right beside my ‘69 Marshall and the tone is right there.

  • Thanks for sharing your great impressions. Good to hear that you found what you're looking for. And it's an incredibly inspiring tool with all the stuff in there and what can be loaded with the profiles, IRs and effect settings :thumbup:8)

  • Nice stuff to read, proof was there for you and many others after a side by side.


    Thanks for your input! :)

    If you use FRFR the benefit of a merged profile is that the cabinet is totally separated in the profile.


    For my edification only... ;) Kemper/Axe-FX III/ Quad Cortex user

  • welcome! I was and kinda still am a big tube amp guy but this kemper just blows me away every time I play. Versatility and less space is key for me. I have profiled all my amps and the are sounding great on my Kemp.


    Enjoy and enjoy the ride down the rabbit hole! :)

  • As Tom Sholtz wrote: Don't Look Back

    '19 Relish Eucalypt Mary | '17 PRS McCarty 594 | '15 PRS 408 | '96 PRS Custom 22 | '78 Les Paul Custom | '19 Silver Sky

    Kemper Toaster | Rack | Remote

    Friedman ASM-12 | Atomic CLR Neo Mk II Wedge | ValveTrain Powertrain Studio 20

  • Man this thing just continues to impress! I read the manual, did some tweaking to the settings in order to get the best sound of my analog cabinets and with merged or direct profiles this thing just kills!!!!


    For the guys using “traditional” cabs make sure you go into the output and switch on “live w/guitar cab”

  • It's an output preset.

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM